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Tools or Illustrations For Explaining Life As An Aspie

zurb

Eschewer of Obfuscation
Long before I became aware of aspergers, I felt that while I seemed to think slower than others, it wasn't that I was inherently slow - it was just that I was processing much more information, and maybe to a deeper level, than others.

I recently attended a conference where a presenter illustrated life for someone on the autism spectrum by asking attendees to tell the story of Little Red Riding Hood, but without using the letter 'd'.

I thought this was a great illustration of the extra degree of processing that goes on.

I am wondering if anyone has any other illustrations or tools they use to explain life as an aspie - not as a clinical description but as a practical illustration NTs can experience and appreciate?
 
When I visualize the spectrum of autism, it's always a simple graph with an X/Y axis. Horizontally you list whatever traits/behaviors you have, and vertically you display them in terms of amplitude. How severe or benign they are to you.

And above all, you show a disclaimer that not everyone has the same traits/behaviors, let alone the same amplitude.
 
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Tell them it's like living in a place where you don't speak the language. You can guess some of the words and over time sometimes pick it up and seem fluent but there's always words you can't find to express yourself and words other people say that you can't quite grasp.
 
I feel like someone who only knows sign language (cannot read lips), and they're trying to speak to me verbally. And most thoughtless people, when they're not understood, just speak louder. "If you want to communicate we can work on that, but first you must stop shouting at me."
 
Haha, maybe I have a new illustration. Today the construction workers next door dropped a brick on my water pipe, breaking it and draining a few days worth of water. While I'm out fixing said pipe, they decide to spit out their betel nut right where I'm working. Language teachers only teach you polite words. At that moment 'have you eaten lunch?' weren't the words I either needed or wanted.

Sometimes words fail me. Sometimes those who try to help don't give the help needed.
 
Recently someone posted a link to an article by an aspie about three things you need to know. Was going to comment, but can't find the post again. Anyway, it included an illustration...
Aspies are like the car driving down the dead centre of the lane on the motorway with cruise control on exactly the speed limit. He follows to law to the letter, and doesn't give grace to (or maybe doesn't even notice) those going faster/slower or the weaving hoon. Other drivers tend to go more with the flow with give and take.
 
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Long before I became aware of aspergers, I felt that while I seemed to think slower than others, it wasn't that I was inherently slow - it was just that I was processing much more information, and maybe to a deeper level, than others.

I recently attended a conference where a presenter illustrated life for someone on the autism spectrum by asking attendees to tell the story of Little Red Riding Hood, but without using the letter 'd'.

Oh, that's a really good one...gotta remember that, thanks.

And I completely agree with the snowglobe analogy.

I read an article a few days ago saying that NT's use a portion of the brain dedicated to relational interactions when they're in social situations. But Aspies use a cognitive reasoning portion of the brain in social interactions. For us, it's more of a problem-solving situation: "How do I do this "right"?"

Here's mine, if it will let me post:

Deception of feelings …or, what it feels like to be an Aspie | Healing Mr. Hyde
 
Er..
Well this represents how i find dealing with the outside world.
hey, exact same problem here. but it does not happen if its out with people I know from school.
but its awful, the whole thing. everywhere in towns,cities,etc its like horror.

BUT WHY.

TRULY WHY.

What can one do to stop that?.
 
I recently attended a conference where a presenter illustrated life for someone on the autism spectrum by asking attendees to tell the story of Little Red Riding Hood, but without using the letter 'd'.
Correction & citation: It was actually the letter 'n', but the effect is similar. The illustration was from Delana Stewart who is the author of The Education Cafe | A place for parents, teachers, and students around the world to get educational support. Includes articles on classroom, homeschool, parenting toddlers to teens, adoption, international schools, boarding schools, and national schools.
 

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