Doesn't it seem like there is a lot of overlap between Asperger's and very shy, introverted people?

Question

Typically in response to this question, people say that shy, self-conscious introverts know how to socialize but Asperger's people don't. I think this is a vast oversimplification because many shy introverts are socially awkward and have poor social skills. Such people also often seem to be smarter than average, as are people with AS.

What really strikes me is that in reading a board for social anxiety or avoidant personality disorder, you encounter almost the same type of people as on an Asperger's board. It's like you essentially hear a description of AS on social phobia forums that do not even mention AS, and vice versa...browsing WrongPlanet.net could give you the impression of being on a site for shy introverts trying to make it in an extravert's world. Both groups of people tend to be socially isolated, neurotic, depressed and anxious, self-effacing, highly intelligent, often naive and young-looking for their age, and have clumsy social skills. Could these two labels really be describing the same thing? Or is it that the final result is essentially the same, except that one reason is neurological and the other is psychosocial?

Answer 1

Have you ever met people with Asperger's syndrome? There really is a noticeable difference between aspies and shy introverts.



You need to look at the big picture. Some of the characteristics are similar between the two, but there are also major differences.



People with Asperger's syndrome have obsessive interests, they are pretty much unable to understand non-verbal communication (body language, facial expressions, tone of voice etc.), they struggle to understand non-literal communication (sarcasm, metaphors, jokes etc.), they have sensory issues (normal light can feel painfully bright etc.), they stim (self-stimulatory behavior), most have problems with eye contact, they have problems relating to other people and can appear to lack empathy (and likewise, feel lack of empathy from non-aspies), they tend to have poor motor skills etc. Also, far from all aspies are shy and introverted. That is just an assumption that people often make about us because they don't understand the real reasons why we're not out there socializing.



Asperger's syndrome is very complex and includes a lot of characteristics that shy, introverted neurotypicals don't have. To me there is a clear difference.

Answer 2

This question makes a lot of sense and could be true on quite a few levels.



However, I think the best way to tell apart people with Aspergers from people who are just socially shy is to go back to infancy and young toddlers, where human behavior is primarily instinct and one is too young to be a certain way because they developed a complex.



Even as infants and toddlers, shy people without a neurological condition, would regularly like to be held and cuddled and seek to feel that warmth, where as people with Aspergers, would commonly freeze up and resist human contact. Shy people would also tend to play normal as babies and develop socially at a young age but tend to regress when they became older and were more able to thoroughly analyze their surrounding and what people might think of them. Very young Aspies on the other hand just seem to be so withdrawn on that level.



Another factor that separates the two is that shy people usually lack confidence but have the competence to know the dynamics of casual small talk and normal socialization, where people with Aspergers lack the competence in small talk, even if they gained more confidence, hence the term, "mind blindness".

Answer 3

Yes, there are similarities between aspergers's and shy people.



However, not all people with aspergers are shy and introverted, just have poor social skills. Also, people with aspergers often have a narrow defined special interest, which really fascinates them and they want to know all about it. Just try talking to someone with aspergers about their special interest and see how shy and introverted they are.

Answer 4

The difference tends to be....... Aspergers has an organic cause that does not really change with behavior modification where personality disorders are learned behaviors (schizoids become that way because of learning in childhood that they have no impact on the world..... etc.), that have no organic cause and respond well to cognative therapy.....