Such thing as a half aspergers syndrome?

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I've given up trying to label myself. I've been diagnosed since 2 1/2.

Schizoid Personality?

Actually, it doesn't say anything about not reading body language and social cues in the diagnostic criteria for Asperger's disorder or autism, although it is frequently assumed to be a reason for the marked impairments in social interaction.
If you think you have enough of these symptoms, It is worth looking into.


Diagnostic Criteria for 299.80 Asperger's Disorder

[The following is from Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM IV]

(I) Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:
(A) marked impairments in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body posture, and gestures to regulate social interaction
(B) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
(C) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interest or achievements with other people, (e.g.. by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people)
(D) lack of social or emotional reciprocity

II) Restricted repetitive & stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:
(A) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
(B) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
(C) stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g. hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)
(D) persistent preoccupation with parts of objects

(III) The disturbance causes clinically significant impairments in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

(IV) There is no clinically significant general delay in language (E.G. single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years)

(V) There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self help skills, adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction) and curiosity about the environment in childhood.

(VI) Criteria are not met for another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Schizophrenia."

I've "got" "PDD-NOS".
"According to the DSM-IV, PDD-NOS is a diagnosis that is used for "severe and pervasive impairment in the development of reciprocal social interaction or verbal and nonverbal communication skills, or when stereotyped behavior, interests, and activities are present, but the criteria are not met for a specific PDD" or for several other disorders. PDD-NOS is often called atypical autism, because the criteria for autistic disorder are not met, for instance because of late age of onset, atypical symptomatology, or subthreshold symptomatology, or all of these. Even though PDD-NOS is considered milder than typical autism, this is not always true. While some characteristics may be milder, others may be more severe."

Edit: So within the world of autism, you aspi's are the NTs!

It is possible that, even if you are able to read body language, you miss social cues and body language because you are not making eye contact or you are not paying attention because you are listening to what they are saying.

Also I believe that noticing body language does not necessarily mean that you can also mirror it or have the desire to do so. If it doesn't come naturally to you, you will still have to mimic it. After all, you have to notice and understand body language in order to mimic it.

I have never paid attention to body language and social cues. It never occurred to me that it was something that I should be watching and mimicking. I didn't know it existed and I didn't look for it. I was oblivious to it. I never understood socializing, though I had no trouble talking to people.
But now that I know what to look for, I can study it and understand it. But I can't copy it. It is not my personality to do so. It would just seem phony and ridiculous and I'm not very good at acting.


Actually Immenseload, not expressing emotions is typical of males in general.

I just came across this wiki article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PDD-NOS, Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, this seems to be what you are talking about.

"The diagnosis of PDD–NOS is given to individuals with difficulties in the areas of social interaction, communication, and/or stereotyped behavior patterns or interests, but who do not meet the full DSM-IV criteria for autism or another PDD."

In my opinion, socializing is a game of deception and most people on the spectrum do not have a social instinct and that is why we are considered so honest and naive.

Last edited by Marybird on 02 Jan 2013, 3:31 am, edited 1 time in total.

Wow, that is a great definition of what it means to be social, I have never thought of socialization as a game of deception but it makes perfect sense to me, now at least. This would perfectly explain why we find socialization so baffling, in fact the very reason I discovered that I am on the spectrum was because I was too honest regarding my feelings towards a friend who was deeply offended by my honesty and as a result I was quite painfully rejected by this supposed friend. Thank you for this insight.

I assume it's pointless to simply say +1 ! but I don't feel that there is any more to say, it just totally makes sense to me.

I assume it's pointless to simply say +1 ! but I don't feel that there is any more to say, it just totally makes sense to me.

Yup very good assessment. It's all about creating a certain image by hiding certain aspects to make the front picture look exactly like you want and there being some kind of rule that people only judge you on that front image and that talking about someone's "backside" is the biggest social diss you can do to someone. I mean bullying/gossiping is almost always about people's "backside", and/or made up stuff about this. And "tabloid" magazines are mostly about making making completely normal "backside" stuff seem totally weird just because their front image is soo different. (<insert sweet teen singer here> that goes partying hard).
There truly appears to be a "front level" and a "back level" to social interaction, "a pretty girl" must never (mention) poop/fart on the "front level" as the image of a "pretty girl" is that she doesn't do those things, even though -everyone- knows they do. It's the front image that counts.
I suppose for most people the "back level" comes only in a "relationship" and learning the difference or lack off between the front and the back is what a relationship is I suppose.
A relationship between someone with autism and someone without many times goes wrong because the person without autism ends up saying something along the lines of "there wasn't anything behind/in it", they pretty much fell in love with their own idea of the deception that there must be something more behind your "front level" while you were your completely 100% self the entire time.
Between two NT's relationships generally end up going wrong because the back level doesn't match or make up for the difference in the front level, but even then if the front level matches they'll stick around.
An actor/singer/politician/sporter who cheats/beats his wife (or any "back level" problem) can get away with it by making a public apology and drawing the problem to their front level since their front level is carefully planned by producers and coordinators, so "the public" always has the idea of "aw he's only human and slipped once on his perfect record". Totally thinking that because he made it public, that must have been the only and last time he ever did it, because otherwise he would have made an apology before or will again in the future, as he must just be that kind of a good guy to bring a "back level" thing to the "front level" like that himself.

So where do I fit in on the spectrum scale.

I spend most of the time fine with traits of asperger if you know what to look for, my social skills are ok as long as I don’t get carried away and start going on and on about what ever subject I’m fascinated in.

On the other foot when I become stressed out my mind collapses and I can no longer express myself any longer. I end up looking left to the ground and can’t look people in the eyes anymore. If I can manage any words, I’m reduced to a slurry babble. My mind slows down.

I was told by a couple of doctors I have aspergers, although I have not had a proper diagnoses.

One minute I’m fine with a mild version of autism. The next minute I have the symptoms and behaviour of someone with severe autism.

My mind goes backwards and forward along the spectrum. Can anyone please explain why my mind does this?

It's a disorder.

You can think about it however you want, but it's still a disorder.

If you're not disordered, you do not have Aspergers. It is not, nor was it ever intended to be, a "personality type."

Socialization is a complex set of skills affected by genetics and environment. There are a large number of genes that influence social behavior.

Autistic people have weak central coherence, There is weak communication between different areas of the brain.

In my opinion, I could see why this would make it difficult for autistic people to socialize. It takes a lot of brain muscle and that could be tiring. And for some it could mean being locked into their own world unable to socialize.

Autistic people are more interested in communicating facts than playing the game.

I wouldn't so much consider it being a "halfspie," rather, a person with an ASD who may have managed to adapt to some situations better than other autistic/AS individuals. It may very well be another part of the spectrum, much like visible light is on the electromagnetic spectrum.