Positives and negatives of Asperger's

Positives for me are:

An ability to concentrate on one thing at a time for quite long periods.

Insatiable curiosity regarding the world, science, the arts, anything else that interests me.

I feel happy being alone and other people are not a requirement for happiness/mental well-being.

Not being obsessed with small-talk, popular culture and other unnecessary things in life.

Being happy with simple things in life, not wanting the next fad or invention just because it's popular.

A logical, unemotional mind.

Negatives:

Anxiety over change, biggy for me.

Obsessional behaviour, especially regarding health.

Disinterest in others. 

Having to force myself to be sociable for the good of others. I do sometimes wish I was more sociable, but, when I force myself to be I think I come across as false.

Sensory issues with sound, extremely good hearing.

Obsessing over small details that don't matter to other people. Sometimes it can be a pain wanting to get things exactly right, instead of "about right". I can obsess over filling a kettle correctly, getting water just hot enough, that kind of thing.

This world is new to me (diagnosed only recently), but to the positives:

• I can be made happy just by seeing a bird, reflection of lights, counting tiles or bricks on buildings. And I cannot believe that sunsets are different every day! I can be fascinated in the same way every single sunsetIf I was Little Prince I would spend my whole day moving the chair around the planet...
• filtering out nonsense
• laughing with other people at my deadpan sense of humour - this is the thing that gives me a sense of connection most

I love the comments on this thread. The natural world is us! We are part of the universe and must begin to recognise that.

I walk my dog every day iin the countryside and am disappointed when we come across less wildlife every year. Fewer birds, deer etc make me feel sad.

Compromise between agriculture (food production ) and diversity of species is a big question we need to consult.

take care Laddie.

I notice a necro above but my list is almost identical to the OP's I have a all or nothing attitude to things, especially for things that hold my interest.

I currently have severe anxiety and though doctors conflict their findings depression which is somewhat a vicious circle with my aspergers and mental health, I get the desire to do something but the lack of energy even if the passion is there means I don't do it which means I feel mentally drained all day which means I haven't done enough activity to just sleep so I either get insomnia which I never know what time I will fall asleep so can't plan when to get up, or fall asleep instantly and wake up 2 or 3 hours later not being able to get back to sleep or waking every 5 minutes as my brain is used to being awake at that time.

Hello connor9o9s

Sometimes people st school talk about kissing, girlfriends and sex as if they have these experiences, so it can seem as if they are having these experiences even if they are not. Lots of people your age and older haven't had a girlfriend or boyfriend. My first partner was not until i was 21. If you are not confident speaking with girls, building up confidence and skills in communicating is something you can work on now. It will be important for the future because it is one part of a good relationship.

And I notice that you know what you find difficult and can express this. Knowing yourself is an important part of gaining confidence in who you are, and being able to communicate  this with important people in your life is part of good communication in all kinds of relationships, including if you have a girlfriend in the future.

All the best.

Some of the positives for me is that I am really good at some subjects at school and sometimes I get really interested in certain things like technology and science and I watch videos and learn things. But there are also too many negatives....

i have trouble focusing on what needs to be done and end up doing what I want to do so I end up procrastinating all the time until the last second. I can never put in my full effort into anything even the subjects that I am good at unless it really interests me so I end up getting mediocre grades although I could get much better grades. For example a few year ago I played the drums and did it for a few years and was really good at it without even practicing  at home only playing it for 30 mins a week but I just wasn't motivated so I dropped it because it didn't interest me. I also have a lot of trouble connecting to my peers and classmates especially talking to girls.... I really fear for my future and whyher I will have a gurlfriend, have a wife or even just have sex or any sexual contact which I do want to have some day but I can barely talk to a girl let alone start a close relationship.

i really wish I could think of more positives.....

Pro - being fascinated by everything

Con - being fascinated by everything

I agree, my brain wants to know anything and everything that is going on, which is really interesting, but it means I can't focus on something for too long.  I'm currently studying for a chemistry degree and I am doing my work but then I come across something I haven't seen before, then I research that and then find something else to look up.  It may benefit me in the long run as it's all chemistry related, but it's not helping me do my assessments!  Because my upcomming assesment is on global warming but I'm ended up looking into molecules and elements a bit too much  :\

What a superb responce, clear and honest by very beautful. So much of what you you say about enjoying the detail and looking and listening for whats around you is so real to me. I am fascinated by the tiny glimpses of beauty that everyone else seems to rush past without a glance. 

I know what you mean about sounds too. We went to the science museum this summer and I nearly freaked within minutes of getting inside because the air was full of whizzes and clunks and crackles that all demanded being analyised. An amazing place but my brain maxed out continually by all the stuff that caught my attention.

Thanks for your post as its been a real ray of sunshine.

Dunk

Hope, my list would be exactly the same.  Being on the spectrum has a lot of challenges, some of them rather difficult to live with, but I would never change who I am.

I love how I see the world differently than everyone else.  Having the curiosity of a child.  I do photography occasionally because I love different colours and textures, but also because I like to show things from a different angle.  I tend to notice what others don't.

I love how fascinated I get over the smallest thing.  I spent ages looking over how gemstones and minerals are formed in the earth, and why water vapour and methan are greenhouse gases where as nitrogen and oxygen are not.

I find I appreciate everything around me that bit more.  I have a great sense of respect for everyone(if deserved) and people like me for being honest.

But, yes, the constant stimulus in the brain gets a bit much sometimes!  When I'm out and about I can hear every little noise and it's hard to make sense from it all so having conversations when there is backround noise just doesn't work for me.  Also, smells!  Bleh.  I can smell everything and I find a lot of it unpleasant.

But, as unpleasant as it is, I'd definitely not change it.  So what if I don't have lots of friends, the (2) friends I do have (that includes my partner) I know are really good friends.  My only friend who is a girl loves my honest bluntness.  I still don't phone her up for a chat or talk to her everyday, but I'm here for whenever she needs me.

I might change my confidence though.  I have all this wonderful enthusiasm for everything but being called stupid and distuptive all my life has nearly destroyed that in me.  It's taking me time to rebuild.  So, I do wish I never took those people (students and teachers) in school literally because I've spent my life believing I was stupid.  But, I've just ordered a book on Amazon called Our Mathematical Universe and I'm very interested about Max's views on how numbers are important to the universe and just generally a new way of thinking.  Don't think stupid people would be able to read this book.

I'm very open minded so I'm very accepting, so things like racism, religious hate, judgement, etc, doesn't exist with me.  Anyone who wants to get to know is welcome to.  I'm also good at keeping secrets because I don't feel the need to gossip.  I like how people can trust me like that.

Positives:

• very fast brain (good for many things)
• intelligence (don't think it'd be as good if I wasn't Aspie
• ability to notice detail (good for catching people out!)
• good at research (this has served me very well on many an occasion)
• persistence in obtaining justice
• perfectionism
• means I understand my children (they are on the spectrum)
• dissociative traits mean sometimes I can stop worrying
• creative problem-solving abilities

Negatives

• sensory issues
• anxiety
• my brain is wired extremely badly for maths, which I think is a result of over wiring elsewhere
• socialising is extremely draining and requires a lot of cognitive effort
• I get upset easily by peoples' moods (look up Intense World Theory of autism)
• apparent co-morbid ADHD traits which complicate things
• OCD traits are a bit frustrating when I'm in a hurry
• hypervigilant (although that can also be a positive)
• can't multi-task well and housework is a beast that hangs over me
• derealisation
• GI problems
• negative outlook (although I prefer to call it realistic)
• emotional extremes

I don't know, there are probably more for each list but this is what came to mind.  BTW I think that your "Endlessly curious and interested in things" trait is definitely an Aspie one.

On the positives

A real clarity of vision which can see past immediate obsticles and cuts away most of the surrounding nonsence. I have come to realise that I actually think like a Sat Nav planning and recalculating a route or task. (I think most NT's quite like the nonsence they fill there heads with so I try to keep my mouth shut on that topic!)

Cons... a Sat Nav metalliy is a bit wearing to listen to and infuriating if it does make a mistake.

A lot of your other negatives sound very familiar but for me these are a fall out from the anxiety and depression and leave my head spinning. 

Dunk