Autism Misconceptions

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What are some misconceptions you find people have about the Autism spectrum?

several years ago, I was friends with a girl. We went out to eat with her Family for dinner, and somehow the talk turned to a friend of mine who was HFA. I forget what it was, but he had done something socially inappropriate, or something like that. I mentioned he had Autism, not as an excuse, I can't really remember why.

anyway, the dad says "He's Autistic! hehas no control over it." and then the mother gets upset, and looks sickened by the idea, and changes the subject.

The misconception here is that People with Autism are incapable of controlling any of there actions, and that we are to be pitied.

What are some ones you have found? Any stories?

Yeah that is frustrating. People act like we are retarded or something.

I think children and adults with autism should always do their best to be socially appropriate. Autism is no excuse for bad behavior. By the same token, if we are doing our best, we shouldn't be judged when we can't help but be inappropriate.

The most common misconeception is the whole Rain Man thing.

Pure, full blown Autism, or just any kind of condition that incorporates Autism traits i.e. Asperger Syndrome?

Well there are people out there who think we're intellectually impaired. That's usually just complete assholes who have nothing better to do than try to f**k other people's lives up though.

Misinformed people may feel we're all very similar.

No one can control their depression. What she is trying to say is people assume we are unable to learn and unable to learn what not to say like we can learn how it's rude to say to someone out of the blue they are fat. That took me a while to learn in my childhood but now I understand why it's rude to say why someone is fat. Being fat is a bad thing and it's bad for your health and people don't like to be fat so it makes them feel bad. But now my question is why isn't it rude to say someone is thin? Now being too thin is a bad thing and it's bad for your health.

Yeah, I've gotten the "unable to learn" thing, too. People think that autism always means you can never learn things, rather than that you will learn some things more slowly.

Other misconceptions...

My skill at science and math is somehow tied to my autism--despite that most of my engineering classmates are NT, and most autistics are not science/math geniuses.

Autism makes me either intelligent or mentally retarded.

Either that it's amazing that I can live on my own, or else that I shouldn't be receiving disability assistance because I can speak and don't wear diapers.

I am an "inspiration" for just living my life.

I can predict what other autistic people are thinking and feeling just because I am autistic too.

I must always be sad that I am autistic and my main goal in life must be to "overcome" it.

My entire life is defined by autism--I'm a walking DSM entry rather than an individual. Everything I do, I do because I'm autistic.

I'm not "really" different from anyone else--inside my autism, there's an NT woman.

My problems are caused by anxiety... despite that I score smack-dab average on all measuring scales of anxiety that I have have ever been evaluated on. (Misconception most likely caused by my constant fidgeting and rapid "pressured" speech that I use when I'm trying to get a concept out before I forget it.)

I'm "just looking for attention".

I really just need to find a good boyfriend.

I can't possibly be autistic because I can't tell you what day of the week you were born on.

That autism is a direct issue of intelligence. People with any degree of any symptoms can have any IQ.
Just look at Kim Paek. He seems severely autistic but he's a genius and not just in one random little talent.