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What's some of your favorite positive effects of your ASD?

mw2530

Well-Known Member
We talk a lot about the negative symptoms of ASD or aspergers, but there can be some positive effects as well. Here are some of mine:

1. The ability to completely ignore things that don't interest me. This saves lots of time and allows more time to pursue the things that are most important to me. There is so much garbage in the world that wastes people's time and gets them sidetracked from the goals and values. An aspie can cut right through that. Marketers probably don't like aspies because we are very rarely convinced to buy something based on an advertisement. Personally, I usually ignore most commercials whenever I watch TV. The fact that we can ignore things is also very beneficial in the information age that we live in. There is so much information on the internet, but a good portion is inaccurate, so we can cut through the garbage to find what we are looking for.

2. The ability to separate myself from much of our societies poor habits. I don't care if I don't follow societal norms because I already don't fit in so I may as well just be myself. Our world has numerous problems and many could be prevented if people would just make better decisions. But many people fall into the trap of making poor choices as a result of trying to fit in with society. For example, eating fast food is the norm, not the exception here in the U.S. as is many other unhealthy lifestyle choices like lack of exercise. Health is an area that is very important to me. I get very angry when I see how terribly some people treat their bodies when they were so blessed to be born healthy and with a typical brain. Of course, many NT's are very health conscious, and I know a lot of the unhealthiness is a result of personal economic factors, but I feel that aspies have an advantage to purse healthy habits IF a healthy lifestyle is important to them.
3. The ability to focus for an extremely long time on a single task. This may be my favorite superpower. It allows me to grind through a ton of work in a short amount of time.

I know I have more items to add to this list, but I can't seem to come up with them right now. What are some of your positive effects of being an aspie?
 
1. Hearing ability, which is a gift that can sometimes be annoying.
2. My ability to tell how other people are feeling.
3. My ability to think for myself.
4. Desire to help people.
5. Ability to think from both sides of an argument
6. I am nice to everybody sometimes to a fault.

*This is a good idea for a thread. Thanks
**Edited at 4/6/15 0948 central time.
***Edited at4/6/15 1539 central time.
 
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Omigosh, where do I start?

My dyspraxia!:tonguewink: HAH! I've my own Ministry of Silly Walks! I know nobody else who can whip a softball and have it end up behind them. Wielding a knife and fork simultaneously requires spectators suit up in Level IV Biocontainment gear with full HEPA filtration devices. Me in motion--of any kind-- hilarious! That duck that lands by crash-landing is clearly my spirit animal.

Hyperfocus means that I can plant 424 flower bulbs of various species. In a complex pattern in the flowerbed. In one afternoon. :tulip::tulip::tulip:

A beautifully complex, compelling inner world is with me always, no matter how challenging or boring the situation I am in. It seduces, draws me in, and I've got to work to remain clear of it, but it sure does come in handy at the dentist. That kaleidoscopic autistic mindscape rocks!:sunglasses:

The Aspie Diet-- I can only eat whatever I want. :D Fussy me with texture sensitivities means that I don't have to tolerate gross new foods, and can indulge my preferences, because I need to.:pizza:

Auditory processing disorder means I get to hear The Swedish Chef every day.

Shutdowns mean I'm often numb, so pain "takes a message and gets back to me." Burnt my hand on the kettle? I'll know about it in a few days.

That famous Aspie loyalty. If I like you, then to the best of my ability I have your back, and always will.

Literal thinking/sensory-based thought in images/sounds/scents/motions. "Froze your butt off"? Ha ha! :tongueclosed: "Put the bug in his ear" :bug: Gaaaaack! :eek: Very entertaining!

Stimming! A magic soother, a handy way to manage challenging tasks requiring complex processing, and sometimes even brings euphoria! WOOHOO! Bounce, hop, spin, flap, twirl, figure-8 pace! :sweatsmile: Whether it is managing some emotional dysregulation, helping me think a problem out, or simply exhilarating, stimming is fantastic.

Totally rad threads! Sensory sensitivities means comfy clothes, always. Home is where the pants aren't! :D
 
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2. My ability to tell how other people are feeling.
4. Desire to help people.
5. Ability to think from both sides of an argument
6. I am nice to everybody sometimes to a fault.

I don't mean to pick on you, but just to draw attention to an inconsistency I have noticed. The literature on aspergers often talks about how aspies lack the ability to tell how people are feeling, are aloof to the suffering of others, think in a very black and white fashion, and are very antisocial. However, I frequently see this contradicted when aspies talk about their strengths, and your post is just an other example of this. I just find this interesting and wonder if maybe the literature should be revised.
 
^I'm the same way. I've always had a really good emotional intelligence. Growing up, people would tell me this all the time (which is a weird thing to say I think, but meh) and for the longest time I didn't really believe them. Over the years I started to see it myself. It's just the whole transcribing the emotions into something 'useful' for other people.

So on that note, that's one of my favorite effects.

Other than that, I'd have to say my ability to recognize patterns. Having a natural affinity for logic/order, I started picking up on patterns in everything. Started in the sciences -so math really, but then I started seeing them in nature and people. Sometimes freak myself out when I analyze a person and figure out things about them before they tell me.

Also, the idiosyncrasies I've picked over the years. While common in this community, a lot of the habits we share are atypical to the general populous. I feel like when I find someone that does something -different- but in a way I like, I'll start doing the same. Easy example, using semi-colons. I forgot how rare they are to find in 'in the wild' so to speak. At one point, I would even use them in texts if needed -but eventually enough people complained so I got out of the habit. Then I saw people on the forum using them correctly and I had a moment... I had completely forgotten how much I liked using them.

So there's another thing actually, those little connections we get to make; a unique bond connecting aspies in general. Though it's cheating cause it's merely another pattern, we have a lot of common threads that connect us in a very special way. Something I take solace in.

(Wow, haven't typed a semicolon in years... going to start. Also first post, this place should be awesome.)
 
- my youthful sense of innocence
- my ability to appreciate the little things
- my gift for working with gadgets
- my honesty
- my genuineness
- my ability to see things for what they are
- my being developmentally younger
- my way of thinking
:)
 
It's a very interesting topic!

I'm often saying that I feel lucky to be the one I'm. Well, I guess it seems a bit pretentious but it's true. I find the life of neurotypical people is sad and without attraction. They are always thinking about the way the others see them, they are afraid of difference, and I've the feeling (but maybe I'm wrong!) that they often act as public opinion says they have to act, while I act as I want to act. For example? I hate when people says "oh, you're 33, you're single, you HAVE TO start a family". Like it was an obligation. This is stupid! When I observe people around me, it's like I was observing sheeps. Sometimes it's a bit disturbing. So for my own opinion the most positive effect of my Asperger's is my LIBERTY. :D Because I don't care of what people think of me and I live for myself.

And because of my Asperger's I'm observant and it's quite useful!

I also have a very good memory, I've never learnt a lesson when I was young, I only listened in class and it was enough. Very handy! :)
 
It's a very interesting topic!

I'm often saying that I feel lucky to be the one I'm. Well, I guess it seems a bit pretentious but it's true. I find the life of neurotypical people is sad and without attraction. They are always thinking about the way the others see them, they are afraid of difference, and I've the feeling (but maybe I'm wrong!) that they often act as public opinion says they have to act, while I act as I want to act. For example? I hate when people says "oh, you're 33, you're single, you HAVE TO start a family". Like it was an obligation. This is stupid! When I observe people around me, it's like I was observing sheeps. Sometimes it's a bit disturbing. So for my own opinion the most positive effect of my Asperger's is my LIBERTY. :D Because I don't care of what people think of me and I live for myself.

And because of my Asperger's I'm observant and it's quite useful!

I also have a very good memory, I've never learnt a lesson when I was young, I only listened in class and it was enough. Very handy! :)
I agree about liberty! I just wrote a blog the other day about how being autistic gives me the freedom to be unique. I'm glad I don't act like other girls my age (32). I still live at home, collect toys, play video games and act silly :p I don't care what others think of me, either.
 
Loyalty for those I love I will sacrifice.

Objectivity I can look at the argument from both sides while NTs stay stuck in their narrow view. It makes me great for solving arguments, I am Switzerland!

Memory I have an incredible ability to remember things in vivid detail no matter how big or small or how long ago they happened.

Visualization I have this ability to picture whole objects in exploded view, this is a wonderful gift to have in my line of work (gunsmith) and has set me apart from my peers.

Focus The ability to give all of your processing power to a single end is wonderful, it allows me to solve complex problems faster then a lot of people around me.

Perspective I don't process information the same as other people, it gives me another perspective to offer that others may not see. It's really nice when everyone around me is stuck on a problem without a way around it.

Litteral I have to agree with Warmheart on this one, I love this aspect so much that while for some it has been a social burden I have turned it into my sense of humor. You say you are in a pickle? Well you better eat your way out of it :p.

Practicality I feel no need to follow the herd, I have no need for what is trendy, I follow my heart and do what feels right to me.
 
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Its okay. I think I can pickup on others emotions but not express it well enough to help them.

I've wondered about that with me but I think I figured it out. I can FEEL emotions from being quite intuitive but can't see emotion on a face unless it's obvious.
 
My special interests
My quirks
My intense focus
I have a way with animals
My individuality
My ability to ignore things that don't interest me
My innocence
My wonder
My strong personality (Kinks Fan)
My unique, pea flavoured way of looking at the world:D
My strong and wild imagination
My positive and inclusive stance on life
 
Mmmm, this is a tough one because according to some people in my life, there isn't much good about being Aspie.

But in an attempt to lift my self esteem an inch or two, here goes.

1. Strong visual memory. Helps me remember other things, even those not related to the visual focus.

2. Strong spatial awareness. Goes with the visual memory.

3. Strong pattern recognition. Also, visual. Not so good at behavioral patterns, except for motion, ie. how a person does something physical. I am a great mimic.

4. Like someone else stated, the ability to ignore things that do not concern me, or interest me. This can be seen by others as being willfully ignorant or callous, even careless. It does, however allow me to give my attention to things that are important.

5. Perseverance in the face of difficulties. This is, unfortunately selective and unreliable. I can also give up on things when the going gets tough. Depends on the motivation and interest level.
 
There are many great traits that I share with other posters, but here are two additional ones that are not yet specifically cited:

The ability to see order and logic when everyone else sees static and white noise.

Almost totally immune to stress.
 
I think and see the world basically in terms of systems and processes- which can sometimes completely infuriate my wife and kids! "Oh no Dad's drawing another process map!"

Strangely it wasn't until the evidence started to add up that maybe I wasn't NT- that I even considered the idea that other people didn't see the world the same way!

I also have a tendency to be always be thinking outside the box... What if? Why do we have to do it like that?

Probably explains how I somehow got from a career in Archaeology to Lean process and Quality Management in construction.

Logic, order and chaos combined! I love being an Aspie- we should all revel in our uniqueness.
 
This may be an unwelcome addition to this thread (and feel free to tell me to scurry away if it is!), but just felt compelled to offer my two cents as an NT who has recently begun dating an Aspie.

I think the positive effects of ASD extend beyond the Aspie himself/herself; as a partner, I share in some of these as well. For one thing, because my Aspie is not naturally inclined to always express himself nonverbally, it is such a beautiful thing when he smiles at me. Because he's not just the kind of guy who smiles at every woman on the street (as so many NT men do!), I get to feel special--as if every smile he sends my way is for me and me alone. Similarly, because he is so focused on his work, when he agrees to spend time with me, I know it's because he genuinely wants to and that he is consciously setting aside time and other interests to be with me. Finally, in such a short time, he has challenged me to be a better person and communicator. For the first time in my dating life, I can't coast by on dumb innuendos, subtle flirtation, and my sexuality. I have to be clear and direct about my wants and needs (which requires me actually recognizing my true wants and needs!) because that's what he responds to.

Just thought it might be an interesting dimension to add to this conversation; while there are certainly a bunch of positive qualities Aspies can enjoy about themselves, I hope Aspies also know that their partners often get to enjoy many benefits as well! :)
 

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