How obvious do you think you are?

Post Reply New Topic

pretty obvious when i don't try to actually hide it (like at home), but when i do try to hide it it doesn't always work and people suspect there is something off with me...may or may not be an ASD.
according to someone, "half the school thinks you're ret*d".

Apparently it's obvious that I'm autistic (or, for the less knowledgeable, "something wrong with me") to everyone I come across. I make zero eye contact. I talk in a monotone. I have difficulties with speaking (am part-verbal), I stim almost constantly, I have severe sensory issues, and I have no social skills (my dad says I don't have any anyway).

Think I've learned to hide it pretty well. Can do all the right things for long enough, but tend to find excuses to avoid the long drawn out social stuff where I find it difficult to make small talk. Probably just come across as a bit shy occasionally, unless I've had a few drinks to build up a bit more courage, when sometimes I can 'overcompensate' a bit.

...well.........

Based on what I'm told....on a scale or 1 to 10 of having obviously visible autism....I'm about a 7 or 8......And if things are going really badly more like a 10.

I imagine from what ive learned on here, that i would probably light up light a christmas tree.

Because i dont flap my hands when talking.
I dont make strange head movements when talking.
I say what i mean. directly.
I dont look into peoples eyes.
I dont really pay much attention to people around me, im more fascinated with other stuff i see.
I doubt i have any body language what so ever.

That reminds me, i did actually meet a girl over the internet a while back, apperently she got so mad offended by my lack of eye contact and body language she didn want to talk to me anymore, apperently i wasnt interested in her.

Its a brave new world out there. And its not easy hiding.

I'd say im pretty obvious. I can hide it to a certain extent but not for sustained periods. Things like eye contact and being "awkward" probably mark me out.

Initially, I figured I was not at all obvious. Until this weekend, when I met someone who did autism research. Apparently, it?s fairly obvious.

Something similar happened to me. A classmate (who is interested in psychology and is studying it) asked if I had it.

However, the majority of people have said I fit in well. I also like to think I do. People have said I only come across as "slightly awkward" and I'm not actually that bad at all.

Random people often don't give a second though about my behavior.

Most people just say "You actually have pretty decent social skills, you just look like you don't know what you're doing"

I am only now starting to appreciate the job my parents did raising me. They exposed me to a lot of social situations when I was young (e.g. dinner parties, etc.) that allowed me to practice things (e.g. proper behavior, manners, etc). I figure that this has allowed me to get by, at least initially. I am guessing that, eventually, people figure it out when they engage with me in a longer conversation (which I am not very good at).

My parents forced me to multiple dinner parties as a kid. These only resulted in me having meltdowns and locking myself in the bathroom stimming constantly. The only way I learnt what little I know about people is after I got diagnosed with ASD my dad would coach me about people skills and how they work. Problem is I seem to not be able to retain this information well so my dad has to repeat himself.

It's apparently obvious to the psychologists who have been assessing me these past months but I don't think I'm that obvious unless people know what to look for. My friends all think I'm fairly "normal".

The same here. My psychologist spotted me within the first minutes, but he is a specialist and I came to him for that specific reason. I come across as a nervous, easily stressed person with fluctuating eye contact. People have, over the years often told me :"You´re a very strange person" (without telling me why), or looked a little weird by certain expressions of mine, or when I answer a rethorical question.Over the years some people have said something about "in your own world".

Last edited by Jensen on 27 Aug 2014, 4:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I can relate to that. People have, over the years, told me that I'm quite rigid when it comes to plans and that I come across as anxious and easily stressed (my tolerance for stress is very low). They've also told me that sometimes it's like I'm there with them but off someplace else in my head but overall people think I'm "normal" and I'm sure most people would be surprised or wouldn't believe me if I told them I've got Asperger's (haven't received the official diagnosis yet though I was told yesterday that it's pretty much what the psychologist think I have and that I'll get the official result of the assessment soon).

They still think of an 8 year old rigid minded train spotter

My autism manages to go unnoticed when I first meet people. This is because I'm good looking (about an 8/10). So when people meet me, they tend to think that everything else about me is "good" as well; they think I have a good job, a good social life, good social skills, good dating life, etc. Only after talking to me for a while do they realize that I'm a social ret*d. This is especially true of guys, since guys are so visual. Women usually know right away when meeting me that something is off.