What do you think of autism?

[Jenisautistic]

 

[Sarah S]

In my case as with all my diagnosis (and levels and severety grades) i think of them all as a curse

VERY WELL and WISLY spoken my friend (standing upp and aplloud )

 

[Matthias]

If by autism it's meant the genetic autistic traits that exist from birth then I think of autism as a normal neurological difference that should be respected and appreciated. Despite my username, I am just as autistic today as I was when I was a young child. My level of autism has remained constant throughout my life.

However, many times people consider secondary issues as part of autism even though the same issues occur in people who aren't autistic. For example, depression, difficulty understanding emotions, being sensitive to criticism, social anxiety, and unhelpful thinking patterns are common among autistic people but also occur in many people who aren't autistic. The reason people often assume they are genetic is because they often start early in life (when they are a baby or a toddler - studies show toddlers can get depressed and have anxiety) that people see those problems as part of who they are and part of autism even though they are secondary. Standard treatments for those secondary issues are often ineffective because they are designed to help people who get those problems later in life and aren't tailored toward people who've had those problems since they were 2 or 3 years old. Treating those secondary problems had a huge positive affect on my life. I feel much better and understand people better. If people understood and treated those problems, more people would be okay with being autistic.

To give a few examples, click the links below (or click BLOGS on the top left of the forum) to see how I overcame those secondary problems:
Self-esteem
Sensitivity to criticism
Alexithymia (trouble identifying and describing emotions)

 

[BrokenBoy]

It'sa curse.

 

[menander]

The comorbidities suck. But it in itself is a gift.

 

[Trophonius]

It's a disorder. I don't like to romanticize any disorder I have to make me feel better. It would be better not to be autistic.

But life is a persistent struggle with the given for everyone. We all need to work towards our goals with what we're given.

 

[Misery]

I'll put it this way: There's nothing you could say or do that could convince me to take a "cure", if one existed.

The idea that I could have been "normal", when I think of what "normal" is like...

 

[christopher.k]

I don't feel anything in particular to being on the spectrum since its the only version of reality I know and can't exactly change that perspection.

 

[WildCat]

I'm too busy thinking about other things to think about it.

 

[clg114]

Good job, Jen! That is telling it like it is.

For me, autism is a good thing. It allows me to do the things that I do. I understand that we are all different and that not all of us feel this way. However, I would not be me without autism and if I were offered a "cure", I would decline it without hesitation.

 

[Aspychata]

Would be sad because l may have not met and understood some great people that came into my life. Especially one person......

 

[AprilR]

I like being autistic or at least neurodiverse. I wouldn't want to be a nt.

 

[Ezra]

I think it is up to the individual as to how they feel autism affects their lives.
Can't really say to someone they are wrong to think it is a blessing or a curse.
To each their own.
To me it is a disability/disorder that holds me back and makes life difficult.

 

[Rabscuttle]

Are you asking what we think of autism- or of autism under these circumstances? Sure, it hampers and holds me back, but how much of that is due to its rarity? If almost everyone was autistic, even those who didn't have these disadvantages would know about them and be able to compensate. How much of the downside would be gone?

Same thing for the ways in which it uplifts and accelerates me: how much of the benefits would disappear if the rarity did?

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

It's just the way your brain works.

 

[Jumpback]

The comorbidities are the curse, and in my case, it is the evil, evil gay advocacies complete dominance in th psych profession which caused almost nothing’s to become misinformations and dangerous disorders and secret drives and my brain being malformed and on and on to turn nothings into life altering everythings

 

[SusanLR]

Most of the autistic traits I'm fine with.
Some I am not and find they have been a struggle between me and independence.
The comorbidities of anxiety and depression are the worst and I'll never know if
I would have had those if I were not autistic.

The ways of NTs seem odd because I can't relate to them.
Maybe they are OK with their way of life so they can't relate to us.

 

[Els]

I think it would be less a burden if society was more helpful than harmful, if there was a bit more solidarity. Also, I think it would have been less a burden for me if people had expllained to me why to look at other people's faces and what to see there. Seeing if someone is getting angry or nervous at me quickly IS something that I NEEDED to learn to protect myself. Learning SKILLS - not "things you've got to do to please others", I really mean skills, is VERY important. Without proper diagnosis in our society, it's unlikely to happen, and it makes autism more than a burden and clearly put me at risk in numerous situations. Being "inattentive" as people say is something that also puts me at risk - for example because I'm focusing on something, I can totally miss that there are cars or something and I've found myself in situations where others needed to act upon it, I couldn't cope alone.
For everyday life, it's clearly a burden for me. It's always been. I also need guidance and protection in terms of social relationships because I don't understand them as well as I think I do. Masking is also a necessary burden. For everyday life, it's clearly not easy, I need to correct and modulate all of my behaviours and avoid traps and making people hostile for no reason.
I also hate that I can't express myself in numerous situations where it's recquiered. Doctors is the top thing. I just can't communicate about how I'm in pain, I can't coordinate the things. I can't communicate a large number of things, especially how I feel, and it's CLEARLY unpractical and detrimental for my life.
The reality as I perceive it is nice in itself, and to me it's worth carrying the burden. I wouldn't change it. Other people seem pale compared to what I see. Yet, it's clearly a burden when I see how easy it seems for others.
I hate it because I do not "look autistic" and I have plenty of efforts to make to look normal, and I just can't fully manage it althrough it's what people are expecting of me. That's the awful part for me. That and receiving no help and having no one who could JUST explain to me basic things when I needed to learn them. It was hard figuring things out, I've found myself being trapped in bad and dangerous situations, with only a blank mind and a body that froze to help me. That means, I need more help and care than other people. Clearly. It's a gift if you get the help you need. If you're on your own and have to deal with things, it's clearly a disability in the modern world.
Put me in a farm and ask me to take care of the animals, I'll do that great - really great. Put me in making clothes, drawing, whatever I can focus on while there's nothing else to deal with and no action, I'll be great too and have real fun. Put me in a job with public transportations, social relationships, noise, a lot of things to be alert, etc, it gets difficult and I'm clearly at risk and need help (inattention, manipulation, and so on).
Again, I like myself a lot now and I accept it and wouldn't exchange it for an other reality. Mine is great . But to be realistic, yes, it's a burden.

 

[BrokenBoy]

It's funny how people say that "society" is responsible for having life with ASD bad when the only ASD "perks" I ever had was from society. Things like social security and the insanity defense.

Society is the only good thing to come from me having ASD.

 

[Els]

It's funny how people say that "society" is responsible for having life with ASD bad when the only ASD "perks" I ever had was from society. Things like social security and the insanity defense.

Society is the only good thing to come from me having ASD.

Because society diagnosed you with it instead of pressuring you to "be normal". Not everyone has been lucky enough to get that from society. We all have different experiences, and when society is unhelpful and rather harmful, it hurts badly.
To be honest, what society is telling me is like telling to a dyslexic person "make efforts, can't you write normally for once PLEASE, you're not even trying".
So it really depends. When you get no help, hard. The only "help" I got from society as a kid was that they made me repeat a school year at 5 because of the social issues. Amazing.