List of lesser known Aspergers traits?

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I think a lot of the traits common among females aspies are lesser known, which is we all too often don't get diagnosed or inaccurately diagnosed with something else.

I can have VERY strong compassion and empathy, so much that it hurts trying to get it out but I can't or it's not socially acceptable.

Hating injustice and having a strong sense of right and wrong.

I hate having to call and make appointments on the phone, but texting them is even worse. I have never texted and never will if I can keep avoiding it. It's just easier to just talk for a few seconds than type it in terrible grammar and spelling that makes me nearly break out in a sweat just looking at it.

Role-paying with dolls and stuffed animals, something I've done as a teen, a young adult and occasionally still do now.

Collecting toys and organizing them to a fault. Even if I don't play with them much I'm happy and secure just having them around.

Seeing a lot of detail in things others like miss. In the past I was praised for having such an eye for detail that showed in my own artwork.

Black-and-white thinking (but sometimes that's how things are!).

Hyperlexia - I can't really remember *not* being able to read.

Being *very* verbal and not having problems speaking with others at all - but my conversations were usually one-sided and mainly revolved around my own interests (cartoons, video games, toys). My mother used to lecture me a lot about this. After my diagnoses however, I don't do this much anymore.

Having an expressive but LOUD voice, which I usually didn't notice until someone like my mother shushed me. I don't usually speak loudly now since my diagnosis.

Having an expressive face but having trouble seeing expressions in other people.

Preferring comfortable, practical clothing over the latest fashions.

Not wearing makeup or being obsessed with appearance (except around Halloween)

Being unusually quiet and appearing to be a world in my own when I'm really thinking deeply about things, "rehearsing" things I plan to say later in a conversation in my head, or analyzing things.

Having an unusual fascination with water.

Being hyposensitive instead of hypersensitive, or a mix of both. Smells, tastes, sounds and textures I can't get enough of like campfires and cinnamon or velvety-soft plush toys.

Mistaking something meant to be a compliment or something positive as an insult or something offensive, and then your reaction ends up confusing and upsetting the person who said it. For example, someone says "You have really nice legs". and you say to them "You're a sexist pig!" because you've heard anyone who says something like that is sexual harassment.

Not knowing the simple question an NT just asked you has some different meaning behind it that you're absolutely supposed to know and how to answer it. Such as when they ask you "What are you watching?", which really means "Can I watch with you?" but no, they can't just tell you that, they have to be vague and indirect. And if you answer by just telling them the name of whatever show you're watching and not inviting them to watch with you they will think you're rude and nasty.

Or even even worse, you let them watch with you even though you prefer to watch alone, but then their mere presence makes you so uneasy you have to get up and leave and they're positively flummoxed by this.

Using a word like "flummoxed"?

In terms of group characteristics, I have seen many mentions of them all here on many occasions. Not all individuals on the spectrum are alike in all characteristics though. The personal expression of the mix of characteristics is influenced by genetics, experience, personality and (no doubt) a lot of other variables.

That first list is an almost perfect description of me, plus I won't answer the 'phone or door either.

Hyposensitivities.

Apart from hyposensitivity to pain, these are less obvious than the hypersensitivities. I guess they are ignored a lot because in most cases they don't have much adverse effects, yet I believe they have subtle effects on social behavior.

For eample: I tend not to react much to loud sounds and the like, when everyone around me does. This leads to odd social behavior - i'll keep on talking while everybody's distracted by some sound.

Someone made a thread where they said the extraverted aspies in their family seemed to have more adhd traits. I thought that applied to me too, but when I went for assessment it turned out I'm not even remotely adhd. I wonder if autistics with more hyposensitivities are more extraverted?

I really don't like trait lists like this. They're (for the most part) not inherent traits to ASD, but individual outward expressions of some more fundamental aspect of ASD. Take "Disinterested in sports or other physical activities" for example.

You can almost as easily find people on the spectrum who are intensely interested in sports as you can people who have no interest in them whatsoever. Sports have nothing to do with ASD. Disinterest in sports is just an expression of more fundamental aspects of ASD, like limited/focused interests, and being less able to pick up on social cues that sports are something you're "supposed" to be interested in. These more fundamental traits can just as easily manifest as an extreme interest in Sports as they can an extreme lack of interest.

To generalize the trait to just the one expression of it is to miss the much more fundamental reason for why people on the spectrum are acting these ways.

1. Poor/abnormal posture

I have terrible posture and I am constantly sitting really weirdly.

2.trouble with left and right and other directions

No, not really, but I used to have immense trouble figuring out which shoe went on which foot, if that counts.

3. Disinterested in sports or other physical activities

Of course! Sports are very boring to me and I don't play or watch any. I hate gym class too.

4. Rituals with no outcome

Yes, and not all of them are due to my OCD because some don't cause anxiety. I have a lot of routines/rituals I follow.

5. Large or unique vocabulary

I used to have an amazing vocabulary when I was 2, but I don't think it is that great anymore (I used to be hyperlexic too).

6. Lack of organization

I am actually pretty organized because of OCD and some rituals, but I used to be horribly disorganized. My organization almost is like a way for me to cope with my disorganization, which makes no sense. Basically I can't stand too much stuff in my environment.

7. Intense compassion/empathy

I think I have pretty great empathy, but I don't express it well so it looks as if I don't. I have a strong sense of morals though, and I care about others deeply .

8. Intense anger or no anger at all

Most of the time I am not angry at all, but I can get angry if my routine is changed or something like that.

9. Connection with animals

I have a pretty decent connection with animals, at least when I had pets of my own.

10. Difficulty understanding pop culture, styles, trends, etc.

I don't understand any pop culture or trends, and I just couldn't care less. I don't follow any social norms, and I was kind of upset when I got a phone for my birthday because I don't want to be like other kids my age except my friends. I never really had any desire to fit in. Even in preschool, I used to complain about styles and popular things that were like by my peers.

Videodrome

My main problem with talking on the phone is that precious lil "people" have the nerve to grunt "huh" and "what" a lot. A lot of them have bad hearing

Leaving a message I do not like

The other thing is that sometimes someone screams "hello!?" If they do not get an immediate response. And I do not often give immediate responses

Sometimes the phone cuts off

1. No
2. No
3. No
4. Yes
5. No
6. Yes
7. Yes
8. No
9. Yes
10. Yes yes a big, fat yes.

Ones that I've recently discovered that aren't really well known are people obsessions and talking to yourself occasionally

In my case:

1. Yes. I struggle with keeping a proper posture
2. As a kid, yes, but I eventually learned left from right
3. I hated PE when I was at school. I was too clumsy for sports
4. Hm? If you mean like compulsions, yes
5. Yes
6. Yes
7. No. This tends to be far rarer than the lack of empathy stereotypically associated with autism
8. Yes, intense anger. I would give anything to never be angry. Diddly
9. Not particularly. I like dogs but that's about all
10. Yes, yes, YES. I have no connection with modern pop culture and would rather live in the 1970s

1. Poor/abnormal posture
- Sadly, yes

2.trouble with left and right and other directions
-If I am trying to learn something physical, like skiing, yes

3. Disinterested in sports or other physical activities
- I like playing sports like softball, but dislike watching sports and don't get all the football/other sport hype

4. Rituals with no outcome
- no

5. Large or unique vocabulary
- yes, especially when I was younger

6. Lack of organization
- yes and no. I'm very disorganized at home and with things, but my colleagues and/or friends are often very surprised when they find out as I think very logically

7. Intense compassion/empathy
- no

8. Intense anger or no anger at all
- no anger at all

9. Connection with animals
- NOPE! And am terrified of dogs

10. Difficulty understanding pop culture, styles, trends, etc.
- YES, yes, and yes. I never understood this.