Aspies For Freedom

Asperger syndrome certainly acts differently most of the time. The "cause" seems to "delete" random natural instincts which is often but not necessarily related to social behavior.

Some time ago I began to doubt I was aspie, I have a official diagnosis but I've haven't managed to have a big obsession, even tough I wanted one.

But then!... I looked at some pics mom had taken of me on vacations and thought I deffinitly looked aspie. No doubt anymore.



The pictures is taken by/within the St. Peter's church.

It is said that you could be more aspie in certain situations more than others. There were alot of people around the church, and it felt really uncomfortable.

Hi. I can easily fit all except for "does things in inflexible repetitive way". Everything pretty much had a scedual anyway when I was a little girl. That doesn't matter right now in my adult years.

Erkolos, I have pictures of my own where I look AS to. The ones where I was a child in plays and dances at grade school would be good examples from me. It's kind of obvious in them that I wasn't blending with my peers. Too bad I don't have a scanner working over here, so I could post some things in "post your pic" thread.

I do all ten of those things but then I consider myself a "classic" aspie.  Every morning I come to work and I feel compelled to park in the same spot. I used to eat the same food everyday but made myself change after I realized it was an AS symptom.

Seems a bit strange that they say you have to have all ten, when many are worded in ways that make them optional or irregular ("Can appear rude"... "Can focus..." Doesn't everyone *occasionally*?)

Thanks for starting my day with a giggle

I am the one in the middle, the one on the left is my big sis and my father at the other side. I'm from Norway as it says in my biography.
I tried to avoid pictures of my family but haven't really managed to find a good one without.


• finds social situations confusing
                                                      Yes, I actually get dizzy and scared at the same time then.

• finds it hard to make small talk
                                                       I don't make small talk, just short replies.

• good at picking up details and facts
                                                      At least from lectures, and there's where I show what information I've picked up too.

• finds it hard to work out what other people are feeling
                                                      I just "improvise"

• can focus on certain things for long periods
                                                      At least computer games, and some temporary obsessions.

• can appear rude
                                                      Yes, I've been commented on that one.

• has unusually strong narrow interests
                                                      I have some small obsessions because I see a beauty in all of them.

• does things in inflexible repetitive way
                                                      Yes, can't avoid certain bad habits.

• has difficulty making friends
                                                      Don't even try
• tends to turn conversations back on themselves or to own topic of interest
                                                      At least once, I don't converse much

Ok, so I will compare myself with two other friends I knew with Aspergers (both dead now)
situation                                      me     friend 1    friend 2
finds social situations confusing        yes       yes          yes
finds it hard to make small talk          yes,     yes           yes
                                             but learned

good at picking up details and facts    yes      yes          yes

finds it hard to work out what            yes      yes           yes
other people are feeling
can focus on certain things for           yes      yes        don't know
long periods
can appear rude                               yes      yes        no
has unusually strong narrow interests   yes      yes       don't know
does things in inflexible repetitive way   yes     yes       don't know
has difficulty making friends                 yes     ?bought   yes
                                                                friends
tends to turn conversations back
on themselves or to own topic             yes     yes        yes,
of interest                                                both were rather quiet                          
                                             so I couldn't say they did it too often.

I don't know any other real life persons (not internet pals) that have Asperger's at the moment.  Unfortunately both of these people are dead.  One committed suicide and the other's death was ruled accidental but I think it was suicide.

I think it is sad that you have two deceased aspie friends.

I wouldn't think you'd have to have all ten of these traits - maybe 5 or more would do.

• finds social situations confusing
• finds it hard to make small talk - I've learned how to do this, but it helps to have a couple of glasses of wine for Dutch courage before first encountering a new situation or new people
• good at picking up details and facts
• finds it hard to work out what other people are feeling
• can focus on certain things for long periods although by way of contrast, I also have that executive dysfunction trait;  I can only operate effectively if everything is 'just so'.
• can appear rude but then I'm also a blunt northerner (for any non-Brits, people from the north of England are especially renowned for being very straightforward, often to the point of rudeness);  being Aspie + blunt northerner = interesting!  lol!
• has unusually strong narrow interests
• does things in inflexible repetitive way  yes, I do have OCD traits, they creep up on me and catch me unawares, although when I realise what I've been doing, I can stop myself.
• has difficulty making friends
• tends to turn conversations back on themselves or to own topic of interest

Key: Yes/No[/quote]
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I think that a saving grace in my case with respect to social situations is my unorthodox background:  I was physically abused as a child (I now believe, with hindsight, as a result of my aspieness), and I lived in children's homes as a teenager, so became used to encountering new social situations, so I became quite practiced, more so than your average aspie, I guess.

Also, I've always been a voracious reader, and I read a lot of girly magazines as a teenager (no!  not *that* kind of girly magazine!), with articles about flirting (body language and verbal communication for interpersonal relationships) and interview skills (again, body language and verbal communication but for job interviews).  

I think some of us female aspies are better "socialised" (for want of a better description), because of things like this.  Also, girls talk more about behaviour, I think, endlessly analysing:  Joe said: blah blah blah, and he did this and that, does that mean he likes me as a friend, or that he fancies me?  

I  have all ten. I think it  is possible for some traits to be more glaring than others, or for one to not notice that they have some of these traits.

• finds social situations confusing - a little bit.
• finds it hard to make small talk - yes.
• good at picking up details and facts - yes.
• finds it hard to work out what other people are feeling - some people make it harder than others.
• can focus on certain things for long periods - yes.
• can appear rude - yes (I don't mean to).
• has unusually strong narrow interests - sort of.
• does things in an inflexible repetitive way - some things, yes.
• has difficulty making friends - yes.
• tends to turn conversations back on themselves or to own topic of interest - sometimes.