ive never reallized how much my routines affected me

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iused to think when reading about the symptom of routine keeping that nahh i dont have that or that if i did it was minor till today

there was a humongous snowstorm our cable went out so that means we have no tv no phone or *gasp* the internet usually i go online first thing when i wake up then go on the computer later again after breakfast also i always watch the news (chanell 1) with breakfast i couldnt do either then i had to go outside and help shovel snow . my whole day i was in an anxious state because i couldnt go online or watch t v the worst thing was it wasnt either or i could deal with out internet i guess if i had the tv but i didnt even have that!! !! !! !! !!

That could just be an electronic dependence or addiction instead of a routine.

Back in the 90's we had a hurricane and lost power for several days. I missed the airconditioning more than the TV, but I realized I was indeed addicted to the modern way of life and couldn't wait to get it back. At that time we didn't have the Internet or Cell Phones. As far as routine, I missed going to work.

In 2004 we had another hurricane and lost power for another week. We didn't have Airconditioning, TV, Computers, Cell Phones etc. At this point I didn't realize how overloaded I was with electronic stimulus until I went without it for a day and woke up more relaxed than I could remember. I enjoyed just sitting outside and visiting with neighbors I never met before. I thought to myself this is what I was missing, I just couldn't appreciate it before.

There is evidence that the addiction to electronic stimulus may be related to the severity of the expression of ASD's, particularly sensory overload.

Do you mean that "addiction" implies severity or that "addiction" aggravates severity?

I was without the Internet for three days, until I got myself a blue cable. It was sheer hell. I've spent a couple of those evenings at home. It seemed that the Internet was my only connection to the modern world. It was such a relief to get back on. I think that my best friend's dad was on a hunting trip at the time, as well.

I'm iffy about referring to a lot of internet use as an addiction. It seems to me that many other behaviors engaged to what appears to me to be excess are seen as natural and normal, while some are pathologized as abnormal and perhaps an implied or explicit moral judgment.

The internet is my connection to the modern world. Without it, I am completely adrift.

The Intense World Syndrome theory concludes that "the autistic brain needs to be calmed down, learning needs to be slowed, and cognitive functions need to be diminished in order to re-instate proper functionality." Electronic stimulus excites the central nervous system and the brain. The activity of engaging in the stimulus for long periods of time and having difficulty doing without it can be described as an addiction. I am suggesting that excessive stimulus may have a negative impact on ASD's. This is in concordance with the Intense World Syndrome theory conclusion. While my own personal life convinces me that the Intense World Syndrome theory has merit I can only suggest a relationship between overstimulus and the negative impact it may have on ASD's.

The "difficulty doing without it" statement strikes me as lacking context. Why would someone have difficulty doing without it? Is it their primary social outlet? Their primary source of entertainment? News? Information? What if your work involves time online and missing that time online could translate into lost or delayed payments? What if it's a matter of location and availability of other activities (or lack thereof)?

I see what you're saying about overstimulation, but I am not sure all use of electronics (and the internet) translates directly to that state. In the past month I've been nearly constantly overstimulated by what people near me are doing in real life, but rarely online (although some video games are too much). I've used the internet for years, but I've never been in this kind of state.

I don't know, perhaps I find the term "addiction" to be histrionic when applied outside an actual dependency. It almost seems metaphorical when applied to certain activities.

I don't agree with this theory at all. Computers calm me down. Yes, I can get overwhelmed using the computer but I take a lot of breaks and it calms me down when overwhelmed from people. As for the intense world theory in general, I think it's bogus. There is a a defect in learning social situations in autistic people. If this were for other reasons ("intense world") autistics would not have the ability to learn social intricacies and use them even if it still appeared unnatural. Special interests excite me too, but it's not like they aren't good for me either.

I think computer addictions are more common is ASDs because of our difficulty with communication and social skills and we do better online so we are more prone to getting addicted because of it and having it become out network and normal communication.

I had an internet addiction when I was 17 and I realized it because without it, I would be anxious and I feel funny inside and uncomfortable because I couldn't get the computer. Also the fact it was keeping me away from my nieghbor and other stuff I liked doing. So I had to fix that.

I don't consider it an internet addiction if it doesn't keep you away from your other activities and you are still able to live normally like going to work, doing things that need to be done and not getting anxious when you have to go without it and you are able to go out and not be anxious to get home to be online or when you arew on trips, not be anxious to find an internet access place. So if someone is on the computer all the time and they are still able to live normally and it doesn't run thier life and they don't choose it over other stuff, they don't have the addiction. I would say my first ex had it because he get anxious when he wasn't on it and wanted to be home so he can play his online game and also the fact he get impatient when I wanted to be on the internet and he couldn't even do other things, instead he keep bugging me to be finished. So I always went to my parents house for internet. Makes me glad I don't have that problem.

Computers calm me down too, actually, part of the reason I'm not really agreeing with the whole addiction/it's bad for you thing.

The intense world syndrome was kind of to the point for me, although I'm not sure if the conclusions are accurate for me. The vulnerability to/immediacy of other people's emotions is something I experience, but I am not sure what this means in a larger sense.

It serves this purpose for me as well. The stimulus from the light and colors bother me, but I have adapted by turning the brightness and contrast down. I think the benefit of the connection it provides is valuable and perhaps in some cases a life saver, particularly if a person is socially or physically isolated from the world.

I used to enjoy the stimulation of the brightness and colors of the Computer screen and the surround sound speakers that were hooked up to it. I couldn't get enough special effects from my TV. The same applied to going to the theater and the video games I played. I was addicted to the electronic stimulus, but eventually it overloaded my senses and became painful instead of pleasurable.

Yes, very much - I'm both at the moment (due to location more than anything).



I was fine (or at least felt fine) until last month, what's happened in the time since was learning as much as I could about autism/AS and more people moving in leading to constant overwhelming noise. Now I'm easily overstimulated by games i used to play for long periods of time, but this happens while there are small children making an huge racket and adults yelling at the children and each other because of the children. I have heard from at least one friend that just coming to terms with AS actually made her sensitivities a bit worse (which seems to be happening to me), but the other thing is making it hard to know because I spend at least part of every day overstimulated from noise alone, occasionally to the point of shutdown.

Just cause I read books all day, does that mean I'm addicted?

I mean I'd probably read a good book if the power went out and be a little peeved that I couldn't be on the internet. But for me and like most, video games and the internet are ways for me to escape, just like a book is. Without all three, I tend to find myself irritated, annoyed. And it isn't because I'm addicted, its because I'm overwhelmed, I need to escape. And I have no route to escape.