Has your AS changed over time?

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Hello all

I'd be interested to know if anyone on here has noticed improvements on increasing difficulties as they have grown older with their Asperger symptoms/behaviour patterns/routines?

Personally speaking as a young child my autism was much more obvious to the point where my school called in educational psychologists to assess me. I was highly anxious, unable to keep my obsessions in check and unable to control what I said, how I said it and my stimming.

A I've gotten older my obsessions are just as strong, my need to be alone is also as strong if not more important than ever (I am 35) and my behaviour or understanding of personal/intimate relationships is still lacking.

That said I feel I communicate much more 'normally' than I did so long as I steer clear of talking about my interests, I feel that I am liked and included by my colleagues (yet, I still don't have a social life out of work and with family). I often feel that unless somebody lived with me the chances are they wouldn't know I am diagnosed with AS.

I remember chatting with Wendy Lawson many years ago and I said that I felt my expression of Aspergers was more similar to the female AS experience and she agreed.

So, how do you think your AS has changed if at all?

Thanks.

I believe that my traits and symptoms have become much more obvious and pronounced in recent years. I am no longer able to sustain the appearances that helped me pass for a weird or quirky nt. I do not believe that I have become more Autistic, I believe that I have always been as severely Autistic as I am in my most severe moments but now I can no longer hide my traits and symptoms like I used to be able to. So to those who do not understand this concept, I appear much more Autistic now than I ever have in my life.

I would say I'm pretty much the same person as I've always been, but my opportunities have definitely increased over time. I do a lot more outside the house than I ever did. Over the past seven years, I went from engaging in entirely indoor activities to a good mix of indoor and outdoor pursuits.

My traits have changed quite a bit since I was younger. In terms of special interests, they're usually more narrow and less obsessive. Whereas before I would pursue a broad topic without restraint, now my interests are more specific and Aspie-like, but my approach is more moderate (most of the time). I suppose you could say that they're healthier now. My sensory problems have worsened in some ways and improved in others. I don't think I could even say I have ARFID anymore, at least on a clinical level, but my SPD has grown debilitating on most fronts rather than a few specific areas. I also don't have meltdowns anymore, for which I'm really grateful. I have a family member who suffers from manic fits, and I never want to lose control of my actions like that. As for my social skills...they're hard to judge. I had less trouble making friends when I was younger, but I think that was because my quirkiness was more acceptable then, and it was so easy to facilitate interaction. "Hi. I'm nine. Do you want to build a fort?" < This was perfectly allowable. Why did the rules have to change?

I've actually improved in every way as I've gotten older. As a teen I was really socially isolated and sometimes was embarrassing to be with in public. But now I feel like I have "lost" a lot of my Aspie traits and have gained NT skills. My social skills have got a lot better. I'm so happy about that.

In my case, not much had actually changed.

What really changed, however, is how I take it and the standards of what the are those around me expects.
So the biggest factor for me is the environment (how people thinks and do, and how messy/orderly the places are, chances and opportunities, etc...), physical/mental/emotional state/health (how I'll take it and the capacity to) and personal outlook/experiences (how I approach and do it).
Not really the 'severity' of autism itself that changed. Even if I did gain, lost, and regained something overtime that makes it more or less manageable -- my main point is 'why' with the change.

I live at best times at childhood, going bad to worse at on going and during teenage years, then getting better around when approaching adulthood.
I could rise more, or crash anytime. All I could do, is take uncertainty.

Gained Number Post Count (1).
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Lose more time here - Updates at least once a week.

I'm more adept at making small talk. It may be weird and I might say something strange, but I'm getting better at it.

I'm getting better at ordering food as well but I still avoid Subway.

Yes I went from severely autistic to moderately autistic. And I am still progressing bit by bit here and there.

Puberty changed me a lot.

I was more severe when younger.

Surprisingly my parents ignored it or yelled at me for some VERY obvious AS traits.
It was v v bad and I blamed myself. But I didn’t have the awareness or experience to figure out what I had problems with. I couldn’t tell someone.

I have read up and developed and can articulate or understand things better
My sensory issues have also improved from before

Before it was all a blur (the social aspect especially). Like being on a rollercoaster all the time.

I would say pre puberty I seemed more quiet, shy, with some anxiety but did get on with people fine most of the time, during puberty I was similar but at times quite withdrawn, depressed with eating disorders, I also had my nutty moments including heavy drinking and drug taking at a young age and I started finding school difficult, post puberty I am more typical mild aspie I guess - not much of a social life, prefer solitude and books, very anxious about everything, have my routines etc.