Stress Tolerance
I was wondering is it an Aspie issue that we have a low Stress Temperament? I scare or maybe am very hard on myself, for example my father is at times ''high strung'' ''anxiety'' no patience, and goes to fast for me to process. I am hard on myself because I can't keep up with the other guys, at our house we had a hot water heater broken, and the plumber was able to do how many jobs a day, 5+ people calling his cell, a 4 year old Son and Wife, and does this basically 365 days.
Brian0787
Veteran
Joined: 19 Aug 2024
Age: 37
Gender: Male
Posts: 606
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
I personally wonder if it is as well. I've had a fairly low stress tolerance when I was little and still do today for the most part. I used to have upset stomach constantly from anxiety before going to school and at work. I definitely wonder if it could be endemic to Asperger's or maybe Asperger's makes us more prone to an anxiety disorder which causes the low stress tolerance. It's very difficult to cope with sometimes.
_________________
"In this galaxy, there’s a mathematical probability of three million Earth-type planets. And in all the universe, three million million galaxies like this. And in all of that, and perhaps more...only one of each of us. Don’t destroy the one named Kirk." - Dr. Leonard McCoy, "Balance of Terror", Star Trek: The Original Series.
Mine fluctuates as is my sensitivity (how much something will cost me) and stamina levels (how much I can afford to take something).
There are too many factors.
Unaccommodated sensory dysregulation issues and pain, unfiltered processing environmental input that will take too much brain power to go anywhere, being consciously mindful of things that most people never need to be consciously mindful of which includes masking (body language, tone, 'how it is being said') and memorizing things of knowing what not to do in social setting, possibly metabolic issues be it gut issues or restrictive diet, disruptive sleep issues and non restorative sleep, everything that executive dysfunction costs -- manual self regulation, memory retention, needing to get into habit, struggle into getting into habit, all that willpower and effort with less efficient output...
On top of whatever mental illness someone is dealing with -- survival mode itself is a huge energy drainer. Depression as well. Dissociation is actually a huge drainer involuntarily by the brain's own attempt to protect the mind. Side effects of meds. Other social and environmental toxic crap. Etc.
_________________
Gained Number Post Count (1).
Lose Time (n).
Lose more time here - Updates at least once a week.
Don't know if it's directly down to ASD, but I worry a lot and can't seem to rest until I know how I'm going to dig myself out of whatever the latest hole is that I'm in. I suppose it's an Aspie thing to want to tackle problems immediately and full-on until they're solved, which isn't always the best way to go. More indirectly, if ASD is denying you friends, there may be nobody you trust to advise you. Trying to do everything yourself can be very hard and scary. I put tons of work into pre-empting trouble but I still worry that I might have missed something. And they say loneliness is stressful in itself.
Personally I'm sick of having things to worry about. My mother was much the same. She'd get upset if I was 10 minutes late home from school. When I was younger I couldn't understand it, as I didn't worry much myself, but I understand it now that I'm responsible for what's left of my life and the world keeps changing its ways and de-skilling me.
ASPartOfMe
Veteran
Joined: 25 Aug 2013
Age: 67
Gender: Male
Posts: 35,887
Location: Long Island, New York
I believe what the OP is describing is poor multitasking skills. Too much going on at once certainly is stressful.
Poor multitasking skills are a part of a broad category known as executive functioning. Poor executive functioning or executive dysfunction is common in autistic people.
As far needing to fix a problem right away I am like that because I know if I don’t fix it right away I might never fix it or only fix it after the problem got much worse. That demonstrates poor prioritizing skills which another part of executive dysfunction.
_________________
Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013
DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
There are too many factors.
Unaccommodated sensory dysregulation issues and pain, unfiltered processing environmental input that will take too much brain power to go anywhere, being consciously mindful of things that most people never need to be consciously mindful of which includes masking (body language, tone, 'how it is being said') and memorizing things of knowing what not to do in social setting, possibly metabolic issues be it gut issues or restrictive diet, disruptive sleep issues and non restorative sleep, everything that executive dysfunction costs -- manual self regulation, memory retention, needing to get into habit, struggle into getting into habit, all that willpower and effort with less efficient output...
On top of whatever mental illness someone is dealing with -- survival mode itself is a huge energy drainer. Depression as well. Dissociation is actually a huge drainer involuntarily by the brain's own attempt to protect the mind. Side effects of meds. Other social and environmental toxic crap. Etc.
Yes, and I think it largely depends on our sensitivity to one type of stimulus or another. We certainly can be overly tolerant to things that we're hyposensitve to. It's not like we're just overly sensitive to everything.