What Is Asperger’s Syndrome? 9 Psychological Characteristics To Identify It
Do you know what Asperger syndrome really is? Do you think you may have one of these types of autism? Discover the symptoms, causes, its main characteristics and its treatment.
The moment you meet a person who has Asperger’s syndrome There’s a good chance you’ll notice a few different features right away. Those who suffer from Asperger’s disease almost completely lack social skills and tend to have an obsessive focus on a topic or perform the same behaviors over and over again.
Currently, Asperger syndrome is classified in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) as a type of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this way, it could be Asperger’s It is one of the types of autism. Despite this, Asperger’s syndrome is usually called a type of ASD. ‘high functioning’. Therefore, this means that the symptoms are less severe than other types of autism spectrum disorders.
Included within autism spectrum disorders (ASD), Asperger syndrome is a type of social disability that is more common than we think. In fact, it is believed that more than 1% of the world’s population has Asperger syndrome, a developmental disorder that is still viewed with rejection by some people. It is usually identified in childhood, but cases have also been diagnosed in adults.
Asperger’s symptoms
The Asperger Confederation Spain points out what behaviors define people with Asperger syndrome In this way, we could say that Asperger’s and its symptoms would be identified in the following.
Have socialization problems especially among people of the same age.
They do not show empathy or sensitivity for others.
They have problems following or maintaining the pace of a conversation.
They usually obsess with a specific topic.
They are sensitive to smells, sounds, colors and strong lights.
They move with difficulty when playing sports or doing physical exercise.
They show repetitive movements or acts
They are very accurate in interpreting or understanding concepts.
They have little sense of humor or irony.
Some of them may also manifest insomnia problems or eating disorders, unusual language patterns, excessively detailed memory or repetitive behaviors such as rocking or walking while talking or reflecting on a question.
People who suffer from Asperger syndrome and its symptoms They do not have intelligence problems, but they can even develop indices much higher than average, as well as extremely logical thinking and great abilities in very specific areas. In this way, Asperger’s has sometimes been seen as a synonym for developing high abilities, although in many cases this does not end up happening in all cases of this disease.
Mainly the Asperger’s disease It is the result of brain differences and therefore has a high degree of genetic component. Despite this, there are also certain factors that increase the risk of having Asperger’s, such as being born to older parents or having a low birth weight.
Some voices disagreeing with pointing out the Asperger As one of the types of autism, they suggest that this disease is synonymous with developing a different neurodiversity and not a disorder in itself. In this way, it is suggested that these brain differences have certain strengths that a neurotypical brain does not have.
Asperger’s characteristics
In order to detect the Asperger’s disease It is interesting to look at the clear signs that these people present. In these cases we can recognize these characteristics in Asperger’s.
Intellectual or artistic interest: As shown in famous people with Asperger’s As is the well-known character of Sheldon Cooper in the series The Big Bang Theory, most people who have Asperger’s disease usually show at least one particular field of interest and intellectual or artistic talent. So much so that in many cases they show great ability in the area where they show that interest from a very early age.
Differences in speech: In these types of childhood or adult autism We can find that people have a different way of speaking or expressing themselves. Asperger’s and its characteristics in language can be detected through a lack of verbal rhythm as well as a peculiar inflection in certain words, in others. One of the peculiarities of speech in Asperger’s syndrome is the high tone of voice in certain situations where the use of it is not socially accepted (such as in a library or a funeral home).
Delayed motor development: Some people with Asperger syndrome They may have motor development with certain delays. Thus, they may have difficulty holding a pencil correctly or swinging in the park. This characteristic of these types of childhood autism can be observed in a mild way as well as in a much more serious way.
Poor social skills: He Asperger’s disorder It is a problem for those who suffer from it since they end up having a very limited field of interest which, added to their low emotional capacity, ends up being a mixture that ends up isolating them from others. In most cases of Asperger’s in adults, people who suffer from it usually try to make friends but often fail completely due to their poor social skills.
Development of harmful psychological problems: In many cases the Asperger’s disease It is closely related to the development of certain harmful psychological disorders that can occur both during adolescence and in adulthood. In this way, Asperger’s and one of its most harmful characteristics is precisely the presence of many cases of depression and anxiety.
Focus on details: He Asperger syndrome It has a peculiarity that ends up being a virtue for those who suffer from it. In many cases, people with Asperger’s tend to have a very detailed orientation that is above that of the average person.
Persistence: Another quality of people with these types of autism is precisely the perseverance that they show when faced with an activity. The ability to persist Asperger’s It is one of the characteristics that most encourages the success of those who suffer from this disorder.
Little social concern: The people with Asperger’s syndrome They are usually motivated by passions intrinsic to themselves. For this reason, they do not have certain social concerns that encourage them to carry out one activity or another.
High integrity: One of the skills of those who suffer from Asperge’s disease r is precisely its integrity. So much so that these people are usually very direct with their intentions and loyalties.
As we can see the Asperger syndrome and its characteristics They can be very visible in people who suffer from it. Despite this, if you still have doubts about whether you may suffer from Asperger’s, you can always count on the evaluation of a mental health professional.
How are Asperger’s and depression related?
In many cases the Asperger syndrome and its symptoms They are seen overlapping with those of depression since these two diseases share many similarities. So much so that suffering from Asperger’s is often synonymous with developing a depressive state. In order to detect depression we must look at the following symptoms
Feeling sad or hopeless, guilty or worthless
Losing interest in things you normally like to do
Notice changes in your appetite (wanting to eat more or less)
Losing weight or gaining weight without explanation
Feeling like you can’t focus or concentrate on anything
Have low energy or fatigue
Sleep disturbance (sleeping too much or too little)
It is important to see the symptoms of depression during Asperger’s since these diseases are usually very involved and can cause a lot of havoc for the person who suffers from them. In these cases it will be essential to go to a professional psychologist to deal with the root of the problem.
Asperger’s Treatment
Most professionals who work with these patients agree that it is essential to carry out a series of tasks that help manage their behavior and benefit their learning. Keeping your environment in order, establishing routines, avoiding inactivity, encouraging the use of visual resources that ensure the understanding of concepts, applying your interests to school learning and avoiding criticism about your behavior or attitude are several of the tools that are recommended. the experts to help people with Asperger syndrome Therefore, the main ways to address Asperger’s and its characteristics is through the following indications.
Social skills training: Therapists put a lot of emphasis on treating one of these Asperger’s traits since it is very important to avoid social isolation in these cases. So much so that during the sessions we try to learn certain social skills that allow us to shape the behavior of these people.
Speech and language therapy: Another way to avoid social isolation is precisely by trying to improve the communication skills of those who suffer from this type of disorder. autism and its meaning associated. In this type of treatment, patterns in tone of voice will be learned, to use eye contact or make gestures in order to have more acceptable behaviors during speech.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy: Through this type of therapy, people with a childhood autism, adult or with Asperger’s disease to change the way you think to better control emotions and repetitive behaviors. So much so that this could be an advantage for one of the characteristics of Asperger’s, such as crises and obsessions.
Parent Education: One of the aspects to take into account when there are cases of Asperger’s autism It is the work that parents must do in order to teach social skills at home. In this way, people who live with someone with Asperger syndrome should also help deal with this disease.
Use of positive reinforcement: Finally, another of the therapies used to try to alleviate everything that the Asperger syndrome and its characteristics is the use of positive reinforcement. This attempts to apply positivity to actions that are done well to try to compensate for some negative attitudes that they may receive from others due to their behaviors.
He Asperger It can be treated so that the person who suffers from it integrates socially more easily. In these cases, the effort on the part of the environment and the affected person is the key to having a life full of great successes.
