Autism - You?

[Goshi]

Yeah, I got it diagnosed too.

 

[Buttonsy]

I prefer to say "I am Autistic" and not "I have Autism", since the latter kinda makes it sound like a disease and also makes it sound more like an external experience than a part of who I am, but yes, I am Autistic and I have a professional diagnosis (although I have no hostility towards people who are Autistic but don't have a professional diagnosis for whatever reason).

 

[KPOP]

i do not have it, never been told so
but i know my dad has some sort of autism
he has never been diagnosed because he refuses to see a doctor for it and back in the day his mother obviously never bothered and now he is almost 70 years old..... and sure i am not a doctor but i have been living my whole life with him and i know he has got something going on ..... and i assume it is a sort of autism and if not, it is gotta be something else big.... but my mom guesses Asperger Syndrome ... she read a lot of books about it and says that it matches him

 

[thedragmeme]

I have autism (Aspergers to be specific) and I feel like a lot of people are misinformed about it. Having autism isint anything to be ashamed of. It just takes a little longer for people with Autism to understand certain topics and concepts, for me I'm a little socially awkward but at once point I didn't communicate at all or make eye contact because I was legit terrified of other people. I think I was in like the third grade when I was diagnosed? The best thing you can do for your child is to accommodate their needs emotional and physical, my parents did and they made sure I was given extra help(Speech and social skills) and accommodations(on occasional breaks if I started getting overloaded) and got me the medications I used to need (as a result of everything I no longer need medication). Because my parents did their job as a parent and got me the help I needed I am a fully functional human being in college getting my bachelors and working a part-time job at the same time.
A common misconception that bothers me is the fact that people believe that vaccines cause autism. I, the girl with a diafnossed case of autism, can confirm this is not true. If you ignore your child's needs because you don't want to have a child that has something "wrong" with them then you're doing the child an injustice.

- - - Post Merge - - -

I prefer to say "I am Autistic" and not "I have Autism", since the latter kinda makes it sound like a disease and also makes it sound more like an external experience than a part of who I am, but yes, I am Autistic and I have a professional diagnosis (although I have no hostility towards people who are Autistic but don't have a professional diagnosis for whatever reason).

^^ you shouldn't feel ashamed of anything about you, you're not alone in the sea of people. I have autism too and it's not a disease. My recommendation is to make that clear to people who are misinformed.

- - - Post Merge - - -

i do not have it, never been told so
but i know my dad has some sort of autism
he has never been diagnosed because he refuses to see a doctor for it and back in the day his mother obviously never bothered and now he is almost 70 years old..... and sure i am not a doctor but i have been living my whole life with him and i know he has got something going on ..... and i assume it is a sort of autism and if not, it is gotta be something else big.... but my mom guesses Asperger Syndrome ... she read a lot of books about it and says that it matches him

^^ I would recommend getting a professional diagnosis even at that age because even if it seems like it there's the potential that it's not autism rather then something else. There are multiple levels of neurological oopses that our brains can have so it could be any number of things. There are multiple conditions and symptoms that make it seem like someone has autism but the truth is that's not always the case. And I'll say this to everyone, don't guess get a professional opinion so you can have the correct therapy and medical needs met.

- - - Post Merge - - -

I don't have it but I have a disorder that coincides with it: schizotypal personality disorder. Both share very similar traits, and even some of the symptoms are the same.
People with autism are cool, though. They're usually really smart.

^^

- - - Post Merge - - -

I don't have diagnosed Autism or anything on the spectrum, but the last time I was diagnosed with anything was when I was like 14-15 years old. And back then I was diagnosed with some personality thing, depression, and ADHD. Because I didn't know what anxiety was I didn't know how to answer the questions regarding it but now I know I have severe anxiety as well, un-diagnosed.

I do feel like I might be on the spectrum, I mean not like really heavy autism or anything but I can see some tendencies I have that correlate. I've asked my sister and she says she doesn't really know, she works with children with autism and is becoming a behavioral analyst so maybe she'll be able to diagnose me someday. XD

I would recommend seeing multiple doctors to get a wide variety of professional opinions. You do know what you feel the best and sometimes going to just one doctor is counter productive

- - - Post Merge - - -

I don't have it, but my twin has Asperger's so I guess I've experienced it from another point of view

^^ be sure to give your sister a lot of love and support, sometimes people with Autism have a hard time expressing their feelings because they are afraid of potential backlash

- - - Post Merge - - -

Yeah, I've been diagnosed with Asperger(part of the ASD), and while some situations show it more than others I don't let it be a too big part of me, and I try to overcome the basic difficulties when I can. I think most of my traits come from a bad childhood rather than Asperger/ASD only though. But yeah I try to tell people I have it though so they don't expect me to work like "everyone else" and so they can consider that if they want to approach me, because honestly some stuff are kinda stuck on you.

I'm glad I don't have the worst cases of it though (or more severe autism in general) cause I wouldn't want a routine-life stuck at home or stuff.

^^ this is an example of bias clouding the medical truth, some bits of this is true but mostly its a misconception. The phrase "I wouldn't want a routine-life stuck at home or stuff." is really harsh(also untrue) most people with Autism enjoy nature and being inside and while routine is nice it's not forced. People with more severe cases of autism just need a bit more help than those with lesser cases. ^^ It's all in the brain. Though I will admit people can be harsh when you tell them you have Autism, but at the same time you need to make clear you are a human being and can function like one.

- - - Post Merge - - -

i was diagnosed in august 2016, and for a while i absolutely hated myself, thought "why me" **** like that. i guess it explains a lot of my quirks and shortcomings (and also perks) but still, the spectrum is waaaaaaaaaay too broad

^^ The spectrum is broad, but that just shows how complex Autism really is. Also don't be so hard on yourself, don't think of autism as a bad thing that makes you have bad quirks and shortcomings. Think of it as "Oh I do have Autism, but that's okay because I'm unique and different"

- - - Post Merge - - -

no, i've never been diagnosed but i have a family member who has it, so i've experienced it firsthand that way

Same thing I said to Cherub ^^

- - - Post Merge - - -

i can barely erase text on this ipad soooooo I'll just leave it there

yeah I guess people online can't really if they don't know me in person....I'm just so hopeless about trying to get help irl because no doctor wants to help me, they just want my money or they lie. guess I have some incurable disorder im stuck with forever :/

but now y'know I'm gonna stop caring. There's more important things going on in my life than trying to see if I have autism. I'll just forget it and keep living

^^ This is a very bad idea, ignoring your needs, in general, is a bad idea. A misconception in the quoted is "anyway it’s not super important to have a diagnosis unless you need help from school or something. reading about autism and learning about it can be enough" this couldn't be further from the truth. Autism is a neurological disorder (In simple terms it affects your brain" so no matter where you go it will affect everything you do. AT the same time the spectrum is so broad that you do need a professional opinion. Autism isint a curse your just a little different and that's okay ^^ go to the doctor and get the right help, and help educate other people so misconceptions stop

 

[Alienfish]

@FloatyFlare, yeah we all have different needs but I got it diagnosed so late and except some social issues and stuff I functioned somewhat okay with what I did before. I mean I think my largest "errors" are that I've social anxiety and need proper instructions/can't read between the rows etc. and I need to tell people if I'm looking for a work obviously. But what I meant was that I would hate for it to infest my mind so much that I must think in Aspie/ASD terms all the freaking time and never get better at stuff. I try not to think of my Aspie when I don't need to and I try teaching myself to be more social etc.

I was not trying to degrade anyone or making them feel less, but I've seen bad cases of those routine lives(people with asd diagnoses) and what it does to them, like they can never relax and just do the schedule when they don't need to etc. etc. I mean I have my sleep and morning things that I do, but it's not like I punish myself if I go to sleep later or is a bit lazy in the morning and stuff.

Well, yeah obviously there are some asshats that will never get it even though you explain 100 times and then you either tell them to **** off if they refuse to understand or have patience, it all depends on the person I guess lol. As for dealing with authorities and social insurance, yeah they can very much **** off because they don't really look at asd unless you can get your doctor to write very concretely that you are tied to your bed with three legs staring in the wall (then you probs have other issues, but to explain they almost never approve financial help unless you are an extreme case trying everything and failing).

 

[thedragmeme]

i dont have it but i have written multiple essays in college over it.

the thing about autism and other such untreatable disorders is that its really just you were born different than other people and it cant be "cured." i dont have autism, but i do have another "incurable" mental disorder (borderline personality disorder). i can relate a little bit, in the "you will always be atypical neurologically and theres nothing you can do about it" way. it's not in the same realm, but i can kind of understand the feelings of initial diagnosis. i felt like **** at first, but ive accepted now, especially since im doing a lot better currently. i realized it's just kind of how i am and to think about its symptoms like a part of anyone's personality and move on with my life.

^^ Okay how do I start? First, Autism isint an undetectable disorder. By 2015 the earliest signs we found are in children just merely 2 years old, and awareness of Autism has risen.
Second, while it isn't curable Autism is treatable with therapy and mild medication
third, Autism and personality disorder are two completely different neurological conditions ^^ so naturally, the treatments for both are completely different
And finally, just moving on ignoring your needs is a bad idea, go to multiple doctors to get a variety of medical opinions so you can get the correct help ^^

- - - Post Merge - - -

@FloatyFlare, yeah we all have different needs but I got it diagnosed so late and except some social issues and stuff I functioned somewhat okay with what I did before. I mean I think my largest "errors" are that I've social anxiety and need proper instructions/can't read between the rows etc. and I need to tell people if I'm looking for a work obviously. But what I meant was that I would hate for it to infest my mind so much that I must think in Aspie/ASD terms all the freaking time and never get better at stuff. I try not to think of my Aspie when I don't need to and I try teaching myself to be more social etc.

I was not trying to degrade anyone or making them feel less, but I've seen bad cases of those routine lives(people with and diagnoses) and what it does to them, like they can never relax and just do the schedule when they don't need to etc. etc. I mean I have my sleep and morning things that I do, but it's not like I punish myself if I go to sleep later or is a bit lazy in the morning and stuff.

Well, yeah obviously there are some asshats that will never get it even though you explain 100 times and then you either tell them to **** off if they refuse to understand or have patience, it all depends on the person I guess lol. As for dealing with authorities and social insurance, yeah they can very much **** off because they don't really look at asd unless you can get your doctor to write very concretely that you are tied to your bed with three legs staring in the wall (then you probs have other issues, but to explain they almost never approve financial help unless you are an extreme case trying everything and failing).

^^ getting diagnosed late is okay. Your taking steps to help yourself but don't hide behind it. And no you do not have to disclose you are Autistic to potential employers. There are no laws that say you have to, but if you do wish to disclose your condition I would mention it at the end of an interview ^^ Also if certain things make you uncomforitable dont force yourself to take huge leaps, baby steps is fine as long as theres growth. I know that degrading people wasnt your intention ^^ I was just doing what my mom did for me "If nobody points it out that your doing it, you'll most likely not know your doing it". And for the final paragraph, yes people can be asshates but I like trying to be the bigger person. If they wont listen don't force them to ^^

- - - Post Merge - - -

Nah. Never been diagnosed and probably don't have it. I do have a sibling with autism, so I know what it's like to some degree.

I have trouble interacting with people, but that has nothing to do with autism and everything to do with me being an introvert and having no social skills.

Same thing I mentioned to the other people who have autistic siblings ^^

- - - Post Merge - - -

I was diagnosed with aspergers about 6-7 years ago... along with a multitude of other issues...

And I know I have it. Aspergers causes people to have extreme social anxiety, especially with their peers, and that perfectly describes me. Also, those people tend to obsess over things they like, which I personally can't help doing. Everything I love, I love excessively...

Ik I'm a strange child, maybe that's why I haven't made any friends yet

^^ be aware of your conditions and use them to make you grow as a person, use the support your offered but don't hide behind it

- - - Post Merge - - -

I don't think so. I have severe anxiety issues and depression, but I don't relate to any symptoms of autism.

^^ Get a professional opinion to be absolutely sure and get help if needed

- - - Post Merge - - -

My mom's been claiming I have it for the past 2 or 3 years, but I'm still unsure. No doctor wants to diagnose me, when my mom brings me to doctors they say "we'll get a specialist, just wait" and they never do.

Maybe I am normal but just extremely, extremely introverted. And have a very negative attitude & personality. Maybe that's just it. I don't really think I have it personally....but my mom bugs me about it, soooo....

(If anyone here is a doctor, or has autism themself and wants to try and diagnose me, here u go)

Spoiler: spoiler

does not communicate with people at school at all, or at a very silent voice

aggressive and negative most of the time

extremely sensitive

hates loud noise

likes art, gaming

one odd thing my mom claims I did in kindergarten was that I always would turn off the lights, turn off the toys and close all the doors when the kids were done using them. probably some sort of OCD but unsure

also in kindergarten the teachers wanted me to be put in the special needs class but mom declined

always prefers to be alone, in silence

good in math, art, language

no friends irl and doesn't want any

interests are pretty much the opposite as the other girls (they like makeup, social media, slutty clothes, dating, drama, mature subjects; I'm opposite of all that)

ok I really do need temper control once I think about it

as sorta said above, likes things that are for younger ages

likes computers and gaming. interested in hacking.

trouble with communicating with strangers. not speaking in a clear voice, usually less eye contact, doesn't say hello back, quiet

lmk if u want more info

^^ In situations like this you need to push for action, because autism is on such a broad spectrum you do need a perfesional opinion

- - - Post Merge - - -

yes, i got my diagnosis a few days after i turned 16 haha. pretty sure they said i have atypical autism (because i dont have special interests apparently, which could be explained w/ my Eternal Depression but Yea h) but since it?s all being replaced with ASD it doesnt matter. I think it is way more accurate to explain the symptoms and difficulties you have instead of talking about being high functioning or having aspergers instead of Terrible Autism

i?ve Highly Suspected that im autistic since i was 11 and i pretty much accepted it when i was 14 even though i wasnt diagnosed yet. people get super pissed if you say you knew before you were diagnosed but they never do it because of Legit reasons, it?s always ?ummmm mY CoUSIn??? Is AuTIsmtic?? aNd hIs PARentS aRE liTeRALly PlanInIng To mURDeR hiM bECauSe He iS suCh a PaiN!!!!!!! yOU doNt Knwo ANYTHInG!!!!!? which is Uhhh interesting.

anyway i think my autism affects me a lot but i dont think it defines me as a person and i dont really relate to other autistic people that much, it?s a big spectrum and i have multiple other disorders that affect me a lot.
i went to an autism support group this spring and it was alright but i felt that i didnt fit in that well bc of my uhhh Mountain of mental illness. they were talking about problems in school, worries about the future, dreams and whatever and i Could Not Relate At All

- - - Post Merge - - -

@ uni no one on this forum can diagnose you. if you feel you might be autistic and would benefit from having a diagnosis you should contact a psychologist. im sure getting an evaluation is not as hopeless as you seem to think it is, it might be kind of like your school situation a while back lol
many people have autistic traits but it?s also about the intensity and w/e of the traits and that?s really hard for someone online to know about you

anyway it?s not super important to have a diagnosis unless you need help from school or something. reading about autism and learning about it can be enough. it sucks that peoplr will always b like ?umm... you dont know if youre autistic Leave -_-? if you want to ask for advice but other people suck and you know yourself better than snyone else And if you share autism symptoms but dont have autism you can still benefit from learning about it shdhfjds

You do know you body best ^^ Some people want to be right but arnt also there is no such thing as "Terrible autism" there are three main catergores Autistic Disorder (also called "classic" autism) This is what most people think of when hearing the word "autism", Asperger Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder

- - - Post Merge - - -

Never diagnosed with autism and I don't believe I have it, although I feel like I might have a slight learning disability due to my problems remembering how to do even simple math.

^^ Even if you suspect it a little bit go get a professional opinion

 

[SoraDeathEater]

I haven?t been diagnosed with it, but my mother and husband (along with both my biological and step father) think I do have it. My siblings from my dads side have it, one has been diagnosed while the others haven?t (due to they can?t get diagnosed because of finances). My mother says I can?t detect sarcasm/I take jokes way too personally. I always have.. though I know it?s a joke, but I still take it way too personally. My step dad has been around a people with autism and he?s said he?s seen many similarities between them and I. Though I have been diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety.. I don?t take medication for it anymore due to the fact that my depression seemed to have ?adjusted? to the medication. It worked at first, but after a while it stopped and would hit harder.. When I got diagnosed for depression and anxiety my mom said she never really thought to ask if I could get evaluated for autism.. She wish she had, but we were also financially unable to (heck we barely managed to pay for my medication). I?d like to get evaluated just because I have children (well a 3 year old and I?m currently pregnant). I know a pediatrician said they wanted to monitor my son due to the fact my depression could be passed to him (that?s what they told me). Though when I?m really mad/upset I tend to ?overreact? and can?t think straight after that.. My mind would say one thing but my mouth says another.. idk.. maybe I shouldn?t be posting this to a public forum lol..

 

[thedragmeme]

I haven’t been diagnosed with it, but my mother and husband (along with both my biological and step father) think I do have it. My siblings from my dads side have it, one has been diagnosed while the others haven’t (due to they can’t get diagnosed because of finances). My mother says I can’t detect sarcasm/I take jokes way too personally. I always have.. though I know it’s a joke, but I still take it way too personally. My step dad has been around a people with autism and he’s said he’s seen many similarities between them and I. Though I have been diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety.. I don’t take medication for it anymore due to the fact that my depression seemed to have “adjusted” to the medication. It worked at first, but after a while it stopped and would hit harder.. When I got diagnosed for depression and anxiety my mom said she never really thought to ask if I could get evaluated for autism.. She wish she had, but we were also financially unable to (heck we barely managed to pay for my medication). I’d like to get evaluated just because I have children (well a 3 year old and I’m currently pregnant). I know a pediatrician said they wanted to monitor my son due to the fact my depression could be passed to him (that’s what they told me). Though when I’m really mad/upset I tend to “overreact” and can’t think straight after that.. My mind would say one thing but my mouth says another.. idk.. maybe I shouldn’t be posting this to a public forum lol..

Because the spectrum is so vast you really do need a professional opinion to truly pin down what it really is. Some of what your describing does sound like autism but everything else sounds like it could be something else ^^

 

[KPOP]

^^ I would recommend getting a professional diagnosis even at that age because even if it seems like it there's the potential that it's not autism rather then something else. There are multiple levels of neurological oopses that our brains can have so it could be any number of things. There are multiple conditions and symptoms that make it seem like someone has autism but the truth is that's not always the case. And I'll say this to everyone, don't guess get a professional opinion so you can have the correct therapy and medical needs met.

thanks for the tips and stuff but did you not fully read my message? did my post not make it clear to you that therapy is never going to happen? i said he refuses to acknowledge anything , let alone go into therapy for his behaviour.
how is a doctor suppose to diagnose him if he does not want to see one? i cannot force my almost 70 year old father to go do that , he is a lost case when it comes to this

and yeah sure i cannot call it autism because i am not a doctor but whatever it is, he got SOMETHING , autism or something else that makes him go ........

 

[idiotdoomspiral]

^^ The spectrum is broad, but that just shows how complex Autism really is. Also don't be so hard on yourself, don't think of autism as a bad thing that makes you have bad quirks and shortcomings. Think of it as "Oh I do have Autism, but that's okay because I'm unique and different"

i'm unique because i have weird mannerisms. i don't see it as a positive thing. i give off an anti-social vibe while i'm comfortable with talking to many people. i blast my music way too loud in my headphones and people probably think it's rude but i like to be in my own world. i peel the chocolate off of ice cream and put it in a bowl and eat it for last. i can get people interested but i've never had an IRL friend for years. i used to scratch the skin off of my back and twitch when i was afraid and i would do it in public (probably more of trauma but i guess autism might have a part in it) and a lot of people at school (even some author who used to be a cop or something saw it in my body language) that i'm quite scary.
but i guess i'm also unique in a good way. i like weird, eerie things, and i like that about myself. i guess i'm scary towards crowds i dislike (which is 95% of students at school) and i like to think that people see me as a little strange, i kind of enjoy that feeling. but i can never show it at school. it's fine though, i'm happier that way.

 

[thedragmeme]

thanks for the tips and stuff but did you not fully read my message? did my post not make it clear to you that therapy is never going to happen? i said he refuses to acknowledge anything , let alone go into therapy for his behaviour.
how is a doctor suppose to diagnose him if he does not want to see one? i cannot force my almost 70 year old father to go do that , he is a lost case when it comes to this

and yeah sure i cannot call it autism because i am not a doctor but whatever it is, he got SOMETHING , autism or something else that makes him go ........

I just gave my advice ^^ do with it what you will

- - - Post Merge - - -

i'm unique because i have weird mannerisms. i don't see it as a positive thing. i give off an anti-social vibe while i'm comfortable with talking to many people. i blast my music way too loud in my headphones and people probably think it's rude but i like to be in my own world. i peel the chocolate off of ice cream and put it in a bowl and eat it for last. i can get people interested but i've never had an IRL friend for years. i used to scratch the skin off of my back and twitch when i was afraid and i would do it in public (probably more of trauma but i guess autism might have a part in it) and a lot of people at school (even some author who used to be a cop or something saw it in my body language) that i'm quite scary.
but i guess i'm also unique in a good way. i like weird, eerie things, and i like that about myself. i guess i'm scary towards crowds i dislike (which is 95% of students at school) and i like to think that people see me as a little strange, i kind of enjoy that feeling. but i can never show it at school. it's fine though, i'm happier that way.

Well as long as your happy ^^

 

[Sanaki]

No, I've personally never been diagnosed with it but I have been around those who do, so I do know what it's like to have it in some ways.

 

[Flare]

Uhh no i don't have Autism. Sometimes I worry about getting it though. (Hope nobody is offended by this.)
I do sometimes get annoyed and ticked easily but it's supposed to come from my PTSD and stuff. Now I have met some Autistic folks and they are too misunderstood as they aren't as bad as make them seem.

 

[thedragmeme]

Uhh no i don't have Autism. Sometimes I worry about getting it though. (Hope nobody is offended by this.)
I do sometimes get annoyed and ticked easily but it's supposed to come from my PTSD and stuff. Now I have met some Autistic folks and they are too misunderstood as they aren't as bad as make them seem.

You are born with Autism, you either have it or you don't. You don't have to worry about being infected or anything because it's not a disease ^^

 

[nintendofan85]

No, but I've met plenty of people that have.

 

[toadsworthy]

I do not have autism, but I have worked with a lot of different children all over the spectrum. Not to mention my work includes meeting a lot of kids with features of autism. I help people pursue genetic testing and in a pediatric setting we get parents with children who may have other heath concerns on top of autism. However it is a very controversial topic. There is a genetic component to it for sure, but parents with the same genetic changes as their kids will sometimes not have the same features. So while other family members having a diagnosis does increase the chance for close relatives your genetics are only one part and there are many other factors that can affect someone developing autism. I don't like characterizing a child with autism unless they have been diagnosed formally, because sometimes the features can be attributed to other features (for example someone having a hard time understanding people because when they developed they had deafness congenitally that went unnoticed). We take care to characterize a child's behavior as specifically as possible rather than just saying "autistic". I'm also a huge proponent of people first language (a "person with autism" rather than "an autistic person")

 

[visibleghost]

^ why the person first language tho

like yeah i get it autism isnt the only part of someone but in my experience the ppl who thiink it’s really important to say ”person with autism” instead of ”autistic person” are the same people who talk about how Bad autism is. autism is part of who people are and trying to separate autism from the autistic person is a bit weird imo

 

[chamsae]

years ago i used to think some of the symptoms of aspergers applied to me and suspected that i may be on the spectrum but as it turned out im just An Introvert With Depression And Anxiety lol

 

[Alienfish]

years ago i used to think some of the symptoms of aspergers applied to me and suspected that i may be on the spectrum but as it turned out im just An Introvert With Depression And Anxiety lol

Yeah, wanna add this is probably one of the bigger misdiagnosing things, aside from not looking at a person's growing up circumstances closer. Sometimes they are just like you phrased or got extremely shy/not working/etc. because of how their parents treated them regardless if their parents had it or not. etc.

And the same thing goes for people thinking we are psycho people with no empathy etc. We do, just not like"everyone" else, and unless it's someone close or we feel for eg. some musician we can't be a sobbing bunch of tears for your close friend I hardly know or stuff lol :/

 

[visibleghost]

Yeah, wanna add this is probably one of the bigger misdiagnosing things, aside from not looking at a person's growing up circumstances closer. Sometimes they are just like you phrased or got extremely shy/not working/etc. because of how their parents treated them regardless if their parents had it or not. etc.

And the same thing goes for people thinking we are psycho people with no empathy etc. We do, just not like"everyone" else, and unless it's someone close or we feel for eg. some musician we can't be a sobbing bunch of tears for your close friend I hardly know or stuff lol :/

some autistic people even have a bunch more empathy than what's typical, i think that it's often more difficult for us to express it tho. idk lol