Why two 'have aspergers' categories in the profiles?

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Currently there is 'have aspergers - diagnosed' and 'have aspergers - undiagnosed'. I have ran into this in other communities as well where it assumes a hierarchy. What one should someone pick if they have Asperger's (according to everyone they have talked to) but for whatever reason have not seen someone with letters after their name yet?

Why not just one 'have aspergers' category? Or 'have aspergers' and 'might have aspergers' (allowing people to choose which of the two is appropriate)?

Personally, I don't think it's fair to have two different categories for diagnosis but a lot of people here treat them like it's a big distinction.

Ultimately, unless your DX is free or unless it's going to provide you with some benefit, it's not worth pursuing it as an adult. Very important to pursue it with small children though.

Right, I am pursuing a diagnosis because I want it to assure myself of what I have concluded. Although it really is something adults should not be forced to get (especially if not covered by insurance) since it will not change day-to-day life in most cases. Having 2 categories just makes an implicit hierarchy, and I have seen the havoc that does to other communities.

People have commented about it from time to time, and sometimes people make much of the right set of initials behind the name of whomever figured it out mean more than someone just figuring it out themselves.

but after a while they lose interest and go bashing NTs instead. . .

Merle

It's there so we know who to go after first when we have our period "fake Aspie" witch hunts.

It doesn't assume any such thing. It simply informs people whether an individual has a diagnosis. That can be very useful for people who come here and want to learn more about the condition, and find out how others cope. In that case, a person doesn't want to read about the experiences of someone who thinks they have it but of someone who does have it. Only a diagnosis from a suitably qualified professional can tell you if you have it or not. Another angle on it is that many undiagnosed would feel uneasy posting if the forum set-up made it appear they were actually diagnosed. When I first started posting on AS message boards I wasn't really comfortable until I had a diagnosis, and prior to that was careful to qualify my opinions to communicate I was undiagnosed. That's related to honesty and integrity, something that I concede is in short supply these days when everyone thinks they can have what everyone else does, including it seems an AS diagnosis. I really can't think of any good reason why those who are undiagnosed should be able to hide the fact when posting here.

As an addendum, note that i'm not personally attacking you, or anyone else without a diagnosis. There are several undiagnosed people here whose posts I find interesting to read. I just strongly believe that leading others to understand you are diagnosed when you're not is plain and simple wrong. I'm also aware that certain people who post here and whose profiles indicate they have an AS diagnosis have previously posted accounts that conflict with that. Again that's wrong.

It does not assume any such thing unless people are sending you a written record about having asperger's ... if not, you only have their say-so about the diagnosis.

Ideally there could only be one category. Because people may not be comfortable with identifying until a diagnosis while others are I suggested a compromise: 'asperger's' and 'might have asperger's' (well, that second could be worded better) and let people figure out which one they more closely identify as.

I run a support group list on something else where the requirements for admittance are pretty clear. We have of way of verifying what someone claims though, only their word that it is appropriate for them to be there.

Well, the same goes for anything written here. The fact is that in the majority of cases people who say they are diagnosed are most likely in fact diagnosed. So anybody reading a sample of posts from people purporting to be diagnosed will most probably be getting a reasonably good view of the opinions of people who actually have AS. You can only reasonably go so far in a situation like this, and simply asking people to be honest about their status seems quite appropriate.

I'll add that I find your attitude rather disturbing: you don't have an AS diagnosis, yet you come here telling people who are actually diagnosed with the condition how a forum they contribute to should be run. The danger with that is that you end up with a place being run for people who think they have AS, rather than a place for people who actually have AS or associated conditions. If you want to say you have AS or a similar condition and speak as one of us, then I suggest you get a diagnosis. I, and many others here, with regard to certain issues, come to WP specifically to communicate with others with autistic spectrum disorders. We like to be sure, as far as is reasonably practical in those circumstances, that people we interact with actually do have the condition. Obviously there are other times when diagnosis isn't really relevant, such as some of PPR discussions.

Certainly, people who are undiagnosed make a valuable contribution to the site, as do people who don't actually have AS but have some of the problems associated with the condition. As you've only been here a few days, and in view of your lack of diagnosis, you might do well to consider carefully exactly how appropriate it is to request things are changed. Note again that I'm not personally "attacking" you, or questioning whether you actually have AS. I'm just commenting with regard to the information available to me.

May I say I find your attitude disturbing as well? I run several forums/email lists and I have *seen* artificial hierarchies tear communities apart. As for your statement that I need a diagnosis before I can say anything: everyone I have talked to who does not have letters after their name has agreed with my self-diagnosis and I plan on seeing someone who is paid to say it "officially" after he gets back from his holiday vacation.

Anyway, I did not mean to cause a flamewar over this and am sorry if you took it that way. This sub-forum is for giving suggestions. Note that that is what I did.

Last edited by Kara_h on 23 Dec 2008, 12:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

It's a medical condition that severely impairs a person in the ways outlined; it ain't a high school clique. "Have Asperger's - Undiagnosed" is just as silly as saying, "Have Cancer - Undiagnosed".

People saying they have Asperger's when they don't know for sure if they have it, does a disservice to those who actually have it; the same with any medical condition.

"Not sure if I have it or not" is good.

"Other Autism Spectrum Disorder" should be replaced with "Kanner's" and "PDD-NOS" (that's two different ones).

kara_h
I don't see WP.net being 'torn apart' any time soon. Perhaps you missed it when registering but we have more than two designations for AS, and one is 'don't know if I have it or not'.

This forum is for everyone that is interested in AS. We simply have the vast majority of people who are AS posting. I belong to a few internet forum sites for managing sites like this and notice we have little to no commonality with trying to attract members, keep members posting and the like. Flame wars are extinguished before they start because the people we attract see WP as a haven away from those other sites that do not have adequate accommodations for AS.

Welcome kara_h, we welcome you to WP.net.

Merle

Last edited by sinsboldly on 23 Dec 2008, 10:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Note I've been incorrectly quoted above. You need to amend your quotes, sinsboldly.

[done 12/23/08 by sinsboldly]

I think I'll run out and make an appointment right now.

I need to get the opinion of a qualified professional about whether or not I don't have any friends, about whether I get treated with distaste and contempt by damn near everybody I encounter, unless they want money from me.

I'm not sure whether or not I would experience just as much intimacy with others in a solitary confinement cell. I need to ask a professional.

I guess maybe it's normal that people can't concentrate on driving when there's music playing, but I can't figure out why cars always come with stereo systems.

I might be imagining things. It might be that there's a lot of people with an overwhelming interest in the early history of Hasidic Judaism, after all, there's been two or three legitimate books written about it in the last thirty years.

I think the diagnosed/undiagnosed distinction is a good idea. If somebody has a high regard for the mental health profession, it strongly suggests to me that they're lacking in good judgment.

I'm not going to rehash my thoughts on this, but I actually wrote a blog on my thoughts of people using self diagnosis when it comes to aspergers.

link?

agreed.
though for other asd-it is possible someone with autism other than classic or pddnos could be,or could use wp-such as F-X,am used to live with a man with fragile x who probably would have used WP given the chance,he wasnt profoundly FX,wonder how many do use forums.
what about those with CDD as well,are there any using the internet? and retts,there are retts girls using internet-can think of one at least [the rett devil].