no sense of danger?

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did you do dangerous things in the past, or now?

I lost my sense of fear in my twenties. I used to walk around dangerous neighborhood after midnight when I got off work. I liked the sense of danger and could'nt feel fear even when gangsters circled me. I just held a knife to the nearest gangster's throat. I felt numb for two years, and then the fear came back, but it was never the same again. it wasnt real fear, more like comprehension, worry.

Still I was terrified when having to go to the dentist.

Did anyone ever have a similar experience? Do you think this is an aspie thing, and if so, why?

I have always been fearful and avoided dangerous things and areas whenever I can. Actual dangerous situations scare me a lot. I can be fearful of situations that aren't too, because I can imagine all too well how things can go wrong. Fear makes me freeze, it numbs my decision making.
I cannot relate to not having fear at all. I never lacked it. Even at the age before I could fully understand consequences I would still fear danger.


I thought a lack of fear and actively seeking out dangerous situations were more typical of ADHD than Asperger's.

My sense of danger is definitely off and it worries me a lot. I was actually robbed earlier this year and all the signs were there that the people I was with were going to take advantage of me, but I didn't pick up on them. I have fear looking back on the situation, but in the moment I was so naive and gullible. I try to be extra careful now.

I used to not have sense of danger at all when I was a toddler/kid/teenager - I could jump off highs stuffs, follow strangers, eat weird things, visit unsafe places, look far out the window, go out in the dark etc. And I was always saying I know what I am doing and it isn't dangerous at all when people pointed it out for me. I trusted my abilities.

Now, when I am an adult I finally got some fear and I am aware of the danger I know. But is still doesn't overwhelm me - usually. I know fear doesn't help and when you face danger you are supposed to think logically, not panic.

Sometimes I am even not sure what I am afraid of - my body gets scared and I ask myself: "Silly. What are you scared of now?", unable to figure out the reason.

But I was always terrified by dentists, doctors and needles. I actually had panic attacks as a child every time someone tried to give me an injection. Hmm... come to think about it - I still do. But I control it better now so I don't break needles trying to escape anymore.

Yep, I basically have no sense of danger. And not because I like it or find it exciting as you mentioned - I just don't process it. It isn't there in response to "normal" danger stimuli. When I was a child I used to free-climb waterfalls in the wilderness, by myself, because the idea that I might fall off and die alone hadn't occurred to me. As a teenager I used to put myself in openly vulnerable positions with dangerous people because the idea that they might harm me didn't trigger the appropriate fear response to change my behaviour. Even as an adult, both going through surgeries and sleeping rough, people always asked me "but weren't you scared?" And it wasn't bravado making me reply negative. Because I was not scared of being cut up, or to sleep in the wild, alone. It can't be bravery if you're not scared.
At the same time, I made the mistake of watching a zombie movie on TV recently and was freaked out about zombies creeping around the house for days, even though I was perfectly aware it was irrational. I'm apparently unafraid of real dangers, and afraid of silly fictional ones. Go figure.

My younger son (diagnosed ASD) is the "fearless" type - always climbing up things, oblivious to speeding cars, sharp objects etc.
His older brother (also diagnosed ASD) used to be a bit like that, especially with water, but now he's become a lot more fearful of physical dangers.
Myself - pretty average I guess, not particularly fearful but not much of a risk seeker either. That's until I became a parent, now I'm much more careful with anything that might incapacitate me even just for a few days.

My only sense of fear is predicated upon my knowledge of ballistics and human anatomy. Doesn't matter if I'm on my skis atop a cornice, waiting for the gate to drop on a MTB dirt slalom race course, driving a hatchback sideways on gravel/mud/snow/slush, gambling hundreds of dollars in technology just to gain some control or staring down corrupt police. All I feel is self awareness unless I risk life & limb.

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I have a weird relationship with danger, if I've had a negative experience in a similar situation, I will be aware of the risks and avoid it or try a different approach.
As a child I was afraid of almost everything, as a teen I realised that a certain amount of risk taking was required in life and I started to push my boundaries. I learned that many of the fears I had were irrational, but I had no way telling them apart until I tried to do the thing that frightened me, I realised some of my abilities and limitations the hard way, through varied successes or medical assistance. When I am anxious though, I see danger everywhere, including where there is none, and it becomes more difficult to tell safe and unsafe apart.

My husband is an aspie and I'm NT. We have different senses of danger. I don't know if this is because he's autistic and I'm not or because we grew up differently or maybe even because he's a man and I'm a woman. But we never get creeped out at the same time.

We like to go to monster sighting areas and he'll often "feel" something spooky, but I'm more creeped out by people that I think seem dangerous.

My husband is an aspie and I'm NT. We have different senses of danger. I don't know if this is because he's autistic and I'm not or because we grew up differently or maybe even because he's a man and I'm a woman. But we never get creeped out at the same time.

We like to go to monster sighting areas and he'll often "feel" something spooky, but I'm more creeped out by people that I think seem dangerous.

I used to free solo climb a lot when I was a kid/teen, no rope or prior practice, just walk up to the route and go for it. f*****g stupid really, there's only so many times you can roll them dice.... I stopped after my father died, guess that's what it took to make me realize I actually valued my life.

I also used to be fearless on a BMX but have gradually turned into a wuss over the last decade or so. It was like each time I hurt myself badly I was unable to be quite as brave again. It never bothered me in my teens but I'm just not up for f*****g myself up anymore, s**t, my walk was ret*d before I split my tibia .