My vocabulary is too high

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Every time I tell people I have Aspergers, they always comment about how well I express myself. They find it hard to believe I am so damaged that I can't work, which I can't, among other things. Even my therapist makes comments about it. I sometimes wish I didn't express myself so well, because I need the people I open up to to trust me, and this scepticism hurts. I'm guessing not to many aspies have this issue, right? Ay thoughts or advice? Thanks.

We all manifest in different ways, which is why the "high functioning-->Low functioning" spectrum metaphor doesn't really capture the reality.

I've had much the same response and it was very problematic for me early on because I wasn't diagnosed for years and subjected the therapies that just didn't work. Even now, after I've discovered what autism is about, and taken the online tests, etc, I still find therapists and others skeptical. "But you can make eye contact," they'll say. Then I have to explain that the first time I made direct eye contact with a classmate was my senior year in high school because I realized it was expected. I was eventually able to mostly overcome the natural aversion.

My son also has an autism diagnosis and he talks ALL THE TIME with words that can catch adults off guard. It was so cute when he was three and saying "I'm ambivawent about that." I think you could say talking is one of his special interests.

Anyway. I understand. It's annoying at the very least. You might want to talk to your therapist about it. He or she should be on the same page as you if they're going to do their best for you.

There's NEVER any such thing as "too much of a vocabulary."

There's such a thing as "too much of a vocabulary for the occasion," though.

One has to seek to speak appropriately to the situation.

If you're going to the candy store, you shouldn't talk about Nietzsche.

If you're at a philosophical convention, you shouldn't talk about cotton candy.

Wrong. I was a literary major in college and use all kinds of fancy vocabulary to express myself in everyday life. I find that many of the words that are used today do not adequately express the way I am feeling, so I chose seldom used words that seem "high brow," but I don't really think that they are. I don't like the common vernacular that is used today; I think it is very "base" and uninspiring. I love reading Middle English works and also Shakespeare and sixteenth century poetry and find that I enjoy it much more than the novels that are written today.

"My Vocabulary Is Too High."

I've never heard about "too high" vocabularies. Did you mean substantial, or extensive, or deep? Perhaps sizable, vast, great, massive, copious?

Also, I am interested to hear what makes you so damaged that you feel that you cannot work? Is it the social aspect of working, or do you have anxieties?

LOL. And now the contrarian in me wants to make a philosophical argument that involves cotton candy. It wouldn't surprise me if Daniel Dennett has beaten me to it though. He tends toward the pithy sometimes.

I think it just shows that those people don't really know what autism can mean. They have a stereotypical view that you now have the opportunity to broaden.

There's philosophy even in a pile of dung.

Seriously, though, it's always good to be flexible in what we discuss. In fact, in Academia, that's been the trend. Who would have thought, 30-40 years ago, that there would be symposia related to the game of baseball?

My vocabulary is pretty good, but I actually have a persistent problem with people misunderstanding what I say. Sometimes it's a huge pain in the butt to try to explain something to doctors, businesses, or colleagues. (I don't think it's because I'm using too many "big words" either. I also try to keep my sentences pretty short.) Despite that, I occasionally get feedback that I'm an adequate or even good verbal communicator, and I never get feedback that I'm particularly bad it. It seems like people usually think they understand what I'm saying.

I know what you are saying, I can communicate certain things very well and I always get told I have a high IQ which I guess used against me as far getting help.

I feel like sometimes my vocabulary gives people a misleading impression of my intelligence. They then expect more and are confused when I can't figure how to do apparently easy things.

Easier said than done.

To the OP

I know exactly what you mean. Just go with the flow and enjoy the pleasant moments.

"too large", not "too high"

Anyway, I think perhaps it's time for you to find a new therapist. A common nickname for children with Asperger's is "little professors" due to their pedantic speech and extensive vocabularies. Hyperlexia is also more common amongst those on the spectrum than amongst NTs. Therefore, for your therapist to suggest that you don't have ASD because you speak too eloquently is both offensive and ignorant. It sounds like your therapist is confusing ASD with low IQ.

This. That happens to me all the time.

"Act like a dumbass, and they'll treat you like an equal!"--J. R. "Bob" Dobbs

Aspergers got ruled out when I was accessed cuz the quack thought I communicated too well verbally & seemed too intelligent to have anything on the spectrum. It goes to show that even so-called "experts" may not understand what autism is or how it can affect someone.