What is your impression of Aspergers syndrome?

Brenna Happy Repellent wrote: »

Agreed. Indeed the opening post was quite disingenuous considering many of us had already read posts by him where he sharply put down another poster who said he had AS and went on to say he had it too. So saying any cover was blown is waffle, as he made it public quite clearly himself.
I'm loathe to partake in the discussion, as the motives are blurred.

One eyed Jack wrote: »

I have a question, open to anyone really, but since you’ve used the term a few times now - what’s the deal with ‘Aspies’? Personally, I find it cringe inducing as it comes off as some sort of an attempt to create a community of people with commonalities where there really aren’t any as I’ve never met two people who had been diagnosed with AS who had anything else in common other than they had been diagnosed with AS.

As for the diagnosis of AS itself, I could take it or leave it, I don’t have any issue with it one way or another that I don’t also have with diagnoses of autism in adults and children, namely that they’ve widened the criteria to be so broad now that pretty much anyone could be diagnosed as being autistic.

retro:electro wrote: »

Exactly. I know two people with an AS diagnosis and they could not be more different. I’d never be so ignorant as to say “all people with AS are xyz” no more than I’d make that generalisation about someone who didn’t have it. Crazy!

Calhoun wrote: »

I count at least 2 parents of children in the spectrum in here and a teacher, how you thought it wouldn't have interest I don't know .

Maybe it's your disorder and you just assumed that this was the best method of communication.

Let me tell you why in annoyed, I am not on the spectrum but until my daughter can do it herself I speak for her. I see crap like this as being deceitful and unhelpful.

OscarMIlde wrote: »

people with negligible symptoms are being diagnosed as autistic.

Wibbs wrote: »

I've known a few Aspie folks down the years, some diagnosed(relatively recently) others not. Yes there were some commonalities, but they were a mixed bunch. The first lad I knew with it(as he found out much later) had it quite severe. I met him in my last year of schooling. Very withdrawn guy, IMHO as much down to too much social isolation as the condition itself. He was almost a cliche as he was scarily bright in a particular area. Genius level shit. Long before he sat his leaving cert several universities wanted him and not just in Ireland(He ended up in the UK because his CAO points weren't nearly enough to do his chosen subject, even though he could run rings around some lecturers in the field). I took to befriending him as I hate seeing someone socially isolated. He defo wasn't too sure of me at first(as I said scarily bright), but I wore him down.

Nice lad actually. He had learned to be extremely observant of people. I suppose because it didn't come naturally? Funny too. Though half the time I'd have to explain to him why I was was picking myself up from the floor laughing with tears in my eyes. That was odd actually. He'd drop a clanger that Wilde would have killed for, knowing he was doing it, but needing my explanation(?) as to why it was hilarious, or that someone else thought it funny. Then he'd crack up himself.

We kinda bonded over different weaknesses in both of us. I have dyscalculia, IE complete mental block/idiocy with maths and numbers. At least dyscalculia has been suggested as a given by a family member who's a psychiatrist, though I don't have any of the other symptoms of it. Plain thick with numbers is just as likely. Anyway he tried to help me with that, in exchange for me helping him with the social stuff(I'll talk to the wall. He was always aghast that I could walk up to a complete stranger and talk to them). Both had mixed results, but he was way more patient with me.

Another guy I knew years later was definitely on the spectrum. Very bright, but "odd". But also aware of that oddness, for the most part. He learned to be social and mostly passed as "normal". Pretty good with relationships too. Where he shone was in business negotiations. Because he is very intelligent and had observed and learned that human interaction stuff, rather than picked it up by instinct, he was unreal in business stuff. He could read a room or people like Sherlock Holmes.

I did notice - and I dunno if this is a "thing" with folks on the spectrum - that the two guys above and the others I've known on said spectrum was they were very sensitive to noise and movement and anything suddenly changing or clutter in their environment. EG I once offered a lift home to the first guy and he was clearly getting anxious if I went much beyond a certain speed. My mad teenage notion was to try and teach him to drive. He reckoned he was too uncoordinated, but TBH he ended up being among the easiest of those I taught down the years, so long as I was very precise with the instructions. He never went beyond car parks and industrial estates(oncoming traffic, any traffic, really freaked him out), but reckoned it had helped him.

Calhoun wrote: »

Honest question, how did you deal with the sensory overloads and controlling the stimming?

OscarMIlde wrote: »

I still think Aspergers and autism are separate disorders. I think calling Asperger syndrome mild autism does a disservice to both groups. Asperger syndrome is just as disabling as autism but in different ways. Asperger syndrome itself will have degrees of severity. There has been a loosening of diagnostic criteria of late that people with mild social issues (I am not including you amongst this group) have obtained a diagnosis of autism. The governess on the Chase has been diagnosed as autistic for Pete's sake. Diagnosing someone like her, whip smart with the ability to verbally joust with contestants, with a neuro developmental disorder is pathetic in my opinion.

The increased trivialisation of autistic diagnostic criteria along with very vocal online communities of high functioning people is marginalising people like my brother. I've even seen 'aspie' communities online make derogaratory comments about being associated with r*****s with classical autism. It is not a range of personality quirks or an identity to be proud of. My brother lost all his language as a toddler, spent years of his life crying and screaming for hours on end in torment. No amount of kumbaya changes in language will effect the fundamental reality that for many autistic people it is a very detrimental condition and those participating in online communities are not representative of all autistic people.