Venting I despise the term "Aspergers"

[CTBookOfLife]

I was diagnosed with that fucking "disorder" and I hate that it took so long for me to see how bullshit it is.

They only diagnosed me with it instead of autism because I can talk.

That's it.

In society, I "function" horribly. I always have. They were blinded by how hyper-verbal I was.

That shows how bullshit the diagnosis is. Not to mention the irony of a Jewish person being diagnosed with a disorder named after a Nazi.

I hate it so much. Terms like "high/low-functioning.."

FUCK.

THAT.

It's so useless, it can never be used in practice because everyone is so damn different. My mom is was so hard to "tell" that she's autistic that she's mid-fifties and still undiagnosed, and yet she's USELESS when it comes to social situations and sensory stimuli. But NOOOO, she doesn't flap her hands so she's "not autistic."

I hate fucking Nazi-sympathizer ableist eugenicist bastards. End rant.

 

[Cepi]

Agreed it even sounds like some ugly fucked up condition. I prefer neurodivergent. We're not disabled we just do things differently.

 

[conarc]

To me, many symptoms of the so called "aspergers" should be actually normal for human beings.

Neurotypical humans are not normal...

 

[Nakiya]

I thought it's a vegetable

 

[SpencerSees]

Agreed.

Terms like "apergers" and "high/low functioning" don't tell anyone anything about your personal experience as an autistic person. All they mean is how much you inconvenience the people around you. How much trouble it is to put up with you in the eyes of the professionals.

This doesn't make you any less autistic. You still struggle just like the rest of us, just in different ways. It's autism spectrum disorder for a reason...

 

[Pluto]

I'd never read up on the Hans Asperger story until I saw this thread and decided to head over to Wikipedia. Very interesting; some historical figures leave a dramatic yet ambivalent legacy.

The only thing I can add is that there seems to be a lot of overlap between autism as a genetic condition vs. neurological damage caused by childhood neglect/abuse. I don't feel that this point is emphasised enough currently.

 

[dead_milky]

me too. I also have this diagnosis instead of autism, although I've heard they plan to get rid of aspergers as a separate term in the near future .

I hate it. It may not seem like it to people, but its ableism in a nicer package. They don't like autistic people, so if you appear more "normal" to them, they'll stick that on you.

Meanwhile inside we are still the same as regular autistics.

 

[CTBookOfLife]

Agreed.

Terms like "apergers" and "high/low functioning" don't tell anyone anything about your personal experience as an autistic person. All they mean is how much you inconvenience the people around you. How much trouble it is to put up with you in the eyes of the professionals.

This doesn't make you any less autistic. You still struggle just like the rest of us, just in different ways. It's autism spectrum disorder for a reason...

This, this, THIS!! JUST.. THIS.

I will always stand behind terms like "high/low support needs" and "high/low masking," not just one or the other, BOTH TERMS!

As a kid, I had medium-to-high masking, but medium-to-high support needs, and allistics try to tell us that "if you mask well, you don't need help!!!" FUCK. THAT.

 

[Touhou]

I don't!

Despite my diagnosis officially being Autism Spectrum Disorder, I usually call it & identify with Asperger's. I prefer that term. Hans wasn't a Nazi anyways, those're just conspiracy theories.

 

[CTBookOfLife]

I don't!

Despite my diagnosis officially being Autism Spectrum Disorder, I usually call it & identify with Asperger's. I prefer that term. Hans wasn't a Nazi anyways, those're just conspiracy theories.

Even if you believe him being a Nazi was a "conspiracy theory," the term Aspergers still harms autistic people. Aspie supremacy is horrible and those who use it are just as bad as the allistics

 

[brokeandbroken]

So I can see why being associated with an Austrian psychiatrist who lived during the holocaust would be difficult. One of the issues is I think it is helpful because.... It's fairly well known people with Asperger's or HFA understand society (ironically) better then society understands it. Despite by definition having an average IQ or higher only 15% of people with Asperger's/HFA are employed (I saw ranges from 12-20%). Many want to and are willing to work. Work ethic isn't even the issue. This would seem to indicate some level of discrimination. Temple Grandin I believe even said something to the effect to be in the sciences you must have a little autism. Clearly there must be some sort of issue. Whether or not it will be fixed I don't know. What I can say is that by shedding the label you will also be shedding any protection it provides. If you are under or unemployed it's likely because you are autistic. Society is unforgiving. There's still some people that are sent to the fringes and autism/Asperger's is one of the reasons it is easy for society to do so. It also allows society to go we should learn how to incorporate people with Autism/Asperger's so they can not only improve their business or whatever but so they can allow people with it flourish. I think people with it can benefit society likely immensely. Society thus far has decided to say no. Likely everyone who has it who has succeeded has had to work twice as hard as the person next to them. They earned it, despite significant challenges. I think greater understanding could help. The label provides that.

Anecdotally, and yeah self servingly I admit I would say I think it is likely it. I have been pseudo-diagnosed it and definitely called it by people around me at points. I shunned the label myself as I felt as someone reasonably intelligent it was my job to bridge the gap. Not to shock you but I failed miserably. I will likely be forced to CTB as a result. This isn't to excuse society for their behavior for the record I'm if pressed (they won't be) they will point to it. Society needs to understand people with it better is my point. That allows them to. Call it condition X I don't care.

 

[snowcloud9]

I was diagnosed with that fucking "disorder" and I hate that it took so long for me to see how bullshit it is.

They only diagnosed me with it instead of autism because I can talk.

That's it.

In society, I "function" horribly. I always have. They were blinded by how hyper-verbal I was.

That shows how bullshit the diagnosis is. Not to mention the irony of a Jewish person being diagnosed with a disorder named after a Nazi.

I hate it so much. Terms like "high/low-functioning.."

FUCK.

THAT.

It's so useless, it can never be used in practice because everyone is so damn different. My mom is was so hard to "tell" that she's autistic that she's mid-fifties and still undiagnosed, and yet she's USELESS when it comes to social situations and sensory stimuli. But NOOOO, she doesn't flap her hands so she's "not autistic."

I hate fucking Nazi-sympathizer ableist eugenicist bastards. End rant.

I thought that this post was going to complain about how the word "Aspergers" sounds like a food LOL. I never knew the background behind the origin of the term, yikes. Notice how your diagnosis was based on how much of an inconvenience you are to others e.g. how well other people can talk to you, and not how much it inconveniences you e.g. how well you can function in society. The whole autism diagnosis criteria is horrible. I've heard cases of people's requests for autism tests be turned down because "you can make eye contact with me when I talk" when autism is a complex condition not synonymous with social awkwardness.

So I can see why being associated with an Austrian psychiatrist who lived during the holocaust would be difficult. One of the issues is I think it is helpful because.... It's fairly well known people with Asperger's or HFA understand society (ironically) better then society understands it. Despite by definition having an average IQ or higher only 15% of people with Asperger's/HFA are employed (I saw ranges from 12-20%). Many want to and are willing to work. Work ethic isn't even the issue. This would seem to indicate some level of discrimination. Temple Grandin I believe even said something to the effect to be in the sciences you must have a little autism. Clearly there must be some sort of issue. Whether or not it will be fixed I don't know. What I can say is that by shedding the label you will also be shedding any protection it provides. If you are under or unemployed it's likely because you are autistic. Society is unforgiving. There's still some people that are sent to the fringes and autism/Asperger's is one of the reasons it is easy for society to do so. It also allows society to go we should learn how to incorporate people with Autism/Asperger's so they can not only improve their business or whatever but so they can allow people with it flourish. I think people with it can benefit society likely immensely. Society thus far has decided to say no. Likely everyone who has it who has succeeded has had to work twice as hard as the person next to them. They earned it, despite significant challenges. I think greater understanding could help. The label provides that.

Anecdotally, and yeah self servingly I admit I would say I think it is likely it. I have been pseudo-diagnosed it and definitely called it by people around me at points. I shunned the label myself as I felt as someone reasonably intelligent it was my job to bridge the gap. Not to shock you but I failed miserably. I will likely be forced to CTB as a result. This isn't to excuse society for their behavior for the record I'm if pressed (they won't be) they will point to it. Society needs to understand people with it better is my point. That allows them to. Call it condition X I don't care.

I mean, the concept of IQ is becoming more and more up to debate, and people are now believing that it's unreliable. I think given that there are so many types of intelligence, like spatial visualization, logical, linguistic, trying to define it with a single number is impossible. I'm more and more pessimistic about "meritocracy." I've seen it countless times, people getting put in high places just because they know the right people--I flunked an interview once, but knew someone within the hospital and boom, internship acquired. Perhaps that's where the gap comes from, autistic people being socially outcasted and not having those connections.

I really hate society. It's not built for people, people are supposed to build themselves to fit it, counterintuitively. Despite depression/anxiety/ADHD being so common and arguably caused by the things around us, we're supposed to 'fix' ourselves and all be able to adhere to strict schedules and an increasingly overstimulating world. We're expected to take individual responsibility for things like stress/obesity/global warming and prevent them with coping strategies and willpower, even though they're caused by the companies around us all for the sake of greater profit margins. Disclaimer, saying this from an American perspective.

 

[brokeandbroken]

I mean, the concept of IQ is becoming more and more up to debate, and people are now believing that it's unreliable. I think given that there are so many types of intelligence, like spatial visualization, logical, linguistic, trying to define it with a single number is impossible. I'm more and more pessimistic about "meritocracy." I've seen it countless times, people getting put in high places just because they know the right people--I flunked an interview once, but knew someone within the hospital and boom, internship acquired. Perhaps that's where the gap comes from, autistic people being socially outcasted and not having those connections.

I really hate society. It's not built for people, people are supposed to build themselves to fit it, counterintuitively. Despite depression/anxiety/ADHD being so common and arguably caused by the things around us, we're supposed to 'fix' ourselves and all be able to adhere to strict schedules and an increasingly overstimulating world. We're expected to take individual responsibility for things like stress/obesity/global warming and prevent them with coping strategies and willpower, even though they're caused by the companies around us all for the sake of greater profit margins. Disclaimer, saying this from an American perspective.

I think you are missing the salient point. Which is people with HFA aren't being passed over because they can't do the job/promotions but because of other reasons. An IQ test is a fine proxy to say are you competent to do any job? You can use things like degrees to whittle down what. That's not as salient. The number isn't as important as what it shows. Can you provide value to X business? For People with HFA the answer is yes. I don't mean something I saw in my youth where the local Panera would hire people who were significantly mentally disabled (for far less than minimum wage by the way, I believe the state actually paid the wages as well) and have them do odd jobs. Essentially a diversity hire were you can exploit the labor. This isn't what I mean. People with HFA can provide value in "real" jobs, jobs that people would call successful. Yes you are correct there are many types of intelligence but just like everyone else people with HFA are going to struggle with some and excel in others. When only 12% are being hired that's a problem. You are correct people with HFA are going to have likely weak social supports. Considering the weakness of social supports in America today it is not unlikely they may be non-existent.

In pulling numbers for this I came across article after article after article about how necessary it was to engage in office politics. How you won't get promoted if you don't. How if you don't your days are numbered. The irony being exceling in that is associated with the dark triad. Also something someone with HFA isn't going to do well at or likely at all. In essence businesses are promoting people who can manipulate, psychopaths, and narcissistic individuals. People who then can go on power trips. I'm not convinced this is good for companies bottom lines either and the data fleshes it out. Being on the dark triad isn't associated with being a better leader, being good for society, and etc... People are misplacing confidence for competence.

I don't think society is designed for people with HFA, I think it is moving away from it, and I think it is also at the detriment of society. Society is incredibly fake and people aren't real today. Ironically people with HFA can't not be. Things like global warming, obesity, etc... They don't matter to society. It's about virtue signaling telling the world how great you are. If people cared they wouldn't be talking about it they would be doing it. People realize they don't have to do shit. They can just say it and no one will double check. No one will call them out on it because they can do it too. The people screaming it the loudest say it and then go around in their private jets polluting up a storm. Very little is real and people couldn't be more fake.

I've never had an issue with a schedule, I managed to get into medical school and function fine. As far as stimulation I am quite sensitive to light. But I forced myself to get used to it. I wear sunglasses everywhere. If I am alone the lights are always off. Black out shades are my friend. I've learned to cope. That doesn't have any bearing on my ability to provide value to a business. Maybe some jobs do require significant social skills, but I don't think people with HFA are going to be naturally inclined to those positions. Bottom line my point is people with HFA are being discriminated against because they can be. Nerdy socially awkward people aren't a risk for society . They can't form the relationships necessary for it to be a threat. So discriminate away. Someone needs to be poor, destitute, and on the fringes. Make it somebody who doesn't matter. Legal help pftt who cares? Need a job who cares give it to someone else. Need x too bad. That said it is at societies detriment they can provide immense value to companies/society. Basically we are told be discriminated against and be fine with it. if society ever decided to care they would just pay lip service to it and go on caring about themselves. Because that's what is being taught in companies and that is who is succeeding in today's climate.

 

[FormerlyFe(IV)]

I was diagnosed as having Asperger's. Nowadays I prefer to say that I am "on the spectrum" instead, and clarify that I was diagnosed with Aspergers if needed.

HFA sounds weird. If I identified as HFA, it kinda feels like I'm saying "I'm not like you, but at least I'm supposedly good enough".

Even if you believe him being a Nazi was a "conspiracy theory," the term Aspergers still harms autistic people. Aspie supremacy is horrible and those who use it are just as bad as the allistics

I'm not sure what you mean by this.

 

[Touhou]

Even if you believe him being a Nazi was a "conspiracy theory," the term Aspergers still harms autistic people. Aspie supremacy is horrible and those who use it are just as bad as the allistics

How does it harm autistic people?

 

[sserafim]

I was diagnosed with that fucking "disorder" and I hate that it took so long for me to see how bullshit it is.

They only diagnosed me with it instead of autism because I can talk.

That's it.

In society, I "function" horribly. I always have. They were blinded by how hyper-verbal I was.

That shows how bullshit the diagnosis is. Not to mention the irony of a Jewish person being diagnosed with a disorder named after a Nazi.

I hate it so much. Terms like "high/low-functioning.."

FUCK.

THAT.

It's so useless, it can never be used in practice because everyone is so damn different. My mom is was so hard to "tell" that she's autistic that she's mid-fifties and still undiagnosed, and yet she's USELESS when it comes to social situations and sensory stimuli. But NOOOO, she doesn't flap her hands so she's "not autistic."

I hate fucking Nazi-sympathizer ableist eugenicist bastards. End rant.

Is Asperger's still a diagnosis though? Didn't it become autism level 1? I have autism level 1 (personally I identify more with Asperger's rather than autism though, as my problems are mainly social) as well as ADHD, and I should be "high-functioning" but it's hard for me to fit into or be a part of society. I blame my social and executive function issues…I just don't know how to talk to people, and I hate that your life depends on social interaction. I hate that it's necessary for survival.

I was able to cope up until I graduated college and entered the real world. I hate that you have to interact with people to earn a living. There should be more high-paying remote jobs imo. Ugh I just hate this condition in general. Fuck ASD

 

[Spiritual survivor]

I was diagnosed with that fucking "disorder" and I hate that it took so long for me to see how bullshit it is.

They only diagnosed me with it instead of autism because I can talk.

That's it.

In society, I "function" horribly. I always have. They were blinded by how hyper-verbal I was.

That shows how bullshit the diagnosis is. Not to mention the irony of a Jewish person being diagnosed with a disorder named after a Nazi.

I hate it so much. Terms like "high/low-functioning.."

FUCK.

THAT.

It's so useless, it can never be used in practice because everyone is so damn different. My mom is was so hard to "tell" that she's autistic that she's mid-fifties and still undiagnosed, and yet she's USELESS when it comes to social situations and sensory stimuli. But NOOOO, she doesn't flap her hands so she's "not autistic."

I hate fucking Nazi-sympathizer ableist eugenicist bastards. End rant.

I agree, the dude with that name is actually not some kind benevolent person helping autistics. He allowed some of the higher functioning autistics to be able to be useful but by no means was this person some good guy or helping pple with autism. This Asperger person was most likely a member of the ruling class or basically not on the side of uplifting the general population. But the ruling class people like to take credit or twist the facts about how things really came about or what actually happened lol!