Hypochondria is unhealthy, I agree. However, it never hurts sometimes to ask yourself honestly, "Does this sound like me?" I work with a man who is 53 years old, and was only diagnosed nine months ago, and only heard about the disorder a month prior by reading an article on it in a magazine. Sometimes, it pays to wonder. I'm not saying to anolyze every disorder you come across, but if you notice more than, say, four similarities, that's where I pause and wonder. Usually, it goes nowhere. However, every now and again I meet someone who, by doing this, discovered that they were an Aspie, OCD, whatever.

I do agree with you, Lucien, though on a few points. "Shielding" behind Aspergers is wrong, in my opinion. People who have it need to accept the fact, learn to live/deal with it, and move on. I always looked at it from the standpoint of "is it really that bad?" I could be a stroke victim. I could be dying of cancer. I could be in a coma. Hell, I could be dead. But I've got this thing called Aspergers that gives me some pretty cool abilities, and I'm griping about THAT? Nope. No shielding here. I'm PROUD to be an Aspie.

It is a real condition, as you said, but I'm always amazed at how many people tell me it's a fictional disorder created to deal with the 'geeks, nerds and misfits of society'. Hello. You've just won a prize for being an idiot. I appreciate the fact that you acknowledge its existence. I cannot speak for others, but I have been clinically diagnosed by four different medical professionals, two psychologists, and a neurologist. Reading up on something and diagnosing yourself, however, is a bad idea. If you're curious, ask someone who's studied the stuff. Ask a doctor. Don't make a rash decision based on a hypochondriac moment.

As to the mod, I was thinking about distribution. Wouldn't it be more 'realistic' to find Aspies in places where there aren't a lot of people? I understand things like the Library of Vivec and Jobasha's Rare Books, yeah, but I can also envision a few having a cabin in Solstheim, or a tent in the Grazelands, somewhere people don't venture too often. Personally, I'd love to have my own mountaintop I could chase folks off of if they decided to come infringe upon my solitude. Some of us like the peace and quiet. I'm interested to hear what you all think about distribution, though.

-JKS

Yeah, this would be an interesting mod.

Sorry to go off-topic, but I don't thinkyou mean what antisocial means, it ain't reclusiveness, it's performing activities frowned on by society, eg. destruction of property, theft, vandalism, picking fights.

@LucienFairfax
Very true, but in my case, it was two doctors that diagnosed me.

@merunnin
I don't think you're realizing that the term anti-social has many definitions, depending on if you're speaking in a social dialog or a medical one.
Not wearing your seat-belt is antisocial behavior. Avoiding crowds is also antisocial behavior.
In all its forms, it's a disorder.
Now, can this thread stop being about diagnosis, and remain on topic with the mod idea that Julian's working on????

Last OT I promise!: Everyone has their personal definitions sure, afterall, bad means good to kids these days. Especially since antisocial behaviour is quite the misnomer, but by the book, what you lot are describing is an avoidant personality, often confused with anti-social behaviour. In contrast, a superficial charm and using people for fun is considered anti-social behaviour. Indeed, some of the most popular people I knew in school and as potrayed on film engage in wanton anti-social behaviour.

I guess it sounds fun, but I don't see why did mental disorders became so cool. :shrug:

I don't think the mod is about being "cool." But making NPCs that have unique things to say, and have odd requests in form of quests could be fun.
Think of The Clutter Collector or the lady with the pillows. Eccentric characters fit in well in Morrowind.
I think Julian has plans to make a new playable Class as well. It's no different than making a mod that adds more Vampire NPCs or Gondor Rangers out in the wilderness. Morrowind is all about variety. And that's "cool"

OMG, you too?! The noise thing - I think I understand. It's really hard to block out noises, they all come in and you can't not hear everything, every little sound. The hum of the computer fan, the key strokes on the keyboard, the front door opening and closing, footsteps... and this is all just indoors. >.<

Empathy streak is right on, I totally know what that's like. Though, on the other hand, sometimes I can be utterly heartless and unsympathetic. May be just a coping device to not be a bleeding heart.

My brain is all messed up, but it works! Just, um, sometimes a bit differently. THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS "NORMAL"! :ninja:

hey, I just got an idea! You could have a class, or just NPCs, who are therapists/social workers. :nod:

It's not "cool" and I frankly hate people who think it is. I'm actually very often ashamed of what I am, because I know that so many of my natural behaviors make me look like an embarrassing wierdo to whomever I'm with at the time. I have huge difficulty making friends, partially because I can never tell if someone even wants to be my friend at all, and I almost always end up suspecting that they really just put up with me and actually think I'm annoying, regardless of how nice they are to me when I'm around. This disorder makes me hate myself. That is not, by any means, cool.

The mod isn't about being cool. It's about reflecting reality.

And if the mod can be made to be humorous without being disrespectful, then that's a good thing too.
You have t be able to laugh at yourself, otherwise you'll go mad.

I think we should recruit Big Head into this mod. I mean, who doesn't want to know everything about forks!?

I don't disagree, but if you are referencing my post at all, I have never diagnosed myself with Aspergers. I merely thought about it, then forgot about it, because I decided that if I did or didn't have it, I didn't much care. I'm not paying for meds and have no insurance, so there's nothing I could do about anything I had wrong with me, medical or mental. I do have other odd mental tics, but as I said, I think they are the side product of a mind predisposed to OCD. Now, the OCD, while I've never been to a psychiatrist for it, I am quite certain about. I have an unhealthy fixation on my weight and getting fat, to the point that it does interfere with my life and self-image. It hasn't gone so far that I have gone into anorexia nervosa or bulimia, but I do find myself saying 'I ought to just not eat for a week.' because I have some part of my brain gnawing away at me that some part of my body is unacceptable. I have managed to keep from acting on it thus far, though. Mostly. It isn't a conscious thing, I have never really paid any attention to celebrities, and the people around me, I couldn't care less how much they weigh. It's a self battering mindset that I can't reign in. I'll get it under control, then happen to look in a mirror and it'll set off again, so I've gotten to where I just don't look in body-length mirrors. Trust me, it isn't 'cool' and I certainly wish I could manage to get it to go away. And I don't suspect anyone here who has Aspergers is trying to portray it as 'cool', either. I'd never portray OCD/BDD as cool, because in living with it, I can assure you it isn't.

The real problem with this all: I'm only 120 lbs, and sometimes drop below it, so I'm a perfectly healthy weight, almost underweight for my height. It's just gnawing, gnawing on my brain. It isn't a passing thing, either. I've had to put up with it for years. That, and darker thoughts that occur to me and just run in repeat in my head and are ...well, at the risk of sounding over-dramatic: tormenting.

Now the extreme aversion to people is mostly just because of the 'noise' thing, really. That, Alaisiagae, while small noises and things like that do bug me and is part of it, there's another layer that's difficult to explain. The nearest I've ever gotten to explaining it was that it's more in my head. I'm extremely sensitive to changes in the electromagnetic field. When storms are coming, I can feel them, and it at times messes with my mood. Some people have extremely 'loud' electromagnetic output. Or something that I'm picking up on. My father is among them. Poor sap can't keep a watch working on his body at all. Speeds up, then it dies. And interestingly enough, I can't stand to be around him long, either. Not so much because of his personality, but the 'energy/noise' he's letting off quickly wears my nerves thin and I have to get away.

Working retail, this is nerve-fraying. There's some people that come through my store that I just cannot stand. They aren't rude, they've not been demanding, but the energy they let off quickly sends me into a fit of pacing because I can't just get away from them. It's extremely draining, and is half the reason why I hate my job and tend to sit at home and game when I do get a day off. After spending all my work days in public and crowds, I no longer want to go 'out' when I get a day off.

Now, I've never been to a doctor of any sort for any of this, but it does hamper my life quite drastically at times, and I don't see anything hypochondriac about saying so.

What a great idea!

No, trust me, you don't want me elaborating on anything.

If you're going to come into a thread I started and fire arrows at a disorder I am diagnosed with, I believe I do want you to expound upon your reasoning.

-JKS

It's just not really worth it. I mean make the mod as you please, I don't HAVE to download it, nor care about it. The answer must lie within yourself.

Ignore list disables troll's abilities.

Now then, since I have contributed to some derailing, myself, let's attempt to re-rail! *pulls out her trusty stick and tries to pry the train back onto the tracks*

I like the idea that was posted earlier about there being a higher 'concentration' of Aspies in certain guilds or Houses. I certainly agree that the Telvaani seems to be one place where it would fit well. And since I've been recently haunting MA's Ashes to Ashes and vampires are on the brain, maybe one of the vampire clans could have some as well. I've actually never done much questing within the Vampire clans, as I don't really go in for the 'evil only!' vampire mythos, so I'm not sure who, or if it would quite fit. From what little I do remember of the vampire quests, all of them seem a bit short and adverse to you, but that's mostly because you were a 'mistake'. Or would they be 'immune' to such things, as they are always on about transcending the weaknesses of the mortal races?

From other posts I have read from you, you seem like an intelligent person. I think you know that you can ignore the threads you don't like, instead of being rude. You don't HAVE to post in them.

edit, spelling

i guess i don't get it, so asburger npcs would just be like savants with limited scope then? kinda like the class specific savants you're referred to? except with neurotic overtones? suppose there are some npcs that fit that bill already. just seems a bit absurd to label npcs as asburgers or autistic though, especially as simulating some syndromes would be considered bad taste. even if a syndrome is "high functioning". i mean, i can see the reaction if someone wanted to make a downs syndrome mod, even if the modder has down syndrome. or an alcoholic mod.

though if this will be made, i suggest using a global for "has asburgers" rather than a race/class/birthsign or anything else. would make dialog much easier for sure. even to have a percent chance any greeting would result in a bad reaction lower disposition, and such. or can use it to adjust severity or even overcoming (or dwelving deeper into autism). like asburger == 3 would have harsher reactions than asburger == 1, or open up different dialog.

Argh, noises.. they drive me crazy at times... I can usually ignore them, but if I'm not listening to music or something, and someone else is talking, or music is playing in the background, it can be distracting enough that it begins to really aggravate me...

Ah yes, mine too, definitely. I think, and want to be the person I strive to be, but mental and physical limitations continue to make me fight to stay "me', it really drives me up the wall sometimes... About normal, I concur, there is no "normal", and there is no "crazy".

Therapists/Social Workers/Psychologists? I think this is a great idea, it could be fit into the game really well.

I agree with this most to all of this stuff, the "disagree" parts only because I can't make a desicion to agree or disagree with some of your points-because I don't have the same mind as you.

If it's about reflecting reality though, then there's gotta be some cruel bits to it, perhaps some of these people could be very depressed or ashamed, and the PC should have the choice to be rude/disrespectful to them in diolauge etc. I wouln't be a rude person myself, as I roleplay a good character most of the time, but it certainly would boost the realism.

I concur, lets all just agree that we all have different minds and not one of us is normal, or crazy. People who troll or mock, they can just get outta here. :stare:

It might be easier just to use Healers from the Temple, or the Imperial Cult, but good idea. A major theme could be to help the NPCs find some clarity, not just do random quests for them.
Maybe someone could introduce a spoon to Big Head, and see if he can learn to accept them in his life, not just forks.

You shouldn't be ashamed. If you want to talk about it some more, feel free to drop me a PM.

And I want to be your friend, honest truly! :nod:

@starwarsguy: I'm the same way with music. I can't not pay attention to the lyrics and each instrument... so if someone is talking, I've got two stimuli vying for attention, and I can't seem to push one or the other to the side. So, either the music gets turned off or the conversation ends (I usually do the former course of action, of course).

You're fun around the forums, so I'm sure you're just being paranoid about you're friends. You definitely shouldn't hate yourself. ^_^
edit: Kinda ninja'd by Alaisiagae... though I guess two people saying it is better than one.

Hehe, I gotta say I like how the internet breaks social boundaries down.
I'm not too wierd myself, I'm your classic daydreamer, the kind you see in cartoons, where it takes someone waving a hand in front of my face to snap me out of it.
It's okay though, my friends say I always daydream in an intellectual pose, looks more like I'm pondering on philosophy or science than imagining I'm a pirate (don't judge me :stare:).

Way back OT: If this is a fun thing to do with the community, go with Aspergers only, if you are serious about reflecting reality though, I'd like to see it extended to other conditions. abyssmal terror suggestion sounds good.

Closed per OP request.