I made this list of possible Autism and Aspergers traits for myself after researching Autism Spectrum Disorder. I am not on the spectrum, but I present with many traits from this diagnosis because of childhood trauma. This list is not meant to be a medical reference. It is an informal list compiled from many sources, not all of them scholarly.
I am a fan of odd ducks and lone wolves and quirky characters, so I find many of these traits appealing.
(You may also want to click here Famous people with Asperger’s or on the Autism Spectrum to view a list of famous people with Aspergers.)
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Traits of Autism Spectrum Disorder Listed Randomly
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Detail oriented, catalog details
Unique sense of humor
Focus on issues that interest them to the exclusion of much else
Great memory for specific details especially from childhood
Heightened intelligence in the areas of their special interest
Honest
Fair and just
Desire to connect
Often challenged in advocating for themselves
Trouble imagining what other people are feeling
Trouble imagining how they would feel in a given scenario
Have difficulty being flexible
Have difficulty identifying and expressing their emotions
Unsure of what they want and need
Colorful and quirky
They face social challenges
Need a lot of recovery time after being social
Struggle to make decisions
Big decisions can cause tremendous anxiety, can even be paralyzing
Often express themselves in vague and ambiguous language
Highly intellectual
Committed to their beliefs, principled
Blunt when they do express opinions
Can appear to be cold and unfeeling
Often show some traits of the opposite gender
Seem uncomfortable physically, awkward movements
Will shut down when overloaded
But may also lash out when stressed
Courageous, unafraid to stand out and think differently
Trouble regulating emotions
Have trouble regulating sensory input
Have trouble regulating impulses and paying attention if not interested
Often have a narrow range of interests
Forgiving of personal flaws but can hold grudges about perceived slights
Often forget social niceties
May not explore their surroundings
Love routine and are very troubled by changes
Often disconnected from bodily sensations like hunger
Have trouble with self care
Experience sensory overload
Noticing details to distraction – like license plate numbers and signs
Very literal when interpreting language
Ethical
Trouble identifying when they are being misused
Stressed by questions that allow for subtlety
Often study people more than relate to them
Often described as oblivious or detached
Process emotional questions intellectually instead of emotionally
Unusual eye contact – too long, too little, strange times
Tendency to focus on odd details and not see bigger picture
Always thinking
Easily distracted if the topic is not them
Often have a high IQ
Place great value on fairness
May mask their Autistic traits even at great cost to themselves
Struggle with Theory Of Mind (My thoughts on theory of mind are here.)
When others’ suffering is made apparent, they want to help
Often misunderstood
Mind goes blank when surprised or overwhelmed
May freak out if plans change unexpectedly
Eccentric hobbies
Easily frustrated by social situations to a degree that can be painful
Always looking for patterns
Often have relationships with people that are much older
Limited facial expressions
Exceptional vocabulary but trouble with non-literal use of language
Have difficulty knowing whether someone is upset with them or not
Have lists of things in their heads that they should do or say to fit in
Have trouble discerning who would be a good friend or who to date
Often surprised to find they have hurt others emotionally
Often have low self worth
Often develop self destructive habits
Higher rate of depression and suicide
Can fixate on troubling thoughts
Often picky eaters
Frequently have gastrointestinal issues
Anxiety about meeting people in group settings
Like to share knowledge
Appreciate rules and order
More comfortable in structured environments like work
Often blind to how other people experience the world differently than they do
Often view sex as a skill to be studied rather than expression of feelings
More likely to be open minded about sexuality
Adapt themselves to their environment rather than adjust their environment to meet their needs
Often neglect themselves physically
Very stubborn about their rules
Accepting of others, judgmental about themselves
Like to make lists
Bad short term memory
Hate uncertainty
Often comforted by repetitive motions like rocking or hand gestures
Often very creative
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