Is fearlessness an AS/ASD trait?

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Emotional dysregulation will be a thing with those that have Autism. This would be why you see various presentations of say, fear responses, just as you do with sensory responses. There's an underlying disturbance, but we all manifest it differently. Life experiences will also shape it, as they do.

Speaking purely of Autism and me:

I've always had high levels of anxiety and fear, and that was one of my defining features when I could show such, which I guess was around the time of a toddler, especially after I hurt myself or was suffering from some ailment (other than being highly attached to individuals, which is another defining feature of mine). I didn't have fear when it came to things involving me beforehand back then, other than worrying about the safety of my family (which kept me up at night as a young child); just the outcome if I fell off something or whatever. As I aged, I eventually stopped caring about the outcome of things, so I lost fear involving just me outside of specific phobias, but I tended to be even more fearful for the safety of family/similar. This has sometimes made it look like I'm brave/courageous, but nope, I just don't feel it.

I have OCD and phobias (claustrophobia, mysophobia and so on). Maybe Autism could have aided in their creation and/or affect them. I have a phobia of phones if there's such a thing because of how it makes me feel using them, and this is almost certainly the Autism.

My own sense of fear is so screwed, I have to hold myself back. It's not that I'm afraid to cause any trouble.

But mainly preventing harm or cause worry to anyone around me.
They take things around me too seriously beyond the harmless stuff. They take the wrong things too seriously even more.


Maybe this is why I'm depressed and wishing I never cared. And wishing no one cared at all.

Having to constantly hold myself back because I'm constantly trying to protect everyone around me -- my family, my friends -- due to the associations around myself or even as a company.

Almost no different from accomodating other people's comfort via masking.


Just being outright weird and out of place is comparatively harmless. It's something I don't ever need to hide or ever shamed on.
It even makes great stories to laugh at years after.

But reckless?.. Recklessness isn't exactly harmless.
Recklessness isn't like executive dysfunctions frustrating unintentional unreliability -- recklessness is more intentional.


Anyways.
I also have a substitution from fearlessness like how I do with asociality with curiousity and boredom -- it's either sympathy or "conscience".
... I hate them both.

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I do not know if it was because I was on the spectrum, but I used to do some very dangerous things in my youth without a second thought. I risked death many times back then, including making high explosives and testing versions of aerosol napalm. It was how I learned to hone certain skills that many will never use in their lifetime. The pursuit of knowledge was what drove me to do things.

I think I worry far more than most people about causing harm or discomfort to those I care about.

But I think most people are much more afraid of others' social or hierarchical position. I've had people express surprise at how I've spoken to "important" people, bosses, celebrities, etc. I just don't understand the awe or fear they inspire in most people.

Apparently we're all like Ralph Wiggum where he chuckles and says cheerfully "I'm in danger!", except for the being aware we really are in danger part.

My sense of danger is definitely screwed.
There are things most people are scared of that don't bother me at all, they just give me an adrenaline rush. Like walking around strange places at night or driving at high speed or seeing snakes.
But I get scared of social situations and having to make phone calls! And I'm very protective of my kids, I get scared on their behalf sometimes.

I learned that shame for normality is kinda silly. I would say that I'm more of a stoic in my values, but every time I act them out, I'm reminded of how much it makes a difference, and it hurts and makes my heart squirm in that pain.

As Alanis Morisette says:
Must be strangely exciting
To watch the stoic squirm

If she offered her heart not, did she wonder if anyone would be unworthy of not-her-heart.

Of course, pain brings anxiety, we are anxious people. We had our share of social unfair beat-ups. We have them every day.

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I'd say that our pattern of fears is erratic. There have been many times I've looked brave just due to ignorance, and times I've looked hesitant because I was aware of my ineptitude.

Depends on how we define "fearless." Many adrenaline junkies are NT; I think MOST are. Rock climbers, extreme skiiers, fools who ride motorcycles without helmets, tailgaters at high speeds, men doing stupid stunts on YouTube or during hazing to get into a fraternity--ALL neurotypicals.

I'm quite fearless, but not in an adrenaline junky sense, but in a Vulcan sense. I may FEEL fear, such as on an airplane going through a lot of turbulence, but I'll remain calm, cool and collected. I approach things tactically and strategically; hence, no fear or, if there's fear, I don't express it. I don't scream or shriek. I find these responses primitive and unproductive, even though I'm a woman.

I've observed NTs shrieking over trite things like accidentally getting splashed with water. Many times while driving, a car suddenly pulls out in front of me or swerves towards me too much. Many NTs would shriek. I remain calm and simply maneuver my car to avoid a collision.

All of this doesn't mean I'll take risks to my body like doing dumb stunts. I won't even climb up a ladder higher than five feet. A spider dropping in front of me on a web will send me out of the room, but I can sit calmly while a hornet buzzes nearby. I'm not afraid to stand up to a man and argue with him. I'm convinced that some of my fearlessness is due to a neurodivergent mind, in that I don't get caught up with emotions. I'm tactical, not emotional.

I don't think I had a good sense for danger. I still struggle with it a bit now. The only thing that stops me is the fact that I've caused myself so many injuries throughout the years that I'm in a situation where I've learned the consequences because my body doesn't f*****g work.

normally left to my own devices, i am timid. but when somebody i care about gets abused, the timidity is replaced by fearless rage.

i am ADHD but inattentive subtype. what used to be called plain ol' ADD. i would not say i ever sought excitement. but i do seek novelty to the max.