S.A & A.S

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I just wanted to know what you think is the difference between people who have AS and those who have SA. Surely they would have similarities.... I just don't know what they could be. Plz help

Feel extremely stupid, but whats SA - I thought it was just a typo where people did keys the wrong way around (oh so easy to do)

Social anxiety disorder.....I think. I may be wrong. At least now everyone knows what the topic is about

I think the more common term for "social anxiety disorder" is "social phobia".

It does share some similarities with AS and I think you can have AS and SP at the same time.

Anyways, the differences between AS and SP is that people diagnosed with SP [without ASD] don't have issues with obsessions, and their anxiety in social situations can be quite specific [i.e. fear of speaking in front of classmates]. I think the pervasive belief in people with SP is that they are socially inept, whereas people with ASDs tend to be viewed as socially inept because they miss certain cues and behave inappropriately [which they might not be aware].

There's also avoidant personality disorder, which is a more pronounced version of SP.

I think I read somewhere that the difference is that people with SA actually do know (by intuition) about social rules, but are too afraid to actually use them and/or doubting their social ability for no real reason whereas people with AS really can't figure out the social rules, which they might not even be aware of unless they get the according feedback by others. And that AS then can often result in SA (because of constant social blunders, rejection, teasing etc.).

so what about other things like eye contact, stimming and obsessing about small details and not looking at the whole picture?

About eye contact, I think it's also that people with SA intentionally avoid it out of shyness and insecurity but people with AS really do get nothing out of eye contact and wouldn't even get the idea of making it. I've also read someone here describing it as physically hurtful.
But with eye contact, I think that's such a thing anyway, I mean, who (SA, AS, NT or what not) really LIKES eye contact and who really knows what's too much or too little... I at least don't
With stimming, never read anything about that, but I could very well imagine that people with SA
stim too out of nervousness and anxiety (that's just a guess though). I suppose that would be more socially accepted stims though.
Concerning the obsessing about small details, don't know, can't see any connection there, do you? (aside from obessing over (potentially minor things regarding) own's one social performance of course)

I have SA and AS though from experience most people with SA don't. Though a lot of them seem to think they are because they are frustrated I never got this.

SA is a behaviour disorder that develops because of nurture. Though there may be a predisposition to it.

AS is neurological very few people think it is caused by nurture (some quacks)

To a certain extent my AS caused my SA, but I don't think of it like that. I see SA as a problem I had/have to sort. I don't See AS problem. Though I have other problem that are stopping me being the person I am which is AS.

If anything AS has given me an advantage over my non-AS SA peeps.

1. They trying to be normal I'm not
2. I'm not strong on irrational thoughts
3. I can use analytical an logical techniques to break the behavioural cycle
4. My SA was partly caused by lack of knowledge, for them this was not the case.

SA people normally know how to behave socially they just have extremely difficulty in doing it because of their fears. With me because I learnt in adult hood (I don't mean to sound arrogant->) I feel I understand the behaviour better than them in that area. What I mean for them it is a subconscious natural thing they don't have to think about it. Where as I analyse NT behaviour as best I can. I feel I've learnt a lot. I believe SA and AS have a lot to offer each other respectively.

I have made a lot of progress. I still have problem in certain areas but I don't have a strong desire to tackle them.

One of my achievements was figuring out friendship at 24.

Clinically AS exhibit itself at a younger age as ‘abnormal’. What I don't mean by 'abnormal' is being shy at a young age because that is normal. Actually apparently though I wasn’t for talking to my peers I used to wander of talk to adult strangers. I would wander out of class, etc. These sort of this are considered ‘abnormal’.

I recommend this book for SA

Can people with SA feel as though they are on the wrong planet because of the things they don't understand about behaviour? I've been diagnosed with SA yet i've always felt different from other people. i often didn't understand how to behave in certain situations and I do have difficulty engaging in and initiating conversations. When I go somewhere I feel as though I should behave in a certain way sort of like putting on a mask. I didn't speak as a child and have always been described as being quiet. I have interests that others don't seem to have and have been fascinated by things that others don't find interesting. I know what you mean about eye contact it does feel as though someone is shinning a bright light into my eyes but I have never viewed it like that. Eyes do make me feel uncomfortable although over the last few years I have learned to make some eye contact but I have never been too sure where to look when talking to someone. I'm not sure if you understand what i'm saying. When you talk to someone you are never sure what to do it's hard to explain.

Failed social encounters from the social cognitive problems associated with aspergers will often lead to social anxiety disorder.

Also a different set of genes may control "shyness". From a very young age I was very
shy. Well before failed social encounters were a factor. I would say my anxiety went from being very high in the beginning of my life and worked its way down till my early teens then failed social situations lead to it rising again.