Kraichgauer wrote:
aghogday wrote:
Kraichgauer wrote:
Of course you don't have to be an intellectual to be happy. In fact, the more you know about the world and the human condition, the less likely you're going to be happy. But my heroes have always been conflicted, depression ridden persons. Probably because that describes my late Dad to a tee.
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
Sigh.
Me too. My father was the working class, nothing could get him down, type of person; my mother is the eternal optimist regardless of circumstances. But, on the other hand my grandfather was a conflicted genius type that accomplished notable things in history, but died at a relatively young age.
For the longest time my grandfather and my rich accomplished uncle were the people I looked up to. Not too long ago, I found out my Rrch uncle was suicidal with extreme highs and extreme lows most of his life. I would have never known by external appearances.
At this, point, though, at my fathers age of 79, and my mother at age 77. I see that his and her accomplishment was a long balanced life. I have come to understand, that a balanced life, no matter how one achieves it, is an accomplishment beyond all others.
Actually, my Dad was a working class guy too. But he was extremely intelligent, and despite having only one year of college under his belt, he was otherwise self educated, and he could talk with you about virtually any subject. But his whole life he struggled with depression, paranoia, and outbursts of rage. I personally believe my Dad had Asperger's, though he had never been diagnosed.
-Bill, otherwise known as Kraichgauer
Yes, I am also pretty sure my father had Aspergers too, and likely my grandfather, my fathers twin brother and his son. My sister in my current avatar has it.
My fathers special interests were guns, NASCAR, and knives. And never had friends, only acquaintances at work. The only time he showed real emotion was when his cat died. He never seemed up and never seemed down just the same, same, same. He might have said a few sentences at a time to my sister and I, but small talk was impossible for him.
It was obvious to me that it was all inside of him somewhere; he just couldn't get it out.
I don't think I would have wanted any other father, but neither my sister or myself ever had the opportunity to really get to know him. But, on the other hand when I was so busy in life, I thought I knew myself well, but never had time to even think about myself very much.
I would imagine that the cases of HFA and Aspergers in the general adult population is much, much higher than what is reported, rather than the assumption that is overdiagnosed.
It is already evident that most people that are diagnosed with Aspergers dont hold steady employment. How in the world would the rest of them most people with HFA or Aspergers even have the opportunity for a diagnosis without health care, other than a disability avenue that doesn't go far to diagnosis it.
I would imagine with Obamacare we will see a rise in diagnosed cases.
I'm not so sure it is a matter increasing cases of Aspergers so much as it is a culture where people with Aspergers have a much harder time of adapting to, than in the historical past.
If I had passed away at age 46, no one would have ever known I had a form of Autism, they would have just remembered me as that guy that was quite a bit different than most everyone else.
Anyway, another tangent here by me.
04 May 2011, 1:52 pm
