Do People with Asperger’s Notice More?
by Nomi
Well, here I am with another question I’ve been wondering about. (I admit I am addicted to reading people’s answers! You people are so interesting.)
I’m wondering if Aspies’ resistance to change is related to the fact that we might notice or experience more details in life. Situations that neurotypical people might feel are unchanging or monotonous might feel full of change for Aspies, since we are noticing more of the details of what’s going on. So, for example, walking through a park over and over might feel monotonous to some neurotypicals, and they might choose to go other places to add some excitement to their outings. For an Aspie, however, the park is full of changes — changes in air temperature, wind pressure, sounds, smells, sunlight, insects, birds, and many other things that the general population might not notice in as much detail or experience as deeply.
So while clinicians describe people on the autism spectrum as resisting or not liking change, I’m thinking maybe we’re okay with change, but we simply get all the change we need in our day-to-day experiences — even seemingly repetitive experiences. Everyone has a limit on how much change he or she can or wishes to tolerate. Perception of change in a person’s life is a function of both individual perception and the outside change. Aspies may perceive (or sense, or think, or feel…) more, so less external change may be required for us to reach that limit. A person on the autism spectrum sitting in a corner and watching a sunbeam go by may be seeing the world change through that sunbeam — just as William Blake (was he Aspie?) saw “the world in a grain of sand, and heaven in a wildflower.” When the supposedly “static” elements of the world are so rich and dynamic, adding actual external change to the mix can be just too much to take in.
Anyway … having finished my wonderfully enjoyable monologue, I will now elaborate on the question I have for other Aspies: Do you feel you perceive or notice more than neurotypical people do? Is this a good thing or a bad thing, in your experience? Does it contribute to your disliking change? What about your tendencies toward overstimulation?
Hope to hear more interesting experiences. And speaking of overstimulation … Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!!
November 23, 2010
Posted in: AS Information & Support, Life, Uncategorized
Tags: AS, Asperger's, attention to details, Awareness, change, details, difference, experience, identity, irritation, life, notice, overstimulation, perception
4 Comments
Emotional Hypersensitivity, Anyone?
by Nomi
Hi everyone!
I was so happy to get some great answers to my recent question/challenge, I was wondering if you all would be up to answering another one. The question is: do you find that you are hypersensitive to emotional cues in the environment? In other words, do you get happy / sad / angry / etc. more easily than other people (neurotypical people, maybe) do in identical circumstances?
This is a problem I have always had, and it has resulted in a number of “therapy” groups, intended to alleviate my depression, actually making me feel worse (since I would hear other people’s painful stories). This sensitivity even gets in the way of my learning: I love playing with ideas at school and enjoy emotionally-neutral subjects like logic or animal studies or bio-engineering (for example). But history, sociology, politics, even psychology — these subjects tell sad stories and are too upsetting for me to dwell on for long. When I read, I read factual information and ideas rather than novels and biographies, for the simple reason that I have never encountered a novel or a biography that wasn’t intensely sad at some point.
I can easily become sad, angry, and even depressed whenever I discover something has gone wrong in the world — which, of course, is often. As a result, I sometimes feel my happiness is dependent upon positive things happening in a too-often selfish and callous world. On the other hand, when happy things do happen around me, I feel that happiness very intensely — complete with jumping up and down and flapping my hands with excitement.
So, what about you? Do you get sad or angry easily? What kinds of things in the world upset you the most? Do you avoid these things? What about things that make you happy? I’m really curious to know. Thanks!!
November 9, 2010
Posted in: AS Community & Culture, AS Information & Support, Life
Tags: AS, AS Community & Culture, Asperger's, depression, emotion, emotional, happiness, happy, hypersensitivity, life, sad, sadness, sensitivity
14 Comments
Asperger Syndrome in a Sound Byte
by Nomi
What is Asperger syndrome? Can you define it in 10 words or fewer? Can you explain it in 3 seconds?
The problem with the autism spectrum is that it is so hard to reduce to a sound byte. And out in the real world, where it seems just about everyone is at least a little preoccupied and self-absorbed, this may be all that one has time for.
The autism spectrum is incredibly complex. It resists distillation. It cannot be simplified beyond a certain point and still retain its accuracy. And that point, that point of no return – well, I’m not sure exactly where that point is.
I believe I can reduce certain other mental conditions to 10 words or fewer. Read the rest of this post »
November 2, 2010
Posted in: Life, Uncategorized
Tags: AS, Aspblogopshere, Asperger's, Define, Definition, disorder, identity, irritation, life, mental, people, Sound Byte
5 Comments
Asperger’s High
by Abram
I was recently shown the funniest parody of Aspie behavior I’ve ever seen. Granted, it also happens to be the only parody of Aspie behavior I’ve ever seen. I guess it’s one of those things people are sort of afraid to poke fun at, lest somebody take offense. But the “Asperger’s High” video – a trailer for a fictitious new teen drama from the CW – is seriously funny.
Of course, that’s just my personal opinion. Why not watch it yourself, and let us know whether you find it hilarious, offensive, or none of the above.
Loading ...If you don’t like any of our choices, you can also post a comment telling us what you think in your own words.
September 28, 2010
Posted in: AS Community & Culture, Entertainment
Tags: TV
186 Comments
