Autism in adults

[aut??]

Has anyone got any experience of autism in adults leading a seemingly normal life, with normal intelligence, whether themselves or someone they know.

I strongly feel, although never diagnosed to date, that I am so.

[Peghead]

Hi Aut??, my cousin has autism and he's 34 but it is quite noticable. I did quite a lot of research for his mum while the doctors were trying to diagnose him and one thing we looked at was Aspergers Syndrome. It's not as severe as Autism but it carries very similar characteristics.

A lot of people suffer from Aspergers but don't realise it and live a fully independant life but just have that feeling that something's not quite right. If you google it you'll find loads of websites and there are some really good books around, I got a few off Amazon.

I hope this helps x

[janetsflower]

We have just discovered that my ex husband has Aspergers Syndrome and have only found that out becuase i recently had my son diagnosed. Having read loads of boks on the subject (I can recommend a few if necessary), things began to slot into place about why my ex did a lot of the things he did and even he recognised himself in the texts. He leads a successful, normal life but is relieved to know why he has always felt a bit different!

[indie_chic]

I know a guy with pervasive development disorder (this is a form of autism). He works in a book store and is also a fitness instructor at a health farm. I have known him for years and the only clue I hadthat something was different was that he never looked at my eys when he talked to me, I just thought it was an eye thing. Then I noticed he doesnt really get jokes, or humour and it clicked that he was probably autistic.

I really like him, hes not the life and soul of the party and he has some pretty quirky ways but really you just cant tell.

[mimififi]

I think my husband is autistic. Granted, many autistic characteristics within the autistic spectrum are largely 'male' characteristics, but he has so many of them and some to such a degree that i would put money on it. From stories I have heard from his mum about his behaviour as a child and at school, I don't doubt that if he were in school today he would definately be referred to the ed pyche. It was only when I was training as a teacher and began to read and look up on autism that I realised.

My husband leads a very normal life. I guess he would come under the aspergers, or high functioning autistic spectrum. He is one of the brightest people I know and has specific talents that border on excellence, one being music the other being maths. He kind of gets most humour, but has to have things spelled out for him. He is not big on subtelties and doesn't have any close friends. He demands excellence in others as he can't bear to have things not right and has many 'systems'. Some things his is fastidious about, other's he couldn't care less for. He doesn't always cotton on to irony or sarcasm unless very obvious (which is a bone of contention for us as I am a very word-gamesy type person) he doesn't always get dead pan humour either, but does have an obvious bannana skin humour. He doesn't need people in the way that I do or need to talk things over, he just assesses and solves. He likes to follow protocols and processes and works and works until something is finished often forgetting to eat/sleep etc etc, very single minded. Think a male version of Chloe o'brien from '24'.

Having said that he is now a seniour manager for an investment bank in the city and doesn't even have a degree. so I guess he leads a normal life, however, I have met many of his colleagues and all I will say is, he seems to fit right in!

[milly143]

My brother was diagnosed with autism when he was very young and didn't speak a word until he was about 6 years old and against from advice from doctors my parents decided to send him to a 'normal' school. Now in his mid 20's, you would never know unless you were told that there was every anything wrong with him. He keeps his emotions very close to his chest, which I have been told is a symptom of autism but then you could just say that's his personality. He has certainly gone on to live a mature and fulfilled adult life.

[aut??]

Thanks all for your input.

I used to be far worse. Im more outgoing than I used to be, having been almost silent during my teenage years, but cant sustain eye contact and find I cant hear or understand what people are saying if i do make eye contact.

Having done some research on the net lately, I seem to tick all the boxes.

I have letters after my name, although have distinct learning difficulties in wordy subjects and dont understand what people are asking me a lot of the time.

I struggle to initiate and maintain conversation, and people generally refer to me as a caveman type due to my lack of social skills.

[gerkin]

As primates we show an extreme alertness to where others are looking. Though we consciously control where our own eyes hover and land, eyes have "minds of their own" as well. We feel compelled to look at objects and body parts which our primate brain finds interesting (e.g., faces, hands, and trees)--or to gaze away from what it finds distasteful. In response to feelings of shyness, submissiveness, and stranger anxiety, an inner primate voice warns us to be careful and to "watch where we look." In crowded elevators, e.g., our eyes cannot roam freely across another's faces (as they can, e.g., freely watch media faces pictured in magazines and shown on TV).

[Lonnie]

Some experts believe that everyone has Autistic tendencies to some degree, I tend to agree with that thesis.