Do you have delayed emotional responses that 'appear' suddenly once 'switched on'?

[techteach]

In a 2004 study using the TAS-20, 85% of the adults with ASD fell into the impaired category; almost half of the whole group fell into the severely impaired category. Among the adult control, only 17% was impaired; none of them severely. (Alexithymia - Wikipedia)

 

[Aspychata]

This maybe the jackpot thread here, we are all talking about our feelings instead of running away from them. Everbody has permission to take a universal deep collective sigh, on the count of one......

 

[Aspychata]

My feelings were denied growing up, so l guess l felt l didn't exist, which created horrible insecurity issues. Then it turned into, leave the min you are a adult, because we cannot admit how badly we treated you, and do not wish to be reminded of you. So l started off extremely independent which actually isn't a bad thing at all. So even through my horrible marriage, l always kept a tiny little piece of me, that was alive, breathing, and kicking. It was a little sliver that the evil ex couldn't get control over, it helped me leave and never return to him. But l had to nurse the rest of me back to health, and join all the parts of me together, because you are stronger if you have no inner conflict.

 

[Fino]

Isn't it just being happy to see someone? Like, what's the difference between excitement and happiness?



Well, what I know is that sometimes I'm so bored it gets unbearable. Or maybe it's something else than boredom, difficult to say. Anyway, lack of boredom is not positive or negative, it just is - I suppose I would call it 'being fine'. Not sad, not happy, not bored, so - fine?

Eh, why do emotions have to be so complicated?

I think happiness is more stable, less movement, and not so acute, typically, I think, which is what made me compare "excited" to "anxious". "Excited" would involve the fidgety, energetic, lack of focus kind of thing that "anxious" has, I believe.

And maybe lack of boredom is "stimulated" or "engaged" or "entertained" or something of that nature?

I'm just throwing things out there, just to be clear, I'm not any less confused than you are.

 

[rollerskate]

I've noticed this with myself, too, but I identified it as being connected to CPTSD. I am fine as long as I need to be fine for my own good/survival, then I don't really start to feel and break down until I am in a safe enough place to do so. I don't really know how it relates to autism, as I haven't exactly gotten far enough yet in recovery to actually be able to identify something like that as an aspie thing and not a CPTSD thing.

 

[Nauti]

I've noticed this with myself, too, but I identified it as being connected to CPTSD. I am fine as long as I need to be fine for my own good/survival, then I don't really start to feel and break down until I am in a safe enough place to do so. I don't really know how it relates to autism, as I haven't exactly gotten far enough yet in recovery to actually be able to identify something like that as an aspie thing and not a CPTSD thing.

Good point. I am in the same boat as you, with the comorbidities. I was diagnosed with CPTSD before I realized that autism is part of my profile. The way I experience my autism, I suspect, exascerbates the dissociative delayed emotional response.

I agree with you though, the survival response is certainly a big part. Now that I'm well into my recovery for CPTSD, I feel like I can separate out what's more autism related and I can tell that it certainly plays a part, a big part in the delay thing.

It's actually helped me, in some ways, when I compare myself with some people with CPTSD, I find that my extra autistm-accentuated-ability to shut down or delay my emotional response has allowed me to survive and carry on with incredible endurance and acheive remarkable things, that perhaps I wouldn't have, had I just had the complex trauma -CPTSD, without the autism.

On the other hand, the markedly extreme delayed response thing, has meant that, when It all caught up with me, I became so socially withdrawn and avoidant that I can no longer work or study outside the home, as the trauma symptoms mean that my life revolves around therapy and fulfilling family expectations, with more time needed for complete social withdrawal.

So the two comorbities, I find, have positive and negative co-reactions and consequences, comparatively speaking.

 

[rollerskate]

Good point. I am in the same boat as you, with the comorbidities. I was diagnosed with CPTSD before I realized that autism is part of my profile. The way I experience my autism, I suspect, exascerbates the dissociative delayed emotional response.

I agree with you though, the survival response is certainly a big part. Now that I'm well into my recovery for CPTSD, I feel like I can separate out what's more autism related and I can tell that it certainly plays a part, a big part in the delay thing.

It's actually helped me, in some ways, when I compare myself with some people with CPTSD, I find that my extra autistm-accentuated-ability to shut down or delay my emotional response has allowed me to survive and carry on with incredible endurance and acheive remarkable things, that perhaps I wouldn't have, had I just had the complex trauma -CPTSD, without the autism.

On the other hand, the markedly extreme delayed response thing, has meant that, when It all caught up with me, I became so socially withdrawn and avoidant that I can no longer work or study outside the home, as the trauma symptoms mean that my life revolves around therapy and fulfilling family expectations, with more time needed for complete social withdrawal.

So the two comorbities, I find, have positive and negative co-reactions and consequences, comparatively speaking.

Thank you so much! This has been my precise experience, as well. And I also didn't figure out the autism part before the CPTSD part. But yes, you're right... I have gone to extremes that they typically don't think possible in my ability to cope (in fact, my functionality played a huge part in keeping them from acknowledging the extent of my trauma). Once I finally reached the end, though (I don't know the technical term for this, but it was the absolute end to me being able to cope and function with ongoing trauma), I haven't been able to function or bounce back like other people seem to. I have had to quit working, school, everything, and keep wondering if I will ever be able to function "normally" again. I also lost my ability to mask... simultaneous au burnout AND traumatic overload. For several months, it was an accomplishment just to get out of bed to use the bathroom and eat. All I wanted to do was burrito in a blanket in a completely dark, dead-quiet room. If I had to get up, I had to have a fidget spinner going at the same time just to be able to walk, eat, or speak. I sounded and spoke/acted like a very young, frightened child.