What do you know about Aspergers Syndrome?

Fred Sherman

Well-known member
What do you know about it? Do you know anyone with Aspergers? Have you ever suspected that you might have Aspergers? Do you know of some of the world's most recognizable geniuses had Aspergers?

You can take a quick test here: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aqtest.html

My score was a 47, which is to be expected. I am not one of those people who have no difficulty functioning in their daily life.

Let's start here and see where it goes.
 
Score of 15 on that test.

My Son is an Aspie, he was DX at 7 and is now 15, so I know a fair bit about it.

BTW Slavik, the correct term is Neuro Typical, there is no "normal" :p

Aspie's and other people on the Autism Spectrum actually have Neurological differences in their brains, it is not that they are abnormal, it is that their brains are actually different.. normally.. so in effect they are "normal" for Autistic people.

Some call it a disability, but it might surprise you to learn that a whole bunch of Aspies and Auties see themselves far from being disabled, in fact as an Evolutionary leap forward. - Free of the Shackles of having to be polite and engage in meaningless activities, they are mentally free to truly explore, it saddens me when in an attempt to make Aspies into "normal" people we end up damaging them emotionally and intelligence wise, it is literally like they can't do both, and to make them be "normal" socially in part kills their special insights and intelligence.

It's a very broad spectrum, with Classic non verbal Autism at one end, and Asperger's Syndrome at the other. Autism Spectrum Disorders are Hereditary, so if you know someone who is "on Spectrum" chances are one of their Parents or Grandparents are too. Some people with ASD manage to teach themselves how to interact within a Neuro Typical world sufficiently to get by, and others never do, it's a very individual path.

My own experience with it has been very interesting, and very challenging, my son has experienced periods of being very Autistic, locked away and shut off and others of appearing to be quite NT like, even displaying empathy and other emotions not normally seen in Aspies.

I am pretty sure my husband is on spectrum... but then again so are a huge amount of our great thinkers and movie makers, and software developers, scientists, medical researchers, surgeons and so on and so on. Many people with an ASD fall into the genius category, and many others don't - there is as wide a range of IQ's and abilities as in the NT world.

The other great thing about Aspies and Auties is their inherent lack of violence, if the world was run by Aspies there would be no war.

Personally, I love them, and see it as a positive, not a negative :)
 
Score: 14

I thought I was going to get diagnosed when I read this one.

xenforo.chuckle.webp


IRL, I am at least a slightly disagree, but as a tribute to everyone here I gave myself a slightly agree :)
My nephew might qualify. He was reading at age 2 (read a book he'd never seen before), memorized 75 dates in a Calendar at age 3 (his idea), knew every country and their capital city at age 4 and at age 4.5 came in the top 20% for a spelling bee for grade 1s. He's not so good with new things, loves categorizing, and is nice but mildly socially awkward. He is similar to his grandfather - a major "science nerd type".



 
My brothers kid got this problem :) Whenever i visit NY i play around with him for few hours he is pretty smart .
 
I got a 39... but I don't have autism or aspergers... as far as I know.

I think its just because I'm a misanthrope. My friends call me a hermit, and they accuse me of relegating everything to "black and white". Which is true; I think EVERYTHING can be situated in black and white. Almost everything in life is simple, every decision you make... its people who over complicate things. They create complications where there aren't any because they don't have conviction.

Being such a misanthrope though... one of my friends said the other day that I was "too trusting".
 

To get over 30 you must be obsessed with playing games that involve pretending and numbers.
:)
I don't think that's a fair characterization at all. I'm not obsessed with numbers, its just how I see the world. When I'm driving, I see not only the cars, but their speeds, their velocities, the traffic patter how it looks now and how it will look in 5 seconds based on everyone's rate of speed. It drives my wife crazy because I can weave through what looks like solid traffic in front of me.

But it isn't just numbers, its patterns, routine and familiarity. I had a complete meltdown two days ago. I had my roof being replaced and my AC being repaired. I had a stranger in my house and many on my house. I had hammering and dogs barking. My wife was working on a project where she had papers all over the kitchen table. It was too much. Too much clutter, too many things out of place, to much noise and someone in my personal space. I sat down in my chair - MY chair - no one else can sit there ever - and I withdrew completely. It was a bad day like I haven't had in a long time.

Video games help. Not because they are pretend, but because its a world I can control, with rules and predictable patterns. Things always happen they way they are supposed to. I can get a feel for how the code is written and how it works and know what will happen even in a new situation because I've already figured out the patterns in the code. Then I become bored with it and quit. I never finish. I'm not interested in finishing. I'm done when I figure out how it works.

Going on vacation with me is a challenge for my family. We have two alternatives. The first is go on a cruise. I love cruises. It is a vacation with a built-in schedule. You will go to some many ports on certain dates for specific times. In each port is a list of excursions, each with a specific start and stop time. You have a scheduled meal dinner time and you schedule your other meal times around your activities. Every day you get a schedule for the following say's shipboard activities. That is my kind of vacation.

Or we can do what we did this year after I worked a particularly long and challenging contract. We went to South Padre Island and I shut down for a week. I need to do that sometimes. It is a challenge for the people around me, because I don't want to interact, I don't want to be bothered.

Eating with me is an experience too. Food should not touch. Not ever. Different things should be different and separate. I have plates that are like cafeteria trays to make sure food doesn't touch. And it needs to be eaten in a certain order. Primarily, its by what I like the most, but I also have to factor in what is going to cool off and what doesn't taste as good when it does. I eat one thing, then another, then another. No mixing, no switching.

Yes, that means if you put a bowl of stew in front of me, first the meat, then the potatoes, then the carrots...

Starting to get the idea? Numbers are a big part of how our brains are wired, buts its not a big part of behavior. Patterns, schedules, routines, structure. Its a big part of why I was such a mess as a teenager, but once I got in to the military, life came together for me. Structure, routine, rules, and even how people interacted - it was perfect for me. I learned coping skills without every knowing that I was.

I didn't even know I had Aspergers until a few years ago. Knowing has helped. Other people around me knowing and understanding what it is has been an even bigger help. No one has to ask what's wrong when I have a meltdown anymore. They know what it is, what causes it and then can help by getting rid of the things causing the stress and help me come out of it quicker. Thats huge.
 
I got a 39... but I don't have autism or aspergers... as far as I know.

I think its just because I'm a misanthrope. My friends call me a hermit, and they accuse me of relegating everything to "black and white". Which is true; I think EVERYTHING can be situated in black and white. Almost everything in life is simple, every decision you make... its people who over complicate things. They create complications where there aren't any because they don't have conviction.

Being such a misanthrope though... one of my friends said the other day that I was "too trusting".

All characteristic of Asperger Syndrome.
 
Fred your post above sounds so much like my son it's amazing.

@ Kim, Amen!

I scored 29 on this test. I do have many Asperger characteristics, but not enough to be clinically diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome.
My son on the other hand is a textbook classic Aspie, who is also diagnosed with ADHD, Sensory Processing disorder, and extreme Anxiety disorder.

He scored 49.
 
All I meant is the test seemed to ask about games with prentending and numbers ... ALOT !
I like numbers too.
Here's a different one. Focuses more on behavior and patterns: http://www.rdos.net/eng/Aspie-quiz.php

On that one I was 179 out of 200.

I wish someone had told me decades ago that my Myers-Briggs assessment was an indication. I might have learned much earlier. I was an INTJ. The types are:
  • Extraversion or Introversion E or I
  • Sensing or Intuition S or N
  • Thinking or Feeling T or F
  • Judging or Perceiving J or P
Usually the scores are where you lean. I don't lean. I max out the score in each type. Any combination of these four are possible, but the ITNJ combination screams Aspie:

Introversion (I)
I like getting my energy from dealing with the ideas, pictures, memories, and reactions that are inside my head, in my inner world. I often prefer doing things alone or with one or two people I feel comfortable with. I take time to reflect so that I have a clear idea of what I’ll be doing when I decide to act. Ideas are almost solid things for me. Sometimes I like the idea of something better than the real thing.

The following statements generally apply to me:

I am seen as “reflective” or “reserved.”
I feel comfortable being alone and like things I can do on my own.
I prefer to know just a few people well.
I sometimes spend too much time reflecting and don’t move into action quickly enough.
I sometimes forget to check with the outside world to see if my ideas really fit the experience.

Intuition (N)
Paying the most attention to impressions or the meaning and patterns of the information I get. I would rather learn by thinking a problem through than by hands-on experience. I’m interested in new things and what might be possible, so that I think more about the future than the past. I like to work with symbols or abstract theories, even if I don’t know how I will use them. I remember events more as an impression of what it was like than as actual facts or details of what happened.

The following statements generally apply to me:

I remember events by what I read “between the lines” about their meaning.
I solve problems by leaping between different ideas and possibilities.
I am interested in doing things that are new and different.
I like to see the big picture, then to find out the facts.
I trust impressions, symbols, and metaphors more than what I actually experienced
Sometimes I think so much about new possibilities that I never look at how to make them a reality.

Thinking (T)
When I make a decision, I like to find the basic truth or principle to be applied, regardless of the specific situation involved. I like to analyze pros and cons, and then be consistent and logical in deciding. I try to be impersonal, so I won’t let my personal wishes--or other people’s wishes--influence me.

The following statements generally apply to me:

I enjoy technical and scientific fields where logic is important.
I notice inconsistencies.
I look for logical explanations or solutions to most everything.
I make decisions with my head and want to be fair.
I believe telling the truth is more important than being tactful.
Sometimes I miss or don’t value the “people” part of a situation.
I can be seen as too task-oriented, uncaring, or indifferent.

Judging (J)
I use my decision-making (Judging) preference (whether it is Thinking or Feeling) in my outer life. To others, I seem to prefer a planned or orderly way of life, like to have things settled and organized, feel more comfortable when decisions are made, and like to bring life under control as much as possible.

Since this pair only describes what I prefer in the outer world, I may, inside, feel flexible and open to new information (which I am).

Do not confuse Judging with judgmental, in its negative sense about people and events. They are not related.

The following statements generally apply to me:

I like to have things decided.
I appear to be task oriented.
I like to make lists of things to do.
I like to get my work done before playing.
I plan work to avoid rushing just before a deadline.
Sometimes I focus so much on the goal that I miss new information.

Reading that now, I wonder how anyone could have missed in. I could have know back in the 1991. It wouldn't have been so hard on my wife or kids. Honestly, I don't know which is harder, having Aspergers or having someone you love have Aspergers.
 
@Fred This is all new to me and I appreciate you sharing so that others can learn including myself, After reading your post I was left wondering if Aspergers Syndrome was somehow related to OCD ?

I have also noticed from a few of your posts that it is not just numbers that you understand but your ability to decipher written word amazes me, a rare talent.

Anyways it is good to know that you have a healthy/understanding support network through family and have found a work structure that suits your needs.
 
Video games help. Not because they are pretend, but because its a world I can control, with rules and predictable patterns. Things always happen they way they are supposed to. I can get a feel for how the code is written and how it works and know what will happen even in a new situation because I've already figured out the patterns in the code. Then I become bored with it and quit. I never finish. I'm not interested in finishing. I'm done when I figure out how it works.

Cool. I know a person with "Autism" whom knows 100% about Megaman.
He plays it alot. He knows everything about it.
EVERYTHING.
He also talks in a cool voice, like that "This is CNN" guy.
 
@Fred This is all new to me and I appreciate you sharing so that others can learn including myself, After reading your post I was left wondering if Aspergers Syndrome was somehow related to OCD ?

I have also noticed from a few of your posts that it is not just numbers that you understand but your ability to decipher written word amazes me, a rare talent.

Anyways it is good to know that you have a healthy/understanding support network through family and have found a work structure that suits your needs.

OCD is one of the "disorders" on the Autism Spectrum. Almost all people with Autism or Asperger diagnoses have OCD, even tho they may not be formally diagnosed with it, because the OCD characteristics so closely mirror the Asperger characteristics.
 
Cool. I know a person with "Autism" whom knows 100% about Megaman.
He plays it alot. He knows everything about it.
EVERYTHING.
He also talks in a cool voice, like that "This is CNN" guy.

My son is like that with Need For Madness. There's not a single thing about that game that the boy doesn't know.
He is also obsessive about Hot Wheels cars and Mario
 
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