Siblings of Autistic Individuals-Feelings of Social Anxiety?

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JBaker3652
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26 Mar 2013, 9:42 pm

I'm a current college student who has a younger brother with HFA/Asperger's. I've always felt anxious in social situations and wanted to see if this was something that other people experience. Because of this, I'm conducting a research project on siblings of individuals with Autism and their comfort in new situations/feelings of social anxiety. If this is something you find interesting message me- I'd love to hear people's thoughts on this!



1000Knives
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27 Mar 2013, 10:38 am

My youngest sister has anxiety, though not totally social. Me, I'm probably the most extroverted member of my family and take after my father more. But I'm socially awkward. I'd love to just walk up to everyone and ramble about car engines and muscle fiber types or something. As a kid I used to do that and it was 'cute' but as an adult, not so much.

Anyway, my youngest sister wouldn't order at restaurants until she was like 15. Also doesn't drive either because she got honked at once for not right turning on red.

My middle sister has spina bifida, so she isn't 'NT' and is limited to what she can do physically and a bit mentally, but no extreme social anxiety issues like my youngest sister. She's also a musical savant and could play random TV themes on the piano by ear at like age 5.



Cafeaulait
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27 Mar 2013, 7:05 pm

i can definitely relate. i feel the same and have a brother with pdd nos



BuyerBeware
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28 Mar 2013, 8:38 am

I don't have any siblings, but I notice that people close to me-- like my spouse-- develop more social anxiety over time.

I don't know if that's a product of living with someone who can't help but make you see how cruel the world can be, or if it stems from being close to someone who committs errors that render one ashamed of them, ashamed for them, and ashamed to be associated with them.

I'd like to believe the former. I suspect the latter.


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dinetahrisingsun
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28 Apr 2013, 1:41 am

My nt bro has never had social anxiety and always been really natural at socializing. He does have some AS traits like the texture of food matters more to him than the taste, when he gets excited he trips over wds, ocd and perfectionism. He doesn't have any neurological symptoms like hand flapping or walking on toes... that would be me. He doesn't have special interests and can see the big picture in things. He also has no issues with eye contact.



daydreamer84
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28 Apr 2013, 1:25 pm

My sister is very socially adriot and has lots of friends. She does not appear to have any social anxiety. However other members of my family are very shy, socially anxious and some are socially awkward, my mum for example. Sibling of people with ASD have been shown to have more autistic traits than the general population, studies have shown this. Since we share 50% percent on average of our genes with full siblings this makes sense -they have some of our genes so some of our traits.