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Adrie
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13 Oct 2007, 4:55 pm

I just posted some random topic in the random forum about how I feel nervous for no reason that I can think of. But actually, I'm not sure if this is how I really feel, or if I am on the verge of depression, or if I feel unsettled because I just moved into a new dorm last week, or what...??

When I am happy, I know I feel happy. That one is easy. Every other feeling is difficult to decipher. For instance, my first night back at college, I felt very homesick, but as often happens, I started thinking about the future and how nervous I was about that, and soon I was feeling nervous about that. I couldn't figure out what I was feeling.

Also - this is a bit personal, so bear with me - when I cry, most of the time whatever I am crying about turns into me crying about my dad, who died a few years ago. For instance, I'll have a bad day, get into an argument with someone, have something scary to do, etc., so I'll start crying about that, but minutes later I'll be crying because I miss my dad. What is that about??? (And please don't think I cry all the time just because of this post, 8O :D because really I don't.)

In The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome, I read that it can be difficult for Aspies to identify emotions.

Do you ever have trouble figuring out exactly what you are feeling?



Graelwyn
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13 Oct 2007, 5:18 pm

Yes, I do. And the result is that all the unrecognised and undealt with negative emotions build up until they erupt in a meltdown or somesuch.
I rarely experience such as happiness, excitement etc.
I can identify sadness and anger and stress.



ev8
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13 Oct 2007, 7:23 pm

Anger is easy. Sadness is a little trickier. The hardest part, for me, is finding out WHY I'm angry or sad or what have you.



OregonBecky
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13 Oct 2007, 8:31 pm

Sometimes some event gives me a stab of anxiety then as I go about my day, I'll notice that I'm anxious for no reason. Then I think back and realize that I had a shot of anxiety chemicals from an event a couple of hours ago. The anxious feeling doesn't go away for a long time even though I'm past whatever caused the feeling.


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Belfast
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14 Oct 2007, 2:51 pm

Adrie wrote:
Also - this is a bit personal, so bear with me - when I cry, most of the time whatever I am crying about turns into me crying about my dad, who died a few years ago. For instance, I'll have a bad day, get into an argument with someone, have something scary to do, etc., so I'll start crying about that, but minutes later I'll be crying because I miss my dad. What is that about???

I'd call that state-specific memory*, and I have similar dynamic with my emotions. As in, being upset about "Z" will remind me of other times or other things that felt like "Z", as if there were a vast well of connected reactions/responses that gets dipped into whenever my emotions exceeed certain intensity. Then it's hard to discern which thing I'm currently upset about, because it all blends together-like I've tapped an underground vein of pain.
*State-specific memory is description for how one often recalls things when in similar state again, such as times when I've been drunk make me remember other times I've been drunk-but it applies to all sorts of stuff that one doesn't think of until one is in that position or situation again. Not making light of your pain, merely using easiest example that I can think of for comparison.
ev8 wrote:
The hardest part, for me, is finding out WHY I'm angry or sad or what have you.

Agree-there can be several possibilities, but usually those are all true/relevant, more or less, so it's frustrating just trying to narrow down whether there's anything that I'm not upset about !


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