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
4 Responses
Wow! Hi!
I read a couple of your blogs, and will continue to do so… more… but I am reading lot’s about the (my) newly discovered definitions of my neuro-uniqueness. I sense a humour-us slant to your writing style, and comments… I will continue to comment… but would also like to open the door to digital/conversational interactions if you are so inclined…?
I am a care-Giver for the severly challenged, and folks who are graduating from life a little early. I am an aspiring raw-foodist(11 yrs.), and a Diabetes Coach/Educator.
http://www.Juiceaholic.org
http://www.phatboyzklub.wordpress.com/raw-wayne/
If you are open to it… you can make contact at
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Peace, Love and Monkey Grease
WayNutz(Wayne)
Only speaking for myself, I notice LESS than most normal people do in my daily goings-on. Some of it is due to depression though. I don’t like change because I don’t have good coping skills, and if certain things aren’t in order and as expected, I often don’t adapt well.
I find that in familiar situations I notice more, but in unfamiliar situations I may be totally unobservant.
I also notice less about people.
Although SOME might believe the asperger child and/or adult is incapable of feeling or noticing much, I find the opposite to be true. I believe aspies have a 7th sense. And it is not something one could scientifically study. It just is. The ability to walk into a room, and sense what another is feeling, not by the look on the face, but the feeling/energy given off, to noticing the smallest pebble on the ground, or smells nobody else senses, the patterns of ones’ scarf, the asymmetry of tile, the tiny cracks in drywall, scuff on someone’s shoe, the wind thru the giant pines… These are things of interest. People are not, or at least for me, they are not of interest.
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