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Asexuality and introversion/social anxiety


PurplePr1nc3ss

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PurplePr1nc3ss

So I've heard of the autism asexual connection and was wondering if any of you. thinks there is a connection between asexuality and introversion or social anxiety. I happen to be introverted and have slight social anxiety. Do any of you have. the same

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Too right. However before drawing any inaccurate conclusions most AVENistes I know personally don't openly show any of these traits. My own opinion is that a greater proportion of those who present with ASD/ Asperger's are asexual than the societal average, but the difference is not that great.

As a spin off from this, are asexuals typically of higher than average intelligence/ academic achievement, or is this just skewed as IT awareness is greater as IQ levels rise?

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WünderBâhr

I don't feel there is any inherent connection. Just as with asexuality + anything not asexuality, it may be related environmentally or conditionally to the person's experiences, but not directly to asexuality, itself. That is my opinion on it, anyway.

Being asexual, or identifying as such, creates a certain internal and external environment for each individual. I know some pretty extroverted and social aces, so the only common connection between the two is asexuality, at first glance.

Does being part of a marginalized and not very well understood group make one more prone to having experiences relating to that of an introvert or someone affected with social anxiety? Possibly. No more so than it does for that person liking or disliking pie or cake, imo, but that's just how I separate it. There isn't enough evidence to connect the two on a biological, psychological, sociological (insert any other -ology that seems relevant, here) for me to think otherwise, at this time.

That being said, I can definitely relate to social anxiety and introversion, as I identify as having/being both. I just see those parts as separate from my (a)sexual orientation.

Edited by bipolar bear
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Well people tend to jump to all sorts of conclusion, but I don't think anyone has identified any causation or correlation between asexuality and introversion or anxiety. I do have anxiety (not extremely bad, but it's definitely there) and would consider myself more introverted than extroverted, but I don't think they are related to my sexual orientation. Just a few things that are a part of who I am.

As a spin off from this, are asexuals typically of higher than average intelligence/ academic achievement, or is this just skewed as IT awareness is greater as IQ levels rise?

No idea in general. For me, I would say my IT awareness is probably below average, but my academic achievement is definitely above average. (not to brag, but I was the valedictorian of my high school graduating class) So no idea if there is any connection there, but speculation is always fun. :P I think I have actually heard a statistic though that people of higher intelligence tend to become sexually active later than average. :ph34r: (can't remember where I heard that one though... sorry)

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I am...

*asexual

*homo (or bi) romantic

*introverted

I have quite a lot of social anxiety along with a few other issues.

In the above comments, someone mentioned IQ... mine is high, gifted I believe (and I really don't mean to brag) and my academic scores are well above average.

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Well, I am a extroverted person, I like to start a conversation, I go out with my friends, I dance with them, everything, and I love to work with a lot of people :)

I'm studying business administration and I am the class president. So, in my opinion, I don't think that there is a connection between asexuality and introversion or social anxiety. Someone should make a poll about this, it would be interesting!

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almost alice

I have been called introverted, but I don't think I am. I think what other people read as introversion is my dislike and distrust of humanity as a whole. I also don't believe my misanthropy is connected to my asexuality in the slightest, except that being demi it makes it harder to find people I connect with enough to have feelings and attraction for them.

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I'm an introvert, an asexual, and have been to counselling for social anxiety disorder. Oddly enough, I don't think any of those things are necessarily connected. My first roommate in college was a super extroverted and very openly sexual person, but she also had panic attacks and very bad anxiety around people. People can end up with a whole mix of traits that don't always connect, it probably depends on a whole lot of factors in your life.

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I don't know if this is too far from the point you meant to arrive at but I'm Bipolar type one and I've always felt like I have a lot in common with an autistic person and feel empathy for them. I know many of them are geniuses. All throughout elementary school I had taken things so literally. "You talk too much" and then I would vow silence for a week "You're so quiet" Oh, I can talk again? What a relief ! And then back to "You talk too much" On a few occasions when it was cold the teacher would say to me "Go outside and close the door" I would go outside and close the door behind me and freeze in the cold, they told me to come back inside the classroom. While I was behind developmentally on such things as learning to tie my shoes, learning to swim, and learning to ride a bike. I had a head start in reading, comprehension and vocabulary and would often help my older brother with his homework earning him passing grades in subjects he struggled in. In elementary my English proficiency was at the high school level and sometimes at the college/university level.. And still I had trouble comprehending such basic things. I also was sent to a speech therapy group while in elementary school. As far as the Aceology: I had always liked girls since I was in Kindergarten I had trouble knowing how to ask a girl out throughout most of school. I suffered the initial effects of my Bipolar meds at 16 including erec dysf. Even at that age I noticed how I was different (but more on a mental op level) By 22 I was basically told that I need to date someone. I dated 3 girls over a period of 3 years (Yes, sex and everything, and it seemed normal and enjoyable to me.) At around 28 yrs old I started noticing my asexuality without having a name for it. I eventually came across the subject of Asexuality on someones blog in 2014 on accident and was interested by it. Somehow I didn't make a connection at that point. In the late Fall of 2014 I experienced the feeling of being fed up with the over sexualization on a social website that I know I was being fantasized about on excessively by several girls who weren't happy with being just friends anymore. Somehow I fired up my brains intuitive glial cells and made a connection back to that blog I had read earlier. With a lot of studying and refining I have found myself to be gray ace/ gray aro. I know a speech wasn't called for, but until I knew about Asexuality, It's community, and The Aven site, I had felt like a frozen block of ice with words trapped inside, and that I can now finally be thawed out and back to life and being my normal awesome self. I really hope that David Jay and the rest of the Aven staff realize how much this site means to us. If anyone including any staff is reading this. I would like to collectively extend our utmost gratitude to yourself and company ..And since it is late over here I would like to wish everyone a good night and a pleasant day tomorrow :) :cake:

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Mycroft is Yourcroft

I'm pretty extroverted, and while I can be shy at first among a large gathering of people I don't know, I don't think that really counts as 'social anxiety'. There's already a few polls on the subject of introversion/extroversion/personality type. If you're interested, here's some of them. :)

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I'm introverted in general, but then I'm also pretty disinclined to go socialise in places I doubt I'll find someone I can associate with.

So far as I know, there's no causal link. Indeed, in as much myself goes, it's pretty damn beside the point. I'm, I guess, an Introvert who happens to be Asexual. I'm more likely to socialise via the internet than in person, as most public places I could go won't have things that interest me, nor people.

As for IQ? I've never taken an IQ test, so I can't tell you what I'm sitting at. I'd say average, personally but I'm also a chronic self deprecatory, so I can't necessarily be trusted as a reputable source on discussing myself. Doesn't help a few 'IQ' questions I've seen revolve around colour placing/shapes and what. Not great for the colour blind.

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I'm introverted and have a slight social anxiety problem. I have made like two close friends ever and their not really that close because I mainly like to keep to myself. I don't know any asexual people so I can't really make that connection sorry

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I'm ace, also introverted, socially awkward, and in general just don't enjoy being social, in large groups or dealing with people. I have never put the two together as a cause or being related to each other.

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HomeBirdJen

I'm ace, also introverted, socially awkward, and in general just don't enjoy being social, in large groups or dealing with people. I have never put the two together as a cause or being related to each other.

This for me, but demi not ace.

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I'm ace, introverted but not socially anxious. I can interact with people just fine and enjoy it in small groups, but it quickly tires me out and I need alone time to function again. I've never thought of a connection between my asexuality and my introversion as the closer I am with someone, the more I can stay with them before having to retreat.

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DigitalBookDust

I'm ace and most definitely an introvert! I don't think I have clinical social anxiety but I do dislike crowds and avoid gatherings of people. At the last social function I had to attend for work, I made sure to sit at the table with the fewest and quietest people. Being around people, even on an individual basis, drains me, and I need solitude to recharge my batteries.

I'm 53 and have had therapists and docs suggest that I'm probably somewhere on the autism spectrum, though I wasn't diagnosed as a child. I've taken some of the available online tests and my scores indicate that's most likely true. I've considered seeking an official diagnosis. but at this late date, it wouldn't change my life that much and it's not that easy to find someone who can make that dx in adults.

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