Thought experiment: would you mind stepping up in severity?
So, in answer to the question, I doubt I would still be 'me' to be more severe in the first place. I would be a person who is similar to me in many respects, but more severe.
Yay, pedantry! But there is meaning in there somewhere, I promise.
now THAT is something I have pondered a great deal my entire life.. wishing I were other people and then realizing that if I were someone else, I wouldn't be me, so the wish was irrelevant. Never did figure the whole thing out, though.
Although the queston is theoretically interesting, I can't really answer.I'm a mother. Being lower functioning would make it harder on me and I would be less capable. I often feel like being more autistic, in the sense of indulging in certain behaviors, but I force myself out of it for my children.
I guess my answer goes: if it was only me, I could face being more severe. But since my life and state directly impacts my children, whom I love and am ultimately responsible for, I couldn't afford it.
I do daydream of a slightly more autistic reality though. This doesn't feel entirely natural.
Although the queston is theoretically interesting, I can't really answer.I'm a mother. Being lower functioning would make it harder on me and I would be less capable. I often feel like being more autistic, in the sense of indulging in certain behaviors, but I force myself out of it for my children.
I guess my answer goes: if it was only me, I could face being more severe. But since my life and state directly impacts my children, whom I love and am ultimately responsible for, I couldn't afford it.
I do daydream of a slightly more autistic reality though. This doesn't feel entirely natural.
sartresue
Veteran
Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Age: 69
Gender: Female
Posts: 6,313
Location: The Castle of Shock and Awe-tism
It might be easier for me if I could move either a little higher or a little lower on the spectrum. As I posted in another thread:
"I can pass for NT well enough when I put a ton of effort into it (which has exacerbated my anxiety disorder and has led to my recent burnout, as I've mentioned in other posts). Sometimes I wish I were lower-functioning, because some people don't believe that I am on the spectrum."
Being a little more obviously autistic might mean people would cut me a little more slack and not get angry or exasperated when I screw up socially or when I have to decline an invitation somewhere because I'm just too peopled-out to handle any more interaction. On the other hand, being less autistic might mean that I could go more places and do more things without getting exhausted so easily.
I am classified with "moderate" AS (as opposed to mild or severe). It truly sucks to be so close and yet so far from where I wish I could be. But as the great philosopher Popeye once said, "I am what I am," so I just keep working on ways to accept myself and just be the best ME that I can be!
One more thing: It would also be easier if my intellect more closely matched my degree of AS, whether that meant keeping the autism level I have now and not being as smart, or keeping the same IQ and being higher on the spectrum (or even NT). This feeling of my mind being trapped inside itself is sometimes absolutely intolerable.
I know one LFA online who does live on her own but I still wouldn't want to live like that. She has caregivers.
That is not what the OP said though. =/
_________________
I am a Star Wars Fan, Warsie here.
Masterdebating on chi-city's south side.......!
RockDrummer616
Veteran
Joined: 3 Dec 2008
Age: 31
Gender: Male
Posts: 910
Location: Steel City (Golden State no more)
I know one LFA online who does live on her own but I still wouldn't want to live like that. She has caregivers.
That is not what the OP said though. =/
He asked if we would mind having more and I say no and listed my reason why.
poopylungstuffing
Veteran
Joined: 8 Mar 2007
Age: 48
Gender: Female
Posts: 6,714
Location: Snapdragon Ridge
I am sure my family would not be able to afford a group home, and I would end up having to live with my parents...and as much as I love my parents, the idea does not really appeal to me...I won't go into the reasons why..
As it stands, with what faculties I have and what with the cost of living is today...that would be one of my main options if I didn't have SHFL and I was not lower on the spectrum.
_________________
http://www.youtube.com/user/MsPuppetrina
http://www.youtube.com/poopylungstuffing
http://www.superhappyfunland.com
"Ifthefoolwouldpersistinhisfolly,hewouldbecomewise"
Never really cared about it. I know myself and those labels won't affect me. BTW, I got accused of having paranoid schizophrenia by my classmates because of talking to myself oftentimes.
_________________
?We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.?
If got to live in a group home, where all I did was sew sock creatures and sing and play the ukulele all day...(provided that an increase in severity would not diminish my capacity to do those things)...then maybe it would not be so bad....
Trust me, I live in a residence and it is the opposite. They do not let you focus on your obsessions, even the lower functioning clients in the more stricter residences are not allowed to either. The staff make them do other things and do anything to get them "out of their obsessions." I no longer go to a day program, but when I was there, they had a high functioning woman who just wanted to knit all day. She made these beautiful quilts and could build a huge, pretty quilt in less than an hour. Even though the program has an art center, but she was only allowed to do it for only a half hour only 1x a day. The staff wanted her to do other things,like do piecework jobs and other hobbies, and she would get so mad and frustrated. The staff had to practically restrain her. It was horrible. If she try to sit there and quilt all day, the staff would disciple her, yell at her, and they would have to remove her stuff physically. She of course decided to leave that place. I see why. So, I would never want to be more autistic or any lower functioning because no matter how fun someone might think it is to be less responsible or be allowed to do more obsessions, it is the opposite. You are forced away from it. At least being high functioning, you can avoid those forced situations, and could do you obsessions anytime you want. Yeah you may end up having to go to work or have responsibility, but at least you could d o an obsession in a free time and not get penalized for it. Free time in these places, there hardly is none. It is just about stupid programs, and even if there is free time, the staff want everyone to do something more social and less obsession. If anything, you would only get an hour for it.
Trust me, i used to have that same thinking about wanting to be lower functioning and how everyone has it better than me. But since I went back to school, and got staff off my back, I got my obsessions back, in full swing, and they even help me survive my schooling, a break that help relieve the stress. Which is why I am more happier and doing better going to school, because I have more time and freedom for the obsessions.
yah i wouldnt chance it to more autism at least> but less yes
_________________
followthereaper until its time to make a turn,
followthereaper until point of no return-children of bodom-follow the reaper
poopylungstuffing
Veteran
Joined: 8 Mar 2007
Age: 48
Gender: Female
Posts: 6,714
Location: Snapdragon Ridge
Well geeze! That makes no sense at all! If a lower-functioning person has a creative obsession, then in theory and with some direction and assistance, they could possibly use it to help earn their living...that's insane that they would stifle people's talent like that...what are they trying to do...completely crush their spirit?
My point was that I would only opt to be "lower-functioning" if I were in an imaginary ideal scenario..where I would be able to nurture my obsessions...but that would be contingent on my still being able to have my obsessions..
_________________
http://www.youtube.com/user/MsPuppetrina
http://www.youtube.com/poopylungstuffing
http://www.superhappyfunland.com
"Ifthefoolwouldpersistinhisfolly,hewouldbecomewise"
Definitely not. I'm already so incredibly limited in my ability to function "normally" that being any worse would be absolutely terrible. Though it doesn't seem, or feel like it, I've made some pretty great strides the past 3-5 years or so & I wouldn't want to go back to that level or worse. I can barely handle life now.
_________________
?Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.? _Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss)
Similar Topics | |
---|---|
New Chinese COVID experiment 100% fatal |
18 Feb 2024, 4:33 am |
Has anybody ever done something that they thought would... |
29 Feb 2024, 11:52 pm |
What I thought was Conduct Disorder Unspecified is Bipolar
in Bipolar, Tourettes, Schizophrenia, and other Psychological Conditions |
09 Feb 2024, 11:39 am |
Uranus & Neptune Aren't Made of What We Thought |
Yesterday, 5:53 pm |