Guest guest Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 But some of us, myself included, have zero asperger or autistic traits.Heidi I realize that asperger's is a "lighter" form of autism. It seems many of the traits of misophonia could be interpreted as asperger's syndome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Well, I have been diagnosed with Asperger's and I would say that it is different, and that most people here do not have Asperger's syndrome. People here are rather more likely to have ADHD, OCD, other anxiety disorders, or just plain misophonia, than have Asperger's ,as far as I can tell. Sound sensitivity *of any kind* is not even an official symptom of Asperger's for diagnostic purposes, although it does play a mild confirmatory role in diagnosis ... if you meet the official criteria first. Asperger's requires significant impairment of social interaction. This does not mean avoiding people because of sounds. It means a person who fails to " read " non-verbal communication, who doesn't " get " how to interact with other people properly. Such people typically miss social nuances and subtle social cues, sometimes say things that sound rough or rude to other people without meaning to. They are usually socially awkward, not just because of social anxiety or sounds (although both may add to the problem), but because they just don't know how to negotiate social interaction. They are slow social learners, no matter how high their academic IQ may be. They often find it difficult to understand their own and other people's emotions - or even recognise them. They have poor or zero social or emotional " intuition " . Secondly, people with Asperger's have what I call the 3 R's: a preference for rigid routine, a tendency towards repetitive actions (eg rocking, flapping hands, twisting fingers, etc); and unusual restricted interests (one of mine is an obscure German dialect - I have repeatedly read the first two Harry Potter stories in the Low German translation ... typical Aspy behaviour in several ways). If you have difficulty understanding social interaction, have intense unusual obsessive interests ... AND sound sensitivity ... then you may be an Aspy. But misophonia on its own is definitely not Asperger's. If you are unsure, try the AQ Test (Autism spectrum quotient) at the following address: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aqtest.html The average person scores between 10 and 22. If you score less than 26 you can effectively rule out Asperger's syndrome. Generally speaking, a score of 32 or more suggests that the person is likely to have Asperger's - provided they also are experiencing difficulties in their life. If you score that high and are concerned, you should consult a psychologist who is experienced in autism spectrum disorders. I score over 32 on this test. Most of you are way too socially adept to be good Aspies. :-) At least, that is how people here feel to me. > > I realize that asperger's is a " lighter " form of autism. It seems many of the traits of misophonia could be interpreted as asperger's syndome. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Thank you for suppling the site to take the quiz. I did take it and scored 22. It is helpful because it can rule some things out, at least for me. Again, thank you. To: Soundsensitivity Sent: Wed, November 30, 2011 9:39:00 PMSubject: Re: Autism vs Asperger's Well, I have been diagnosed with Asperger's and I would say that it is different, and that most people here do not have Asperger's syndrome. People here are rather more likely to have ADHD, OCD, other anxiety disorders, or just plain misophonia, than have Asperger's ,as far as I can tell.Sound sensitivity *of any kind* is not even an official symptom of Asperger's for diagnostic purposes, although it does play a mild confirmatory role in diagnosis ... if you meet the official criteria first.Asperger's requires significant impairment of social interaction. This does not mean avoiding people because of sounds. It means a person who fails to "read" non-verbal communication, who doesn't "get" how to interact with other people properly. Such people typically miss social nuances and subtle social cues, sometimes say things that sound rough or rude to other people without meaning to. They are usually socially awkward, not just because of social anxiety or sounds (although both may add to the problem), but because they just don't know how to negotiate social interaction. They are slow social learners, no matter how high their academic IQ may be. They often find it difficult to understand their own and other people's emotions - or even recognise them. They have poor or zero social or emotional "intuition".Secondly, people with Asperger's have what I call the 3 R's: a preference for rigid routine, a tendency towards repetitive actions (eg rocking, flapping hands, twisting fingers, etc); and unusual restricted interests (one of mine is an obscure German dialect - I have repeatedly read the first two Harry Potter stories in the Low German translation ... typical Aspy behaviour in several ways).If you have difficulty understanding social interaction, have intense unusual obsessive interests ... AND sound sensitivity ... then you may be an Aspy. But misophonia on its own is definitely not Asperger's.If you are unsure, try the AQ Test (Autism spectrum quotient) at the following address:http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aqtest.htmlThe average person scores between 10 and 22. If you score less than 26 you can effectively rule out Asperger's syndrome. Generally speaking, a score of 32 or more suggests that the person is likely to have Asperger's - provided they also are experiencing difficulties in their life. If you score that high and are concerned, you should consult a psychologist who is experienced in autism spectrum disorders. I score over 32 on this test.Most of you are way too socially adept to be good Aspies. :-) At least, that is how people here feel to me.>> I realize that asperger's is a "lighter" form of autism. It seems many of the traits of misophonia could be interpreted as asperger's syndome.> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Thank you for suppling the site to take the quiz. I did take it and scored 22. It is helpful because it can rule some things out, at least for me. Again, thank you. To: Soundsensitivity Sent: Wed, November 30, 2011 9:39:00 PMSubject: Re: Autism vs Asperger's Well, I have been diagnosed with Asperger's and I would say that it is different, and that most people here do not have Asperger's syndrome. People here are rather more likely to have ADHD, OCD, other anxiety disorders, or just plain misophonia, than have Asperger's ,as far as I can tell.Sound sensitivity *of any kind* is not even an official symptom of Asperger's for diagnostic purposes, although it does play a mild confirmatory role in diagnosis ... if you meet the official criteria first.Asperger's requires significant impairment of social interaction. This does not mean avoiding people because of sounds. It means a person who fails to "read" non-verbal communication, who doesn't "get" how to interact with other people properly. Such people typically miss social nuances and subtle social cues, sometimes say things that sound rough or rude to other people without meaning to. They are usually socially awkward, not just because of social anxiety or sounds (although both may add to the problem), but because they just don't know how to negotiate social interaction. They are slow social learners, no matter how high their academic IQ may be. They often find it difficult to understand their own and other people's emotions - or even recognise them. They have poor or zero social or emotional "intuition".Secondly, people with Asperger's have what I call the 3 R's: a preference for rigid routine, a tendency towards repetitive actions (eg rocking, flapping hands, twisting fingers, etc); and unusual restricted interests (one of mine is an obscure German dialect - I have repeatedly read the first two Harry Potter stories in the Low German translation ... typical Aspy behaviour in several ways).If you have difficulty understanding social interaction, have intense unusual obsessive interests ... AND sound sensitivity ... then you may be an Aspy. But misophonia on its own is definitely not Asperger's.If you are unsure, try the AQ Test (Autism spectrum quotient) at the following address:http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aqtest.htmlThe average person scores between 10 and 22. If you score less than 26 you can effectively rule out Asperger's syndrome. Generally speaking, a score of 32 or more suggests that the person is likely to have Asperger's - provided they also are experiencing difficulties in their life. If you score that high and are concerned, you should consult a psychologist who is experienced in autism spectrum disorders. I score over 32 on this test.Most of you are way too socially adept to be good Aspies. :-) At least, that is how people here feel to me.>> I realize that asperger's is a "lighter" form of autism. It seems many of the traits of misophonia could be interpreted as asperger's syndome.> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 Thank you for suppling the site to take the quiz. I did take it and scored 22. It is helpful because it can rule some things out, at least for me. Again, thank you. To: Soundsensitivity Sent: Wed, November 30, 2011 9:39:00 PMSubject: Re: Autism vs Asperger's Well, I have been diagnosed with Asperger's and I would say that it is different, and that most people here do not have Asperger's syndrome. People here are rather more likely to have ADHD, OCD, other anxiety disorders, or just plain misophonia, than have Asperger's ,as far as I can tell.Sound sensitivity *of any kind* is not even an official symptom of Asperger's for diagnostic purposes, although it does play a mild confirmatory role in diagnosis ... if you meet the official criteria first.Asperger's requires significant impairment of social interaction. This does not mean avoiding people because of sounds. It means a person who fails to "read" non-verbal communication, who doesn't "get" how to interact with other people properly. Such people typically miss social nuances and subtle social cues, sometimes say things that sound rough or rude to other people without meaning to. They are usually socially awkward, not just because of social anxiety or sounds (although both may add to the problem), but because they just don't know how to negotiate social interaction. They are slow social learners, no matter how high their academic IQ may be. They often find it difficult to understand their own and other people's emotions - or even recognise them. They have poor or zero social or emotional "intuition".Secondly, people with Asperger's have what I call the 3 R's: a preference for rigid routine, a tendency towards repetitive actions (eg rocking, flapping hands, twisting fingers, etc); and unusual restricted interests (one of mine is an obscure German dialect - I have repeatedly read the first two Harry Potter stories in the Low German translation ... typical Aspy behaviour in several ways).If you have difficulty understanding social interaction, have intense unusual obsessive interests ... AND sound sensitivity ... then you may be an Aspy. But misophonia on its own is definitely not Asperger's.If you are unsure, try the AQ Test (Autism spectrum quotient) at the following address:http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aqtest.htmlThe average person scores between 10 and 22. If you score less than 26 you can effectively rule out Asperger's syndrome. Generally speaking, a score of 32 or more suggests that the person is likely to have Asperger's - provided they also are experiencing difficulties in their life. If you score that high and are concerned, you should consult a psychologist who is experienced in autism spectrum disorders. I score over 32 on this test.Most of you are way too socially adept to be good Aspies. :-) At least, that is how people here feel to me.>> I realize that asperger's is a "lighter" form of autism. It seems many of the traits of misophonia could be interpreted as asperger's syndome.> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 30, 2011 Report Share Posted November 30, 2011 I took this Aspie's test about 6 months ago and scored a 33. I've had mild social interaction issues, though others might say they're more than mild. The funny thing is that I can " turn on " my social skills and be the life of the party, purposefully pay attention, be a good listener, and with excellent observation skills -- but I have to consciously put myself in that mode. However, if I'm tired (alot), or triggered, and just being " myself " , then I miss a lot of social cues. Many people have accused me of being rude where I just could not identify the rude behavior. Sometimes, I just think people take things too personally. OK, this site is not about Aspergers, so I'll stop there. But, I definitely have at least mild Aspergers as well as Hyperacusis and Sensory Processing Disorder (including Misophonia). So it appears that not everyone with Misophonia has Aspergers, but if I'm not mistaken, they do appear to have a similar neurological cause of origin -- don't they? > > > > I realize that asperger's is a " lighter " form of autism. It seems many of the traits of misophonia could be interpreted as asperger's syndome. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 1, 2011 Report Share Posted December 1, 2011 As I have posted elsewhere on this site, I doubt very much that there is any pure neurological lesion or cause for misophonia or audiosensitivity. Hence for those with neurologically-related misophonia, I would claim that ear problems had been overlooked for a number of reasons. So thank you for your post, since you seem at first sight a good example of a neurological cause. However, the following strict criteria would need to be met to rule out an otological cause or proximate mechanism (especially low inner ear pressure) before going down the neurological route: 1. No disorder of CSF circulation, especially low pressure (intracranial hypotension). 2. No positional headache, ie worse on standing, relief lying down. 3. No low blood pressure, autonomic disorder. 4. No symptoms of Meniere Spectrum Disorder (dizziness, tinnitus, distorted hearing, fullness/pressure in ear(s), etc.). 5. No weight loss, as with neurodegenerative diseases. 6. No trauma to head or spine, however slight, that might have caused a CSF leak. 7. If some brain malfunction due to faulty tissue is proposed, then other localising neurological symptoms should be present, or a very good explanation for why they are absent. 8. Not Superior Semicircular Canal Dehiscence Syndrome. 9. Probably others, when I have had more time to think about it! ********************************************************************** > > > >> > >> I realize that asperger's is a " lighter " form of autism. It seems many of the traits of misophonia could be interpreted as asperger's syndome. > >> > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 1, 2011 Report Share Posted December 1, 2011 I thought so. But, also, I wonder if these traits are formed from trying to constantly adjust our world so we can fit in. Misophonia is constant, and it makes us constantly on edge (that fight or flight). I think the brain does alter from the constant stress and adds other issues. My husband is very supportive of me, but that does stop the triggers from happening. Knowing he is trying to not irritate me makes my anger subside faster, but I still wait for the next one to happen. To: Soundsensitivity Sent: Thu, December 1, 2011 1:47:04 AMSubject: Re: Autism vs Asperger's I took this Aspie's test about 6 months ago and scored a 33. I've had mild social interaction issues, though others might say they're more than mild. The funny thing is that I can "turn on" my social skills and be the life of the party, purposefully pay attention, be a good listener, and with excellent observation skills -- but I have to consciously put myself in that mode. However, if I'm tired (alot), or triggered, and just being "myself", then I miss a lot of social cues. Many people have accused me of being rude where I just could not identify the rude behavior. Sometimes, I just think people take things too personally. OK, this site is not about Aspergers, so I'll stop there. But, I definitely have at least mild Aspergers as well as Hyperacusis and Sensory Processing Disorder (including Misophonia).So it appears that not everyone with Misophonia has Aspergers, but if I'm not mistaken, they do appear to have a similar neurological cause of origin -- don't they?> >> > I realize that asperger's is a "lighter" form of autism. It seems many of the traits of misophonia could be interpreted as asperger's syndome.> >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 1, 2011 Report Share Posted December 1, 2011 Do your ideas for possible causes of 4s/miso include an explanation on how a physical problem with the ear might relate to the additional sensory processing problems reported by some here outside of the audiological. I can't recall if you had already explained that in an earlier post. To: Soundsensitivity Sent: Thursday, December 1, 2011 5:48 AM Subject: Re: Autism vs Asperger's As I have posted elsewhere on this site, I doubt very much that there is any pure neurological lesion or cause for misophonia or audiosensitivity. Hence for those with neurologically-related misophonia, I would claim that ear problems had been overlooked for a number of reasons. So thank you for your post, since you seem at first sight a good example of a neurological cause. However, the following strict criteria would need to be met to rule out an otological cause or proximate mechanism (especially low inner ear pressure) before going down the neurological route: 1. No disorder of CSF circulation, especially low pressure (intracranial hypotension). 2. No positional headache, ie worse on standing, relief lying down. 3. No low blood pressure, autonomic disorder. 4. No symptoms of Meniere Spectrum Disorder (dizziness, tinnitus, distorted hearing, fullness/pressure in ear(s), etc.). 5. No weight loss, as with neurodegenerative diseases. 6. No trauma to head or spine, however slight, that might have caused a CSF leak. 7. If some brain malfunction due to faulty tissue is proposed, then other localising neurological symptoms should be present, or a very good explanation for why they are absent. 8. Not Superior Semicircular Canal Dehiscence Syndrome. 9. Probably others, when I have had more time to think about it! ********************************************************************** > > > >> > >> I realize that asperger's is a "lighter" form of autism. It seems many of the traits of misophonia could be interpreted as asperger's syndome. > >> > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 1, 2011 Report Share Posted December 1, 2011 What you say about " I have to consciously put myself in that mode " is very characteristic of Asperger's. Many Aspies can use their intelligence to make up for their lack of " social and emotional radar " , but it is a conscious effort - not intuitive. It certainly sounds like you have the " broad autism phenotype " or maybe Asperger's itself. Your AQ score is similar to mine. As to the neurological cause, no one *knows* the cause of misophonia, and there has been far too little research into sensory sensitivity in general, including among Aspies. So the jury is out on that one. In any case, there does not appear to be a single cause of autism or Asperger's - it is " polygenic " (it has many different possible causes). Also, it is very common for people with psychological conditions to have multiple disorders, but that doesn't mean they have the same cause other than - maybe - the same major mutations affecting lots of different genes at once. Causes can be very complex. As a simple hypothetical example, let's imagine that gene A causes misophonia and gene B causes autism and some environmental substance C (e.g. mother smoking during pregnancy) sometimes affects A, sometimes B, and sometimes both. Misophonia and autism could occur in the same person while having different genetic causes (gene A versus gene but a similar general environmental trigger. Who knows? As science students often note in their essays, " More research is needed. " But there are heaps of people with misophonia who have average AQ scores, and heaps of people with Asperger's who don't have misophonia (I have looked closely at quite a few discussions of this issue on Aspie forums). So the overlap between the two conditions is not particularly large in my experience. > > I took this Aspie's test about 6 months ago and scored a 33. > > I've had mild social interaction issues, though others might say they're more than mild. The funny thing is that I can " turn on " my social skills and be the life of the party, purposefully pay attention, be a good listener, and with excellent observation skills -- but I have to consciously put myself in that mode. However, if I'm tired (alot), or triggered, and just being " myself " , then I miss a lot of social cues. Many people have accused me of being rude where I just could not identify the rude behavior. Sometimes, I just think people take things too personally. > > OK, this site is not about Aspergers, so I'll stop there. But, I definitely have at least mild Aspergers as well as Hyperacusis and Sensory Processing Disorder (including Misophonia). > > So it appears that not everyone with Misophonia has Aspergers, but if I'm not mistaken, they do appear to have a similar neurological cause of origin -- don't they? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 1, 2011 Report Share Posted December 1, 2011 What you say about " I have to consciously put myself in that mode " is very characteristic of Asperger's. Many Aspies can use their intelligence to make up for their lack of " social and emotional radar " , but it is a conscious effort - not intuitive. It certainly sounds like you have the " broad autism phenotype " or maybe Asperger's itself. Your AQ score is similar to mine. As to the neurological cause, no one *knows* the cause of misophonia, and there has been far too little research into sensory sensitivity in general, including among Aspies. So the jury is out on that one. In any case, there does not appear to be a single cause of autism or Asperger's - it is " polygenic " (it has many different possible causes). Also, it is very common for people with psychological conditions to have multiple disorders, but that doesn't mean they have the same cause other than - maybe - the same major mutations affecting lots of different genes at once. Causes can be very complex. As a simple hypothetical example, let's imagine that gene A causes misophonia and gene B causes autism and some environmental substance C (e.g. mother smoking during pregnancy) sometimes affects A, sometimes B, and sometimes both. Misophonia and autism could occur in the same person while having different genetic causes (gene A versus gene but a similar general environmental trigger. Who knows? As science students often note in their essays, " More research is needed. " But there are heaps of people with misophonia who have average AQ scores, and heaps of people with Asperger's who don't have misophonia (I have looked closely at quite a few discussions of this issue on Aspie forums). So the overlap between the two conditions is not particularly large in my experience. > > I took this Aspie's test about 6 months ago and scored a 33. > > I've had mild social interaction issues, though others might say they're more than mild. The funny thing is that I can " turn on " my social skills and be the life of the party, purposefully pay attention, be a good listener, and with excellent observation skills -- but I have to consciously put myself in that mode. However, if I'm tired (alot), or triggered, and just being " myself " , then I miss a lot of social cues. Many people have accused me of being rude where I just could not identify the rude behavior. Sometimes, I just think people take things too personally. > > OK, this site is not about Aspergers, so I'll stop there. But, I definitely have at least mild Aspergers as well as Hyperacusis and Sensory Processing Disorder (including Misophonia). > > So it appears that not everyone with Misophonia has Aspergers, but if I'm not mistaken, they do appear to have a similar neurological cause of origin -- don't they? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2011 Report Share Posted December 2, 2011 I have heard researchers of autism, like Martha Herbert suggest that not only genes are involved but also the exponential rise of chemicals/toxins in our environment, which happens to correspond with the exponential rise of autism. There are tons of chemicals in our environment of which long term effects are not known. I believe I heard that there is less autism in less developed countries, but don't quote me on that. These toxins end up in the food we eat, water we drink, air we breathe. I believe that we need more environmental regulation, not less and certainly not doing away with the EPA all together. (off my soapbox now) To: Soundsensitivity Sent: Thursday, December 1, 2011 9:22 PM Subject: Re: Autism vs Asperger's What you say about "I have to consciously put myself in that mode" is very characteristic of Asperger's. Many Aspies can use their intelligence to make up for their lack of "social and emotional radar", but it is a conscious effort - not intuitive. It certainly sounds like you have the "broad autism phenotype" or maybe Asperger's itself. Your AQ score is similar to mine. As to the neurological cause, no one *knows* the cause of misophonia, and there has been far too little research into sensory sensitivity in general, including among Aspies. So the jury is out on that one. In any case, there does not appear to be a single cause of autism or Asperger's - it is "polygenic" (it has many different possible causes). Also, it is very common for people with psychological conditions to have multiple disorders, but that doesn't mean they have the same cause other than - maybe - the same major mutations affecting lots of different genes at once. Causes can be very complex. As a simple hypothetical example, let's imagine that gene A causes misophonia and gene B causes autism and some environmental substance C (e.g. mother smoking during pregnancy) sometimes affects A, sometimes B, and sometimes both. Misophonia and autism could occur in the same person while having different genetic causes (gene A versus gene but a similar general environmental trigger. Who knows? As science students often note in their essays, "More research is needed." But there are heaps of people with misophonia who have average AQ scores, and heaps of people with Asperger's who don't have misophonia (I have looked closely at quite a few discussions of this issue on Aspie forums). So the overlap between the two conditions is not particularly large in my experience. > > I took this Aspie's test about 6 months ago and scored a 33. > > I've had mild social interaction issues, though others might say they're more than mild. The funny thing is that I can "turn on" my social skills and be the life of the party, purposefully pay attention, be a good listener, and with excellent observation skills -- but I have to consciously put myself in that mode. However, if I'm tired (alot), or triggered, and just being "myself", then I miss a lot of social cues. Many people have accused me of being rude where I just could not identify the rude behavior. Sometimes, I just think people take things too personally. > > OK, this site is not about Aspergers, so I'll stop there. But, I definitely have at least mild Aspergers as well as Hyperacusis and Sensory Processing Disorder (including Misophonia). > > So it appears that not everyone with Misophonia has Aspergers, but if I'm not mistaken, they do appear to have a similar neurological cause of origin -- don't they? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2011 Report Share Posted December 2, 2011 I have heard researchers of autism, like Martha Herbert suggest that not only genes are involved but also the exponential rise of chemicals/toxins in our environment, which happens to correspond with the exponential rise of autism. There are tons of chemicals in our environment of which long term effects are not known. I believe I heard that there is less autism in less developed countries, but don't quote me on that. These toxins end up in the food we eat, water we drink, air we breathe. I believe that we need more environmental regulation, not less and certainly not doing away with the EPA all together. (off my soapbox now) To: Soundsensitivity Sent: Thursday, December 1, 2011 9:22 PM Subject: Re: Autism vs Asperger's What you say about "I have to consciously put myself in that mode" is very characteristic of Asperger's. Many Aspies can use their intelligence to make up for their lack of "social and emotional radar", but it is a conscious effort - not intuitive. It certainly sounds like you have the "broad autism phenotype" or maybe Asperger's itself. Your AQ score is similar to mine. As to the neurological cause, no one *knows* the cause of misophonia, and there has been far too little research into sensory sensitivity in general, including among Aspies. So the jury is out on that one. In any case, there does not appear to be a single cause of autism or Asperger's - it is "polygenic" (it has many different possible causes). Also, it is very common for people with psychological conditions to have multiple disorders, but that doesn't mean they have the same cause other than - maybe - the same major mutations affecting lots of different genes at once. Causes can be very complex. As a simple hypothetical example, let's imagine that gene A causes misophonia and gene B causes autism and some environmental substance C (e.g. mother smoking during pregnancy) sometimes affects A, sometimes B, and sometimes both. Misophonia and autism could occur in the same person while having different genetic causes (gene A versus gene but a similar general environmental trigger. Who knows? As science students often note in their essays, "More research is needed." But there are heaps of people with misophonia who have average AQ scores, and heaps of people with Asperger's who don't have misophonia (I have looked closely at quite a few discussions of this issue on Aspie forums). So the overlap between the two conditions is not particularly large in my experience. > > I took this Aspie's test about 6 months ago and scored a 33. > > I've had mild social interaction issues, though others might say they're more than mild. The funny thing is that I can "turn on" my social skills and be the life of the party, purposefully pay attention, be a good listener, and with excellent observation skills -- but I have to consciously put myself in that mode. However, if I'm tired (alot), or triggered, and just being "myself", then I miss a lot of social cues. Many people have accused me of being rude where I just could not identify the rude behavior. Sometimes, I just think people take things too personally. > > OK, this site is not about Aspergers, so I'll stop there. But, I definitely have at least mild Aspergers as well as Hyperacusis and Sensory Processing Disorder (including Misophonia). > > So it appears that not everyone with Misophonia has Aspergers, but if I'm not mistaken, they do appear to have a similar neurological cause of origin -- don't they? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2011 Report Share Posted December 2, 2011 totally agree w/the environmental issues - !!! I have heard researchers of autism, like Martha Herbert suggest that not only genes are involved but also the exponential rise of chemicals/toxins in our environment, which happens to correspond with the exponential rise of autism. There are tons of chemicals in our environment of which long term effects are not known. I believe I heard that there is less autism in less developed countries, but don't quote me on that. These toxins end up in the food we eat, water we drink, air we breathe. I believe that we need more environmental regulation, not less and certainly not doing away with the EPA all together. (off my soapbox now) To: Soundsensitivity Sent: Thursday, December 1, 2011 9:22 PM Subject: Re: Autism vs Asperger's What you say about "I have to consciously put myself in that mode" is very characteristic of Asperger's. Many Aspies can use their intelligence to make up for their lack of "social and emotional radar", but it is a conscious effort - not intuitive. It certainly sounds like you have the "broad autism phenotype" or maybe Asperger's itself. Your AQ score is similar to mine. As to the neurological cause, no one *knows* the cause of misophonia, and there has been far too little research into sensory sensitivity in general, including among Aspies. So the jury is out on that one. In any case, there does not appear to be a single cause of autism or Asperger's - it is "polygenic" (it has many different possible causes). Also, it is very common for people with psychological conditions to have multiple disorders, but that doesn't mean they have the same cause other than - maybe - the same major mutations affecting lots of different genes at once. Causes can be very complex. As a simple hypothetical example, let's imagine that gene A causes misophonia and gene B causes autism and some environmental substance C (e.g. mother smoking during pregnancy) sometimes affects A, sometimes B, and sometimes both. Misophonia and autism could occur in the same person while having different genetic causes (gene A versus gene but a similar general environmental trigger. Who knows? As science students often note in their essays, "More research is needed." But there are heaps of people with misophonia who have average AQ scores, and heaps of people with Asperger's who don't have misophonia (I have looked closely at quite a few discussions of this issue on Aspie forums). So the overlap between the two conditions is not particularly large in my experience. > > I took this Aspie's test about 6 months ago and scored a 33. > > I've had mild social interaction issues, though others might say they're more than mild. The funny thing is that I can "turn on" my social skills and be the life of the party, purposefully pay attention, be a good listener, and with excellent observation skills -- but I have to consciously put myself in that mode. However, if I'm tired (alot), or triggered, and just being "myself", then I miss a lot of social cues. Many people have accused me of being rude where I just could not identify the rude behavior. Sometimes, I just think people take things too personally. > > OK, this site is not about Aspergers, so I'll stop there. But, I definitely have at least mild Aspergers as well as Hyperacusis and Sensory Processing Disorder (including Misophonia). > > So it appears that not everyone with Misophonia has Aspergers, but if I'm not mistaken, they do appear to have a similar neurological cause of origin -- don't they? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2011 Report Share Posted December 2, 2011 totally agree w/the environmental issues - !!! I have heard researchers of autism, like Martha Herbert suggest that not only genes are involved but also the exponential rise of chemicals/toxins in our environment, which happens to correspond with the exponential rise of autism. There are tons of chemicals in our environment of which long term effects are not known. I believe I heard that there is less autism in less developed countries, but don't quote me on that. These toxins end up in the food we eat, water we drink, air we breathe. I believe that we need more environmental regulation, not less and certainly not doing away with the EPA all together. (off my soapbox now) To: Soundsensitivity Sent: Thursday, December 1, 2011 9:22 PM Subject: Re: Autism vs Asperger's What you say about "I have to consciously put myself in that mode" is very characteristic of Asperger's. Many Aspies can use their intelligence to make up for their lack of "social and emotional radar", but it is a conscious effort - not intuitive. It certainly sounds like you have the "broad autism phenotype" or maybe Asperger's itself. Your AQ score is similar to mine. As to the neurological cause, no one *knows* the cause of misophonia, and there has been far too little research into sensory sensitivity in general, including among Aspies. So the jury is out on that one. In any case, there does not appear to be a single cause of autism or Asperger's - it is "polygenic" (it has many different possible causes). Also, it is very common for people with psychological conditions to have multiple disorders, but that doesn't mean they have the same cause other than - maybe - the same major mutations affecting lots of different genes at once. Causes can be very complex. As a simple hypothetical example, let's imagine that gene A causes misophonia and gene B causes autism and some environmental substance C (e.g. mother smoking during pregnancy) sometimes affects A, sometimes B, and sometimes both. Misophonia and autism could occur in the same person while having different genetic causes (gene A versus gene but a similar general environmental trigger. Who knows? As science students often note in their essays, "More research is needed." But there are heaps of people with misophonia who have average AQ scores, and heaps of people with Asperger's who don't have misophonia (I have looked closely at quite a few discussions of this issue on Aspie forums). So the overlap between the two conditions is not particularly large in my experience. > > I took this Aspie's test about 6 months ago and scored a 33. > > I've had mild social interaction issues, though others might say they're more than mild. The funny thing is that I can "turn on" my social skills and be the life of the party, purposefully pay attention, be a good listener, and with excellent observation skills -- but I have to consciously put myself in that mode. However, if I'm tired (alot), or triggered, and just being "myself", then I miss a lot of social cues. Many people have accused me of being rude where I just could not identify the rude behavior. Sometimes, I just think people take things too personally. > > OK, this site is not about Aspergers, so I'll stop there. But, I definitely have at least mild Aspergers as well as Hyperacusis and Sensory Processing Disorder (including Misophonia). > > So it appears that not everyone with Misophonia has Aspergers, but if I'm not mistaken, they do appear to have a similar neurological cause of origin -- don't they? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2011 Report Share Posted December 2, 2011 Kat, if you are comfortable with a group of people do you still need to put yourself "in mode" socially? I'm trying to figure out if these things are "automatic" or are they learned for survival reasons. To: Soundsensitivity Sent: Thu, December 1, 2011 1:47:04 AMSubject: Re: Autism vs Asperger's I took this Aspie's test about 6 months ago and scored a 33. I've had mild social interaction issues, though others might say they're more than mild. The funny thing is that I can "turn on" my social skills and be the life of the party, purposefully pay attention, be a good listener, and with excellent observation skills -- but I have to consciously put myself in that mode. However, if I'm tired (alot), or triggered, and just being "myself", then I miss a lot of social cues. Many people have accused me of being rude where I just could not identify the rude behavior. Sometimes, I just think people take things too personally. OK, this site is not about Aspergers, so I'll stop there. But, I definitely have at least mild Aspergers as well as Hyperacusis and Sensory Processing Disorder (including Misophonia).So it appears that not everyone with Misophonia has Aspergers, but if I'm not mistaken, they do appear to have a similar neurological cause of origin -- don't they?> >> > I realize that asperger's is a "lighter" form of autism. It seems many of the traits of misophonia could be interpreted as asperger's syndome.> >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2011 Report Share Posted December 2, 2011 Kat, if you are comfortable with a group of people do you still need to put yourself "in mode" socially? I'm trying to figure out if these things are "automatic" or are they learned for survival reasons. To: Soundsensitivity Sent: Thu, December 1, 2011 1:47:04 AMSubject: Re: Autism vs Asperger's I took this Aspie's test about 6 months ago and scored a 33. I've had mild social interaction issues, though others might say they're more than mild. The funny thing is that I can "turn on" my social skills and be the life of the party, purposefully pay attention, be a good listener, and with excellent observation skills -- but I have to consciously put myself in that mode. However, if I'm tired (alot), or triggered, and just being "myself", then I miss a lot of social cues. Many people have accused me of being rude where I just could not identify the rude behavior. Sometimes, I just think people take things too personally. OK, this site is not about Aspergers, so I'll stop there. But, I definitely have at least mild Aspergers as well as Hyperacusis and Sensory Processing Disorder (including Misophonia).So it appears that not everyone with Misophonia has Aspergers, but if I'm not mistaken, they do appear to have a similar neurological cause of origin -- don't they?> >> > I realize that asperger's is a "lighter" form of autism. It seems many of the traits of misophonia could be interpreted as asperger's syndome.> >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2011 Report Share Posted December 2, 2011 I got a 13 on that test To: Soundsensitivity Sent: Friday, December 2, 2011 8:25 AM Subject: Re: Re: Autism vs Asperger's Kat, if you are comfortable with a group of people do you still need to put yourself "in mode" socially? I'm trying to figure out if these things are "automatic" or are they learned for survival reasons. To: Soundsensitivity Sent: Thu, December 1, 2011 1:47:04 AMSubject: Re: Autism vs Asperger's I took this Aspie's test about 6 months ago and scored a 33. I've had mild social interaction issues, though others might say they're more than mild. The funny thing is that I can "turn on" my social skills and be the life of the party, purposefully pay attention, be a good listener, and with excellent observation skills -- but I have to consciously put myself in that mode. However, if I'm tired (alot), or triggered, and just being "myself", then I miss a lot of social cues. Many people have accused me of being rude where I just could not identify the rude behavior. Sometimes, I just think people take things too personally. OK, this site is not about Aspergers, so I'll stop there. But, I definitely have at least mild Aspergers as well as Hyperacusis and Sensory Processing Disorder (including Misophonia).So it appears that not everyone with Misophonia has Aspergers, but if I'm not mistaken, they do appear to have a similar neurological cause of origin -- don't they?> >> > I realize that asperger's is a "lighter" form of autism. It seems many of the traits of misophonia could be interpreted as asperger's syndome.> >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2011 Report Share Posted December 2, 2011 I got a 13 on that test To: Soundsensitivity Sent: Friday, December 2, 2011 8:25 AM Subject: Re: Re: Autism vs Asperger's Kat, if you are comfortable with a group of people do you still need to put yourself "in mode" socially? I'm trying to figure out if these things are "automatic" or are they learned for survival reasons. To: Soundsensitivity Sent: Thu, December 1, 2011 1:47:04 AMSubject: Re: Autism vs Asperger's I took this Aspie's test about 6 months ago and scored a 33. I've had mild social interaction issues, though others might say they're more than mild. The funny thing is that I can "turn on" my social skills and be the life of the party, purposefully pay attention, be a good listener, and with excellent observation skills -- but I have to consciously put myself in that mode. However, if I'm tired (alot), or triggered, and just being "myself", then I miss a lot of social cues. Many people have accused me of being rude where I just could not identify the rude behavior. Sometimes, I just think people take things too personally. OK, this site is not about Aspergers, so I'll stop there. But, I definitely have at least mild Aspergers as well as Hyperacusis and Sensory Processing Disorder (including Misophonia).So it appears that not everyone with Misophonia has Aspergers, but if I'm not mistaken, they do appear to have a similar neurological cause of origin -- don't they?> >> > I realize that asperger's is a "lighter" form of autism. It seems many of the traits of misophonia could be interpreted as asperger's syndome.> >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2011 Report Share Posted December 2, 2011 Myself, my mom and my brother all have a weird ear condition that no one can figure out and im not sure if my mom and brother suffer the same way i do w/ 4s. But we have excessively itchy ears inside the auditory canal. I thought it may be allergies or something, but then they have gotten antibiotic resistant staph infections in their ears now. I'm not sure if this has anything to do w/ 4s but i'd thought i'd share. To: "Soundsensitivity " <Soundsensitivity > Sent: Thursday, December 1, 2011 9:23 AM Subject: Re: Re: Autism vs Asperger's Do your ideas for possible causes of 4s/miso include an explanation on how a physical problem with the ear might relate to the additional sensory processing problems reported by some here outside of the audiological. I can't recall if you had already explained that in an earlier post. To: Soundsensitivity Sent: Thursday, December 1, 2011 5:48 AM Subject: Re: Autism vs Asperger's As I have posted elsewhere on this site, I doubt very much that there is any pure neurological lesion or cause for misophonia or audiosensitivity. Hence for those with neurologically-related misophonia, I would claim that ear problems had been overlooked for a number of reasons. So thank you for your post, since you seem at first sight a good example of a neurological cause. However, the following strict criteria would need to be met to rule out an otological cause or proximate mechanism (especially low inner ear pressure) before going down the neurological route: 1. No disorder of CSF circulation, especially low pressure (intracranial hypotension). 2. No positional headache, ie worse on standing, relief lying down. 3. No low blood pressure, autonomic disorder. 4. No symptoms of Meniere Spectrum Disorder (dizziness, tinnitus, distorted hearing, fullness/pressure in ear(s), etc.). 5. No weight loss, as with neurodegenerative diseases. 6. No trauma to head or spine, however slight, that might have caused a CSF leak. 7. If some brain malfunction due to faulty tissue is proposed, then other localising neurological symptoms should be present, or a very good explanation for why they are absent. 8. Not Superior Semicircular Canal Dehiscence Syndrome. 9. Probably others, when I have had more time to think about it! ********************************************************************** > > > >> > >> I realize that asperger's is a "lighter" form of autism. It seems many of the traits of misophonia could be interpreted as asperger's syndome. > >> > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2011 Report Share Posted December 2, 2011 Myself, my mom and my brother all have a weird ear condition that no one can figure out and im not sure if my mom and brother suffer the same way i do w/ 4s. But we have excessively itchy ears inside the auditory canal. I thought it may be allergies or something, but then they have gotten antibiotic resistant staph infections in their ears now. I'm not sure if this has anything to do w/ 4s but i'd thought i'd share. To: "Soundsensitivity " <Soundsensitivity > Sent: Thursday, December 1, 2011 9:23 AM Subject: Re: Re: Autism vs Asperger's Do your ideas for possible causes of 4s/miso include an explanation on how a physical problem with the ear might relate to the additional sensory processing problems reported by some here outside of the audiological. I can't recall if you had already explained that in an earlier post. To: Soundsensitivity Sent: Thursday, December 1, 2011 5:48 AM Subject: Re: Autism vs Asperger's As I have posted elsewhere on this site, I doubt very much that there is any pure neurological lesion or cause for misophonia or audiosensitivity. Hence for those with neurologically-related misophonia, I would claim that ear problems had been overlooked for a number of reasons. So thank you for your post, since you seem at first sight a good example of a neurological cause. However, the following strict criteria would need to be met to rule out an otological cause or proximate mechanism (especially low inner ear pressure) before going down the neurological route: 1. No disorder of CSF circulation, especially low pressure (intracranial hypotension). 2. No positional headache, ie worse on standing, relief lying down. 3. No low blood pressure, autonomic disorder. 4. No symptoms of Meniere Spectrum Disorder (dizziness, tinnitus, distorted hearing, fullness/pressure in ear(s), etc.). 5. No weight loss, as with neurodegenerative diseases. 6. No trauma to head or spine, however slight, that might have caused a CSF leak. 7. If some brain malfunction due to faulty tissue is proposed, then other localising neurological symptoms should be present, or a very good explanation for why they are absent. 8. Not Superior Semicircular Canal Dehiscence Syndrome. 9. Probably others, when I have had more time to think about it! ********************************************************************** > > > >> > >> I realize that asperger's is a "lighter" form of autism. It seems many of the traits of misophonia could be interpreted as asperger's syndome. > >> > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2011 Report Share Posted December 2, 2011 I got diagnosed with asperger's in May. Whilst my misophonia and ASD are completely separate, I've used my diagnosis to allow me to get help with both. As we all know it's hard to get any help with this condition so if there is a chance you could have an ASD and you're in a school/college/university I'd suggest getting tested. Since being diagnosed I've been given isolated exam rooms, leeway with my constant need for earphones and general help with my social anxiety. It is sad that this condition isn't recognised but we need to do what we can to make life easier for ourselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2011 Report Share Posted December 2, 2011 I got diagnosed with asperger's in May. Whilst my misophonia and ASD are completely separate, I've used my diagnosis to allow me to get help with both. As we all know it's hard to get any help with this condition so if there is a chance you could have an ASD and you're in a school/college/university I'd suggest getting tested. Since being diagnosed I've been given isolated exam rooms, leeway with my constant need for earphones and general help with my social anxiety. It is sad that this condition isn't recognised but we need to do what we can to make life easier for ourselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 8, 2011 Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 Sorry , didn't see this question until now. I'm comfortable in groups unless I am being triggered, or if I have to express a thought-out personal opinion. I can be observant and conscientious as long as I don't need to actively communicate a point of view. As long as I'm " going with the flow " (casual conversation, dancing, playing), I'm OK. But if I try to " express a deeper thought " , I have to " switch modes " and don't seem to be able to observe others any longer. Does this make sense? Kathy > > > > > > I realize that asperger's is a " lighter " form of autism. It seems many of the > >traits of misophonia could be interpreted as asperger's syndome. > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 8, 2011 Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 Kathy, Yes. It does make sense. It's almost as if there is an "incoming" conversation, it's enough to make you on edge, unless it is a casual, safe group? It's easier to get information out if it's information you are familiar with. But, if someone wants to engage in a conversation that you are not into, or familiar with it is more difficult to respond. Am I right with that? To: Soundsensitivity Sent: Thu, December 8, 2011 4:13:21 PMSubject: Re: Autism vs Asperger's Sorry , didn't see this question until now. I'm comfortable in groups unless I am being triggered, or if I have to express a thought-out personal opinion. I can be observant and conscientious as long as I don't need to actively communicate a point of view. As long as I'm "going with the flow" (casual conversation, dancing, playing), I'm OK. But if I try to "express a deeper thought", I have to "switch modes" and don't seem to be able to observe others any longer. Does this make sense?Kathy> > >> > > I realize that asperger's is a "lighter" form of autism. It seems many of the > >traits of misophonia could be interpreted as asperger's syndome.> > >> >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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