Positives of Being Autistic/Aspergers

Being Autistic/Aspergers can be strenuous at times.  To such an extent, we may only concentrate of the negative aspects.  But we need to remember, and value, that there are a great deal of positives to being autistic/Aspergers.  Many of these traits are truly valued by society.  Even aspects of our personality, we deem to be negative, can be beneficial in some situations.

Many of our positives include:

• Loyalty – It takes a great deal of time for autistics/Aspies to trust people and let them in. But once we form a strong relationship, we are exceptionally loyal. We don’t keep many people close to us.  So the few that we do, mean the world to us (like close family members, friends and colleagues).  We value them dearly.  If we’ve had a friend at any point in our lives, we will usually class them as a friend forever.
• Curious in seeking out information and knowledge – Our thirst for new knowledge and information is exceptional.  If it’s a subject we’re interested in, we can spend a countless amount of time seeking out more information about it.  In a way that only autistic/Aspies are probably capable of.
• Non prejudiced – We see everyone as being equal and never prejudge (such as weight, gender, race, nationality or religion). When we observe others being prejudice, we will, more often than not, challenge them.  As we’ve got a strong sense of fairness.
• Optimistic – As autism/Aspergers is labelled as a disability, it could easily lead us to being negative and withdrawn. But many of the autistic people I know, are happy and optimistic (myself included).  We are content with life.  Truly believing that the future will keep improving and we are determined to succeed.
• Dependable, reliable and follow the rules – We are ultra-reliable and dependable. Work is part of our routine.  We will often prefer to work even when we’re ill, so that our routine is not changed.  We get overly stressed when we’re late, so always get to work early.  Plus, we believe that rules are for the good of everyone, so should be followed.  This can often make us stand out and make other, less reliable work colleagues, jealous.  But these people don’t normally last in the workplace.  This positive helps us get on in our careers and keeps our employers happy.  Which ultimately keeps us employed.
• Unique perspective – We see the world differently to non-autistic people, and we often solve problems differently too.  This has always been the case for me.  There are often a number of ways to solve one problem.  Autistic people, like myself, tend to choose the method that’s the least common, but is usually the best.
• Honest and truthful – Sometimes we can be very blunt and honest. But when people become used to it, they often appreciate it. They know that when we communicate, we never lie and that what we say can be trusted.  We never manipulate people, or talk behind their backs.  All of which makes us excellent work colleagues and friends.
• Deep focus – Being autistic/Aspergers means that we can put our focus on just one area of expertise, and block everything else out. In this mind-set we can channel all of our energy, effort and determination into one goal for many years.  Making us exceptionally knowledgeable.  Many of the more common areas autistics/Aspies succeed in are: art, music, sports, computing (games and programming) and mathematics.
• High IQ – Many aspects of autism/Aspergers help us to increase our intelligence and knowledge.  Such as those discussed in this article, plus being: logically minded, very good with numbers and able to retain facts.

We need to understand our limitations, in order to think of solutions to overcome them.  But too much negative thinking can pull us down.  Making us feel undervalued and under-appreciated.  Which lowers our confidence and self-esteem.

I believe that we can focus on our many positives, and use them to our advantage.  In doing so, we will achieve the greatest success that we all truly deserve.