What Is Aspergers?
There are plenty of 'scientific' or 'medical' descriptions of Aspergers, however generally speaking they are of little help to the average person looking for answers. With this in mind we've collated what we believe to be a user friendly guide for both Aspies and neuro-typicals, as well as information on understanding and managing Aspergers.
If you would prefer to speak to a Consultant about Aspergers (free of charge and without obligation) we would be happy to answer your questions and discuss your situation. You do not need a referral or even a formal Aspergers diagnosis. We are an established Clinic based in the UK and also work with clients all over the world. We work from 11am to 9pm seven days a week
Our contact number for UK residents is 01782 855585.
For international callers our number is 44 1782 855585. Be sure to check the time differences between your country and the UK.
A Brief Aspergers History
Aspergers syndrome was first identified in 1944 by Hans Asperger - an Austrian doctor. He noticed how certain children in his care lacked nonverbal communication skills, didn't empathise with their peers and tended to be physically awkward or clumsy. It wasn't until the early 1990's that Aspergers became generally accepted as being a unique condition. However, in 2013 the DSM-5 (essentially the medical rule book) dictated that Aspergers Syndrome would cease to be classed as a unique diagnosis and instead would be included within the wide ranging Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) group.
Diagnosis Of Aspergers
Diagnosis is statistically most likely to take place between the ages of four and eleven. This is the age range where the symptoms (and difficulties) associated with Aspergers become most apparent. It is of course true to say that many adults may have Aspergers but for one reason or another have not been diagnosed.
Although there are greatly conflicting statistics as to what percentage of the population is affected by Aspergers (ranging from 1 person in 200 upwards) - there seems to be agreement that males are four times more likely to be affected than females.
It may be pertinent at this stage to point out that a formal diagnosis does not change any aspect of Aspergers and thus in itself is little more than a label. The reason we raise this point is that many people perceive 'diagnosis' as being some sort of goal, which when achieved will somehow cause things to change. Unfortunately 'diagnosis' is little more than observation, box ticking and adding up a score. Even if the score indicates a person does have Aspergers, it is merely a label and doesn't (in itself) change any of the difficulties they face. Thus, whilst diagnosis of Aspergers has its place - taking positive action to deal with the difficulties is of far greater importance than simply giving those difficulties a label.
Even if you've not been diagnosed with Aspergers, or whether you demonstrate the traits but your assessment score fell short of that required for a formal diagnosis - what you do in terms of managing your symptoms, compulsions and emotions can make a huge difference in your quality of life. Thus whether you are a formally diagnosed Aspie or not - you can help yourself by using the right approach. If you are a concerned parent, chasing 'diagnosis' alone will end in disappointment. If you wish to help your child you need to learn how to help them rather than merely labelling them. The ability to truly help an Aspie lies in understanding the process behind the condition... which is far deeper than merely recognising the outward symptoms. You can learn more about this on our Aspergers Treatment page.
Characteristics Of Aspergers: Social Interaction Difficulties
A typical Aspie can find social interactions difficult, particularly with new people. Whereas a neuro-typical person would 'instinctively' read voice tonality, facial expression and body language as part of the communication - an Aspie needs to consciously focus on these things. As an Aspie needs to dedicate so much effort to consciously reading a person in order to fully understand them - on account of the huge quantities of information being processed, it can become emotionally overwhelming. It is rare for an Aspie to 'lack empathy' or 'not care' - rather they have to work exponentially harder than a neuro-typical person in order to attain such empathy.
The fact that social interactions (particularly new people and groups) are such hard work for Aspies means that they can associate anxiety with such situations. This is how any healthy person responds to a potentially challenging situation. Unfortunately anxiety tends to result in avoidance behaviour and thus it becomes instinctive for many Aspies to create behaviours which remove them from uncomfortable social situations. The obvious problem here is that avoiding the situation doesn't fix it. In fact avoiding social interactions and moving towards isolation means that an Aspie sidesteps the very situations they need to become proficient in. If you don't experience something - how can you learn from it? Thus a cycle is created where what seems to be the intuitive solution (avoidance) actually becomes a major contributor in maintaining the problem.
Of course the last thing an Aspie (or any human for that matter) wants is to feel uncomfortable. This is why it is important to learn the process behind the problem and to address it directly. Our Consultants teach our clients how to take the 'guesswork' and the 'hard work' out of social interactions. Rapport is easy to gain when you understand the process behind it, and the truth is that you can gain rapport with anyone once you understand how to read people properly. We also teach our clients how to perceive social interactions differently so that they become pleasurable and fulfilling rather than a daunting experience. Anyone can learn these skills as they are both simple and structured... our youngest client being seven years old and our oldest (to date) was ninety-one!
If you're feeling anxious at the prospect of working with us, that is merely the social discomfort we described earlier playing up. If you don't take action to fix it, nothing will change and you'll have it for the rest of your life! If you want to feel better and turn down the emotional intensity of the 'bad stuff' - we can help you to achieve that and more. It is your choice.
Characteristics Of Aspergers: Rigid Language Perception
Aspies can struggle to perceive language beyond its most literal meaning. Thus, where a neuro-typical would instinctively read metaphorical meaning in a statement an Aspie would struggle to rationalise anything beyond the literal meaning of the words.
An example such as "he is a night owl" could instantly be translated by a neuro-typical to mean someone who often works or plays into the early hours of the morning. An Aspie could initially interpret the digital meaning of the words as being he is a feathered nocturnal predator with large eyes.
Obviously there is a sliding scale of intensity in this respect. Some Aspies are at the extreme end of the scale where almost all language is rigidly interpreted, whereas others are far closer to the neuro-typical norm and can generally understand metaphor and analogy as intended.
This problem actually arises because neuro-typicals (due to their brain wiring) have effectively become lazy in using language substituting generalised information in place of clean, specific information. This can, from time to time, cause misunderstandings between neuro-typicals. However, it causes far more of a problem for Aspies. When we show parents how to better interact with Aspies we teach them how to 'clean up' their language and communication skills.
The neuro-typical brain is wired to generalise, distort and delete information which manifests in their thoughts and subsequently in their language. Although an Aspie will also distort, delete and generalise to a degree - the parameters are often considerably more narrow meaning that they struggle to understand (neuro-typical) language beyond their own individual parameters.
We have devised a simple way of bridging this 'parameter' gap which any Aspie can learn and any parent can teach.
Characteristics Of Aspergers: Sensory Perception
Aspies can be easily overwhelmed by sensory overload. It is not proven that Aspies have superior senses, rather it is the way that they process the information gathered by their senses that can be overwhelming.
A common example would be if a neuro-typical were to enter a room and smell onions, they would think "I can smell onions" and would be initially very aware of the smell. However, after a short duration they would become accustomed to the smell and would cease to pay attention to it. An Aspie would not become accustomed to the smell, rather the intensity could actually increase over time rather than decrease. Thus the Aspies sensory perception of something quite innocent could quickly become neurologically and emotionally overwhelming through overload. The more the Aspie notices the smell, the more they think about it - the more they think about it the more they notice it, etc. The cycle rapidly spins out of control resulting in them feeling overwhelmed. As anxiety increasingly manifests the Aspie is not only compelled to escape the situation but also 'learns via the anxiety' to avoid such situations in the future. Once again this is another example of learned avoidance which unfortunately doesn't help to address the underlying problem.
The actual underlying problem has more to do with the thought process and generated anxiety than it does with the Aspies (in this example) sense of smell. We teach our clients (Aspies and parents) how these 'thought processes' work and how to change them. The truth is that ongoing anxiety is generated by thoughts on the inside - not situations on the outside. Thus by understanding and re-engineering the thought processes the emotional responses can be changed. With practice this can be done within seconds of a bad feeling being noticed... and over time this becomes a new habit. Essentially both neuro-typicals and Aspies can learn to deal with their 'troublesome thought processes' instinctively over time. Although this may seem like science fiction - it isn't. We merely teach people how their thought processes and emotional software really work. Once you understand this, to a large degree, you can choose how you respond and feel - rather than constantly being on the receiving end of intrusive thoughts and unpleasant emotions.
If you want an improved quality of life, something has to change. What better way than to address the underlying cause of the problem and symptoms?
Characteristics Of Aspergers: Restricted Interests
People with Aspergers typically display a high intensity of interest in one or more narrow topics. This displays the power (and in some ways a potential benefit) of Aspergers insofar as focus is concerned. The downside, when coupled with social interaction issues is that an Aspie can fail to recognise when their restricted and very intense interest is not shared by other people.
It is easy for an Aspie to get caught up in the 'flow' of talking about their interest which directs their attention away from the actual social interaction with another person. Thus, whereas a neuro-typical (in most cases) will intuitively pick up on another persons body language, facial expressions and signs of disinterest - an Aspie in full information flow is unlikely to do so. The Aspie's emotional connection to the information that is of intense interest to them, essentially becomes unaware of whatever else is occurring at the time. For a neuro-typical on the receiving end, unaware that Aspergers is a factor - it could appear the other person is at least a little odd and possibly inconsiderate or rude. Of course in reality it is merely an Aspie doing what comes naturally whereas a neuro-typical would potentially be unaware of the Aspie's difficulty in calibrating social interest in what they are saying.
The good news is that 'intensity of interest' is driven by our emotions, which in turn are created by our thought processes - regardless of whether we are wired as an Aspie or neuro-typical. This means that the process which creates and drives 'restricted interests' can be changed when the person becomes self-aware of how they work internally. As the human brain is re-programmable, intuitive compulsive processes can be rewritten in a way that reduces the intensity of the emotional connection shifting the compulsion to more of a healthy (choice driven) interest. Thus rather than compulsively focusing in on one narrow interest, there can be a choice of many interests each with a more healthy level of drive. This in turn creates more options for 'two-way' social interactions rather than repeatedly attempting to 'force a narrow interest' into every social interaction.
Again the problem is driven by thought process and emotional response - thus the solution can be found in the same place. By shifting the old repetitive habitual thinking (which keeps the narrow interest so compulsive) we soften the intense emotional attachment which implies such importance to the Aspie. The lower the emotional intensity becomes - the less compelling the interest feels and can thus the drive is comfortably reduced to a healthy level (by neuro-typical standards). As a result the Aspie is no longer consumed by a single obsessive interest and is then free to take on more interests at a healthy level. The 'healthy level' can be kept in check through simple tools and techniques being applied to thought processes.
Characteristics Of Aspergers: Repetitive Physical Behaviours
In terms of physical behaviours, we would suggest that the actual (motor) movement is less significant than the reason behind it. For example, one Aspie may use a common 'hand flap' whereas another Aspie under similar circumstances may rapidly bounce their right foot. As the motor movements are different it would be easy to assume that the underlying cause was also different. However, in reality it is far more likely that the underlying process causing the movements is similar - it merely manifests in a different part of the body from person to person.
It would be true to say that anyone having observed an Aspie (including those observing themselves) will quickly realise that they are creatures of habit. Aspergers by its very nature is highly reliant upon maintaining strong habits - which when understood, makes Aspies very predictable. Thus, when an Aspie processes certain information in their brain and they receive a given emotional response to that process - their motor response (habitual movement) on the outside reflects that internal process. You will notice massive consistency between internal thought process and external habitual movements as they are part of the same feedback cycle.
Whilst such movements are not a huge problem in themselves they can appear 'odd' to some neuro-typicals particularly if they are unaware Aspergers is in play. In previous sections we have discussed how self-awareness, changing thought processes and shifting the associated emotional feedback can make huge differences... and this is no exception. The habitual movements are essentially 'associated' with a given habitual process. When that process is changed the motor movements are also reprogrammed to suit. This brings the 'odd' movements more in line with what would be perceived as acceptable body language - even if from time to time (during high emotional intensity) it becomes somewhat animated.
Characteristics Of Aspergers: Repetitive Habits
Repetitive habits can commonly include wearing only certain clothes, eating only certain foods, visiting only certain places, associating only with certain people, etc. Once again we find evidence of Aspergers attachment to order and habit. One way of looking at this process would be: "If it works - why change it?" As Aspies are notoriously logical in their conscious thinking, it is a tough point to argue with. It would follow that if this were the genuine reason for not embracing flexibility and change, the Aspie would not suffer anxiety as a result of maintaining it.
However... there is another (very human) way of perceiving the same process: "If I change it, something may go wrong and there will be consequences". Thus, if an Aspie lives with high levels of anxiety in their life (as most do), regardless of what they justify to themselves in their head, they almost certainly use habit and rigidity to avoid consequences. In this respect there is a considerable amount of commonality between Aspergers and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (including Eating Disorders, Social Anxiety Disorder and also Body Dysmorphic Disorder). Even though the outward symptoms of each of these disorders differ widely - the internal process in terms of how the brain deals with information and produces associated emotional states is very similar. Each disorder is driven by the compulsion to act rigidly in order to avoid anxiety, although ironically each one actually increases anxiety purely through 'rigid thinking' based upon that avoidance.
Once again we find ourselves recognising 'thought process' as being the underlying cause of another Aspergers characteristic. Aspies simply come out of the mould this way, but as with their neuro-typical counterparts - what comes intuitively in terms of trying to address anxiety related issues tends to increase the problem rather than remedy it. As an Anxiety Clinic we see this regularly in both Aspies and neuro-typicals.
A traditional therapist may well consider 'exposure therapy' as a solution to rigid repetitive habits, where the Aspie is regularly exposed to the very things they avoid. The theory being that once the Aspie realises that nothing terrible has happened they will become increasingly comfortable with certain situations. The downsides to this approach are two-fold. First, it can be a distressing process to go through in terms of emotions as the Aspie is in effect being forced to do what their mind and emotions tell them not to. Second, exposure therapy is context driven rather than process driven. What we mean by this is if an Aspie will only shop in one store and they are given months of exposure therapy to get them comfortable to shop in a second store - the new confidence only applies to that second store rather than all stores. This is obviously an ineffective approach - so we work very differently.
We consider how the Aspie runs the 'process' of feeling what is and isn't safe. This means that once the 'safe process' has been identified it can be applied over multiple contexts (for example, shopping in all stores, feeling comfortable with all new people, wearing any clothes, etc). This bypasses the tedious, time consuming and often emotionally distressing aspects of traditional approaches to 'help people' overcome anxiety related issues.
What To Do Next...
Feel free to absorb all the information you need from our website. If you would like more information on how we help Aspies and their families to manage Aspergers and enhance their quality of life - have a look at our Aspergers Treatment page. If you would like more information on working with us (either in person at our UK Clinic or via telephone or webcam) as well as details of our very affordable fixed rate fees and our zero risk guarantee - choose from the following links:
I live in the UK and would like more information on how the Anxiety Clinic can help UK Clients.
I don't live in the UK and would like more information on how the Anxiety Clinic can help International Clients.
If you would prefer to talk to a Consultant you can call us from the UK on 01782 855585, from 11am to 9pm, seven days a week.
If you are calling from abroad our number is 44 1782 855585 - Please consider global time differences before calling.
