Is there such thing as 'mild' Aspergers?

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Kaelynn
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14 Aug 2012, 12:56 am

2ukenkerl wrote:
There IS a "mild aspergers", but that apparently means that you are about the level I am. You SEEM normal, for the most part. Supposedly, Stephen spielberg and Dan akroyd have mild aspergers.

BTW I have problems with social interaction, reading other people's body language and expressions, figuring out other people's intentions, sensory issues, a literal understanding of language and physical clumsiness/awkwardness - to some extent. Of course, from a literal understanding, I can see relationships that some others might see so I may see other meanings. ALSO, I understand a lot of sayings, etc...

I have sensory issues and problems with eye contact and find it hard to build up meaningful relationships.

Still, I seem normal.


Sounds alot like me haha :)



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24 Dec 2012, 1:05 am

New here, just finished reading all 12 pages of this thread, and at the end realized this forum can be a great resource for me. My younger sister was dx w/ Aspie at the age of 10/11 (this was over 10 years ago). I have wondered off and on if I might also be an Aspie, though the symptoms I present with are somewhat different from hers.

There were certain key phrases I read in some of your posts that turned on light bulbs in my head: being too honest, too empathetic, nitpicky with people's grammar/spelling or otherwise getting things right, sticking to a certain routine and being thrown off by unexpected events that may lead to angry or tearful outbursts, being frozen stiff due to extreme discomfort in unknown/social situations, not missing people I love (I've only noticed this when on spiritual retreats... I lost my best friend this year, and I most certainly miss her terribly whenever I think of her), extreme sensitivity to noise (unofficially, I do believe I have misophonia/selective sound sensitivity... but there are other things that are making me wonder if it's not just that).

When I was a child, I did have a weird repetitive movement thing that I did with my arms... I would "collect energy" from sharp corners, especially those in rectangular/square tables, by moving my hand around the corner, but then I'd have all this extra energy on the one hand, so the other hand would come in to help the first hand, and I'd repeat this until I was satisfied with a balanced amount of energy on both hands. It went away on it's own, but every now and again, I get a very slight urge to balance energy or I feel an excess of energy on some part of my body, but I can resist the urge to "collect it".

I'm mainly here not even to help me deal with my sister, who has an official dx of AS, but who doesn't like labels and refuses to get any sort of treatment or disability assistance for it (in spite of having a really hard time getting/keeping a job), but to see if I need to reassess myself more (I am already quite introspective and introverted.)

I've been known for being acutely aware of my parents' shortcomings, and I've been sort of on a mission to try to "correct" their faults.... until it occurred to me that maybe I'm seeing in them bits and pieces of what's true about me, and that it's me that I need to be working on, not them.

So anyway, I look forward to reading through the rest of this forum. You all sound like a great bunch of nonjudgmental folks, something I've had a hard time with on some forums, though now I wonder if it's not just me reading into things too much???

To whoever posted here regarding having a relationship with Jesus, I want to thank you for that post. My sister is not a believer - she quit going to church at 17, and is essentially agnostic but doesn't even like that label. I've tried having conversations with her about why she doesn't believe, as I think it would enrich her life (as I think Christ can do for everyone if we let Him), but in the end, her response is simply that she just doesn't care.

So one question I do have is if "not caring" about things/people is a feature of AS? On one hand, I wonder if this might help explain my sister, but on the other hand, I most certainly do care, and often too much, about both people and different things, so I wonder if it'd be possible for both of us to be Aspies. I know it's a spectrum, so maybe?

Anyway, sorry for the long-winded introduction, but I'm so glad to have found this forum. Merry Christmas :)



poisonousautumn
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22 Feb 2013, 10:10 pm

i want to add my bit to this wonderful little thread.

i am pretty sure i have mild asperger's, i have been working my way back with my memory and interviewing my parents and friends. i was pegged "gifted" in middle school but had few friends to speak of until high school. i am a chameleon, without diagnosis back then i did everything to cover up the way i felt. when alone, in my room at night (my parents greatly respected privacy) i would let the movement issues take over, get it out of my system. there are a few stereotyped behaviors that actually run in the family, such as rubbing fingers. my mom's side has the gene, nerdy mathematical persuits and introversion go streaking back that line. my uncle has AS on my mom's side, and my biological father's brother had full autism.

i never lost much physical coordination, however, and retain a sense of openess to experience. i have my routine, but i like to ease into new things, it excites me now. but this comes with this ridiculous sense of curiousity i have about learning everything and experiencing everything.

my social anxiety has ruled my entire life, to the point of becoming an obsession. i'm still obsessed.. i fight it every second and it exhausts me. i try to figure people out rationally, build psycological models and test them. currently my GF, who is unique in her own way, helps me with every social question i have.

but from what i read around i have forced myself to split into an NT thinking and AS thinking person. and finding this blend between them.



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05 Apr 2013, 9:52 pm

This is my exact situation.
I have a hard time deciding if an emotion someone is displaying is positive (if it's around the frustration range, because there's fond frustration and "why-are-you-so-dense" frustration) as well as the intensity, and whether it's just a general emotion, or if it's being directed towards me.

My mother and father both point to my "lack of diplomacy" which I guess is a diplomatic way of saying "offensive."

I am somewhat rigid.



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19 Apr 2013, 5:09 pm

Glad to hear all these perspectives. I Personally just realized I may be a mild aspie. the thought was sparked a couple years ago but a documentary I saw. Since taken some online tests that seem to suggest quite clearly I am. Prior to that didn't know the condition existed. Doing more research now that my son may be showing some characteristics at the age of 3, and I don't want him to have the same difficulties I did growing up. As I grew up in the 80's they didn't know about the condition and I couldn't be diagnosed but there was clearly something going on. I was both in the gifted program at my elementary school, and spending time with the special education teachers at the same time. Quite a dichotomy that confused many of my teachers. I was clearly advanced above most in Math and Cognitive skills (and coming up with solutions to math problems in unconventional ways), but horribly deficient in reading, and my social skills left something to be desired. I spent an awful lot of time in the principles office and was considered a class disruption by many of my teachers. They thought I might have dyslexia but the special education tests didn't suggest that to be the case. I think ultimately they thought I wasn't being challenged enough, and was getting bored in class, so just wrote it off and moved on.

One odd thing I noticed though was in the gifted classes. All of the other gifted students had incredible imaginations that I lacked. I could solve problems faster and was more logical, but really lacked creativity in the traditional sense. Does anyone else notice this? Is it common for aspies to be limited in creative thinking?

I think, that as a mild aspie, I have not developed the ability to emote, but rather over the years learned what "appropriate" reactions or responses are in social situations, and thus deliver those responses as a matter of form and courtesy as opposed to really feeling that way. Thus, people actually consider me very friendly and normal when they meet me, but I feel like I am putting on a charade somewhat. However, I believe this condition does hinder deeper and longer lasting friendships. I have very few close friends, and really don't enjoy meeting new people or going out much socially. And, when my wife does insist I socialize (she thinks I am just introverted), I much prefer small groups with one or two couples as opposed to parties. Is this common for mild aspies?



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19 Apr 2013, 5:40 pm

I'm so mild I'm a bit doubtful I'd get diagnosed at all, I just seem to have more than my fair share of autistic traits. I have enough to meet the diagnostic criteria, but, I'd say most are below threshold. I'm not really impaired enough.

If it wasn't for the fact that I regularly make the social faux pas, I'd be thinking I'm just introverted. I was independently tested as INTP.

I have mild stims, poor social skills, have had a lifetime of difficulties with food (no-one who knows me would ever invite me for dinner), and a dose of prosopagnosia, and as a child, a bit of dyspraxia.

Since I've learned about Asperger's I've realised my father was a candidate. His manner of social interaction could be seriously embarrassing at times.

Rugger, I too prefer a party of two, or maybe four people. More than that, and I become almost mute, preferring to leave the small talk to everyone else. And I have no-one that I would call a friend, juts one or two acquaintances.



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19 Apr 2013, 7:13 pm

I am not mild by any means and my sensory issues are severe; I am full-blown Aspie- but I have been viewed as ''mild'' or ''traits'' by ignorant health care professionals because in a consultation room I come across as intelligent and capable.

Someone has to actually live with me to ''get it''.

This meant my diagnosis being held up by five years at least. Or even twelve years perhaps, if you count my first identification at age thirteen.

Wankers.


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19 Apr 2013, 7:51 pm

Some people on this forum seem to believe that an AS diagnosis automatically means something mild.



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19 Apr 2013, 8:10 pm

Verdandi wrote:
Some people on this forum seem to believe that an AS diagnosis automatically means something mild.


I agree that if this is the case, they are mistaken and misinformed.


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19 Apr 2013, 8:26 pm

Rugger wrote:

One odd thing I noticed though was in the gifted classes. All of the other gifted students had incredible imaginations that I lacked. I could solve problems faster and was more logical, but really lacked creativity in the traditional sense. Does anyone else notice this? Is it common for aspies to be limited in creative thinking?

I think, that as a mild aspie, I have not developed the ability to emote, but rather over the years learned what "appropriate" reactions or responses are in social situations, and thus deliver those responses as a matter of form and courtesy as opposed to really feeling that way. Thus, people actually consider me very friendly and normal when they meet me, but I feel like I am putting on a charade somewhat. However, I believe this condition does hinder deeper and longer lasting friendships. I have very few close friends, and really don't enjoy meeting new people or going out much socially. And, when my wife does insist I socialize (she thinks I am just introverted), I much prefer small groups with one or two couples as opposed to parties. Is this common for mild aspies?

Have you taken this test: Two-Factor Imagination Scale (TFIS) ?
It could help you understand your problems with imagination and your inability to emote.
This is a link to that site. http://www.aspietests.org/



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19 Apr 2013, 8:32 pm

Cuckooflower wrote:
Verdandi wrote:
Some people on this forum seem to believe that an AS diagnosis automatically means something mild.


I agree that if this is the case, they are mistaken and misinformed.


Yeah, it's irritating. Usually it's a misunderstanding, I think. Some people, though, get kind of weird.



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20 Apr 2013, 1:09 am

Yes, my son was evaluated by two differant doctors and one said he had NLD which was a mild form of Asperger's and the other said that he had Asperger's and was not famaliar with NLD. Much is left to the doctor's judgement since they cannot actually be measured. I have no problem with the eye contact thing.
My symptoms are relative to stress.



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20 Apr 2013, 1:11 am

All forms of ASD are devastating, nothing mild about this disease.



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20 Apr 2013, 2:14 am

It was good to see this thread. I'm struggling with similar issues.

I've done the AQ test and scored 31 and 34 out of 50. My average puts me in the category of "likely has Asperger's." I also did the Aspie Quiz and scored 130 out of 200 which puts me in the "very like an Aspie" category.

I look at the social, affective and cognitive "traits" and the social and affective aspects of it fit me to the "nth degree." However, I don't feel the cognitive aspects of Asperger's, or whatever they're calling it these days, fit me all that well. If anything I can't see the "trees for the forest" rather than "not being able to see the forest for the trees."

Although, when I am stressed out I become so obsessed with my lack of perfect information and cognitive limitations that I can't act or make decisions. I become so obsessed with finding information and analyzing the logic of my decision-making process that I can't act - kind of like Sheldon Cooper when he gets stuck in the infinite loop on his friendship algorithm.

As noted in this thread, however, it is a spectrum not a binary on/off, 0/1 or either/or scenario.



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20 Apr 2013, 2:38 am

There seems to be disparity between the academic literature and this board. Reading the books, I come across phrases such as "all sufferers of autism and Asperger's Syndrome will experience lifetime difficulties"; "Everyone must have the social and interaction deficit"; and "Some support will be required in every case" (I'm paraphrasing).

Yet on this board I read about people who have actually managed their lives quite well - in the case of adults like myself they were born before autism was heard of, except by a handful of specialists. By "quite well" I mean they, like myself, have always been a bit quirky but nothing that others see as anything other than, a bit quirky, introverted.

I know there's a sub-type of "stilted" which is almost invisible … it's said to fade into eccentric normality … would they get diagnosed as having AS?



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20 Apr 2013, 11:09 am

JCJC777 wrote:
Great thread.

I have Aspergers but am able to get by in many social situations - I have learnt ways.

However what bothers me is a gnawing pain and emptiness and sadness at my lack of real communication with people, a lack of real sharing and interaction - do others feel that?
I feel that others accept me, 'go through the social motions' with me, but that they are not getting the sparks of genuine sharing they get with other NT's.

Is there any way forward from this? Maybe I just have to accept it. Or maybe I have to change my game, and try to raise my high-functioning further, to look for moments of humour and connection.


This is a sad message, but thanks for sharing. Feeling ones sorrow can be the path to truth.

Good for you for having "learnt ways." That is very touching. I have, too....

Many people feel a gnawing pain and emptiness, and some are able to hide it from the world. Just because a person seems to be having warm and genuine reactions does not mean they are born being able to do that. Social response is basically learned. Maybe some people because of the parenting they received were just able to learn better.

Yes there is a way forward from this, of course. Become more sensitive toward yourself, and eventually this sensitivity will incorporate other people into it, but this does not just happen. It needs to be a conscious practice, and that is work.

The first thing I suggest is to try to get rid of the aspie--nt distinction. Thinking that way can keep you not only from knowing yourself but also from knowing other people. This does not mean there is not some functional value in putting a name on various patterns of behavior."Autistic" has been very valuable to me in many ways, but in terms of the larger scheme of generative and alive relationship the value is minimal. It can be used as a framework and a tool of understanding, but to a limited degree.

Of course many aspies get stuck on labeling and diagnosis. That is in itself an aspie trait. Now if a person sees that is an aspie trait and he is stuck in these labels and making simplistic dichotomies, then this is an example of functional value, perhaps, but then go past it into a mode that is more comprehensive and incorporative, but again, it takes work.

Finally, imo, people do not get this way because they are born this way. There can be tendencies, but it is environment that exaggerates them, causing development to play more and more into a certain direction. If a person is cut off because he cannot deeply feel because it is too painful, it is easy to see how thinking it is because he was born that way would not lead to integration but would keep him isolated, and if there are emotional issues behind it he may never feel the feeling but would constantly be diagnosing, analyzing, comparing himself to others such as to so-called nt's, so stuck there, and on a forum such as this that can become a superficial form of socialization.. I am not referring to you, but I see many here who are like that.