Im not autistic/aspergers but I feel that im an introvert.  I hate talking to/interacting with people that I don't know.  if i know you or youre my family i have no problem talking, but like cashiers in a store or restaurant or something similar  i just feel awkward talking to.  i would rather email someone than talk on the phone, eg. emailing vs calling about an ad on craigslist.  Im less likely to try to contact them if its a phone number rather than a email, even if the person is selling something i really want.

Im not autistic/aspergers but I feel that im an introvert.  I hate talking to/interacting with people that I don't know.  [...] i would rather email someone than talk on the phone, eg. emailing vs calling about an ad on craigslist.  Im less likely to try to contact them if its a phone number rather than a email, even if the person is selling something i really want.

My life, especially the phone thing. I'm fine if it's family, but otherwise I really don't enjoy it. I prefer email or even speaking to the party in person.

I second that, Aveoguy22. I am pretty secretive of my interests, and thus I constantly go towards the outer edges of large crowds, where my friends or people I know don't point me out. The thing that bothers me about my non-fondness of being social is that both parents and my sister are all what would be called a people person. My sister always brings friends over (mainly girls) and I will firmly tell sis "make sure your friends don't go near me or my stuff." I am even uncomfortable with certain family members who I don't often see and sometimes have eye contact issues. When I'm at large events, say the state fair, I usually go with the family. Unfortunately for introverted/socially awkward me, they always stop with friends and others to catch up and exchange life stories. I will get caught in the middle of this, and the parents will pass the conversation on to me when they are getting annoyed, and by that time I'm annoyed as well. I've "adapted" to this by staying a distance of ten feet away from them and when they do start to converse, I hide somewhere to dodge them. Even if I see any of my friends or God forbid past teachers I know, I still hide to avoid the meaningless conversation that ensues. The last thing that bugs me is when I go to the doctor or place like the barber and they get started in with small talk. I usually respond with short, choppy responses to subtly tip them off that I do not want to talk. The worst thing is that I'm going to be in AP English class, where there is lots of public speaking, so if I don't log in to lg for a while, chances are I died of awkwardness. TL;DR: I am not a fan of meaningless conversation or small talk.

@Trent: I absolutely loathe talking over the phone, be it to friends or strangers. The place where I am trying to get the OV-20s doesn't have an email, so I'm having my parents fax my document to them since we don't have a faxer/landline. I also dread video chatting, since I look like a potato a lot of the time, and plus I don't like my voice over audio. When I talk to people I don't know in front of parents, they tell me to speak up, which brings me more pressure and attention. The other thing I neglected to mention is that my parents will awkwardly talk to my friends in public when I refuse to, due to social awkwardness.

I'm fine in person and over the phone to be honest...but I even realize I talk a lot.  I'm the opposite of what you guys are describing..."meaningless conversation" happens a lot for me. 

I hate...HATE  how my voice sounds on any recording though...

I'm fine with being in the outside world or in public but yeah when I discovered there were other lighting collectors I was pretty happy! But I found them on YouTube before Lighting Gallery.

I discovered lighting through Parrot175 and tpirman1982's videos on YouTube in 2012. That's when I did the f15 ballasted on an incandescent lamp. I forgot about lighting completely until fall of '14, when I made regular trips to hab, and made my lg account.

was diagnosed with aspergers but at this point i don't really think i have that... i think its more social anxiety than anything....

I'm fine in person and over the phone to be honest...but I even realize I talk a lot.  I'm the opposite of what you guys are describing..."meaningless conversation" happens a lot for me. 

I hate...HATE  how my voice sounds on any recording though...

also i can relate to this... not the talking alot thing (i am quiet according to others) but the hating my own voice thing...

I was diagnosed with aspergers when I was really young, although I gradually grew out of it as I was exposed to a school environment and took adderall for my ADHD. I was always very quiet and withdrawn throughout high school and had trouble with social anxiety.

However, when I got to college, I totally transformed, got involved with several fun student groups, made lots of friends, and got to be roommates with my best friend during my senior year.  We had and still continue to have many fun times. The FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) was an awesome place to get to know others. I have overcome a lot over the years, especially in college and consider myself a happier and much more outgoing person now.  In fact, I am looking into doing volunteer leadership for my church's youth group.  I have also discovered an awesome two semester graduate program at Rensselaer Polytechnic in lighting design, which I hope to start next fall.  I have learned to be thankful for my God-given talents and am looking into lighting design graduate programs and careers.  Regardless of your religious preferences, I believe there is a plan and a purpose for everyone to be happy and make a difference in this world.  Best wishes to everyone! 

I agree with you Owen and Andy, it drives me crazy hearing my own recorded voice.

I refuse to take medication nowadays, that stuff ruined part of my childhood by basically making me a zombie, and worst part is it just made me more socially anxious , i've been off the stuff for a year or two and i've changed more than i ever wouldof while on the stuff..

Medication cannot cure something like autism, it only worsens it in my experience

It wouldn't surprise me if I am autistic or have Asperger's. I haven't been officially diagnosed but I know that I have a lot of trouble fitting in nearly everywhere and have become aware that I have certain autistic traits.

nope

I will type my story in later. The old thread went way off topic.

I will type my story in later. The old thread went way off topic.

Indeed, so let me start with my story. I've never been officially diagnosed, but the experiences of my childhood and indeed my later life point to my being somewhere on the autistic scale, albeit very minor. One of the main problems I have is intolerance of unwanted noise in public places, particularly piped 'music' in shops and shopping centres. I have been distracted to the point of having to leave some places, even if I went in there specifically to buy something, because of the music being played. I've never understood why places have to do this, maybe some people like it, but I for one am perfectly capable of going grocery shopping without musical accompaniment..!

Another problem I have is difficulty dealing with criticism. I am usually aware when I've done something wrong, but I don't always find it easy when someone tells me about it..! I've been fired from more than one job in the past, for basically telling the boss to shove it, fortunately I'm now retired, so don't have that particular problem any more  

Possibly more to come later, when I think of it, but that's all for now.

Hugs & stuff, Ria xx

On a related note, how many of you who have Autism/Asperger's Syndrome have/had an aid in school? I used to have aids in all of my classes, but just recently, I have improved to the point where I no longer need anything except extra time on tests.

Although it's a different condition, I have Neurofibromatosis type 1. When I was at school I never had anything in place to help me, and it wasn't until years later that they found out that the 'day dreaming' I did was a part of my condition and wasn't something I had much control over. I now know of the warning signs and can in some way mitigate the effects, but back when I was in school I didn't know anything about it. Somebody to help me by giving me a nudge when I started to 'drift' would have been a great help. Another problem I have is with memory, sometimes I can't remember facts that I need to, the memory is in my brain somewhere, but it's as if all of the 'files' have been thrown into the filing cabinet of my brain and I don't have the index card.!! Once I latch onto the memory I can recall the facts quite well.