How Much Does Your Autism Effect You?

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For me it effects me a lot (Moderate Autism). But I am really smart and I can do some stuff Independently. How About You?

I feel like the inevitable (and arguably most autistic) response is...

"How do you even quantify that?"

For me, it fundamentally affects the way I think and act. In every scenario...

...at the same time, I pass 75% of the time as NT (85-90% of the time when I was younger and tried harder).

Just cause I'm good at anticipating and adapting doesn't mean I'm not always effected... and given I've never had any experiences that WEREN'T painted by who I am, I have no frame of reference.

I'm able to work part-time. I'm not in a relationship because I'm not interested. I live on my own. I'm quite independent. However, I suffer from bowel issues.

In terms of how it limits me in the "real world," it affects me to a great extent. I've managed some light volunteer work in the past, but I can't hold a traditional job. It's difficult for me to be in public alone at all because of sensory problems, so I'm very dependent on my family. But on a personal level, at home, I've long maintained a level of independence that probably exceeds some NTs. I spent my entire life as a student with no academic supervision whatsoever, and I've done well. I'm an honors student, set to graduate this year with a 4.0 (luck withstanding). I've also applied myself to developing skillsets and completing projects with equal success. I have no doubt that I'll become fully independent some day and manage a job that employs my strengths. My choices in life will always be dictated by my more debilitating symptoms, though. I don't expect that to go away; my traits will always be the defining influence in my life.

I won't specify if it's the positive or negative kind -- or that to specify if it had something to do with my will, my capabilities, or even 'instinct'... Or not about myself and what could or would I do, but those that allowed or disallowed me that choices because of autism.

It'll be at least 60% of my entire existence is whether or not overlapped by, caused, affected, and related to autism.


The rest is circumstances, happenstances, 'luck' or 'fate' possibly untouched or unnoticed by anyone, including myself. Or that reactions that doesn't tie to autism -- by 'behavior' or 'aptitude', or any reaction relevant towards my existence/presence or actions at all.

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Autism definitely affects me some: I am unable to work yet unless in a specialized environment (I need a fair amount of supervision) and I still live with my family. At home, I can do at least simple chores and cook homemade food for myself. It might be affecting my auditory working memory (if there is a correlation) and I have severe-moderate sensory integration differences.

its weird.

when people meet me, they think im pretty normal, i can talk fairly well and i feel i have nailed small talk conversation. i am always polite, i am very expressionate and i am humorous.

however, this all really a front, i have a really hard time with lights in most environments they really melt my brain, not just bright lights, dim lights too. and multi coloured lights. all of them bother me. sounds too like chatter of people. cars driving by. childrens voices are also quite grading. static on television can get to me too.

although i am good at meeting new people i have no understanding of romance or intimacy. its all quite foreign to me and as of now i have no idea if i even crave it. my friendships are stable but i do tend to 'drop off'. nothing personal of course i just need time to reload after socializing. i still find it hard to try and be interested in others. i dont really understand fashion and style nor do i have an interest.

as for living independently, im doing okay. its hard finding balance between work and homelife. managing meals. upkeeping in cleanliness and personal hygiene. but i think i can learn it and get used to it. as of right now its really stressing me...

obsessions and repetition...? eheh..... heh.... my head is an echo chamber and most phrases, songs, movies are on loop 24/7 since at least 1999 ( i have no memories before that year). i have been drawing the same character at least daily for almost a decade. i get the same thing at subway since 2005. (Cold Cut on white with white cheese, not toasted, lettuce, tomatoes, black olives and light mayo. sunchips and a diet pepsi)

I'm moderate now but started out severe. So it affects me a lot. I'm independent to a degree but still have to be looked after a lot.

It affects me now in ways only I see. My functioning has improved dramatically over the past seven years but there are some conversations I am still left out of. I have been making a lot of friends but they are all female friends at this time. I can't imagine any romantic prospects in the near future, if ever. (I would love to be proved wrong in this respect, but I don't see it happening. I don't see myself as a woman that a man would be interested in romantically. I'm a short, unremarkable looking woman. I am the kind of person people seek information from about various topics. I have never heard, "I like you (IstominFan). I would like to meet you somewhere," from any man. I don't ever see that changing. At 53, my prospects for marriage are slim to none.

The Asperger syndrome isn't even the main issue that undermines my confidence. Certain issues associated with it sometimes make me as though I am less than other people.