The AUTISM SPECTRUM Thread (Now with extra rainbows!)

[Coalesce]

Hey so I just recently discovered that I have a really mild form of autism, how would you guys recommend telling my family and friends about it? I'm 17, and the fact that I'm autistic doesn't bother me at all but I'm unsure how they will react.

[mediflyProspitian]

Bluh.
I have Asperger's, and I'm so ashamed of it, to the point of feeling like an internet pariah.
I'm usually so frustrated and angry, as a combination of autism, being adopted, and being lifelong obvious troll bait
make me feel like an alien/mutant/worthless piece of shit if I think about it too much.
And the person who saved my sanity now hates me.

Fun life, yo.

[Kitaruheart]

I think I might have asperger's(?) syndrome bluh don't know yet

[Milskidasith]

If you think you might have something, see a professional for a real diagnosis. Self diagnosing is a terrible idea.

[Kitaruheart]

If you think you might have something, see a professional for a real diagnosis. Self diagnosing is a terrible idea.

I'm with a therapist already and I obviously have depression

[AnatidaeCollector]

I'm with a therapist already and I obviously have depression

Still, do not self-diagnose. Loads of people use a self-diagnosis of autism as a way to seem cute, quirky, or as justification for being an asshole, or just so they can be taken more seriously in the SJ community. Not saying you're out to do any of this, but seriously, self-diagnosing will only make you look like one of those douchebags. You have a therapist. Getting a diagnosis really isn't that hard for you then. Speculating whether or not you have [x] is fine, or even saying that you *think*/are pretty sure you have something is, in my book, but like I said, a flat-out self-diagnosis is bad, and belittles the diagnosis itself (not saying that a diagnosis of autism is a bad thing, just saying that a lot of people really don't like it being taken lightly).

You really should talk to the therapist if you think you have autism or depression or what have you. Again, speculating is fine. But please please please don't do what some of those people on Tumblr do and just tack on the label without talking to any sort of professional.

[Kitaruheart]

Still, do not self-diagnose. Loads of people use a self-diagnosis of autism as a way to seem cute, quirky, or as justification for being an asshole, or just so they can be taken more seriously in the SJ community. Not saying you're out to do any of this, but seriously, self-diagnosing will only make you look like one of those douchebags. You have a therapist. Getting a diagnosis really isn't that hard for you then. Speculating whether or not you have [x] is fine, or even saying that you *think*/are pretty sure you have something is, in my book, but like I said, a flat-out self-diagnosis is bad, and belittles the diagnosis itself (not saying that a diagnosis of autism is a bad thing, just saying that a lot of people really don't like it being taken lightly).

You really should talk to the therapist if you think you have autism or depression or what have you. Again, speculating is fine. But please please please don't do what some of those people on Tumblr do and just tack on the label without talking to any sort of professional.

okay, I'm not sure myself but my therapist is pretty much saying I might have it and no, I wouldn't do that I didn't even think I have asperger's or autism most of the people I visited said that. I mostly thought I had just depression and that was it.

[Intoxicating Starlight]

I may or may not have ADD/something on the spectrum of Autism. Alternatively, I'm just one of them "gifted" kids who are ostracized so early on in life that they never learn social skills until middle school as a result.
Even that was trial by fireand getting my violin case stepped on. :U

SHRUG

They tried to put me on ADD medication in 6th grade but they eventually gave up because it didn't really do anything(other than improve my ability to look like I'm paying attention). That and I "lost"(read as: disposed of) the bottle. That took some elaborate planning to pull off.

[williamcll]

Wow, i just realized how horrible my personality was when I was in primary, good thing the internet and ponies helped to straiten my mind.

[JordanTH]

*barges unceremoniously into thread* Hi guys, another guy with Aspergers over here. How's everyone?

[Graknorke]

While I'll never be diagnosed anywhere on the AUTISM SPECTRUM because 1: I really don't care if I am and 2: Doctors are pretty much the most evil things on the planet (And I can prove it with a single phrase. "Does it hurt when I do this?").

Despite that, I have a close friend with Aspergers and it's kind of funny how much my hatred-of-humanity and lack-of-caring have almost the same effect on how I behave. Like, one time he was asking me how I stay relatively safe in social situations and I replied "I just kind of assume everyone's me and they'll have the same social boundries". Took me a couple of seconds that that's the basis of his entire social awkwardness. That's happened with different things a couple of other times too with different subjects.

So, uhm hello.

Edit: Whoops, forgot 3: I don't have anything that sits on it.

[Dudemaster47]

I got ADHD, Asperger's, and...probably a bunch of other stuff? I dunno.


To be honest, though...I only really identify as having ADHD. I was diagnosed with Asperger's and pretty much stopped identifying with it once I got into about...7th or 8th grade? It's pretty mild for me.

...To be honest, it's just something that I want to forget about. My parents are under the impression that I've been using it as an excuse for getting out of things despite my never having used it as an excuse for anything. It's gotten to the point where it just feels like it's nothing more than an unwanted label.

[JordanTH]

For me, my Aspergers was crippling. I had huge amounts of trouble in school, and none of my teachers understood, and thought the reason I wasn't working is that I was just being disobediant, not realizing I was actually having immense difficulties because their teaching style simply didn't work for me. At the end of the year, I was on assignment away from failing one of my classes, which would have caused me to have to repeat 8th grade. A teacher (who was thankfully a bit more understanding than the others) actually had to sit down with me and almost pull teeth to help me finish it so I could graduate (not for my sake, either, but so the school didn't look bad). That assignment? A one paragraph book report. I almost failed middle school because I couldn't write a single paragraph. It seemed almost like I was cursed.

But then, just when everything seemed bleakest, everything changed.

At around this time, I was first diagnosed with Aspergers. My parents did some research, and learned about Orion Academy, a private high school founded specifically to help people with Aspergers (and NLD). A school full of teachers who understood how I worked, and could help me overcome my challenges. A school full of students who had been through the same things I had, who would understand me instead of making fun of me. A school that would help me live with Aspergers, to make use of it, to do things normal people couldn't.

That was nearly four years ago. Now, my life has changed for the better so, so much. I've been able to do things that I couldn't have even dreamed before. I have more friends than the number of people I kind of knew existed in public school. I've found my passion, and what I want to do with my life. Now, I'm a senior, just a few months from graduating. It's just amazing to look back, and see how far I've come. But I didn't do it by overcoming my Aspergers. That's not something I can do, not something I WANT to do, because it's part of who I am. I did it by accepting this, and working together with it, instead of fighting against it. I've learned that, in a way, Aspergers isn't a curse.

It's a blessing.

[KarneWarrior]

Not autistic myself, but I thought this was relevant: A portrait of the autist

It's actually one of the few raps (and rappers) I like.

[MQuinny1234]

Apparently I have aspergers, but my mother hammered out some of the more noticable autistic traits out of me when I was younger, then there was a speech therapist and then I unconsciously became a funny guy and improved my social skills cause I realised that if I could make people laugh myself, they wouldn't be such a hassle to me. Y'know, minor bullying and stuff.

So overall, not that big a deal for me. Just something I use/am forced to put down on school things if my parents thing I can get an advantage somehow out of it. Little embarrassing.

[Dudemaster47]

You know, a weird thing about aspergers that I've noticed in both myself and other people who have it...


People with Asperger's Syndrome tend to be very argumentative, and have a lot of trouble backing down from an argument. It's weird because it doesn't seem to be frequently mentioned with relation to it, but I've seen it quite a bit.

Anyone else notice this?

[Coalesce]

You know, a weird thing about aspergers that I've noticed in both myself and other people who have it...


People with Asperger's Syndrome tend to be very argumentative, and have a lot of trouble backing down from an argument. It's weird because it doesn't seem to be frequently mentioned with relation to it, but I've seen it quite a bit.

Anyone else notice this?

Other than myself, I haven't seen anyone who has aspergers argue, but yeah I have noticed that. Probably lost several arguments too because I didn't know when to stop.

[Descriptor]

You know, a weird thing about aspergers that I've noticed in both myself and other people who have it...


People with Asperger's Syndrome tend to be very argumentative, and have a lot of trouble backing down from an argument. It's weird because it doesn't seem to be frequently mentioned with relation to it, but I've seen it quite a bit.

Anyone else notice this?

That's only because everyone is always so wrong!---
I, uh, I mean, because arguing is always somewhat amusing when taken in jest.
Yeah, that's it...

(But yeah, I have noticed that tendency...)

[Graknorke]

People with Asperger's Syndrome tend to be very argumentative, and have a lot of trouble backing down from an argument. It's weird because it doesn't seem to be frequently mentioned with relation to it, but I've seen it quite a bit.

Anyone else notice this?

Yeah, I have a friend (same one I mentioned earlier) who always argues with me, pretty much. Thing is, I don't really back down from arguments either. Except I use the FACTS and PROOF and so win more often than not. Even when he knows he's wrong and will say so afterwards, he'll argue anyway. Also causes problems with authority figures, because they're not exempt from the arguing.
Actually, the more I write down the more amusing I find it that I've socially learned a load of stuff that's pretty similar to a mild form of Aspergers. Most of this stuff applies to me except I know that I have no natural disorders or anything, I just grew up in a kind of weird social situation and I've ended up the way I am.

[gothalicious]

I don't have assburgers,
but I do have Bipolar type 2, clinical depression, and social anxiety.

[Mullet]

Don't personally think I've aspergers, Been told I have by multiple people, am in the middle of psychological assessment, ya dah, ya dah,

My real question is does it really make a difference? To be honest this assessment is saying I'm also bi polar, depressed, sociopath, and have pyromaniac tendencies- But couldn't all the symptoms for these just be personal choice? So I don't focus on school, but I can spend hours learning about quantum mechanics. Doesn't mean I've a mental syndrome, just a matter of interests isn't it? Personality traits aren't really symptoms are they? Well personally I think I've nothing wrong with me but this thread does interest me, Do any of you think the medical industry is dosing out personality traits with too much ease or am I just paranoid?

[Mullet]

I don't have assburgers,
but I do have Bipolar type 2, clinical depression, and social anxiety.

oh no you did not just say assburgers. Can't tell if trolling or just flat out UGH.

[Graknorke]

Do any of you think the medical industry is dosing out personality traits with too much ease or am I just paranoid?

I'd have to agree with this one as well, it seems like sometimes they're just a little TOO eager to find something to treat you for. But that might just be my general distrust of people. People are assholes.

[Kitaruheart]

and now I can actually say yes, I have Asperger's Syndrome

[Coalesce]

Hey so I'm one of those people who probably has a pretty mild form of Autism but has not been formally diagnosed. I've known that I'm different from other people since I can remember so discovering what I might have didn't have much of an effect other than "oh hey cool now I know what to call it when I tell people my brain doesn't work the same way as theirs".

Because I really don't give an intensifier if I "officially" have this condition or not, is it worth getting a formal diagnosis? The only way I can really see it changing my life in any significant way is if I could apply to some generous scholarships that would otherwise be closed to me. Do you guys know about anything like that?