How strong is your aspergers syndrome?

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I answered Middle, but I suspect when younger it was higher and I now seem to have my act more sorted...

Oh well. That is life.

I think mine was higher when I was younger too, I used to have lots of behavior problems and I was rather naive

For some reason, as of the past few days, I think my HFA has been jumping out a lot more (I really think I have a milder form of that rather than sheer aspergers by my manifestations - they're much more outward than anything). My eyes have had a lot more of that certain autism or Down's twinkle, I've been staggering arround looking a lot more wooden in how I walk, and I'm having a lot more challenge spitting my words out without sounding like there's something up with me.

For me though it seems to come and go in cycles. Sometimes and in some contexts I'm able to come off as very polished, very NT in a lot of senses, and really carry a presence that works for me. At times like this I'm the same guy inwardly but have to rely a lot more on what gestalk I can control to mitigate how this is making me look. With the people I know at least they still treat me the same way and don't end up taking it that I've made some kind of reversion in maturity or intellect. As for people who are just getting to know me and thought they were talking to a real classed-up on point NT, it really sucks watching their reactions because I can see it confuses and conflicts the hell out of em - not that it turns out bad, usually they get themselves arround it (otherwise they might ask other people whats up with me and they'll tell em "Oh, he's fine, don't worry about him"), but still it makes me uneasy to watch them go through that. What I just mentioned though is another merit I see in working hard to level with NTs on the interpersonal and social level - the grape vine at work usually helps mitigate damage or sort people out rather than make things worse.

That is very much how it was for me. I started reading about AS, and was hit with all these things about me that I had no idea were related. I mean, I never knew that my hypersensitivity to sound, touch and taste was related to my social "deficits", my clumsiness, etc. I didn't even know that 1/2 the stims I do ARE stims, until I started listening to other people and realizing how common they are.

Mine is strong, but by this time I've learned to "fake" NT for varying lengths of time depending on how much I need to engage the NT or if I need to advocate for some idea with NT's.

Most of the time it's way too much bother, and it sure adds a load of stress to my life. And no matter how well I "fake" I still can't do "conversation". That unfocused stuff. And I quickly get too "heavy" for NT's in social situations. Or else just get bored.

i probably pass for NT a lot of the time. but then i have had 40 odd years to learn and practise.

Lol, today I'm feeling like my AS/HFA is hitting hard enough to sober up a D.C. crackhead. I just popped some left-over Concerta I had laying arround, hopefully that'll get me back in the flow of things...

I'm really not sure and cannot make an accurate judge on how bad mine is. I make very little eye contact, unless I'm wearing sunglasses or tinted goggles (during swim practice). I still have poor social skills, except they used to be much worse. Acting and role-playing has helped a lot with that. The other day, I was talking to one of my friends in Spanish class (we've known each other since seventh grade, and she sits right behind me in class) and she had a hard time believing I used to be as shy as I was. I'm shy with some people, but around others (especially close friends and family), I'm really friendly and outgoing. I still have my narrow-minded interests, tengwar runes (from LotR) being one of them. It's not as bad as it used to be, but my hypersensitivity (did I spell that right?) has gotten a lot worse than in past years, especially my hearing.

I cannot say that it is severe, nor mild. Sometimes, I have the appearance of an NT, just by trying to blend in and maintain an extremely low profile, but othertimes, people are like "You sure you don't have mental issues?"

Makes sense.

I'd say that I'm somewhere in the middle; it mostly manifests negatively during interactions with my NT mother, but since some stress at school during the year, it was about as difficult for me to control as when I was in first grade. Working in groups was IMPOSSIBLE, but as usual, I went to the group and worked independently, mostly not having to speak a word to any of them.

I'd say between weak and middle. I probably think it's weaker than it is.

Definitely worse/more obvious when I was a kid, partly because nobody could tell me what was wrong with me!

The best gauge I've had was going to a support group a few months ago and there seeing people all over the spectrum, from completely normal-acting (including the only other person I've seen who's been diagnosed with AS!) to obviously autistic.

There are things I'm naturally good at but I have to work at them to be really good at them so I'm not really a savant.

Depending upon the situation, mine can be non-existant to some-what moderate.

/me sees Malcom is working very hard to hit his #1000...

Yes.

Yes I am. Indeed.

Humz. Guess my Theory of Mind is working after all...