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Is Laziness and Lack of Hygiene connected to Autism?

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wayne1962
wayne1962

Hi - i have a twin brother, 55, who I suspect has suffered Autism all his life - never diagnosed. His hygiene is almost non existent and he must be told to shower/shave etc. He is also bone lazy - which I suspect is learned having had me doing all the chores as a kid and parents who have endlessly enabled him. Are these symptomatic of Autism?

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • knd39079
    knd39079 wayne1962

    Posted

    I'm not a doctor, but I would say that it doesn't have to be autism; it could be severe depression or personal problems. You may want to have him tested if he will consent to it, but it really just depends on the circumstances. If this person is in a situation where he doesn't need to dress well or interact with people regularly, it may just be a preference. 

    Autistic people tend to exhibit maybe some of those symptoms sometimes, but with them it's usually because of  the way the clothes feel or other sources of discomfort. 

    • wayne1962
      wayne1962 knd39079

      Posted

      Hi knd39079 - thank you for your response. Yes, depression runs on both sides of the family - we all have it, but he is the only one who is slovenly. He has been on unemployment for years and pretends that he is constantly on the verge of a job. I think that is because mother dearest, who is all about aesthetics rather than reality, has constantly placed the expectation that he should be like everyone else, and he keeps playing that game because it is easier than dealing with the criticism she gives. She is one of those persons who refuses to accept there are mental issues in the family because it somehow reflects on her.
  • selfbiasresisto
    selfbiasresisto wayne1962

    Posted

    I am pretty much the same. Have terrible hygene, suspect I have autism. One time I was looking it up online I saw it suggested that because autistics need routine, if they don't form the routine they become slovenly. Since he is 55 and I am nearing 40, it is probably too late for either of us diagnosis or not.

    • wayne1962
      wayne1962 selfbiasresisto

      Posted

      Hi selfbiasresisto - thank you for your response. Sorry you are suffering too. He has a routine - eating, sleeping and, I'm afraid to say, lying about everything. Even when it's an obvious lie. It's very hard to help/deal with someone like that. I think he could have a result if he tried counselling/meds/support group, but one is never sure whether he is telling the truth about what he does. He doesn't seem to want to do anything unless he directly benefits with nil effort.

    • knd39079
      knd39079 wayne1962

      Posted

      I don't know this person, but I think that assessment may be a bit harsh. Yes, it is true that some of us have trouble doing new things and getting out of our comfort zones even when it will benefit us. We may prefer a little bit of hand holding in unfamiliar situations, or we may just need to feel like we are reasonably sure of what is going to happen in this new situation. 

      I, for example, sometimes have trouble filling out forms that require me to gather a lot of outside information, mother's birth day, insurance card number, birth certificate, certified copy of teaching license, etc. I can certainly send off for these things and keep the information handy so that it won't seem like such a huge task, but when it does seem like a big task, I usually put it off. 

  • knd39079
    knd39079 wayne1962

    Posted

    If it doesn't affect your private or professional life, don't worry about it. If it does, though, maybe seek a diagnosis. 

    I have trouble keeping organized and following through with my obligations, so I actually need help. That may vary, though, depending on your niche. 

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