What AS trait causes you to suffer the most?

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For me it's undoubtedly the social blindness that causes my isolation and unemployability. What is it for you?

I'll add more options to the poll if you let me know the ones I've missed.

EDIT: it's not possible to edit a poll, so please if you need to vote EXECUTIVE DISFUNCTION or CLUMSINESS or any other trait that's not in the poll options, vote "Other" and explain in a post. Sorry for the inconvenience!

Last edited by Greentea on 26 Aug 2009, 6:40 am, edited 2 times in total.

The sensory for me. Actually it is the only part that causes "suffering", really--in exchange for also providing some rather wonderful sensations.

What's about ten times as bad as anything autism has ever caused, though, are the things that society has caused to happen to autistics. If you were to remove that from the autism picture, it would be like taking somebody's lung cancer and leaving them with nothing but a cold. That's how much worse the external stuff is than the intrinsic stuff.

Obsessions. Apparently I used to talk about my films so often that now a single mention of a film warrants complaining and 'you talk about them all the time!'
But sensory issues can be a problem, especially bright or flashing lights and loud noises, but less often than my obsessions.

But is the obsession the problem or the social aspect, then? Does having obsessions make you suffer or people's reactions to it?

Yes this sums up what I think as well. My sensory issues are the only issues to make my life difficult these days. In the past, as a child and teenager I would have voted social interaction problems but these days I have found my niche in society, am financially secure in a job I like and have a wonderful partner, quality friends and I get on well with my family. Of course I do not interact normally in social situations but I don't feel this negatively impacts on me anymore. Sensory issues are a two-edged sword really as I suffer a lot from these but as Callista said you do exchange this for some wonderful sensations. Unfortunately I do not feel that the good of my sensory experiences outweighs the bad and I have found I am getting worse over time.

My obsessions are what provide most of the joy in my life, I don't stim (not since a kid anyway) and my need for routine doesn't cause me any problems as I have set up my life around this and things run smoothly nearly all of the time.

Otherrrrrr.
For me it's the extreme procrastination and lack of ability to organize and manage my life.

I'd say social communication problems. Doing nearly anything (including survival) requires some interfacing with humans, and if I slip up for a second, or am tired, or having an off day, things go 'haywire' very quickly. I don't know if my un-compensated presentation is worse than average, but without a lot of energy input, people almost inevitably get ticked off or offended, or g-d knows what. And people can be shockingly vicious in their reactions; I might critically need something and get stonewalled, or will be accused of something false or who knows what. Feels like walking in a minefield, and being asked to smile (& juggle) while doing it.

(Ugh, ok, I'm having a bad day -- I don't always find it that difficult, but it's a regularly recurring theme.)

Apple, that's my life...

Executive dysfunction. It's really difficult to get anything done.
Sensory issues would come second, but I'd put up with them being worse than they are now if the executive dysfunction would disappear.
Social problems cause the least amount of problems for me. I'm happy with few friends, and, although I work with people, I only have to be able to communicate about my area of specialisation, and I've mastered the small number of social scripts that I need for the job.

me too

+1

I can't say the other factors aren't an issue ever, but my problems connecting with others have held me back is more ways than anything else I can notice.

Social interaction because it's difficult for me to express my thoughts. It's hard for me to even come up with thoughts as in continuing a conversation. This makes people not to be around me because im boring and really quiet. And ppl don't realize that it affects your whole life with every thing you do as in the work environment, taking care of business, your family, everything.

I wonder if some of us have natural presentations that are just sort of more 'unfortunate'? Sounds like some can come off sort of odd but bubbly and such. -- My mother is that way; odd but oblivious in just such a way that people find it almost charming. It baffles me.

OTOH maybe there just needs to be more responses to this thread.

I make a wonderful first impression, people are elated to meet me, then quickly are put off by something (I don't know what it is) and outcast me.

Sensory: noise sensitivity.

Yup. Clumsiness is the biggest annoyance. I bump into stuff really hard at least once a day. It's irritating >.<
I also can't do the simplest things, like handle food. It always falls on the floor, spills over, etc. Ugh.
I've learned to somewhat deal with procrastination, but it's still difficult to resist at times.

Last edited by MathGirl on 26 Aug 2009, 6:45 am, edited 2 times in total.