Can One Become More Autistic?

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I am wondering if a person with Asperger's syndrome can regress to become more autistic. I am thinking primarily of the autism symptom of autism, as I call it: obliviousness. That is, to avoid the frustration of attempting socializing with better awareness and failing, one can choose to subconsciously repress more social awareness and revert to a more autistic way of interacting. Although, in such a case, a person's social interaction skills would be worse, they would also not notice their failure as much.

I do think I am becoming more autistic now. It probably didn't help that my primary mode of socialization all summer long was on this forum, and so I've gone into an increasingly analytical mode of thinking.

I am becoming less motivated, more apathetic, less likely to laugh at jokes I would normally consider funny, and all around empty.

Last edited by NeantHumain on 19 Sep 2005, 12:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I'm also tempted to say I've become "more autistic" since I started college. Although, I think it's because I'm no longer as concerned about being "normal". Nowadays, I tend to go back and forth between "more autistic" territory.

Neant,

Dunno. It sound more like someone slipping into depression to me. Has that ever been an issue before?

BeeBee

(PS--you beat me to the color code! I had to look it up. Sorry)

Last edited by BeeBee on 19 Sep 2005, 12:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I don't think it's out of a lack of concern for not being normal; it's more a defense mechanism. I don't think it would be inaccurate for me to say that I am less socially aware now than I was two years ago.

Neant, you might be interested in this article: http://www.autistics.us/library/more-autistic.html

"Help! I seem to be getting more autistic!"

Thanks for posting that. I haven't finished reading it all but I can identify with a lot of stuff in there and it's very interesting.

You can't become more autistic then what you were but you do have bad years and because your older your expected to be able to do more things but normally thats not the case

I did come off an SSRI a few weeks ago, and I am going to a new college now. I wouldn't deny that my mood has gone downhill a little. However, my interactions themselves are of inferior quality now. Things like lack of imagination, literalness, and lack of understanding of social custom are picking up. It's like there's a thick layer of something between me and everyone else. Instead of feeling uneasy around other people, I feel nothing; there's a blur. My reactions to external events are slowed down even.

The avatar needs to be about 1/3 that size.

Autism can be marked by improving periods and periods of regression so as long as you are sure it isnt depression then yes i think you could be going through a regression. Unfortunately this is quite often followed by depression due to the lessening of capabilities.

Last edited by eamonn on 19 Sep 2005, 1:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I've felt like that but only after longish periods of non-socialising. Not what Pyraxis's link describes.

I don't think I've become more autistic, perse, but rather more aware of it. Good article, by the way.

I don't think it's your autism that is making you feel this way, I think it's more of depression if anything, and boy does it hit hard.

Do you know what I think personally? I think that you're in that mode where you're fed up of trying so hard in order to confirm and to be accepted, and after you try so hard, it backfires on you. Don't you get those feelings of frustration?

You're just tired of it all, mate.

If that's depression, then I was born depressed. So what do you call it when you 'improve'? Pro-pression? I used to always be like that all the time. Unaware of social inabilities, not caring that I had no friends etc. I 'improved', as it were, to being aware, to wanting recipricol communication for about 12 months. Then I just went back to normal, what I was beforehand. Also, I wouldn't call it a defense mechanism, not at all. Its just your sense of egocentricity changing.

I had a beautiful girl basically dancing on my lap trying to interest me the other night. I was, of course, interested, but otherwise incapable of showing it, evenwhile not knowing that I wasn't. This is what I call my egocentricity, and the thing that fluctuates. When the egocentricity is low, its easier for others to pass it and get through to the stage where I'm comfortable and want/try to engage reciprically. When its high, reciprocation and active seeking of communication is virtually nil.

I just came out of a period of being "more Autistic". For the first time in years, I feel like I'm having a good week.

More aware, but also more symptoms. Possible reasons:
Leaving relationship of 10 years (Oct 1 is 2 years out)
Gluten exposure (I am dx'd celiac disease)
Stress
Aging
Also a vicious cycle of getting overstimulated and as a result, having symptoms that are also overstimulating....
I have wondered for a long time if things like trauma can regress folks.
I have a lot of trouble leaving my house - if I get home from work and close the door, I can't bring myself to go out again.
I also have that thing between me and everyone else. I called it a wall. I've kept a journal or notebook most of my life (graphomania) and the wall is an ongoing theme.

laughing helps, I think. You might be an aspie is waning, but talk like a pirate, LOL