What is your impression of Aspergers syndrome?

CinemaGuy45 wrote: »

That is what people call us and trust me I speak to people on the spectrum all the time.

We do mess up relationships and people do say we come across as weirdos.

Not calling anybody that simply owning the term.

I've known a few Aspie folks down the years, some diagnosed(relatively recently) others not. Yes there were some commonalities, but they were a mixed bunch. The first lad I knew with it(as he found out much later) had it quite severe. I met him in my last year of schooling. Very withdrawn guy, IMHO as much down to too much social isolation as the condition itself. He was almost a cliche as he was scarily bright in a particular area. Genius level shit. Long before he sat his leaving cert several universities wanted him and not just in Ireland(He ended up in the UK because his CAO points weren't nearly enough to do his chosen subject, even though he could run rings around some lecturers in the field). I took to befriending him as I hate seeing someone socially isolated. He defo wasn't too sure of me at first(as I said scarily bright), but I wore him down.

Nice lad actually. He had learned to be extremely observant of people. I suppose because it didn't come naturally? Funny too. Though half the time I'd have to explain to him why I was was picking myself up from the floor laughing with tears in my eyes. That was odd actually. He'd drop a clanger that Wilde would have killed for, knowing he was doing it, but needing my explanation(?) as to why it was hilarious, or that someone else thought it funny. Then he'd crack up himself.

We kinda bonded over different weaknesses in both of us. I have dyscalculia, IE complete mental block/idiocy with maths and numbers. At least dyscalculia has been suggested as a given by a family member who's a psychiatrist, though I don't have any of the other symptoms of it. Plain thick with numbers is just as likely. Anyway he tried to help me with that, in exchange for me helping him with the social stuff(I'll talk to the wall. He was always aghast that I could walk up to a complete stranger and talk to them). Both had mixed results, but he was way more patient with me.

Another guy I knew years later was definitely on the spectrum. Very bright, but "odd". But also aware of that oddness, for the most part. He learned to be social and mostly passed as "normal". Pretty good with relationships too. Where he shone was in business negotiations. Because he is very intelligent and had observed and learned that human interaction stuff, rather than picked it up by instinct, he was unreal in business stuff. He could read a room or people like Sherlock Holmes.

I did notice - and I dunno if this is a "thing" with folks on the spectrum - that the two guys above and the others I've known on said spectrum was they were very sensitive to noise and movement and anything suddenly changing or clutter in their environment. EG I once offered a lift home to the first guy and he was clearly getting anxious if I went much beyond a certain speed. My mad teenage notion was to try and teach him to drive. He reckoned he was too uncoordinated, but TBH he ended up being among the easiest of those I taught down the years, so long as I was very precise with the instructions. He never went beyond car parks and industrial estates(oncoming traffic, any traffic, really freaked him out), but reckoned it had helped him.