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Eye Contact

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EmeraldGreen
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07 Aug 2014, 7:05 pm

Do NTs have the same kinds of difficulties with eye contact that we do?

I am recently self-diagnosed with AS and I always used to think that my occasional (but lifelong) problems with eye contact fell into the categories of "neurosis", "shyness" or "low-self-esteem" - but now that I have come to identify with so many other symptoms of AS I also attribute this to my AS.

In my case, I only have serious spells of it once in a while, around people that are new to me or who I don't trust.


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FallingDownMan
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07 Aug 2014, 7:31 pm

I'm not sure about NT's and eye contact, wish I could help you there.

I'm like you with eye contact, most of the time I can make it. The exceptions for me are when I'm in sensory overload. When I have a lot of stimuli going on around me, it becomes almost painful to look somebody in the eyes. Examples include shopping in an electronics store, electrical supply store, music store, new to me convenience store, a preschool loaded with kids, or my most hated, a house with no carpet and little on the walls.


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BeggingTurtle
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07 Aug 2014, 9:39 pm

My former tech supervisor when he listens to what you have to say, he stares into the distance and waits a few seconds before answering you. He'll eventually try to look at you though.


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olympiadis
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07 Aug 2014, 10:28 pm

From another post:

Quote:
"I think that autistics are deeply in touch with what you would call instinct, or intuitive information from their subconscious.

The instinctual connections for prolonged eye contact is based in what is described by behavioral biologists as either aggressive confrontation, or the copulatory stare.
The bottom line is that all of the interpretations are aggressive.

These situations produce a very real feeling of discomfort.

What NTs use eye contact for is for completely conceptual functions, and revolves mostly around deception, or lying as was mentioned earlier.

NTs often view someone's unwillingness to make or keep eye contact as submission, which is often taken advantage of.

An autistic who does not intend to aggressively dominate you or invite you to copulate may instinctively choose to not make very much eye contact.
Of course there are exceptions to this situation, and I think most exceptions are heavily based on the overall aggression level that is felt from a given environment by the autisitic in question."



EzraS
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08 Aug 2014, 1:50 am

I'm sure there's plenty of shy NT's who have trouble with it. It's just not the kind if neurological issue with them as it is with us.