Is it possible to outgrow Aspergers?
Yes. My cousin had a lot of Aspie traits, enough to match the Autistic criteria, from when he was about 3 to when he was about 16. Now he is 19, and doesn't seem to be very Aspie at all, because he's starting to go clubbing with friends. I'm 21 and still seem to be as Aspie as I was 10 years ago, even though I've changed, like we all do. But I've changed from a typical Aspie child to a typical Aspie young adult, whilst my cousin has changed from a typical Aspie child to a typical NT young adult, because he now goes clubbing. And if Aspies do go clubbing, then why don't I? Unless it's because I have social phobia aswell as my AS? Or unless my cousin has AS but is a confident Aspie with no social phobia (it is a stereotype so say all Aspies aren't confident).
So I guess I don't know the answer.
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jrjones9933
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More of this in the world, please
And less of this.
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kx250rider
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In my opinion, you can certainly grow with it, and absolutely learn how it makes your abilities different (some of them even better than people's abilities without Asperger's). I don't know if there is any official report saying that people can age to a point where Asperger's goes away, but just think about Bill Gates, or many other very happy and rich, successful people with Asperger's. Don't ever let anyone tell you that Asperger's is a bad thing. It's not.... It's just a different thing! Just an example: At 13, your writing skills look like the're already way better than many adults' writing, if they don't have Asperger's. Many people also believe that in order to have Asperger's in the first place, you need to be very intelligent.
Charles
I and others notice that I have capabilities that could be described as beyond human. When it comes to driving a car and non conventional psychic abilities I venture into the realm of supra-powers. I have experienced phenomena in my car that defy reality and senses.
I think I may know what you mean. I have pulled off a few pretty ludicrous stunts when confronted with potential disasters while driving. Also when in a hurry/emergency. I've made the machine work to it's absolute physical limits. I've avoided accidents that I by all accounts should have been in. Squeezed between other vehicles with less than 1/2" clearance on either side at 90+ mph etc.
Also, I see cops, immediately and regardless of distance. It borders on precognition. Like an internal alarm system goes off and my focus of attention zeroes in. Never had a ticket, or accident. And my driving style is often refered to as suicidal.
The strangest thing that happened to me? I was in a car wreck with three other vehicles, which wasn't my fault since I was hit from behind and the highway was backed up with traffic. The cars behind me didn't stop in time. One hit me going 75 mph while another hit me going around 55. All I got was a little scratch on my head that needed to be stitched in the ER and no other injuries whatsoever. People who saw the car can't understand it. One said I must have had a guardian angel in the car with me, though I don't know whether to believe that.
You want to know what's really weird? I wasn't wearing a seatbelt. I had no seatbelt on, but my injury was so mild, the highway patrol officer wrote that I was wearing one on the accident report but, I swear, I didn't have one on. And what's even weirder is I was thinking about putting mine on before the wreck happened, when I saw the cars gridlocked on the crosstown, but didn't.
Of course, now I wear one everytime I get in the car.
That experience enters into the paranormal, imo, and I am not the only one who thinks that. It was miraculous, indeed.
As far as driving like a maniac, I wouldn't recommend doing it.
I don't believe you can grow out of it because it is a different wiring in the brain, and that cannot be changed. I do believe people that do not have Aspergers or autism later in life probably never had to begin with--I don't believe they had it and grew out of it. There are many things that can cause autistic-like traits without a person having autism. For some, it is diet. For others, it is another disorder (whether permanent OR temporary) that can manifest characteristics that SEEM autistic but are not. From the description you gave it doesn't sound like you are autistic, and chances are the autistic-like traits came from something that affected you when you were a child that you have since grown out of or that no longer affects you for some other reason. If you were born with autism, you would still have autism.
Yes, but what if your AS is part of a broader genetic syndrome? It's not so easy then.
Yes, but what if your AS is part of a broader genetic syndrome? It's not so easy then.
Ok I have no idea. I just proposed a simple band aid solution to AS. Yes, there may be other issues with AS and it would vary from individual to individual.
Political band aid solution of getting more disabled people off welfare system and back into study and work. AS is regarded as a mild disability that can be managed and treated.
I joined the community specifically to engage in this discussion.
When I first read about Aspergers (I'm 61 so it hadn't been "discovered" when I was growing up) the behaviors and traits reminded me of how I behaved up until I was about 12. I was physically clumsy and socially awkward, and always saying the wrong thing in the wrong setting. (I'm still not 100% sure this meant I had Asperger's.....my mother was NOTORIOUS for always saying the wrong thing in the wrong setting, which she swore she did because she considered it her prerogative). After several years of being bullied in school (hence my nickname - I swore never to have kids no matter what else I did or didn't do) I had a "nervous breakdown" involving an eating disorder and other things. From that moment on I began "remaking" myself. I studied ballet, worked to improve my table manners, took "custody" of my body language, and made a point of watching what I said and to whom. I remember being intrigued both by "Gigi" and "My Fair Lady" because these stories involved similar journeys.
I really don't know if I have/had Aspergers. My therapist says no, because it's not something you outgrow. She thinks I was not taught proper social skills, but eventually learned them, albeit late.
I would say I am excessively cautious in social situations but, ironically, this has led people to compliment me on my social skills and diplomacy.
The only thing I still do that I wonder about is, is I am very direct with people I know well and don't play mind games. I don't really understand certain kinds of mind games. On the other hand, that could be cultural. I'm a New Yorker and New Yorkers aren't big on using silly euphemisms (e.g. asking someone if they're hungry because I'd like lunch).
If I got an MRI brain scan and a neurotypical got a brain scan you wouldn't be able to see many differences. I actually still have my results and besides the small cranium there's nothing that shows I have autism.
What do people mean by wired anyway? You do know the brain is organic. People can change just by having the right area stimulated or taking certain medication.
Everyone has a different thinking style. I talk to NT's have have so-called AS traits but they don't have AS or ADHD because it's not creating barriers in their lives like those two disorders have done to mine. What if someone just had sensory processing disorder but not autism? Does that them NT, even if they process sensory information like most of us do? How about dyslexia? Information is processed in the front of the brain. This is a different processing style too. What about NT's with synaesthesia?
Gawd, can 2013 come any sooner? All this will be over by then.
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I doubt any of these disorders are fully outgrown, but I think with age comes the ability to cope.
Let's be honest though the most difficult time and place for an aspie to cope is school. It's unusual for an adult to be harassed on the street, in the shops, on the bus, in the public bathroom. It's weird how all this seemed acceptable in schools. Thankfully n/ts mature too and most of them don't want to harass people either.
I found college (16-18) a much more suitable experience, there was 10-15 of us in the group. With only 3-4 lecturers for all our subjects. Popularity and thus bullying was no longer important and simply wouldn't have happened. That allowed me to get to know most of the group reasonably well over the 2 years. That's not to say the right course is important, I had a crisis and switched from engineering to computing (what the hell was I thinking?).
What's my point? I guess as you get older your aspergers will be less of an issue. There are no outside influences forcing you to go outside your comfort zone. It's still holding you back compared to an n/t, but your ability to cope with every day life should seem easier.
Jason
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