Asperger's change in the 5th Edition DSM?

[Jonn]

I still consider myself an Aspie, BTW.

 

[Misty Avich]

I like considering myself as an Aspie too, but now it's just "autism is autism" and "everyone with autism are too different for there to be severity levels", so yeah, we all have to suffer now.

 

[Jonn]

I am a typical high-functioning rational/logical/cognitive aspie.
Putting us all into one amalgamous /nebulous group has always made me feel uncomfortable.
We are known for appreciating detail, after all.

 

[Misty Avich]

The severity levels should remain across the spectrum. It doesn't always necessarily mean how clever you are or how much support you need, it's more about self-care skills and how well you can communicate in different circumstances. Level 3 autism is more likely to involve non-verbal people. Some level 2 autistic people can be non-verbal depending on their circumstances. Level 1 is more complex than the other two levels, and usually a lot of people with that appear more quirky than anything else.
I'm a quirky woman, with noticeable anxiety and ADHD, but very complex and hidden Asperger's (I don't hide the Asperger's on purpose, as in masking, as whether I mask or not I'm still not obvious ASD).

Generally obvious ASD, even level 1, can involve things like lacking eye contact, avoiding too much social contact in the workplace, visibly stimming when stressed, shutting down when anxious, talking about one special subject, being intelligent, etc.
I'm opposite to that. Even without masking I can hold a conversation, naturally want to interact with others, make normal eye contact, not stimming (even though I get very highly anxious and stressed I still don't feel the need to flap my hands or rock), I can communicate just as easily when stressed or anxious than when not stressed or anxious, I don't have special interests that I talk nonstop about, and I lack intelligence, as in I'm not very knowledgeable. I like not being knowledgeable though, so please don't try to make me feel better by telling me I am intelligent and stuff, because I'd rather you just at least say I'm average.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

One of the reasons I'm not interested in getting diagnosed.

 

[Misty Avich]

One of the reasons I'm not interested in getting diagnosed.

Lucky, I wish I had that option. But no, the stupid school decided I had to get diagnosed as a small child or else.

 

[Jonn]

The severity levels should remain across the spectrum. It doesn't always necessarily mean how clever you are or how much support you need, it's more about self-care skills and how well you can communicate in different circumstances.

I am guessing I might be a level 2 aspie, though I have been totally independent all my life and, through hard work, become financially independent.

Does that make me a level 1 autistic?
I don't really know, but my cognitive abilities seem to be at the upper range, even if my practicality in real life can be hit and miss.
My history of being psychologically ritually abused may have had a lot to do with that.
Destroying a person's ontological security at 5 years of age will change anyone's life trajectory completely.

Level 3 autism is more likely to involve non-verbal people. Some level 2 autistic people can be non-verbal depending on their circumstances. Level 1 is more complex than the other two levels, and usually a lot of people with that appear more quirky than anything else.

You want quirky?
It is standing right in front of you.

I'm a quirky woman, with noticeable anxiety and ADHD, but very complex and hidden Asperger's (I don't hide the Asperger's on purpose, as in masking, as whether I mask or not I'm still not obvious ASD).

I have never met a "normal" person in my life.

Generally obvious ASD, even level 1, can involve things like lacking eye contact, avoiding too much social contact in the workplace, visibly stimming when stressed, shutting down when anxious, talking about one special subject, being intelligent, etc.
I'm opposite to that. Even without masking I can hold a conversation, naturally want to interact with others, make normal eye contact, not stimming (even though I get very highly anxious and stressed I still don't feel the need to flap my hands or rock), I can communicate just as easily when stressed or anxious than when not stressed or anxious, I don't have special interests that I talk nonstop about, and I lack intelligence, as in I'm not very knowledgeable. I like not being knowledgeable though, so please don't try to make me feel better by telling me I am intelligent and stuff, because I'd rather you just at least say I'm average.

Firstly, intelligence comes in various forms.
You are above average in social understanding in RL, compared to many/most of us.
You have mentioned how you have no problems empathising with ppl.
Why can't you accept that?

If I wasn't hyper-ADHD, I would be much, much better at social interactions.
To me, ADHD has been a much bigger problem in my life than being on the spectrum.
But then, being gang-stalked for most of my life did make things a lot more complicated.

It is rather odd, now that I look back, that I didn't realise how badly I was affected by ADHD.
Remember fairly recently, how I described myself as ADD?
Someone, on this website, had to point out that I was really ADHD.
<wave at "someone">

Having lived all my life with hyper-ADHD, I just thought it was "normal" and didn't go into any meaningful research into it, until recently.
Better late than never, I guess. <shrug>

 

[Misty Avich]

I am guessing I might be a level 2 aspie, though I have been totally independent all my life and, through hard work, become financially independent.

Level 2 Aspies can be independent.

Does that make me a level 1 autistic?
I don't really know, but my cognitive abilities seem to be at the upper range, even if my practicality in real life can be hit and miss.
My history of being psychologically ritually abused may have had a lot to do with that.
Destroying a person's ontological security at 5 years of age will change anyone's life trajectory completely.

Abuse can affect even NTs. I was never abused (offline) as such, just socially rejected by my peers, which I think it's what has caused me to have social anxiety, despite being a sociable person.

You want quirky?
It is standing right in front of you.

I have never met a "normal" person in my life.

I know that nobody's perfect but I still wish I were NT with no mental health issues or anything.

Firstly, intelligence comes in various forms.
You are above average in social understanding in RL, compared to many/most of us.
You have mentioned how you have no problems empathising with ppl.
Why can't you accept that?

I do have good social intelligence, yes. But I'm still socially awkward. My social intelligence is good cognitively, but my social behaviours can be off-putting when it closes to making friends, moreso with most women.

If I wasn't hyper-ADHD, I would be much, much better at social interactions.
To me, ADHD has been a much bigger problem in my life than being on the spectrum.
But then, being gang-stalked for most of my life did make things a lot more complicated.

I'm hyper-ADHD too, which contributes more to my social awkwardness in making friends.

It is rather odd, now that I look back, that I didn't realise how badly I was affected by ADHD.
Remember fairly recently, how I described myself as ADD?
Someone, on this website, had to point out that I was really ADHD.
<wave at "someone">

Yes, I never realised how badly I was affected by ADHD either. I always thought all of my behaviours and ways were just Asperger's, but when I started looking up about ADHD in my 20s I realised it really made sense. I know everything in the world seems to be a symptom of autism but I think certain behaviours such as hyperactivity, excessive expression of feelings, difficulty focusing even on interests, taking longer than others to learn anything, hating rules and being told what to do, being bored easily with routines and mundane repetitiveness, and many more symptoms like that all at once, are more likely to mean ADHD than common autism symptoms.

Having lived all my life with hyper-ADHD, I just thought it was "normal" and didn't go into any meaningful research into it, until recently.
Better late than never, I guess. <shrug>

Having Asperger's shoved down my throat since the age of 8 had made me see everything I do through the Asperger's lens, without considering other possible conditions I could have. Anxiety and ADHD are more relevant to me than autism - which is why I prefer Asperger's.

 

[Jonn]

My understanding is that the term "Asperger" isn't used any longer.

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The term "Asperger's" is no longer used because it has been reclassified as part of the broader Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), meaning there is no longer a separate diagnosis for Asperger's syndrome due to the overlapping symptoms with other forms of autism;

 

[Misty Avich]

My understanding is that the term "Asperger" isn't used any longer.

AI Overview Learn more

It still should have its own name. I mean, most conditions overlap with autism.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

I Had to deal with the effects of transverse myelitis when I Was ten years old this effected me more then being on the spectrum as the other effect were in my face walking. easily tiring. training myself not piss myself. If I had known about the other issues, I Would not have developed the strength to over come what I did ignorance is strength.
Now with the stroke it was easy to learn to walk again, I refused to use a wheel chair in the hospital walker only.

 

[Jonn]

It still should have its own name. I mean, most conditions overlap with autism.

Perhaps we need to call ourselves "High Functioning Autistics", instead, but I have read that some ppl think this is a different "animal".

Also:
Apart from the unfortunate, true or fabricated, history related to the name, I think there might be a problem with some ppl unnecessarily seeing the term aspie/high-functioning as a form of ablism.

 

[Jonn]

I Had to deal with the effects of transverse myelitis when I Was ten years old this effected me more then being on the spectrum as the other effect were in my face walking. easily tiring. training myself not piss myself. If I had known about the other issues, I Would not have developed the strength to over come what I did ignorance is strength.
Now with the stroke it was easy to learn to walk again, I refused to use a wheel chair in the hospital walker only.

I too had other concerns in my life, that overshadowed being on the spectrum.
Simple survival was more important in my early young adulthood.
But this retarded growth in other areas, some of which I have only address in the last 8 years.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

I'm retired now, walking is difficult, had stroke 10 days after my 65th birth day. Way life works not complaining.
based on my statistics have looks like eight more years left, maybe more. Last thing I concern myself with now is being on the spectrum, just like to help others, I did it they can also maybe with a bit of advice. Been there done that matters.

 

[Jonn]

I'm retired now, walking is difficult, had stroke 10 days after my 65th birth day. Way life works not complaining.
based on my statistics have looks like eight more years left, maybe more. Last thing I concern myself with now is being on the spectrum, just like to help others, I did it they can also maybe with a bit of advice. Been there done that matters.

I am genuinely surprised I have lasted this long.
It was touch-and-go 45 years ago.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

I turned 70 a few weeks ago.

 

[Jonn]

I turned 70 a few weeks ago.

You win...
So far.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

You might like this watch out for sigma's had stroke on one currently on one just probabilities.

 

[Jonn]

You might like this watch out for sigma's had stroke on one currently on one just probabilities.

I'm aiming for 126.
I like to beat the odds...
...and I am a glutton for punishment.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

I sort of made it my hobby watching the worlds oldest person over the last few years 118 is the oldest so far. Cannot believe how accurate the chart is. I think the current documented oldest was a fake took her mother birth certificate.
A lot of anomalies for many older people records destroyed war, fire fraud. If you want fun google worlds oldest living persons they match my chart. Every few months I check for year now always matches. Root for oldest see birth day and the months later the pass. When I started it was with 114 years old just after I made this chart about 10 years ago. Like watching a race. Like To see the oldest WW2 vet few more years. The women are beating the guys only a few guys made 114, the current oldest guy is 112. one is a vet.