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

[Warmheart]

There's the honesty thing...

 

[buckyboy14]

That I can be honest without an ounce of difficulty.

My obsession with grammar, which could lead me to become a very successful copy editor.

The fact that I am hyposensitive to blood and other things many NTs find gross, like bugs.

 

[peoplesrjames]

I can hear things other people cant.

 

[NovaScotia Aspie]

I can take solace in the peace and quiet.
I have a vivid imagination.
I see things from a different perspective and have great analytic skills.
I may not be able to actually judge distances (like, in a measurable distance such as miles, feet, or inches), but I can calculate based on the rate at which I am traveling and that at which someone else is traveling at which point in space we will meet. Believe it or not, this can actually be really helpful, especially when I do not feel like interacting with someone.
I am honest and punctual.
I am keenly aware of my surroundings (though sometimes when sensory issues are involved this isn't so great).
I can store retain massive amounts of information for later use and can retrieve this information very quickly.
I think very hard about what I will say before I speak.

I share all those traits except the ability to analyze distances .

 

[Cerulean]

Ability to focus on learning new skills. This year I taught myself to quilt and last year to crochet. It's definitely the most enjoyable part for my family because I keep making them gifts haha

 

[NovaScotia Aspie]

As much as I desire a romantic relationship,I never feel lonely in the general sense. I think that is one positive aspect of having AS . I am totally comfortable with my own interests : music , hockey ,reading ,walking . The socialization I get at work is more than enough for me .

 

[Warmheart]

Special interests rock!

Not to mention the funny faces people make once we're totally on a roll, gabbing about 'em!

 

[Bird]

My special interest: birds.
And the other lesser ones have been fun, too.

Also:
-Loyalty
-Scrupulous honesty and exactitude
-Logic
-Puzzles and Patterns
-Stimming
And something I appreciate about the diagnosis itself is how it can be a shortcut for helping others understand me, and know how best to help. Before I was diagnosed, I was treated like a 'bad' girl; I was 'contrary' and 'manipulative' and unfathomable. Then after I was diagnosed my treatment team stopped trying to force me into a neurotypical treatment plan, and they started trying to actually help me with my unique struggles.

 

[Bianca_Black]

I can ignore most things that bother me(don't care about the sexual harassment and verbal abuse from peers.) have sensitive hearing(can listen in on far off conversations.) and have a higher pain tolerance(no pain after major back surgery.)

 

[Astroganga]

I have a very good, and quick memory, though this is selective so I cannot always memorise stuff I actually want to.

I can learn some languages really easily.

I had terrible fine and gross motor skills as a small child, but now have ok gross motor skills and very good, if not excellent fine motor skills, and handwriting. Being an Aspie I had the drive to practice and practice, almost obsessively to improve things, one of my NT siblings had similar issues and still does because she doesn't have that same drive.

Similar to the above, I had severe maths difficulties when I was younger, I am not fantastic at maths now but due to perseverence, good memorisation skills (in the case of times tables), and being able to practice for prolonged periods of time on a brain training app, I now have excellent mental arithmetic skills, at least.

I have extremely acute hearing.

I can play music by ear, sew without patterns, and cook recipes that taste like the original I had in a restaurant, just from estimation and taste testing alone. I also taught myself to sing, to sew, to cook, to bake, a few useful DIY skills (grouting and applying sealant for example) and am learning about photography.

I am a genealogist and can get past walls that even professionals can't, for example I am very good at thinking up all possible spelling errors, that may be on a record. I also cross check small details on different records, census and marriage records for example, that others would miss.

I am a skilled artist. I have been told by art teachers at school and community college that my pieces have a lot of 'movement' and it is like they are alive, even when of inanimate objects and scenes. I guess my ability to see, and convey this comes from my Asperger's.

 

[danielcollins]

There's so many positive things, I rarely feel like it's a disadvantage there are many things that have enabled me to become the person I am today.

- Excellent long term memory (selectively) I can remember things people said and events from long ago like they were fresh today.
- Ability to see through smoke and mirrors, I rarely get dragged in by marketing and I usually see things for what they are rather than what they appear to be.
- Focus and special interests, I love the fact I can take an interest in something and devote a large amount of my time to it. Trying to make sense of it and writing notes so I can refer back to it.
- Mental acuity, I can pick up diverse problems quickly and try and logically map out the solution and or a road map to a resolution.
- Loyal and form strong allegiances, my friends are my friends and I'd do anything for them. I'd help any of my friends night and day if they were in trouble.
- Surgical. I favor performing my life in such a manner that I try to get it right, first time and not take multiple "stabs" at it. This gives me clarity and focus so I can get it right the first time.

 

[Warmheart]

I'm bumping this wonderful thread up to the top again. What are your favorite positive effects of your ASD?

 

[Loomis]

having an internal moral code and an innate sense of honesty not originating from external religious doctrines
looking 10 years younger than my age
being independent and not feeling lonely while alone
being more comfortable with logical explanations vs. being emotional and reactive
not being concerned with other's image of me
having control of my thought processes and the ability to reject negative and unwanted thoughts
ability to hyper-focus

What I wish I could do better:
interpret people's behavior

 

[Mr Allen]

I'm pretty "old school" in a lot of things, I like the old TV comedies, my sense of humour is pretty dry, and I have respect for my elders and even younger colleagues.

There's also the fact that because PCs and the Internet, and of course my Xbox, are my "special interest", I know my way around them pretty well.

I'm also extremely honest, probably too much sometimes, like every time I apply for a job, I declare that I'm a disabled Aspie, consequently I never get the job! I'm working on changing that though, and getting a job.

 

[Anthracite]

I love the sheer, undiluted joy I get from my interests

 

[AuBurney Tuckerson]

I. My uniqueness
II. My obsessions and loyalty
III. My detailed and strict routines (which makes me good at drawing animals)

I'll think of more later...