So I have looked around LV a lot recently, and realized that there are a surprising amount of people like myself with Autism in varying degrees. I believe we should put together our knowledge and tell about our struggles, symptoms, management techniques, role models, etc. Through this, we may come to a better understanding of each other and our differences. I have Aspergers, and symptoms I have experienced are incredibly picky eating, difficulty reading other people's emotions, and increased stress in social situations in exchange for a higher level of maturity and increased intellect. I also have a major stutter, but that may be a coincidence. And that's why I'm here. To see if any of these things are merely coincidences not having to do with my Aspergers, offer advice to anyone who needs it, and better connect with people here who do have a similar "disorder." Since they are extremely varied, even people with the same form of Autism may have opposite symptoms. Also, the man who created Pokémon, Satoshi Tajiri, has autism. Just thought you guys should know.
Maturity is debatable, honestly. It depends on the personality type. I know Aspergians who are not mature at all, but only in friendly company. I suppose someone sitting in class could come off as mature, when really the emotion you are looking for is guarded. I have Aspergers, but I'm not terribly fond of trumpeting it around. I'm not a victim, and it's important to remember that none of us are victims. We are just differently wired. That being said, your symptoms are quite similar to my own. I don't stutter, but I do sometimes flub words and say them slightly wrong. I call it word tripping. Overall I would say I speak very well, if I am prepared. My eating has been very picky, but it has slowly died off as I have realized that a lot of food is actually pretty good. I can't read people very well, but I am improving every day. Now, I can hear happiness in people's voices. I can hear someone from another room, and hear that slight sparkle in their voice, that extra tinkle, that tells me they're happy. I hate being in social situations, at least without control. If there is one person, easy. Two people, sure. The more people are added, the less control I feel I have over the situation, and the more reserved I become.
Hi, I have Aspergers as well! I'm very awkward, myself, as some users may notice when talking to me. My typing is very "choppy" even as I tend to be very quick with my words and unable to describe things in great detail. All my life I have struggled with being bullied, being the laughing stock, being humiliated for others pranks, even publicly. This continued into college with PROFESSORS bullying me, yes, you read that right, actual literal college professors. I've never had friends, even now I have very few, so I never even learned how to socialize with peers. No one wanted to even try to get to know me, this is why I'm so scared to go out unless I'm with a caregiver. Now I have graduated college, once I found a program with less shitty people in it, so there's that. A lot of my bullying was very traumatic to me, to say the least, and every day I'm scared that it will happen again, i firmly believe that cyberbullying is a thing. I've had my life threatened twice, and have been stalked online. I have been employed before! But guess what? I was bullied out. One thing I want to do though is to spread acceptance of autism, and help people out just like me, I have a strong desire to help others and to try my hardest to make sure no one goes through what I did.
I am in a completely different boat but I feel it could help to compare. I have Tourrette Syndrome. In some ways it is similar to aspbergers. For example I can get eccentric and picky about things like food for instance. The main thing I do is retry stuff every few months because taste buds can change and, I have been known to eat food that I despise to be polite. Social situations can be scary but I have learned how to deal with them. Generally I will look at things "in the moment" to break them down into more manageable things. For example: If I need to write a paper, I break it down section by section and focus on it one part at a time until it is done. I also have learned to just put myself in social situations to get better. Yes I do mess up and I hate it, but what I learn makes me that much better. I have what are called "tics" because TS is a tic disorder. As far as mature? I am not the most mature of my age group. And as far as knowledge, I have "book smarts" not "street smarts". There is a difference and it is important. Book smarts is just raw facts while street smarts applies to everyday life and social situations. I experience and can read a great deal of emotions, but I can't always read sarcasm well and I can get emotions confused if I'm not careful. I am also not very good at reading body language other than my own. Now there is hope and there is getting better at it. The main thing you need is what I got, hands on learning. Someone needs to point some of this stuff out to you until you can easily read and recognize it. This may take awhile to be honest but bit is worth doing. Socializing can help too because you learn the "norms" or "in and outs" (what to do and what not to do) in various social situations. Basically you need someone to explain some of it to you so that you can pick it up. With enough practice and knowledge I can learn anything. The best thing to do is make it so that the knowledge relates to you. Like @[member="Genji"] I was also bullied, to the point of suicide twice! Some people get help from others, and some deal with it better than others. Be that as it may it is WRONG for people to bully you. Don't put up with it and don't suffer in silence. There are some awesome people out there that will be ready and willing to help you, they just might not be easy to find. If any of you need someone to talk to about bullying, I have 2 ears open for you. If you just need someone to talk to about your day, again I'm here for you. Life can be a huge struggle and a very steep uphill climb, but you are not alone. I have lived through this and there is light at the end of the tunnel. There is hope and while I can't find it for you or make you find it, I'm ready and willing to help you look. The world can be a terrible place, but here on LV, you have a safe place to come and be you. College was a good experience for me as has been working, but some people struggle with it more than others. I just found out that my coworker has high functioning autism and I wish I had known sooner because it changes how I deal with him. It doesn't mean that I see him as a lesser person, it means that now I know ways to help him improve and make work easier for him to handle. I will not coddle him, but I will even out the playing field so that he can succeed where he is. Do I feel bad? Heck yeah, I feel horrible because while I didn't bully him I treated him as if he functioned like I did. Autism functions differently than TS or the average person, you can expect the same work done but you can't expect the same path to get it done. Also, anyone with autism who is reading this: In the united states there is a law calle the American with Disabilities Act. You cannot be excluded from hiring or be fired because of your autism in the US. They also cannot ask about it in an interview, you have to disclose it up front. This is a federal law for everywhere in the us and violations of this law bring swift and extremely harsh punishment. If you can prove that people are mistreating you due to your autism, that is work place harassment which violates that law and several other state and federal work place laws. Just something to keep in mind. Again, my apologies for butting in but I thought this could help too.
I, too, have Aspergers Syndrome. I was often known as the quiet kid in school because of that. ^-^; I'm socially awkward and anxious, the feel of wooden objects irritates my hands, I'm a picky eater (I can't eat certain fruit without feeling sick, especially tomatoes), loud music hurts my ears, and I have a bad habit of saying no to things I'm not familiar with... My family is constantly trying to break that habit with little success. >_>; On the upside, I have photographic memory, logic puzzles are no problem to me, and I'm pretty much an expert when it comes to Nintendo games like Pokémon and Zelda. It's a blessing and a curse.
So bullies are a big issue. I was also bullied a lot in elementary school, and even today I have difficulty with a few bullies. My bullies were all verbal though, thank goodness. The worst thing they ever did to me was put Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus stickers on the back of my seat in 5th grade when there was a substitute teacher, but now I wonder why they had those stickers in the first place. Not like they would buy them JUST to put on my seat at that age, and I know they didn't have any younger sisters who would like them, so... were my bullies fans of two of the worst pop stars ever? If so, maybe I should have been teasing them instead... if only I had known...
I also have Aspergers Syndrome. I usually examine things in great detail, never stop rambling about certain subjects and am also socially awkward and have difficulty understanding human emotion and or feelings. Aspies for lifers! <3 Known fact: My dad and brother also have Aspergers....
I have a lot of difficulty sympathizing with others or caring about others. I can read people fine, but actually taking the emotions I've picked up and adjusting myself to accommodate them is just something I can't do. Because of this, I often come off as very angry and harsh, especially to people I have previously held grudges against. I also don't allow myself to accept help or consolation from other people. My usual personality comes across as a sarcastic, sadistic jerk or a stone-faced 'quiet girl'. I'm not actually like that. If I find people who actually aren't turned off by my abrasive first impressions, then I mellow out A LOT. I mean, it's easier on LV to be nice (or at least MY version of nice) because I can actually edit my posts. I don't often think about what I say, I just say it and don't consider if it could hurt anyone. Because of this, I don't connect to many people in my life. #MissingNo Glad you didn't get physically hurt, but being verbally bullied is just as bad or worse. Personally I'd take physical over verbal, because at least bruises fade. It's even harder, because I love Pokémon and get picked on a lot for that. No physical...yet. That's why I take karate...but I can't exactly block words. And it's not like I can tell anyone at my school, because as I've said, not many people would actually care. The fact that they had those stickers makes me smile. Next time my tormentors come around, I'll be sure to inquire about the tags on their backpacks. #MissingNo
I was bullied a lot for other reasons and not my autism thankfully. I wasn't initially diagnosed, until after I've finished high school. And I was like... looking into it heaps after that sudden turn in life. Not to say it is bad having autism. Just differently wired, as someone said earlier here.
