For all autistics out there

[Jusenkyo no Pikachu]

The Institute for the Study of the Neurologically Typical

And yes, I'm an "Aspie". Meaning that, while I am indeed autistic, I have a high IQ (130) and am not as bad as the media generally tends to make autistics out to be (you know, like in MERCURY RISING, CUBE or Baby-Sitters Club #32?). The word "Aspie" is an affectionate term used specifically by Asperger's Syndrome sufferers.

[Starscream]

Maybe I was just a bit to furious while reading, but why does my wanting to socialize with others - as opposed to wanting to sit in a room by myself - make me have a "disorder"?

[Slrjoecool]

...but why does my wanting to socialize with others - as opposed to wanting to sit in a room by myself - make me have a "disorder"?

I'll have to agree with Starscream. I just don't understand....

[jupiter23]

Good Gods, they will find any reason they can to waste money on something so stupid and pointless. A lot of people I know are like this, and that doesn't mean there is anything wrong with any of them.

[Starscream]

Never mind...it's a "joke" about how medical studies can twist the view of autism as a disorder; they've turned it around to make it seem like non-autistic people are the ones with "problems."

[Neo Dead Moon]

What's the big deal with being autistic, anyway? *I'm* autistic, and I live a happy, normal life. Why must so many researchers look at autistic people as being "different" anyway..?

[Tiff]

and am not as bad as the media generally tends to make autistics out to be (you know, like in MERCURY RISING, CUBE or Baby-Sitters Club #32?). .

There ARE some autistic children that are THAT severe. It's not to make you look bad, they're simply showing the more severe side of it. It's like retardation...there are different levels of it. Some mentally retarded people live relatively normal lives, have jobs, and live by themselves. Others must be kept in wheelchairs and live with parents for the rest of their lives, unable to do anything for themselves.

-_- sounds to me like you're trying to victimize yourself by pointing out the big, bad media and saying it's making you and other autistic people out to look bad. That's not the case.

What's the big deal with being autistic, anyway? *I'm* autistic, and I live a happy, normal life. Why must so many researchers look at autistic people as being "different" anyway..

Again, becuase some of them ARE. As a teacher, I can tell you upfront, there are some THAT severe, that are near to impossible to teach, even to do simple things. Just becuase you live a happy, normal life doesn't make it so for every other autistic human being on the planet.

[Neo Dead Moon]

What's the big deal with being autistic, anyway? *I'm* autistic, and I live a happy, normal life. Why must so many researchers look at autistic people as being "different" anyway..

Again, becuase some of them ARE. As a teacher, I can tell you upfront, there are some THAT severe, that are near to impossible to teach, even to do simple things. Just becuase you live a happy, normal life doesn't make it so for every other autistic human being on the planet.

I should've rearranged my sentences better in the last post. What I was meant to say is that some autistic people can rise above their handicap and live happy, productive lives, though not at a quick pace. I WAS in an autistic support class all through elementary school up to my first year of junior high school. I know how hard it is for others with autism to learn. I was in those classes for years. Even when I was allowed in other non-autistic classes, I needed an aid to accompany me to all my classes except gym at all times.

My mom fought FOR YEARS with school boards to get me into regular school classes. It wouldn't be until 7th grade that I would be out all on my own in school. Before then, I was switched to mutiple schools, watched teachers come and go, and had to endure ENDLESS torment for being autistic. My nickname among many boys back all through junior high school was "that LD kid". That's a different disability all together, and it made me wish, for the first time, that people would drop dead in school. Add to this my having to work two or three times harder than others to do the most basic of assignments, and you can see that my life prior to high school wasn't all fun and games.

From 1st through 8th grade, my being autistic seemed like a curse. It was a challenge of understanding, overcoming stereotypes and prejudice, and having to work hard to reach your goals. They were the hardest and least favorite years of my life. Some adults wish they could relive their childhoods, but not me. I would rather die first than go through elementary and junior high school all over again.

Unfortunately, most autistic people can't rise above their limitations. Some are lucky if they can even carry full, comprehensible conversations, let alone talk or feed themselves. When I went back to my elementary teacher who took care of autistic children last year, for example, she told me I was the only one who ever made it to high school, let alone my first year of college. It was one of the most depressing things I was ever told in my life, and I really do wish other autistic children/adults could be as lucky as me or the others who can live productive lives who are also autistic.

Sorry for sounding so cruel back there, Tiff-san.

[Tiff]

Unfortunately, most autistic people can't rise above their limitations. Some are lucky if they can even carry full, comprehensible conversations, let alone talk or feed themselves. When I went back to my elementary teacher who took care of autistic children last year, for example, she told me I was the only one who ever made it to high school, let alone my first year of college. It was one of the most depressing things I was ever told in my life, and I really do wish other autistic children/adults could be as lucky as me or the others who can live productive lives who are also autistic.

Sorry for sounding so cruel back there, Tiff-san.

Ok, that makes far more sense than it did before.

It's simply that I was giving the teacher's point of view. We have a lot on our hands, with all of the learning disabilities floatnig around these days...and we're bound by so many standards and rules and state-issued laws...sometimes we want to do what we KNOW is best for the child, but can't, becuase some idiot decided it would be better to keep a child who has perfect cabilitiy to be in inclusion isolated in a handicapped classroom. It isn't always fair, and yet, sometimes, it's necessary.

and you didn't sound cruel..just confusing, and somewhat whiny. But I get what you're saying now.

[Jusenkyo no Pikachu]

and am not as bad as the media generally tends to make autistics out to be (you know, like in MERCURY RISING, CUBE or Baby-Sitters Club #32?). .

There ARE some autistic children that are THAT severe. It's not to make you look bad, they're simply showing the more severe side of it. It's like retardation...there are different levels of it. Some mentally retarded people live relatively normal lives, have jobs, and live by themselves. Others must be kept in wheelchairs and live with parents for the rest of their lives, unable to do anything for themselves.

-_- sounds to me like you're trying to victimize yourself by pointing out the big, bad media and saying it's making you and other autistic people out to look bad. That's not the case.

Whoa...I didn't mean it like that at all (it's ok...Autistics have been known to figure that people will understand abstruse word associations). I meant that while indeed there are children that severe, the media tends to focus on them to the exclusion of all else--with the result that some people may not realize that autism varies in severity. I was just stating that I didn't have it nearly quite so bad as those people.

[peachvampiress]

My adoptive brother has autisim. I don't know if it's severe. He'll be five in June and he is just learning to talk, but he still wears pull ups. One thing about autistic people is that they supposedly don't like to be hugged (think the movie Rainman) but my brother is very affectionate.

One thing that pisses me off though is this whole funding thing. he gets money to help him with the treatment he needs, but it can't go to some things. Example, they wanted to make labels for him so he could communicate (if he wanted a glass of milk he would bring us a milk card). Now, the cards have to be lamenated. But we couldn't use the money for a label maker. The funding can only go towards his therapists. And once he turns five or six, the funding stops. How idiotic is that!? Some children aren't even diagnosed till that age. Damn government -_-

I'm actually suprised how many people on here are autistic or know someone autistic, I thought it was really rare.

[FoxFire]

I have Asperger's Syndrome as well, which I was diagnosed with in 10th grade. The way I usually hear it described is as a mild form of autism with social impairments but no developmental impairments. That's pretty much how I've been for most of my life. I tend to always try and avoid social situations in real life, which is what's attracted me to message boards like this and other forms of Internet communication where I can express myself in way where you can't see me. Now that I've started a new job recently I've been trying to mingle with my co-workers and I've had some success (I eat lunch with them every day and contribute to the conversation every once and a while) but it's still hard for me.

[Jusenkyo no Pikachu]

Neo and Foxfire, you guys are lucky.

I was diagnosed with AS in 5th grade, but my parents didn't believe the doctor. After later attempts to get me working right proved fruitless, they took me back to that same doctor and he diagnosed me again (after 8 years).

And my work experience so far has been a two-person job at a local cinema near my aunt and uncle's place (my uncle runs the cinema on Wednesdays and Saturdays). One upshot from that is that I get to go see my adorable baby cousin (she's just learning to crawl and can say Dada, Mama and--unfortunately--Madam).

Fortunately, I'm in the state choir, so I get my social experience there.

[Chibi Son Gokou]

I was diagnosed with AS as well back in 4th grade I think. I sometimes think of it as a curse because I've never been in a real relationship EVER (it's worse for a guy to have it because they usually are the ones who initiate relationships), and any attempt at a relationship ended in disaster. I lose friends faster than I gain them, mainly because I have a victim complex and believe that no one wants to give me the time of day, but I guess I can thank Dr. Phil for making me realize it's all a confidence thing. I'm steadly improving. Before I wouldn't even talk to people even if it was just to ask for something at a counter, and I would always have someone there with me. Well now I am someone who is behind the counter dealing with people everyday. Still, I don't talk as much as I think I should, even though I would like to. The friends that I truly share my feelings with are all online friends. Hopefully one day I will get the guts to start asking girls out on dates or to just talk to people in any group, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. It's like it seems like I might be able to do it soon, but then I just lose it.

Now it's not a totally bad thing to have Aspergers. I probably would not be where I am today without it in school and everything. Only a handful of students make it as far as I do. And believe it or not, they did studies on the behavior of famous people in history and discovered that they too had AS. Some of them were Thomas Jefferson, J.S. Bach, Albert Einstein (who also had ADD), and even Thomas Edison. All briliant minds, and I believe their AS had something to do with it.

[AnimeGuru0]

Question to all those who said they had AS -

Do you guys have siblings? Like lots of brothers and sisters or are you all only children? And if you aren't only children are you close to your siblings? Just wondering.

[Tiff]

.....Am I the only one here who finds it a bit strange that THIS many people on the forums have AS or Autism?

I dunno. I just find it hard to believe that this many people are diagnosed with AS, Autism, and Clinical and Manic Depression.

Just my thoughts. *shrug* don't take it too seriously.

[Chibi Son Gokou]

Tiff, more people than you think are diagnosed with it. According to studies, probably half the people you walk around have it and you wouldn't realize it.

AnimeGuru0, yes I do have an older sister, but no I am not close to her. In fact, I am VERY far apart. She is ADD, but I can't relate to her.

[Jusenkyo no Pikachu]

Question to all those who said they had AS -

Do you guys have siblings? Like lots of brothers and sisters or are you all only children? And if you aren't only children are you close to your siblings? Just wondering.

I have a younger sister, but I'm not sure you could say we were close.

And Tiff, 1 out of every 300 people is an Aspie.

[Tiff]

Tiff, more people than you think are diagnosed with it. According to studies, probably half the people you walk around have it and you wouldn't realize it.

Okay, you know what? You need to stop assuming what my background knowledge is on all of this stuff. I DO research this, and have to take quite a few classes on this exact material for my teaching degree.

The statistics I've found state that about out of every 250 children born have autism, which would mean about .4% of americans have it. The numbers I found for AS were one out of every 110, making it .9%. I'm sorry, but I don't consider that a lot, compared to some other disabilities and diseases.

I'm going to be honest, and I really don't care about the repercussions that may come of what I'm going to say. A lot of what some of you describe is simple social anxiety, rooted from smoe sort of shyness, or simple inability to fit in, make friends, or be accepted. I'm basing this off of the depression forum. Sorry guys, but there sure are a lot of you who are diagnosed with depression, when really it just sounds like something just about every adolescent experiences. Hell, I experienced it, and it wasn't depression.

It seems today that people want to diagnose everything and then find a pill for it. It's like we're finding something to blame instead of just saying "Hell, I need to change my attitude and change myself". I'm not saying none of you have AS, Autism, or depression...but I think some of you don't, and are using it as a reason for the things in your life that are negative.

[FoxFire]

Question to all those who said they had AS -

Do you guys have siblings? Like lots of brothers and sisters or are you all only children? And if you aren't only children are you close to your siblings? Just wondering.

I have one younger sister, and I wouldn't say we're extremely close but we see each other often and are usually able to get along for the most part.

And I'm only speaking for myself, but I'm confident in my diagnosis. Besides for the problems socializing with other people I have other symptoms such as facial tics and a tendency to develop an obsession with something for a short period. And I'm not on any pills, haven't taken any since I stopped taking Zoloft when it didn't help me.