How To Stop Thinking I'm stupid

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If you allow yourself to internalize the idea that you're actually average, not stupid, that should help.

I have a fairly high IQ but struggle a lot with translating ideas I have into reality.

Laziness, poor executive function (typical of ADHD and common with ASD as well), lack of energy, lack of ambition, etc can all contribute to that problem without invoking stupidity as the root cause.

The online test AQ can give you an indication with respect to Autism. It does not give a formal diagnosis but it correctly predicted my formal diagnosis.

Well scored 33 on the AQ test but still hate to think of myself of autistic and ADHD. And still wish I was a genius for some reason instead of average. I guess it doesn't help I got all these ideas stuck in my head but kind of hate to put in the effort to get them out.

Have you heard of pathological demand avoidance?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathologi ... _avoidance

When the AQ test gave me my score it attached the following comment:

Scores in the 33-50 range indicate significant Autistic traits (Autism).
Your 33 score is right on the boundary. I would think the only way for you to be sure would be a formal Adult Autism Assessment. But whether or not you get a formal assessment would seem to be—at this time—a matter purely of personal preference.



Crud! Thanks a lot. Reality is even messier than I previously realized.

► When I knew much less about ASD and before I took the AQ test I realized "Almost Autistic" had to be an option. Later, WP posts by Mona Pereth and skibum introduced me the to the term "Broad Autism Phenotype"

► As I learned more about ASD I learned that many of its traits were not unique to ASD. Sometimes appearing to have ASD might actually be due to something completely different. (For instance, my ADHD bride has many traits also associated with ASD, but she is not ASD.)

► And now I find out that sometimes appearing to have ASD might actually be due to something which might be possibly different



If the psychologists keep working at it we'll end up with diagnoses like:

This patient has <fill in patient's name> Syndrome ^{Wait a second! Is that what happened to Hans Asperger?!}

Last edited by Double Retired on 04 Jul 2024, 4:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I'd suggest PDA is more like a specific flavour of autism, rather than something that isn't autism.

Think I'm better off not knowing if I have autism or not. I'd be very upset if it turned out I actually do have autism and might make me worry about it more.

But why would you be upset? There are geniuses who are autistics. There are many people with autism who have good lives. You're talking to a forum in which nearly everyone has autism, and we are not upset by it.

I've figured out that instead of being autistic, I'm transgender!
I discovered that if I present as a female, I have no issues socializing!
I present so well as female that I have no need for surgery or hormones.

PDA sounds like a flavor of my inattentive subtype ADHD.

If you are doing OK without knowing for sure and would prefer not to know for sure then...fine!

Not getting a definitive answer, one way or the other, allows you to enjoy the possibility with no need to resolve it.

Actually really should stop obsessing so much over the possibility of having autism. It just ruins my self esteem. Doesn't help I'm spoiled and like to feel sorry for myself to try and get attention. I'm starting to think while I might have some traits I don't exactly have it but not entirely sure. I hear everyone can have some traits but that doesn't make everyone autistic.

Welcome to Wrong Planet.

As said by many Autistic people have a wide range of intelligence..

If you do find out you are autistic it is not like someone put a curse on you. You will be the same person you were before you found out. It will mean you will be living your life with a better knowledge of your issues. That means you can work with or around them to make your life better.

We are not robots. Every human has issues. Autism is a certain set of issues. There is no reason to be ashamed of autistic issues. Be it Autism or something else my advice is to find out what your issues are so you are not living your life blind.

Start thinking you’re extremely smart! Make brash and rash decisions! Strive for complexity! Speak as if every one of your words is god-anointed advice! Include your politics in your forums signature!

I understand having pets can help with this - even domesticated rats, which can show much awareness and knowledge of their keeper.

How is this relevant to OP's concerns though?