Is your Personality Type actually Undiagnosed Autism?

What is your personality type?

I'm sure you've got a good one.

Has knowing your personality type been helpful?

I expect it has.

Does it explain how you think differently from others?

How fantastic!

Does it explain everything?

... Let's explore that for a moment.

I became interested in Myers-Briggs Personality over ten years ago. Knowing I'm some kind of introvert was useful for a while. In 2019 I found the Objective Personality System so I began studying how to identify the types with a scientific criteria.

Personality theory is detailed and complicated. Certainly, it can show many differences between people.

Since Carl Jung first realised there are cognitive functions at work in our minds many ideas have become popular about what that means. Several fascinating theories link certain behaviours or abilities to the cognitive functions. Sometimes these theories are correct, based on statistics, and valuable to examine ourselves.

Sometimes it can be misunderstood what personality theory is actually about. To connect behaviour to a function like Thinking, Feeling, Sensory, or iNtuition might be completely missing the point. Behaviour is usually subservient to cognition.

Sometimes connecting behaviour to cognitive functions is statistically true. But it's still hard to know when it's not.

It’s okay for our understanding to evolve and for theories to change as we gain a better understanding of the world. Sadly, many of us don't update our information. We might like things to be as we think they are, or nobody knows the truth, or we simply don't know we're confused.

We might take a personality test online and start to understand our differences from other people because of that profile. We might be assessed by a trained typologist so we have extra confidence that the result can explain how we think and behave.

For many people knowing their personality type might be enough to navigate relationships with others. For many who actually go looking to know their personality type, it might just keep an invisible condition hidden from them.

I was in both groups.

Then I heard about autistic masking and using compensatory strategies. I realised that in many ways learning about personality had been one of my ways to cope. It was meant to help me socially because I didn’t seem to have the same instincts that others have.

For instance when I was asked, “Hi, how are you?” I thought people really wanted to know the answer so I gave a lot of information about my life. After about 20 years I figured out that I was doing it wrong. As I turned to personality theory I thought maybe I was just a deep thinker or an extrovert. Or Both.

Obviously, being extra talkative is just one aspect of my style of being human. Having a few quirks doesn’t make anyone autistic. But there were many more traits I hadn't found out about or connected to my own experience.

For a long time, I was sure my personality type was able to explain myself, and it does. But all along I was autistic in addition to my personality type.

When I was finally diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder in 2021, I learned more about the Autism Spectrum and had a funny sense of familiarity. Somewhere along the way, I got things mixed up.

If you care about personality then it’s important to recognise there are many differences people can have that are not to be lumped in with personality. Even if the Objective Personality System shows numerous connections between type and lifestyle choices that doesn't explain other differences in perceiving and processing the world.

I had to separate autistic traits from my understanding of personality. This means now I can better understand personality and the autism spectrum.

It’s difficult to properly understand autism if you are already using unreliable strategies to deal with your struggles. It's strange to consider you might have ASD if other things can explain your symptoms.

With all that in mind, I offer a list. Things that I had mixed up, misunderstood, or were just wrong when I learned them.

I can only share what I personally had confused because my autism is unique from anybody else’s. That is why there is a spectrum. There are many symptoms within the autism spectrum and they that might affect someone or they might not. You don't need to have all the features to qualify for a diagnosis. And I don't have all the traits you might.

I have attempted to group these things into those main features of the spectrum. Keep in mind that while you count the traits you relate to this list is not comprehensive.

One final thing before the list. You might be feeling apprehensive. I'm saying you could be autistic but you absolutely might not be. But you saw the title of this article and decided the question that it poses was worth considering. Or if it was sent to you by a friend I can only hope it wasn't a joke.

It's a big deal to find out you're autistic. It comes with words like atypical, dysfunction, disorder, dysregulation, abnormal, disability; big words that usually go with something negative. Being autistic can make the world seem more stressful because of the way you process things. But most of the differences we have are just that, differences not deficits. 

Some study groups show 1 person in 54 is autistic. Autism is normal and should be treated as such.

In my case, things haven't been very bad. I was 25 before my doctor successfully referred me to a psychologist to help me figure out my anxiety.

Most people with an invisible condition don't get diagnosed until life has thrown too many curveballs to cope. We can be doing fine until we're not.

I would hope you found this article and went on to find the information and tools to stay happy and healthy rather than you be too afraid to see what's really going on before things changed for the worse.

I understand it can take a few tries for information to soak in. I thought I might be autistic years ago but I didn't know how that was affecting me. Then I learned more and knew I needed an assessment but I forgot about it. In a way, I also thought I was being a hypochondriac. But that's one of the things we'll get into.

This list is what I thought was related to personality but was wrong or sounds very similar to something that is related to personality.

Traits from the Autism Spectrum that are Not Equal to Personality Traits

Traits Related to Executive Function

● The mess around your house ≠ Extroverted Sensory

● The mess around your house ≠ Inferior Sensory

● Time Blindness ≠ Feminine Sensory

● Feeling panicked when things change ≠ IxxJ or ExxP

● Misplacing things ≠ ExxP

● Impulsivity ≠ ExxP

● Forgetting makeup and showering ≠ xNTx

● Strict Routines ≠ IxxJ

● Poor organisation for tasks ≠ ExxP

● Limiting the decisions you have to make ≠ Descider problems

● Over planning the future ≠ IxxJ

● Forgetfulness ≠ Feminine Sensory

● Difficulty to begin new things ≠ Low Blast

Traits related to Sensory Processing

● Hypersensitivity to light ≠ Inferior Sensory

● Hypersensitivity to sound ≠ Inferior Sensory

● Feeling it intensely when you're tired or sick ≠ Introversion

● Wishing to avoid Chaos ≠ Need for Security

● Avoid going out ≠ Introversion

● Exhausted by life ≠ Introversion

● Low athleticism ≠ Inferior Sensory

● Insomnia ≠ Any part or type

● Planning your food and rest to last the day ≠ Energy dominance

● Planning to not feel burned out ≠ Energy dominance

● Moving gently to avoid pain or loud noise ≠ Feminine Sensory

● Restricted eating ≠ Low consume

● Difficulty to try new things ≠ IxxJ

Traits Related to Information Processing

● Focus on details ≠ Sensory or IxxJ

● Obsessiveness with hobbies ≠ Low Consume or IxxJ

● Poor prioritisation in life ≠ Inferior Feeling

● Needing things to logically make sense ≠ Thinking

● Struggling to deal with chaos ≠ IxxJ

● Freaking out when things change ≠ IxxJ

● Trouble making decisions ≠ Double Deciding or ExxP

● Being argumentative ≠ Masculine Thinking

● Being bad at small talk ≠ Introversion

● Difficulty reading for long ≠ Low consume or IxxJ

● Lacking common sense ≠ Inferior Sensory or iNtuition

● Rule following ≠ IxxJ

● Acute Pattern Recognition ≠ iNtuition

● Pointing out grammar mistakes ≠ Si

● Poor multitasking ≠ IxxJ or ExxP

● Struggling to be concise ≠ Low Blast or ExxP

● Creativity ≠ Any part or type

● Being a control freak ≠ IxxJ

● Factual ≠ Sensory

● Strict Morality ≠ Masculine Feeling

● Literal translation of language ≠ Sensory

● Studiousness ≠ xNTx or xSTx

● Difficulty listening ≠ Low Consume

● Dad joke humour ≠ Sensory

Traits Related to Language and Communication

● Avoiding phone calls ≠ Introversion

● Being overly talkative ≠ Extroversion or ExxJ

● Honesty ≠ Info dominance

● Oversharing ≠ Info dominance

● Bluntness ≠ Masculine Thinking

● Strong annunciation ≠ xSTx

● Appreciation for language ≠ Blast or ExxJ

● Meticulous word choice ≠ Blast or xSTx

● Over explaining ≠ Blast or ExxP

● Tangents in speech ≠ iNtuition or ExxP

● Not initiating conversation ≠ IxxP or Introversion

● Perceived rudeness ≠ Masculine Feeling

● No verbal filter ≠ ExxP

● Dad joke humour ≠ Sensory

● Periods of Mutism ≠ Low Blast or Introversion

● Attention to not say something incorrect ≠ Sensory

● Miscommunication from using big words ≠ xSTx

● Miscommunication from expecting others to know the subject ≠ iNtuition

● Feeling that your speech is misunderstood ≠ xNFx

● Preferring to text ≠ xSTx

Traits Related to Emotional Differences

● Empathy ≠ Feeling

● Overwhelming emotions ≠ Masculine Feeling

● Poor anger management ≠ Masculine Feeling

● Uncontained joy when happy ≠ Fe or ExxJ

● Meltdowns ≠ Any part or type

● Emotional Blindness ≠ Inferior Feeling

● Using an emotions wheel to figure out your feelings ≠ Inferior Feeling

● Unexpected emotional responses ≠ Low Consume

● Feeling your emotions are misunderstood ≠ xNFx

Traits Related to Attention

● Starting 10 tasks without finishing ≠ Sensory Tidal Wave or ExxP

● Overthinking ≠ Thinking

● Thinking about other things at work ≠ Low Sensory

● Leaving things unfinished ≠ Blast over Consume

● Difficulty reading ≠ Low consume

● Jumping ahead in speech or spelling ≠ iNtuition

● Completing other people's sentences ≠ iNtuition

● Difficulty to stop what you're doing ≠ Any part or type

● Even though you're starving ≠ Any part or type

● And you need the bathroom ≠ Any part or type

● Since you can do some things for hours ≠ Low Consume

● Hyperfocus ≠ Ni or Si

Other things that can come with Autism

● Fawning ≠ Extroverted Thinking

● Self-inflicted ableism ≠ ExxJ

● Insecurity ≠ ExxJ or IxxP

● Hiding your ‘true self’ ≠ ExxP

● Anxiety ≠ IxxJ or IxxP

● Childishness ≠ Feeling

● Perfectionism ≠ IxxJ

● Egocentrism ≠ IxxP

● Protective Selfishness ≠ ExxJ

● Trauma triggered narcissism ≠ IxxP

● Being a loner ≠ Introversion

● Personifying inanimate objects ≠ Single Observer

● Camouflaging with other people ≠ Double Deciding

● Intrusive thoughts ≠ Any part or type

● ADHD ≠ ExxP

● OCD ≠ IxxJ

If a significant number of the issues on the left of the comparisons sounded like your own experience I recommend some follow up reading by AutismNZ as their website has concise explanations for the most common autistic traits and characteristics.  If you want to know what symptoms are required to qualify for an ASD diagnosis it would depend on the criteria in your country. A majority of places follow the Diagnostic Statistical Manual and in New Zealand, we are up to date with the fifth edition. I like Sam's video explaining all of this: Autism diagnosis criteria: explained (DSM-5)

I’m also here to help find an answer to any questions you might have. Try me at theautisticintj@gmail.com

Hopefully, this has provided clarification.

Maybe you are possibly autistic and thought your traits could be explained by personality. I hope in your own time you'll get the help and tools you need.

Perhaps this sounds like someone else you know. You could share this post with them.

Hopefully, this is insightful. If you want to understand the personality types part of the process is learning what is also not personality.

I think it's important to recognize neuro- diversity is not what you're looking for when you're trying to type someone or explain personality.

More will be coming to explain the differences between the Objective Personality System and Autism Spectrum Disorder. You can signup to be sent all future articles as I do not follow any posting schedule. Subscribe. 

xo Beka