'Traits' Or 'Symptoms'...?

[Rectify]

Dr. Herbert is a heavy-hitter at the US Autism Association.

Sorry @Crossbreed I was really just trying to say that it was new info to 'me' and so I assumed it wasn't something hugely known or I might have come across it.

 

[Rectify]

The things that define us as being on the spectrum are traits. No one of them by themselves are evidence that any of the others (or anything else in particular) will be present in the person. A trait is a bit of a person's personality type.

A symptom is suggestive that something else (usually bad) is present, but the symptom is not the thing itself, rather the symptom 'belongs' to the thing that it suggests. Smoke, heat and crackling sounds are symptoms of fire.

I'm not at all good at communication through hinting, this lack of skill is one of my traits. I am sometimes misunderstood, this is a symptom of having poor social skills.

I'm trying to apply this to myself now for practice So would hyperfocus be a trait? Anxiety...trait? Or Symptom? Anxiety is an odd one because it can become a part of your personality.

 

[MrSpock]

I'm trying to apply this to myself now for practice So would hyperfocus be a trait? Anxiety...trait? Or Symptom? Anxiety is an odd one because it can become a part of your personality.

Hyperfocus I dunno. Anxiety could be either. Anxiety is a trait of mice, they're anxious a lot of the time by nature. If a normally relaxed being were put into a dangerous situation for a long time they would likely become anxious; that anxiety would be a symptom of the negative situation, at least in the short term. If the anxiety persisted after the danger was gone I dunno, at some point you'd have to acknowledge that it's become a trait I suppose.

I should note that I'm not at all trained in psychology. Some words have more than one definition, and if these words have specific psychological meanings I might lack the education to understand those meanings with any precision. I'm confident that I can use the words correctly in general.

 

[Fino]

Isn't anxiety a separate issue? Being autistic inherently produces it, but that doesn't make it an aspect of the autism.

 

[Alexej]

It my be a small distinction but to me the words have different connotations
- a trait is a way of being
- a symptom is an indication of an illness - hence something that can be cured

Personally I use the word trait more than symptom, but that be that I would fall into the ASD1 category

 

[Gracey]

... Anxiety...trait? Or Symptom? Anxiety is an odd one because it can become a part of your personality.

I'd wager anxiety is a comorbid condition.
As a result of asd.
It can be a learned and habitual response to stressors and triggers.

Anxiety may be seen as a characteristic or trait of autism because many experience anxiety.
It isn't limited to autism though.

 

[Gracey]

If I'm not mistaken, the difference between anxiety and stress is,

stress subsides as the event passes.
it's a response to a perceived threat in a situation.
some people work or function much better in slightly stressful situations.

anxiety is a more permanent state.
some think of it as a reaction (not a response) to stress.
It's excessive worry in the 'real life' absence of stressors.
- by thought alone.


If when walking along the street I spot a tiger roaming freely,

A healthy dose of stress will provide me with a better chance of survival.
Once I'm safe and no longer a lunch option for a tiger,
I'll calm down.

Anxiety is not leaving the house just in case there's a tiger roaming freely somewhere. (By thought alone - no evidence of roaming tigers)

 

[s704m]

ASD2 = ASD1 + brain injury. Behaviors emanating from the latter are called co-morbids.

Going by this alone, I should have been dx'd with ASD2, had the neuropsych been paying attention to how many TBIs I've had. Then add the years of migraines and seizures, but he was more interested in my lack of flapping and my ability to make some eye contact.

 

[Crossbreed]

Going by this alone, I should have been dx'd with ASD2, had the neuropsych been paying attention to how many TBIs I've had.

Technically, if you weren't ASD2 before the trauma, you aren't ASD2 now. The brain injury that I am describing is due to a one-time immune system failure (that ASD1s are susceptible to), not a traumatic injury. (The outcomes might be similar, though.)