A thought on AS and coping measures

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A while ago, I got into a discussion about AS and high-functioning autism on another forum, where somebody else asked exactly what benefits AS was supposed to confer. I began to write a reply, and then stopped.

The thing was, a lot of the positive traits I associate with AS are not a direct consequence of the condition itself, but rather my coping mechanisms and routines to either dampen the worst effects, or make the most of my different ways of thinking. The same goes for many negative traits and problems that I have--side-effects of coping strategies for worse problems, or ones that have become outdated as I grew older.

For an example of a positive trait, I consider myself to be tolerant and open-minded. Does that stem from AS itself? Or from growing up in a frame of mind where I found everyone strange, so differences within the mass of "everyone except me" seemed trivial by comparison? For another example, I have problems with being very pessimistic and unable to accept praise. AS itself, or the result of getting used to looking for hidden subtexts in what people say, so that I always imagine someone saying something good to me is just being polite?

I'd be interested to know if anybody else has had similar realisations, and if they feel it makes any difference.

NOPE! I don't think ANY of the positives I would name have to do with coping mechanisms. As for coping? I avoid sports, crowds, working in areas where I am weak.

BTW if your problems are caused by coping strategy failures, then why do you even try to cope?

I don't think my positive traits evolved as coping mechanisms. I think I always had a natural inclination toward reading and academic subjects and wasn't inclined toward athletics at all.