How Does Aspergers Make Us Unique?

Highly-focused interests

Steve Palmer has Aspergers.

Many people with Asperger’s syndrome (Aspies) have intense and highly focused interests, often from a fairly young age. These can change over time, or be lifelong. They can be anything from art or music to trains, computers, even Medicine, Science and Mathematics.

Many channel their interest into studying, paid work, volunteering, or other meaningful occupation. People with Asperger syndrome often report that the pursuit of such interests is fundamental to their well-being and happiness.

Sensory sensitivity

Aspies may also experience a sensory over- or under-sensitivity. This includes sounds, touch, taste, smells, light, colors, temperatures, or pain. For example, they may find certain background sounds, unbearably loud or distracting. This can cause anxiety or even physical pain.

Aspergers Problem Solving

People with Asperger’s syndrome (Aspies) tend to be above average intelligence and have very focused interests. We also have a repetitive type behavior. This means that in a job where we are problem-solving, this type of behavior is very helpful. It also enhances the ability to solve problems. Such as why does your back hurt?

There is also patterned thinking. Autistic people really think in patterns and find it easier to recognize changes in patterns that we see. This is useful when looking at patients and working out what is wrong. To us, the pattern, or way you move, looks wrong. During an examination and evaluation, we just treat the bit that looks wrong. That pattern is then continually repeated until you are fixed.

Aspergers Behaviour

NeuroTypical(normal) people, (NT) are often confused when interacting with aspies.

Aspies have great difficulty with reading social Qs and facial expressions in a social context. They will not know if you have been upset by something that has been said and will miss things that appear obvious to you.

There is also a directness of speech that may appear very blunt and literal. They can also just appear rude, arrogant or just “different”. 

The response NT‘s see in Aspies in conversation may also be confusing, as we may not respond in an expected “typical” way. Aspies may also stare at you. This is because they are trying to work out what is being said.

Finally, there is binary or, black and white thinking. It is or is not. This further helps problem-solving and means that we look at the world in a very different way and tend to succeed in the highly focussed interests that we have.

“You don’t suffer from Aspergers Syndrome, you suffer from other people”

Tony Attwood.