Child abuse confused with Aspergers

Post Reply New Topic

That's what some of this discussion sounds like. Don't be lured by old fashioned leaning psychs that want to place all blame on parenting. the "refrigerator mother" and other such theories have been resoundingly refused by the professional/academic community.

That said, the professional/academic community resoundingly agrees that many aspies have symptoms of trauma and/or abuse (not necessarily the same and may be due to inherent (in)abilities to cope with stressors).

It is pointless and tiresome because nothing new ever gets said, and people who think they know better continually wag their fingers at those who did self-diagnose, even though they are themselves not professionals, and seem to reject self-diagnosis more as a matter of ideology than any kind of factual basis.

And it is simply wrong that it is impossible to diagnose yourself. It is quite possible, and it is not always (or necessarily) often wrong. Tony Attwood says that the vast majority of AS self-diagnoses are probably accurate, and am I really going to take the word of someone on the internet over the professionals they insist are the only ones capable of making such a determination?



I never claimed that it is an interesting and special thing to have, so I do not know why you're telling me something for "my" information.



So, do you have any actual evidence that this is going on, or is it simply an assumption on your part? It seems to me that most people who self-diagnose do so because they're trying to understand problems they've had in their own lives. It seems pointlessly trivializing to try to turn it into some kind of "special snowflake" thing.

As someone whose self-diagnoses were confirmed professionally, I do not find it remotely convincing that self-diagnosis is necessarily wrong or to be avoided or impossible.

I think it's because of where I grew up, too. Northern, rural, industrial. But, oh, yeah, my Mom is in a 50's time warp, still. To be "libby" was something awful - and still awful to her. Yes, your last sentence here makes a lot of sense to me. Considering the people I grew up with and some from some pretty tough situations, I was starkly different.

I didn't move to the Northeast until my last year in college. I was brought up in Toledo OH in a lower middle class blue collar neighborhood/family. (Urban dying/industrial.)

I grew up in the Canadian north - a "blink and you'll miss it" camp town - right out in the wilds with moose and bears

I grew up in a heavily populated city. And I still know I have AS.

I'm just pending assessment, but look at my signature and you'll see that I have had a professional confirmation already, the highly qualified and experienced-in-the-field professional (who also happens to have AS) is just not legally allowed to call it a diagnosis because they are not a clinician. They have confirmed AS in many individuals who all went on to get clinical diagnoses in the Neurobehavioural Clinic. I went to this person having self-diagnosed and technically I am still undiagnosed.

I had a brain scan at the age of twelve which I have now found out has all the tell-tale signs of the scans of autistic children. I've also had a professional say in writing that I have overlap with autism spectrum behaviours.

Further verification for me is that my two daughters are pending AS assessment based on their behaviours reported by me (I've already had one paediatrician confirm the presence of features seen in autism spectrum condition for the youngest).

My children are having a totally different upbringing and childhood background to the one I had.

Like I said earlier in the thread, OPs sweeping statement does not apply to many who have self-diagnosed.

I would be willing to bet that a large proportion of diagnosed people had previously self-diagnosed.

I have self diagnosed as Aspie, and had two psychiatrists tell me that I "probably" have it. I was also abused as a child, so I'm going for counseling and therapy before they give me a definite diagnosis. My two Aspie children though, have been through no abuse.

I'm sure they share similar symptoms in regards to a few specific things but think of how broadly a person with an ASD is affected...it's not just a small facet of their existence, but is present in almost everything. they do I mean, just looking at the diagnosis criteria for Asperger's...you can't be diagnosed without a "restricted repetitive & stereotyped pattern of behavior, interests and activities." I'm not absolutely positive, but I find it unlikely that that's often a side-effect of an abusive childhood. I was only verbally abused as a child (though not to any extreme extent) and most instances were in fact related to my either 'not getting' things (misunderstanding of a chore or instructions, etc.) or misbehavior...both of which may have been exacerbated by an autism spectrum disorder.

It appears that many in this topic have misread what I wrote. A sweeping generalisation of self-diagnosis? Where? I merely passed on what the clinical psychologist told me regarding abuse and AS and pointed out that those who have self-diagnosed may in fact be suffering the after-effects of abuse. Some posters seem to be panicking as if I've just kicked down the front door to their inner sanctum.

Damn, people! Don't get so defensive!

Thank you. I really wish people on this site would stop being prudish, judgemental a**holes towards anyone who is self diagnosed. A psychologist confirmed what either you or your parents already suspected, good for you. Get the f**k over it.

Erm, perhaps it's got something to do with this?



Or it could be this?

I am sorry that your actual point got lost under another round of self-diagnosis debate. To be fair, however, you directly introduced that notion in your first post.

I think you're reading a lot of emotion that isn't present, also. I responded to the comments about self-diagnosis, and I certainly did not panic.

Yes... AS seems to have many traits in common with other disorders including child abuse. That's why it's important to get a formal diagnosis for some people who really want to be sure about what they have and get the appropriate treatment. I'd argue though that others have different goals and may just want more self-knowledge, so a formal diagnosis is not worth it for them. Personally I had no idea what I have and still question my AS traits sometimes so I wouldn't have come up with an AS diagnosis by myself (I do not fit the stereotypes at all...). So I don't question other people who say they feel as if they have autistic traits because I just can't tell what's going on in their life. I also see some more pronounced traits in my siblings who grew up in the same environment as me, like lack of facial expression and lack of reciprocity, yet they seem to recognize social cues more easily, even if they seem more reserved at times. So I'm convinced that it's possible to have both child abuse and AS as well...

It is possible and not necessarily uncommon:

http://preview.tinyurl.com/amm6kdm

This is something I wondered about a long time ago, I suffered terrible abuse and neglect, physical violence, most of my time locked alone in my room, Children's homes.
So I wondered if childhood neglect can bring about AS symptoms.

Now my Swedish niece is a psychology student and she seems to think it is quite well known that Childhood abuse can give rise to Aspergers, seems the parts of the brain that dont develop due to the lack of parental Love and neglect, are the same as found in Aspergers.
Other parts of the brain overdevelop to compensate.

Having said that, my real Father who was not responsible for my upbringing, he comes across as having some autistic tendencies.

Does it matter too much if we arrive at the same place via different roads traveled?
.

PTSD is treatable in ways that autism is not, and vice versa. It does make a difference.