What Do You See as the Benefits of Having AS?

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StarTrekker
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09 Jan 2013, 2:18 am

This question has undoubtedly been asked before, but I'm curious to know what you see as the benefits of your particular variation of Asperger's/autism. For myself I'm rather fond of the marked visual memory it gave me as well as a long attention span and a curiosity for learning that has enabled me to become well-read in a variety of topics, not just my special interests. I also like that it has enabled me to be more open-minded than average and to think about things in ways I don't think many others do. Okay, your turn.


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Bubbles137
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09 Jan 2013, 2:43 am

For me, special interests and focus, which is ironic because when I was a teenager and had no idea what AS was, my mum thought I was getting too 'obsessed' with certain interests and literally banned me from mentioning them or reading about them because she thought it was 'unhealthy' but now I'm doing a PhD in my main interest and I love it!



kBillingsley
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09 Jan 2013, 2:48 am

I see how things work.



Last edited by kBillingsley on 09 Jan 2013, 2:50 am, edited 1 time in total.

Dillogic
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09 Jan 2013, 2:49 am

Benefit would be the memory; it's too good for the most part (it gets me through so many things and hides the severity of my other symptoms to the world).



ILMusic97
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09 Jan 2013, 3:12 am

Aspergers has caused me problems in my life, but im actually pretty darn proud i have it.
Because of aspergers i have:
A unique personality (Which is loved by alot of people).
Unique interests.
There are other things but right now i cant think of em. Lol.



Sylvastor
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09 Jan 2013, 3:19 am

StarTrekker wrote:
This question has undoubtedly been asked before, but I'm curious to know what you see as the benefits of your particular variation of Asperger's/autism. For myself I'm rather fond of the marked visual memory it gave me as well as a long attention span and a curiosity for learning that has enabled me to become well-read in a variety of topics, not just my special interests. I also like that it has enabled me to be more open-minded than average and to think about things in ways I don't think many others do. Okay, your turn.

I guess this sums it up.
Additionally I love my special interest/obsession and I hope that the amounts of time I spend doing it will pay off if I will ever be able to pursue it as a job. :)


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Bubbles137
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09 Jan 2013, 3:38 am

ILMusic97 wrote:
Aspergers has caused me problems in my life, but im actually pretty darn proud i have it.
Because of aspergers i have:
A unique personality (Which is loved by alot of people).
Unique interests.
There are other things but right now i cant think of em. Lol.


Agreed! I used to hate it when people said I was weird, but now they say 'unique', 'unconventional' or 'idiosyncratic' which are a lot more positive!



Wandering_Stranger
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09 Jan 2013, 4:47 am

Hyper focus.

There is (this will depend on what they are, of course) benefits to having certain interests.



Joe90
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09 Jan 2013, 6:59 am

Nothing, because AS has not brought anything good for me. All of the good things that I do have about me aren't unique anyway, they are traits what anyone could have, and all the bad things about me ARE unique, so it's kind of crap really.


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09 Jan 2013, 7:31 am

It makes my driving from point A to B seem shorter since I'm zoned out for most of the drive.



BTDT
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09 Jan 2013, 8:46 am

I think it has helped me to do very well on written exams--folks do tend to notice when your mark is the highest ever given for a particular exam.



lostonearth35
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09 Jan 2013, 9:46 am

-My long-term memory is very, well, long. I can actually remember certain things from when I was only around 12 months old.
-My attention and attraction to detail has helped a lot in my drawing and crafting skills.
-My reading and writing skills from early childhood.
-My resistance to peer pressure was especially helpful during my teenage years.
-My heightened sense of right and wrong.
-My unique interests.
-My resistance to society brainwashing woman into completely hating their bodies and spending thousands of dollars on worthless "beauty" products, constrictive clothing and dangerous surgery.
-My resistance to society brainwashing women into believing that they must be married and have children in order to be complete, happy, and have a purpose in life.
-My ability to enjoy solitude.



Minty33
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09 Jan 2013, 11:42 am

Joe90 wrote:
Nothing, because AS has not brought anything good for me. All of the good things that I do have about me aren't unique anyway, they are traits what anyone could have, and all the bad things about me ARE unique, so it's kind of crap really.


Nothing is unique in that respect. If everyone with the diagnosis had a good memory, then none of them are unique. You surely must have traits which separate you from the norm? :)



Bubbles137
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09 Jan 2013, 12:00 pm

Today I got my exams mixed up, thought I had cognitive psychology but it was actually biological. I like that my long term memory is good enough that I could actually take the exam without having a major meltdown although I'm sure I'd have done a lot better with revision!



Rudywalsh
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09 Jan 2013, 1:11 pm

I like being different from the norm, plus I’ve had a hyper sensitive mind all my life. I’m a lucky aspie whose mind does a few tricks or skills whatever someone wants to call them. Take away the anxiety and depression my life would be perfect.

If I lived again I’d ask for aspergers again, it’s made my life more interesting.



Magnanimous
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09 Jan 2013, 2:22 pm

The main benefit is not being a blithering idiot.

But in all honesty, I've always been the way I am and can't really imagine being any differently... so I can't think of things in terms of benefits nor flaws. I simply am the way I am and that is all there is to it.
Being saved from idiocy through sheer virtue of a few genes is a good bonus though.