Female, self eval, I have questions!

[Suzette]

Hello,
I recently stumbled upon the idea that I might be on the spectrum. I took an online eval and scored 38 (neurotypical baseline was 32) but, while identify highly with many aspie characteristics, some do not seem to apply to me. Would someone please help me out?
1. Are aspies always "gifted"?
2. Are aspies always good at maths?
3. Do aspies always have an intense focus on just a few interests?

These areas do not seem to apply to me and yet, in other areas autisim seems like me. In many ways it would be a relief as I have struggled quite a bit in life. At least my struggles would have a basis for "why".

I won't bore you with my laundry lists of similar chacteristics but the more videos I watch on YouTube the more I wonder! Then again, I feel like fraud for even asking.

Thank you in advance for any thoughts you have to share with me.

 

[Nitro]

 

[Nitro]

1. Are aspies always "gifted"?
2. Are aspies always good at maths?
3. Do aspies always have an intense focus on just a few interests?
No, just like all individuals, they are each unique to themselves.

 

[Thinx]

Read up on autism as it appears in women, try books from the Jessica Kingsley publishers catalogue for texts by women with Autism and clinicians about this. The female phenotype is a bit different it seems.

Also, no two Aspies seem to be the same! It's a wide spectrum. Aspies are not always good at maths, or gifted, and may not have or appear to have an intense focus on interests. For some though that can be masked by the interests being mainstream, or being their job, for example.

I would say the kernel of it is communication issues of various kinds, things like slow processing, difficulties making or keeping friends, feeling misunderstood by others, social interaction difficulties and workplace issues around communicaton or social interaction etc.

Good luck with further research!

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

I think you are correct a lot of information on us is anecdotal.

 

[Martha Ferris]

Welcome, I was in the same boat and after much self analysis (years) and having two brothers on the spectrum I have accepted that I am too. It fits and explains so much.

 

[Tom]

As far as the questions, No x 3.

Don't feel like a fraud. There still is a lot of confusion and uncertainty even at the professional level about autism. There is currently no 'test' for it and it comes down to trying to identify it by symptoms, which have overlaps with several other conditions. And even the 'symptoms' can't be established by test, etc. Additionally, many of us her are only self diagnosed and some have elected for various reasons not to persue a formal diagnosis. We also have many NT's who vist hang out here for different reasons. Some even I think just because they relate. Every one who comes in peace is welcome.

 

[Telepath John]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

 

[Streetwise]

Hello,
I recently stumbled upon the idea that I might be on the spectrum. I took an online eval and scored 38 (neurotypical baseline was 32) but, while identify highly with many aspie characteristics, some do not seem to apply to me. Would someone please help me out?
1. Are aspies always "gifted"?
2. Are aspies always good at maths?
3. Do aspies always have an intense focus on just a few interests?

These areas do not seem to apply to me and yet, in other areas autisim seems like me. In many ways it would be a relief as I have struggled quite a bit in life. At least my struggles would have a basis for "why".

I won't bore you with my laundry lists of similar chacteristics but the more videos I watch on YouTube the more I wonder! Then again, I feel like fraud for even asking.

Thank you in advance for any thoughts you have to share with me.

First question,people confuse the word savant with aspergers syndrome , gifted is usually savant ,which apparently is only 2%.
It's not as simple as good at maths, it doesn't mean you will have a blissful life because you are good at maths, I can calculate quickly, but I'm not a geometry savant.
If you don't have autistic neurology, you wouldn't really understand ,it's not simply a few interests, it's just the energy to have one interest, it's just a different neurological state, it's not another form of neuro typical, which is emotion based.

 

[Dadamen]

1. Not all aspies are gifted, but there are gifted ones (those gifted in one area often struggle a lot in some others)
2. No, I had a "the worst school subject" topic on this forum where people voted for their worst school subject. Maths had the second biggest number of votes, just behind P.E.
3. Probably not, but can't say anything about that

some have elected for various reasons not to persue a formal diagnosis.

A wish to enter medical school in my case.

 

[Progster]

1. Are aspies always "gifted"?
2. Are aspies always good at maths?
3. Do aspies always have an intense focus on just a few interests?

These are (media) stereotypes that may represent some aspies (people on the spectrum), but certainly not all.

1. Being gifted/high intelligence and being aspie do quite often go together, but no, aspies aren't always 'gifted'.
2. No. Again, quite a few are, just as quite a few NTs are also good at maths, but not all.
3. This one os more towards the 'yes' than the first two, but still, not all people on the spectrum have a 'special interest' or area of focus. Some have many areas of focus, some only one. For others, it comes and goes. It's very common, though.

 

[Tom]

All of it. I was ok with simple math, up to about 7th grade, though I often used my own methodology to reason things out. But once symbols and formulas came into the picture I was lost. Irretrievably lost.

 

[Tom]

A wish to enter medical school in my case.

A wish to remain in the military in my case. And at this point, it's just a non-issue for me.

 

[Dadamen]

A wish to remain in the military in my case.

Great you were in the military, I think I wouldn't have been able to do this.

I was ok with simple math, up to about 7th grade

Yes, it gets harder in 7th grade because unknowns are introduced. I was still good in 7th and 8th grade, but then in 9th (1st year of high school and I even chose with increased maths because of being good in it) I had some problems with it and had to work a lot to get a good mark.

 

[Suzette]

Thanks everybody!

So this idea is quite new to me by just a few days but the more I look into it, the more I think, yes, this could very well be me. I don't feel like I need to convince anyone here but, as you can imagine, talking to my husband or mother about it was an unknown.

Never the less, I did talk to my husband about it and he wasn't really suprised. He then told me his eldest son had been diagnosed on the spectrum (a young man I don't know as he lives in Holland) and, in further discussion, he admitted he probably is on the spectrum too.

Funny, the idea changes nothing in my life but clarifies my experiences growing up. Overnight I have gone from seeing myself as some "wacked out biotch" to "Oh! Now I get it".

Regards!

 

[Suzette]

3. This one os more towards the 'yes' than the first two, but still, not all people on the spectrum have a 'special interest' or area of focus. Some have many areas of focus, some only one. For others, it comes and goes. It's very common, though

Both my husband and I easily become "situational masters" at given topics as long as the information is needed. For example my husband is a software architect and will acquire a master level understanding of a clients business so that he can better design software that meets their needs.

I also do this but in a slightly different way and for different reasons. I might get deeply into a topic like print making, acquire a deep level knowledge of the subject, then simply choose a new focus. But for weeks, months or years, I might know as much as anyone on my chosen subject.

Neither of us, however, retain that acquired knowledge beyond the subjects useful period. Or at the most we retain no more knowledge than the usual lay person.

For both of us, we simply feel that the subjects usefulness is exhausted and do not choose to retain the information. Like a deliberate info purge to make uncluttered mind space for "the next adventure".

Until I met my husband I have never met anyone else who does this. Is this typical of aspies or neurotypical in information gathering?

I know it drives my mom nuts. When I was younger she saw this as defect in my chracter. But I don't think there is anything wrong with it. I just want to understand.

 

[VictorR]

Welcome! And don't worry about long posts or lists... we're all here to listen to and help one another.

 

[Thinx]

Yes what you describe there for both of you sounds like focus on special interests. It sounds like it works well for you both. That's great that you are are both in the Aspie zone!

 

[Progster]

Until I met my husband I have never met anyone else who does this. Is this typical of aspies or neurotypical in information gathering?

I can only speak for myself here, but I always had quite a good long-term memory. I learn foreign languages with ease, because I'm able to able easily to learn and retain vocabulary, and to assimilate and apply grammar rules. But that's because the languages are a 'special interest', they are my thing. For things that I'm not particularly into, but need to know, such as cramming for school subjects I'm not interested in but need to learn so I can get the grade, I can memorize the information but tend to forget once the use/need has passed. Then throw getting older, depression into the mix, and I'm not as sharp as I once was.

And again, if I learn a language and then don't use it, as is the case with French, I gradually forget. Though French was never a particular passion for me.

I suspect that this is a similar pattern for people both on and off the spectrum. Anything that isn't used tends naturally to fade with time - your brain keeps what it needs and lets go of the rest.

 

[SusanLR]

I've always been that way and aware of it.
Things that are past and I no longer need to remember them can quickly disappear from my memory.
This can include names as well as information.
Yet there are deep subjects that I have retained in my mind's bank for 40+ years.
But, they were my special interests and still are. I still read and study whatever I find on the subjects
and want to know what new discoveries are being made in those areas.
Mainly medical and astrophysics.

My mind just automatically dumps what is of past use in life, except for the things I am fascinated by.

And as everyone else is stating, we are not all gifted or a savant.
Many of us have spoken about not being good in or interested in maths.
The majority do seem to have special interests and can become hyperfocused.
But, I think NTs are the same. Everyone usually has something that draws their attention.