It is important to understand and respect that someone with perceptual differences might need support while navigating a social landscape and culture predominantly shaped by neurotypical influences; their challenges may not be obvious to others. The gap between intellectual ability and functional presentation complicates the Asperger experience and presentation. Friends and family members often see a highly intelligent, talented individual, and cannot comprehend why the person with the Asperger profile struggles during routine social or organizational experiences.
One of the frustrations of those with Asperger profiles is that, because these people are often extremely bright with excellent rote memories and verbal skills, overall expectations for these individuals are high. Those around them may be surprised to see how deeply people with the Asperger profile struggle in certain areas, such as the social realm, and may not understand that such difficulties are valid and real. Many times, people with the profile are blamed for behaviors they cannot control or those of which they are not aware.