Why would I hate routine?

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If I'm considered autistic shouldn't I love routine?

Who ever said you didn't?

No. Autism is a syndrome whose presence is determined by some combination of symptoms. You don't have to have all of the symptoms, so you don't have to love routine.

Could you love your routine and object to the routines others want to inflict on you?

Routine isn't so black and white.

Routine can be, eating the same meal every day, in the same way (until you get bored), or putting your clothes on the same way, or you feel upset or strange otherwise, there are all sorts of example.

It's all about change.
If you're not good with change, I would say you like a bit of routine.

I guess a better word would be, you might prefer familiarity. That's how I see it, because I can still flex my routine if absolutely necessary, and because my therapy or doctors appointments are not the same each week or month, I have to get used to that fact.

I absolutely hate routine too!! ! The way Asperger's kicks in, though, for me, is that I like to generally plan ahead-but plan a very varied set of activities in the days ahead and also, not do too many DIFFERENT things in the same day-preferably just one major activity-so I can get really immersed in it. Then every so often, I'll have a day or two of catching up on unavoidable chores! But not on any certain day.

As I've gotten older, I HAVE come to appreciate the routines involved in preparing for activities-for example getting stuff together the night before a trip, and just making that part of the fun process. I used to not think ahead and do careful prep work like that. (Well, okay, sometimes I'm still rushing around like a maniac right before dashing out the door. )

I've found that I really enjoy certain routines while others I don't. For example, every week day, at 4:50 PM (give or take ten minutes) I have a chicken sandwhich with two of the standard, state-issued packets of barbeque sauce they have at public schools.

Every Thursday night, I go to the same chinese resturaunt and order lo mein with pork. It's not on the menue there, but they still serve it.

Every second weekend, I go vsit my dad and his girlfriend.

Whenever I'm about to do something that's likely to result in my being arrested, I have either jelly beans or a snickers bar. I once had so settle for half of a butter finger bar that I found in a tool box though

I always eat the side before eating the main dish of a meal.

I always show up about 15 to 20 minutes early for school so I can talk to Bill (by far the coolest administrator I've ever met. He considers himself to be a philosopher and prides himself on intelectual honesty) or Steve (one of many friendly, insightful school janitors I've had the pleasure of meeting)

However, I hate it when "structure" is imposed on me that changes rapidly, dramatically and without warning as has happened quite a few times before. Fortunately, there are a lot of different organizations that play an active role in my life. They all communiate through an organization called "New Solutions". Whenever there's a change in staff or someone forgets to foreward an email, they fail to cooperate and in the confusion I can do just about anything I please.

One county employee who knows me very well and whom I trust whole-heartedly even suggested a way for me to get away with doing things that one organization may not approve of by getting another to force me to do it. That way, while they get caught in a power struggle and have to allocate resources to that instead of me, I'm free to decide if I want to spend the weekends that I'm not with my dad at BrainSilo and how many hours per week I want to spend reading science fiction or exploring the internet.

In short, ideally, I'd be able to live within the routines I've established for myself. However, given the choice between true chaos (which cvan be made orderly) and having someone else arbitrarily tell me what I'll be doing without any notice (which would also throw me off of my routine and be harder to change) I'd pick conflict induced chaos.

Autism isn't about loving routine. I just feel that I need routine to make the weeks easier and predictable. OK some changes I like and can accept and even feel excited when it's happening. Other changes upset and depress me, and sometimes generates a strange atmosphere, even though everybody's still their usual selves.

I also get into a rut and can't seem to change it. Part of me wants a different lifestyle, and part of me feels happy and secure in my rut. Keeping in my rut causes loneliness, boredom and depression. Coming out of my rut causes anxiety, stress and indecisiveness. So, ha, I don't quite know what to do.

Considering you hate having an autism diagnosis, I'd say that's why you hate routine, as you reject the aspects of yourself that possibly link to autism. I'm not sure to what extent you 'need' routines, but you can both need and hate them at the same time.

I'm not saying you're wrong about doubting your diagnosis if that's the message that comes from that.

I don't have routine anymore which makes me doubt aspergers. My liking for routine faded when I went on the paleo diet and took gluten grains and casein out as well as msg,, artificial sweeteners and high fructose corn syrup (processed foods basically)

This ^^^

My routines are very subtle and sometimes it's hard to notice them. For instance, the way I do dishes or the order that I wash in the shower or how I organize my desk every time I pay bills. These are types of routines and if you try to change them get unsettled. I can flex a little but I usually get unsettled for awhile if I do.

I like the concept of familiarity though. That is very accurate in my life. Because my dad's job had us moving all over the world growing up big routines were a little harder to set for me I think. But even now I realize how certain things are extremely important to me because they give me a sense of familiarity and a kind of sense of safety.