What's your autism quotient?

[Plato]

I got a 7, though I used to be kinda introverted.

I guess that's what going out to bars and clubs every night for a year (no joke- I barely missed a day) will do for you. Along with a massive student loan to repay as I pissed my money away...

[Tuumble]

26

I'm generally happier in my own company where I can do as I chose. I can get frustrated if I don't get what I want because I back down for other people. Not habit that I'm particulalrly proud of.

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by Tuumble

26

I'm generally happier in my own company

The same is said of most billionaire... so, now, you're halfway home... all you need is the billion...

.

[Inquisitive Raven]

I got 38.

Mind you, I've also been what might be called "half diagnosed" with Asperger's, i.e. I saw a child psych in the mid-seventies before Asperger's was a recognized diagnosis in the US, and he apparently told my parents that I have something "like autism."

Originally Posted by stephencp

Plus I forgot to mention that contrary to the popular belief that autistic people shut things out, there was a wonderful book written by a lady who was autistic as a child but whose father ended up putting her into a cow chute to calm her. It turned out (for her at least) that they shut down because they are bombarded with way too MUCH information from the world and don't have the filters that we have that filter out/stop alot of what we DON'T percieve. Autistic people might be getting way too much info - not to little. They can't shut out enough...

If you're talking about Temple Grandin, it didn't happen that way, and she's never been not autistic. What actually happened was that she saw cattle being restrained for some kind of preventive medical procedure, and noticed that they calmed down while in the restraint, so she built herself a similar device that she called her "squeeze machine." IIRC, her father had nothing to do with it. It worked, and she later found out that other people with her problems had a similar need for what amount to hugs sanshuman intervention. The advantage, apparently, is that the machine gives her the physical experience of being hugged with complete control over the amount of pressure applied. I first came across her description of the machine in Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism, although it's also in Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior which isn't about ausism per se, so much as it's about cognition in humans and animals. Grandin uses her autism as a bridge between the two.

As regards hymalaia's claims about mercury. I've mostly read the "mercury has nothing to do with it sites." However, I decided to look up the signs & symptoms of mercury poisoning and the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for autism. Guess what? While there's some overlap (no surprise, mercury's a known neurotoxin and autism is a least partly a neurological issue), they are not, in fact, the same. In addition, even if mercury does have anything to do with autism, it's not the vaccines because thimerosal was removed from most vaccines (the exception was the flu vaccine) after 1999 and there's been no significant change in new diagnoses/year in the 3-5 year old age range since then. Actually, most of the evidence points to genetic issues like a cohort study done in Israel that indicates that ASD's are correlated with the age of the father at time of conception. Yes, the father. I'd think that if it were mercury, the mother's age or history of mercury exposure would show a higher correlation. My dad wasn't that old when I was conceived but he did work in a lab that involved potential exposure to hazardous chemicals.

I could go on, but I think I'd better stop here. I'll get back later with a discussion of "theories of mind" when I find a book on autism that I've got hiding in the mess somewhere.

[lost in the woods]

Score 23

When I was at college many moons ago, I used to think I was introverted, but a fellow student who is introverted thought I was extroverted. This might have been a false assumption, as I did make a special attempt at being a more social person.

I find that other people don’t live up to my expectations, even though I know this, it still gets on my goat when they don’t.

A very interesting post.

[Max Power]

I got a 50!! Mainly because that's the Maximum and I'm Max Power!

Actually I got a 22, I never thought I was autistic, by my OCD sometiimes drives me nuts

Max

[hymalaia]

Originally Posted by Inquisitive Raven

I got 38.
As regards hymalaia's claims about mercury. I've mostly read the "mercury has nothing to do with it sites."

Most of your points have explanations but obviously if you aren't looking for them you aren't going to find them. Mind you there is a movement to write off those who believe mercury causes autism as fear mongering quacks. I agree that some are overzelous but it's understandable when you consider many are parents who believe their children were recklessly poisoned by the people they pay specifically to protect them.

Blaming autism on genetics alone is merely a convenient way to wrangle out of responsibility for the condition. Do you look at your life and where you are, realize it's not what you want and proclaim, "oh well I can't do anything about it, it's just genetics!". I don't think so, otherwise you probably wouldn't be at this site. The genetic explanation is disempowering as it implies that since their is no controllable cause, their must be no cure. Obviously there is a genetic component to autism but that doesn't account for the skyrocketing rates of diagnosis. Genetic changes don't occur that quickly. As to the theory that we just missed it in the past, well autistics (full blown, not aspergers) are really hard to miss. Just ask any parent of one. There is obviously something in the environment triggering the genetics. It may or may not be mercury, but it's something.

Also I did not say every case of autism/asperger's was mercury poisoning. Maybe yours isn't, and maybe researching the idea for you would be a waste of time. That's for you to decide but if you want to look into it you should research both sides of the issue in depth. I have more work to do but so far the evidence against vaccines is pretty overwhelming. Most of the so called "studies" citing their safety are quite flawed and designed to quell fears and give people reassurance, IMO. I find the main issue isn't so much the science as much as getting people to believe a sacred cow like vaccines could be dangerous. People aren't ready to believe the government isn't looking after them. They see what they want to see and hear what they want to hear, regardless of the evidence before them. I think something like 30% of Americans still believe Iraq has WMD...

But like I said, don't take my word for it. Go check it out for yourself. There's plenty of online information.

[Mammon]

19 for me. I'm getting there. When I become autistic I will lock myself in a room without windows and create the new google.

or someting...

[Amadeus]

I scored a 33. This doesn't surprise me at all. I studied the subject about a year ago and was convinced I had AS. I have all the traits. I hate change. I get anxiety being around groups of people in general. One on one contact with people is better for me. I get really fixated on subjects for a few months at a time, maybe even for a year or two. Then onto the next subject, hobby, or idea I'll start getting fixated on. I've been convinced that it is a nurture thing, and that this was how I was raised, with little emotional contact, but it could be a nature thing.
I've decided to embrace this as best as I can. I am in sales believe it or not. If it is true that people with mild AS love routine, then we need to embrace this and put in good habits and traits to put in our weekly routine. I've also found that having mild AS can be an advantage when it comes to dealing with others. As we all know, a lot of people love to talk and tell their ideas and feelings. Well, if we dont' have too much to say, then we are the perfect people for them to talk to. I've also notice that people, at work, seem to like being around me because I am not too pushy. Don't get me wrong, they probably wouldn't want me around a party or have several beers with after work, but then again you never know. I am trying to embrace and be happy with who I am.

[Gene]

At last I took the test today. I scored a 37. It was not exactly a surprise.

[Love]

Hmm, I got 17. It surprised me actually--I thought I would have a higher score. But the test asked a lot about details, and understanding what a person's thinking, which doesn't really have to do with introversion/extroversion.

[Dansy]

Rather unsurprisingly, I scored a 38
The talk about mercury is interesting, because as a kid i had one of the old glass thermometers (the ones filled with mercury) break in my mouth, and I swallowed a lot of it..also the possible connection between mercury and Myopia/Astigmatisms (I have both)

I have a lot of trouble finding the words for what i want to say, so more often than not i just end up saying nothing..

People get very unnerved when they are trying to talk to me, I'll just sit there with a blank expression on my face, saying nothing, and staring at anything but them (I find prolonged eye contact extremely difficult)

My interests seem to jump all over the place, I often No-life something for a few weeks/months before moving onto something else..

Anywhoo I'm rambling, so ill be off now

[rontocknell]

I got 14 which is apparently average. This kind of confirms my view that most of us have autistic traits. There seems to be varying degrees of balance between left and right brain. I am an artist as are many of my friends. Apart from our creativity, the main thing we have in common is that we are all dysfunctional to some degree in general (useless with money and/or relationships, inclined to make disasterous decisions etc.). I've noticed that people I know who lead well organised lives, keep lists of birthdays, save for Christmas and vacations and so on tend to pursue social rather than creative activities and are the ones most likely to say "I can't draw to save my life!" I don't think I know anyone perfectly balanced between the two.

[JoannaC]

I scored 20, which is on the high end of average. I have been seeing a counsellor for stress issues, and she has been really big with me on accepting who I am. For example, I was telling her that I really like spending time in my cozy apartment, with my books and my computer and dvd's. So she asks what the problem is, and I tell her the problem is I feel defective when people like my mother tell me I ought to go out more. She says that is total nonsense. If I really wanted to go out and was staying home because I lacked skills or confidence to go out, that would be one thing. But if I just really like staying home, I should not at all feel guilty about it

[Niki]

I have 26.

I think that labels like autism and asperger are limiting people to reach their full potential.

Imagine.

Your 15, your introvert and totaly enjoying yourself.

The teacher tells you parents that you are an introvert and that they need to test you.

You take tests and your labeled autistic.

Your parents say your not "normal" and that you are in need of special help.

You think you are just fine, and you argue that your parents are wrong.

Your parents keep pushing that you are Abnormal and special.

You are 15, unable to compete, and eventually you will accept that you are not a normal person, just because a so called test said so.

What kind of an impact is that gonna have.

This is a doom scenario, but I think it happens all the time.


I think parents should be aware of such labels, and know that they are just labels, based on a test, invented with the "science" of psychology. I think that psychology as a science, is rejecting to much new theories, and are sticking too much with old theories.

I don't like psychology. I have worked in a psychiatric hospital (as a gardener) and allmost every person that I saw comming in has gained a lot of body weight in the first month, and has totaly lost their feelings. this mostly because of the medication, with on top of that, a specialist that keeps reminding them of their baddest moments they had ever had.

I do like the groundbreaking work, done by new thinkers and people who aren't affraid of being rejected by the other psychologists.

Take a look at Steve Pavlina, Tony Robbins, etc. The theories, material and knowledge they provide are far more helpfull for people in trouble then the traditional material being provided by psychologists who are just "doing their job" instead of being passionate about it.

Happy I could express myself here!

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Hey, Niki. I scored a 26 as well when I just retook the test a few days ago. I am pretty introverted. However, the test even says that a score of 35 denotes Aspergers or High-Functioning Autism. Kids who have even one of those would really benefit from intervention, but unless they are super high functioning, it would be apparent much earlier in life. I have worked with lots of autistic kids and all have been diagnosed by age 5 at the latest. If someone is just really introverted that's different. I do think we over label people for sure, but it would also be sad for a child not to reach their full potential because of a fear of labels. Some of these kids wouldn't be able to function in society on their own if not for early diagnosis and intervention.

Just wanted to say that I definitely see your point, but I had a counter to that.

Best wishes.

[Andrew Brunelle]

I took the test again almost a year later and I scored a 26. Not a big surprise here. At least my IQ is in the 150 range.

[Marije]

Scored a 24. I'm an introvert, but I wish I wasn't.
I'm only 17 though, hopefully I'll find being social easier when I've been in college for a while.

[Ali from The Office Diet]

I got a 12 which surprised me -- I think of myself as fairly introverted. Though I definitely became much more confident/social during uni years (and in the "real world" of tech support since then!)

Ali

[modeca]

I got a 21. I'm very happy to be below average!