For those of us struggling with high functioning Asperger's; just be aware that a lot of the modern technological advances that we take for granted is the result of the hard work and dedication of people with Asperger's syndrome. Most, if not all the brilliant programmers and computer scientists in Silicon Valley have Asperger's. These people do not need frequent breaks or socializing; consequently, they are able to focus all their time and energy on what most would consider boring and repetitive tasks for long periods of time. Also the brilliant scientists who work tirelessly trying to discover cures for diseases like cancer, etc. are more likely than not on the spectrum. SO, having Asperger's is not necessarily a bad thing. People with Asperger's just need to chose solitary professions that do not require a great deal of social contacts. Careers like writing, research scientists, computer programming, etc. Also of importance is the fact that two of the richest men in the world; Bill gates and Mark Z are said to have Asperger's.
How cool is it that people these days are talking about their conditions online? I had been learning a great deal a lot about the conditions from a lot of Aspie RU-vidrs. That is a cool video and cool hoodie that you're wearing too.
I wasn't diagnosed until I was 19 and a freshman in college. I also have OCD ADHD Anxiety etc. I never really understood why I couldn't make friends and why I felt so different. The psychiatrist I went to between the age of 13-18 would just say I was overly sensitive (Which didn't help) and never even mentioned that I might have aspergers.. As soon as I walked into my new psychiatrists office that was the first thing she mentioned. I feel like it would have been so much easier to deal with if I had known at a younger age..
Thank you. Newly diagnosed ASD, AdHd, Dyslexia, and OCD.... And I needed to see/hear this. At 37 it's an eye opener and I'm trying to let my brain absorb this. I knew I was different...but yeesh.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I love what you said about not letting Aspergers define who you are. That's something I have to remind myself everyday. I'm not gonna lie though, if I had the choice of no longer having Aspergers, I probably wouldn't think twice about getting rid of it. If I'm being completely honest, I tend to see my Aspergers as some kind of curse, an obstacle I have to work really hard to overcome everyday...and it's very difficult sometimes not to feel discouraged and frustrated at myself. I'd LOVE to hear more from you about what your thoughts are and how you've come to be content with living with Aspergers. Thanks again man! :)
I have Asperger's syndrome as well. I have watched all of your videos and I enjoyed listening to your journey. I hope you come out with more videos. Your videos make me feel like I'm not alone and there are others that are going through the same things. Thank you for making your videos.
Thank you for sharing your story. My son and my brother have Aspergers. I have ADHD. From watching my brother grow up he never liked for people to know he has Aspergers, because kids can be mean about it. However, he also could not make friends because people couldn’t relate to him. I feel it’s important to let people know what their dealing with, even if you don’t give them the diagnosis, you can give them behaviors you’re trying to improve so they can be mentally prepared for how to relate to you or how to take you. I think it’s equally important to throw some humor in it because you’re not only letting them know this is how you are and you’re trying your best, but it also shows your self-acceptance and that your are still confident on yourself which I believe gains their respect and acceptance. For myself, I struggled with ADHD all my life and always felt stupid because I couldn’t keep up with what was going on because my mind was all over the place and easily distracted. As an adult, I learned to poke fun at myself to others so they would laugh with me, not at me.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and attitude towards you having aspergers. I hope to see more videos soon when you're not busy nate. I hope that your videos one day will reach out to others for understanding and awareness... :) 🎵🎶😎😺🎧🎤😄... Like this video.
Wow, I feel like this is me talking. Everything sounds so familiar. Really enjoyed your story, especially the ending. The message was definitely good. Xx.
As an adult, who was diagnosed in my 50's, my psychiatrist also was fearful of "labeling" me. He worked on each one of my oddities as individual items. Then I suggested that my family go in and talk to him without me so they could have an honest conversation. Afterwards, I was talking to my sister and she talked about my Asperger's. I had never heard of the term and went on the Internet to look it up. Not only did I fit the description, I also had the manual dexterity and coordination problems which were not part of the definition, but were listed as often accompanying it. It was a lot less stressful to have an identifiable condition than know one is weird, but not know exactly why. It is interesting that you chose acting while having Asperger's. I guess if you had to learn to act normal in a world of neurotypicals, you might as well make a living at acting. Most Aspies end up in the sciences. The only Aspie in the "theater arts" bundle of which I know was Alfred Hitchcock.
When I was in elementary school in the 60's, my mother took me to psychiatrists and psychiatry didn't have that diagnosis back then, since I could do well in school and weren't doing anything destructive, they weren't all that concerned. In the early 70's when I was in junior high and then high school, I was able to observe everyone else and fake normal, although it was tiring. My mom always commented the same thing that I didn't automatically say hello. I have never liked the concept that parents and others keep such secrets from a person because they think know how the person will react, because they know how they would react and that reaction would be negative. They mean well, but it is a mistake. This is especially true of people who have Asperger's. Normal people fear "labeling." Aspie's tend to accept their condition and try to address their problem areas.
Hey man, this is such an awesome video!! Thank you for sharing your life with people on the internet, not knowing how the outcome would be!! takes someone strong!! look forward to more videos!!
I am 27 years old and since I was about the age of 15 I have had pretty extreme anxiety and depression that’s never left me. I’ve isolated myself so bad because of it. But after a lot of research and my sister also agrees, I am sure I have some sort of autistic spectrum disorder. From first speaking up until I was about 5 I had a speech impediment that I had to see a therapist to fix. I couldn’t understand learning at primary school I would scratch my face and have melt downs in the classroom. Another thing I remember doing and still find myself doing it’s weird and I don’t know why. I used to get so fixated with spinning things. I would play with my cars like normal but I would also spin the wheels on them for ages. And on my bike wheels and my rollerblades 😂😂 I remember my friends getting annoyed because I was so in my world. It’s so hard to explain it but I could be looking so hard into let’s say a new phone. Like I have it in my hand to my face looking at every little thing but I am so into it. I have no idea. As I have gotten older socialising is so tough man I don’t know how to do it it’s like fight or flight. The only time I don’t feel like this is when I am drunk. I am so so so confident but there is times I do completely out of the norm things drunk just like everyone I suppose. Also online test show me on the spectrum. What do you think?
I would say work with a pyschartist to help get a physical diagnosis, it can be hard cause the spectrum has so many levels but if you feel like that word helps you understand yourself then good. But I'll still say go to therapist to help get those physical diagnosis and more tools to help you out!
Awesome video +Nate Pace when I was in Kindergarten I was said to have Autism back in (1996) 20 Year's ago I too didn't know about it until after I had graduated from high school 2 school Psychologists observed me when I was in Kindergarten and they noticed that I displayed signs of Autism. I was tested and I scored within the "BorderLine Autism range" I had little to No Social interaction with the other Students in my Kindergarten Classroom I sat in a chair and I would Stare up at the Light's loud Noise scared and startled me. But I would make " Loud Hi-Pitched Screaming Noises with my voice, vocal Stims" I found out back in 2013 that I had a Diagnosis of Autism back in (1996) I'm actually Hypersensitive to all 5 of my Senses Sight, Touch, taste, smell, and hearing certain things bother me or I won't eat certain things like meat I'm eating less and less of it. I feel the same way about autism being apart of you thank you for this video you did a great job explaining it. I found out through asking 2 of my friends about what they noticed and thought about me. Back in high school. One friend said that she was watching the Tv show Parenthood and she noticed that the character Max from the Tv show and I had some similar situations and thats how she noticed that I was AUTISTIC. The other friend sort of noticed the same thing she too said the the way I acted she could tell I was AUTISTIC. I found this interesting
How do you handle acting with aspergers? My aspergers makes my creativity very low, and I don't really understand others' behaviour. So I guess that is very impressive!
Well I kind of view it as a guide on how people act and that I absorb and repeat it and work around what the director has in mind. Sure I don't repeat everything otherwise I be one overdramatic guy lol it's basically like sifting through the expressions and such until you find the right one:3
I have a book called Appreciating Asperger Syndrome, and I ordered it from eBay. I also ordered The Rosie Project and the Rosie Effect also featuring a man with Aspergers struggling with romantic relationships.
i have aspergers. i don't tell people. people don't need to know. they should like me for me. i don't want them to look at me differently because of it.
***** And your friends shouldnt look you differently because you have Aspergers. They should accept you for what you are even if you do have it. My friends know and they dont look at me differently. They still see me as the same me. Im gonna say that its a good idea to tell your friends so they know the triggers what makes your aspergers have an aspie attack. trust me, they have helped me so many times when i was having a huge aspie attack
Umm.. I think I have it. Trying to figure out how to proceed. I know it comes from mothers side hence my grandparents insisted us to take gymnastics courses as kids. It might be good idea.
Ever hear of Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD)? Very similar to Asperger as it's over-sensitivity but more to sound which causes hearing difficulties and as a end result causes social behavior problems. Seems that it would be something to rule out before diagnosing Asperger.The test for CAPD is done through an audiologist, and the test is considered 99.8% objective. Knowing the difference can be helpful, you'll have a more accurate understanding of how to deal with this sensory input problems. (I tested positive for CAPD).
+Nate Pace Great to hear back from you. The audiologist who diagnosed me had me read book about it before I spend the money on the diagnosis. When the Brain Can't Hear, it's easy to find on Amazon. excellent book on describing the science behind the disorder, which can help you understand for yourself if it's a better fit than Aspergers.
Aspergers is not what we have, it is who we are. For some reason we have divided up Homosapiens into racial gender divisions. Mentality is our prime defining quality, we think and reason. Someone so different as autistics deserve our own subdivision on the human family tree, Homosapiens Autistia. Growing up mid-century I experienced things very differently. Childhood Autism was called Childhood Schizophrenia and Homosexuality was diagnosed a sever pathology, both deserving of institutionalization with electroshock therapies!! No wonder my otherwise wonderful parents/brother made excuses for me, "he is just shy/different" then dealing with family "shame bearing" a shame dump. Then adolescence rolls around with confusions pilling upon confusions ~~sigh ~~ Somehow it is survivable my advise ~~> learn to enjoy your solitude while experiencing all peoples, beware of smiling deceivers ~~ autists are easily used by others ~~ yet be kind to all ~~
And now that you finally realized that you have Aspergers', yet it would be better if your parents had told you that prior to your later years, but they had their reasons for doing so.
How do you handle acting with aspergers? My aspergers makes my creativity very low, and I don't really understand others' behaviour. So I guess that is very impressive!
