the aspie identity

[tree]

@harrietjansson

"People identifying with Asperger syndrome may refer to themselves in casual conversation
as aspies (a term first used in print by Liane Holliday Willey in 1999)."

Asperger syndrome - Wikipedia

www.aspie.com

 

[Aspychata]

Yes, instead of saying happy to meet you, we say aspy to meet you.

 

[harrietjansson]

Religion is about control.

off-topic! Bur remember that control can be good.

I disagree that most of the idiosyncratic behaviour can be problematic, unless it's offensive, but we are all different.

please explain what you mean.
Idiosyncratic behavior is often refered to as eccentric behavior.
Wiki says "Psychologist David Weeks believes people with a mental illness suffer from their behavior, while eccentrics are quite happy." Eccentricity (behavior) - Wikipedia

That sounds lovely but read this: "For example, their over-sensitivity to touch may make them picky about what clothes they wear – it needs to be soft with the tags removed. They don’t like strong smells, bright lights, loud noises, and most foods. Aspies rigidly crave routine so any variations in their schedule upset them. The same plate has to be used for dinner, objects must be lined up in a repetitive manner, certain items must never be moved, and the list of Asperger eccentricities goes on and on." Asperger Eccentric Mannerisms and Behavior – Kathy J. Marshack, Ph.D.

If a child don't get to eat on the same plate (or that a plate looks different) and he/she will have a tantrum or meltdown we have a problem. Everything can go too far in autism. This is what I am refering to.
I am eccentric I guess. They have called me the time optimist. That can be problematic and it sure has been at times. I am more like the strange art guy (mostly poetry and music. I cannot paint.) who is a litlle eccentric.

 

[Gift2humanity]

off-topic! Bur remember that control can be good.


please explain what you mean.
Idiosyncratic behavior is often refered to as eccentric behavior.
Wiki says "Psychologist David Weeks believes people with a mental illness suffer from their behavior, while eccentrics are quite happy." Eccentricity (behavior) - Wikipedia

That sounds lovely but read this: "For example, their over-sensitivity to touch may make them picky about what clothes they wear – it needs to be soft with the tags removed. They don’t like strong smells, bright lights, loud noises, and most foods. Aspies rigidly crave routine so any variations in their schedule upset them. The same plate has to be used for dinner, objects must be lined up in a repetitive manner, certain items must never be moved, and the list of Asperger eccentricities goes on and on." Asperger Eccentric Mannerisms and Behavior – Kathy J. Marshack, Ph.D.

If a child don't get to eat on the same plate (or that a plate looks different) he/she will have a tantrum or meltdown we have a problem. Everything can go too far in autism. This is what I am refering to.

Bur remember that control can be good.

How?

The things you quoted above are only problems to NT's who don't accept their child has a brain that is wired differently.

Tony Attwood said AS are the next stage of human evolution.
Their so called tantrums are because they are overwhelmed by this insensitive world where were are all expected to conform.

AS people can't naturally conform, nor should they be forced to.

Their sensitivity is good, it means perceptivity, meaning they can, if guided right, spot when people are behaving in an unacceptable manner.

They are not "picky" they are sensitive, tickets in clothes are made from man made fabrics that are often too uncomfortable.

The ancients used to know that AS people were different and the village shaman would take them away from the madding crowd and train them up in a quiet environment to be in touch with nature and the cosmos.

 

[harrietjansson]

The things you quoted above are only problems to NT's who don't accept their child has a brain that is wired differently.

Not really. I have had simmilar issues and I hated it. It was a problem for me. Too many "aspies" say "just accept the fact that your are a bit eccentric" rather than "let's see how this is both good and bad for you"
Perhaps I missunderstand you. We both want "acceptance" and that is good. We talk about in different ways.

That website said:
"Aspies rigidly crave routine so any variations in their schedule upset them. "
That is a stereotype. Many of us don't even want a schedule like that. I would hate it. I want freedom from rigid schedules. But I still want some kind of routine or structure in my daily life.

 

[Alexej]

That website said:
"Aspies rigidly crave routine so any variations in their schedule upset them. "
That is a stereotype. Many of us don't even want a schedule like that. I would hate it. I want freedom from rigid schedules.

I know the desire for predictability. I am not phased by changes in plan, I have had that all through my working life, however I have tried to systematise my experience where it is helpful to others and share it as a starter for 10 for other colleagues in the office. [Starter for 10 is a loan phrase from a UK game show]

 

[harrietjansson]

I know the desire for predictability.

But predictability is different from rigidity, right?
A rigid schedule requires lots of planning that I don't like.

 

[tree]

REMINDER

For discussions involving topics such as theism/atheism, heaven/hell,
faith, a Creator, a Savior, religion please use the Religion area.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

people with a mental illness suffer from their behavior, while eccentrics are quite happy."

I guess I exhibit both aspects. While sensory overload has receeded as I age, I used to have difficulty, especially around vacations when life intruded on the mental map I had about how things would proceed, reacting badly when the anxiety would become too much. My manias for odd interests not generally shared by the majority I have learned to accept with joyous resignation because that brings me closer to an understanding of the world and an enjoyment of life. During a time of social isolation it was those eccentricities that helped keep me sane

 

[Magna]

I don't like the term "Aspie". I don't refer to myself as one. The term seems "cutesy" to me and that really turns me off. If any other person with Aspergers wants to identify as an "Aspie" I respect their right to do so. I just never would for myself because of how I feel about the term.

I have a friend who is Level II Autistic and understandably so, rejects the term "Aspie" for themselves since it doesn't apply and my friend would have been diagnosed the same (Level II Autism) before they merged Aspergers with autism and my friend would NOT have been diagnosed with Aspergers prior to the merge.

Therefore using "Aspie" as a label for all autistic people would be inaccurate.

 

[Judge]

Therefore using "Aspie" as a label for all autistic people would be inaccurate.

Technically it remains problematic alone that the term was coined before the DSM-V placed all autistic people into a single, yet broad spectrum of traits and behaviors.

That if we are to be perceived as being on such a spectrum and at varying amplitudes, it remains inappropriate applying much of any one term to identify us in an accurate and meaningful way.

 

[Alexej]

But predictability is different from rigidity, right?
A rigid schedule requires lots of planning that I don't like.

Sorry @harrietjansson - I'm not with you here.
Rigidity means to me the same pattern time after time.
Predictability means that there may be some variance but there is a limit to the options that are possible.

Am I using the same words as you in a different way?

I don't see how a rigid schedule requires a lot of planning, but maybe I am just being pedantic about this.

 

[harrietjansson]

Sorry @harrietjansson - I'm not with you here.
Rigidity means to me the same pattern time after time.
Predictability means that there may be some variance but there is a limit to the options that are possible.

Am I using the same words as you in a different way?

I don't see how a rigid schedule requires a lot of planning, but maybe I am just being pedantic about this.

I am happy that you defined the terms for us! I am so tired of using terms without good definitions!
I am not sure I actually even defined the terms at all.

 

[harrietjansson]

I don't see how a rigid schedule requires a lot of planning,

you have to plan in order to have the rigid schedule. On the other hand not having a schedule also requires some planning. This is why I prefer structure over rigid schedule (and then having an adult meltdown when life did not go with the flow of the rigid schedule).

 

[harrietjansson]

I don't like the term "Aspie". I don't refer to myself as one. The term seems "cutesy" to me and that really turns me off. If any other person with Aspergers wants to identify as an "Aspie" I respect their right to do so. I just never would for myself because of how I feel about the term.

I have a friend who is Level II Autistic and understandably so, rejects the term "Aspie" for themselves since it doesn't apply and my friend would have been diagnosed the same (Level II Autism) before they merged Aspergers with autism and my friend would NOT have been diagnosed with Aspergers prior to the merge.

Therefore using "Aspie" as a label for all autistic people would be inaccurate.

If people want to use "aspie" let them do so. I kinda like this one (I have never heard of the dude who is supposed to have said this):

 

[Aspychata]

It seems like we are arguing semantics here. We can nitpick every subset of the Autism flavors and still be in disagreement.

I think a clear breakdown of symptoms needs to be done. Sensory, emotional, cognitive, and be tested for this like allergy testing. Is this going to happen, nope, the pharma industry just wants us in neat labels so that we get a prescription and generate revenue.

So l understand the OP but you still hit number 4 on the list you quoted.

 

[harrietjansson]

So l understand the OP but you still hit number 4 on the list you quoted.

me not understand!

 

[Aspychata]

me not understand!

me not understand!

First page, your fifth post, bullet number four.

We question everything and anything, just as you are doing here. Nothing wrong with that at all.