RedTape0651 wrote:
Mw99 wrote:
It is true that Asperger's Syndrome causes social awkwardness, but to assume that a socially awkward person has a high likelihood of having Asperger' Syndrome --just because he or she is socially awkward-- is ridiculous. It might sound hard to believe, but the first thought that comes into a lot of people's minds when they hear the words "socially awkward" is "Asperger's Syndrome."
I'm going to have to disagree with you on this. There are still a lot of people who have no idea what Asperger's Syndrome is. And, despite this forum, most people diagnosed with AS today are being children brought into a psychologist or doctor by their parents, and are not adults going to seek help on their own free will.
You're certainly right there! I didn't know what AS was until a few years ago! And people have known I was socially awkward, had no interest in sports, couldn't catch, etc... for YEARS and NEVER mentioned autism or AS!! !!
RedTape0651 wrote:
Mw99 wrote:
Here's a brief list of conditions that also cause social awkwardness:
Low intelligence.
High intelligence.
High intelligence does not cause social awkwardness. If anything intelligence could help someone figure out how to behave socially.
OOOPS! You fell into the trap! You can be VERY intelligent with some things, and an IDIOT on others! High intelligence means you look for people you feel are better, and almost have to compromise on some things. That limits your choices, but does NOT mean you are better socially. The result? It IS harder!
RedTape0651 wrote:
Mw99 wrote:
Immaturity.
Attitude.
Schizophrenia.
Personality Disorders.
ADD/ADHD.
Of course, almost noone wants to attribute their social problems to a psychiatric disorder, low intelligence or a flaw of character; so it's not suprising that when an Oprah/Dr.Phil-educated armchair psychologist labels them Aspergeans, and reassures them that their problem is not a problem, but just a variation in the way they interpret the world, they feel ennobled and redeemed; the blame for their faults swiftly shifts from their own selves towards an abstraction.
The truth is that Asperger's Syndrome is just another fad, like depression and ADD/ADHD. In fact, most people who think they have Asperger's Syndrome probably don't have it, because self-awareness is pretty much inconsistent with the nature of Asperger's Syndrome. Do you feel empathy towards other "aspies" on this forum? Most likely, that means you don't have Asperger's Syndrome. Aspergeans are known for lacking empathy, and saying that an Aspergean feels empathy is almost as ludicrous as saying that a narcissist has low self-esteem; that's just not the way these labels were defined.
For those reasons, I think most people on this forum don't have Asperger's Syndrome.
Uh, you are forgetting that social difficulty is not the only symptom of AS, which many of us likely have. There are also:
-Poor motor coordination and dyspraxia
-Sensory Issues (which could be termed abilities since Aspies can often sense things that others cannot)
YEP! If it was only shyness, I would figure BIG DEAL! A fancy and misleading name for a common problem. I DO have other problems, like certain motor and sensory issues. I still consider the social ineptness my only REAL problem though.
RedTape0651 wrote:
These issues, which have nothing to do with social behavior, are often difficulties for Aspies. For whatever we think of Christopher Gillberg, those non-social difficulties are accounted for by his diagnostic criteria.
Yeah, but they are accounted for by EVERYONES criteria! Gillberg also has some pretty dumb requirements few others have. Ones that NEGATE the need to have AS as a diagnosis!! !!
02 Feb 2008, 11:43 am
