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Asperger’s: Lost again, and again, and again? Could it be place-blindness?

I am going to start sharing some Answer.com articles that I write with you all since many times they are based on or inspired by things I do everyday—in this case, getting lost.

I have written in the past about being lost in my own town if I have to take a new route to a familiar place. I am immediately lost when I walk into Wal-Mart. I get turned around, forget why I am in a certain aisle, and have to watch the signs that are hung up high to find my way around in order to gather the things that I need.  This happens EVERY time even though I should know the store very well.  To make matters worse, I NEVER remember where I parked my darn car, and whined up roaming the parking lot looking for it with a cart full of groceries and screaming kids in tow; not fun!

I also wrote about place-blindness in my book when I described my being lost in the halls at middle school, and on the campus of my university. Although I did not have a name for it then, it is obvious to me now, that I have some degree of place-blindness.

Article:

Place Blindness in People with Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome

 

Anyone else get lost in your own backyard?

(not literally—but in familiar places)

 

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Jeannie Davide-Rivera

Jeannie is an award-winning author, the Answers.com Autism Category Expert, contributes to Autism Parenting Magazine, and the Thinking Person's Guide to Autism. She lives in New York with her husband and four sons, on the autism spectrum.

5 Comments:

  1. i am afsal male 26 year old from india, having this problem since my childhood,,, i am facing many problems in my day to day life . i cannot remember ways that i have travelled many time , i am also very bad to remember names digits etc… i have searched months in internet for a solution, but unfortunately i could understand that there is no cure or treatment , if you find any solution kindly inform me …plssss
    my e mail id [email protected], whatsapp no : 919961462138

  2. Yes I do! I was actually very excited to read about this in your book because I found out I wasn’t the only one. I can do Walmart but Target gets me every single time. I feel like when I drive somewhere I’m trying to file the information of where to turn next time, but instead of a file my brain has a shredder! I will get lost going home because I have to do the directions in reverse and I hardly know how I got there.
    I would be interested in any tips you have for how to manage this better. I can find the places I go every day but take me anywhere else, even neighborhoods or towns I’ve lived in before and I’m completely lost. Usually I can compensate but sometimes things like going into a mall or driving in the dark are plain scary.

  3. For me, it depends: If the store changed their layout, I’m lost. Otherwise, I’m generally ok. I don’t have a car, but when I rent one, I have to park somewhere obvious or else I’ll lose it – I always spring the extra $ for a car with remote controlled locks so I can have it honk at me when I forget where I parked!

  4. All the time. It’s scary and embarrassing. I rely on my husband more than I would like because I just don’t recognise familiar places and faces. I hate it!!!! I feel like a child when women my age (40’s) seem so competent and organised and I spend half my life feeling stupid because I come accrosss as an air head and so dependant on others help. I’m fiercely independant by nature but this makes is very difficult to show my true ability.

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