Hello fellow Asperger's people, lets talk

reply to post by curious7


Dear curious7,

You, we are all here for understanding ourselves and others better. I don't understand your confusion, so what if you are one of us or you are not, what does it matter. Are you happy with your life, do you understand yourself, do you know what matters and what matters to you? I started this thread to talk to other people with Aspergers about trying to understand those who are not. Instead I found people who liked us and thought it is okay that we exist, some that have children like us and some that find us interesting and likeable. I do hope that others like us appreciate finding that others do like us and think we are fun to be around. That is why we need to understand people that are not like us. Thank you for giving me a chance to respond to what you said. Be well.

You said it best, it's all about understanding others. I think that's why I'm drawn more to people with Asperger's because we share a similar line in thinking.

Whether I am or not, ultimately it doesn't matter in the long run but as with those confirmed to have it, those with other personality types etc, I'd really like to know if I am or not so that I can have peace of mind and know exactly who I am. Not so that I could potentially blame quirks and such that I've always had on something but to be able to get to know myself better and thus be better able to know others in society.

Originally posted by curious7
You said it best, it's all about understanding others. I think that's why I'm drawn more to people with Asperger's because we share a similar line in thinking.

Whether I am or not, ultimately it doesn't matter in the long run but as with those confirmed to have it, those with other personality types etc, I'd really like to know if I am or not so that I can have peace of mind and know exactly who I am. Not so that I could potentially blame quirks and such that I've always had on something but to be able to get to know myself better and thus be better able to know others in society.

Dear curious7,

In the end whether or not you are classified doesn't matter, you are however you are. You also know that there are other people who have similar traits. On many levels I don't even like the term autistic. The reason the word matters is only to classify so that we can work with people to know which issues they are likely to have. You are just as unique as anyone else and there are things we all have in common. You matter.

I am a new member of this community. I am now 66, and the diagnois of AS was not available at the time I was diagnosed. I find that the most disturbing thing about this condition is that it seems as if I always have to watch what I say and how I say it, and doubly so to those of the opposite gender. Have been told that one of the symptoms of the condition is in inability to remember that others can also sense disdain or bad attitudes through body language as well as opinions expressed. This should, in effect, make me the perfect candidate for the emerging world of work-at-home positions. But haven't been able to make enough money to afford a computer of my own, and have to depend on the public library which has limited usage policies. I find it disheartening that so often when I try to engage in superficial chitchat it is bound to annoy many I try to do it with. Over time I have just about quit trying. Did, however, have my share of fun during the more liberal societal period of my younger years. About halfway through the 1980's things seemed to change quite drastically, and in many ways have never fully adjusted.

What does Atlas Shrugged have to do with Aspergers?

i'll always wonder how "normal" people look at things. part of me wishes i could just be regular. growing up with asperger's isn't exactly fun, or it wasn't for me, but i do enjoy some of the benefits.

when i was young, i couldn't control my mind. i would picture shapes, and they would spin non stop, and i couldn't stop viewing them. anything that started spinning in my mind, i could never stop. anyone else experience this? its hard to fall asleep when i can't stop thinking. i LOVE things that spin, its so fixating..it just...spins

I'm kind of SD-AS myself. as a kid I went to talented and gifted once a week, supposedly for having high test scores. but, a few teachers insisted I should be held back for lack of social development. of course my parents thought that was crazy talk, but back then very few people were aware of the spectrum.

I am old enough now to see how my manerisms, voice, interest, and ritualistic behaviors put-off people, yet I can't seem to care to much. I remember catching flack in the infantry when it was found I was cataloging animals whilst I was supposed to be guarding a position. my whole life went like that, but those type of things interest me more then superficial BS with people that are supposed to be your friends, I found that illogical, and they found me boring.

Bob Sholtz: yes! I do similar things. sometimes I glance at the wall and see an elaborate pattern and blink my eyes and almost see it come to life. to me it seemed to happen over a matter of non-noticable seconds, but others would see this and ask if I was "having a deep thought". of course I would say "yeah, thats what I'm doing".

reply to post by wingsfan


yeah. i never got that part of people. most are so "fake". they put up facades and act certain ways to get certain results. so many people who are "friends" talk behind eachother's backs. its annoying. so shallow. so few people are really worth getting to know. i don't see how things can be any more than exactly what they are.

i look for patterns everywhere. lots of interesting ones in the carpet, especially the crappy school carpets. the grain makes lots of diamond shapes everywhere. i get so distracted looking at it, or all the dots on the ceiling, that i forget to pay attention.

Originally posted by Nosred
What does Atlas Shrugged have to do with Aspergers?

I just read Atlas Shrugged so I might be able to answer that. In the book, the "good" characters believe that you shouldn't help people for nothing, but instead strive for your own goals and capital, because if everyone did that, our society would be the best. Also, that if everyone just stopped and helped other people, that would only promote laziness, and the people who would profit would be the ones who didn't work, and those that work would be like slaves.

So I think the OP was telling people with Asperger's to not believe this doctrine, and to not just use their gifts for their own benefit, but to help other people, even those that don't understand or even hate them for what they have.

Sorry if I've misinterpreted the OP, but that's what I got out of it.

I have Aspergers and I've recently become very apathetic. I've stopped trying to fix things, and help people. I sit inside my apartment and put on the weight I lost years ago. I sit in bed all day and watch movies. I'm done. Nobody will hire me. I don't have the ability to drive, and the roads are too congested and filled with bad drivers for me to even attempt the tests. I've tried driving before and I had someone screaming at me, but nobody close to me (I don't know a single soul except my neighbor) will teach me to drive. I use to wake up every day and feel great and volunteer at lots of places. But none of them lead to job offers or even friends. I've shut off completely and began treading down the rabbit hole. This world is cold, and I hate leaving my apartment. I'm saving my disability payments for the crisis... and maybe a TV so I can sit around and play video games. Because I feel worthless to rest of society.

I'm 22. I was going to be an Economics major. I stopped all my funding applications. I talked to a mechanical engineering grad who couldn't find a job - even at Save on Foods...

My therapist didn't return my calls when she said she would always answer, and in fact, she encouraged me to do what I want. I told her I like comic books and spontaneously volunteering. Then I began eating lots of crackers. Then Pizza. Then ice cream and now I'm eating pancakes and bacon every day. I'm a caffeine addict. And the only thing I have to live for is my favorite morning radio show. When they don't show up for work I get even more depressed.