Do you know why we're different?

OK, I'm bored, and I figured it might be a good opportunity for us to try to understand each other better.

1) Have you ever heard of Asperger's Syndrome?
2) Do you know anyone with Asperger's Syndrome?
3) Do you have Asperger's Syndrome?

Well, I have AS. It makes things different for me, but I do my best to fit in. My mind essentially works in a way different to "neurotypical" people. The upside is that I have a high IQ and certain unique mental / psychological abilities. Being (slightly) precognitive, for one. The downside is that everything (and I do mean EVERYTHING) has to be based on logic for me to understand. That means emotions, dreams, even interpretations of colour, they are all meaningless to me.

You'll often find that programming languages are more native to those with AS than English or any other spoken language though, which is a plus for us.

Gatesy (as in Bill Gates, if any of you didn't pick that up) has AS. I also believe Robin Williams has AS as well. I'm not entirely sure on the latter.

So, anyone? Got some answers to my questions? Other questions are welcome as well.

OK, I'm bored, and I figured it might be a good opportunity for us to try to understand each other better.

1) Have you ever heard of Asperger's Syndrome?
2) Do you know anyone with Asperger's Syndrome?
3) Do you have Asperger's Syndrome?

Well, I have AS. It makes things different for me, but I do my best to fit in. My mind essentially works in a way different to "neurotypical" people. The upside is that I have a high IQ and certain unique mental / psychological abilities. Being (slightly) precognitive, for one. The downside is that everything (and I do mean EVERYTHING) has to be based on logic for me to understand. That means emotions, dreams, even interpretations of colour, they are all meaningless to me.

You'll often find that programming languages are more native to those with AS than English or any other spoken language though, which is a plus for us.

Gatesy (as in Bill Gates, if any of you didn't pick that up) has AS. I also believe Robin Williams has AS as well. I'm not entirely sure on the latter.

So, anyone? Got some answers to my questions? Other questions are welcome as well.
Ive heard of it.
I heard Einstein had it.
How do you see if you have AS?

This (http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/) is a pretty good resource for getting an understanding of this condition. You can also find details in many resources that deal with autism, since there are some similarities.

I think i have that. Its either that or ADD. But probably AS.

Ive heard of it.
I heard Einstein had it.
How do you see if you have AS?

I was diagnosed by two seperate leading professionals in the area of AS. They analysed my past behaviours (through previous psychological reports), my general history (both academic and other histories), and interviewed me for a couple of hours about various things.

But yes, there are a lot of websites that you can learn about AS from, and if people think it sounds like you, it might be worth looking into further.

I think i have that. Its either that or ADD. But probably AS.

ADD, AS, and all of the other conditions that lie on that particular spectrum are so similar that it isn't funny. I would suggest that you do some serious research into the topic. You might find some of it interesting.

I just took this test.

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

I got a 38. Maybe a should go check that out then.

I got a 38 as well :-\

I got a 38 as well :-\

I think that the way the test is designed makes you more likely to show Asperger's than not (It seems to be binary for agree/disagree, which makes half those radio buttons useless). It sort of reminds me of the test the libertarians have for determining whether you're a libertarian.

Alternatively, there could be a very high concentration of people with AS on this forum. My score was 35.

I took the test. Scored a 22.

I kinda suspected I would have a low score. To be honest, programming, logic and structure kinda goes against my nature, which is more free-flow, imaginiative, head in the clouds. :D

What were we talking about? Oh yes, so more like ADD than AS.

In spite of that, I do really enjoy programming a lot, and find myself fixated on something until I get it the way I want it.

I can't say that taking the test was an enjoyable 2 minutes, but I got a 23.

38 here.

29.. yeah... I definately scored a 29... I buy my underwear at k-mart.. yeah

Yeah, well I scored a .... 12!

Yeah, well I scored a .... 12!
Noooo! You were supposed to take the AQ test, not the IQ test. :D

* 00100b ducks under his desk.

I scored a 28
I seem to be quite a philosophical and creative person but:
I surprise myself with my logic sometimes
I am rubbish at art
I am good at drama
I like to analyse

I got 8, maybe it was an EQ test ;)

I got 29.

I have quite a logical mind. I quite often have to mentally prevent myself from taking someone literally.
I enjoy programming a great deal. I seem to be able to work my mind logically around a programming problem a lot better than a lot of people. At uni we had a program to make for our Assembly course which requires quite a lof of indepth thought about how something will work and what is happening behind the scenes. My course mates found it a lot more difficult than I did.

But then again, I am also capable of thinking pretty abstractly. I can imagine what other people are thinking. Just watching their face and movements can tell me quite a lot. When someone mis-words something, and another doesn't understand I can often see where the misunderstanding lies and tell each person what was meant to have been said.

And lastly, I don't like social situations. But that's mainly because not many others are interested in the same things I am. When I'm with a group I can quite easily listen to the group's conversation for half and hour without saying a word because not a single relevant thought has crossed my mind, let alone a thought interesting enough to say aloud. I don't know where that problem lies...

Scored a 19. Would have gotten better but I couldn,t concentrate with all of you plotting against me. :chuckle:

Noooo! You were supposed to take the AQ test, not the IQ test. :D

* 00100b ducks under his desk.
Now where was that Ban User button. ;)

There should've been a question that said, "You often feel indecisive when faced with leading multiple choice questions for which you have no definitive answer"."

I scored 25 but I felt that a lot of the questions sucked - which is par for the course for surveys.

My wife works with disabled children (with various types and levels of disabilities) and she's worked with a few AS kids. She says I exhibit a lot of AS behavior.

Paul

When you first look at the subject, it seems that every PDD is exactly the same, just with different names and severities. It takes someone with specific experience to identify a particular condition.

I only scored a 32 on that test, but you have to remember that is a generalised PDD test. I've also had to mould myself somewhat to try and fit in with society, which would explain why I would've gotten a far higher score if I had done this same test 10 years ago.

It's good to see there is some awareness about PDDs though.

If you're interested, Aspergia (http://www.aspergia.com/lead.htm) and Institute for the Study of the Neurologically Typical (http://isnt.autistics.org/) may help you understand how Aspergians see themselves and the world - the first is more serious, the second one mostly humorous but still quite enlightening.

I got 1...I got disgusted after the first question. :)

If only they'd let me argue that at school...

welps, 42 !!
Although, I have to say I know a bit more about AS (my son has it) then healthy is for a test like this (subjectivity anyone?)

Hr.O

I got 22, but I think I might have misinterpreted
9. I am fascinated by dates.
:rolleyes:

Agree: 16,18,23: 1 point
Disagree: 1,3,15,28,29,30: 1 point
Score: 9

two question i didnt understand so did put it in the mid

I got 22, but I think I might have misinterpreted

:rolleyes:
LOL. You may have misinterpreted the one about phone numbers also. :)

Score 17....
And i could not understand question 13 :-\

And lastly, I don't like social situations..

Have to agree with you there big time!
I avoid face to face meetings at all costs.

I also enjoy very much being by alone (by myself).
People have pointed out this trait and ask if I'm lonely, but that's a silly question because I have a computer.

Score 47

I put "strongly agree" for 37 (because I'm a good at returning to things if interrupted...)

so what number is normal?

so what number is normal?

My guess would be 16.4.


[QUOTE]Psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen and his colleagues at Cambridge's Autism Research Centre have created the Autism-Spectrum Quotient, or AQ, as a measure of the extent of autistic traits in adults. In the first major trial using the test, the average score in the control group was 16.4. Eighty percent of those diagnosed with autism or a related disorder scored 32 or higher. The test is not a means for making a diagnosis, however, and many who score above 32 and even meet the diagnostic criteria for mild autism or Asperger's report no difficulty functioning in their everyday lives. [/QOUTE]

i got 9... is that bad?

i got 9... is that bad?
Yes. It means that you're more normal than normal, which, uh, is bad. Right...

On another note, I went to the library this weekend and sat down with my books in one of the reading areas. On the table in front of me were two books on Asperger's syndrome. I felt this was sufficiently odd, so I read through most of one. I'm fairly sure now that I don't have AS, or if I do, that it affects my life much less than the person in the book. Guess what Wired was saying about autism/AS being a continuum is borne out...

i got 9... is that bad?
I don't think it matters if you get a 9 or 49. None are bad as far as I'm concerned.

EDIT (this is in reference to the IQ Joke 00100b made..)
comon, that was funny,



oh, and i got a 40, but its funny because technicly Interpetation of color is logical, in that, certain frequencys of light harmonize better than others, the same goes for music and language, certain articulations of sound simply sound "better" or have a different quality, as for emotion, it too is semi logical, it just follows its own set of rules, Logic and Emotion are not polar opposites, their not even related, Emotion follows the set of rules based of the principle of Faith, in that I believe that other people who are typing exsist, even though they may be nothing but figments of my imagination, but my emotion of Faith tells me that they must exsist, not for any logical reason, I cannot technicly prove any of you exsist logicly, nor you me, but I believe you do- for the sole purpose of my having faith, it is essentially a Alogical proof, (not illogical, which implies that is goes against logic, but rather that this simply does not need or contain logic) all of which are 1 step, in that, something exsists because I believe it exsists, which is fundamental in the begining stages of a theory, for instance, Newton saw the effects of Gravity, then believed that it must exsist, and thereby was able to go about proving it -- logically -- however, if he saw the effects and didn't believe it exsisted, why bother to prove it?

thus technicly everything is logical, just logical according to different rules,

PS, I've been Diagnosed with Aspergers too... I just found a logical soulution to the illogical effects thereof... :)

oh, and that test is rather biased. im surprised some of yall got such low scores...

You live very close to one of the prime areas for AS, outside of 128. I've been reading a fair amount about this since the start of this thread and they mention that this area has the second highest concentration next to Silicon Valley. I'm from MA so I find it very interesting.

Go Red Sox! ;)

Well, I finally took the AS test; I got a 28. I'm leery of the idea of such a simple test being able to help anyone say anything about themselves, especially since it appears that many of the characteristics of Asbergers would also "fit" those who are simply somewhat introverted.

I don't think anyone should self diagnose nor do I think a simple test such as this is able to do it. It couldn't hurt to read more about it though if you score high (32+ according to what it said).

Once you get to the link lebb provided, specifically this (http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/aswhatisit.html) page, and you start to feel like it was written as a description of yourself then you might want to start thinking more about it.

im more normal than normal :huh:

well as long im comfortable witht hat.. then all is good =)

I scored 19... :rolleyes:

Rick...you are 19, that is something completely different... :chuckle:

Im 22 and scored 19 or Im 19 and scored 22 :confused::chuckle:

I'm this (00100) many. Can I have a piece of candy now?

* 00100b skips off to the playground.

your insane, 00100b-- you know what, Ima call you fourbee- or better yet, furby... :) from now on, its easier that 00100b... lol

anywho

with respects to ricks comment on the Concentration of people w/ AS in massachusetts and silicon valley, I would suppose that that is because we have many many Computer related/ programming positions out here, so its more of a matter of economics that cause the concentration, rather than conincidence, oh- and Red Sox pwn, Yankees suck, yada yada... :)


~Joe

I don't put too much faith into those kinds of test. Take Q#2 for example:

I prefer to do things the same way over and over again.

This question can be answered by most of us all four ways if we put it into context. For example. If you like cooking soup, chances are you wouldn't want to make it the same way every time (unless you work in a restaurant :) ) If you program, then you would probably answer this strongly agree. If you apply it to buying people Christmas presents, you would strongly disagree.

EDIT: I scored a 10, so I must be a numbskull :)

I think that in general it means that you are more a creature of habit and prefer to go about your daily tasks within a set routine, and that deviation from that strict regiment causes you discomfort.

I don't put too much faith into those kinds of test. Take Q#2 for example:

This question can be answered by most of us all four ways if we put it into context. For example. If you like cooking soup, chances are you wouldn't want to make it the same way every time (unless you work in a restaurant :) ) If you program, then you would probably answer this strongly agree. If you apply it to buying people Christmas presents, you would strongly disagree.

Maybe the point IS that it is subjective and that what you instinctively choose to apply the question to is what is important.

If 39% of the people in the original set of test takers who answered "Strongly Agree" to question #14 were determined to be introverted through other means, then anyone who takes the test and answers "Strongly Agree" to the same question is giving information about their introvertedness. Bayes Theory can be used to modify the probability that a given test taker is actualy introverted, assuming the statistics that were gathered originally do infact model the population of all test takers.

Of course, the test in question has nothing to do with introvertedness.. I just offer this as an explanation of how many such tests "work".