Why High Functioning Autism is So Challenging

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This is good article. Also needs to be noted that the autism spectrum is not a line, people have different amount of problems in different areas.

I go the F. G. ping pong route.

Good article. I hope it gets shared widely.

Out of all the things listed, with my husband the sensory issues drive most of the problems.

Eating in public. Dissecting your food, putting eight tablespoons of sugar in your coffee, inspecting every piece of silverware. Grabbing 10 napkins because you need to wipe your hands if any food gets on them. Not being able to eat and caring on a conversation with your dinner mates at the same time. That doesn't include food textures and smells.

Touch. Pulling away from a hug or a kiss. Brushing yourself off after a hug. Pulling away from a hand hold. Noone understanding why it takes forever to buy clothes, or people commenting you never wear blue jeans. Blue jeans drive you insane.

Sound. Crowds. You can't do malls, movies, rock concerts, sporting events...the Zoo. The sounds, smells, distractions fry your nerves. Forget about *talking* to the people you are with. You look stone/bored/aggravated because you are trying not to lose it. Your friends see this as you are not enjoying their company and don't ask you to an event again.

I'll throw in executive functioning stuff...

While you are so busy just coping with sensory issues, time slips away. You were suppose to call your friend at 9 am but you didn't, because your family is a jumble of breakfast smells and noise. Between coping with that overload and issues showering, what takes an NT maybe an hour, you need 3. Now it your friend is pissed and left for an event because you never bothered to call and firm up plans.

A person who is low functioning gets a pass on all that. My husband has the exact same issues, but because he is high functioning, everyone figures all that is drama queen s**t. Like he should just buck it up AND DEAL.

High functioning is bad because everyone figures you are being an ass, and people who don't really know you cut you no slack.

This article is a great summary and explains a lot of what I wish people could understand about me.

The one key thing that is missing from it is to say that it may not be obvious to other people how poorly I am coping with a situation. I may seem like I'm okay when I'm not.

Love it when people insist that I am ok when I'm not .

For whatever reason, my brain doesn't remember anyone's face.

Besides the very bad explenation of the spectrum and where the bell curve is, that article is great and I love it.

Prosopagnosia. I have it too. There's an online test for it, although since you already know you have it, there's probably no need to take it -- except that you can tell people you have face blindness and that way they're less likely to become upset when you don't recognize them (a common problem for me).

Absolutely. I ended up missing my old high school friend's wedding because it slipped my mind as I was trying to work out family plans the same day. She never forgave me, despite my telling her that I couldn't focus on so many things.

Ironically her eldest son has autism. Go figure.

Also splendid article. I shared it with my wife yesterday because we had a huge fight the night before, as she didn't understand why I couldn't accomplish more than one task in an hour.

That's a wonderful article. I think everybody who knows someone who's HFA should read it.

To expand, if I may: Everyone who is or just found out they are HFA should be shown that article and this thread. I know that it would have been helpful to me 6 months ago. I know there are people here who are where I was at that time.

Usually when someone waves to me or speaks to me I look behind me and see if someone's behind me

Jobs can be horrid ans satisfying jobs not as well paying (applies to NT I guess). Army was comfort zone. Civilian jobs I like best was USPS. Dept head at TRU (we are called World Leaders. : 3 I was triple lead becuase I was efficient and brought return customers) . Research /extra Hostess for a Reunion organizing firm.

I'd like to run a storage locker. Outlay $ but Overhead not bad and scheduling , human contact etc. Very doable

I do this, too. Sometimes it's shyness, sometimes it's lack of awareness of how loud/quiet my voice is/should be in context, sometimes there's phlegm in my throat that prevents my voice from coming out the way I wanted it to. I'm allergic to everything, so there's always phlegm.

drlaugh as to getting bouquets for your wife on your 2nd anniversary, lots of flowers especially roses are hybrid to the point where they have little to no fragrance left. You should be able to find something that doesn't overwhelm your sense of smell but still looks gorgeous.

I'm happy that the article I shared is being enjoyed and discussed by y'all.

green0star said

I'm like this too, mostly with speaking. I tend to assume that if someone is talking they are probably talking to someone else, not to me. So people think I'm ignoring them because I don't like them.

Thanks for the flower IDEA

It's been 3 days and either I'm used to it or they smell less

15 years anniversary.

I'm high maintenance and grateful.