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Asperger's
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Asperger's was previously used as a term to diagnose people with high functioning autism, who have above average intelligence. however, in 2013 it became part of an umbrella diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). People with ASD often still refer to themselves as having Asperger's or as Aspies.
Awareness of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in adults has grown dramatically in recent years, which reflects both an increase in diagnoses and in the public’s understanding that, even late in life, a diagnosis can offer major benefits and relief.
What is Asperger's Syndrome? Top
Asperger’s and autism can mean many different things depending on the person. Generally speaking, the kind of mild autism that used to be called Asperger’s affects communication and behaviour. People with Asperger’s often have normal or superior intelligence; their challenges are mainly social. Asperger’s syndrome, are surging among children in Silicon Valley, producing significantly more engineers, scientists, and accountants than average in the family history of children with autism. Profiling famous scientists and musicians who displayed traits of Asperger’s found many well-known names, including Charles Darwin, Gregor Mendel, Marie Curie, Carl Sagan, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Elon Musk and Thomas Jefferson.
Aspie characteristics can change from early childhood to the adult years and vary according to gender and the person’s adaptations to the recognition of being different to peers. Being neurodivergent means having a brain that works differently from the average or “neurotypical” person. This may be differences in social preferences, ways of learning, ways of communicating and/or ways of perceiving the environment. Genetics and biology provide the world with different kinds of minds. Whether or not these minds make great contributions to society is determined by both biology, environment and understanding.
Signs of ASD in Adults Top
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Getting very anxious about social situations
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Finding it hard to make friends or preferring to be on your own
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Seeming blunt, rude or not interested in others without meaning to be
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Finding it hard to say how you feel
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Taking things very literally
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Having the same routine every day and getting very anxious if it changes
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Not understanding social "rules", such as not talking over people
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Avoiding eye contact
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Getting too close to other people or getting very upset if someone touches or gets too close to you
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Noticing small details, patterns, smells or sounds that others do not
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Having a very keen interest in certain subjects or activities
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Liking to plan things carefully before doing them
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Disliking the plan being changed
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Difficulty interpreting what others are thinking or feeling
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Lack of empathy
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Trouble interpreting facial expressions, body language, or social cues
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Difficulty regulating emotion
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Trouble keeping up a conversation
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Difficulty maintaining the natural give-and-take of a conversation; prone to monologues on a favourite subject
Aspie Women Top
Men and Women Aspies tend to express themselves differently – Women Aspies are often misdiagnosed as they can be extremely good chameleons copying or mimicking neurotypical behaviours such as
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Copying other people who don't have autism to hide signs of autism and to ‘fit in’
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Being quieter and hide their feelings
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Appearing to cope better with social situations
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A tendency to imitate others (copy, mimic or mask) in social interactions, which may be exhausting.
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A tendency to ‘camouflage’ difficulties by masking or developing compensatory strategies.
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Having just one, or a few, close friendships.
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Show fewer signs of repetitive behaviours
Sex and Relationships Top
Sexual interactions are one of the most complex and demanding of all human social behaviours. So how does ASD impact sexual life?
Wonderful qualities Aspies bring to a relationship
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Not lie/be manipulative or be deceitful
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Tell the truth
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Be very loyal
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Stay in relationships long term
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They also are often dismayed that others don't trust their intention
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Not take things personally as much as the rest of us do
Challenges Aspie can experience in a relationship
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High intelligence
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Lack of empathy
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An affinity for mathematics, geometry, order
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Being accused of making inappropriate comments
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Not really liking to be touched or hugged much
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Compulsive masturbation and/or pornography
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Sexual hyper or hypo-sensitivity
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Needing a lot of time to themselves
Tips for Loving an Aspie Top
Dating someone with Asperger’s can present an additional challenge in the relationship, but you can learn how to understand each other and connect.
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Ask instead of assuming
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Be specific and clear in communicating your needs
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Describe and explain your actions
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Do not take their actions or lack of action as a sign
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Be patient in mastering the unique style of communication
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Accept rather than try and change your loved one
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Be mindful and honour your own needs
Strengths Top
Aspies often have great attention to detail and focus. This means they may be able to search through a lot of information for specific content.
Efficiency:
Aspies can be very good at following rules, sequences and orders, meaning with the right structure can be very efficient.
Logical Thinking:
Aspies can be very logical thinkers, as they can struggle to consider emotional factors. This brings an innovative and objective approach to problem solving.
Retention:
Aspies may be able to build encyclopedic knowledge on topics of interest, retaining lots of information. Visual memory is often also strong.
Useful Links Top
Video clips
Chris Packham - Autism & Me Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0mIFmRCaCs
Chris Packham - Autism & Me Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8CMDg0aR3c
Tony Attwood - Could it be Aspergers? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuZFThlOiJI&t=32s
Tony Attwood - Relationship skills https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OHnDIMTCbo
Tony Attwood - Is Asperger's syndrome the next stage of human evolution? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdQDvLXLqiM
Sarah Hendrickx - Aspie Women, what's the difference https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKzWbDPisNk
Sarah Hendrickx - Autism, sex and relationships https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiUhlvOpqAU
The Gift of Aspergers - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-UMHJxYwM4
Elon Musk speaks of his Aspergers - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVBAYmY8slM
Maja Toudal - An Autistic Psychologist - https://www.youtube.com/@AnAutisticPsychologist/videos
Books
Maxine Aston - Couples Relationships and Family Affairs
Maxine Aston - What Men with Asperger Syndrome Want to Know About Women, Dating and Relationships
Tony Attwood - Asperger's Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals
Resources
Project Aspie - Apprenticeships, support groups, training and employment
Exceptional Individuals - neurodiversity consulting, recruitment tests and quizzes
The Brain Charity - Practical help, emotional support, social activities
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