See the world through her Asperger eyes: Wendy Lampen at TEDxDelft

Wendy Lampen (Belgium, 1969 -- @lampadedromy) works as a lecturer for a university of applied sciences. She got diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome herself. Trained as a teacher in English, History and Ethics she later on worked with adolescents with autism in a school setting.
Next to being an MA in autism, she extensively studied neurotypical (non-autistic) behaviour in order to understand people better. It gave her insight into what really set her apart from (most of the) others: sensory processing and its ongoing processes and the way the two braintypes give meaning to the world they experience.
This hightend awareness made her start her own company with her (neurotypical) partner. From her international experience in how different cultures look at autism or 'disorders' in general, Wendy is an advocate for a neuro-divers society. She focusses on the competences and the possibilities of the different braintypes and how they each can contribute to a richer life.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[@lampadedromy]

How nice that you watched this and left a comment. Maybe you here the stress in my voice. Partly because of being so overwhelmed. Experiencing and 'reliving' things the whole time. After the performance I was exhausted. But thankful I got the opportunity to have been given the chance by TEDxDelft for bringing my story.

[@yivmaiden]

Thank you for sharing your human experience. We need more of these voices.

[@violettemartinez7796]

Thanks a lot, take care! It's great.

[@lisalistowskylistowsky4112]

Thank you so much for explaining your world . People that are neurotypical should learn about the ASD world. Understand that it your brain and not something strange. Have much more compassion and empathy. 1 in 40 humans are on the spectrum.. It should be taught in middle school so the ASD kids are not bullied and are shown compassion and empathy.

[@Salakert]

How do You do public speaking? Aint happening here.

[@felicialex80]

Thank you for your words. I suspect to be Asperger, so I'm watching a lot of videos like yours. And as you can figure, I'm doing it not really obsessively, but more and more, until it's satisfying enough. It helps me a lot, because I'm suffering a lot, and these kinds of talks are a relief. Synesthesia and the habit to connect everything with anything is a constant part of my life.

[@ralphnathanielalpanghe7917]

I'm a 16 year old Aspie turning 17. And I just want to say that no one would ever completely know what it feels like to have Asperger's but only those who has it.

[@netsurfer10000]

I'm sure about that. Every bit helps, though.

[@ralphnathanielalpanghe7917]

Yeah. I'm glad there are still people who are willing to help.

[@stubbs1237]

I'm with you on this one (21 year old Aspie)

[@rainbowlab5813]

sad but true (16 year old aspie)

[@4eyedpok35]

I'm 31...

[@MayonR]

My wife used to get frustrated because I would require full explanation of what she is trying to say. And I have told her I need to define everything to understand it. I can totally relate with this.

[@lampadedromy]

Hope that my very small contribution can be of any help to you and your wife. Thanks for leaving your comment.

[@TheLovelyRushka]

I drove my parents crazy questioning everything.

[@etoatoummhmm6391]

I honestly feel like that all the time, I need people to explain what they mean literally, they always tell me sometimes they think I have something wrong with my brain.

[@pleasedontkillmyvibe2774]

MayonR I do that too. I need an in depth explanation to see the whole picture. sucks.

[@ianspeedie9027]

A lot of us can't process information,so , because we are attention to detail,we ask questions for information and to understand it properly broken down👍

[@ethelhoose2972]

My daughter has asberger but the school system didn't believe it so she left school at sixteen and is doing better because of it

[@DrDiode-cj6fs]

i have asbergers and left school at 16 as well. and ya i just needed to get away from the structure of school and form my own life according to my issue. i was able to teach myself 2 trades and now i live quite happily. I understand the pain the school system brings to people like me and your daughter and im glad she got out, i hope shes doing ok

[@Watcher1301]

I'm an aspie and the way she describes it seems like some kind of superpower or something. Simply put, overwhelming sensorial input. I just can't ignore any little sound I hear. Light blinds me, I wear sunglasses in cloudy days. Powerful memory. Wild association of ideas and concepts. I have some kind of synesthesia with logical flaws in arguments, I see fallacies with color. Political speeches seems fireworks to me. LoL

[@PhilipSerino]

+Johannes Grützmann YES! Agreed!

[@nutelina]

+Johannes Grützmann Any food that alters it? I react pretty wildly on certain types of food.

[@dtgjudge2595]

I'm glad to hear that I am not the only one that struggles with light levels. I wear sunglasses all the time, even indoors if the lights are too bright.

[@netsurfer10000]

That sounds pretty cool, to be honest

[@Hanno1901]

don't you think the wild associations are caused by Low Latent Inhibition? Look it up if you don't know what it is. It's worth reading.

[@joshuaking7519]

that pretty much explains my world i have aspergers and im constantly trying to integrate every experience into the whole of my life. frustrating but can be enlightening. just the way our brain works. the problem is stress. the aspergers brain doesnt know when to shut off and even when the body is tired the brain is still trying to make sense of every small unimportant situation. and for all you people criticizing her, grow a heart. aspergers is real and she has a great explanation about it. if u think shes being a bit self absorbed just imagine what its like to live with it. u get much rejection and laughs for the way u behave. every day someone chooses to poke fun at you and u dont understand why. grow a heart

[@starkitty77]

Hear hear, beautifully said. If these people had, knew of someone with, or did just a basic google search of Aspergers, then they might empathise. I think she seemed classic aspie, and if you think not, then don't be so rude as to diss her here.

[@joshuaking7519]

Exactly erin :-)

[@NeuroLushia]

Joshua King You captured my thoughts exactly. I find this lady's talk very relateable as I have AS... it's sad that some people would made rude comments about her. I know what it's like being called self-absorbed or just someone who's faking it, when really it's just my extreme self-awareness that allows me to express it... when I hear her talk it's like hearing myself.

[@Dancestar1981]

Joshua King Aspies need quiet time to recharge so that the mind stills and we don’t suffer burnout

[@euanelliott3613]

I was 51 before I discovered I am autistic, and the relief was better than how I imagine it feels to win the lottery. Suddenly my whole life made sense. In school I knew I thought differently. While everyone babbled nonsense, I would wander the corridors wondering what made the tides go in and out, and how radio waves worked. I thought "okay, I'm eccentric. I'll probably be a mad scientist". I used to escape school to hide in the top of a tower block, and was comforted by the thought that I knew where all the teachers and students were, but none of them knew where I was. The smell of disinfectant was comforting as I associated it with safety.

[@jamesvcardoza]

An economist I used to work with used to say, “Everything is connected..we just don’t know how.” Well with a lot of things, I actually do know how.

[@jennseven4829]

39 years old. All my life, I thought everyone was like me. All my life, I wondered... if they all see all of this and know all of this, then how can they behave as they do? How do they not understand? But at 38 years old, I finally learn what Aspergers means, and it is me. My personality is attributed to Aspergers. It is just what I am. All that is described in this video, well, yes... thats just how it is. I have always embraced it, written about it, sang and made music and sculpture and paintings and drawings, because the world is so profound and beautiful and meaningful. My children; they are like me. My sister, her son. It is a freedom and a relief, to know and to understand, finally, that I am different. That's why. I really am different. That is the why behind all that I have lived in this world; the good and the bad. I have aspergers, and I am deeply, deeply grateful.

[@imsadsoimadeafanchannel5721]

Jenn Seven You think that you have Aspergers? Just because you're different?

[@BCTification]

How beautiful to read, Jenn. It must feel wonderful to finally understand yourself 😊

[@Oliver-bn7jt]

wow

[@veloxlupus303]

Note, This does not represent how 'most' Asperger experience the world. I have Asperger's, and i its represented only by crappy social skills and intense interests (and a few other minor things), but my senses are seemingly normal, maybe only a bit more sensitive.

[@AutomaticDuck300]

Everyone who has autism is different, although there are general themes. Intense interests and poor social skills are just two of the themes . I've been diagnosed with high functioning autism (aka Aspergers) just last week and I don't identify with many of these traits which are typical of Aspergers such as the sensitivity to sound and light and smell but the common themes are there.

[@SSB43DSNWiiU]

HFA is different than Asperger's.

[@hairylemon3262]

Asprök HFA is not different the DSM5 has changed the diagnosis.

[@DSScully]

Asperger's is different from Autism. DSM5 is not the only diagnostic tool in use. HFA is different from Low functioning Autism and they are also different from Rett Syndrome, Fragile X, intersexed-XXYY... but these are classed under the umbrella of pervasive developmental disorders. please read the ICD10 code umbrella 45.0. they're all different presentations of developmental disability. there are also many of us, adults, on the spectrum who were diagnosed under DSM4. My diagnostic evaluation will always read Asperger's Syndrome. while my brother's will also always be Autism, high functioning. there are many stark functional and behavioral differences.

[@sminthian]

I have all the symptoms, but not intense interests. My mom tells me that I used to be obsessed with certain toys when I was very young, but it all stopped when I went into kindergarten. My first 30 years of life can be summed up with learning how to cope with others, so I'm guessing that I learned to not show interests as a child because everyone told me it was wrong. Which resulted in a complete loss of motivation and no interest in anything...

[@MuseCatherine]

OMG I have just had such a profound connection with this I want to cry. The sponge analogy. This is how my daughter works. She is 6 and is an aspie. Gosh I love her so much she is awesome. Just awesome.

[@theobolt250]

I have also Aspergers. It was diagnosed when I was 58 though. So my development was much more restrained, because there was no room in whole my life for being different. That room is coming now. And when I listen to Wendies story? I hear music. She dares to float on the waves, freely. I am about knee deep now. Thank you Wendie! ❤️

[@cay5107]

That’s good :) I’m still trying to learn how to balance the unique mindset that comes with having Asperger’s with school and my day to day life. I’ve been watching videos on this sort of stuff to try to gather knowledge from other people who have overcome there diagnosis for so long now, when honestly deep down Im now realizing that all I really have to do is not be afraid of how people view me as a person, you just gotta find your happy place (or a comfort zone) and balance it with responsibilities and day to day life, i personally believe when one finds the tools to do that and live comfortably is finnaly overcoming that barrier

[@echadmiyodea]

I call this experiencial memory, where it's more than just facts remembered, but very much like re-living the experience with all the sensations.

[@dannybailey282]

I feel like I'm going crazy sometimes because I want all the answers to how and why people act. It has made me break down. I have to go to the hospital soon, because I can't make sense of the world. It almost feels like I'm in a dream or in a bubble where things are not as tangible to me as they are to other people.

[@ritatownsend7408]

I hope you are doing better, Danny. There are a lot more videos on KZbin now that prove you are not alone in this. Also, some physicians that offer quite helpful advice. Pay particular attention to diet and supplements that calm the distress in your head. And remember, it’s okay to be exactly who you are.

[@xaviergarcia8274]

Rx: smoke weed everyday -- Dr. Dre

[@buttercxpdraws8101]

@@xaviergarcia8274 Works for me 👍🏻

[@ryankl1984]

its the matrix

[@MsLilichi]

well... I've got Asperger's to, but most of this doesn't make much sense to me.. guess we're all very different and even Asperger's Syndrome is umbrella terminology like PDDNOS..

[@18skeltor]

Synesthesia in addition to Aspergers probably makes her quite unique. I have AS as well, can relate to some of this but not much.

[@GotAnUmbrella]

Ronan RiemanJohns I have AS and Synesthesia, but I STILL don't relate much to what she is saying. If I did I would absolutely loose my mind. Sensory overload at its finest.

[@18skeltor]

Brandi *click* Bear! well, the human experience is different for everyone, even if you are in similar conditions.

[@alexw606]

I have PDDNOS and I can relate to a lot of what she is saying. I've noticed that a lot of people with autism have synesthesia like me.

[@OutOfTheBoxThinker]

The terms "Autism" and "Asperger' basically refer to people who are lacking certain subconscious data processing filters that are present in "normal" people. Those filters tend to normalize human behavior and cognition. The lack of those filters therefore often leads to extremes: hyposensitivity or hypersensitivity, extreme extravertedness or extreme introvertedness, mental disability or a Mensa level IQ, etc. Because of this, you'll find that few people are more different from one another than those on "opposite sides" of the Autistic spectrum.

[@craigwallace2386]

In these 10 minutes, I've been given a verbal expression of my 7 yr old son's wonderful mind, that he has been unable to articulate. This has been beyond enlightening; I'm in tears and overwhelmed with gratitude for helping me understand and connect even deeper.

[@dao.808]

no one has ever described how i experience life in such a precise yet poetical way. thank u, wendy, for translating it to the world. i got very moved!

[@murtazaarif6507]

I completely understand. I was diagnosed with Asperger's in 2014. In recent years I produced a document of over 100, 000 words or so of my childhood experiences in Belgium where I was born. This was based on my five senses through which I remember my childhood experiences that I cherish deeply. I have also realized that we have eight senses instead of just five. This has made me return to my document joyfully and expand it. My next write up will be the second part of my childhood from age 10 onwards of my experiences in the UK. I have already created a template of all the addresses that I lived in. Through this framework I will dissect sensory information contained in my memory. They say short term memories are usually lost in childhood by the age of around five because different sensory information tends not to attach together but for me it is the opposite. I become overloaded with sensory information. So there is no shortage of sensory information coming together in my mind. I am a neurodivergent meaning my brain works differently than most so called normal neurotypicals.

[@adammoore393]

I love how this woman articulates her experiences. Thank you

[@jennazhang4927]

I recently got awareness of Aspergers syndrome, and I realized how I am sensitive to lights and certain sounds overwhelmed me. Then I took an AQ test got a score of 30...(32+ is an indication of Asperger's syndrome). Another struggle I have is to keep the conversation going and find the timing to speak during group conversation...I was simply overwhelmed by other people's words and I don't know what expression I should make or how to respond properly...I am learning and improving by forcing myself out of the comfort zone and go to events and volunteering...

[@djkb125]

I'm not on the spectrum but I have a few mental health issues that society likes to misrepresent as well. I was fascinated by her description of what life is like with aspergers. My issues have led to a lot of introspection and self medication that helped me to realize that life is so much more than what we perceive and that experiencing the world differently doesn't make it any less real. it's not like psychosis or anything. You're living in the same world, but you experience it differentialy. most people see it as a disability and I concede that to be traditionally successful in our society, it may well be, but on the larger scale, it's no disability. How boring would it be if everyone perceived the world in the exact same way. This makes me want to look for art made by people on the spectrum. I want to see how you see the world. :)

[@tainadelcaribe]

This opens up my eyes to others in a way because even though I'm always mindful of others and sometimes even do or don't do things to "keep others in mind", I never "saw" or rather can never get an insight into others people's minds, truly. This is a great description for someone that does not experience this type of constant stimuli to better understand it or at least some part of it.

[@imagismus]

"Intense world syndrome" and "sponge" really describes me 100% since I can remember...I constantly associate ideas to objects, objects to ideas, names of people to concepts, taste to smell, songs to temperature, and ever since I can remember I'm just walking outside and making up a full movie in my head with actors, speech lines and background music. I've been diagnosed with BPD but I've been struggling with that diagnosis because it doesn't make a lot of sense to me 😶 still hoping that I get properly assessed...hugs for all of you

[@tamark3860]

Thank you so much for this! My son was recently diagnosed with Asperger’s. I know that individual experiences vary widely, but I’m so grateful to have at least a vague idea of what being him feels like. I wish you the best!

[@FulanitoDTal-Lugar]

"...the empty words most of you people throw at me." that was soooo validating, thank you ❤

[@lovelyebonywhite4792]

As a Aspie this makes me very happy to see us interpreted in a postive way.And so much people in the comment section have it too.It's nice to know I'm not alone.😊❤

[@BushmansAdventures]

I am literally crying right now,Wendy speaks my daily life.

[@elizabethfinn6174]

You explained this very well.thank you for sharing!

[@tuity3357]

Keep fighting to process and make the world make sense as you need it to! Good luck don’t give up praying for you Danny Bailey.

[@MarcusLeeWhite]

My 13 year old daughter has Asperger’s. This is a difficult age for her and she can’t express what she is experiencing as eloquently as you. This will help us to interact with her and understand when and why she is having difficulty. Thank you so much for publishing this.

[@Aliciabc93]

One ofy favorite videos of all times. Overwhelmingly beautiful. Thank you.

[@ORIGINALShadowSixx2]

Wow... that just made so much sense to me. I thought I was a bit insane. I've read all sorts of things about what Asperger's is and how it works. It's a completely different thing to hear another person, who is actually diagnosed with it, to describe their experiences. I didn't know that there were other people whose minds worked in the same chaotic and overwhelming way as mine :)

[@theresedignard4267]

Ditto.

[@tomasbatalla4572]

Thank you Wendy for sharing your valuable insights and observations on how you process information and relate with the world.Your personal way of how you process your life experiences thru how you sense, perceive, feel and think gives us insights of how may we enhance our lifes' journey, too.

[@jashvantpuri]

uuuu

[@lampadedromy]

A short, but very true response! Thank you for the kind words.

[@darkbluesign]

After sharing some of the ways that I process information and my working habits with a psychologist friend, he mentioned that I might be on the spectrum or have Asperger's. I never really thought about it (and have been masking for so long that I never even considered being aspie because that would make me "different"), but everything you said hit home. It's scary but feels so good to learn more about myself and to no longer feel so alone. Thank you for sharing.

[@aniokay]

Hey - do you want to share what yours habits are? Just if you want. I am in the process of figuring out if I have Asperges... :-)

[@db5038]

I'm a latecomer to an Aspergers diagnosis (now 65+). Probably missed because I'm very high functioning with math, logic, and IC design background. I'll be sure to pour over your vids, Wendy. Thanks!

[@agerven]

Whooo, impressive talk. She seams to have understood and be in control of her surroundings, where as i only begin to scratch awareness and horror of the huge gap between worlds.

[@de0509]

As for me I suspect I have aspergers, but never ever would want to diagnose it. What for? I enjoy being my own self and analyse life slightly more than what a random person would. Plus its nice to not automatically get emotional over fickle things. Doesnt mean I never feel sad. I honestly do once in a while. There was once my sister accused me of being heartless just because she didnt see me cry while attending our grandmother's funeral. I was a young boy. And I also need to understand the function. I simply dont see the function of crying over a death of family. Its overwhelming too. What can a person do against death. It feels helpless, so you just a small kid with no power and you stand there wanting to do something about it but cant. And you get accused of not feeling sad when you actually genuinely feel sad. Sometimes I think people with so called autism might actually be the normal ones

[@de0509]

Oh and I was driving once in a traffic jam. Then came an ambulance behind trying to navigate the locked up cars inching forward like every 30 seconds trying to give way. It was two lanes on a ramp, between a highway and a normal road with not even a kerb to drive onto. I see all the chaos and stupidity and did something unusual, I simply stopped moving forward. And I see the stupidity in my father's words as well, until he saw that me stopping the car when everyone else is trying hard to move forward to give way to the ambulance was actually the right thing to do. At the rate the traffic was moving, stopping the car created a space in front of the car so that instead of the two lanes trying to empty, half the cars can move forward out of the ramp and half the other cars can shift to the empty spot in front of the car im driving, actually letting the ambulance go through the jam faster. Im not saying im smart or something, but Im saying that sometimes so-called "normal" people get too emotional and it clouds their judgement and thinking ability

[@recreate21]

Some aspies are very very emotional.

[@GeertKok]

It is all about being consciousness and where ability is take responsability

[@lampadedromy]

Thank you so much. That is why I wanted to share my story. For too long a time I thought I was alone or at least had a rare - 'weird' - way of experiencing things. AS is not so uncommon as people might think... we are not that weird, strange or abnormal... different maybe, but that's what makes us unique and special.

[@AC-hf3gm]

Tysm for doing this video ❤️ I just got diagnosed at 23 with ASD and your talk has made me understand myself so much better, I'm still learning what makes me so different from others and this video helps me understand myself. I actually clicked this video because of the yellow drip image because of the feeling, smell and visual image rooted in my past resonated with me and encapsulated me. The way in which you describe your reality is very much reminiscent of my own.

[@lizxxx5543]

I have social anxiety & i find that we can relate to Aspies in some way. For us, we over analyze & judge peoples expressions. For example, if someone looks sad and they look over my direction, i think that they're sad cuz of me. I know its not true but my brain takes it that way & so i start to feel uncomfortable.. As w/ you Aspies, you may not understand why people do this or that or may not understand their language. Its like the opposite for us. We tend to overthink & over analyze. We also feel like people can read minds. That makes me very uncomfortable! Even when walls are around me but any noise pple make, my brain thinks they're looking at me.

[@MummyLELE]

LizXXX it's the same with As what u just described

[@laurenpaterson3475]

LizXXX my son says this he has Aspergers

[@recreate21]

Aspies often have social anxiety

[@lampadedromy]

Thank you so much for these kinds words.

[@Railmaster008]

Simply wonderful. Really helpful as well, too.

[@deemorris2841]

Very interesting. Thankyou for your explanation,

[@ChoosingMorality]

WONDERFUL descriptions! When you said "everything happens at once" I said to myself "yes, yes that's it...that's it!" Interesting notion about seeing music. I am someone who enjoys music-in fact, I have a BA degree in music-but I rarely listen to it as it interferes with the peace I feel in hearing white noise. Without white noise a pressure begins mounting in my ears and they become full and physically painful. The pressure feels explosive. I feel I have to escape the silence or go insane.

[@livingatypicallyactuallyau5514]

As an autistic person, this video was very relatable. Interesting to learn how other autistics see the world. I am a visual thinker as well, and like you said, most of my memories primarily consist of auditory input too.

[@pisscvre69]

The real defining thing in this was the interaction of the synesthesia and aspergers, I’m aspegers but do not relate to a lot of this but it is really interesting how the two interact though I do not envy her that sounds even more overwhelming than things already are for me

[@armadilloalien854]

This is like how I explain my favorite color, sunset, a color you can't see, the warm feeling when you close your eyes in the sun, even if I was blind I wonder know that color. That or a mix of colors.

[@sweetjulie3993]

Brilliant talk... makes absolute sense

[@toriwinston247]

thank you so much for this y bestfriend has aspergers and he says " you just think differently " now i am begining to understand this thankyou

[@mamalusk]

thanks for this - I learned a lot from this!

[@AliBeMe]

Thank you. Inspirational.

[@lampadedromy]

Thank you for your reaction.

[@KokoLimona]

Thank you for this! You just described a world that I live in. This is xplains a lot. Till now I thought it was like that for all the people.

[@theresedignard4267]

That was my discovery too. Same with 3D thinking and imagery. Totally blown away when I was in the Engineering Program and the Department Head was ticked off that I had not built the 3D model to be able to track three dimensions. I told him I did not need it, because I had built it inside my mind. He said I was a liar and that only Tesla could do that. I was shocked to learn that not everyone could do that. Then decades later I learned what this dear woman shared, that not everyone thinks like this. Ironically I was doing research to better understand two Girl Scouts in my Troop who are Aspies. In the process, I realized these ways of observing and storing the world in memory. Recall/summoning memories. Conversing with others and an inability to “read” others, etc…..we’re all me. Now, Diagnosed,….I have found my Tribe. :)

[@ChoosingMorality]

I think they become most angry when I display child-like behavior. There are so many things that overwhelm me; I can't do or understand many things that regular people do. Sometimes, I think, my personality changes. Then they perceive me as belligerent. I try so hard; I feel powerless when people get angry with me-plus it's exhausting- because I have to "act" like a 45 yr old even though I feel like I am only ten, and in some ways can only function at age ten. I feel abused all the time.

[@RealHumanBot]

I wish I would have access to videos like these when I was in school. Would have saved me decades of trouble, or at least alleviated some of them.

[@VinesThroughTime]

relatable. thank you.

[@PandaGirlOwO]

I feel that you're the only second person that can understand me perfectly. The first one is my psychiatrist. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@kr1221E]

I'm Asperger's, late diagnosis. I know we are all different. I hear some visual stimuli. I think in pictures, I make up words (I know you didn't say that) I think you described your experiences very well. I tried to fit in and be normal. You sound highly intelligent.

[@sunshine453]

Thanks for sharing this 🙂

[@rebeccagutierrez1401]

Her talk was quite insightful.

[@JG-vh6oy]

The part about "living" thoughts/memories, agreed

[@barbaraconnett5057]

I am so sorry, you have sever problems, it make me see my problems as easy, bless you!

[@JesseblueXai]

wow I can only say everyone is SO different. I can relate to SOME things she said but not all of it, a lot sounds like something awesome from a comicbook but I just don't feel it like that. my "symptoms" are quite different but it is always interesting to see another one explaining their personal experience with the spectrum...

[@AUnicorn666]

the very begging got me overwhelmed so quickly.

[@mararamalho3993]

Ótima explicação. E surpreendente e como se fosse outro mundo.

[@tylerb7194]

I can relate to the sponge issue. I do not have Asperger's. However, I randomly cannot intake information. Then I can. It's very annoying. I am ADHD, so this may be related to it. I have not heard anyone describe it quite how I experience it, save for in this instance, minus minor differences.

[@vanessagee18]

Tyler B I am also ADHD & can relate!

[@TheLisawilmoth]

thank you for helping me to understand what goes on inside my husbands brain. he lacks the words that you came to to express it like this!

[@Makorian]

I just want to say that watching this movie with AS was so very strange to me. When it started, I was getting mixed reviews in my head until I realized the filter I'd made for myself in my brain to help me understand everything as normal people do was telling me that this was supposed to be confusing. Except it wasn't actually confusing to me. It makes perfect sense. More sense than most other speeches have ever made for me. Just thought I would share that. Thank you, Wendy, it helped. :3

[@louloumoon9365]

I can relate completely to The vacuum noise, alarms, ambulances sirens, and the like....

[@Neppy101]

This is incredible, as a woman with AS I can relate.

[@lampadedromy]

What a wonderful reaction. I instantly had a physical reaction as well. It really gets to me. Thank you. It always makes me feel that I'm really OK when I find people who experience the same as me. Music... sigh... I love it. But as you say...white noise. Did you know you can have hearing aids which produce white noise? An friend of mine has one and it helps her to keep out the outside world a bit better and give her more peace of mind (literally ;-)).

[@charachoppel3116]

With this gift of describing she could be a poet or a novel author.

[@ChoosingMorality]

The social aspects are my biggest problem right now. I often have trouble expressing myself and people misunderstand me, which results in most people becoming angry with me. I try so hard to make them understand that I am not being bad but they won't believe me. No matter how many professionals I enlist to help me function in society, they all get angry with me, bully me, and refuse to acknowledge my human rights. I don't mean to anger people-I just can't stand that they won't listen or help me.

[@Pupcat]

Hey hey hey hey have you tried DBT?? It may help you with the experiences you undergo when people misunderstand you. And or waiting awhile before you speak/gathering thoughts first? Hmmm. Once a woman said to me, ' Maybe it's not you who needs to change for society', sort of thing! Like, not 'change the whole of society'- that is very complex and multilayered for a person when they're just surviving- But to change your surroundings and your daily schedule to your benefit so that you are surviving and functioning in the best way possible for you to survive! Some ways are paying attention to your sleep cycle, what ways you best recieve information, what time is best for you focus wise. What foods help you best, how much handling other people is best for you. What relaxes you best when you're freaking out, and how to do it in a way that doesn't cause trouble for you. What are the things you need to express, want to express, and what's the simplest and easiest way to express them? Stuff that would take awhile to think about, but may in the end help you out and make everything more fun or doable! Sorry about the inclusion of the word fun, that's just how my brain works, LMAO;;. I guess for some another way of putting it would be safe or simpler. DBT though can help you with grounding, handling emotions, and communication, definitely. I mean, I'd generally say anyone could try it and come out happier LMAO at least if they keep up with it. Small ways, small things. Small ways to focus and handle the experiences the world around us provides. Even just looking up small activities online, like the mindfulness aspect of holding something and trying to take note of one feature at a time, and deep breathing. But... You're with you the most. You understand your limitations better than anyone. So it's okay. It must be awful to have others get mad at you when you're just trying to talk- I can't even imagine it. But.. hm. You're worth so much! And I hope you find a way to exist in this society that's pleasant for you and doesn't let it drag you down, um, sorry if that sounds weird! Sorry for late response!

[@renegademystic2771]

Some of the symptoms mentioned are similar to what one experiences out of the physical body while having an NDE, Near Death Experience. For example experiencing everything at once, and Synesthesia. It may behoove some with Aspergers to compare their perception with metaphysics, where the more than what meets the eyes is the name of the game. Incidentally, I do not have Aspergers. I do occasionally hear music when looking at certain seemingly random patterns in nature, like pine needles on the street. I love when this happens and I consider it to be momentary expanded consciousness. It's not only the brain here that's wired differently, it's one's consciousness. Abraham Hicks refers to those with Aspergers as being "differently focused".

[@RosieBrownie]

That is so cool to meet a follower of Abraham Hicks on a video on aspergers and autism!! 😄👌

[@renegademystic2771]

: )

[@mizike06]

+Renegade Mystic I was thinking the same thing. I practice Astral Projection and I think that's one reason why I got it

[@Dancestar1981]

Renegade Mystic yes we tend to be very philosophical in our world view and altruistic. We are generous, caring and sensitive by nature and can’t fathom why so many people wish to continuously bully and hurt us. We are highly intelligent, ambitious and determined to succeed but never at the expense of others and we want to make the world a better place for everyone. It’s a shame that so many neurotypicals do not value us

[@Marina-si8jt]

It's amazing!

[@eileencogan]

Thanks so much for the part about being asked questions. It is the first time I've heard of someone else having that problem. People get so mad at me for not answering questions (among MANY other short-circuits they get mad at me for). It was affirming to me to hear someone else explain it.

[@Dancestar1981]

Ei leen often we have trouble articulating what we are thinking because ideas do get lost in translation. The brain can move faster than our ability to process and then appropriately explain our experience so the explanation comes out sounding weird and incomplete because we have forgotten to express some of the steps. Other times we can say things without thinking and sound tactless even when that was never our intention and people become offended. NTs need to realise that we would never deliberately hurt anyone we understand only too well what pain that causes. I like to think of NTs and Aspies as 2 different types of computer systems. The NTs have a faster processor than the Aspies but we have more memory and storage capacity so the time to complete tasks is delayed a bit, however due to sifting through more information and the connections being wired differently on the motherboard. This is probably the best analogy I can give to provide an idea of what it’s like in every day life. Also sometimes our cooling fan needs cleaning and we need time to recharge our batteries so that we don’t overheat or shut down

[@jniafowler2800]

I too have difficulty with vacuum cleaners, they sound like a baby is crying. Some say that everyone with Autism and Aspergers have one seed of genius. You are a very good speaker.

[@QueenAmethyst55]

jnia fowler

[@jniafowler2800]

You are not weird at all.

[@TheLovelyRushka]

Leaf blowers ugh

[@Dancestar1981]

jnia fowler actually the line between genius and Aspergers is blurred the two can go hand in hand

[@FaustLegion]

Wow thank you. I didn't expect to get any responses let alone from the woman in the video herself.

[@violettemartinez7796]

I'm so grateful for your touching attempt to make people understand the way you capture the world, it's a great hapiness for me to discover human around the world functionning differently! Thanks a lot, love and light to all those who don't belong to what is commonly called" the majority": we don't give a dam about majority, we are happy to be such a highly diverse humanity!!!Let the scientists put some yellow post it on your lives, we won't do that!

[@lampadedromy]

Good point, why do we have to live up to the expectations of others. They have labeled us as being different. So if we are different, why don't just accept it and to try to 'normalise' us... I can only agree on you choosing your own strategy in avoiding eye contact. Only you yourself know what is helpful, what is good for you and what is not. Thank you for sharing your story and by doing this helping out others;

[@sketchwish5982]

well said.

[@lampadedromy]

Thank you so much for your response. I hope I could contribute a bit to better insights into your experiences of the world and letting you know that this is not as weird as people sometimes claim it is. And just avoid what makes you sick as much as possible, find out what part of your sensory experiences give you pleasure and then once in a while just lose yourself in them. It can be so soothing. All the best !

[@Kehalacante]

Same here and it is very appreciated, though I didn't see the comment till today!

[@lampadedromy]

Thank you for your comment. So glad I could give a bit of insight. And there are plenty of us around.... ;-)

[@laurah.160]

this explains my entire life

[@shamakuma1967]

I was told that my voice was sounding differently. I was aware of it. It happens from time to time. At times very clear and vibrant and at other times muffled. Exercise and yoga also influences it.

[@Purplelightningtiger]

"To feel, To Sense, To See, To Touch, Emotions"

[@entplady]

I understand you. And I think you’re a genius

[@lampadedromy]

So touched that I could be of any help and be sort of a translator for her (and perhaps for you). Maybe she does not have to go through everything I had to go through before having these insights. Do you have a sensory profile of her? Toghether with a good acquaintance (who is also a clinical psychologist) we did mine. Did me the world of good to finally 'understand' my own processing and cognition. Thanks for sharing this. Wishing you and your daughter a world of good.

[@colindew2824]

I'm the father of a 5 year old Aspie child, and sometimes I simply can't be as understanding as I wish i could be, because I don't know what he's going through.I read about it, I have listened to many people speak about it, and I have sat and tried to imagine what I would do and how I would react if I had Aspergers. My problem is I have a lot of trouble distinguishing between Aspergers traits and just being a 5 year old. Many things he does are easily identifiable but sometimes he will do things, say things, or just behave in a way that I don't know the difference, and it's hard to slow myself down, to react as as I know I should vs how I do, because I have a neurotypical brain and my reactions to stimuli are neurotypical. I'm not asking for anyone to say "poor baby", but I would just hope that You, as Aspies, would understand that most of the world just doesn't see, hear, taste or react like you do, and we have to learn as well. It's like taking everything we know about how to react to an event and telling me that I can't do that any more because it's an Aspergers related event, and that s/he can't help his or her reaction, because it's the only reaction he or she can have. As patient and understanding as we must be, I ask that you are at least aware if not understanding. I'm trying, I promise. I want my little boy's memories of his daddy to be happy, loving memories, not just flashes of my anger or annoyance. I love my son with everything I have, and it kills me inside when I know that I have just shouted at a little boy who is flying into a rage in public because he's just seen something that he wants me to explain but I don't have time because we'll miss a train if I stop to tell him everything about it, or just vomited his entire meal at a nice restaurant because he just had a texture of some food on his tongue that he could not handle. Sympathy I don't need, and neither does he. Understanding what sets him off and what drives his enthusiasm. That's what needed.

[@Dancestar1981]

Colin Dew it’s a continual learning process for both of you especially if he or she is unable to explain it. The best thing you can do for them is help them to find their strengths and learn ways to ease the situation with their weaknesses. Also psychological testing with a clinical psychologist specialising in Autism will identify those strengths and weaknesses for you and give you targets to focus on. Not only that but there is funding for early intervention programs to support you that are vital. The sooner you start the easier your child’s future will be. My regret is that I was diagnosed until 23 and experienced some really awful situations. I was personally bullied all through primary and secondary school as well as in the workforce to the point where I had to leave permanently on stress leave so that my only income is a disability pension.

[@lampadedromy]

Thx for the reaction. Or maybe it's the other way round: you understand my world ;-), which is also refreshing to know there are more like us.

[@lampadedromy]

My pleasure to be able to share and contribute. (I think I acidently clicked the 'bad reaction'-button - my excuses)

[@lampadedromy]

Thx for the reaction. Yes I have met al lot of those. Also under-stimulation. The sensory issues are one main fears of Aspergers (But not exclusively to Aspergers). The way we sense the world is inherent to how we make sense of the world. Understanding/regulating emotions: as well as with the sensory issues it often is all or nothing, intense. Sometimes even hard to put them in words. Olga Bogdashina's book(s) on sensory issues explain a lot. Maybe this can help making more sense of things.

[@kvelezesq]

Gives me a hugely better understanding of my 6 year old little boy with autism. I see a lot of Wendy in him.

[@agnespitka3703]

I am AuDHD. I'm 31 and got diagnosed less than 2 years ago. I'm now completely baffled how is it possible that it took so long because I'm different in a lot of ways. But I'm such a good masker that even doctors who see my diagnosis on a computer screen say "you don't seem like you're autistic". I just want to bang their head against the wall then because I've had to struggle the last 30 years without understanding why. And now that I have put together the puzzle that is my life, people say "you don't look autistic" or "you're graduated from college so you can't have ADHD". And worst of all " we're all somewhat ADHD". I'd like to try to have a normal brain for a day. But I've also learned to love myself the way I am.

[@MrZenGuitarist]

Yup!Have to agree, with many other post: I have both ADD and Asperger's myself, but I can't say that I recognize - well, almost ANYTHING at all about that which she is saying. I think the only thing I could identify with, at all, was her 'ability' to spend literally hours on any subject/task that absorbed her for the moment.(?: a gift at many times, although not so good when it comes to being able to keeping track of time/come, and 'be in time' for some/anything). I don´t mean anything in terms of invalidating her experience. Not at all! But I do attribute this discrepancy of experience down to two different and important facts: 1)the 'commonly held notion' that Asperger's' manifest itself in one and very specific way in every individual, and 2)her other, and perhaps also more dominant condition: her different sensory processing. And - this is VERY important I think: a condition like AD(H)D, Asperger's and so on isn´t a identity! Whether you have a condition or not - the more, or most important thing to recognize is that we all have a specific and unique personality. And, any (especially?) neuro-psychiatric 'anomalies' is usually - if we're not talking about "hard-core" Autism, perhaps - subordinate, or is at least going to manifest themselves in as a unique way as our personalities! Or, this is at least my 2 cents...

[@alexisbelzile]

I'm 24 aspie. She looks like my mother so much!!!

[@FlyboyHelosim]

I don't know why but I cried during this video. Part of it seemed to describe me so well, especially the bit about having to map my world, the way I process information, and how months later I'll think of a conversation that I've had. I sometimes feel like Asperger's is a kind of superpower.

[@carloscarlos4865]

Yes, i believe it could be a superpower. Just we need how to use it.

[@AtomHeartBat]

I feel like my brain is on steroids. Not always nice. I have frequent meltdowns and I need a lot of time isolated in order to calm down from all the information around me.

[@windenribons8084]

😭😭😭😭😭😭y am i crying.