What aspect of AS is most limiting for you?

Post Reply New Topic

Mine is most;y a combination of relating to others and executive functions, because I have a really hard time tracking verbal and non verbal cues within interaction, filtering ambiance AND personal thoughts, but the results of the disfunction affect ,y relations to others the mostm thus is the option I picked.

Mostly its in relating to other people, with executive functioning coming in a close second. I really need to not rely on routines so much! Sensory was a problem during childhood mostly ( though a screaming infant can cause me to lose it even now).
It is still picking up on subtle body language that still gets me, I only know the obvious stuff, after 50+ years now.

Sincerely,
Matthew

I'd say, relating to other people and executive functions

Relating to other people,followed very closely by executive functioning, then sensory.
Yesterday I might have put executive functioning first, but I just realized that my social skills are worse than I thought. This someone pointed out some things I was not aware I was doing. I got the impression that the social difficulties I am actually aware of are just the "tip of the iceberg".
Executive functioning is a very close second because I have much difficulty with organization and time management which keeps me from doing what I want/need to do. However I have a better understanding of what strategies I can use to improve. Sensory issues are last because I can easily define them and usually can stay out of situations that cause overload. Though this does mean limiting some necessary things such as shopping so it is relatively last of the three but still a major issue.

I would have to say for me it's not being able to read(or express) non-verbal social communication and/or cues. What makes matters worse for me is less then 5 months ago, I never knew such a thing ever existed. I am 41 years old and it literally took running into a psychiatrist on break at a starbucks to point out to me what was going on. As far as all the other AS problems go. I have been able to adapt and deal with even before I knew I has AS.

Learning issues and anxiety. Next would be how my AS effects me in relationships but I have an understanding husband so it's not a big deal.

Executive dysfunction.
The social stuff might bother me if I cared about having a lot of friends, and it does cause problems in getting work.

The social stuff doesn't cause me much angst because I am oblivious to much of it.

Sensory issues are fairly moderate-severe depending (severe right now, moderate last week). The more overload I experience the easier it is to overload the next time, the only way to "reset" that seems to be time without shutdowns, which I do not have very freqeuently. Today, overload pushed me to non-verbal, lower reading level, much lower expressive writing level. In the last case I lost access to my "phrase bank" and was barely able to write anything that I wanted to write or that made any sense to me. Right now I am not really back to where I was, and not sure how soon I will be.

Executive function issues are also fairly severe, and explaining them to my therapist was one of the primary reasons my therapist suggested I look into support to assist me with activities of daily living. They are not so severe that I cannot bathe or feed myself Eating is complicated - I've learned how to handle that living here, but if I move I'll probably lose a lot of that as it depends on structure and support provided by other people). That is in terms of knowing I should get food to eat and when. I have issues with most everything. I recently committed to doing more chores around the house, but those chores have apparently made it harder to keep up on other things I do, and I do not know how to balance things so everything remains doable.

A big part of my executive dysfunction has to do with inertia. I get stuck doing a thing and don't eat, don't go to bed, and don't do others I should do. It renders everything more difficult, no matter how satisfying indulging the inertia (or perseveration if that works better) may be.

Sensory issues make it hard for me to function on a job or in school, which effectively cuts me off from both an education and from gainful employment. Executive dysfunction makes it difficult for me to organize sufficiently to get into school or find a job in the first place.

I think I'll pick sensory, because executive dysfunction does have some working coping mechanisms and treatments I can fall back on.

For me, both social functioning and executive functioning. Sensory issues aren't so bad, unless it's still shirt labels, or especially sirens! Sirens pierce my skull like a drill!

_________________
An Asperger's man who has Autism Spectrum Disorder level 1- mild, with a sprinkling of Synesthesia.

I would say my inability to have relationships as well as me melting down over small things are the biggest issues my Aspergers causes me. Regarding relationships, I can't even start one. I fear rejection so I never attempt to ask a girl out.

For me it's relations with humans. Exec functioning and sensory issues never made me really suffer.

I didn't put "relating to people" because not being able to relate to people doesn't make me really suffer, unless it's about someone I like. Therefore it's not a real issue for me.

It's complex, because I find it hard to separate any damage actually caused by any AS traits, to any abuse I got for these traits. Maybe the only aspect of AS which by itself got in my way is never communicating effectively even when I wanted help.

I chose relating to people. I do not even learn social skills; under slightly different circumstances, I will find myself repeating mistakes over and over. Good thing I am an introvert...

As for sensory issues, I mostly dislike loud noises (loud TVs and radios can literally drive me to slam my head against walls – DO NOT TRY IT AT HOME, KIDS!) and strong smells (specially breath odor and hair tincture). And being touched: regardless of who tries to hug me, I will cower away.

Executive functioning is where it gets weird. I am capable of getting a job and my dilligence and adherence to rules are good for keeping it. However, I am terrible with things like working memory and time management.

I have significant issues with all three, but the one that affects me the most is probably relating to people. I used to be scared to death of everyone -- even scared to talk on the phone to anyone. Over the years, I've learned to carry on conversations with people satisfactorily. But for the most part, it's one-on-one. When it comes to social events, parties, reunions, I am much less capable. The whole time -- even at my own familly reunion! -- I sit the whole time thinking "I have to get out of here!"

Where my biggest problems have always been is in the realm of dating and relationships. I can count and name the men I"ve been on dates with -- David, Hal (4 year relationship), Ron, Eric, Michael (15 year relationship), Jim (1-1/2 year relationship) and John. That's it. Where the problem is -- at least so I've been told -- is that I don't recognize when a man is coming on to me. I can't seem to differentiate between a man just being nice, hitting on me and innocently flirting. Because I don't know which is which, I tend to shy away from any conversations that may be heading in that direction. I've been told that I "put up a wall" between myself and the man. That is very true, although totally without intent. I'm so frightened of mistaken a man's intentions that I just avoid them all. There have been many times that I felt like -- or was told by someone -- that a man was going to ask me out, but it never happens. I guess that's the wall they're talking about.

The best way I can think to put it is that I feel like I missed an assembly in junior high that taught human males and females how to relate and read each other. Everybody else seems to know how to do it, and I don't have a clue. I've even tried to get people to tell me how. They just go "I don't know what to tell you. You just know." Well dammit, I DON'T KNOW.