Are dissociative symptoms part of ASD?

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Schizpergers
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05 Dec 2013, 9:41 am

I'm not certain whether my dissociative symptoms are due to my ASD diagnosis or my schizo spectrum diagnosis. I'm wondering if other people with ASD have these symptoms as well.

-Derealization, as in the world seems like a dream or simulation. In a way I think it is but most people don't seem to notice.
-I have trouble thinking before talking and often even acting. As far as I can tell most the stuff I do is automatic.
-I don't have much inner monologue unless I try to. When I do the thoughts don't seem like mine.
-Trouble comprehending emotions. Not only do I not have empathy to what others are feeling I don't know what I am either.
-Most the time I feel nothing. Not bad either, just nothing.
-I have difficulty understanding that actions have reactions. For example I can easily do things most people wouldn't dare without putting any thought into it.
-I don't notice odd things I do unless someone points it out. When they do I don't care either.
-I feel little need for emotional relationships. I find socialization entertaining sometimes but anything emotional just annoys me.
-I don't comprehend why people are so emotionally sensitive. It seems like everyone else is crazy and overreacts to stupid things.
-I'm often spaced out and not very aware of my surroundings.
-Unlike most people who say derealization makes them anxious, I feel more relaxed the less real the world seems.
-I don't think these symptoms are from trauma or anything like that. It's just how I am.
-Despite this I do feel very aware of who I am. Its everything else that seems like an illusion.



Callista
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05 Dec 2013, 10:18 am

No, those aren't exclusively ASD symptoms--I'd go with the schizo spectrum thing on this one.

These traits are known to be part of the schizophrenia spectrum (schizotypal/schizoid personality, schizophrenia, and schizo-affective disorder:

Flat affect (low emotional expression; sometimes, low felt emotion); fundamental disconnect from other people--common in schizoid personality:

Quote:
-Most the time I feel nothing. Not bad either, just nothing.
-I don't notice odd things I do unless someone points it out. When they do I don't care either.
-I feel little need for emotional relationships. I find socialization entertaining sometimes but anything emotional just annoys me.
-Trouble comprehending emotions. Not only do I not have empathy to what others are feeling I don't know what I am either.
-I don't comprehend why people are so emotionally sensitive. It seems like everyone else is crazy and overreacts to stupid things.


Unusual perception of the world is common in schizotypal personality disorder. The specific symptom you're experiencing is probably related to dissociation:
Quote:
-I don't have much inner monologue unless I try to. When I do the thoughts don't seem like mine.
-I'm often spaced out and not very aware of my surroundings.
-Derealization, as in the world seems like a dream or simulation. In a way I think it is but most people don't seem to notice.
-Despite this I do feel very aware of who I am. Its everything else that seems like an illusion.
-Unlike most people who say derealization makes them anxious, I feel more relaxed the less real the world seems.
-I don't think these symptoms are from trauma or anything like that. It's just how I am.


Executive dysfunction, trouble regulating yourself--common in all schizophrenias; also common in autism and in ADHD:
Quote:
-I have trouble thinking before talking and often even acting. As far as I can tell most the stuff I do is automatic.
-I have difficulty understanding that actions have reactions. For example I can easily do things most people wouldn't dare without putting any thought into it.


I'm not saying you have those personality disorders; in fact, a schizoaffective or schizophrenia diagnosis overrides them. What I think is going on is that when doctors say "schizophrenia", they often focus on the positive symptoms, the ones that make you confused, or make you hallucinate, or make you believe in things that don't make sense. It's understandable, because those are the ones that really cause trouble, can get you into real danger. However, the more subtle symptoms, the ones that don't go away with antipsychotics, can be just as disabling--the flat affect, trouble getting started, trouble controlling yourself, trouble expressing emotion.

It doesn't sound like you're in distress. If you are okay with this feeling that the world isn't quite real, I don't think it's dangerous--just remember that it IS only a feeling; that the people around you have their own perspectives, thoughts, and feelings. That's something you have to remember so that you don't inadvertently hurt someone because you weren't thinking about what they were feeling. The world may feel like a video game, but if it were, it would be a massively-multiplayer game in which everyone is a PC, which means everyone is just as important as you are. If you can't hold on to emotional empathy, use your logic--that works just as well. Whether it's autism or schizophrenia, it doesn't change our fundamental humanity, and part of being human is caring about what happens to others. You don't need instinctive emotional mimicry to care about someone else's well-being.

If the executive dysfunction is messing with your life, you could try to find a coach or organizer to help you learn how to better regulate your actions.

By the way, many of the experiences you describe are things that NTs occasionally feel, too. The only difference is that you seem to feel them strongly and constantly, rather than occasionally.


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Bluth
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05 Dec 2013, 10:37 am

Schizpergers wrote:
I'm not certain whether my dissociative symptoms are due to my ASD diagnosis or my schizo spectrum diagnosis. I'm wondering if other people with ASD have these symptoms as well.

-Derealization, as in the world seems like a dream or simulation. In a way I think it is but most people don't seem to notice.
-I have trouble thinking before talking and often even acting. As far as I can tell most the stuff I do is automatic.
-I don't have much inner monologue unless I try to. When I do the thoughts don't seem like mine.
-Trouble comprehending emotions. Not only do I not have empathy to what others are feeling I don't know what I am either.
-Most the time I feel nothing. Not bad either, just nothing.
-I have difficulty understanding that actions have reactions. For example I can easily do things most people wouldn't dare without putting any thought into it.
-I don't notice odd things I do unless someone points it out. When they do I don't care either.
-I feel little need for emotional relationships. I find socialization entertaining sometimes but anything emotional just annoys me.
-I don't comprehend why people are so emotionally sensitive. It seems like everyone else is crazy and overreacts to stupid things.
-I'm often spaced out and not very aware of my surroundings.
-Unlike most people who say derealization makes them anxious, I feel more relaxed the less real the world seems.
-I don't think these symptoms are from trauma or anything like that. It's just how I am.
-Despite this I do feel very aware of who I am. Its everything else that seems like an illusion.

Some of those symptoms are pretty familiar. I definitely feel that the world is real, it's just that I feel like I'm floating through it, observing it, like I don't have really have an influence on it. This is not a bad feeling and it can indeed be relaxing. I do understand emotions, but a lot of people do make a big deal out of nothing. I'm no stranger to overreacting, but I don't go around telling everybody about everything that I am feeling at any given moment. I don't know if this is linked to ASD.



IreneS
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05 Dec 2013, 1:49 pm

Schizpergers wrote:
I'm not certain whether my dissociative symptoms are due to my ASD diagnosis or my schizo spectrum diagnosis. I'm wondering if other people with ASD have these symptoms as well.

-Derealization, as in the world seems like a dream or simulation. In a way I think it is but most people don't seem to notice.

I notice, but I´m part of the dream as well (I´m not joking).
Schizpergers wrote:
-I have trouble thinking before talking and often even acting. As far as I can tell most the stuff I do is automatic.

It is automatic. Thinking about acting is also a form of automatic action.
Schizpergers wrote:
-I don't have much inner monologue unless I try to. When I do the thoughts don't seem like mine.

All thought is impersonal.

-Despite this I do feel very aware of who I am. Its everything else that seems like an illusion.[/quote]
That´s the way I see it.
:)