Do you recognize any of these issues?
So I'm very high functioning now as an adult and many symptoms are gone completely, who knew that would happen..Wish I could go back in time and let myself as a child/teenager know that I'm curious about whether these particular issues are of an autistic nature and if any of you experience them and if you know why/whether there is a term to describe it...
1. Not leaving at the agreed upon time.
But it doesn't seem to be about waiting, I have no problem waiting under other circumstances. But if we have agreed to leave at a specific time and the other person/people aren't ready at that time, I get problems. I can, these days, display a socially acceptable reaction to this, and don't react much to it at all other than asking "are you done yet" or say "come oooon". But inside I still feel a little like I'm dying, I dont get used to it. I just dont like it and I dont know why.
I used to freak out openly about this, and around my family members I can still get upset and walk around, stim a bit, and demand an exact time for when we will be leaving (this is very important to me, it seems. Its what puts me at ease).
Is it possible that this problem is what I have left of the "cant-deal-with-plans-changing" thing? Because I know thats an autistic thing, and it was something that drove me insane for 20 years.
2. New places.
This is a weird one... In new environments my IQ drop to the level of a goldfish, basically. I often cant figure out how to do common things, things I can do without a problem in familiar environments. Example: I was with my sister in a new stable. She asked me to put the broom back for her. I wandered around for a while, just confused and overwhelmed. I couldn't figure out where it should go, even though I've spent a lot of time in stables and should be able to figure out where things go.
If i'm shopping for groceries in an unfamiliar store, it takes me FOREVER. I just walk around for ages, feeling really confused. Its kind of embarrassing, actually.
3. Cant follow instructions.
This is one of those things I would leave of my resumé I literally cant follow verbal instructions. Written ones, not really a problem usually, if im not rushed. But I have enormous trouble with verbal ones. If its just one line, just an order (go there, take this, etc) its not a problem. But explanations of how to do something or whatever... I just don't understand. I just cant follow verbal instructions. Seems to be even harder over the phone.
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Longtime reader, new user, on the spectrum
Yeah, I've got all of them.
Number one is probably the worst. I think it is because when a certain time is agreed upon I plan to be ready by that time. Also, because I suck att planning stuff I always have to count in a margin of error. Usally I get ready too quick (but I still need the margin, because sometimes it takes too long), so I end up having to wait a long time, and that is really bothersome for me. I need to always know what I am supposed to do. If I have to wait for others to get ready, I've prabably already waited for a while, and this adds up to a long time of doing nothing. I can't start any activities either, because I don't know when they'll be ready. Doing absolutely nothing is torture. Also i consider agreements a sort of promise, and breaking a promise is a sign of disrespect. Double so because it creates a painful situation for me.
Number two: I can barely do anything at all in another person's house for example. If i need a glass of water they need to point at the cupboard containing the glasses. This also ties together with number three, since most of the time I will not be able to follow if they tell me which cupboard it is. They have to show me. If they offer me a sandwich, they'll need to show me where everything is, and tell/show me which food items are okay for me to use. It gets easier the more time I spend at that place.
I hate it when stores rearrange their shelves and/or move certain products. Also get really confused in new stores.
Number three: As stated before I don't take instructions well. Especially directions. First of all I cannot see where people are pointing, and I think it's because I'm supposed to follow where they're looking rather than following their finger, because I've noticed they say one thing and mean something else. Then I can't keep more than at most two or three steps in my working memory, and if they're too complex I won't be able to remember any of them. Also most people give way too abstract directions. It's like following a map where only half of the streets are marked out.
I have Asperger's and number 1. doesn't apply to me (unless maybe I read the context wrong)
but 2. and 3. definitely.
Number 2. might be a combination of Aspie behaviour and normal behaviour
that everyone displays (e.g. having to apply knowledge to difference contexts in science subjects isn't always simple;
you may learn how something works like an engine but if you don't know how to physically fix one
for example, you won't likely be useful fixing them; maybe that's a bad example...).
The shopping thing makes sense for anyone unless maybe you literally took an hour and a half to find eggs,
then it could be a unique or Aspie thing.
Number 3. is a real problem for me in science practicals.
Short and sweet but SPECIFIC written information is ok but verbal....
I mean you have to rely on memory for that. :/
If you gave me directions, maybe 9 out 10 times I would be like..."I'm sorry I didn't catch that."
Especially when it's unclear what turns they're talking about (like where he/she is pointing; was that his left or my right or...) and where and what sequence.
But memory is a huge factor for me in this case.
This!! That's the perfect example, thank you. I remember at Christmas me and my family were at a relatives house, everyone was seated except for me so I was asked to get an extra bowl. Everyone watched me and laughed (with love, of course, it really is kind of a funny thing ^^) as I got confused. I couldn't find a bowl, and also couldn't follow the instruction on which cabinet to open....
I also tend to, sometimes, get "blocked" and freeze in those situations. This has to do with stress, I worry someone is going to get angry with me for not being able to figure things out in unfamiliar environments. I worry to much about making people angry.
I thought of something related to this in a way - not knowing instinctively what my "job" is. If a group is doing something together, everyone just kind of picks a task, but I often don't know what to do and become passive, constantly asking someone else "what can/should I do now", not being able to take initiative. Not because I don't want to help out, I always do! I just cant figure out what exactly I should be doing. I don't know what to do. It makes me feel like a child.
Every time I've moved its been a problem, for example. Everyone is doing something and I often end up just asking what to do even though everyone is there to help ME, or just passively standing there not being able to figure out what I should do. It sucks so much.
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Longtime reader, new user, on the spectrum
mr_bigmouth_502
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Location: Alberta, Canada
1. Not leaving at the agreed upon time.
But it doesn't seem to be about waiting, I have no problem waiting under other circumstances. But if we have agreed to leave at a specific time and the other person/people aren't ready at that time, I get problems. I can, these days, display a socially acceptable reaction to this, and don't react much to it at all other than asking "are you done yet" or say "come oooon". But inside I still feel a little like I'm dying, I dont get used to it. I just dont like it and I dont know why.
I used to freak out openly about this, and around my family members I can still get upset and walk around, stim a bit, and demand an exact time for when we will be leaving (this is very important to me, it seems. Its what puts me at ease).
Is it possible that this problem is what I have left of the "cant-deal-with-plans-changing" thing? Because I know thats an autistic thing, and it was something that drove me insane for 20 years.
2. New places.
This is a weird one... In new environments my IQ drop to the level of a goldfish, basically. I often cant figure out how to do common things, things I can do without a problem in familiar environments. Example: I was with my sister in a new stable. She asked me to put the broom back for her. I wandered around for a while, just confused and overwhelmed. I couldn't figure out where it should go, even though I've spent a lot of time in stables and should be able to figure out where things go.
If i'm shopping for groceries in an unfamiliar store, it takes me FOREVER. I just walk around for ages, feeling really confused. Its kind of embarrassing, actually.
3. Cant follow instructions.
This is one of those things I would leave of my resumé I literally cant follow verbal instructions. Written ones, not really a problem usually, if im not rushed. But I have enormous trouble with verbal ones. If its just one line, just an order (go there, take this, etc) its not a problem. But explanations of how to do something or whatever... I just don't understand. I just cant follow verbal instructions. Seems to be even harder over the phone.
I have all the same problems. I can't deal with plans changing on me, I get confused and overwhelmed when I go to new places, and I have LOTS of trouble following instructions that aren't in written form. I have no doubt that these problems are of an autistic nature.
Jacoby
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Yes, all to varying degrees.
With #2, it's very hard to go in unfamiliar environments or to do things I haven't done before. Things are always better if I can observe how other people do things and base what I do off that or at least have an idea of what to expect. I don't like explaining myself to unfamiliar people, telling them my problems or anything. Once I have experience with something, I'm 1000x better at it once I've become comfortable.
#3 I can definitely relate to. I was diagnosed with an Auditory Processing Disorder which is related to ASDs, so there is a word for it. I can't take verbal instructions and it's very hard to decipher what people say to me without 100% of my attention and without background distractions. People think I'm hard of hearing actually, I'm always going "huh" or "what?" and having people repeat themselves to me.
1. Not leaving at the agreed upon time.
My dad (he also got traits) is more like that - he gets really pissed off when me or my mom take too long to leave but for me it is OK. It used to be worse but I now I know how to deal with it. I learned that when my mom says "We leave at 16:00" or "We leave in 5 minutes" it actually means "We leave about 16:00-16:30" or "We leave within 30 mins" so I am prepared for being forced to wait. Unfortunately I have trouble realizing who made the appointment so I often make a mistake (for my ret*d brain my mom is the same person as dad when it comes to communicating, "one of my parents said it" - thats the message I get). I know can take my time when mom says a specific hour and I have to hurry if dad was the one who said it but I still get confused and get it wrong at times.
But I get really angry and anxious when I am totally not prepared for the leave and I hear "Get your clothes on, we are going out". Not only I am confused by the "get clothes on" thing ("WTF? I am already wearing my clothes, am I supposed to change?" comes to my mind and after a while I realize they probably mean they want me to wear my shoes) but also I have no idea where we are supposed to go and why my plan of day is being disturbed. "Where?" - I ask and I usually hear something along those lines: "I told you before that we are out of eggs. We are going to shop." or "You know its grandmas birthday. Aren't you going to visit her?". It really wouldn't hurt if they told me about plans like that before the time comes. Was I supposed to figure it out myself? The information "We are out of eggs." is not equal to "We are going to shop soon" and "It is grandmas brithday." isn't equal to "We are going to visit grandma today." is it?
Edit: Oops, I forgot the other 2 points... writing now... soon update. xD
Update
2. New places.
I also get very confused when I am forced to use a shop I don't know but only if it is one of the network I do my everyday shopping in and they got the shelves differently for some reason (for example I use a shop in another city or a "genius" decided to make a rearranging in the shop in my hometown). I always do the shopping the same way so if I realize the bread is in the spot I usually find fruits and and the water is where inedible stuff should be I get overloaded and in the end I forget about stuffs I was supposed to buy since I just cant see them when I pass by.
But I generally have no problems with finding my way in totally new area or stuffs in a house I don't know. I tend to draw a mental map of every building I enter and area I go so as long as the picture is not intertwining with a similar picture I am not only not bad but actually very good in finding the right way/place/stuffs since I pay attention to all the signs ("Where is enough place to put a bathroom-size room in?", "People usually keep the trash can under the sink or in a corner, a sing is there, no trash can there? Ok, so a corner... a crner... here it is!", "Here is a chocolate, it must be sweets shelf, not what I am looking for, here is a tea, not, here are fruits, not... go on... hmm, I see some bread color over there. Ok, I found the bread shelf!").
3. Can't follow instructions.
Verbal instructions are a pain for me too. I get them as long as they are not complex but as soon as they contain more than 2-3 sentences I am forced to say "I don't get it... No. Really, I mean it. I don't understand. You can say it as many times as you want but I won't get it. You have to draw it to me or let me write it down".
It gets really problematic in school, especially with one of the teachers that uses way too much words. When he gives an order to the class I am usually getting a shutdown and I can't hear what he says even if I wanted. Then, after he stops speaking and the whole class gets to work I either ask people sitting around me what we are supposed to do or I call a teacher to explain this to me again - sentence after sentence. It usually ends up the order was very easy (I tend to finish it as the first one even with the time wasted on extra explanation) and could be said using 2 simple sentences instead of talking about it for 10 mins over and over like the teacher did.
Haha that happens to me too.
It's kind of patronising. Someone could be talking for 30 minutes about something
as if I don't understand (it's actually common sense sometimes)
and I just pretend like it's interesting to avoid seeming rude but sometimes it's so annoying
I interrupt and say "yeah yeah I get it" followed by a condensed 10 second version of the half hour explanation
and the other person (adult) gets the idea...
E.g. if someone is talking ages and ages on 'how to be motivated'
and all I hear is 'be motivated' through the noisy and unnecessary wording, virtually just repetitions of
the same concept over and over,
I just reply "so...you don't know then?"
It's better for a teacher to be concise and effective than to sound smart because
we know most adults are relatively smart, we don't need to hear that, we need the content in its simplest
and most accurate form.
"Open windows update and install available updates. Switch off your computer and then switch it back on."
can just be
"update windows and restart computer." (Bad example but you get the point.)
can just be
"update windows and restart computer." (Bad example but you get the point.)
Actually the "Open windows update and install available updates. Switch off your computer and then switch it back on." is quite nice - it tells you what to do step by step. If he was telling it like "Open windows update. Install available updates. Switch off your computer and turn it back on." I could easily catch up.
The thing I am talking about is:
"We do the exercise is by opening Windows Update. You can do it in a lot of different ways. You can go there by typing the Update in the search field, you can also find it in the menu start, it is usually stick to the top but of course it depends of the system you are using. You can also get there through the control panel which you can open through...." blah blah blah. And this all without actually telling us we are just supposed to get a system update.
Before he finally explain what he actually wants us to do ("install a system update") I am already in a full shutdown. If he said "I want you to get a system update" and then started his monologue I could do it with my eyes closed (well, perhaps not literally, I can't use computer with my eyes closed xD). My own way, without listening his babbling.
One of the other teachers babbles like that too but he says what result we are supposed to get before he starts explaining how to do it. By the end of his talk I am usually done with the whole exercise. The only problem is I am doing it not the way he wants us to because I don't listen to him anymore when he explains further. LOL. But who cares? I get the same result. Or even better. One time the teacher explained something for 20 minutes then my classmates started to do it how he said and found out his way doesn't work 100% correctly (a classmate found an exception). But my way did. In the end the teacher asked me how I did it and then he found a mistake in his method. His method was still valid but needed a small fix. And it happened the fix was what I used in my own method - which I created all by myself. That's what you get when you think independently.
Fortunately this teacher is a nice one. When I asked him if it is OK I do the exercises different way he answered: "There is a lot of ways that get the same result. You can use any you consider the best. I am just showing to the class what is the easiest method in my opinion." I bet he thinks I am already experienced with what he teaches us (javascript programming).
But it is my first time learning this (although I used to learn visual basic like 10 years ago). I just understand the examples he use in his lectures and I can imagine how to alter them to get different results. Well... and I know math.
1. Plans changing.
I am old and have learned to keep distress over change to myself.
2. New places.
Walking around confused in new places is normal for me and I don't mind it.
The grocery store I shop in was completely reorganized several months ago.
I still get confused when I go there and end up walking back and forth.
The first three aisles all look the same and I have to look down all three to find one thing.
3. can't follow instructions.
With a verbal list of instructions, I only remember the first step. I focus on that and everything else is lost.
I have a method for driving somewhere if I don't know or am not sure of how to get there.
I look it up on google driving instructions and write each step on a separate piece of paper.
I put the stack of paper on the dashboard and take them down one at a time. As I reach each destination, I toss that paper to the floor and grab the next.
That makes it easy because I only have to focus on one thing and don't have to look through the entire list while I'm driving.
can just be
"update windows and restart computer." (Bad example but you get the point.)
Actually the "Open windows update and install available updates. Switch off your computer and then switch it back on." is quite nice - it tells you what to do step by step. If he was telling it like "Open windows update. Install available updates. Switch off your computer and turn it back on." I could easily catch up.
The thing I am talking about is:
"We do the exercise is by opening Windows Update. You can do it in a lot of different ways. You can go there by typing the Update in the search field, you can also find it in the menu start, it is usually stick to the top but of course it depends of the system you are using. You can also get there through the control panel which you can open through...." blah blah blah. And this all without actually telling us we are just supposed to get a system update.
Before he finally explain what he actually wants us to do ("install a system update") I am already in a full shutdown. If he said "I want you to get a system update" and then started his monologue I could do it with my eyes closed (well, perhaps not literally, I can't use computer with my eyes closed xD). My own way, without listening his babbling.
One of the other teachers babbles like that too but he says what result we are supposed to get before he starts explaining how to do it. By the end of his talk I am usually done with the whole exercise. The only problem is I am doing it not the way he wants us to because I don't listen to him anymore when he explains further. LOL. But who cares? I get the same result. Or even better. One time the teacher explained something for 20 minutes then my classmates started to do it how he said and found out his way doesn't work 100% correctly (a classmate found an exception). But my way did. In the end the teacher asked me how I did it and then he found a mistake in his method. His method was still valid but needed a small fix. And it happened the fix was what I used in my own method - which I created all by myself. That's what you get when you think independently.
Fortunately this teacher is a nice one. When I asked him if it is OK I do the exercises different way he answered: "There is a lot of ways that get the same result. You can use any you consider the best. I am just showing to the class what is the easiest method in my opinion." I bet he thinks I am already experienced with what he teaches us (javascript programming).
But it is my first time learning this (although I used to learn visual basic like 10 years ago). I just understand the examples he use in his lectures and I can imagine how to alter them to get different results. Well... and I know math.
When I was in high school I couldn't follow my math teachers, so on tests I would have to figure out my own math algorithms to get the answer.
I got right answers enough to pass the classes.
Years later when I took programming classes, coding algorithms was really easy for me. I got A's in all my programming classes.
I always thought it was because of having to figure out my own way of doing math in high school.
1. Not leaving at the agreed upon time.
Yes, but actually in most cases I would be wanting to leave well before the agreed upon time. And I've learned not to go anywhere without my own means to escape, so it's usually not much of a problem anymore, only at the occasional holiday family get together or something like that.
2. New places.
Same for me, going to new places I get really disoriented and confused.
But really only in very "man-made" places like stores, or large sprawling buildings like school buildings or hotels, or driving around in an unfamiliar neighborhood with a lot of traffic. The more commercially developed an area is, the more I get confused, it all looks the same to me.
But if I go walking around in the woods I usually have a great sense of direction. Funny, isn't it? And very specific things stand out to me, like the individual trees and rocks, or the subtle beginnings of an animal trail leading into some bushes. Whereas in a new grocery store everything might just become a very dizzying blur of images I can't process.
3. Cant follow instructions.
Same. Although I can have as much trouble with written instructions as spoken ones. Like say if I were putting something together, I will just want to start DOING it and then figure it out as I go along.
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