I do know that the only way I can know for sure if I have it is seeing a professional, and people here can't diagnose me. But I'm just curious if most people would think I have it or not, based on my description of myself. I am a 22 year old female, by the way. I've seemed to notice a lot of these things (especially social awkwardness) a lot more in just the last couple of years, as I've gone more into the "real" world, had jobs, etc. I can think of examples from my childhood as well, though I did have a "normal" childhood and people didn't really think there was anything wrong with me. But I have also read that girls with AS often are able to mask their symptoms better, and don't tend to be aggressive or act out like boys often do, so it's more likely to be missed in girls.
Since childhood I have definitely had specific and intense interests. Some were unusual (volcanoes, ancient civilizations, the 1950s, US states and capitals...these were all when I was only in elementary school and I think those are kind of unusual for a young kid) but others not so much (dinosaurs, dogs). In the last few years (since high school) my main interest has been Spanish (I excelled more in that in high school than in anything else, and I'm now majoring in it at college). Anyway, I could/can spend hours researching or reading about the topics of interest and memorize all the information about it almost perfectly. I read that some Aspies will talk incessantly about the topic to others, which I don't really do. Well, if it's someone like my parents or closest friends, I might talk a lot about it, but I definitely wouldn't do it with a stranger or someone I don't know that well, mostly because I'm way too shy and also because I'm aware that it would be kind of weird/awkward and they probably wouldn't care to listen to me. I also loved collecting things as a child, but maybe that's not so unusual. Most of it was normal kid stuff like dolls, toy ponies, rocks, beanie babies, and those "Lip Smackers" (flavored lip balm). I'm also normally not "good" with numbers (I've always struggled a bit with math) but I have a strange fixation on dates. I can memorize dates and people's birthdays so easily. Someone I don't even know that well can tell me their birthday and I'll always remember it. And I know the birthdays of a lot of celebrities, even ones that I don't even like.
I'm shy and I would definitely say I'm socially awkward. I have trouble starting and maintaining conversations (unless I'm talking to someone I'm close to). I often don't really know how to approach people. I don't know how to respond to a lot of things like "what's up" and "how are you" (all I ever can say is "good"). When people talk to me, I have a hard time thinking of how to respond if they don't actually ask me a question. I find myself nodding and saying "yeah" a lot which makes me worry that I come across as rude or like I'm not interested in what they're saying. I also feel like I embarrass myself a lot because I say weird/dumb things. Again, just because I'm awkward and often don't know the right thing to say. And I also have a lot of difficulty interpreting people's body language and facial expression. I often take things literally and don't understand jokes or sarcasm (or sometimes with the sarcasm, it just takes me awhile to figure out that the person isn't serious). I hate when people use gestures because I usually misunderstand or don't know what they're trying to tell me. I also hardly ever talked to people that I didn't know when I was a young child. I'm still shy but definitely not like I was then. Prior to 1st or 2nd grade, I remember I really didn't talk at all to people (other than my family and few close friends) unless they asked me a question.
At 22 I have still not had a boyfriend or been in a relationship. I don't know how to approach guys and they don't seem to be interested in me. I've only had two total creepers come after me (thankfully I was able to catch on pretty quick and stay away from them) which makes me wonder if I give off a vibe that I could be easily manipulated or something, since those are the only kinds of guys that have approached me! As for friends, I definitely don't have a lot of them, but I do have a few close friends. I really haven't made new friends in college; all of my close friends are ones that I've maintained since my childhood or teenage years. I have one friend who I hang out with and have lunch with in between classes, but that's basically it. I also have no desire to go to clubs or other big social events with a bunch of strangers. I would at least have to go with a friend but certainly not alone. But I much prefer to just hang out with my few closest friends, either at home, or going out to eat or to a movie with them.
I tend to have odd posture and be physically clumsy. I stand on my toes and squeeze my hands together lot. Sometimes just because, and sometimes when I'm nervous or anxious because it makes me feel better. I don't have very good spacial awareness (and, that's the one thing that can make driving difficult for me...I do hae a license and I am capable of driving, but backing out of parking spaces and merging into traffic can be hard/stressful because I can't judge how much space I have). As a kid, I do remember learning to ride a bike quite late (8 or 9 years old) and I don't think I learned to tie shoes until age 7 (I remember my mom having me practice over and over again for a couple years and never getting it). I apparently had some trouble with things like skipping and jumping (according to my kindergarten teacher). I was always horrible at P.E. and hated it. Not just because I wasn't good at it/was uncoordinated, but I also could never play sports because I couldn't understand all the rules of the game.
I don't really care about fashion and mostly just wear clothes that are comfortable. I don't care about my appearance as much as most people do (not to the point that I look like a slob...I do take care of myself and practice good hygiene and all, but I'm just not interested in clothes or doing anything with my hair). People mistake me for much younger than I am, and I think it may be partly because I naturally look really young, but also because I don't really get all dressed up or wear tons of makeup, and, I do feel like I come off as socially immature to a lot of people.
I am also a pretty picky eater (don't like a lot of textures and strong tastes...I eat weird things like salads with no dressing, and sandwiches with NOTHING but meat and cheese). I'm quite sensitive to bright lights and certain (usually loud) noises. There are some noises that really enrage me or make me come close to having a meltdown. I hate the sound of pots and pans banging, the dryer signal, and I hate the loud noises that people make when they're sick (which makes me feel insensitive, but I really can't tolerate LOUD coughing, sneezing, or hacking up mucus). I just have to leave the room or put headphones on, otherwise I really might get visibly upset. As a child I remember being terrified of a lot of sounds, but now they mostly just irritate me.
I also seem to have auditory processing issues. I don't think I actually have a hearing impairment. And, by the way, this is why, even though I am really good and reading and writing Spanish, I definitely have a lot more difficulty with the listening comprehension part and sometimes I worry that I won't succeed and get my degree. because of this. And even with English, I sometimes hear someone say something but it just sounds like nonsense and I can't understand them. I notice this especially when there is background noise...if other noise is present, I have a hard time blocking it out and focusing on what someone is saying to me. And I cannot follow multi-step directions unless someone gives them to me one at a time. Otherwise I just can't process/remember all that they said.
And usually, if I need to get a task done, I need to SEE how to do it. If someone simply gives me written or verbal instructions (but especially verbal!) I get very anxious and don't really know what to do. I specifically remember trying to sew in home ec class in middle school. We were sewing tote bags and the teacher gave us this list of instructions, but I just couldn't read it and figure out what I was really supposed to do.
I also tend to have a hard time using the right pitch and tone of voice, or using expression. I feel like I talk too monotonously, and when I try not to, it sounds fake. But again, this is mostly when talking to strangers or people I don't know well.
I don't think that I lack empathy, because I do care about others, but I do have a hard time just showing empathy, and I really don't know how to show people empathy or comfort them.
Also, I had constant ear infections as a child, and as I've gotten older I've developed gastrointestinal issues like GERD and irritable bowel syndrome, which I hear is common in people on the autism spectrum (but obviously non-AS people could have these things too).
Since childhood I have definitely had specific and intense interests. Some were unusual (volcanoes, ancient civilizations, the 1950s, US states and capitals...these were all when I was only in elementary school and I think those are kind of unusual for a young kid) but others not so much (dinosaurs, dogs). In the last few years (since high school) my main interest has been Spanish (I excelled more in that in high school than in anything else, and I'm now majoring in it at college). Anyway, I could/can spend hours researching or reading about the topics of interest and memorize all the information about it almost perfectly. I read that some Aspies will talk incessantly about the topic to others, which I don't really do. Well, if it's someone like my parents or closest friends, I might talk a lot about it, but I definitely wouldn't do it with a stranger or someone I don't know that well, mostly because I'm way too shy and also because I'm aware that it would be kind of weird/awkward and they probably wouldn't care to listen to me. I also loved collecting things as a child, but maybe that's not so unusual. Most of it was normal kid stuff like dolls, toy ponies, rocks, beanie babies, and those "Lip Smackers" (flavored lip balm). I'm also normally not "good" with numbers (I've always struggled a bit with math) but I have a strange fixation on dates. I can memorize dates and people's birthdays so easily. Someone I don't even know that well can tell me their birthday and I'll always remember it. And I know the birthdays of a lot of celebrities, even ones that I don't even like.
I'm shy and I would definitely say I'm socially awkward. I have trouble starting and maintaining conversations (unless I'm talking to someone I'm close to). I often don't really know how to approach people. I don't know how to respond to a lot of things like "what's up" and "how are you" (all I ever can say is "good"). When people talk to me, I have a hard time thinking of how to respond if they don't actually ask me a question. I find myself nodding and saying "yeah" a lot which makes me worry that I come across as rude or like I'm not interested in what they're saying. I also feel like I embarrass myself a lot because I say weird/dumb things. Again, just because I'm awkward and often don't know the right thing to say. And I also have a lot of difficulty interpreting people's body language and facial expression. I often take things literally and don't understand jokes or sarcasm (or sometimes with the sarcasm, it just takes me awhile to figure out that the person isn't serious). I hate when people use gestures because I usually misunderstand or don't know what they're trying to tell me. I also hardly ever talked to people that I didn't know when I was a young child. I'm still shy but definitely not like I was then. Prior to 1st or 2nd grade, I remember I really didn't talk at all to people (other than my family and few close friends) unless they asked me a question.
At 22 I have still not had a boyfriend or been in a relationship. I don't know how to approach guys and they don't seem to be interested in me. I've only had two total creepers come after me (thankfully I was able to catch on pretty quick and stay away from them) which makes me wonder if I give off a vibe that I could be easily manipulated or something, since those are the only kinds of guys that have approached me! As for friends, I definitely don't have a lot of them, but I do have a few close friends. I really haven't made new friends in college; all of my close friends are ones that I've maintained since my childhood or teenage years. I have one friend who I hang out with and have lunch with in between classes, but that's basically it. I also have no desire to go to clubs or other big social events with a bunch of strangers. I would at least have to go with a friend but certainly not alone. But I much prefer to just hang out with my few closest friends, either at home, or going out to eat or to a movie with them.
I tend to have odd posture and be physically clumsy. I stand on my toes and squeeze my hands together lot. Sometimes just because, and sometimes when I'm nervous or anxious because it makes me feel better. I don't have very good spacial awareness (and, that's the one thing that can make driving difficult for me...I do hae a license and I am capable of driving, but backing out of parking spaces and merging into traffic can be hard/stressful because I can't judge how much space I have). As a kid, I do remember learning to ride a bike quite late (8 or 9 years old) and I don't think I learned to tie shoes until age 7 (I remember my mom having me practice over and over again for a couple years and never getting it). I apparently had some trouble with things like skipping and jumping (according to my kindergarten teacher). I was always horrible at P.E. and hated it. Not just because I wasn't good at it/was uncoordinated, but I also could never play sports because I couldn't understand all the rules of the game.
I don't really care about fashion and mostly just wear clothes that are comfortable. I don't care about my appearance as much as most people do (not to the point that I look like a slob...I do take care of myself and practice good hygiene and all, but I'm just not interested in clothes or doing anything with my hair). People mistake me for much younger than I am, and I think it may be partly because I naturally look really young, but also because I don't really get all dressed up or wear tons of makeup, and, I do feel like I come off as socially immature to a lot of people.
I am also a pretty picky eater (don't like a lot of textures and strong tastes...I eat weird things like salads with no dressing, and sandwiches with NOTHING but meat and cheese). I'm quite sensitive to bright lights and certain (usually loud) noises. There are some noises that really enrage me or make me come close to having a meltdown. I hate the sound of pots and pans banging, the dryer signal, and I hate the loud noises that people make when they're sick (which makes me feel insensitive, but I really can't tolerate LOUD coughing, sneezing, or hacking up mucus). I just have to leave the room or put headphones on, otherwise I really might get visibly upset. As a child I remember being terrified of a lot of sounds, but now they mostly just irritate me.
I also seem to have auditory processing issues. I don't think I actually have a hearing impairment. And, by the way, this is why, even though I am really good and reading and writing Spanish, I definitely have a lot more difficulty with the listening comprehension part and sometimes I worry that I won't succeed and get my degree. because of this. And even with English, I sometimes hear someone say something but it just sounds like nonsense and I can't understand them. I notice this especially when there is background noise...if other noise is present, I have a hard time blocking it out and focusing on what someone is saying to me. And I cannot follow multi-step directions unless someone gives them to me one at a time. Otherwise I just can't process/remember all that they said.
And usually, if I need to get a task done, I need to SEE how to do it. If someone simply gives me written or verbal instructions (but especially verbal!) I get very anxious and don't really know what to do. I specifically remember trying to sew in home ec class in middle school. We were sewing tote bags and the teacher gave us this list of instructions, but I just couldn't read it and figure out what I was really supposed to do.
I also tend to have a hard time using the right pitch and tone of voice, or using expression. I feel like I talk too monotonously, and when I try not to, it sounds fake. But again, this is mostly when talking to strangers or people I don't know well.
I don't think that I lack empathy, because I do care about others, but I do have a hard time just showing empathy, and I really don't know how to show people empathy or comfort them.
Also, I had constant ear infections as a child, and as I've gotten older I've developed gastrointestinal issues like GERD and irritable bowel syndrome, which I hear is common in people on the autism spectrum (but obviously non-AS people could have these things too).
