Do you ever tend to act irrationally in social situations?

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Mootoo
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08 Mar 2012, 3:20 pm

I seem to do... whereas when I'm on my own I try to be as logical as possible, in a split-second decision e.g. that must be made in front of people (esp. strangers) I consistently tend to decide wrongly/stupidly, which I'd regret as soon as I'm alone again.

I'm thinking it's the result of anxiety.



lostgirl1986
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08 Mar 2012, 3:21 pm

Yes, I always do and it's probably due to my social anxiety.



Radiofixr
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08 Mar 2012, 3:36 pm

Yes I tend to do the same exact thing then I get depressed and upset and feel strange afterwards. I am also socially anxious at times.


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Jtuk
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08 Mar 2012, 6:13 pm

Mootoo wrote:
I seem to do... whereas when I'm on my own I try to be as logical as possible, in a split-second decision e.g. that must be made in front of people (esp. strangers) I consistently tend to decide wrongly/stupidly, which I'd regret as soon as I'm alone again.

I'm thinking it's the result of anxiety.


This is often referred to as a faux pas in the formal diagnostic manuals. Personally I feel this is not always related to anxiety as such, this is just misreading the situation. There is definitely some association with interrupting also. Sometimes I feel like I am stuck at a junction and my only option is to close my eyes and hit the gas. There are then two usual outcomes, beeping drivers (interrupting) or an auto wreck (faux pas)..

Although I have and recognise anxiety, I don't associate either of those things with pure anxiety. That is definitely the social difficulties of AS at work.

Jason



chessimprov
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27 May 2012, 9:15 am

Because autism is what it is, irrational reactions are practically expected, and so it a lot of pain and confusion. We can eventually always be scared and still try to learn from these experiences. I think at the beginning, it can be hard for us, but we can gradually grow up to be much better people in the end.



2wheels4ever
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27 May 2012, 3:49 pm

It's a fact of life for people like us, however the general public is used to 'rolling with the punches' and many a time I've been lectured to 'grow up, suck it up, quit being a baby, get a thicker skin, you shouldn't let it get to you, don't make such a big deal about nothing' and so on, and so on. And my favorite; 'you wanna know what your problem is...? I compare being out in the world to living by the Old Testament, there always seems to be some rule in the fine print that I must have overlooked



iggy64
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27 May 2012, 3:56 pm

It does seem that when you look back on pressured decisions in a timed environment that you feel, thinking about it logically, that you should have done the complete opposite, or that's what usually looks like a good plan.

I also believe it is both caused by, and a source of anxiety. After all, after you are flustered into one decision, which you then realise was probably not the best, you are then more stressed and mess up the next choice as well.


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Longshanks
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27 May 2012, 11:37 pm

It's happened to me too, which is why I'll never see a bird or a star pinned on my shoulders before I retire from uniform.

Longshanks.


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IdahoRose
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27 May 2012, 11:48 pm

Behaving irrationally is my default behavior. I'm jealous of the type of people who get compared to Spock, because I wish I had that much control over my emotions, or at least didn't feel them as intensely as I do. However, my mom has told me that I'm able to think more logically ever since going on medication.