What is the difference between Aspergers and Autism?

[AluxCinAmoon]

I know this is kind of a dumb/ignorant question, but even though I'm definitely on the spectrum, I don't have any ASD friends or family, and all my doctors and therapists have kind of left it at telling me I have it. So, what, if anything, is the difference between Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism?

 

[Magna]

Hello.

Aspergers used to be a mental health diagnoses and was used by mental health professionals. It was also a diagnoses listed in the diagnostic manual which is updated from time to time. In the U.S., Aspergers was deleted from the manual and essentially merged into/with Autism Spectrum Disorder. So...those who were previously diagnosed with Aspergers are now considered to have Autism Spectrum Disorder and usually "Level 1".

 

[AluxCinAmoon]

Hello.

Aspergers used to be a mental health diagnoses and was used by mental health professionals. It was also a diagnoses listed in the diagnostic manual which is updated from time to time. In the U.S., Aspergers was deleted from the manual and essentially merged into/with Autism Spectrum Disorder. So...those who were previously diagnosed with Aspergers are now considered to have Autism Spectrum Disorder and usually "Level 1".

Oh. Thank you, that does help.

 

[Shamar]

I know this is kind of a dumb/ignorant question, but even though I'm definitely on the spectrum, I don't have any ASD friends or family, and all my doctors and therapists have kind of left it at telling me I have it. So, what, if anything, is the difference between Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism?

In the 1940s, Hans Asperger noted a number of boys who were highly intelligent but had trouble with social interactions and obsessive interests. There was also a tendency toward shorter fingers and clumsiness. These characteristics were later recognized in girls, but manifested differently. This is the classic definition of Asperger's syndrome. In the latest diagnostic manual, Asperger's was rolled into general Autism in an effort to simplify things. This is despite it having a unique set of well described characteristics (in my opinion, they simplified things to the point of uselessness, and not just for autism). Asperger's is still a useful description or category, despite being no longer officially recognized.

For example, I have short fingers, am at least reasonably intelligent, and have a decided difficulty in social situations. I don't believe I am particularly clumsy. but I am athletically inept, and things have a disturbing tendency to leap out of my hands and throw themselves against the floor.

 

[Crossbreed]

I have short fingers,...

No short fingers here, nor am I particularly clumsy.
I am not real good at catching footballs or baseballs, but fair at frisbees.

 

[Suzanne]

Classic autism is static ie a person is what a person is and although, some may be more aware, on avarage, they are in their own world.

Aspergers is not static ie we can improve in certain areas and even adapt to certain situations and thus, we are self aware. But, also to add, females are different to males who are on the spectrum. Females are much better at masking.

 

[Jordy]

Aspergers is autism spectrum disorder tier 1. I often use the terms Aspergers, asd1, autism and high functioning autism interchangeably.

 

[Outdated]

You asked a very good question here @AluxCinAmoon .

You’ll find similar situations to mine amongst many of the older people here. I didn’t get a diagnosis until I was 55 years old. ASD2. I grew up in a world where the word Autism was unheard of, and I also grew up in a world where being different was unacceptable.

I grew up being punished and abused for being Abnormal. For being socially immature. They tried to force me to learn things that I am not capable of learning. None of them could even for a moment try and see things through my eyes. As far as I could see I was the only sane person in the world, one of the very few with a fully functioning brain.

To me, trying to be like every one else meant becoming a lying cheating halfwit. I refused. I was very proud of myself, I knew I was better than everyone else. How could I not know? The difference in levels of intellect was chalk and cheese. The difference in levels of honesty and integrity were the same.

I managed to cut out a really fantastic life for myself too, I’ve had a great time. I often wondered if I was actually mentally insane but I also knew that the answer to that was purely academic. I was always going to be me. I only started learning a bit about autism in the last few years, most of the common terms are fairly new to me and most of the acronyms are unintelligible.

The term High Function seems to have two different meanings. I consider myself to be high function because I’m a broad spectrum polymath with an IQ of 172. To neurotypical people it relates more to our ability to socialise and act normal. I can do alright in that area too if I can be bothered to make the effort, but it is an act and maintaining it gets tiring, I have much less energy for it now I’m older.

Side note – I once told a doctor that I wondered if I was insane. He said there’s two types of insanity, Neurosis and Psychosis. Neurotics build castles in the sky, psychotics live in them.

 

[Streetwise]

I know this is kind of a dumb/ignorant question, but even though I'm definitely on the spectrum, I don't have any ASD friends or family, and all my doctors and therapists have kind of left it at telling me I have it. So, what, if anything, is the difference between Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism?

Aspergers is ASD1 ranging in high functioning to very high functioning(thats just to label you so neurotypicals can try to manipulate you into being a neurotypical robot doesn't happen)its all autism, but people\children who dont move as much, just have some form of brain damage ,that any neurology could have,different countries use different terms some still use Aspergers or Kanners(Leo Kanner) autism(ASD 3) thats autism with no or very limited communication, can be severe physical handicap accompanied, neurologists \ psychiatry fly blind with terms \ diagnoses,not wanting to be tortured\ tormented \abused by the kgb(communist party abusers)was called a mental illness by the communists.