Is Asperger's Syndrome a curse or a blessing?

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A Blessing and a Curse:
http://www.amazon.com/Blessing-Curse-Au ... 184310573X

It has been mostly a blessing. I truly believe that everything God creates about me has a purpose, even if it might not be obvious. Asperger's is no exception.

In a way, I enjoy my ability to think in ways that most people cannot normally do and it has given me a great imagination and an ability to analyze. However, in exchange for these strengths, my social skills and communication skills were lowered. For what was strengthened, something else was weakened, just how blind people tend to have a heightened ability to hear.

However, it hasn't been easy for me, but sometimes the best blessings are also the ones that hurt you the most, but in the end makes you stronger and brings you more happiness like marriage and children.

I truly cannot see me as any other way and I am thankful for who I was created to be. I couldn't have it any other way. If there ever was a cure, I would simply refuse.

It's a curse and a blessing. The blessing for me is that I'm intelligent, authentic(or so I'm told) and I can see things from a different angle. The curse is the anti-social aspect of AS.

I was thinking of that book when I saw this topic.

It is only a curse because us Aspies are in the minority, and we're constantly under pressure to fit the mould of "normality" that's created by NTs, unless we withdraw from society.

It's also a blessing because we can see things from a more unique perspective, we can see extra detail, we can hyperfocus, and we have enhanced senses along with some Synesthesia which NTs don't have unless they take drugs like Marijuana and LSD. We should cherish our abilities and gifts.

It's both.

A blessing because of above average intelligence (although I haven't reached my potential).

A curse because of struggles I have because of low emotional intelligence, problems in personal and work relationships.

I'd call it more a curse than a blessing. My special interests are of no practical use - they are even detrimental in one case.
I can't live up to my potential, I'm stuck in a dead-end job even though I know I am capable of doing more. Taking the actions necessary to improve my job is difficult. Getting a job in the first place was almost impossible.
I was diagnosed with "Social Phobia" when I was young (which, now that I know I have Aspergers, would seem to be but a facet of that) and that anxiety when it comes to interacting with people - in this case applying for a job - is incredibly debilitating in terms of trying to improve my life.

Honestly, being an undiagnosed aspie hasn't helped me in the least. Sure I've got a high IQ, but I've never managed to harness it for anything useful.

For me, it's definitely a curse. Over time, though, I have learned to embraced my strengths.

As I have mild traits, I don't mind so much. I think it is a blessing to be able to think the way I do! Hahaha! I feel that I see life in a different way and have more creativity than other folks I know.

(Autistic self-importance)

For me it’s a curse I am not good with numbers, I am not a genius, I do not have a photographic memory, and I will never hold a descent-paying job. I seem to have all the negative aspects of Aspergers and none of the gifts. What I hate the most is my not liking to be touched or to touch people. I feel uncomfortable touching or being touched by my own family and will most likely die alone. I roll my eyes every time I hear someone call it a gift. They are either very lucky to score some of the positive traits or they are some sad person lying to themselves to make them feel better.

Exactly how I am. I've got the bad side of it too. I'm not clever, and being the only Aspie in my large family makes it even worse.

I always get from my family "your blowing things out of proportion" or "your making it worst for yourself". They even told me "you have always been like that, why can't you see the bright side of things?". My family and my parent's friends are always saying you were such a clever child you just gave up." None of my family think my Aspergers is a bad thing they always say at least it did not make me like those autistic people who beat themselves in the head when touched. But they freak out when I have a violent meltdown when I beat my hand into pulp against a concrete wall then when its over they pretend like nothing happened. Yup thats normal behavior. They find excuses for my lack of eye contact, my social anxiety, and my hatred of being touched they always say your just really shy. Not shy but cursed with Aspergers.

It has always been a curse. However, I've been told by everyone I know that I deal with it better than most other aspies that they've met. I have slowly started to cope with social situations such as parties to watch UFC pay-per-views. It's still hell but I can handle it. Just sorta fade into the background and everyone forgets that you're even there.

That is the only good way I can look at it as. I may have AS, but at least I can hide it more, and come across as normal, like them. If I was really severely Autistic and my parents brought me to special family get-togethers, all I'll be doing is sitting there making loud noises and rocking backwards and forwards really bad, and shaking my head and arms about, and just really standing out from the rest. And they'll just be speaking to me like a baby. They'll be saying (in a soppy tone), ''do you want to sit in the lounge, Josie?'' and I'll be just shaking my head and preferring to sit in a dark, quiet room, perhaps even underneath a table. And if anyone touches me I'll be hitting myself......
I'm glad I'm not like that. So glad. When I go to special family get-togethers, I sit comfortably and chat and laugh, like they do. I get a couple of drinks, and like to sit with them, not caring if I'm touched slightly, or if the lights are on, or if it's a tad noisy. Well, even if it was too noisy for me, I'll try to bare with it. Or I'll just get up and go out of the room if I got that bothered, which I try not to do because I don't like alienating myself from people, whether it's family or not. And if I really didn't want to come in the lounge or something when asked, I'll be able to say, ''no thank you - maybe in a little while.''
So anyway, I feel happy that I can relate to my family, and I can be like them, and I can join in like normal, and that I'm not locked in my own world forever. That's the only good way you can look at just having AS as. I just say ''I'm not far from normal''. I may have a few difficulties what others don't have, and having AS may not be normal (because most people don't have it) but that doesn't mean I'm completely seperated from the NT world.

I still wouldn't say it's a blessing - not in a million years. I'll still rather not be the one with it, but what I've said above is the only ''silver lining'' AS has with me.

It is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because we're able to escape the expectations of today and tomorrow because we can see things that others can't see. A curse because our strong personalities and seeking of truth can sometimes cause us to hurt the ones we love. Today I almost ruined one of my best friendships because of my Asperger's. All humans are equal, without my NT friends I would alone, mumbling to myself about computers, cars, or something else. But without me, from what I've been told, they would be lost because they would have given in to social pressure. Something that I never do. Everything has a balance and everyone has a place in this world, I can tell you right now that I would never want to live in a world full of people with Asperger's. Yes we might be more intelligent on average, personally I have an IQ of 154. But we would never get anything done because we would stand around talking about the significance of actually enacting our ideas. Or we would be too strong headed to actually listen to anyone lol. Yeah, it's a curse and a blessing as are most things. Part of life is learning to accept your limitations, your evils, and your blessings.

I view it as more of a curse than a blessing because we are living in a world that wasn't made for us. Yeah a lot of us are smart and intelligent, but in the real world social skills are much more important then intelligence. Speaking for myself, I know that I'm socially retarted, so much so that I can't even hold down a job for long right now. Not because I lack intelligence, but because of my lack of social skills and sensory problems keep me down as an outcast in this world. I almost feel like those who view it as a blessing aren't being completely honest with themselves, that or they are just higher-functioning then I am. I just can't come to terms with myself to call this a blessing.