Board index › General Discussion › General Autism Discussion

How much do you think your ASD affects your personaltiy?

Page 2 of 2 [ 20 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2

Previous topic | Next topic

MotownDangerPants
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 13 May 2010
Age: 42
Gender: Female
Posts: 955

10 Jun 2010, 1:37 am

Mosaicofminds wrote:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't introversion about being energized by time alone and drained by too much time socializing, and extraversion the reverse? So, one can be an outgoing, sociable introvert, or an extravert who likes reading and doing things alone. Of course if you're energized by socializing you'll tend to socialize more and be more outgoing, and if you start feeling tired after a short time and have to go home and recharge the batteries, you'll probably socialize less and be less outgoing, but I think that's supposed to be the effect, not the cause.

If this definition of introversion is right, then wouldn't someone with AS automatically be skewed towards introversion?


It is. It's right but some people on the spectrum are extroverts. This is confusing for me but I guess they are just people who would have been even more extroverted without AS.



pensieve
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 18 Nov 2008
Age: 40
Gender: Female
Posts: 8,204
Location: Sydney, Australia

10 Jun 2010, 1:56 am

On meds I'm less moody, more energetic and hyperfocused. I'm still introverted but can talk to people much easily and don't mess up my words nearly as much.

Off meds I'm lethargic, easily irritable so can blow up much more frequently. I've got low energy but even though I want to socialise more (probably because I'm getting bored) I usually do worse when socialising. My senses are more sensitive so I get easily annoyed by sounds and my emotions are more sensitive so I get annoyed at people more. More anxiety and paranoia too.

My personality type is INTJ. Not sure what is when I'm on meds. I prefer how I am on meds. I think it's closer to my real personality. It's really hard to tell how much AS affects my personality too. My narrow mindedness and need for familiarity is pretty AS.


_________________
My band photography blog - http://lostthroughthelens.wordpress.com/
My personal blog - http://helptheywantmetosocialise.wordpress.com/


Asp-Z
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 6 Dec 2009
Age: 33
Gender: Male
Posts: 11,018

10 Jun 2010, 2:45 am

MotownDangerPants wrote:
Asp-Z wrote:
Autism is part of your personality.


Of course it is but it still affects someone's true personality to some degree. Autistics by default tend to be introverted at least some of the time but we have extroverts on the spectrum, so I have to wonder if these people wouldn't be a lot more extroverted without AS. I'm sure there are also many INTP/INTJ classic Aspies who would the same regardless, that means that it truly is their personality.

Also, I'm really nothing like most NT introverts I've known. They seem to enjoy their introversion more than I do, for me it's kind of a hinderance, like it's burying me. These people are "normal" so you know it's really just who they are, it's not being caused by something else.


IMO, you can't separate a person from their autism like that, because autism traits and general personality traits cross over so much.



Mosaicofminds
Deinonychus
Deinonychus

User avatar

Joined: 17 Mar 2010
Age: 37
Gender: Female
Posts: 319
Location: USA

10 Jun 2010, 9:20 am

Well, sure, Asp-Z, personality traits could be caused by actual personality tendencies (there's some evidence these exist), upbringing, diagnosis, coping strategies, etc... but wouldn't you agree that these can push in opposite directions, and if you remove one factor, the "net personality" might be different? You're probably right that it doesn't make sense to talk about someone's "real personality" without autism, though.