Patterns

Post Reply New Topic

Recently, I went to the doctors to try and find out about if it's possible for me to be tested for an official diagnosis of aspergers syndrome. Mostly, it went reasonably well - I could barely talk because of stress (unfamilar person, unfamiliar situation, etc etc) but I had mainly expected that, and brought a printout of what I wanted to say and ask. For the most part, the doctor seemed to agree with my self-assessment, but one area which she kept coming back to was patterns.

As far as I'm aware, patterns arent a major issue to me - when I do something, I like to do it as efficiently as I can (in terms of effort, not speed), but I've never really noticed any particular patterns of behaviour in my life. The doctor did suggest that I may simply not notice something like that, but it's worrying me - when I do get to see the psychiatrist for diagnosis, how is this going to factor in?

So, this seemed like a sensible place to ask -

How important are patterns to you? And, also, what type of things do you make behavioural patterns around?

I'd like it if as many people as possible responded with their personal take on the matter- what sort of things you build patterns around, how strictly you try and keep to them, how much it botheres you if that's not possible, any information or personal experiences on this theme.

(updated to add final poll option)

I take notice of numbers and like to work with even numbers or those divisible by five. I will add/substract samples from experiments when possible to keep to this so long as it doesn't mess up the experiment. 3, 7 and 9 are okay numbers too but not odd numbers above 10.
As far as patterns of behaviour I actively try to avoid these as they are so hard to break. I come to work at different times each day but can't get out of the habit of always staying until the last minute and nearly missing the last tram home (I am allowed to work when I like anyway and sometimes stay all night then go home when everyone else comes in the morning). WP is becoming a habit when I sit and try work at my computer (like now!). I also try to vary my route to work sometimes to not get stuck in a pattern.
when stressed/in meetings I doodle and draw squares circles spiderwebs and flowers symmetrically.

I have a reasonable interest in color patterns. I like to sit down and draw curves and color them in in a set-pattern. This also works well to reduce my stress levels. I have an eraser board at home with diferent colored markers that I use to draw and color curves while I talk when the conversation has made me uncomfortable or I find myself stressed or nerveous and need to think.

By patterns of behavior do you mean specific routines that you follow (or don't )? I have some routines that I follow for the sake of my sanity.

Interesting thread, by the way. I just talked to my therapist yesterday and she said she's not sure if I have Asperger's because I can keep a job.

Edit: One of my routines is the exact order in which I do the tasks involved in taking care of my 12 bird every night, such as who's cage gets cleaned first, cleaning the cages before changing their water, etc. etc. It doesn't sound all that important, but I get really pissy when my mom tries to help and throws my routine off!

Thanks for the support, Tempy! I thought so, too. Everything else fits!

In terms of routine?

I go to the library every day and get a litle angsty when I don't also comming to this forum has become a bit of a routine pattern of what I do when I come to the library. I sit on the same table wiht my gf every time and I look at the same magazine of bonne a pettite when I feel I am ready to leave.

I eat at around the same time every day. Eat the same food when I go to mc'donalds (two double cheese burgers no pickle add mac sauce lettuce and tomatoe or dbl cheese burger no pickle and a chicken sandwich add cheese). in general i deviate from my diet very little. Or from the authors I read or the kinds of movies i watch (I watch rocky horror picture show everyday on a repetitive loop around 5 pm for at least 3 hours).

THe list could go on :X so im done

heh, i work in a buissy wearhouse and the dr told me not to long ago (he saw me for 5 mins, the first time in 2 years) that my childhood dx of HFA was wrong simply because I could handel the buissy environment, dont worry about the fact that I can work alone, routine based systematic work.

Anyways, i thrive on routine, absolutly lost without it, take a while to adjust, its very important to me man.

I had always thought of 'patterns' and 'routines/rituals' as being two separate concepts - but now that I think about it, I guess it is all part of the same thing. Here are a very few examples from my own life:

- I get annoyed when people don't organize their cutlery drawer properly, with knives on the left, forks in the middle, and spoons on the right

- when I am washing cutlery, I always pick up three spoons at a time and wash them, or three forks at a time, or three knives at a time. I never mix them. If there are two spoons and one fork left over, I will wash the fork by itself

- when I go on the Internet, I always check my favourite websites in exactly the same order first, before I do anything else

- when I arrange ornaments, I always make the arrangement as symmetrical as possible

- when I eat sliced bread or toast, I always cut it into squares with each square as close to the same size as possible (my little Aspie family members prefer perfect triangles), and the butter must be spread as evenly as possible all over

- when I drive, I always follow set routes to the various places I frequent

- ever since I was a toddler, I have loved sorting things by colour, shape, or size

- when doodling, I draw elaborate patterns

- I love looking at patterned surfaces and seeing faces and other amazing things

- I have a 'getting ready for work' routine where each step is always done in exactly the same order

- I don't like poetry that doesn't rhyme (doesn't have a pattern)

- when I vaccuum the floor, I do each area exactly the same way and in the same order every time

I'm big on patterns in behavior. I like looking at patterns of color and such, and will draw the same things over and over and over sometimes, but I'm more likely to talk about behaviors I notice in people as far as patterns go, as well as in myself.

I'm always finding patterns because i enjoy it im sure some of you are the same

I have been pretty routinised for as long as I remember,tho obviously, the routine can change at times.
For example, sitting in the ASDA cafe has been a part of my daily routine for about a year now, give or take a few months, and if I don't sit in there at least once a day, it feels very strange and not that comfortable. I tend to take the same routes walking to places, I stick to the same places for clothes, I eat the same foods for long periods and I have to have things in certain places mostly.

In terms of the other kind of pattern, I am always noticing patterns, whether they are of the geometric kind or on a larger scale.