Will there ever be a cure for AS?

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I don't want a cure. I'm who I am and there's nothing I can do about it.

As soon as left-handedness is cured

I feel for you, dude.

But-- Willard is smart. Willard has lived a long time and been through many things. Willard has my respect and admiration. Listen to Willard.

Don't sit around crying and wishing for a cure. There may be one someday-- God knows they're trying. I hear they're doing interesting things with electroconvulsive therapy and magnetism (though I think I'll pass on the ECT-- sounds like another one of those things that fails the cost-benefit analysis). I am one of those who would be in line to try it...

...but I'd be near the middle of the line, waiting to see how it worked out for the first adopters. Because there is a very real possibility that the cure could be worse than the disease.

In any case, there ain't a cure here and now, today. There are antidotes to the misery. They are called getting out and living life. Screwing up, picking yourself up and dusting yourself off, learning from your mistakes, and trying again. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Harsh as this sounds, they are called You Are Very Young. You Are Still Young Enough For Thirty Percent To Be A Huge Deal. That Gap Will Close. You Are Very Young, And If You Spend Your 20's Working Hard At Developing Skills and Building A Life, Aspie Life Starts Getting Better Somewhere Around 30.

That is very harsh, and impossible for you to believe where you are at right now. That is outside your experience. Where you are, once I was. I remember. But it's still true.

They are called letting a long-distance relationship that is full of conflict and misery end, and looking for a better fit a little closer to home. Seriously-- I remember the time when Being In A Relationship was some Holy Grail. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, and maybe it's easy for a married SAHM of four to say, but older and wiser I realize how completely and totally idiotic that attitude was when I had it.

This is exactly how I feel

If Asperger's was more common that what it is, it might not be as bad. Like if 25% of the population had it enough to get diagnosed, then probably most people you know would most probably know at least one person with it, either relatives or friends or work colleagues. Then it would be more known, and people won't just assume you've got all these stereotypes and speak to you like you're 3 years old, but will just try to get to know you properly and even include you in their activities and to not be embarrassed.

I think Asperger's will also be more bearable to live with if the general NT social standards were more flexible too.

I wouldn't want to be cured. To me Asperger's / autism is a double edged sword. While it comes with many, many challenges it also comes with many, many gifts.

My gifts have allowed me to have a great career in engineering building all sorts of things. I have artistic abilities as well that have given me great enjoyment over the years.

Is life difficult - sure it is. It is for lots of NT's as well. I've lost a few friends this year to cancer and other illnesses and their problems were far worse than anything I've ever had to endure.

Life's what we make it for the short time we have. So enjoy - be happy in who you are, and if people go out of their way to make things easier or better for you, consider yourself fortunate.

I actually moved to Portland oregon recently and have been living as a homeless youth here. There are more aspies in my general vacinity than neurotypicals. in my living space there are three other youth who are diagnosed asperger's. at the shelter I stayed at prior to this there were about fifteen in a group of thirty youth that were obviously aspies.

this is kinda sad because it shows that most likely the cause of their homelessness it their asperger's but it is also hopeful to me because with so many numbers, we have a chance to change our environment rather than be changed by it this time. Currently I am making it known to everyone around me that I am and Aspie and Im not going to change.