Things you're not afraid of, that most NTs are

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Fern
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28 May 2019, 9:18 am

So on these boards we often talk about things that cause us more anxiety than NTs. However, I've also noticed that NTs seem squeamish about a lot of things that don't phase me. I wonder if any of you have a similar experience.

Things that many NTs fear, but I kind of enjoy:
- the dark
- insects and spiders
- being alone
- clowns



kraftiekortie
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28 May 2019, 9:21 am

I'm only afraid of a few insects.

Otherwise, I'm not really squeamish.



TwilightPrincess
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28 May 2019, 9:23 am

I don’t like the dark. I’m not afraid of insects but they gross me out. I’m neutral about clowns, though, and I usually enjoy being alone.



Joe90
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28 May 2019, 9:51 am

Heights


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kraftiekortie
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28 May 2019, 9:53 am

I'm only afraid of heights if there's no "protection" against me falling. Or anybody else falling.

I don't like seeing people placed in a position where they can fall a long ways.

I see people taking pictures on the Brooklyn Bridge. In places where one slip could cause a VERY long fall.



IstominFan
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28 May 2019, 9:54 am

Due to my Toastmasters training, I enjoy opportunities to speak in public. The only thing I don't like is when I don't do as well as I could because I haven't had adequate time to rehearse. I don't like sounding tired or like a fool.



Joe90
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28 May 2019, 10:25 am

Quote:
I'm only afraid of heights if there's no "protection" against me falling. Or anybody else falling


Same with me, but I meant I am not afraid of heights if I am safe, where some people are afraid of heights when safe.


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MagicMeerkat
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28 May 2019, 10:28 am

Snakes
Insects
Spiders
Opossums
Skunks


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EzraS
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28 May 2019, 10:46 am

Fern wrote:
So on these boards we often talk about things that cause us more anxiety than NTs. However, I've also noticed that NTs seem squeamish about a lot of things that don't phase me. I wonder if any of you have a similar experience.

Things that many NTs fear, but I kind of enjoy:
- the dark
- insects and spiders
- being alone
- clowns


I know autistics who are afraid of all those things.



dyadiccounterpoint
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28 May 2019, 10:48 am

IstominFan wrote:
Due to my Toastmasters training, I enjoy opportunities to speak in public. The only thing I don't like is when I don't do as well as I could because I haven't had adequate time to rehearse. I don't like sounding tired or like a fool.


I enjoy public speaking as well and also hate lacking time to prepare adequately. NT's seem have an overwhelming insecurity about it.

I suspect they are more concerned with judgment from the audience, especially if it is composed of peers. I personally don't care about such things. Don't get me wrong, I very much enjoy making a good demonstration and it gives me a nice adrenaline rush when everything is going smoothly. That being said, it's easy for me to see the audience as animate objects. I don't mean that in a malicious way like I'm belittling their personhood, just that my lack of deep connection to the broader social fabric makes this kind of speaking easier.


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Joe90
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28 May 2019, 11:21 am

I thought fear of public speaking would be more common in autistics, or NTs with social anxiety. That's what I've read on WP countless times.

I fear public speaking by the way.


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jimmy m
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28 May 2019, 11:52 am

Joe90 wrote:
I thought fear of public speaking would be more common in autistics, or NTs with social anxiety. That's what I've read on WP countless times.


It is a function of training. If an Aspie prepares for a presentation, they actually can do quite well in presenting and gain quite a bit of pleasure in doing well in this area. A presentation is like a monologue. And Aspies are known for their ability to talk hours and hours on their favorite special topic. In a presentation you have a captive audience who will listen and not automatically walk away. Part of the goals of a presentation is to keep the presentation interesting. Some presenters will start off with a joke. Others may have the audience stand up and stretch for awhile. I normally bring an item along related to the subject that I will be discussing. It is like show and tell. It grounds the audience into something tangible. I remember taking Spanish in my freshman year of high school. The Spanish teacher brought in a real shrunken head to class and passed it around the class. Her father had received it during a trip to South America from a remote Amazon tribe. Good way to gather everyones attention. I also methodically prepare for whatever questions may be asked afterwards. On one presentation, I had prepared a 100 presentation slides for possible questions. And guess what, I was asked every one of those questions. I was on the hot seat for over an hour answering questions. It was one of the best presentations I ever gave because I was totally prepared down to the finest detail.


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lostonearth35
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28 May 2019, 12:14 pm

Things I'm not afraid of that most NTs are:

Bats
Most insects
Most rodents
Snakes
Spiders
Being alone
Public speaking
Clowns

Things I'm afraid of that most NTs are not:

Vomiting
Dogs (unless they're very friendly)
Cars, vehicles
Crowds
Riding bicycles
sex :oops:



EzraS
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28 May 2019, 1:35 pm

I'm told probably as a result of my autism that I'm rarely startled by anything.
I'm not afraid of being alone but I fear being abandoned because I need support.
I would not fear public speaking but I would have to do it with an AAC if I planned on saying more than a few words.
I'm not afraid of anything that doesn't pose an actual threat.
Except riding roller coasters. I have a phobia of that. Unless given benzodiazepine. Then I can't get enough of them.



dyadiccounterpoint
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28 May 2019, 1:42 pm

jimmy m wrote:
Joe90 wrote:
I thought fear of public speaking would be more common in autistics, or NTs with social anxiety. That's what I've read on WP countless times.


It is a function of training. If an Aspie prepares for a presentation, they actually can do quite well in presenting and gain quite a bit of pleasure in doing well in this area. A presentation is like a monologue. And Aspies are known for their ability to talk hours and hours on their favorite special topic. In a presentation you have a captive audience who will listen and not automatically walk away. Part of the goals of a presentation is to keep the presentation interesting. Some presenters will start off with a joke. Others may have the audience stand up and stretch for awhile. I normally bring an item along related to the subject that I will be discussing. It is like show and tell. It grounds the audience into something tangible. I remember taking Spanish in my freshman year of high school. The Spanish teacher brought in a real shrunken head to class and passed it around the class. Her father had received it during a trip to South America from a remote Amazon tribe. Good way to gather everyones attention. I also methodically prepare for whatever questions may be asked afterwards. On one presentation, I had prepared a 100 presentation slides for possible questions. And guess what, I was asked every one of those questions. I was on the hot seat for over an hour answering questions. It was one of the best presentations I ever gave because I was totally prepared down to the finest detail.


This comment is astute.

I think very deliberately about tone and inflection in terms of maintaining interest. It's fascinating how many different ways one can state the exact same sequence of words and the impact that "way of saying" has on people. I mimic a lot of what I've seen from actors/politicians/pundits. This "way of saying" seems to me to be the primary skill required to do any of these occupations.

What I love about a highly memorized speech is that I can stop thinking about the substance of what I'm saying and focus my attention entirely on the whole tone/gestures kind of aspect.


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dragonsanddemons
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28 May 2019, 1:50 pm

Animals of any sort (with the exception of internal parasites - I have a true phobia of them)

Death

Blood

Darkness


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