Do Aspies get worse with age?

Post Reply New Topic

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/gruesome/fivedays.asp

Talking about finding out about dead people, you might have heard this story before.

The cute thing is that

IT'S A COMPLETE FABRICATION.

Don't worry, people will notice if you die.

^^^
maybe you'll be missed if you are a social butterfly, or a close family member whose siblings all get along and want to associate with one another- but if you're anything like me who lives out in the sticks and who might not hear from a sibling or relative for months on end, you could easily die and not be found until you're a rotting hunk of maggot-infested meat.

At my recent diagnosis, I was told that some of the difficulties that I am experiencing will get more challenging as I get older (I am currently late 40z)

This has certainly been my recent experience.

He suggested that I continue with my recent abstinence from alcohol and my low carbohydrate diet as these CAN help to mitigate stress.

I am feeling much calmer in general on this program BUT I still experience stress and anxiety, just not as much and not as continuously as when I was drinking alcohol and gorging carbohydrates.

I'm definitely getting worse but aren't sure if that's due to other comorbid conditions like anxiety.

For example years ago I sort of enjoyed going to the supermarket, even though I hate the way people love to stand in my road, or park their trolleys in the middle of the isle like they own the place. But the last time I went was over a year ago and was a horrible experience. Just trying to choose a nice hot curry paste was pure sensory overload. So many choices, so many colors, so many noises. I didn't know whether to run out the door, melt into the floor, or walk round to the isle with the cooking knives and stab myself in the gut. I was out of there a minute later, gut intact, but without the curry or anything else to eat for the week.

I can agree that maybe not the autism is getting worse, but the circumstances start requiring better social skills. In every "new" period of my life, I got more concious about my autistic traits (where I didn't know that it was that, because I just got diagnosed last year) but going to the kindergarden showed me that I am different (was making paintings under the table the whole time), elementry school was a new challange, but it really showed, when going to high-school and finally trying to study...all that responsabilities and social skills you need, so I never finished a study, though I have a good intelligence. And now, mid-30, all people I know have jobs and kids and it seems like my autism got worse, but no, everyone around me developped again further than I do and ever will and my comorbids (anxiety, depression) got worse. Anorexia, which I have for more than 20 years is still the same, because I don't feel food. Normally this should change one day. I often still feel like the little girl from kindergarden...

I have found that my stress levels have been astronomical since graduating Uni at age 21. So my AS symptoms have indeed worsened. Not sure what I can do about it.

was very interesting to read all the previous stuff, i identify with most

i feel kinda socially frustrated in this point in my life, i feel i tried long and hard to be myself and to get along with people that way and the result are mainly ... scars ; hope helped a lot before, now i find myself feeling hopeless often; some people seem to be ok with trying to be more like NTs but when i try it i feel worse

ive always liked to be alone but the alone time is getting too big and the effort to just find someone to have fun with seems to be less and less effective as time passes

now i feel i gotta say something positive .... well, ive had a good life so far, just need to focus less on the broken dreams

Personnally...

Praxia : I'm writing and drawing a bit better. It's very difficult to read me, but before it was impossible...

Nutritionally : It still impossible for me. If I see meat or something like that, I suddenly feel sick.

Social skill : Well, I don't really remember how I was very young. Now, I recognize sarcasm, facial expression etc... But I can't speak, or simply look someone. Otherwise, I'll be panting etc...
I'm also very, very suspicous now, and I know that I wasn't when I was very young, so... fifty-fifty :>

It's different for every Aspies.
May an other Aspie feel like "humiliating" if he can't have a real conversation. Personally, I firstly tried to be like a chameleon, tried to adapt myself to the others, tried to be "normal". Then I realized that I can't assume that, that I can't live "masked" in real life, on Internet, everywhere. It was too hard for me.
Now, I'm trying to not offense others etc... only on Internet. And I feel far less depressive than before. When I was trying to do that in real life, I though that I'll become crazy.

So, personnaly I don't think it's so much worse - in fact, obviously it's not "better", but I don't really mind. But I can understand that some Aspies are in need of others, of friends, and need to have better social skills. For them, it may look very worse. For a NT, it can also look very worse too. Not for me.

I mean, only an Aspie can know if he feel better, so it's subjective. I hope it's understable, I don't know how to express my opinion. :>

I have to admit I haven't read all the replies yet (will do so in a minute as this is a topic close to my heart), but for me personally... I'm getting worse. I'm getting less tolerant and more sensitive to overstimulation and all that stuff.

I put it down to exhaustion and having had a gutful of living in a NT world and "acting normal", being forced to do things I really don't want to do, etc. So it's not necessarily a case of the Asperger's getting worse, as such. It's a question of decreasing BS tolerance , and generally lower tolerance levels, and how much more of it you feel you can take.

(Many NTs also get more set in their ways as they get older, don't they? So I guess it's even more likely to happen to Aspies.)

Having said that, in some ways I am learning how to better manage myself, the overstimulation, the social stuff, the meltdowns etc., so there's improvement there, on some levels. But generally speaking, I've noticed a big decline over the last few years, even prior to being diagnosed.

I actually find that I HAVE gotten worse, but I think that is due to the way I have chosen to handle things. When I was a kid I was constantly surrounded by my family and other kids, so there was a lot more socialization. During middle school I started to get bullied so I retreated. I came out of my shell again in college and was relatively "normal."

I tried to get on with people here as an adult, but I just keep getting burned. I feel happier when I stay home and listen to music/read/watch movies. So that is what I have chosen to do. Because of that my socialization with others is quite low. I don't care to try to fit in anymore.

I have way more responsibilities.......
loads of doctor appts.
two special needs kids
special diet/supplements-celiacs,food allergies
and I'm learning how to keep up with the house.

I'm exhausted and tired and so sad. My symptoms are worse but like others have said I think it is the stress,expectations, and responsibility

I think I'm getting worse with age.

I used to be a bit more social. Nowadays, when I am not working, I'm mostly a reclusive shut in, and I'm not even 30 yet. I might bounce back, but I don't feel like I fit in with the rest of humanity most of the time.