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Aspinator
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04 Oct 2009, 12:36 am

I feel a trait all Aspies have is we tend to be trapped inside our own heads. People with extreme/severe autism are so trapped inside their own heads they can't escape. While AS is considered mild autism, it is still autism. If I am around others I can communicate OK but if I am by myself I guess I can sort of get lost inside my own thoughts. This doesn't mean I don't enjoy being around others but I can be by myself and it doesn't phase me in the least. An advantage of this type of introspection is we Aspies have to be honest with ourselves. We get to know ourselves intimately and we can't pull the wool over our own eyes. I feel this aspect of AS is what scares people. They can't understand how we can like ourselves yet we don't crave the acceptance of others to validate who we are. This is not a rant but an observation of myself; is this how other Aspies view themselves?



Shebakoby
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04 Oct 2009, 1:58 am

Aspinator wrote:
I feel a trait all Aspies have is we tend to be trapped inside our own heads. People with extreme/severe autism are so trapped inside their own heads they can't escape. While AS is considered mild autism, it is still autism. If I am around others I can communicate OK but if I am by myself I guess I can sort of get lost inside my own thoughts. This doesn't mean I don't enjoy being around others but I can be by myself and it doesn't phase me in the least. An advantage of this type of introspection is we Aspies have to be honest with ourselves. We get to know ourselves intimately and we can't pull the wool over our own eyes. I feel this aspect of AS is what scares people. They can't understand how we can like ourselves yet we don't crave the acceptance of others to validate who we are. This is not a rant but an observation of myself; is this how other Aspies view themselves?


yeah I can get stuck in my own thoughts too. When that happens other people are just a distraction but not in a good way.



DeadFire87
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04 Oct 2009, 8:04 am

There are times I do get trapped inside my thoughts. They go on forever.

I don't communicate well though. Unless someone else asks me something else. Its about the only time I speak.



Aimless
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04 Oct 2009, 8:05 am

I have always felt separate and detached and I don't mean that I have always felt excluded. It's like reality is in my head and what's out there is something to observe and react to if needed or desired. Does this have to do with mirror neurons?



leejosepho
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04 Oct 2009, 9:16 am

Aspinator wrote:
... I can be by myself and it doesn't phase me in the least ...


Same here. The thought of never fitting in anywhere can make me feel like I might eventually end up falling over some proverbial "edge" or cliff into insanity or oblivion -- Maybe I should stop leaning out to look?! -- but I can be perfectly okay all by myself as long as I am not all alone.

Aspinator wrote:
An advantage of this type of introspection is we Aspies have to be honest with ourselves. We get to know ourselves intimately and we can't pull the wool over our own eyes.


I could not possibly be (and I would not even want to be) any other way, and I cannot imagine how people can live and remain sane apart from that. My idealism sometimes appears to others as self-delusion, but even when I might *want* to lie to myself, I cannot!

Aspinator wrote:
I feel this aspect of AS is what scares people. They can't understand ... yet we don't crave the acceptance of others to validate who we are.


I have told some people about parts of my incomprehensible-to-them AS for the specific purpose of giving them an excuse to stop being affected by me ... and if that kind of state is for them an actual blessing, then maybe a little more of my life has thus been validated!


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