Autistic Quotient

[Mick F]

PS When you out for the "sheep pleasure"......what do the sheep think of it?

Typo alert!
Should have been SHEER pleasure.

[bigjim]

The Autism Spectrum is huge and complex. We all seem to have different levels. I tend to have a cup of coffee at 11am and 5pm every day. On holiday I do the same. On tour also. I always take a banana out with me for a break [at the same place] on my local ride. I get really bothered if I forget it. My wife says it's my Autism. She specialises in teaching Autistic teenagers. Some quite severe. I get some really funny stories over the tea table and some equally sad ones.
We have a grandson who is severely handicapped and also has Autism that is virtually off the scale, it is that bad.
I'm told that it is a chemical imbalance that is developed in the womb and nothing you can do about it.
So we all have a bit. As long as most of mine is coffee and bananas I'm not too bothered.

[Mick F]

As long as most of mine is coffee and bananas I'm not too bothered.

Sounds good!

I like routine. So long as my routine isn't interrupted, I'm happy.
Bed early, up early, and eat well at the "correct" times of day.

Last Wednesday, I drove up to Derby for a meeting, stayed over at a hotel, then drove home on the Thursday. I was glad to be back home.
Saturday, we took the train into Plymouth, went to a party in the evening, stayed overnight at a hotel, and took the train home on the Sunday. I was glad to be back home.

Today is Tuesday, and normal routine is being maintained.

[ArMoRothair]

Several years ago I had a climbing partner. One day we got to talking about her brother and his autism, I knew nothing about autism and started asking questions. As my questions unfolded my friend turned to me: "I'm autistic too, I thought you knew".

When she explained more about her condition I did notice that she had deep and detailed interest in the minutiae of climbing gear but then everyone I've ever climbed with has been a bit "geeky" in that department. Years ago I climbed with one lad who could name every single piece of gear, and its size, which one would use on particular routes: "you need a Hex 3 in the first crack, and a Rock 4 just before the crux" and so on.

As I've learnt more about Autism I've come to my own conclusion: namely, that all blokes are autistic to some extent. Pretty much every bloke I know can drone on about cameras, cars, hi-fi, bikes, ski gear, climbing equipment, their rosters, and I mean drone and drone on.

What is unusual about my friend above is her being female. Her autism allowed her to fit in perfectly in the bloke's world of climbing, discussing routes, grades, moves, gear, crags until the cows came home.

[axel_knutt]

I score 42, so no surprise there, I realised that I must have Asperger's years ago. The Ritvo test is the one that the NHS and Attwood use, I score 164.0 on that compared with 84.3 for neurotypicals. I met someone with Asperger's at Ivinghoe YHA once, and recognised myself in him.

[Geoff.D]

I've heard it said that people with Asperger's Syndrome have a "special gift". My understanding is that this refers to those who "see" the world in their individual way and interpret it accordingly. For example, there sometimes seems to be a link between a facility with mathematics and Asperger's).

I'm wondering if those who have self-identified as having Asperger's are able to highlight the advantages they notice. It's very easy for "mainstream" to describe anyone outside the "normal" boundaries in negative terms. But, personally, I'd rather hear about the positives as well.

And another question. I understand that it it's easier to manage a situation if you can label it, understand it and then act accordingly. I say this through my own experience of having depression some time ago. I assume this applies in this issue, too. But, would people say being diagnosed (if that's the right term, knowing that there's still debate as to whether Asperger's should be termed a disorder, or not) is helpful in an emotional sense and/or a practical sense?

[axel_knutt]

I'm wondering if those who have self-identified as having Asperger's are able to highlight the advantages they notice.

Aspies tend to be good at science and engineering because of the very trait that gets them into trouble: a tendency to prioritise facts and evidence above the feelings and sensibilities of others, which is a distinct advantage when you’re trying to get something to work. People who b.llshit and spin, even for the best of motives, tend to get nowhere in science. To quote physicist Richard Feynman's report on the shuttle accident:

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled."

It’s just occurred to me as I type this that the reason that Aspies make themselves unpopular has much in common with the reason why science is so unpopular with some people too: they both have a nasty habit of telling people the truth that they don’t want to hear.

An eye for detail is important, a lot of the issues in engineering are in the details that many are oblivious to.

Aspies tend to be perfectionists.

They often have an ability to focus on details long beyond the point where NTs get bored.

They can often produce large quantities of repetitive information with fewer errors.

They have a memory and liking for numbers and statistics, people often used to come to me when they couldn't remember part numbers to get components out of the stores.

The sort of behaviour that gets labelled as obsessive can also be very useful too. If you’re driving down the motorway, one reason that you can feel safe that a wheel won’t fall off is because a lot of engineers made painstaking measurements on thousands of metal samples so that other engineers can calculate the strength of components such that they won’t fail from metal fatigue. A lot of NT engineers can baulk at this sort of work, but I used to enjoy it as much as anything else.

They are better able to think laterally because they have more independence of mind and are less influenced by peer pressure. Here's Searle:

"Many NT people are unable to think and form opinions for themselves and end up following the opinions of the masses, while great discoveries in science as well as changes in society are made and initiated by people with the courage and vision to think for themselves and form their own opinions."

The problem with being able to see things that others don't is that you end up getting branded stupid for the things you can do, as well as the things you can't.

A waste of talent.

And another question. I understand that it it's easier to manage a situation if you can label it, understand it and then act accordingly. I say this through my own experience of having depression some time ago. I assume this applies in this issue, too. But, would people say being diagnosed (if that's the right term, knowing that there's still debate as to whether Asperger's should be termed a disorder, or not) is helpful in an emotional sense and/or a practical sense?

Many Aspies remark that it makes life much easier when they are able to tell others that they have Asperger's because they then get treated better by others, but you can't go around telling people that you have AS without a diagnosis first.

[[XAP]Bob]

See the recent obits for one of the inventors of the laser - he was told by plenty of people to stop wasting money on the research, but since he had tenure he just carried on, they couldn't stop him.

Then he demonstrated the first maser, and got an apology from his dept.

[Mick F]

The problem with being able to see things that others don't is that you end up getting branded stupid for the things you can do, as well as the things you can't.

That's me.

I was chatting to a lady some time back, and she had spent rather a lot of money getting a private diagnosis for her "problem". She suggested I did likewise, because since she had an official diagnosis, she was a happier person.

I don't think I'd bother with a diagnosis professional or otherwise, as now autism/aspergers has been pointed out to me, everything in my life makes sense now where it didn't before. I wish I'd known 50years ago!

[MockCyclist]

Adults are notoriously difficult to diagnose, as compensating strategies have often evolved by then. As far as I know you need a living parent or adult who can verify the age of onset of autistic traits.

[Bikefayre]

Positive!!! Are a genuine Autistic person and even build genuine Autistic Bicycles!

[johnmac]

38 was my score. Explains a lot!

How would people feel about being taken on their holidays by an aspie airline pilot, I wonder?

[Mick F]

38 was my score. Explains a lot!

Excellent!
Welcome to the club.

Sister-in-law and husband were here the other day, and we were chatting endlessly, and got some old photographs out of their family. Eventually, the old photographs came out of MY family, and this one took a great deal of explaining.

This is me in the middle between my sister and our dad.
Note that I'm the only one in step.

This photo was taken by a professional photographer and dad bought a copy. When the family saw it, it became a rather famous photo due to the fact that it summed me up completely. Obsessed, oblivious to anything around me, out of step with the group, and deadly serious.

I never "got" the joke at the time, and it took until recently that I understood.
I completely understand now, and look at that photo now with much fondness.

[johnmac]

Haha - nice photo. Just been looking at my old school reports; same comment over and over, year after year 'he's intelligent, but he won't work unless it's something he wants to do.

Right, off to count and catalogue my paperclips now!

[Tacascarow]

I only scored thirteen which means my problems must lie somewhere else.
Recently read an excellent autobiographical book by a thiteen year old Japanese boy with extreme autism.
The Reason I Jump: One Boy's Voice from the Silence of Autism, by Naoki Higashida – review
Only found it because I was searching for writings by David Mitchell (Author not the comedian) & discovered he'd written the introduction.
If you want to understand extreme autism I recommend it.