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What is your impression of Aspergers syndrome?

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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,637 ✭✭✭brightspark


    Calhoun wrote: »
    To counterbalance that part of the right education for people on the spectrum is to help them to communicate appropriately.

    You cannot cover all scenarios hence why having some support in a working environment is required however it's not a free pass for really bad behavior .

    Bad behaviour never deserves a "free pass"

    But is it really that bad for example, to have a colleague tell you to your face that "your idea is stupid" instead of the more "correct" "your idea has a some good points but needs more work"?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,181 ✭✭✭CinemaGuy45


    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.

    The other poster was starting rubbish threads and using his AS as an excuse I also declared in that thread I had it myself.

    That thread and his many other threads was part of my motivation for starting this one.

    My motive is clear I wanted to hook people into the thread who have misconceptions and try and clear them up with the help of other decent posters.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,736 ✭✭✭Irish Guitarist


    You ascertain that they mess up relationships but you call your friends children and grandchildren weirdos.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,447 ✭✭✭Calhoun


    This is After Hours the home of Dole bashing trallever bashing and outrage politics.;)

    Ah yah sorry I thought you wanted to be taken seriously, seems your just attention seeking and looking for validation .


  • Registered Users Posts: 18,131 ✭✭✭✭gormdubhgorm


    A number of posters on this very board have it and they are a mixed bag.

    A relatives son has it a friends grandson has it I work with a couple of people with it.
    I notice some of those with the condition are prone to online trolling for the sake of attention seeking as they seem unable to interact with people in a normal way.

    My impression of these people is that they are very annoying and emotionally immature.
    They may seem intelligent but they seem to panic when they have to do anything outside their narrow comfort zone.

    They seem to mess up all relationships and friendships that is if they can even form them in the first place.
    They also come across as selfish and weird and they can ask the same question over and over again as if looking for reassurance.

    Despite the PC version of the syndrome these people seem prone to mood swings and bursts of anger if they are pushed too far outside their comfort zone.

    What are your impressions of people with Aspergers am I being unfair or am I being truthful?

    Are these people weirdos creepy and annoying?

    Different strokes for different folks.
    Of course they are going to seem weird to you because they do not conform to normal social interactions.
    I only ever encounter one with the condition I know of. He told me the first time I ever saw him. Basically told me his whole life story and some stuff mainstream people would not.
    He said he was on the mild side of it.
    He is a highly intelligent fella with a PHD.
    I knew nothing of the condition really but he explained it all to me.
    That they become obsessed with a particular item or hobby.
    They find the things mainstream people take for granted such as normal 'how's the weather conversation' difficult.
    They seem really task driven and goal orientated so that will mean they are suited to certain types of jobs in particular.

    As for them being annoying they are no more annoying then any other person to me.
    I think the secret is that you have to accept that they have certain traits that they cannot help, but there are other aspects to them that are positive.
    The same as anyone else really in that sense.

    Guff about stuff, and stuff about guff.



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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 778 ✭✭✭Jack Moore


    sullivlo wrote: »
    Technically, yes. If we’re getting into specifics anyway ;)



    A teacher. Yes. One who has taught students who are mildly on the spectrum. And those who are so far on the spectrum that they’re borderline for continuing in mainstream education.

    Aside from the experience I have in teaching students with ASD, I had to study a huge amount of psychology of adolescence and education, and any professionals that we engaged with considered ASD to be a diagnosis or disorder, not a disease.

    You can’t catch Aspergers or Autism. Calling it a disease is derogatory, IMO.



    She ;)

    Do you think being able to catch a thing makes it it a disease?




  • Jack Moore wrote: »
    Do you think being able to catch a thing makes it it a disease?


    Indeed, I didn't realise you could contract alcoholism. Inherit perhaps, but that's a separate debate...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,181 ✭✭✭CinemaGuy45


    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.


    A lot of people on the spectrum have found each other online and we have forums in which we share advice and try and offer support to each other.

    Aspies and Auties are how we describe ourselves and Aspergers still is a term on this side of the Atlantic.


    By the way we call the rest of you NTs Neurotypicals.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,447 ✭✭✭Calhoun


    Bad behaviour never deserves a "free pass"

    But is it really that bad for example, to have a colleague tell you to your face that "your idea is stupid" instead of the more "correct" "your idea has a some good points but needs more work"?

    No it's not but that's why we have programs from larger companies which is working to try and integrate folk on the specturn more and take advantage of their strengths.

    There are limits though on bad behavior and it's a two way street.


  • Registered Users Posts: 18,131 ✭✭✭✭gormdubhgorm


    Jack Moore wrote: »
    Do you think being able to catch a thing makes it it a disease?

    It is not a genetic disease so the correct term would be disorder.

    Guff about stuff, and stuff about guff.



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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,181 ✭✭✭CinemaGuy45


    You ascertain that they mess up relationships but you call your friends children and grandchildren weirdos.

    That is what people call us and trust me I speak to people on the spectrum all the time.

    We do mess up relationships and people do say we come across as weirdos.

    Not calling anybody that simply owning the term.


  • Registered Users Posts: 21,039 ✭✭✭✭retro:electro


    Mam of 4 wrote: »
    Tbh , you're an expert on the topic in how it is for you , not for everyone else with a diagnosis of AS . No two people are the same in how it affects them .

    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!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,181 ✭✭✭CinemaGuy45


    By the way, I post on that board quite a lot and I have read quite a lot there.

    I have a number of friends there also trust me I know my stuff here.

    If I had of been honest in my original post this thread would have just dropped off the board and everybody knows it.

    https://wrongplanet.net/forums/viewforum.php?f=3&sid=b0a8509c731e3a7e78a27e27937c65d2


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,181 ✭✭✭CinemaGuy45


    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!


    People with Aspergers to a very large extent DO come across as creepy and annoying this is a fact you need to accept and deal with and if you don't the poor child that is unaware of this will have to deal with social rejection and bullying.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,447 ✭✭✭Calhoun


    By the way, I post on that board quite a lot and I have read quite a lot there.

    I have a number of friends there also trust me I know my stuff here.

    If I had of been honest in my original post this thread would have just dropped off the board and everybody knows it.

    https://wrongplanet.net/forums/viewforum.php?f=3&sid=b0a8509c731e3a7e78a27e27937c65d2

    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.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,423 ✭✭✭batgoat


    Aspergers is a communication disorder at its heart and the post I have just quoted from you proves not only have you not read all of the thread you have not even read all of my posts in the thread.

    How Ironic.:D

    Apologies! Sorry, I fall onto spectrum as well so misinterpreted the intent and thought this was gonna be some weird bashing thread.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,480 ✭✭✭wexie



    But is it really that bad for example, to have a colleague tell you to your face that "your idea is stupid" instead of the more "correct" "your idea has a some good points but needs more work"?

    I guess that depends on who you ask really, personally I prefer the first way, saves time and effort.


  • Registered Users Posts: 9,606 ✭✭✭gctest50


    It is not a genetic disease so the correct term would be disorder.

    GABRB3


  • Registered Users Posts: 23,458 ✭✭✭✭One eyed Jack


    A lot of people on the spectrum have found each other online and we have forums in which we share advice and try and offer support to each other.

    Aspies and Auties are how we describe ourselves and Aspergers still is a term on this side of the Atlantic.


    I would suggest that rather than making a generalisation like saying that a lot of people who are autistic have found each other online, the reality is that it’s only a tiny minority of people with high functioning autism and advocates for autism that have found each other online and decided amongst themselves to claim ‘aspies’ as an identity. There’s far more politics involved than just coming up with cutsie terms for what is in reality a disorder.

    By the way we call the rest of you NTs Neurotypicals.


    I know, more silly ‘othering’ and identity politics tbh. There’s a few schools of thought on it really -

    Identity First Language

    Asperger’s History of Overdiagnosis

    Autism Is Likely Under-Diagnosed in Women Due to Gender Bias

    What isn’t autism? The politics of autism


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,181 ✭✭✭CinemaGuy45


    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.

    Your first point in bold you may be right.
    I am used to people being angry with me since I was five.


    As for the other point in bold, you should be more concerned about your daughter when she has to mix with other children.
    I do believe I have a touch of PTSD from my days in school and not I am not exaggerating it was worse than anything I can put into words here.

    The bullying I endured and the low self-esteem it left me with is ten times worse than having Aspergers.
    Having Aspergers is what made me vulnerable to being picked on coming across as creepy weird and isolated.

    Being PC does not help people on the spectrum trust me we do not get offended my one-off words why would we most of us have had a harrowing time in school.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,181 ✭✭✭CinemaGuy45


    batgoat wrote: »
    Apologies! Sorry, I fall onto spectrum as well so misinterpreted the intent and thought this was gonna be some weird bashing thread.


    :D:D:D

    Now you read the thread.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,423 ✭✭✭batgoat


    Your first point in bold you may be right.
    I am used to people being angry with me since I was five.


    As for the other point in bold, you should be more concerned about your daughter when she has to mix with other children.
    I do believe I have a touch of PTSD from my days in school and not I am not exaggerating it was worse than anything I can put into words here.

    The bullying I endured and the low self-esteem it left me with is ten times worse than having Aspergers.
    Having Aspergers is what made me vulnerable to being picked on coming across as creepy weird and isolated.

    Being PC does not help people on the spectrum trust me we do not get offended my one-off word why would we most of us have has a harrowing time in school.

    As a person who had pretty similar experiences of bullying as a child and a teen, all I can do is recommend consider counselling. That can affect behaviour in a pretty negative way including isolating one self more than you're actually comfortable with.

    In terms of career etc and holding down a job, play to your strengths and it can work out. Eg working in an area you're passionate about that mentally stimulates you.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,229 ✭✭✭mvl


    might be ignoring OP ...

    - But have to say I was sometimes reading about AS-NT relationships, while there was something I wanted to improve in my entourage. It is tough on NTs :)

    Now ... I imagine lot of the messages on this thread are/will be BS (and really I am after seeing someone called this thread rude, after being rude themselves on Work problems).
    But appears the thread is different than the usual gender debate ones I keep an eye on AH - so happy to subscribe :pac:


  • Registered Users Posts: 718 ✭✭✭OscarMIlde


    It's a neurodevelopmental disorder, and can have very serious implications for people who have it. Calling it a disease is not necessarily derogatory, just someone using the wrong terminology. As someone who has an adult non verbal autistic brother I find it much more hurtful when it is defined by people with such mild autism that they can advocate for themselves, the severity of the condition is being minimised now, and the 'spectrum' has been stretched to the point that people with negligible symptoms are being diagnosed as autistic.


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,027 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wibbs


    That is what people call us and trust me I speak to people on the spectrum all the time.

    We do mess up relationships and people do say we come across as weirdos.

    Not calling anybody that simply owning the term.
    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. :D

    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.

    Rejoice in the awareness of feeling stupid, for that’s how you end up learning new things. If you’re not aware you’re stupid, you probably are.



  • Registered Users Posts: 7,447 ✭✭✭Calhoun


    Your first point in bold you may be right.
    I am used to people being angry with me since I was five.


    As for the other point in bold, you should be more concerned about your daughter when she has to mix with other children.
    I do believe I have a touch of PTSD from my days in school and not I am not exaggerating it was worse than anything I can put into words here.

    The bullying I endured and the low self-esteem it left me with is ten times worse than having Aspergers.
    Having Aspergers is what made me vulnerable to being picked on coming across as creepy weird and isolated.

    Being PC does not help people on the spectrum trust me we do not get offended my one-off word why would we most of us have has a harrowing time in school.

    Great response and is very honest and raw about what you went through, i can empathize as of personal experience with bullies but also because its absolutely heartbreaking watching my daughter look at other little girls and wanting to communicate but not being able to.

    I have the luxury of having a wife who teaches children on the spectrum and unlike allot of teachers she wasn't just assigned the class she has specialized in the area for a long time. So we are doing the best we can to help my daughter, my wife will be the first person to say that you must teach children on the spectrum how to communicate and not just expect others to change.

    You are right being PC does not help people on the spectrum but educating others on what its like growing up on the spectrum can resonate allot further.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,001 ✭✭✭ Konnor Blue Gate


    I have aspergers myself. Yes it’s true I have no friends and find it very difficult to form new friendships. I have obsessions with certain things in life but at the end of the day I am who I am and can’t change that.


  • Registered Users Posts: 718 ✭✭✭OscarMIlde


    I would suggest that rather than making a generalisation like saying that a lot of people who are autistic have found each other online, the reality is that it’s only a tiny minority of people with high functioning autism and advocates for autism that have found each other online and decided amongst themselves to claim ‘aspies’ as an identity. There’s far more politics involved than just coming up with cutsie terms for what is in reality a disorder.





    I know, more silly ‘othering’ and identity politics tbh. There’s a few schools of thought on it really -

    Identity First Language

    Asperger’s History of Overdiagnosis

    Autism Is Likely Under-Diagnosed in Women Due to Gender Bias

    What isn’t autism? The politics of autism

    Thank you. As the sister of an adult non verbal classically autistic man, I find it supremely irritating that discourse around autism is being dominated by those high functioning enough to articulate themselves and make themselves heard. I personally think classic autism and asperger syndrome are related genetically but are different disorders. The creation of the spectrum was more of a political decision than a medical one.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,447 ✭✭✭Calhoun


    Wibbs wrote: »
    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.

    Its all about sensory input and output, my daughter becomes overwhelmed in big crowds. She also could be watching something and her sensory system gets overloaded.

    Through occupational therapy they teach ways in how to cop with it as it will always be something that they have to manage.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,181 ✭✭✭CinemaGuy45


    OscarMIlde wrote: »
    people with negligible symptoms are being diagnosed as autistic.


    Unable to make or keep friends,
    No relationships.
    Clumsy gate and physically awkward.
    Unreadable handwriting.
    Overload of sounds sends me into a rage that I manage to keep internalised for the most part.
    Stimming and mild OCD.
    Unemployable until I learned that hard way.
    Now underemployed as in cr*p job.
    Poor spelling.
    Struggle to remember peoples names and faces and can get mixed up.

    People over the years have described me as a retard a big child awkward creepy weird even an Alien.

    Sorry Aspergers is mild Autism.

    Mild on other people, not us.


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