Don't Think I'm Autistic - Yet Can Relate?

[Yshir]

All online tests I've taken (although I know not to take them very seriously) have given me very low scores and basically say I'm totally NT. I don't have much trouble in social situations and can read between the lines as well as discern body language easily. Basically I don't exhibit many of the most common traits associated with Autism.

That being said, I feel like I understand the Autistic perspective far more than I feel like I should on paper. ASD does not at all seem to me like the mystical thing that most NT ppl interperate it to be. I can really relate to how many of you feel and do (I think) share some of the less overtly noticable traits (hyperfocus on noise, etc.).

It has really left an impression on me that I understand yet feel distinctly NT at the same time. However I'm not trying to come off like I'm sort of genius and I of course could be wrong.

I'm just curious about what thoughts/insight you might have on the "spectrum" in general and in what ways differences between NT and Autistic ppl actually manifest. Thanks.

 

[Autistamatic]

The differences are as varied as people themselves. Plenty of people realise we're not that different once they take the time to understand as you appear to have. We're human just like everyone else, we just perceive and process the world differently.

We feel normal in the right circumstances or company (which might be none) and would prefer to feel that way all the time. It's only ignorance and stigma that makes us feel any different.

Thanks for dropping by and asking

 

[Progster]

ASD, or autism is a label or description given to us by medical professionals to describe certain traits and characteristics. Sometimes we may also give ourselves the description. It's not so much a spectrum as a pie, with different people - all people, having different slices of the pie in different proportions. Those who have large slices, or strong traits which cause them difficulties in their day to day living and functioning, and then approach (or in the case of a child, their parents approach) a clinician about it will likely get an ASD diagnosis. Others, with different traits, may get an OCD or ADHD diagnosis or dyspraxia or something else. But all people have different characteristics, and might have some autistic traits, belonging to the broader autism phenotype, without reaching the clinical threshold of being diagnosed as autistic. Some people might be introverted, or shy or have social anxiety and display some traits, again, this doesn't mean that they are autistic, but such people might well be able to relate to some of the difficulties experienced by autistic people.

 

[Tom]

Don't know obviously, but I think that just as autism comes in severe and moderate forms there could be very slight versions. Also our tendencies are varied and never universal in HFA and aren't unknown in NT's. So I think there could be personality overlaps. Not ASD but ASD-like. I think of it as a gray area right now. But like thinking people do tend to get together. I don't care if one has it or not, just find myself attracted to people who I can relate to and don't think me strange/weird, etc.

 

[Suzanne]

When I first joined, I bounced between I am on the spectrum to, I am not and all because of the sterotyical idealogical of nt thinking ( since the "expert" field is mostly from the nt point of view).

My online score actually was rather high, which surprised me, but I can say that I never thought of myself as thinking on the spectrum waylength, just that I am different in my thinking.

I have a friend, who took the test and it came back that she is an nt too, but in fact, we are so similar, that she could be taken for an aspie; however, when I was being tested, they used the same online test that I did and so, that test has to be somewhat authentic.

Just to add though, there are many ambigueous questions on that test that confuses one and it was oly on thinking deeply about "traits" and enquiring of my husband, that my score changed to be higher. You see, did not think: is this an aspie trait? Just: is this normal? Does everyone do this?

Some find me completely "normal" and others detect pretty fast that something is off with me.

 

[Graphin]

Did you experience trauma?