If there was a "cure" to autism/aspergers would u?

Post Reply New Topic

Did you create this entire thread in order to tell everyone who responded a certain way that we just can't think of all the possibilities?

If it cured me? No.
If it killed me? Yes please.

There is a cure for autism. It's called applied behaviour analysis.

There's nothing worse then being normal.

No. I've spent 44 years getting successful in life with high functioning autism, and have no desire to re-do life as an NT.

Charles

This might get rid of the obvious sympthoms, but you'll still be "autistic" you'll still carry the gene and pass it along to the next generation, it's not a cure.

Or, for example, i have eczema, but I use an immuno suppresent to get rid of the obvious sympthoms, to the outside observer I don't have eczema anymore, but I do still have it in me, in my genes, I'm not cured, I'm just well treated.

That's like calling an artificial heart a cure for congestive heart failure. It's a work around, not a cure.

Last edited by wavefreak58 on 20 Apr 2011, 12:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.

No, I would not take a cure if it existed. Although I have challenges, I am satisfied with who I am. I enjoy my life with autism. So...no cure for me.

I don't wish to be like my same sex NT peers who are female, thank you. No cure for me.

Here, here! I agree completely!

BTW OP, what is the secret knowledge that we're failing to consider? 3rd eye blind?

Yes, I would not hesitate to take the "cure" to autism/aspergers.

Really, now. From reading your posts on this thread it sounds like you want other autistic people to say "Yes, I want a cure" and here you appear to be rationalizing why few have. This kind of post is really annoying, and this isn't the first I've seen. Too many people here - autistic and NT - seem to think it's appropriate to retreat into "You're too autistic to understand this" when they don't get the replies they want, and it doesn't really achieve anything and is probably wrong in the first place.

I should just quote what Callista said as she outlines how I feel about this question, but I would also add that I don't see the point of such thought exercises because this kind of thing was behind so much of my depression.

Also, being hindered is part of the human condition. Everyone works within certain constraints and those constraints can at the same time cause problems and lead to much that is beautiful in the world. I once heard it compared to different poetic forms like the sonnet, which can be highly restrictive and yet when done right can be amazing. There are many less common forms of poetry, that also can be amazing when done right -- the fact that they are not the most common does not mean that they are any less valid. Everyone in the world operates and thinks within certain limitations. Autism gives me certain limitations while freeing me from others. I am fine with this, despite how extreme some of those limitations can be. Many other people have limitations that lead them to not understand why I value certain things in my life that they have never experienced. These things go both ways. All we can do within our limitations (and this goes for everybody), is try to make our lives the equivalent of a good sonnet, sestina, or whatever form we're restricted to.

I have a feeling many autistic people are sestinas, villanelles, or other forms with various repetitive elements. Although I bet we can also be some of the sparse, elegant forms too.

I totally agree with this. I processed sensory information very differently as a kid, and most people would percieve the loss of these vivid sensory experiences as a positive part of my life or a step towards me becoming "normal". However, these experiences were very meaningful to me, and I even secretly mourned their loss. It's frustrating trying to explain this to people who have never experienced heightened senses that I valued them, because they only saw them as maladaptive.

Why are you assuming that being autistic is being "inside a box"? It's more likely a set that overlaps part of the set called "normal," and intersects parts of sets that don't intersect with "normal," some of those which intersect with "good" and some with "bad."

Maybe NT's are missing out, for all anyone knows.

(and if the universe is closed, and it's a really, really big box, then "outside the box" and "inside the box" become indistinguishable, so there's that, too)

No, having AS (or "communication disorder" at least; see my sig) is a complete non-issue for me these days, and if anything, I'm glad I have it. In case you're wondering why, check my age and of what most people my age are like.