Do NTs do these things as well?
I've been thinking a bit about routines, plans and structure and I'm wondering if NTs feel the same need for them. I wonder if they like routines, plans and structure as much as I do. I still don't know if I'm NT or not (though psychologists have told me it's very likely I've got AS) but I don't know any NTs who need routines etc like I do. Here are a few examples (emphasis on "few") of my routines and how I feel about plans etc:
1. I have a morning routine which looks the same way every day. I do everything in the same order and with pretty much the same amount of time between the things I do. If I change it it feels wrong. Same goes for my routine before I go to bed at nighttime.
2. I hate when other people change my plans. If they do and I don't think it's a good idea I get depressed, confused and I then have no idea what to do. It's like I don't know how to get through the day when something changes and my brain freezes when I think about the rest of the day. Can't get through the day as planned and then I feel like I might as well cancel all my other plans since everything has changed anyway, which means I often end up doing nothing on those days. I am, however, ok with changing plans myself since I have then chosen to do so (same goes for routines though I rarely change them).
3. I've heard I'm a very inflexible and rigid person. I've heard most people are ok with being spontaneous. I'm not (with a few exceptions). If I don't plan things I don't get things done and if I don't plan things I get anxious. New places make me anxious. New people make me anxious. New environments make me anxious.
4. I want and need to know all rules for all situations or I'll feel very anxious and unsafe.
Like I said, these are just a few examples. So, what do you think? Do you think NTs are like this as well? There must be some NTs how have the same need for routines and plans, right? How do you feel about routines, plans, structure and rules?
1. I have a morning routine which looks the same way every day. I do everything in the same order and with pretty much the same amount of time between the things I do. If I change it it feels wrong. Same goes for my routine before I go to bed at nighttime.
2. I hate when other people change my plans. If they do and I don't think it's a good idea I get depressed, confused and I then have no idea what to do. It's like I don't know how to get through the day when something changes and my brain freezes when I think about the rest of the day. Can't get through the day as planned and then I feel like I might as well cancel all my other plans since everything has changed anyway, which means I often end up doing nothing on those days. I am, however, ok with changing plans myself since I have then chosen to do so (same goes for routines though I rarely change them).
3. I've heard I'm a very inflexible and rigid person. I've heard most people are ok with being spontaneous. I'm not (with a few exceptions). If I don't plan things I don't get things done and if I don't plan things I get anxious. New places make me anxious. New people make me anxious. New environments make me anxious.
4. I want and need to know all rules for all situations or I'll feel very anxious and unsafe.
Like I said, these are just a few examples. So, what do you think? Do you think NTs are like this as well? There must be some NTs how have the same need for routines and plans, right? How do you feel about routines, plans, structure and rules?
That seems to me more OCD than AS. I have a need for routines (that comes from my OCD) that fights against my AS, that is chaotic and pattern-searching, something that makes everything quite complicated. But the routine stuff is more about OCD.
NTs don't have any need for routines. They use them because it increases their productivity and eases the self-discipline, but they don't feel a psychological need.
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1 part of Asperger | 1 part of OCD | 2 parts of ADHD / APD / GT-LD / 2e
And finally, another part of secret spices :^)
NTs don't have any need for routines. They use them because it increases their productivity and eases the self-discipline, but they don't feel a psychological need.
I think I've been diagnosed with OCD though some of the professionals aren't sure I have it. Anyway, perhaps I should mention that I don't always manage to stay organised etc. I have problems starting things and my head is rather chaotic but I really do need the routines, plans, structure and rules to function. Do you know what I mean?
Last edited by vortex on 23 Apr 2013, 12:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
I know some who are like that but they seem to be a bit OCD or OCD personality type (two different things, sort of like OCD spectrum.)
I don't like being let down after building myself up to enjoy something or counting on something someone promised me, but that's a leftover from childhood stuff. I guess that could fall into your change of plans thing.
I do like to know what is expected of me and to practice a lot before sort of debuting at something, so that could fall under your # 4 statement.
I think a lot of people have some of those four things to some degree.
NTs don't have any need for routines. They use them because it increases their productivity and eases the self-discipline, but they don't feel a psychological need.
I think I've been diagnosed with OCD though some of the professionals aren't sure I have it. Anyway, perhaps I should mention that I don't always manage to stay organised etc. I have problems starting things and my head is rather chaotic but I really do need the routines, plans, structure and rules to function. Do you know what I mean?
Perhaps you have both OCD and AS. The spectrum is not black and white but a continuus. And OCD is not exactly inside the spectrum, but it's a possible commorbity.
_________________
1 part of Asperger | 1 part of OCD | 2 parts of ADHD / APD / GT-LD / 2e
And finally, another part of secret spices :^)
I don't know about NTs having an issue with lack of routine. I don't know if this makes any difference, but with me, I don't have day-long routines (although I need to know what is going on that day in advance) but I do have certain things that must be a certain way. For example, I only eat Brown Cow cream top fruit on the bottom yogurt in blueberry, strawberry, or cherry vanilla flavors. I also have a certain place where I sit in choir practice, at the dinner table, and at horse bowl/hippology practice. This is something that I think is a little different between your description of routine and change and mine (although please correct me if I am mistaken): I get very stressed out and can have a meltdown if things like those are changed. If someone is sitting in my chair, I can't just move to a different chair. I get very stressed out because it suddenly feels like I am in the wrong place. For example, this past weekend at a hippology competition, my dad drove to pick up Greek food for lunch (we had decided what we were going to eat in advance, as usual) but the Greek restaurant was closed so he brought a sandwich from Panera. I couldn't eat it because I was so stressed. I almost broke down and had a meltdown because of it (I was already under quite a lot of stress from the competition) I can't really explain it except that it feels similar to how I would feel if I arrived at a wrong location. I don't know if that makes sense, but it is the best way I can describe.
Yeah, I've heard it's pretty common to have both OCD and AS.
I have similar issues. I often don't get meltdowns when my routines are broken though. Example: I always sit in the same spot at lectures. Every time. I'm there 15 minutes before the lecture starts to make sure I get my seat. Every time. IF someone somehow takes my seat anyway I get really confused and don't know where else to sit and what to do and it will bother me the whole lecture. I don't get meltdowns though. I do, however, sometimes get meltdowns when my plans change (so sometimes I "just" get confused and depressed and other times I get meltdowns).
