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Anyone else on the Autism Spectrum?

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by Marble Jar, Mar 31, 2020.

  1. Marble Jar

    Marble Jar Guest

    Haha i love that they had to give up in the end.:laughing:

    That's true, having some background info on people helps with context.

    Yeah, tone is a real problem area for me. Mostly it's not obvious if i'm joking about something either.

    It's really harsh that they shouted at you for that. I don't see why it's offensive to check.

    What are you like with physical movement? How well co-ordinated are you? Not that that is necessarily specifically Autistic but i know a lot of people that are clumsy and have terrible spacial awareness, so there could be some link.
     
  2. Marble Jar

    Marble Jar Guest

    Oh i see! Sorry to hear your former friends were unable to accept your sexuality. I would say they were not true friends in that case. I really hope you've been able to find some more understanding people since?
     
  3. Denial

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    Thank you. Yeah, you're right that they were probably not true friends. I do have a few friends who accept me now.
     
  4. TheodoreAC

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    I have been told different things by different people.
    My teachers are pretty sure that I have Asperger's and school psychologist's have told me the same.
    I am only officially diagnosed with having Generalized Anxiety Disorder and the Psychologist I have been working with the past three years does not think I have Asperger's Syndrome.

    I am unsure myself about it, but it is not an issue because I do not think it matters. Either way I am still myself.
     
  5. MHF Doge

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    Yes. I am on the lower end of the spectrum, however, an definitely on it. I recently began to question my sexuality after one of my close friends came out to me as bi.
     
  6. Canterpiece

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    My coordination is a bit of an odd one. It sabotages itself partly because it is overactive. This will probably not make sense at first, but let me explain.


    Firstly, you should know that I have poor visual processing. This has been confirmed twice by education officers. I sometimes find it hard to determine where the middle of an object is, I have trouble with direction and I am bad at estimating how fast something is travelling. As a result, my brain is often on high alert. It probably doesn’t seem like it, since I usually come across as calm.


    So when I go to catch an object or move out the way of a bicycle I typically do the action before I should. I anticipate the world to act at a much quicker pace than it actually does. Unfortunately, I might trip over a nearby bush in the process of moving out the way of that bike that’s actually moving much slower than my brain had originally assumed it to be. To the outside viewer, I just tripped over a bush for no reason when I’d actually been so caught up in preparing for something that I’d actually had a lot more time to prepare for that I didn’t notice the bush.


    I can balance on one leg easily enough. My reaction speeds are quick, so I can usually recover easily. However, I certainly can’t play darts very well. If you were to challenge me to a game, I’d do a great job at impaling your floor. My hand-eye coordination is a bit askew/off-centre. However, it somewhat makes up for it with how quick it is.


    For example, there are a few games that I’m really good at. To the point where it somewhat shocks people by the sheer accuracy of my moves. One of them is a two-player game that requires speed and accuracy. Numerous icons are displayed on the screen for a few seconds. If it is an animal, then the player has to tap their side of the screen. The first one who does so gets a point. However, if they click and it isn’t an animal then they lose a score mark. As the game goes on the icons disappear much quicker. I am fast to process what the image is, click the screen and I am rarely tricked into clicking when something that isn’t an animal pops up.


    Similarly, I am great at air hockey. Games that require you to keep track of fast-moving action I excel at. Keeping track of which cup an object is under? Easy. Block a puck from entering your goal and get it into the other person’s? Sure. Throwing a dart directly into the middle of a target? I hope you weren’t overly attached to your nearby curtains.


    Of course, there are factors that can influence my reaction time. The second main thing you should know about me; caffeine doesn’t work on my body. At least, not in the typical sense, I don’t experience a buzz. In fact, it has the complete opposite effect. You might as well tranquillise me. It makes me relaxed and sleepy. My reaction speed and reflexes become slower. Plus my ability to focus goes out the window as I zone out not really thinking about much of anything. It’s an incredibly bizarre experience. That’s why I usually avoid highly caffeinated products unless I have no responsibilities left to do that day. Otherwise, I’ll sit down to study, fall asleep, wake up, then unintentionally stare at the ceiling for two hours without thinking about it. I know many students use caffeine to study, but in my case, it’s one or the other.
     
  7. Marble Jar

    Marble Jar Guest

    Good, i'm glad to hear that :slight_smile:
     
  8. Marble Jar

    Marble Jar Guest

    That's interesting. I can see how having an Anxiety Disorder could appear similar in some ways. Yeah, as long as you are getting help with things that's ok. I like your signature by the way.
     
  9. Marble Jar

    Marble Jar Guest

    Hello. Welcome to the forum! There are lots of people and resources on here to help you learn more about orientation if you have questions.
     
  10. Marble Jar

    Marble Jar Guest

    I'm rubbish at crossing roads for that reason. Speed and direction are really hard to figure out. Haha i love your example with the bike. That's exactly the sort of thing i do. People are always wondering what on earth i'm doing. I'm finding this social distancing thing incredibly hard to process.

    Sadly i don't have the skills you mention haha. There would be no hope for me with something like air hockey.

    Ooh we're opposites with caffeine. It's way beyond a buzz for me. I can't drink the stuff as it makes me ill.

    Does your visual processing affect you with patterns? For example, can you walk across a patterned floor? Or does it make you feel like you are on a boat?
     
  11. MHF Doge

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    Thank you very much.
     
  12. Denial

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    Thanks :slight_smile:
     
  13. Canterpiece

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    Would you say that the buzz is similar to a sugar rush? Or is it a bit different?

    As for the pattern question, I would say that it depends. There are certain factors that can make me feel disorientated, such as;

    - If there are two types of carpet right next to each other and the patterns are going in opposite directions. Say you walked up a flight of carpeted stairs with horizontal lines. Then, once you reached the top, the lines became vertical. I'd feel a bit dazed for a moment if that happened. Sudden carpet changes displease me both aesthetically and they are disorientating. Patterns in isolation aren't an issue, I can walk on a patterned floor without feeling uneasy.
     
  14. Marble Jar

    Marble Jar Guest

    Maybe. I get shaky, sweaty, feel dizzy and like i might be sick. I think i'm just over sensitive to stuff haha. I get similar symptoms if i've gone too long without eating. Part of the reason i wouldn't have coped either in the example you gave about the student kitchen, would be because i can't think properly once i get too hungry. What are you like with preparing food?

    Yeah those carpets would be very confusing. If i walk along the edge of a path that drops away on one side, that can make me very dizzy. I don't think it's purely the idea of being up high. Maybe i just need glasses.
     
  15. Canterpiece

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    Usually fine (although I'm not exactly the most experienced cook to say the least, haha) unless I happen to be overwhelmed in that moment such as in the student kitchen example. I can get rather irritable when my blood sugar drops and I may snack on food whilst cooking if I'm especially hungry (i.e. crisps).
     
  16. Marble Jar

    Marble Jar Guest

    Ok. Do you have any other sensory issues? For example, wearing certain clothes or eating certain foods based on texture?

    I should say that i could carry on like this for some time with more questions, so do stop me if you're bored.
     
  17. Phoenix92

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    While I may be on the spectrum, each time I was tested for it in school (now over 10 years ago) I’d gotten so good at masking my symptoms to appear ‘normal’ that I shot myself in the foot. In trying to get that diagnosis. I could try again, but I’ve got some other issues I need to work through before. My Bipolar, for example.

    Which beings me to this; during the peak part of my. Most recent manic episode, I would mask things at work. I would make it seem like things were as normal as they could be. Some of my coworkers noticed I was more agitated and would work much fast than normal. Though I almost always worked smartly. There was only one time where my impetuousness caused a spill during said Manic episode, which I’d’ve gotten into trouble for if not for the having disclosed the bipolar.

    so. I’m fairly certain I’m not afflicted by ASD, I do have experience in masking symptoms to appear normal....
     
    #57 Phoenix92, May 4, 2020
    Last edited: May 4, 2020
  18. Canterpiece

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    Yup.

    My most sensitive senses are hearing and smell. There are certain foods that smell so strongly that I dislike being in the same room as them. I dislike the feeling of flour on my hands. Whistling and loud chewing make me agitated. Certain clothing is scratchy including the labels. Although my eczema and overall sensitive skin doesn't help with that. I prefer smooth crisps over crinkle-cut since I dislike the jagged shape in my mouth. However, most of my food issues are to do with the strength of flavour rather than texture (although I hate the texture of pineapple). I seem to be one of those super-tasters. Sometimes I get weird looks when I put water into my lemonade, but it can be too sharp otherwise. Leaving it to settle a bit so it's less fizzy can help also. I have a sensitive stomach, so I can't move around my meal times too much, otherwise I get seriously ill. Unfortunately, such issues run in the family. I have to be careful about what I eat and when I eat. That's one area of routine that I can't really afford to mess around with.
     
  19. Marble Jar

    Marble Jar Guest

    Yeah i think quite a few people do get missed with all kinds of conditions because they're skilled at masking. I hope you get some support with your Bipolar (although i imagine that's going to be difficult at the moment).
     
  20. Marble Jar

    Marble Jar Guest

    Ugh i know what you mean about flour. That's cool if you're a super-taster, maybe you could get paid to taste-test stuff! Yeah, i have a few issues in that department, for example i get IBS very easily.

    How about other people being emotional around you? For example, if someone bursts into tears, how are you at being able to comfort them? Or things like conflict? What are you like with arguments?