Any Aspies who have Overcame some of the main symptoms

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Im Asking this cause i was diagnosed at 3 years old, and the minute after the diagnosis I started early interventions to Ease my Symptoms, i used to flap my hands and Pretend to be a animal or make bird noises
but Now i can look People in the Eyes,i am studying to be a psychologist, and have Great Social Skills and appear Very Mild. but the thing is i do Alot of quirky things when i am not around other people like Have full conversations with myself and pace alot
I have Learned to cope threw the Years and i have been told by Other Aspies that i don''t seem like i have it

Are there any other Aspies who have learned to cope
if i sound like im Boasting or talk down on the aspies that are more classic in symptoms know that i don't mean to
its kinda hard to Say it or write it any other way

pattheaspie

Since when it is not acceptable for 3 year olds to pretend they are animals?

it started at 3 and it went on longer MUCH longer, and Yes It is acceptable but thats only one thing i did, i was in my own world and Got Bullied For not wanting to play with the other children.

I've made a lot of progress but not as much as you.

I understand a bit more about social rules, even if I still can't small talk.

I'm more organised, more healthy/fit and don't have as much anxiety.

I still can't cope well with change, I hand flap/stim, act like a child sometimes, am really literal, and I'm very repetitive in what I eat, wear or do each day. Oh and I still have a lot of sensory issues.

My older son is 24, and when he was younger he pretended to be a lemur, and only wanted to play lemurs -- so needless to say, other children weren't too enamored with him. But from age 14 on, I think my son wouldn't be considered to be on the spectrum. He definitely has his quirks, but they are within the realm of NT-edness. But when he was little, he DEFINITELY was on the spectrum. The key is that now, he somehow makes his quirks work for him. His obsessive interest is also his career, so that helps a lot. But he has a regular life along with that obsessive interest -- he's married, has friends, has family, and has fun outside of his work.

So yes, I think he's just figured out how to cope, and how to make aspieness WORK for him.

I know what I am good at and capable of doing. So I do that and stress it.
I know what I am not capable of doing. So I ignore it, work around it, or keep myself out of those situations.

So. yes I get by pretty good.

Well Said

Same. Much of overcoming the symptoms was simply working around them.

It's also helped by the fact most people in my life don't mind someone who's a little eccentric.

To answer your question, YES.

I used to have so much social anxiety that I would not leave the house, or answer the door or phone. I used to be afraid of traveling, because I needed routine and familiarity. I used to be terrified of having my picture taken, because I'd been hassled so much for not making the right facial expressions. I used to be unable to talk to strangers.

I became a professional traveling model. I forced myself to be in front of the camera, to learn to express myself through my face, to learn to travel and interact with different photographers/artists every single day, to learn to talk to people so they'd want to book me again or recommend me to others. I really came out of my shell, and I'm a million times less "shy" than I used to be.

I'm still awkward in some ways. I still hate small talk, handshakes, eye contact, etc.. but I have found little tricks to make it easier. Sometimes some people pick up on my inability to "chat" with them about nothing though, and they perceive me as rude or stuck-up. My friends usually just say I'm "shy" as an explanation.

I still do things like the pacing and having conversations with myself when I'm alone. This HELPS me with my writing though, so I'm ok with it. I stim by constantly being on my iPhone when I'm in stressful situations. This is becoming common in society though, so nobody thinks I'm being unusual.. maybe just a little rude/antisocial. But my friends are understanding, and that is what matters. I didn't even HAVE friends a few years ago. The modeling became one of my special interests, and I was able to bond with an entire community of models/photographers who shared that passion. I still have a lot of trouble making friends with people who don't share that interest though! I don't know what to talk about with regular people, unless we can discuss art in another form.. like music or literature.

I learned to become flexible. I had sensory issues and now they are minor. I used to have poor coordination but it got better. Now it's good.

I used to talk about my obsessions but now I don't anymore and I used to go on and on about it and say facts and quote lines from m favorite movie but not anymore. I do that occasionally but it's rare.

I don't stim as much like I used to. I still pace when bored or when I am waiting. It just depends on the environment and situation. I still stim when I am nervous or having a meltdown.

My eye contact has gotten better so I am able to do it when I am not shy or nervous and when I feel comfortable looking at someone.

I used to be sensitive to criticism but now I do good with it.

I used to be black and white and now not anymore.

I don't eat the same foods when I eat out, I like to try different things.

I learned TOM and learned to see other peoples perspectives

I got better at picking up on sarcasm, sometimes I still miss it

This.

I've overcome my huge fear of crowds which used to be one of my worst things that I had to try deal with while I was growing up.

I'm far more social than I used to and broke out of my shell somehow?

I don't run around in circles, I used to when I was a kid though.

My theory of mind has improved immensely, but I suspect it may still not quite be up-to-snuff. I have also gotten a better handle on sensory issues and have become fairly good (I think?) at communication and expressing myself; I am not locked inside myself quite like I used to be. It is all a work in progress. I find I am getting better all the time. I may have occasional setbacks, but the general trend is upward.

Through intensive years of study I have learned how to appear to be normal for limited periods of time. The amount of effort expended by doing that is similar to someone being at an important job interview or being on stage to deliver an important speech. I've perfected my act of being normal, but it's still just an act. The act takes all of my energy and concentration to perform. I can't think or do anything BESIDES act like I'm normal -- it takes all of my mental powers to keep up the facade.

Have I overcome my differences? Yes, for a few hours or up to a few days at most. Then I pay for it with twice as many hours of stress reaction and emotional decompression. Am I "better" than I used to be? The jury is still out on the meaning of the word "better". I am in the middle of reconsidering the cost/benefit ratio of putting so much energy into pretending to not be myself. Honestly, I'm exhausted with it.

I feel (at 47 years) that I have overcome many of the symptoms that make it impossible for me to live in the NT world. I integrate just fine now and with age/maturity I know how to advocate for my issues without insulting anyone. It is a trick everyone should learn...