Friend with Aspergers

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I naturally change my thought patterns to connect with my close friend who has aspergers. This state of mind seems to stick for a while afterwards and can be hard to reverse.

Basically, it seems like I think much quicker but seem to become less emotionally involved. I think I become more pragmatic and adapt his raunchy and absurdist humor. The clearest effect seems to be a lack of emotional connection with others and a more aloof, linear personality. It also seems associated with a lack of serious behavioral or executive control- I get fixated on what I want overall, but I have trouble executing my specific behavior and prioritizing.

Obviously, I can't know to what extent I'm truly being affected by him, if at all, really, because there are a lot of other factors.

I have OCD or at least that's the closest label I could give myself. The disorder has manifested itself in various ways but at this point in my life I've been obsessively trying to come to a rational understanding for nearly everything that can be tied back to my behavior or my identity. I constantly write notes with questions about various issues and then try to resolve them to reduce anxiety and feel more complete.

Could anyone here offer some insight as to what's going on here? I'm not sure whether 1. there really is a causal relationship, and 2. to what extent I should utilize it or attempt to integrate it into my standard pattern of thought.

Thanks.

You say you've given yourself the label of OCD.

ARE you actually diagnosed by a professional with some neurological or psychological condition?

The thought hit me...

Could YOU be on the autism spectrum yourself?

Last edited by Sethno on 25 Nov 2013, 11:37 am, edited 1 time in total.

Do you do this with other people, take on their personality quirks if you hang around them long enough?

I've seen some therapists and taken medication for it. I've thought about the latter question, but I'm confident in my capacity to detect social nuances/exercise cognitive empathy on a natural level. That sort of instinctive behavior has always been possible for me. I also think I lack some of the other common traits.



Yes, I have a history of doing that. However, even if I'm just mirroring my friend from spending time with him, I still notice a distinct mental change.