How "normal" do you appear?

Hi,

Today I spoke to someone, and decided to mention my AS to see what she thought. She does not believe I have it, she says everyone she's met with AS had an obvious problem with interaction, and I seemed to connect well with others, I was just an introvert. However, she did mention it was a grey area between "AS" and "normal". But she also mentioned it's ridiculous to give a diagnosis to someone just for being a little different, and that people with high IQs are often misdiagnosed with things (I'm flattered she thinks I have a high IQ, but I honestly doubt this, I just thought I'd mention her point).

Do you appear "normal"? I know giving psychiatric diagnoses isn't an exact science, and there is much variation between individuals with the same diagnosis. I do score borderline on the unofficial aspie/neurotypical test though (apparently I have both aspie and neurotypical traits). I noticed a lot of people on this forum score higher than me. Of course, I don't take Internet tests too seriously, and I've seen three psychiatrists in my life and none of them have doubted the diagnosis. It's certainly the diagnosis that best describes my symptoms, so I'm comfortable with it. I just want to know what others here think.

I think I look fairly normal, if not a bit quirky and with a hint of "eccentric intellectual" I guess. As for AS, when I first tell people (I haven't told many people) they usually say "no, that can't be right, but when they think about it a little more, they think it does make sense. Even my mom. At first she was skeptical but the other day she was telling me that she had read a lot about AS since I told her I had it and she says she can remember many instances where, as a kid, I acted in a very AS way. Those were all incidents I didn't remember personally. So I thin I do appear fairly normal (but quirky) but when people know more about me and about AS, they can see that I have it.

I don't know honestly. Although, I've had my fair share of people either flat out tell me that I was odd or weird...or simply react to me in a way that they let me know they were not sure what to make of me. Everyone always tells me I'm smart...hell, if other people didn't tell me all of the time I'd seriously doubt my IQ was above average. Between my HORRIBLE short term memory, and social ineptness...I feel very stupid most of the time.

When I read your question I first thought of outer appearance, as in dress. I do dress a bit odd...although, I feel it's normal...lol. The only reason I know it's odd is because of all of the people who tell me. lol I wear shorts almost all year around, and no I don't live in Florida or a tropical island. lol it's just what I feel most comfortable in. And I have this obsessive need for wearing cotton. I don't like other materials very much. oh, and I usually pick out one particular brand of clothing and stick primarily with that. For example, I've been wearing Airwalk shoes for like ten years. lol

I think I appear relatively normal. When I was younger I desperately wanted to fit in so I must have appeared really manic but now I don't care about stuff like that anymore.

It's funny what you say about IQ - I never felt intelligent either even though I knew my IQ was high and I passed examinations and all that kind of thing. Even now I can get doubts about myself especially if I have a mental 'panic' because I can seem really stupid.

I am always more intelligent when working alone - I don't work well in a busy office.

Have you wondered if the people you ask about how "normal" you appear, may actually be the right people to ask? Some people get used to you, other people don't notice at all and that may be the reason they handle you well. It's kinda hard to know if they are being honest too. Just remember that.

For the short term I can fit in an appear normal. It's over the long haul where being AS would eventually come through, either with a stim or to much social interaction and begin to feel uncomfortable or I end up saying something that I see no problem with but offend someone or one of the other miscues we are good at.

FredOak3 wrote:For the short term I can fit in an appear normal. It's over the long haul where being AS would eventually come through, either with a stim or to much social interaction and begin to feel uncomfortable or I end up saying something that I see no problem with but offend someone or one of the other miscues we are good at.

^This. And i look like a weird slob because i don't care much about appearances.

I don't think I come across as "normal", but then, I'm not really trying to. I'm not going around telling the world I'm an Aspie or anything, but I just be however I am and don't particularly make an effort to be any different to how I naturally am. I get by ok as I am, so I don't feel any need to or have any interest in trying to be like "normal" people.

Physically I think I look normal, and most of the time I act normal, but there are times where people give me weird looks. For example, when people cry I always run out of the room because I don't know what I am supposed to do. I know people also look at me or think I am mean when they try to talk to me and I don't respond. Most of the time it is because I don't know what to say, but sometimes they think I am mean. I also have other quirks (i.e. OCD actions, ADD actions, etc). I am not sure what is AS and comorbid conditions or what is just me.

... less than i might have hoped. interestingly, tony atwood identifies a number of visual characteristics of those having AS. i can't off the top of my head remember what they were but i do think that people subconsiously pick up on them and treat us like we're retarded or something. this is exactly how i get treated by my sister, and many other people too.