Children, teens and adults with ASD (autism spectrum disorders) often have issues with self-esteem, their image of themselves and their competence in life. They feel different and are treated different. Some take things in stride, while others may become depressed.
The majority of children and adults with Asperger syndrome live well and are able to enjoy life and do many things that neurotypical people can do. Many people will have some level of difficulty with some daily tasks or interactions.
Like people with autism, people with Asperger's syndrome have a dreadful time understanding what is going on, socially. They do not always pay attention to the social scene in which they find themselves, and even when they do, they are often not able to make sense of what they see, or to respond appropriately.
Individuals with Asperger's may be socially awkward, not understand conventional social rules or show a lack of empathy. They may also have limited eye contact, seem unengaged in a conversation and not understand the use of gestures or sarcasm.
People with Asperger profiles absolutely do have feelings, although they may have difficulty identifying and discussing them. In fact, many feelings – such as fear, anger and joy – seem to be experienced more intensely by those with Asperger profiles than by average people.
People with Asperger's can miss social cues that can be obvious to someone that doesn't have the disorder, like understanding what body language is, or even understanding facial expressions.
Hypersensitivities (to lights, sounds, tastes, etc.) Difficulty with the give and take of conversation. Difficulty with nonverbal conversation skills (distance, loudness, tone, etc.) Uncoordinated movements or clumsiness.
People with Asperger syndrome often have difficulty 'reading' other people - recognising or understanding others' feelings and intentions - and expressing their own emotions. This can make it very hard for them to navigate the social world. They may: appear to be insensitive, even if they don't intend to be.
Given that Asperger's makes emotional connections and social communication extremely difficult, it's no wonder that a partnership between a person with Asperger's syndrome and someone without it can be filled with stress, misunderstandings, and frustration.
Autism Corner: Personality Types in Asperger's: Fixated, Disruptive, Approach and Avoidant. Fixated Personality–The fixated personality type can be characterized by a preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and the need to control one's environment (e.g., to have things in a particular order).
Individuals with ASDs commonly have a low frustration tolerance and significant irritability. They may report that they alternate from calm to extreme anger very quickly. There have been several studies that suggest individuals with ASDs have difficulty understanding and interpreting their own emotions.
Symptoms of Asperger's syndrome
Craving repetition and routine (and not responding well to change). Missing social cues in play and conversation. Not making eye contact with peers and adults.
In the past, it was believed that a diagnosis of Asperger's or autism was incompatible with love and relationships. But love is an emotion that can be fully experienced by nearly anyone, despite differences in perception, social interaction patterns, or emotional expression.
Aspies tend to express love through practical actions, whereas NTs are more likely to express love through words or symbolic actions.
Being born less than a year apart from an older sibling. A family history of Asperger's. Being born to older parents. Having a mental health disorder, such as depression or anxiety.
Some aspects of living with Aspergers can make life difficult. Sensory issues and social awkwardness are two common manifestations that often are problematic. But folks with Aspergers have qualities that are worthy of pride as well.
Some of the effects of unaddressed or untreated Asperger's syndrome may include: Social isolation. Difficulty making and keeping friends. Challenges in finding and maintaining steady employment.
The Asperger's mind enjoys and focuses on details, while the normal mind is more skilled at assembling whole concepts from details. Some people with Asperger's are visual thinkers and others are math, music, or number thinkers, but all think in specifics.
If you live with Asperger's, you may be more detail-oriented than a neurotypical person. You may be able to focus well on mundane tasks, pick up on small details, or commit yourself to a quality of work and accuracy. This can be a very helpful attribute at home, school, and work.
' It bears the hallmarks of social difficulties, repetitive behaviour, unusually narrow interests, language, and communication delays, with a large risk of (what in the UK is called) learning disability or (what in the US is still called) 'mental retardation'—that is, general developmen- tal delay with below average IQ ...
Communication: Individuals with Asperger's may have trouble understanding language that has a double meaning or that is not straight forward and often take things said in their literal sense. For example they have difficulty with figurative language like 'it is raining cats and dogs' or 'we had a whale of a time'.
Those with Asperger's syndrome often attempt to "hijack" the conversation and may go off on tangents that are not related to the topic being discussed. They may interrupt conversations and appear to be insensitive to what others are saying.
Angry outbursts or crying fits may erupt when an Aspie's emotional reservoir overflows. Perhaps in part because Aspies cannot easily access our emotions, we cannot easily regulate them.