Outgrowing Asperger's?
I am quite distressed, to be honest. I was diagnosed five years ago, at which point I exhibited numerous symptoms as described in the diagnostic criteria and on here, as sell as additional psychological texts. I also felt, to use abstract expression, as though I was hidden inside my own mind.
Now I feel quite different. I used to have a keen sense of smell, but not now. Furthermore, my social skills are intuitive and come rather easily. I am more flexible in terms of routine and sensory issues. And of course, I feel as though I am not an internal presence anymore.
Mind you, I have also developed tics and still find online a hard place to adjust to, but ultimately, I feel very different.
At ten, the age of my diagnosis, I was adamant that Asperger's made me unique and I did not want to be cured... now, I feel robbed of the choice.
I am not just concerned with the "unique" factor, however. Saying I have Asperger's feels fake, as though I am abusing the term, using it for, well, singularity value.
I am aware of a phenomenon known as "neuroplasticity". It describes rewiring the brain naturally. Could this be the cause of my change?
My language is formal today, I apologize.
Hm. Interesting opinion about neuroplasticity. I suspect that, if an individual works intensively to change (or better accommodate) certain characteristics, it might have the desired effects. But, I wouldn't expect a wholesale change; at least, not quickly.
Of course, simply knowing about your diagnosis for the last five years, wouldn't knowledge about it and its characteristics appear to change their perceived intensities? Familiarity with yourself in these characteristic ways might, indeed, have helped you accept or accommodate them somewhat.
I sometimes feel "fake" when I think about my AS after several days of forgetting it. But, I was only screened in January. I wonder if the newness of the idea will wear off.
Interesting topic.
_________________
Diagnosed in 2015 with ASD Level 1 by the University of Utah Health Care Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinic using the ADOS-2 Module 4 assessment instrument [11/30] -- Screened in 2014 with ASD by using the University of Cambridge Autism Research Centre AQ (Adult) [43/50]; EQ-60 for adults [11/80]; FQ [43/135]; SQ (Adult) [130/150] self-reported screening inventories -- Assessed since 1978 with an estimated IQ [≈145] by several clinicians -- Contact on WrongPlanet.net by private message (PM)
androbot01
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Joined: 17 Sep 2014
Age: 54
Gender: Female
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Location: Kingston, Ontario, Canada
I"m not sure what you mean by this ... would you mind expanding on the idea?
I have not outgrown, nor gone a single moment of my life without being aware of it. If only!
Sorry. I used to feel as though I was surrounded constantly by images, memories, feelings, etc. Nothing that interfered, just things I was aware of. Now I feel.... like there is only one experience I'm having. It may have to do with whatever I have/had, ASD or not.
This specific change could also just be growing up, though.
Correct me if I'm wrong, as I have barely even a layman's understanding, but don't the studies which show autistics to have up to 70% more neuronal connections in the pre-frontal cortex as a result (possibly) a limitation in the typical pruning of synapses that accompanies maturation suggest that we have decreased neuroplasticity? I hope somebody who knows about these things can clarify this for me.
As far as "outgrowing" your autism goes, it would seem to require a restructuring of much of the brain. We have seen success in particular cases of neuroplasticity, such as a blind person's brain will often reappropriate visual brain space for auditory sensation. But an entire restructuring of the brain seems implausible. I think the answer is this: Autistic people learn as they age, just like everybody else. We get better at some things, and unfortunately worse at others, but our cognitive profiles develop too. They just do so differently and more slowly (by definition).
androbot01
Veteran
Joined: 17 Sep 2014
Age: 54
Gender: Female
Posts: 6,746
Location: Kingston, Ontario, Canada
I"m not sure what you mean by this ... would you mind expanding on the idea?
I have not outgrown, nor gone a single moment of my life without being aware of it. If only!
Sorry. I used to feel as though I was surrounded constantly by images, memories, feelings, etc. Nothing that interfered, just things I was aware of. Now I feel.... like there is only one experience I'm having. It may have to do with whatever I have/had, ASD or not.
Cool.
Are you suggesting that autism can be outgrown? If so I disagree. You can learn strategies to cope with the effects of autism. This does come with maturity. Young autistics can behave obnoxiously just like all young people. But autism doesn't go away.
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