Autistic Positives

[jsilver256]

I don't have "intelligence." I just have narrow-minded focus. I spent three whole days on a sorting algorithm recently.

def do_sort(unsorted_list):
    global iterations
    iterations += 1

    if not unsorted_list:
        return unsorted_list

    leftovers = []
    ordered_list = [unsorted_list[0]]  # Start with the first element as ordered

    for i in range(1, len(unsorted_list)):
        # If the current element is in order, append them to the ordered list
        if unsorted_list[i] >= ordered_list[-1]:
            ordered_list.append(unsorted_list[i])
        else:
            # element is out of order, throw them in the leftovers
            leftovers.append(unsorted_list[i])

    # Optional - print out iterations and length of list.
    print("Iteration: %s List length: %s Ordered list: %s Percent: %.2f" % (iterations, len(unsorted_list), len(ordered_list), 100.0*(len(ordered_list) / len(unsorted_list))))

    # Sort the leftovers (recursively)
    leftovers = do_sort(leftovers)

    # Merge the ordered list and leftovers
    return merge(ordered_list, leftovers)

It has a fairly unusual (for sorting algorithms) property of being O(n * sqrt(n)), resembling patience sort. I need to make it space-stable and it'd be good on certain categories of data. Most likely nothing will come out of it but my point isn't to show off the algorithm. It's to show my single-mindedness fixation that can keep me busy on these topics for days.

The same single-mindedness also enabled me to throw away alcohol without a second thought after over a decade of near-daily drinking. I already lost count of days sober.

Sure, it's got downsides, but so does everything else. In my perception, ADHD is all the "bad" parts of myself.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

I'm not a programmer but my ability to organize focus, follow logical progression is stunning compared to the average person.
as a trained quality engineer I once put together a control plan for an employer that was a masterpiece. 100 pages
took me a day. Was easy.

 

[Misty Avich]

The only thing that I have that is stunning to most others is the way I can remember so many things from my past and write non-fictional 300+-page stories about it.

 

[Ken]

Thank you for this thread!

It is so much easier to complain and find fault than finding or acknowledging good. We really need more threads like this!!

It really saddens me when people view autism as a badge of shame. I could easily do that, but this thread is for positive things! Thus I will not discuss my experiences with jury duty or "Rain Man" associations.

As horrible as my autism has been, it is responsible for my life's career and many other "successes" that I am very proud of. My strength is hyperfocus. In fact, not hyperfocusing is difficult for me and is often a problem. I am certainly no "Rain Man". I have no special math abilities, I am in no way a savant. My math skills are horrible. I am not a fast learner and my mental processes are rigidly linear and slow. I can't pickup on things in a speech or in most movies. I can't understand if some speaks too fast. I was unable to survive college due to my social anxiety and mental slowness. In spite of these issues, however, my hyperfocus made me a highly respected electronics design engineer - outperforming many engineers heavily degreed from prestigious universities. This is not because I am smart. But I am perceived as "smart" because I have self taught myself due to hyperfocusing. I have extreme difficulty being taught, but I can learn as long as I'm left alone to learn on my own. The being taught diffulty got me diagnosed as retarded with a learning disorder.

I feel the greatest peace, well being and happiness when I am hyperfocusing. It is a major positive for me. I had a cousin that was also autistic. His name was Richard. He also had "learning disabilities" like me, but he also hyperfocused. It was also clear that he was very happy and content when he was able to hyperfocus - even though others thought he was retarded and silly. I never did. I understood him and really felt good for him. His focus was managing soda cans, both new and empty. He maintained a very detailed log which he delighted in showing and explaining to everyone that would pay any attentioin. Not many would, but I enjoyed it. He was much older than me and has since passed, but I have nothing but good thoughts about him. Richard had a lot of difficulties - I have a lot of difficulties - I don't know anyone regardless of their neurology that doesn't have a lot of difficulties. While it's easy to feel that I am "deprived"; I have to realize that I actually have it far better than many. Focusing on the positive really does elevate one's life, because what we focus on guides our efforts and path.

Thanks again,@DaisyRose for this thread!

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

I wrote a control plan my first day on a new job just visualize the process in my head walk it through my head just write it down. took me a few hours my only knowledge of the process was a tour prior to the offer. by strange circumstance this become the company control plan. A few weeks later when they hired a new plant manager.

 

[AprilR]

I feel like being NT, most people have social truths as well as objective truths. Sometimes to them, social truths are even more important then the objective truths.

I feel lucky to have autism because to me social truths don't matter much, like social expectations from adults and women in particular. I feel more "free" in a way.

 

[Outdated]

I was always proud of my differences. I was in my 40s before I found out it was called Autism but from very early childhood I always knew I was very different to most people.

My memory shocks and astounds a lot of people, the sheer volume of things I remember, and the level of detail. I never had to study anything at school, I just read it once and remembered it.

My ability to learn also shocks a lot of people. I pick up skills and knowledge far more quickly than most people and it takes me very little practice to become proficient at anything I want to do.

I am truly Autistic, as in “of the self” or autonomous. I don’t need other people for companionship. I most certainly have no need of their approval and I don’t want their validation, both of which I find offensive. My own opinion of myself is what matters to me.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

I was always proud of my differences. I was in my 40s before I found out it was called Autism but from very early childhood I always knew I was very different to most people.

My memory shocks and astounds a lot of people, the sheer volume of things I remember, and the level of detail. I never had to study anything at school, I just read it once and remembered it.

My ability to learn also shocks a lot of people. I pick up skills and knowledge far more quickly than most people and it takes me very little practice to become proficient at anything I want to do.

I am truly Autistic, as in “of the self” or autonomous. I don’t need other people for companionship. I most certainly have no need of their approval and I don’t want their validation, both of which I find offensive. My own opinion of myself is what matters to me.

In almost 70 years of life I've never watch movies twice or read a book a second time.

 

[Outdated]

In almost 70 years of life I've never watch movies twice or read a book a second time.

You sound very similar to me in the way that you can extrapolate vast amounts of information from seemingly little input. I picked up new trades and practices in very much the same way as you mentioned because I remember everything I hear and see and because of the way I seem to be able to cross link bits of information and put them together in ways that most people can't.

To me a lot of things just seem to make sense as soon as I'm showed them. I do reread the occasional book though, if it's been enough years. The second read always goes a bit quicker though because I just skim through all the boring bits.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

Thats why I love solving real life puzzles, do not play simple, games with simple rules. The bigger the puzzle the better. My NDE is currently my biggest puzzle and how does it fit in with my knowledge of physics, and to a certain extent religion.

 

[NDR2]

I know “high functioning” doesn’t mean anything, but I’m definitely one to get things done. For instance, when I lost my job in the registrar’s office at a college, I started looking for something new right away. I was seeing a communication coach at the time, and she said she was impressed with how I was moving forward - she said if she’d lost a job she probably wouldn’t want to get out of bed.

I’ve also always had an exceptional memory. I can pick up and remember songs easily. As a child I could remember not only all the words to the songs on my records, but the dialogue, too. I also remember dates very well. When I’m with my family and we talk about things in the past, I can remember what years they happened. They call me the family historian.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

My older brother was a programmer apparently, he could do the work of a team of programmers high functioning worked at the time for the company that made the Canada arm on the international space station. A programmer called me one day to see what he was up too, had to inform him he had passed. was in total awe of him.

 

[Neri]

I'm a lot more compassionate to other family members who are, also, autistic. I've also got jury duty coming up, potentially. I kind of, want to do it, as it would be a new and different kind of experience for me. I think I'm very socially justice focused, in part, due to my autism, as well.

 

[marc_101]

I don't have "intelligence." I just have narrow-minded focus. I spent three whole days on a sorting algorithm recently.

def do_sort(unsorted_list):
    global iterations
    iterations += 1

[/QUOTE]

[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]
Of course you have intelligence. :) It requires intelligence to develop an algorithm and think about it's properties like O(.)

Of course you have intelligence. It requires intelligence to develop an algorithm and think about it's properties like O(.)

 

[Mr. Stevens]

The joy of sensory sensitivity. It can make a lot of things torture, but it makes music a massive joy. I get the feeling most people don't get nearly as much pleasure from the music they like.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

Just found a new puzzle that intrigues me, did the VIkings come to north america, and how did they enter
1. east coast follow down to florida then up Mississipi river
2, pass Newfound land enter Saint Lawrence river
3. pass baffin island go down hudson Bay travel down red river.
To the third choice is most likely. this make the most sense as it would be very similar to travelling rivers in Russia.

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

Definitely jury duty exclusion which is a very good thing as the money get bored, I will either start to fall asleep or start looking around at things in the room and focusing more on something completely unimportant and unrelated to what I should be going and thus would miss vital bits of information involving the court case. Another positive is that I think being autistic helps me be a bit more creative and see things in ways that others might not have considered. I’ve actually found solutions to problems that no one else had thought of before such as actually finding an online dictionary that literally doesn’t have the word “gullible” in it and showing it to people to prove that I’ve done what was thought to be impossible to do.

 

[GrownupGirl]

I think it's what made me so resistant to peer pressure as a teen. Other kids were always smoking but I never smoked. Unless it was second hand coming from from them and adults. Which I hated.

 

[Captain Caveman]

I do tend to pick up on certain things that other people miss. Patterns of behaviour etc. But I can miss obvious things as well! Such as I am single because I can easily miss hints and flirts! A lady can be flirting and I just would not know! It would not occur to me, and I would end up puzzled why they were acting oddly or in an unusual way. So I suppose if I did ever end up married (Though I don't have a clue how I would meet such a person), I can almost guarantee it is unlikely I would ever be unfaithful. I would not notice a woman trying to flirt with me if she sat on my lap! (I'd probably think she could not find anywhere to sit and get her a chair! I have missed so many obvious flirts. Looking back I don't know how I missed them).

 

[Cryptid]

My autism gave me the ability to see through BS, like when a new vendor would try to pitch an unneeded product or service to my employers. I would start to ask questions that the vendors' reps could not answer, or that they would try to answer with double-talk and deception. I saved my employers hundreds of thousands of dollars (US), and gained the animosity of several vendor reps (AND the co-workers who would have benefited from the vendors' scams).