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flamingshorts
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16 Nov 2009, 10:26 am

I feel mine didnt until I accepted AS and learnt more about it. It was only since then that social interaction has improved for me. I think the knowledge has allowed me to learn from social interactions instead of just staying confused.



zer0netgain
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16 Nov 2009, 10:58 am

NUTSY wrote:
So what do you think?
Is it a proof that AS' effect can decrease? I didn't take any medication at all


AS is a lifelong condition.

As in your case (and many others) if you train yourself to appear more normal and control your AS "quirks," the obviousness of your AS become markedly reduced and if these coping techniques and adaptation skills become ingrained enough, only someone knowing what to look for would suspect you have AS.

Your AS doesn't "decrease" in as much as you become better skilled at concealing it.

That's all any of us can do about it.

It's also why services and diagnosis for adults with AS are near non-existent...it's easier to deal with children who haven't learned how to hide their AS than to help adults afflicted with AS but skilled enough at hiding it that they aren't obvious about it.



fiddlerpianist
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16 Nov 2009, 11:48 am

Callista wrote:
Your parents are ironically right on both counts: You can lose your diagnosis, but you'll always be autistic. When I refer to "autistic" I'm of course referring to the way your brain has developmentally wired itself; this is different from how a typical person's works.

Couldn't agree more.

It also depends on what you mean by AS or autism. For some, autism is defined as the impairment itself. For others, they are referring to the "brain wiring" aspect. Remember that, just because you fall off from diagnosable criteria from the DSM, doesn't really change your basic neurology.

However, I do have to agree on the "fading away" of sensory issues. For whatever reason, the sensory issues I had as a child I no longer have. In some ways I just got better at dealing with loud, startling noises better and setting expectations up for my brain. In other ways, it's not really explicable (for instance, clothing tags used to really bother me, and now they no longer do.)

Despite all that, some of my senses seem like they are elevated compared with others. Definitely sound, but also smell for me. For instance, it's not uncommon for me to spend a significant amount of time smelling my wife.


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PlatedDrake
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16 Nov 2009, 2:13 pm

JohnnyD017 wrote:
I'm in the same boat as you. Apparently i had problems with eye contact sometimes when i was younger. But yeah it became a natural thing once i started it. I think most of my lack of eye contact was cos i was worried people would think i was staring. :roll:


I still have that issue, but only when im moving about. I'll glance out the corner of my eye just for the sake of getting the image. In a conversation is another story. I can hold the eye contact, but im not really looking AT them, but more the general direction. Granted i tend to get bored all to hell if im looking at something/someone too long. Still cant read expressions/body language that well (if at all).


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ruveyn
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16 Nov 2009, 2:36 pm

zer0netgain wrote:
X

Your AS doesn't "decrease" in as much as you become better skilled at concealing it.

That's all any of us can do about it.

.


Yes and No. I prefer to think of it as adapting to the overwhelming NT social structure and culture. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

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