Synasthesia, asperger's and the autism spectrum

[Pseudojim]

Hi all,

This is a subject that interests me greatly as i have mild asperger syndrome (as well as synasthesia with certain things), though i'm aware i have it much better than some since i can quite easily control the social anxiety part of it.

If anyone is interested, there is a test to give an INDICATION (not diagnosis) of where you may lie in the autism spectrum. It is here:
http://glennrowe.net/BaronCohen/Auti...mQuotient.aspx

(i scored 32 if anyone's interested)

Is anyone else a synasthesiac? I've only ever met one other and we had it in COMPLETELY different forms. I'd be greatly interested to hear everyone else's take on this =)

[Revan]

I have Asperger's Syndrome and have been writing a blog about living with it.

[Ben]

I got 16. Which is apparently very average.
Synaesthesia! What type(s) do you have?

[Pseudojim]

what's yours like?

i differ a bit from the classic asperger's, as i have a strong sense of empathy and am not all that physically clumsy, but i struggle with picking up body language and facial expressions, and i'm obsessed with things like grammar and spelling, mathematics, languages (especially written), chemistry... i can do things like sit and read an atlas for hours on end and remain entertained. And i love squaring and square rooting numbers in my head.

if you prefer not to talk about it that's fine.

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Originally Posted by Invisible

Synaesthesia! What type(s) do you have?

Well, i feel certain things for certain numbers, i can't define it exactly but they just seem more pleasurable. 37 is my favourite number. Also got a thing for 111. i love 6 and 36, and most exponents of 2. 9409 is one of my favourites too.

certain things give me a large amount of irrational pleasure. certain textures, for example, like cats' tongues and shark skin, as well as the feeling of mild sand blasting on a very windy day can elicit a huge endorphin release.

sounds too, the sound of someone filing nails can send me into a state of bliss, as well as charcoal pencils on rough art paper or canvas, old-style razors (the kind you sharpen with a leather strop) being used on coarse stubble.... probably more i can't think of

and certain smells, though not very many. the smell of frangipanni evokes an enormous sense of safety and wellbeing for example.

[edit] it's a very very distinctive feeling... it's completely different from just 'enjoying' something. there is a rush involved... it's like a wave of something in my brain, and all of a sudden all i want to do is soak it up. I was trying to read on a train once while a woman was filing her nails, i couldn't do it, in the end i just put the book down, lay back and let it fill me. it's unreal, up there with sex!

[Greggers]

Ive never seen Aspergers spelled on paper before. I always thought it was Assburgers

*cough*

Anyways...

The survey was too ugly and tightly spaced and that was bugging me so i just didnt do it. I guess that makes me slightly OCD, a completely different result

I scored a 23 (average/above average border).

I would love to have synesthesia. I think that would be so cool.

[Revan]

I got 21, but I'm very high functioning.

[Apple Pie]

I got 33. I guess I'm normal for having Asperger's.

[Pseudojim]

Originally Posted by Revan46

I got 21, but I'm very high functioning.

can i ask a little bit about what it's like for you?

[haelmarie]

I got a 13, but I think that test is pretty inaccurate. If I had taken it even a year ago, my results would have been a lot higher because of social insecurities. And like Greggers said, the design is atrocious.

[Pseudojim]

this one might be a LITTLE better.....

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aqtest.html

[Revan]

After reading it again, this would basically say that I don't have autism at all...even though I definitely do as i was diagnosed with said autism...so kind of odd really. But I suppose I might have answered the questions wrong or from my point of view and as a result, went by my own decisions. :S

[haelmarie]

It's not the test itself I don't think. I think that things like this are hard to diagnose over an internet test because of the nuances. i.e. it doesn't ask you if you don't like socializing because you don't understand it or if you're convinced your a total loser no one will ever like. Not that I'm an expert on autism or anything, but I think that there are more factors behind every question, if that makes any sense whatsoever.

[Revan]

Originally Posted by Pseudojim

this one might be a LITTLE better.....

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aqtest.html

Actually those are ALL the same questions....unless you meant the scoring.

As for how it is for me, often the biggest problem is that when I use the wrong tones of voice. I got fired for being rude to staff when I wasn't even trying to be rude...I just wound up using the wrong tone of voice. That and the boss was an idiot, since I allocated for my disability and he did NOTHING to make accommodations so that the firing would of never happened. But like I said...go figure >_>

[Pseudojim]

Originally Posted by Revan46

Actually those are ALL the same questions....unless you meant the scoring.

i just meant the look of it.

[blairSW]

I think this is such a great discussion. I am a social worker and I have worked with children and adults with asperger's for the last three years. It has been my experience that people with asperger's have exceptional gifts that often go unnoticed. A majority of my clients struggle signficantly with social interactions and relationships. It has been experience however that these skills can be acquired. We often place a tremendous amount of responsibility on people with asperger's to conform to our social norms, with little pressure on 'neurologically typical' people to adapt to people with autism. When doing couples counselling, I encourage NTs to reflect on the ways in which they can be more accommodating. Often times, a mutually fulfilling relationship emerges. I don't think that people with any form of autism or asperger's are incapable of empathy.

In terms of online based tools to ascertain if you fall on the autistic spectrum is quite dangerous. You should leave the diagnostic process to mental health professionals.

Great conversation! Thanks for starting it.

Cheers,

[djt820]

I think autism (and even Asperger's) is the most mis-diagnosed problem in the world. I was diagnosed, as a kid, as being autistic as fuck and having Asperger's. Now, I make up words like Asperger's kids do but thats about it. Im social as all hell so I cant be autistic. Maybe, instead of being anti-social as a kid, maybe, JUST MAYBE, I DIDNT WANT TO TALK TO YOU. I was around 5 or 6 at the time, I think. All I wanted was my chocolate milk, my wrestling action figures, and for people to leave me the fuck alone.

[blairSW]

Originally Posted by djt820

I think autism (and even Asperger's) is the most mis-diagnosed problem in the world. I was diagnosed, as a kid, as being autistic as fuck and having Asperger's. Now, I make up words like Asperger's kids do but thats about it. Im social as all hell so I cant be autistic. Maybe, instead of being anti-social as a kid, maybe, JUST MAYBE, I DIDNT WANT TO TALK TO YOU. I was around 5 or 6 at the time, I think. All I wanted was my chocolate milk, my wrestling action figures, and for people to leave me the fuck alone.

Empirically, Autism and Asperger's are among the most mis-diagnosed disorders. I can appreciate how difficult it must have been for you to be diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum and feel that such a diagnoses doesn't reflect how you feel. Asperger's doesn't touch everyone's life the same and looks very different for each individual person. To be stigmatized as anti-social is painful especially as a child or adolescent. Sorry to hear you've had such a difficult time.

From a professional standpoint mental health practitioners are encouraged be cautious when diagnosing in childhood. More importantly, it is encouraged not to relate to children solely on the basis of their diagnosis as it neglects the other areas of the persons identity.

While, I am not aware of your medical history, nor is it important to me, I leave you with this quote "Identity defines and labels restrict" regardless of your 'diagnosis' all that matters is how you understand yourself and how that understanding helps you achieve your fullest potential. Diagnosis were never meant to hurt people, but rather to assist people in reaching their fullest potential. However, labels such as "autistic" have been used to hurt people, especially mothers. Autism at one point was seen as a result of what was called refrigerator mom's who failed to nurture their children. This however has been disproved.

For those of you who are interested in an alternative perspective on (dis)ability look up social role valorization pioneered by Dr. Wolf Wolfensberger. You may find it helpful. If you ever want to chat one-to-one I'll be happy to do so.

Cheers,

P.S. thanks djt820 for your real and very raw post.

[Revan]

Originally Posted by djt820

I think autism (and even Asperger's) is the most mis-diagnosed problem in the world. I was diagnosed, as a kid, as being autistic as fuck and having Asperger's. Now, I make up words like Asperger's kids do but thats about it. Im social as all hell so I cant be autistic. Maybe, instead of being anti-social as a kid, maybe, JUST MAYBE, I DIDNT WANT TO TALK TO YOU. I was around 5 or 6 at the time, I think. All I wanted was my chocolate milk, my wrestling action figures, and for people to leave me the fuck alone.

Just because you are social as hell doesn't mean you're not autistic >_> I'm social as hell but even then I do things that make my friendships mess up. So dude, if you were diagnosed then you have it, it's just not existent for the most part. It's still there.

[Markio]

I scored a 25. I've never had a diagnosis. I don't think I fall on the autistic spectrum, but I definitely felt like a didn't fit in in high school (probably because I was secretly gay) and as a result probably missed a lot of the social "rules" that we're supposed to learn. And plus I'm probably just smart. :P

There's also this thing called "person-first language", which is were you refer to someone as a person instead of defining them by their disability. For example, you would say: he has autism, she uses a wheelchair, or she has a hearing impairment;
instead of: he is autistic, she is confined to a wheelchair, or she is deaf. It's also apparently correct to use "accessible parking" instead of "handicapped". "Handicap" refers to the history of those with disabilities who were forced to beg for money on the streets with their "cap in their hand" to collect change. This was because society did nothing to accommodate those who could only work in ways different from the norm.

Again, I say I am not on the autistic spectrum, yet I have a decent amount of interest in correct language and word origins. ...Whatever.