Documentary about Asperger

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Yeah, I just finished watching it. I, too, found myself doubting how aspie I am a few times. Then I remembered to realize that how I see myself is not always how I really am and that aspies come in all shapes, textures, and colors.

It maybe that it's just my reflexive nature to disconnect from something so ungainly similar to me because I had learned to hate that part of me since I was a kid. I've layered my aspieness with so much anger, depression, narcissism, and superficial camaflouge that I can dissassociate from my aspieness when it's convenient and not persistent. This, of course, is not healthy. But in my particular environment and upbring, it was either conform or be narcissistic--acceptance and growth were things to distrust within my family and particular cultural mileau. So perhaps I was able to both conform enough and be narcisstic enough to hide my aspie nature, but in all honesty, I wish I didn't have to hide my aspie nature and just accept myself and grow.

I may not have been as outwardly aspie as Nicky, but I've payed the price for this "camaflouge" with depression, anger, and intense narcissism over the years. I hope Nicky doesn't follow the road I've been on and I can see he already has something I didn't, a more intelligent, open-minded family and cultural mileau (NY). I hope he finds his place in this world.

My apologies for over-using the words "depression", "anger", and "narcissism". I'm currently not in a good mood.

Going by the article, he's pretty mid-functioning for someone with AS (I say the same for myself).

Anyone, what's his speech like?

thank to Matrix I could see some footage in the web. It seems good; it's available in DVD but at an unaffordable price. I will try to get it on some specialized theatre.

His intonation seemed a bit singsong, as of someone trying to inflect but unsure how it's done, and a tendency to attempt to dominate any conversation, at least until he believes the other person understands his point. The vocabulary was also a bit stilted, with a heavy reliance on the word "glamorous" (which his ideal world would be).

I did like the way one older gentleman in the meeting explained the use of television, though - it gives us a framework in which to cognitively analyze standard human interactions, without the messiness of actually dealing with the real NTs.

Thanks DeaconBlues,

I like watching people who are on the spectrum via filmed media; when I'm around those on the spectrum in person, I cannot interact with them any better than normal people, so I don't pick anything up.

I can understand social interaction when I'm viewing it from afar (see: I hold a microscope).

We both watched it and were pretty horrified at him. There's something else wrong there, not just Aspergers, obviously.

We cracked up seeing ourselves in the reactions of the other Aspies in the support group, wishing the other person would shut up so that they could talk about their fixation, and rocking. And Data! Hahahaha YES!

IMO, fabshelly, the primary problem Nicky has, aside from AS, is parents who coddled their "little genius" just a bit too much as a child, allowing him to develop such unrealistic expectations as getting his "dream job" first crack out of the box, while not letting his sister give him a proper appreciation for privacy. (Believe me, siblings can really help that one sink in!) He was never permitted to know boundaries, and of course he's not going to pick up on them now...

I watched it last night, but im nothing like nicky..I guess thats because he has aspergers and I have autism...although i can see a small bit of myself in him but nothing really major..I handflap,spin,rock,walk on my tip toes, although my speech is much better the nicky's i can talk fine and attened college and i am married...but yet im very autistic...i guess thats why its a spectrum..everyone is all over the spectrum with bits and pieces from each area... ...i relate better to those with classic or mid functioning autism then i do to those with aspergers...i have sensory issues,and more stimming habits...eh who knows..mybe we are all just crazy haha (joking of course not meant to hurt anyone)

it comes on GPB (georgia public brodcasting) Saturday the 12th at 1 am... luckily my parents won't be home so i can watch it (otherwise the tv would wake them up).

he has the same name as me..

I think he's a perfect example of someone with Asperger's who has never had to learn to work around his limitations. He's almost a "pure" aspie. His family has known that he's had problems since he was an infant, and they've protected him from anything and everything.

A few of the moments documented felt less like Asperger's and more like a spoiled/coddled child. Most people (even aspies) learn in their first or second job not to argue with their supervisors, especially over something as trivial as keeping a magazine at their desk. I did things like that at a couple of my first jobs as a teenager (I specifically remember getting busted once for playing Gameboy Tetris at work), but once you get busted a couple of times, you adjust your rules. Or, at least, I did. (I have a Gameboy in my bookbag, but I would never play it during the work day.)

I'll admit - I was a little disappointed by the show. In fairness, I was distracted by something I was working on, so I was kind of in and out. But I felt myself wishing it were more like a Nova special on Asperger's than this sort of "personal journey". When they showed the support group, I thought to myself how much I'd like to hear their stories. I didn't feel any empathy for the guy, so he just didn't hold my attention. (Seriously, who puts their trash in a cup and lays it on top of a phone booth as they walk by, despite all of the trash cans in the vicinity?)

There were definitely pieces here and there that I related to, but I just couldn't get past the fact that I thought the guy was a douchebag. Maybe I'll catch it again this weekend so that I can see it without the distraction.

I saw the preview ADHD came to mind.

As did I; he's a hyperactive "aspie", it's common, I see many children at Attwood's who are the same.

brightlined,

An "aspie" is doing really well if he/she works; most don't work.