What would you say are the fundamental AS traits?

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I just read an extensive article on Avoidant Personality Disorder. Well, this could just as easily be 'me' as AS. I have many, many of the traits associated with AS. Nearly all of the basics cited but also some of the less common ones such as gait problems and sensitivity to light.

Comorbidity (such a lovely word isn't it?) creeps up alot. But where do you draw the line? Hell, I could have a half dozen disorders based on the idea of comorbidity. Many of the socialization problems of APD overlap with AS. Many AS traits overlap with everything from Schizoid, OCD, etc.

So what would you Aspies say is the penultimate indicator? Doesn't matter if it's just your personal opinion or a more official one.

As I understand it, people aren't born with personality disorders so complications from those start showing up later in life, where as with aspergers a person should have had certain issues from day 1. Can anyone with a proper education clarify this?

from my personal experience, if you are not raised with the knowledge of not knowing, or your parents not knowing, your having aspergers, you tend to assimulate to NTs early on, yet, ironically, other people will tell you of certain odd traits you may have that you never even considered... but if you are unaware of aspergers your whole life, and then suddenly read about it one day, and all the missing puzzle pieces fall into place, well, then, you may well have aspergers. it happened to me!

Michael gee

ps check out my awesome aspie songs!

http://www.myspace.com/mgeor

There is no way you would see clear signs of something like AS from day 1. You ARE right in that they happen EARLY though. WHAT 3 year old will have such food preferences, want various routines, relative isolation, etc....

As for basic AS traits, I WOULD list several definitive of AS, and they WOULD be by ANYONES measure, but they don't fit many here. Many here debate how significant most are. Most indicate a lot of things that COULD be indicative of other things, and declare that enough of them accepted by a doctor will qualify.

Steve

asperger criteria

I dislike the word co-morbid, with its suggestion of death. Co-existing condition would be better.

I would say that if an NT mind is a lot of flash cards on the right and a paint brush on the left, then an AS mind is a lot of holograms on the right and a drill on the left. (Hopefully you understand what I mean; I'm not intentionally being cryptic here. These things are hard to put into words. Because Aspies and non-Aspies can't take a look inside each other's minds, comparisons can be imagined but not directly observed.) It seems to me that the strongest indicators of AS are (1) a strong involuntary orientation towards sensory input and making sense of reality, (2) a weak involuntary orientation towards other people and making sense of other minds, and (3) a strong preference for depth over breadth, i.e. a drive to penetrate a few areas of interest as deeply as possible rather than skim a lot of areas without acquiring real insight in any single one of them.

Could you tell me what article, where? (Here or PM if you prefer.) I'm still trying the find the best fit. (Used to think ADD was 'it'.)
Thanks

willem, what do you mean by an "involuntary orientation"? (I can really relate to depth over breadth.)

I think that is well said.