What else is there?

[Gomendosi]

Not wanting to seem like a killjoy but, did you ever think there is more to your life than you allow yourself?


What the hell does that mean you ask, well before you jump to conclusions, what I ask is if you have certain preclusions or rituals or aversions that you attribute to Aspergers that you feel stop you from reaching your full potential.
If you had not been diagnosed as aspergical would you have gotten everything out of life that you feel you deserve or would it have been exactly the same?
Now of course none of us can see alternate futures but, it only stands to reason that something like a diagnosis of Aspergers syndrome can be used as an excuse for not having lived life to the fullest.

So is it another excuse for you to not take risks or does it actually leave you more anxious to get out and do things?

 

[epath13]

I was diagnosed in 2010 and nowadays I think the only reason why I did it is to have a prove that all those people who've been saying, "you are fine", "you just think you can't do it this way, you can if I can" or "your brain is normal" were wrong

I would be exactly the same person but that because I was diagnosed late. Would I be "babied" even more if I was diagnosed as a child... not sure. Maybe... and I do have a lot of doubts about it but who knows... so... maybe if no one thought that I was special my life would be easier. Not in sick or crazy kind of special, more like eccentric and "can achieve something big in life" kind... that way people around me did put too much pressure on me, as for Asperger's - would make no difference.

 

[King_Oni]

I don't think my life would've be any different... at least... let's think about it;

The only thing that might be a bit of my aspie side, as well as my AD(H)D side, is that I'm prone to get distracted a lot, thus I might be a bit slower in doing the things I like... I need more time to refocus quite often. I can't stop something and pick it up again, I have to keep doing it in one go (sometimes in sleep-deprived states to not lose focus and/or interest). Somehow I feel that the things I want out of life can only be achieved if you have an unhealthy obsession and a somewhat cutthroat attitude to what you want to do. So maybe, what I want out of life is sanest (for me, as well as for others around me) the way I do it now, in my humble opinion.

Also take in consideration there's personality traits that come with it. I can't really tell if they're formed because you're being an aspie all your life, or if they just are part of you, seperate from ASD. Cause with me for what it's worth, on top of being a bit more introverted, I abhor commercial goals in general, that's something that I feel is kinda seperate from being an aspie, but the entire drive to make money just doesn't sit well with me on a personal level. But there's something with commercially driven people and goals that bugs me a lot. Another example would be college; I don't know if "not knowing what to study, or the general lack of disinterest" can be attributed to ASD, that to me is just "me". I care for some things, and I don't care for a whole lot of em... with a vigor. Somehow I feel, especially thinking about it, that without having a diagnosis (and how that works out officially with benefits should still point itself out in the future), with my past, I'd likely to be sent back and forth on jobs and probably have less time to actually make something out of my life (or just do what I want to do). So in a way, I feel that being on the spectrum kinda compliments my personality and my personal goals... but again, who knows if I had those goals, dreams and that personality if it werent for being on the spectrum.

In general I take some risks, I don't really have a step-by-step plan to do or not do anything, I kinda try to do things intuitively. Yes that bit me in the rear a few times, but it made my personal life a bit more manageable over time. Yes, sometimes I act impulsive, but rarely do I act "just because". With everything I do, I kinda thought it through... that process can range from 5 seconds, to a few weeks.

 

[Bay]

I would like to think that I would have had more of a career instead of a string of semi-related jobs, had I not been so easily overwhelmed and if I understood the dynamics of AS/ NT relationships sooner. But I think that this is not really what you are asking? I believe you are asking about ways in which we consciously and unconsciously hold ourselves back? I have always believed that fear is a powerful motivator but I can see how it can be a powerful demotivator as well.