Are you Aspergian?

[Susserer]

nashvillebrook, I'm sorry to have derailed you invitation to speculate about the evolutionary possibilities re Aspergers. That's a conversation I would really like to get down with.

Did you watch that documentary about Aspegerian savant Daniel Tammet?

In the show it states that he is unique in the small number of known savants in that he has lots of abilities without the usual disabilities. In fact, other than being diagnosed with epilepsy as a child, he managed to pass through the system and reach adulthood without any professionals catching on to his abilities. He wasn't diagnosed with Aspergers until he outed himself by reciting pi from memory to 22k+ decimal places and submitted himself to the experts for study.

When the experts so confidently state that Daniel is exceptional and one of a kind, how do they know that for sure. If he hadn't come forward they wouldn't have known of his existence. So perhaps there are more Daniels hiding in the crowd? Perhaps he is a forerunner of Homo Autisticus? Perhaps there are others already here?

My point is, if you watched the show and gleened something of the odd way he is perceiving and thinking, and what he is capable of, then you may understand when I say that I'm not sure that we can even imagine what the evolutionary advantage might be.

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=b ... itesearch=

[annie aronburg]

Those who have been grappling with face blindness will find this interesting.

http://www.neurodiversity.com/nvc/index.html

I'm scaring myself with how many I'm missing.

Annie

[Hammer of Los]

Sorry, I don't know what I am doing wrong with the image above.

Your Aspie score: 109 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 108 of 200
You seem to have both Aspie and neurotypical traits

I am somewhat anti-social, and somewhat obsessive compulsive, and certainly have always felt unusual and somewhat alienated. I think its highly unlikely these stem from a physiological disorder, but who knows.

I also have a terrible sense of direction, a tendency to avoid eye contact, and the ability to bore people with long rambling monologues on subjects of little interest to myself. Frustration and anger when feeling overwhelmed is something I suffer from to some degree as well. I don't listen to other people, and tend to talk over them as well. I guess some of these are aspergian-type characteristics. I don't generally suffer from physical issues such as lack of coordination or awkwardness though. I also often go into a hyper aware mode where I attempt to still my mind and become aware of as much of my sensorium (is that a word?) as possible. It works quite well, I can pick up small details when I do that. It's part of my mindfulness training, the closest I get to meditation. I can be sensitive in other ways as well, even about other people and their thoughts and emotions, even though as I said I have a slight tendency towards avoiding social situations.

[annie aronburg]

I was reading about Tourette's Syndrome on www.neurodiversity.com and was shocked at how many of the milder symptoms both my father and I share. Here I was thinking we were simply quirky!

OCD ADD ADHD ODD Anxiety, Depression; me and my slacker pals crisply described in the DSM-IV. We called it an art movement, and despite fair bit of drinking, drugs and death, most people survived.

No wonder music sucks so much these days, people are taking too many anti-depressants!

I have an aspergian pal who is a maven of malaprops. She refers to her condition as OC/DC which makes me cackle.

What I'm learning is these behavioural syndromes/neurological conditions are on spectrums and the spectrums intersect one another.

Some people are mainly one thing but most people are a bit of everything.

I think it is evolutionary, but I've more reading to do....

annie aronburg

[chiggerbit]

More on face blindness:

http://www.faceblind.org/research/index.html

[OP ED]

Do you tend to say things that are considered socially inappropriate?

Um. I also lied on some of the questions because i didn't want to know the real score.

Your Aspie score: 158 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 56 of 200
You are very likely an Aspie

---

I've been diagnosed as falling inside this spectrum before, tho.

[AhabsOtherLeg]

Felt deeply suspicious of this test at first (and annoyed by the repeated questions, with the wording slightly changed) but a half hour spent tapping my ears and rubbing my eyes while pacing on tip-toe soon made me feel safe again.


Your Aspie score: 97 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 119 of 200
You seem to have both Aspie and neurotypical traits


Pretty average, except for this damn fascination with building traps!

[orz]

[Username]

~

Felt deeply suspicious of this test at first (and annoyed by the repeated questions, with the wording slightly changed) but a half hour spent tapping my ears and rubbing my eyes while pacing on tip-toe soon made me feel safe again.

Your Aspie score: 97 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 119 of 200
You seem to have both Aspie and neurotypical traits

Pretty average, except for this damn fascination with building traps!

You crack me up Ahab.


For Annie:
(was able to download the test this time)

Your Aspie score: 69 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 119 of 200
You are very likely neurotypical

I stopped the toe-walking years ago, sometime around the age of 40, heh, (and even back then, only in the morning. figured it was because the floor was cold. maybe it was because the floor was cold.)

Haven't given it alot of study, and am not fully comprehending the classification of an Aspie. All and all, not real sure about this test.
~

[Neither]

it took me to the age of 35 to finally commit to memory that the fork goes on the left at the dinner table. do you think that relates?

I always get my left/rights mixed up. I have to look at each of my hands in turn and say (or think) to myself "left... right." Tedious.

I have terrible time knowing left from right on command. Not the best for my navigation skills (I don't drive so I try to be useful to my chauffeurs).

One day I was out sightseeing with a very forthright woman who snapped in exasperation after a few too many sharp turns, "When it's time to turn left just say 'your door' and say 'my door' if you want me to go right."

That worked really well for me, it's more direct than "say this way" or "over here" and I have a better than 50% chance of getting it right and not making the driver crazy.

It can be awkward explaining it to the neurotypical but it gets us where we're going.

Annie A.

I too have an extremely hard time with left/right, east/west etc. and I've always kept the fork and knife in the wrong hands even though I'm right handed.

Your Aspie score: 174 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 26 of 200
You are very likely an Aspie

I'm a self diagnozed aspie. I've been a very extreme case. But I've started using NLP-practices, magick etc. to cope with the normal world. Opens my mind to notice things that I've simply completly missed before.

I like the thing someone said that aspies are resistant to culture. If aspies are an evolutionary step, then the purpose is probably to get rid of the robotic hive mentality.

Also I think I've got very strong schizotypal and strong schizoid personality disorders. I guess they are a result of aspergers and it is hard to tell diffrence between them. They can also start during childhood. My INTP -personality type is also very similar IMO.

I'm fucked up even though I'm quite happy. I think diffrently and that brings a lot of problems with other people. It's annoying having to be careful for not being your full self. Brings isolation. Being alone is easier than to be ridiculed by other people or having to change your brain to get a long with them. Old people or tripped out hippies are more understanding. Young people have this wierd role playing constantly going on and I'm missing the rules to be able to play the same game.

[Avalon]

Your Aspie score: 69 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 145 of 200
You are very likely neurotypical

[Avalon]

Sheesh. Am I the only normal person round here?!?

Your Aspie score: 82 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 139 of 200
You are very likely neurotypical

I scored far more neurotypical on the scale. But am I "normal"?

Fuck no. And never had any interest in being Normal. But that may be a cultural thing too.

I do have family members who show many Aspie traits, however.

[Avalon]

Do you often don't know where to put your arms?

In the locked cabinet where the children can't get them, please.

[beeline]

Your Aspie score: 85 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 113 of 200
You seem to have both Aspie and neurotypical traits

Sorry if someone has already asked this, but how do I read the chart they give you?

[monster]

Another online aspie quiz (50 questions): http://aq.server8.org/