Aspies, what are your NT traits?

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List them here. Come on, you must have a few.

1) I LOVE touch.

2) I like having people around me. In fact, I need friends and ideally I'd see friends 3-4 times a week.

3) I'm not sure how many aspie girls like this, but I love shopping.

4) I can find people too much sometimes, but I don't get this "sensory overload". I'm OK with crowds.

5) I love talking on the phone.

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Just to convince you that I am an aspie:

1) I don't like the feel of anything too dry.

2) My social skills are poor.

3) I hate change.

4) I'm a geek, though I don't look like one.

5) I don't wear make-up. Again, I don't know how typically aspie this is, or even if it is typical.

-I'm not too bothered by most textures or smells
-I can pick up a lot of social cues
-I'm good at reading peoples faces
-I don't take everything literally
-I can deal with sarcasm, I grew up with it
-I'm pretty socially awkward but I'm not really really bad
-I'm not super intelligent like most people with Asperger's
-my social awareness isn't too bad
-I'm not too bad at picking up non-verbal cues
-I'm extremely bad at math

Loud music, bright lights and crowds don't bother me (e.g. concerts, raves, clubs, etc.)
Not afraid of at least trying to socialize, even if I do make mistakes.
Married, so I'm able to have long term romantic relationships.

I can instinctively understand body language, tone of voice, face expressions, emotions and intentions

I don't flap my hands or rock backwards and forwards or do other stims that are common in Autistic people

I make normal eye contact naturally (I only don't if I think about it too much at the time lol)

I am quite good at keeping friends with friends I have somehow made (making friends can be a little harder for me)

I don't interrupt people mid-sentence

I can filter out bright lights and smells

I can have normal sympathy/cry over sad things

I don't mind being touched (in fact I love it)

I am good with flirting

I am not too honest (obviously I'm being honest in this post, but you know what I mean)

I understand jokes and sarcasm, etc

I have an averagely good theory of mind

I am not signifficantly intelligent, just around average

I have normal posture/gait

I hate the mainstream but something in me instinctively wants to follow the mainstream at the same time because I don't want to appear different and I hate being ridiculed

I don't notice small details, although I didn't think this was an Aspie trait at all because often I've seen NTs pointing out small details that I haven't noticed


OK, in case you have thought, ''oh she doesn't sound like she has AS at all!'' you have not read the symptoms I have got. I seem to have the ''main'' symptoms:-

I get really anxious and stressed over small things that most people take for granted

I have an obsessive interest that I've let take over my mind and my life

I have sensory issues with sounds

I get depressed or anxious or upset if my routine changes (although sometimes I like it, depending on the situation and also what mood I'm in)

I have angry outbursts, involving ''toddler behaviour'' and hitting myself on the head

I have mood swings, involving ''sulky teenager behaviour''/out of control emotions

I am hard work at home generally

I have social issues, like becoming very shy in certain situations, sometimes saying something odd, not asking the other person questions in a conversation, and going on and on to close relatives about my obsessive interest


I don't believe ''empathy'' is an NT trait any more, but I am just going to add in under the NT traits category ''have social imagination''.

I like having friends and people with me (though I do need to be alone too..)
I can tell lies
I have some imagination

-I can interpret facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language (most of the time).
-I can pick up on humor or sarcasm (most of the time--I do misinterpret things on occasion).
-I don't have serious sensory issues as far as I'm aware.

On the other hand...
-Social interaction is not my strong suit.
-I have hard time making eye contact.
-I'm very honest, and at times gullible.
-I am sometimes oblivious to social cues (I tend to interrupt people mid-sentence, I might not be totally aware if you're busy and don't want me around, etc...)
-I am occasionally faceblind.
-I feel sympathy and empathy, though I'm often not great at expressing it.
-I have special interests.
-I stim...a lot.
-I have the occasional immature emotional outbursts/meltdowns/shutdowns.

NT traits:

I love affectionate touch (but I get slightly uncomfortable when I have to be in close physical contact to people, when the aim of touching is not to show affection).
I have a good theory of mind and I'm very empathetic (but I don't believe that Aspies are not empathetic and, besides that, so many NTs totally lack any theory of mind even towards other NTs).
I need to have close loving relationships with people (but I need my alone time too, lots of it).
I don't mind being at a concert in a crowd (but I dislike being in the midst of a public protestation, I perceive the mass of people as threatening and too much).
I read emotions from body language (part of it is natural, but part of it is trained in psychotherapy school).
I make eye contact (but I sometimes find that I get relaxed and forget to make it; usually, I keep it though, because otherwise I'm unable to focus very well - because of my ADHD, I need something to constantly keep me in check).
I can pick up humor and sarcasm, I am a witty person (but I cannot get NT humor at all times).

Aspie traits:

I have a very logical cognitive style, I'm an intelligent person too.
I am socially awkward and cannot pick up social cues and social rules.
I am much of a loner, need my alone time and get depressed when I am forced to be with people when I crave loneliness.
I get very exhausted by socializing, it never recharges my batteries, as it happens for some NTs (but I love people nonetheless and it also stimulates me, which I need because of the ADHD).
I have special interests that take up most of my time, are the core of my very being and are totally annoying to other people when I always talk about them.
I stim a lot (and combined with my fidgeting due to ADHD, it's very obvious I do so).
I am faceblind very often and fail to recognize people if they changed their haircuts.
I am very honest and tend to take things literally (I don't get innuendos).
I have emotional outbursts where I can't control myself, I shutdown if things are overwhelming for me.
I am a highly sensitive person (to some sensory aspects and especially to conflict - I cannot handle emotional conflict).

I am always looking for changes in my routine, but this is not an NT trait, it's because I need stimulation for my dopamine-deprived brain (due to ADHD). NTs do not understand why I cannot keep up a routine and why I cannot do the same thing for a long time. And Aspies think it's an NT trait. But it really isn't, it's very non-neurotypical too.

I also am very creative and also seem to experience art at a very deep emotional level, unlike the NTs I know, and I think this is because of my being an HSP (highly-sensitive person). So not that neurotypical either.

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Probably 75% Aspie, 25% NT... and 100% ADHD

Aspie-quiz results:
Aspie score: 138 of 200 / NT score: 78 of 200 => Very likely an Aspie.

* I like to be touched, although only when I am expecting it and then only by certain people such as my boyfriend or family.
* I can empathise very well in some situations (less so in others, but I'm sure that's the same for NT's too)
*I can manage small amounts of social chit chat OK if I have prepared what I am going to say. I have spent most of my life working in retail and I am told I am good with the customers, I think that is because there is a 'script' for every transaction which I know off by heart and I can break eye-contact while I put things in bags and take payment etc so it doesn't feel awkward.
*I don't think I am of above average intelligence, and I have no special skills unless you count an amazing memory for useless snippets of information that nobody wants to hear.

I understand sarcasm and have a good sense of humour (sometimes too sophisticated for my peers, but older people appreciate it)

I understand basic social cues (smiling, laughing, scowling, etc.)

I'm terrible at maths

I have a good imagination; I love writing stories

I like being touched (but only by people who know me very well, and only firmly; light touch drives me crazy)

However, I also:

Don't understand more complex facial expressions (raised eyebrow, fake-smile, etc.)

Stim (hand-flapping, finger-snapping, rocking, (I used to love spinning when I was young, but don't do it anymore because it makes me sick!))

Am terrible at phone conversation, can never tell when to hang up and stop talking

Sometimes forget to say hello to people, don't know when/whether to say goodbye in ambiguous situations (small-talk with a stranger for five minutes)

Have a fixed, rigid routine and get upset if anyone tries to change it

Am an extremely finicky eater

Get attached to random objects, have to remind myself they have no feelings and won't care if I ignore them

Have extreme sensory issues; can't tolerate noise, scratchy fabric, bright/flashing lights, specific food textures, or odours everyone else claims are nonexistant

Cannot make eye-contact while speaking or listening or I'll lose my train of thought

Have very specific, very intense interests that consume most of my free time and can last for years (right now they are Star Trek and Asperger syndrome)

I at least try to socialize sometimes.

I can handle being touched (as long as its not on my back, because of memories of being touched there painfully so it makes it hurt most of the time if I don't expect it)

I'm a bit less unflexible in my routines than many aspies (as in I can tolerate it and at least act OK, but it still annoys me a lot)

While I do stim, I don't do it often and most of the time it's hardly noticable.

I lie about having finished my homework

I'm sarcastic at times, and I can often tell when someone is being sarcastic if they are being obvious...based on context clues I guess?

I was not really known for following rules as a child. I mean breaking some rules makes me feel anxious, like leaving the dining commons with two cookies instead of the permitted one, but for some reason it doesn't bother me to poke around in restricted areas or have an alcoholic drink every few months (underage).

I use fiddle toys instead of spinning or whatever. I don't want anyone to look at me.

I have a small group of friends and a romantic companion. I think people discount my social struggles because of that so I thought I'd include it.

I enjoy performing and presenting things in front of a crowd. People say that I am a natural public speaker, but it's really an artificial skill that I have worked on. Strangely, I am much less awkward when giving a presentation than I am in person.

I am good at lying. I try not to do this so much anymore, though.

NT TRAITS:

-I enjoy being around people

-I don't have sensory issues with sound or light

-I don't mind touch (as long as it isn't on the shoulders or inappropriate places), however, it is OK if they touch both shoulders at the same time

-I don't have a "special connection" with animals generally, only my pets, but I believe that NTs also have a bond with their pet

-I prefer people to animals

-I am pretty good at understand facial expressions

-I have a pretty good sense of humour

-I do not have a "blank" expression

-I am not interested or good at math and most science (genetics is the only thing that interests me a lot in science, and even that, only the basics)

-I don't often say things that offend people (and when I do, I understand why they were offended)

ASPIE TRAITS:

-Meltdowns usually related to anxiety

-I have a special interest (though it is more NT than a lot of people with AS's and enjoy talking about different topics)

-I have difficulty making friends, especially with peers

-I dislike small talk

-I have very bad handwriting (like REALLY bad)

-I am not good at running

I'm incredibly adept at reading facial expressions. I also don't have the aspie bluntness, but my tendency to fumble clumsily in trying to hide my true opinion is probably pretty obvious.

There also doesn't seem to be any oddities to my voice or speech patterns. If I made a scripted video and posted it online, you'd never have a clue I had AS. My speech difficulties come in when I don't have something planned to say, so it will take me quite a while to respond at times, and I also use a large vocabulary and slightly formal speech at times (though at other times, I talk like a child).

My sense of humor is also pretty well-rounded, so I typically laugh at all of the appropriate times (sometimes I laugh at inappropriate times, though).

I drive with relative ease (only get nervous in the rain/snow, or when I don't know where I'm going), and I've seen that many people on WP have difficulty with driving. I'm actually a better driver than my NT boyfriend.

My handwriting is super neat, and people often comment on how nice it is.

- I'm very imaginative and creative
- I like to be around people I like.
- I can read facial expressions and body language.
- My face isn't expressive but my voice is. It's far from being monotone and some have even called it youthful and charismatic.
- I am good at making eye contact, even though I dislike it.
- I understand figurative language as long as it's something widely recognized and understood, ie: "hanging out" or "pulling my leg"
- I don't mind hugs as long as I'm expecting them and I welcome them when I'm feeling down.
- I am terrible at Math.
- Don't suffer from sensory overload and attend anime conventions whenever I get the chance
- I have multiple obsessive interests
- Will at least go out of my way to socialize with friends, so at least they know I care about them

However, I:

- take anything that isn't an established figurative expression or idiom literally. sarcasm is the worst.
- think very logically and irrationally, and don't let personal feelings control my actions towards others, even friends
- am horribly blunt and honest
- am easily confused with directions and commands unless they're clear and concise
- am usually unsure of how to reciprocate my feelings to others
- get frustrated and overwhelmed extremely easily and am prone to meltdowns
- am a perfectionist and always must have things a "certain way"
- hate when things change on me unexpectedly
- am obsessive with my interests to the point where I seldom ever do anything outside them during my free time
- tend to get obsessive over people I like, to the point where I annoy them. Yet instead of talking to said people, I prefer hearing them talk instead.
- still sensitive to loud noises and hate uncomfortable clothing
- stim when stressed or excited, and fidget a good deal in general
- am emotionally immature and still sleep with my teddy and like cartoons and shows like "Arthur", can't imagine getting married or drinking
- am also quite naive and gullible, although I've been working on improving it lately
- severely disorganized and can never meet the levels of tidiness and perfection I constantly set for myself
- learn things quickly and an autodidact

I here over and over again from many (not all) members here with autism that it is difficult to maintain a job. I have so far been able to maintain the same job for 24 years.