Is it possible to be autistic without social impairment?

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CrystalChild96
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04 Feb 2018, 8:46 am

Here are my characteristics that align with ASD, disability or not:

Slow language processing (expressive and receptive, with delayed speech as a child)
Poor executive functioning
Self-regulation (trouble stifling tears, irritability, thin-skinned, appropriating voice volume)
Bouts of perfectionism
Low pain tolerance
Fatigue
Poor numeracy
Generalised anxiety
Depression
'Stimming' (twiddling hair compulsively, though not in public)
Rumination
Self dialogue (similar to Dan Howell's "I Talk To Myself" video)
Shallow sleep (frequent awakenings during the night)
Unconventional friendships with adults and males (I'm female)
Psychosomatic pains (unbearable tightness around waist and limbs, possibly tactile hallucinations?)
Leaky Gut Syndrome


Points that could contradict autism:

No social impairment (I'm on level with neurotypicals: I naturally pick up on social cues, talk when solicited, empathize and emote with my body)
Love of physical intimacy
Lack of sensory issues
Good to average motor skills
No special interest or obsessive behaviour
Witty humor
Discriminating fashion sense and aestheticism

So, is it possible that I'm autistic?



naturalplastic
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04 Feb 2018, 9:50 am

You would have to go to a professional and get the battery of real tests in order to be truly diagnosed. Strangers on the web cant really say.

I lack many traits of AS, but have some. But I was official diagnosed with aspergers a couple of years ago.



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04 Feb 2018, 10:20 am

If one doesn’t have social deficits as a child, I feel it would be difficult to diagnose such a person with autism.

Some autistic people, in time, learn to compensate for initial social deficits; therefore, it’s possible for an autistic adult to have little to no social deficits.

I was diagnosed with classic autism, and I had most of the severe symptoms. These days, however, my social deficits are evident, but I have developed compensatory strategies.



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04 Feb 2018, 10:40 am

Pretty sure social difficulties are very much core to ASD. However, it's not required that you think that you have social difficulties and, particularly as an adult, they can be masked by learned strategies or not become evident until demands exceed limited capacities.

Have you tried the AQ (Autism Quotient) test? You can find it here:
https://psychology-tools.com/autism-spectrum-quotient/

A score of 26-31 is a borderline result, and a result of 32+ indicates probable ASD. You can find more details about how to interpret results here:
http://aspergerstest.net/interpreting-aq-test-results/

Note that this test isn't a diagnosis; it just checks whether you have traits commonly associated with ASD. It's entirely possible to have these traits but not have ASD, and it's also possible to not have these traits but still have ASD.


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AceofPens
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04 Feb 2018, 11:32 am

Social impairment is a pretty important symptom, but it's possible that you're overestimation your ability. I thought I was skilled when it came to socializing until I asked other people what they thought and the unanimous consensus was that I'm incredibly inept. I had no idea. I'm perfectly comfortable when I'm interacting with people - I just don't realize when I'm slipping up unless someone points it out. Maybe you should ask someone who knows you well for their opinion. You might be surprised.

Also, while you're searching for a disorder that fits your traits, I'd suggest sticking with the diagnostic list. Although it's certainly true that many of the symptoms you listed are associated with autism, they're not always indicative of autism specifically; they occur with many different disorders. It will be easier for you to figure out if you have autism based on the diagnostic traits, I think. Otherwise, you end up looking for answers in gray zones where many disorders overlap, and it can be very frustrating.


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naturalplastic
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04 Feb 2018, 12:03 pm

If the question is stated as simply as it is in the title "can you be autistic without social impairments" then I would also say "no". Social impairments in childhood are the main ingredient of autism IMHO. But it sounds like the OP might have social impairments. She makes friends with grown ups more easily than with kids her own age (or was that way when she was a kid) for example. In her particular case it might not be so simple.



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04 Feb 2018, 1:15 pm

It is, i know of one who is officially diagnosed and we're the opposites of each other when it comes to social interaction.

Autism is not: "Here are x diagnostic criteria that you need to fulfill"
Autism is: "Here are x diagnostic criteria, you need to fulfill y of them"

And even if you still do not fulfill some criteria, the professional doing an adult diagnosis usually look to what you were when you was a child.


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Joe90
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04 Feb 2018, 2:22 pm

Might not be an ASD, could be some other neurological disorder. Many other disorders share some ASD traits, like ADHD, dyspraxia, and even anxiety disorders.


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04 Feb 2018, 4:48 pm

I can not disagree with what has been said above.

If your "traits" are messing up your life go get it checked out. Getting the correct diagnosis can help you. This does not change if the diagnosis is not autism.


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05 Feb 2018, 3:41 pm

How were your social skills as a child? Some high functioning autistic people can learn to "pass" as neurotypical by using logic and social cues they've picked up over the years, though we'll never be quite at NT level and during times of stress or overwhelment we can regress a lot.



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05 Feb 2018, 4:12 pm

No you cannot be autistic and lack social impairments. If you have other symptoms, I think you would get a different diagnoses like executive functioning disorder, anxiety disorder, depression, OCD, body movement disorder, learning disability, whatever fits you the most that can get you the support you need in it. Also symptoms can look like autistic symptoms but are not because of overlap.


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MariaTheFictionkin
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05 Feb 2018, 4:26 pm

Reading these posts really make me question the possibility. If one cannot be... let's say, autistic and have social anxiety then I don't know what to consider.

If someone is autistic and has properties similar to that as having social anxiety, would that mean that the autistic person cannot have that anxiety 'cured'? As opposed to someone with social anxiety and no autistic traits which I'm assuming from things I read that it can be 'cured'? I'm sorry, I'm very clueless with these sort of things. .-.

I have yet to get a diagnostic so I can't say what I would be diagnosed with.


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naturalplastic
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05 Feb 2018, 5:21 pm

MariaTheFictionkin wrote:
Reading these posts really make me question the possibility. If one cannot be... let's say, autistic and have social anxiety then I don't know what to consider.

If someone is autistic and has properties similar to that as having social anxiety, would that mean that the autistic person cannot have that anxiety 'cured'? As opposed to someone with social anxiety and no autistic traits which I'm assuming from things I read that it can be 'cured'? I'm sorry, I'm very clueless with these sort of things. .-.

I have yet to get a diagnostic so I can't say what I would be diagnosed with.


Social anxiety is not the same thing as "social impairments". Someone who is good at interacting socially might have social anxiety. And someone who is totally inept at reading social cues, and etc, might never have a hint of social anxiety (never get anxious about a coming party). The fictional Sheldon the BBT would be an example of the later.



MariaTheFictionkin
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05 Feb 2018, 5:25 pm

naturalplastic wrote:
MariaTheFictionkin wrote:
Reading these posts really make me question the possibility. If one cannot be... let's say, autistic and have social anxiety then I don't know what to consider.

If someone is autistic and has properties similar to that as having social anxiety, would that mean that the autistic person cannot have that anxiety 'cured'? As opposed to someone with social anxiety and no autistic traits which I'm assuming from things I read that it can be 'cured'? I'm sorry, I'm very clueless with these sort of things. .-.

I have yet to get a diagnostic so I can't say what I would be diagnosed with.


Social anxiety is not the same thing as "social impairments". Someone who is good at interacting socially might have social anxiety. And someone who is totally inept at reading social cues, and etc, might never have a hint of social anxiety (never get anxious about a coming party). The fictional Sheldon the BBT would be an example of the later.


Ooooh, I understand now. Thanks.


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