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I don't see my autism a problem
- Thread starter Aspergers_Aspie
- Start date
Good for you. For some of us, autism comes with a long list of pros and cons, not to mention everyone's "autism" is unique to them. There are a lot of things I, as an ASD-1/Asperger's variant, can push through, adapt, and overcome personally, but for others the identical things can present with a disabling condition... and vice-versa.
I agree that we all should see the good in people and to be positive... especially now-a-days. There's so many forces out there trying to bring us down, separate us, diminish us, etc.
Edit: After reading the article, I do agree with a lot of what she is saying here. I think a lot of people on this forum can relate to similar experiences within the public school system. It can take a toll on one's mental health, no doubt. However, I do agree with your point in the sense that my autism, your autism, isn't necessarily negative or a problem... until we have to interact with other people. Some people are pretty cool with it... and others... well, they can really make your life miserable.
I agree that we all should see the good in people and to be positive... especially now-a-days. There's so many forces out there trying to bring us down, separate us, diminish us, etc.
Edit: After reading the article, I do agree with a lot of what she is saying here. I think a lot of people on this forum can relate to similar experiences within the public school system. It can take a toll on one's mental health, no doubt. However, I do agree with your point in the sense that my autism, your autism, isn't necessarily negative or a problem... until we have to interact with other people. Some people are pretty cool with it... and others... well, they can really make your life miserable.
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JayLapointe
Well-Known Member
I don't think autism is a problem at all. Certainly there are some who have specific difficulties, but blanket statements like the BBC reporter make just really illustrate that as far as understanding of autism and neurodivergence has come, there is still a mountain of stigma and misrepresentation to combat.
How does the expression go again "If you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism".
How does the expression go again "If you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism".
My autism is ... neutral, to me. I see it as a disability, but don't think that has to make it a a tragic or insurmountable kind of problem. (I am not a "social model" nor "medical model" person...more a blend of the two, I think.)
Disability of all severities is part of human diversity, and everyone has challenges and suffering to various degrees and of various types -- the person living the life should be the one who defines their autism, and if they cannot form or just cannot voice an opinion no assumptions should be made, imo...except that their lives have value, and their thoughts and feelings matter, and they deserve support that focuses on well-being not cure, per se....
I have always hated both me-on-the-whole and/or my autism being seen as nothing but an unacceptable problem to be fixed. I'm a person first, yep -- but an autistic person. My autistic brain is a pretty central part of my personhood, even if it is not at all the only thing that defines me.
Autism+ADHD inherently makes a lot of things hard, but the main reason all the atypical difficulties diminish my quality of life is the way the world is set up -- with some acceptance and minimally adequate, non-traumatizing, non-infantilizing, non-limiting/non-disempowering support, my life would be (and has been, for very brief, too-good-to-be-true-or-to-last periods of time) dramatically different in many positive ways.
Quote from article:
Because most of the article seems to be saying "lack of understanding of autism, lack of support and accomodation for autistic difficulties, basic lack of recognition that Becca was autistic" was the problem -- not her autism itself....
Because the lack of recognition and acceptance and understanding and support for her autism lead to incorrect presumptions of bad behaviour, and to doctors presuming fundamentally inexplicable and 100% pathological emotional state or cognitive distortions or similar -- as opposed to the reality of a person having a very predictable distress response to pervasive and severe misunderstanding, misjudgement, lack of support, and bullying because nobody recognized their autism....that got so bad it spiralled out of control, and only got better when the occupational therapist realized she needed support for autism things like sensory processing difficulties.
Disability of all severities is part of human diversity, and everyone has challenges and suffering to various degrees and of various types -- the person living the life should be the one who defines their autism, and if they cannot form or just cannot voice an opinion no assumptions should be made, imo...except that their lives have value, and their thoughts and feelings matter, and they deserve support that focuses on well-being not cure, per se....
I have always hated both me-on-the-whole and/or my autism being seen as nothing but an unacceptable problem to be fixed. I'm a person first, yep -- but an autistic person. My autistic brain is a pretty central part of my personhood, even if it is not at all the only thing that defines me.
Autism+ADHD inherently makes a lot of things hard, but the main reason all the atypical difficulties diminish my quality of life is the way the world is set up -- with some acceptance and minimally adequate, non-traumatizing, non-infantilizing, non-limiting/non-disempowering support, my life would be (and has been, for very brief, too-good-to-be-true-or-to-last periods of time) dramatically different in many positive ways.
Quote from article:
I think this is just unfortunate phrasing ...I am not certain she meant that autism is itself a problem -- nor that autism's role in the situation was "cause of problems"
Because most of the article seems to be saying "lack of understanding of autism, lack of support and accomodation for autistic difficulties, basic lack of recognition that Becca was autistic" was the problem -- not her autism itself....
Because the lack of recognition and acceptance and understanding and support for her autism lead to incorrect presumptions of bad behaviour, and to doctors presuming fundamentally inexplicable and 100% pathological emotional state or cognitive distortions or similar -- as opposed to the reality of a person having a very predictable distress response to pervasive and severe misunderstanding, misjudgement, lack of support, and bullying because nobody recognized their autism....that got so bad it spiralled out of control, and only got better when the occupational therapist realized she needed support for autism things like sensory processing difficulties.
Is it a problem for me? Sometimes, yes. I can also do many things better than NTs because I can focus on things more strongly and see patterns they can't. I think I come out ahead. As for problems, I could have worse ones than I do, so I'm going for an attitude of gratitude.
I see my autism as just part of who I am. It helps make sense of my life events. I had some severe problems in high school, but I’m not sure the cause was autism.
Others are bullied besides autistic children. Bullying is a problem for schools and communities, not autism.
Others are bullied besides autistic children. Bullying is a problem for schools and communities, not autism.
Furthermore...
1. We've had some long discussions about how trauma and PTSD occur... and a lot of it has to do with "intent"... and if it is malicious... it can imprint itself as such. Bullying is a problem within some schools and communities. The young, impressionable, often deeply feeling autistic person can have some horrible experiences.
2. The other thing that some of us have had to learn... often the hard way... painful experiences... is to find ways of self-advocacy. My thing was athletics and becoming big and intimidating to others... no more bullies... no more people being disagreeable with me. I didn't have to say or do anything to them... just my presence shut them down. Now others... more intellectual means... perhaps being disagreeable, stubborn, perhaps declaring they will do things their own way and refusing to do things another person's way. Perhaps refusing to rely upon others.
3. Autism, in and of itself, is not a problem. We can often adapt and overcome... do things ourselves... our way. It only becomes a problem when other people interfere. It becomes a problem when we are expected to work and communicate with others. If we are left alone to our own devices... no stress... no problem.
1. We've had some long discussions about how trauma and PTSD occur... and a lot of it has to do with "intent"... and if it is malicious... it can imprint itself as such. Bullying is a problem within some schools and communities. The young, impressionable, often deeply feeling autistic person can have some horrible experiences.
2. The other thing that some of us have had to learn... often the hard way... painful experiences... is to find ways of self-advocacy. My thing was athletics and becoming big and intimidating to others... no more bullies... no more people being disagreeable with me. I didn't have to say or do anything to them... just my presence shut them down. Now others... more intellectual means... perhaps being disagreeable, stubborn, perhaps declaring they will do things their own way and refusing to do things another person's way. Perhaps refusing to rely upon others.
3. Autism, in and of itself, is not a problem. We can often adapt and overcome... do things ourselves... our way. It only becomes a problem when other people interfere. It becomes a problem when we are expected to work and communicate with others. If we are left alone to our own devices... no stress... no problem.
I doubt most of us are as lucky as you.
But I'm not complaining.
Life is tough on everyone, NDs & NTs...
A big part of the problem we encounter in life is directly related to the NT mindset.
Generally speaking, take away "the people, the people", both NDs & NTs, and we have less stress in our lives.
Many of us prefer a more reclusive lifestyle due to our social disability, myself definitely included.
The Oracle of Profundity has spoken...
RemyZee
Well-Known Member
Just about any attribute a person has can be considered problematic, and autism can as well. I knew a girl in high school, very attractive, in all kinds of clubs and sports and on the student government...she also had severe anorexia. Some athletic people in my school had lots of talent, but they paid for it with injuries and unrealistic expectations of themselves. We all have things we endure, that the good and the bad go together....I like having autism, but there are definitely challenges that go along with it, mostly to do with social and "executive functioning".
My difficulties with autism pretty much faded when I adapted to it by becoming much less social. Eliminating crowded situations also greatly reduced noise, touch, and bullying issues. Spending my spare time on my interests rather than trying to navigate a social life saved me a lot of grief.
Basically,I did the Borg thing and adapted.
Basically,I did the Borg thing and adapted.
I have, and can not have, any idea if my autism is a problem because:
1. I can have no idea what it is like - subjectively - to experience being allistic. Maybe I would like it less.
If I imagine me without some of my specific autistic characteristics, the me I imagine is boring.
2. I have some problems. If I imagine myself without those problems, I also imagine not having any other problems.
Nobody gets through life without experiencing all kinds of problems, so the person I imagine I would be can't really exist.
3. I've adjusted my life in such a way that it is extremely comfortable for me, and I like this life.
If I were not the way I am I would live a different life. I have no idea if that other life would be as satisfying as is the one I am actually living.
1. I can have no idea what it is like - subjectively - to experience being allistic. Maybe I would like it less.
If I imagine me without some of my specific autistic characteristics, the me I imagine is boring.
2. I have some problems. If I imagine myself without those problems, I also imagine not having any other problems.
Nobody gets through life without experiencing all kinds of problems, so the person I imagine I would be can't really exist.
3. I've adjusted my life in such a way that it is extremely comfortable for me, and I like this life.
If I were not the way I am I would live a different life. I have no idea if that other life would be as satisfying as is the one I am actually living.
Too, right!
I am super-rational, and that bodes ill for me in this super-emotionalistic world we live in.
It can be a curse to be head and shoulders more intelligent than everyone else. <sigh>
BINGO!
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