Does someone experience blunted or flat affect

Post Reply New Topic

A few days ago i went to my family doctor and the nurse there was telling me about her little baby of 6 months, showed me some pictures with her little girl and she seemed to be very happy but i really didn't know how to react. I congratulated her & faked a smile but then i became really bored and i think she intuited that i wasn't too engaged. This scenario happens to me very often - when i meet somebody and start a conversation, can't empathize or listen to what they're saying. And if i try to show my emotions, my gestures look in a very unnatural way as if i'm some kind of robot... Once a friend of mine was asking me why i'm not like the others and even told me that i have a lot of negative energy because she saw i'm not engaged at all.
It's strange because other times i'm hyperactive: i want to jump, run and people say they don't recognize me anymore

Could this happen because of Asperger?

Last edited by AnotherKind on 13 May 2012, 7:16 am, edited 3 times in total.

Yes, it could. In fact, it's part of the criteria:

(A) is fairly direct, but it can also lead to a lack of emotional reciprocity (D).

Is there any treatment for this? I'm so afraid if i go to doctor he will say i have schizophrenia. My father is also suspect of having autism after he received schizophrenia diagnosis when he was young. Now his psychiatrist is thinking he might have autism instead (and i'm pretty sure he have it because he has a very repetitive behavior and likes to collect a lot of things)

The only thing I know of is learning to manage your facial expressions to reflect what you want to express.

I have no idea how to do this deliberately in real time during a conversation, so, I have no advice.

Ok. Thanks for answering

I do not believe it could happen because of Asperger; He has been dead for years, and I don't believe his ghost is haunting you.

In seriousness, there is one thing you said that I'm not quite clear about. "It's strange because other times i'm hyperactive: i want to jump, run and people say they don't recognize me anymore". So are you saying that there has been a change in your behavior, and you used to be more reciprocative? I think lack of reciprocity due to autism would be fairly constant.

Sorry, english is not my mother's tongue. I wanted to say that other times i have a lot of energy and i feel the need to jump, run or even climb on the trees. But other times i want to express myself and i have a really hard time to do it. It might be because of my PTSD but i am like this since childhood so i don't really know what it could be - that's why i'm asking.


Not really. Asperger can be comorbid with many other disorders so it could manifest in many ways.

And the point of this 'joke' is....? I find your comment pretty rude and 'neurotypical'

maybe the base level reciprocity would be constant, but the persons capacity of to 'fake it' might waver depending on their energy levels?

My psychiatrist told me the difference between Aspergers and Schizoid Personality Disorder is that people with SPD(often the actual disorder people have when they say they have Schizophrenia) doesn't care about beeing a part of the social world, whereas people with Aspergers want to be a part of the social world, but are unable to. I mention these two, because they are very similar, and hard to distinguish.

Last edited by Blownmind on 13 May 2012, 9:43 am, edited 1 time in total.

I have that. Sometimes I don't know how to react in certain situations and sometimes I have to fake an emotion that's not really actually how I feel or at least act how people are supposed to act in that scenario. Sometimes I don't know what to do or say, especially when someone is crying or it has to do with loss or death.

Thanks for the answer. From which i've understand people with Borderline disorder are trying harder to fit into social groups, while aspies would prefer to maintain some few relations and sometimes they give up. I'm like that. If i see no acceptance from other people then i become very introverted and i don't want to socialize anymore. But i would like to socialize if i could find people to understand with and most important, to not judge me for the way i am.

Now i've read... i do fit the criteria for having SPD too because i'm a little apathetic in which concerns the world around me
So to be an aspie i should stay at home all day crying because people don't want me?

I really think this happens to neurotypicals. Someone is showing them baby pictures and the neurotypical person feels trapped.

Maybe being open to the fact that the person is enthusiastic, and not specifically or only on the content. And maybe this combined with skills of both gently closure and continuing a conversation as it feels right (still working on these! )

Hehe, no.

I can only speak for myself, but I have tried researching social interaction, how to make a good conversation and similar topics. Someone mentioned in another thread that while in a conversation they feel like they are taking a test they failed to prepare for. I would like to not feel like that, and the solution is to actually study for social interaction like it were a test, and be prepared for some of the problems/questions that might arise.

My point is this; I want to be successful in social situations, I want to be able to have a conversation without beeing totally exhausted afterwards. My understanding is that people with SPD don't have this wish, they don't care to join the society. I do not sit at home crying because no one likes me, but I do wish I could make new, and retain close relationships like NTs just magically knows how to do, and does so easily.

So;
Aspergers = Wants to interact successfully in social situations, but are unable to do so.
SPD = Are content with beeing isolated, and do not make or want to make any effort towards making or retaining relationships.

@Blownmind, but this 'social impotence' couldn't lead to any other emotional issues? I'm really afraid that in one day this will drive me insane.
I started being very anxious because people usually feel there's something wrong with me and i feel this too so i don't know what the heck should i do

And what's worse is that is harder and harder for me to fake these feelings i don't have.

What you describe is a classic autism. Schizophrenic disorders include dellusions and hallucinations that are not a part of autism. There is something called Theory of Mind (or lack of) in relation to autism, which is exactly what you describe-the inability to take anothers view. The research that I have read states that it can be learned, but is almost never generalized or internalized-it's always a conscious act. As far as your father-if that is the case- that's really scary. Maybe he needs to find a new doc, or at least get a second opinion. You really have to see an autism specialist, because I don't think most others have a clue.