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How Do You Explain To Others What Aspergers Is?

Cellborne said:
I was told I needed to feel guilty for my wife cheating on me, and that i should allow her to feel anger toward me. Also, I should find god/religion to deal with my lack of emotional support, which consequently has caused mental abuse on my spouse. She said my detachment was just manipulation. Money well spent. :scoff oh and I should just unconditionally forgive because I need to lock away the past and move on.
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Ha yeah... Not to derail but I've encountered therapists like that. They're not supposed to judge and advise like that much less show any bias but many do. I've gotten told I needed more God, also that I needed less. One tried to convert me to a catholic, the other tried to convert me to secular humanism. Oh, the latter was supposed to be couple counseling. He told me that I needed to treat our conflicts with more humor and that was why my lazy bum of a husband was abusive, because I wasn't laid back and funny enough. :-\
 
rollerskate said:
Try getting told by a psychiatrist that you nor your child couldn't possibly be on the spectrum because he isn't like Sheldon. All within a fifteen minute first time evaluation chat. I ended up walking out on her after she told me my ADHD diagnosis was wrong because I was better at reading than computational math and the final straw was when I started to tell her "I feel confused and overwhelmed a lot" she interrupted me to tell me that my only options as far as diagnosis went was either something was wrong and I was incapable of caring for my son or nothing was wrong and I was perfectly capable of caring for him. I am so glad I ripped up her stupid evaluation survey before the appointment that was obviously just intended to diagnose as many people as possible with bipolar disorder. This is exactly why I despise most psychiatrists. They're just legalized drug dealer physicians with a little tiny bit of DSM knowledge that usually pales in comparison to what I know about it (I had every bit of it memorized at one time and have chatted with many people with the various diagnoses to get a better grip on how their minds worked so I could figure out if I had what they did). I'd much rather be treated by a psychologist... Their six years is actually dedicated to understanding the mind unto itself.
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Well that is kinda refreshing. I am seeing a psychologist on Monday to possibly get a diagnosis. Well, better than a psychiatrist.
 
I had to print some information to my father who understands Slovenian best. So I went to a site called "AVTIZEM" and found a link that read as "Aspergerjev Sindrom". So I gave the information on Asperger's to my father, after he constantly ruminated and reminded me about my lack of success in my pharmacy technician program (and many others before). It is very discouraging to have an NT father, who is very intelligent and intensely handy with the house and woodwork. In his own language he understood my condition better but could not understand even the Slovenian autism psychologists, and their terminology. However, he understands my condition better, and he has laid off his sometimes humiliating reminders of the past.
 
I have a son with autism, and rather than try to explain aspergers, I have had better luck explaining that sometimes family members also have "autistic-like traits".

Something I found interesting and somewhat amusing -- my son and I were waiting for a meeting in a building in which a variety of organizations hold meetings. While waiting for our meeting, I walked over and looked at a poster for an Autistic Adult Support Group. While I was reading it, a small cluster of people walked up to me, and a twenty-something young man said to me, "Excuse me, are you looking for the Autistic Support Group?" I said no, but that I was reading it because of my son (I wasn't ready for the group I was meeting with to know my diagnosis). Not fooled, the young man looked at me and said, "We can usually pick out own out of a crowd." Indeed!
 
FlitterFlutter said:
I have a son with autism, and rather than try to explain aspergers, I have had better luck explaining that sometimes family members also have "autistic-like traits".

Something I found interesting and somewhat amusing -- my son and I were waiting for a meeting in a building in which a variety of organizations hold meetings. While waiting for our meeting, I walked over and looked at a poster for an Autistic Adult Support Group. While I was reading it, a small cluster of people walked up to me, and a twenty-something young man said to me, "Excuse me, are you looking for the Autistic Support Group?" I said no, but that I was reading it because of my son (I wasn't ready for the group I was meeting with to know my diagnosis). Not fooled, the young man looked at me and said, "We can usually pick out own out of a crowd." Indeed!
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Cool story! :-)
 
A couple of people have mentioned that they tell others it's a form of, or is, autism, but I wouldn't mention that word at all (if only because Asperger's Syndrome doesn't have as much in common with 'classic' autism as many seem to think - ex. verbal self-expression).

My own answer would be something along the lines of, 'a difference in perspective and processing abilities that manifests in priorities and behaviour that is sufficiently contrary to what is expected by the majority that it is often dismissed, frowned upon, and generally misunderstood by that majority'.
 
Spinosaurus kin said:
Well that is kinda refreshing. I am seeing a psychologist on Monday to possibly get a diagnosis. Well, better than a psychiatrist.
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Well said, Spinosaurus kin!

I noticed a big difference between the psychiatrist I saw and the psychologist I went to in Kamloops. I noticed that the psychiatrist, though she tried hard to be empathetic and helpful, often came across as clinical, cold and analytical. This is not the type of help I needed - it felt patronizing and humiliating. However, when I got referred to the psychologist, I felt a noticeable difference. The atmosphere was warm, with soothing music and an aquarium. Even the staff seemed warmer and more compassionate. The psychologist even offered to buy me pizza, but I told him I was sensitive to wheat and dairy products. Eating pizza and going through gruelling psychological testing would be like putting heroin into my system and trying to solve the Rubik's cube. Not an option for me! But anyway, it was good to get my diagnosis as it made me feel I had a real reason for me being so different from everyone not only from my parents and kin, but my peers at school too.
 
I told my friend I have it, and I was going to say it was a high-functioning form of autism. Rather than saying that I said it was observing the strange world others live in from my black-and-white world.


~Marching Band Fangirl~
 
I don't think I can.

I don't tell anyone because my experience is that people are quite judgemental and ignorant. Really I don't think anyone would understand Aspergers and would just laugh at me if I were to explain it.

Old people seem to be very intolerant. One of my teachers thinks that I am just 'shy'.
 
Marching Band Fangirl said:
I told my friend I have it, and I was going to say it was a high-functioning form of autism. Rather than saying that I said it was observing the strange world others live in from my black-and-white world.


~Marching Band Fangirl~
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I have usually done the same with those who worked with me in the past, and one of my neighbours. Describing AS as "a high-functioning form of autism" seems to be more understandable to most than the diagnosis named for the Austrian pediatrician. "Asperger's" is often mispronounced and misspelled in the NT world. Dr. Tony Attwood mentions in his book how many children and teens mispronounce with ridicule the term "Asperger's Syndrome." Though the AS term is getting more widely known, not many in this small town can understand the correct name.
 
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I struggle to explain to people, a lot dont believe me. Even my own family. My therapist said my diagnosis is mild because i haven't been picked up before but if i'm being honest i struggle everyday. I even had one woman say to me Why would you want that?, The best explanation i have had for it is on the movie Mary and Max, Max has aspergers and he gives four points about how he feels and it described me perfectly. So now i use those and supliment with further detail
 
Welcome Britt- I have to say that, I feel like the people in here are much more on my wavelength than.... well, anywhere. I am greatful for that. I'm sure you will find it helpful to navigate the sea of ideas and opinions and surely shape some of your own.
 
When it's necessary to explain that I have it, my mum does the explaining for me. :)

As for my friends, I don't really explain much, unless they asked about one of the traits I have. For example, if they asked why I pace around circles a lot, I explain to them why I do that.
I feel like I don't need to explain to friends that I have asperger's.
 
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Structrix said:
Oh, I get that ALL THE TIME! I hate it! It's so dismissive.
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Uggghhhh! My own therapist says this to me. And he's right, im not SO different, i think statistically I am about 1:70. 1 in 70 I think i read will fall somewhere on the spectrum, and i am unfortunetly the 1 of that 70, it has been made evident over and over and over again. In every class If taken with other people, every friendship, every daily practice, every meal. It is evident to the point of frustraion.

Its not a disability, though sometimes it is dibilitating.There is blessings and curses to it. I have strengths and I have defecits. Same as anyone..... But heres what really grinds my gears, is it bad enough that i have to bare this cross, and on top of bearing the burden for neurologically being this way and having to juggle my life a littel different than you juggle yours. ON top of that,I have to feel bad, or guilty about it? WTF!! "Why The Face!"- Phil Dunphy

some levity to difuse my diatribe. : )

❤ GallacticGorilla - Yeah, I liked my own post, dont you judge me!
 
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