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Are Aspergers and laziness related?

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i wouldn't say 'lazy' very strong negative term but as lazy normal people out there loads of them but n can take easy options /choices as find decision making hard and difficult impossible to do without support and understanding! so sometimes may try find easiest quickest route through save all time effort and energy as A.S does that all by itself would i call it lazy no! just avoidance due to anxiety or depression making them scared face up to reality easier to play and keep safe options open and ready to use whenever possible that's my personal opinion others on here may disagree totally!

 

XKLX

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anyone can be lazy A.S or not ... but i think lazyness can 'hide' alot of hidden feelings/emotions behind 'deeper routed issues' that need to be worked through and resolved can also be an excuse not to work and claim off society is easy option for many these days makes me mad angry like many others! so people take adavantage and just can't be bothered or asked to do anything but they wasting their lives being boring .... feels to shirt sit back and watch do nothing too easy to do that option choose it ... harder to do something and be someone successful make something of your life make people who know you proud show you determined strong willed nothing going to beat you put in your way to stop your achieving your life goals/ambitions you need focus/purpose in life or life becomes dry stale plain .....

 

XKX

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Finding the motivation to do something can be harder for Aspergers.

i wouldnt call that lazy, as lazy is "cannot be bothered to do (action)".

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finding motavation is harder task to complete as have to fight everything around you in your way to get there in first place get so tired fed up annoyed frustrated but finding will power determation stand up TRY and keep going on .... then that's difficult too when have MH probs added to situation confuses everything much more makes everything more powerful ....

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Lazy is a problematic word for me as it implies a knowledge of a person's motivations which cannot always be assumed. From my own perspective I find it harder to do certain things due to subtle executive functioning difficulties (planning ahead, breaking down tasks, etc.) This tends to manifest in avoidance strategies that could be perceived as laziness by others. Perhaps the laziness is in my giving in to the avoidance, rather than grasping these tasks as a challenge, the laziness is really at the level of thought before it becomes action (or inaction!) Also, there's the worth-it-ness factor; if the stress of doing something is far greater than the short term benefits of having done that thing, then said thing won't get done - I am however aware that this leads to long term issues... I also have a pervasive sense of malaise that undercuts my short term judgements/decisions too.

 

My other take on laziness is that it's used as a weapon by people who want to feel morally superior.

Edited by cultofbyron

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to an extent, everyone's lazy. It's normal to try to save effort where we can. Who would choose to live further from the bus stop, rather than closer, all other things being equal? Who would rather carry a heavy cumbersome bag rather than a light one? Who prefers washing pots by hand rather than using a dishwasher?

 

Even the most motivated people are often doing what they do to save effort later on. They work hard at their careers so that they can live the good/lazy life later on or in their time off.

 

In careers, one of the benefits of "working hard" is so as to climb the career ladder away from the sweat and toil of the shop floor, and into a comfortable warm office with padded chair and a PA.

 

People have different values. I'd rather work an extra hour or two a day in my job, and then spend the extra money on a meal out, so I don't have to put in the effort food shopping and cooking. Others would rather finish work earlier, stop by the supermarket, and spend the time trying out a new recipe at home. Both could see the other a "lazy" in a way.

 

MH issues can make certain tasks much harder, in a way that "normal" people wouldn't understand, so they may wrongly label the person as lazy.

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Who prefers washing pots by hand rather than using a dishwasher?

I find washing up rather relaxing actually :rolleyes:

 

Everyone can be lazy, whether they have Asperger's or not. So some people with Asperger's might be lazy.

 

If something is hard, then not managing to do it is not laziness. It might look like laziness to another person who finds it easy. But if you are putting in effort then you are not lazy.

 

Some people with Asperger's do have difficulties with something called inertia. It involves difficulties with starting an activity, stopping an activity, and changing from one activity to another. For example it takes me ages to work up the motivation to start hoovering. But then even if I am really tired after hoovering only one room, I will carry on hoovering until I have hoovered the whole house. When I have finished hoovering, I feel like doing something else active like mopping. Even if I am very tired, I will do mopping.

 

Sometimes my inertia means I put off starting the hoovering. Sometimes laziness means I put off starting the hoovering. I can normally tell what I'm feeling, but it might be very hard for another person to tell the difference.

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Normal NT stuff like using public transport is hard for me, but then, assembly code and Linux hacking is hard for NTs.

 

So, if I'm lazy for finding public transport hard, then the NTs are lazy for not learning how to port Android to their iPods!

Edited by AutisticMillionaire

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How about people with AS stop being expected to fend off all kinds of moronic and negative generalisations from folks who can't be arsed to educate themselves on diversity? How about folks stop using cheap hand-me-down labels when considering those deemed 'different'? I'm getting kind of sick of the 'are AS people more vain/egotistic/self-obsessed/unmotivated/angry/unstable etc etc etc?

 

We are individuals, not a bunch of misfits that can be summed up with a few catch-all descriptions, ffs.

 

Never mind the question about AS people, answer this one - are complete ars*holes more likely to use generalisations when referring to minorities?

Edited by Loop

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It is normal with executive problems in Asperger, and it shown that they score in the lower normal range on the processing IQ. Not lazyness inso, but it can be experienced as lazyness.

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As one with AS, no we're not lazy. But I will make two points here.

 

Firstly, I think AS people may struggle with tiredness when they're around other people, and the whole process of social interaction is more of an effort. Tiredness is what I would call an indirect problem Asperger's people may face, due to gthe fact some things will require more brain energy than for non AS people.

 

Secondly, AS people may have problems working with others in tasks such as washing up, cleaning etc, where they have no specific role to play but simply supposed to muck in, they may find that they get nervous about such situations, or that they have to be guided through more than others (come on, clean up these plates, sort of thing) and this can be demoralising, maybe patronising, all because they don't know how to help out by mucking in. So as a result an AS person may refuse to do certain tasks, for a social reason.

 

I'm sure I;ve been in situations like that. Thats just a personal perspective though.

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I have very high standards for myself and for years had very real worries about being lazy, but they were not bourne out in reality. In fact I was over reaching and over achieving for many, many years of my life. In fact it is most unusual for us to be lazy because our motivations are quite different to 'Typs'.

 

There are three aspects to be aware of if you feel lazy;

 

Autistic inertia is one significant aspect of such worries and it is very, very real for us. I personally experience it multiple times every day. It is literally like being paralysed and affects even basic needs like using the bathroom, dealing with thirst or hunger and even health and medication. I mention here something called 'borrowed will'. One autistic child was unable to even start doing his practice exams at home but was very fast at school. He would sit sometimes for hours but could not make a start. He noticed that if he used an egg timer, he could do the exams in super quick time - the 'will' came from the running sand. For another man, he could not get up from his sofa do do anything, until the tv was turned on. The will came from the stuff happening on screen. Some people find it easier to do chores whilst listening to upbeat, loud music.

 

Overload is another factor. See my other post for an explanation of the extra processing we have to perform in order to function (sometimes leading to shut downs). It uses up resources, preventing them being used for 'extra' activities over and above trying to be normal. This occasional shortage of resources can also act sub-conciously as a disincentive to an undertaking, and can be confused with laziness.

 

Finally depression can also be interpreted as laziness especially because it's comorbitity with autism is high and is often undiagnosed. Other conditions can also lead to a lack of interest or motivation, such as low-T.

 

Overall there is a cost to benefit ratio for every undertaking. Where the undertaking is for example a typical social one, there is a double hit for us. This is because the cost (in emotional resources) is higher and as well as that, the benefit (socio-emotional reward) is lower, leading to a lower impetus to begin.

Edited by AUT1E

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In fact I was over reaching and over achieving for many, many years of my life.

Surely it's not actually possible to over-achieve? To over-achieve would mean to achieve more than you can which doesn't make sense - for if you are doing something, then it is something you can do and hence something you can achieve. To over-achieve, you would have to engage in activities you can't actually do, which would not be possible as in doing them you would be failing to not do them.

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Tally: I have that problem with inertia...sometimes I feel crippled by inertia :-(

 

Mumble: maybe by 'over-achieving' Autie means being a perfectionist, which can actually be quite a negative trait in some ways.

 

Bid - who is feeling particularly inert over starting a load of stuff at work at the moment :( Tonight must be the night!! :wacko:;)

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Surely it's not actually possible to over-achieve? To over-achieve would mean to achieve more than you can which doesn't make sense - for if you are doing something, then it is something you can do and hence something you can achieve. To over-achieve, you would have to engage in activities you can't actually do, which would not be possible as in doing them you would be failing to not do them.

 

Over achieving is commonly understood to mean achieving levels or goals but in a way that is damaging to one's well being. E.g ripping a muscle by lifting a weight that is actually too heavy for you, or pursuing perfection when the persistent effort outweighs the incremental benefit.

 

If you find yourself confused over what somebody meant, why not ask first for a clarification instead?

Edited by AUT1E

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Mumble: maybe by 'over-achieving' Autie means being a perfectionist, which can actually be quite a negative trait in some ways.

I agree, perfectionism can be a really difficult trait, both for the perfectionist and for people around them (sorry people! :whistle:). I didn't realise that that was what was being referred to here. :unsure:

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If you find yourself confused over what somebody meant, why not ask first for a clarification instead?

Instead of what? :unsure:

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Over achieving is commonly understood to mean achieving levels or goals but in a way that is damaging to one's well being. E.g ripping a muscle by lifting a weight that is actually too heavy for you, or pursuing perfection when the persistent effort outweighs the incremental benefit.

 

 

Surely whether persistent effort outweighs the incremental benefit is very subjective as is achieving goals in ways that are detrimental to one's wellbeing.

 

I use the gym regularly and observe people exercise in ways that are persistent in effort and I think go far beyond any incremental benefit.However I know they probably think they are achieving their goals whilst considering me positively lazy. :o:)

 

Top professionals in many sports and in some areas of the arts such as ballet work to be as good as they can be but in the process have a long term impact on their wellbeing.

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My son is definitely lazy.

 

His consultant says it's part of the ADHD component of his diagnosis, but while I acknowledge that as part of it, I'm also aware that laziness is part of his personality. For me, it's important to separate the two as they have different meanings and reasons.

 

Medication improves his focus and motivation to work, but on a personality level he'll still move the earth to get out of something if he can :lol:

 

Karen

x

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Surely it's not actually possible to over-achieve? To over-achieve would mean to achieve more than you can which doesn't make sense - for if you are doing something, then it is something you can do and hence something you can achieve. To over-achieve, you would have to engage in activities you can't actually do, which would not be possible as in doing them you would be failing to not do them.

 

o·ver·a·chieve    [oh-ver-uh-cheev]

–verb (used without object), -chieved, -chiev·ing.

1. to perform, esp. academically, above the potential indicated by tests of one's mental ability or aptitude.

2. to perform better or achieve more than expected (or deemed necessary), esp. by others.

 

Origin: 

1950–55; over-  + achieve,  or by back formation from overachiever

 

—Related forms

o·ver·a·chieve·ment, noun

o·ver·a·chiev·er, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged 

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010. 

 

 

 

World English Dictionary

overachieve  (ˌəʊvərəˈtʃiːv) 

 

— vb

( intr ) to perform (for example, in examinations) better than would be expected (or necessary) on the basis of one's age or talents (or {dis}abilities)

 

overa'chiever

 

— n

 

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition 

2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins 

 

over-achiever - definition

 

someone who tries extremely hard to be successful and puts pressure on themselves to achieve (too) many things

Thesaurus entry for this meaning of over-achiever

DERIVED WORD

 

over-achieve VERB [iNTRANSITIVE]

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1. to perform, esp. academically, above the potential indicated by tests of one's mental ability or aptitude.

That would be a problem with the validity or reliability of whatever test is used - it is clearly not indicating accurately what someone is capable of if they are going on to achieve more than it says they can do.

 

2. to perform better or achieve more than expected (or deemed necessary), esp. by others.

That is not over-achievement, it is others not having high expectations of the individual and the individual managing not to fulfil the self-fulfilling prophecy of only attaining what is expected of them.

 

( intr ) to perform (for example, in examinations) better than would be expected (or necessary) on the basis of one's age or talents (or {dis}abilities)

Several issues with age in that for the statistic to work and there to be an average expected level, some must have to achieve above average - but this makes them a comparative over-achiever based on group norms, not an over-achiever within themselves. In terms of what is expected based on disabilities, see the point above about others' expectations. 

 

someone who tries extremely hard to be successful and puts pressure on themselves to achieve (too) many things

That, I would say, is a fairly good definition for a perfectionist, not an over-achiever. Surely you could do the above and still achieve average results?

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You need to take up your arguments with the publishers of the dictionaries or the arbiters of common usage, not me please as there is nothing I can do about it. I am only highlighting common usage for you sausage. Can any of the other members help Mumble?

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You need to take up your arguments with the publishers of the dictionaries or the arbiters of common usage, not me please as there is nothing I can do about it. I am only highlighting common usage for you sausage. Can any of the other members help Mumble?

 

I cannot help Mumble as unfortunately I am not as intelligent as her .

I would think that many people would consider her an over-achiever .

I found out recently that there are not many people with AS who study to degree level.Since she has gone far beyond this I think she is probably an example of achieving far beyond the majority of the population.

 

Karen.

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You need to take up your arguments with the publishers of the dictionaries or the arbiters of common usage, not me please as there is nothing I can do about it. I am only highlighting common usage for you sausage.

I was simply replying to your post; I do not have an issue with you or with the dictionaries quoted, I have an issue with the general terminology discussed here and it was that I was discussing, highlighting issues in the evidence you presented. I realise that this is common useage; it is that I am challenging.

 

I do not know what it means to call someone a sausage, but I don't like it, so please do not call me a sausage again.

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I cannot help Mumble as unfortunately I am not as intelligent as her .

You know that that's just taunting me into discussing the terminology and application of 'intelligence' and to debate (at length) the implications of such terminology... :shame::P:lol: :lol:

 

I think she is probably an example of achieving far beyond the majority of the population.

... an example of the comparative usage of the term... :whistle:

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Mod hat on

 

"Sausage" is often used as a jokey term of affection but in this context it is likely to be interpreted as condescending.

 

AUT1E please be respectful of others' contributions: attack the argument, not the poster.

 

Thanks :)

 

Kathryn

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