Autism Misconceptions

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He also reads like 20 times faster than normal people.

1. That we're all like the children in the Autism Everyday video on You Tube that was made for Autism Speaks.

2. That the more you post about your special interest on WP, the lower functioning you are. You are the only people that I share my love for all things London with. I don't go on about that stuff with my friends or family. I talk to them about things that are more socially acceptable, like I have for over 20 years.

Here is a misconception people have about people:

"If someone acts differently from other people that means they are mentally retarded." Not true.

Other autism misconceptions:

People with autism are all asexual or all homosexual.

People with autism are static. They don't change.

Having autism means you're a people hater.

How about the misconception that aspies are just as capable as NTs but choose not to live out those capabilities.

The most controversial: empathy and humor.

I can make people laugh. And I laugh a lot. I just would rather talk about social awkwardness than tease or make fun of someone. Or I'd rather make fun of myself. That's always fun.
And as long as I can see a part of myself in others, I have empathy. (This goes on and off, depending on the day. Today's a good empathy day.)

Also, the inability to pick up on social cues. My professor just told me that I am really good at this... but almost too good in that I'm overly nervous and concerned with the slightest facial gesture. The idea that people with AS cannot learn to have tact and manners is preposterous. I had to learn the hard way but I did!

Also, the inability to communicate ideas. I find this the most offensive. Yes, some people refuse to believe that autistic persons can articulate anything of substance. That is retarded.

Last edited by lovecholie on 27 Feb 2009, 2:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.

i heard that aspie peeps use way too much toilet paper for one sitting

im talkin like 5-6 squares per wipe and 10-15 wipes

so at least aspies have clean buttholes

1: All children are like that.

2: Where did you get this idea?

3: I hope you mean this as a misconception?

yo i dunno be easy

i use only 4 squares and wipe 8 times so obviously im ok

there are so many untrue or outdated beliefs of autism,and often they come from the autistic community as well.

It isn't very fair when some complain about aspies not being accepted as autistic,but they also are not accepting/of the many autistics who are MR to some level,aspies may not have MR,but MR is part of autism for all the other ASDs for many.


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here's a few common ones that am experience or come across [often on wp and other aut related places as well as amongst those who have nothing to do with autism]:

*There are no non verbal autistics online,non verbal autistics are not able to use forums/text.
-very common on aut forums,never seperating language impairment from non verbalism/speech impairment,a autie can be non verbal/speech impaired but have any level of language impairment from profoundly to the standard language difficulties,language ability and verbal ability are not the same thing.

*no one online is lfa.
-usually this is because people think lfa means having profound-severe MR as well as being completely unable to communicate,people do not have much experience of it outside child age which is also why people always say 'an LFA child' for comparing with a HFA adult.

*No one in the autistic community wants a cure or something similar,it's just amongst the autism community.
-There are quite a lot of pro cure and pro choice autistics,especially with some severe aspies,and auties further down the spectrum due to having to cope with being strongly impaired globally,and with a lower quality of life.

*Autistics in residential care get everything done for them.
-That used to be what happened years ago,but now autists are expected to do as much as able to do,including prof/auties because social services and other agencies want autists to be as able and less reliant as possible,it all depends on the staff as some will do everything for some clients just for a quiet life or because they misjudge abilities.

*Autistics who are noise sensitive are obviously faking it if they are noisy themselves.
-am not reffering to situation with self,but have lived with auties and sev/aspies who are very noisy but noise sensitive,of one whom am have often wrote about on here,she would scream at am to set off seizures and meltdowns whenever she didn't get her own way from staff,but was the first to complain about kids shouting and said she wanted to get a gun and shoot them because of their noise-it's not that auties/aspies are faking noise when like this,it seems to be easier to cope with when its come from self=predictible,am find it a little easier when the noise has come from self.

I'm guilty of that. I regularly create blockages due to my shocking disregard for efficiency and resourcefulness. It also causes pain from excessive and redundant wipeage (why is this word not in the dictionary?). Softer, more luxury brands of paper go to partway remedy this.

On the upside, underwear stains (colloquially referred to as "skidmarks") see a vast reduction in frequency.

I also spend toilet paper when wiping my ding dong, to prevent spillage. Spillage most foul! Am I alone in this?

I used to do that too. I would use a bunch of TP to wipe down there. One time my mother yelled at me about it and showed me how much I am supposed to use and told me I do not use a whole bunch and I don't need to.

- if you have MR, you can't talk, type, create logical deductions and inductions, understand anything, have insight into self, form opinions that are "worth" more than someone without such; you can't speak for yourself, and you need constant care
- you can't learn if you have MR (I just learnt how to change a car battery without instruction; too easy)
- if you have no empathy, you're an uncaring and uncompassionate monster who is probably on his way to being a serial killer (over exaggeration, but you know), or at least someone who doesn't feel or care for people/animals
- if you have Asperger's Disorder, you can easily become independent, 'cause after all, you have the intelligence!
- if you have Asperger's Disorder you have a high IQ
- if you have Asperger's Disorder, you can't lie, steal, cheat, and do other less-than-stellar moral actions

No.

Theory of Mind. I see people here using extraordinary amounts of Theory of Mind explaining why they do not have Theory of Mind. Call it something else, please!

Many misconceptions come to mind.

- Asperger's syndrome is not real, it's just a made-up disease, used to justify bad behavior.
- Everyone on the autism spectrum lacks empathy.
- Everyone on the autism spectrum either has mental retardation or is a genius.
- Auties who can't talk can't read or write either.
- Non-verbal auties understand very little and can't learn.
- All aspies are naive, gullible and unable to lie.
- All aspies are nerds.
- Asperger's syndrome is a childhood disorder (something you grow out of when you grow up).
- Everyone who has autism has the same characteristics and needs.
- Adults on the spectrum are like children and need to be treated as such.
- If a person on the autism spectrum can function in one situation, they can function in the next situation too. If they can't, they're faking it or using ASD as an excuse.