Have you heard the common stereotypes today?

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Hi,
I was wondering if anyone had been hearing any of the stereotypes about people on the Autism Spectrum showing lack of empathy and get mad and hurt other people for no apparent reason.

I heard it from one "So called expert" woman who made those comments around me today. She said that she felt that she knew better because she did research in Autism and that she did lots of readings about different findings. I told her that she did not live in our heads and that it did not make her an expert.

Did anyone deal with those comments today? If so, how do you handle stereotypes.

Today I heard a stereotype that we are "prone to violent outbursts."

I also heard on here that we are "geniuses at math."

Don't know how to handle it.

get ready for more
Adam Lanza the CT shooter that mudered inocent children had been labeled with Aspergers and his mother had Schizophrenia.

I know lets remove Aspergers from the DSM and stop researching it altogether!
I sware phycologists should have their heads examined

I am not surprised about the schizo. However, I do not know.

Several articles that may be useful: http://www.emilywillinghamphd.com/2012/ ... ne-of.html

and this one (regarding schizophrenia) http://healthland.time.com/2012/07/31/m ... d-disease/

I hope you all find the answers you need to advocate for our community. If we respond calmly and address the stereotypes with good, factual information - everybody benefits.

GRASP and ASAN also released helpful statements, which are on their websites.

Meh, I had an old college friend email and ask how my assessment went and after I told her I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome she responded, 'but you don't have poor coordination!' Honestly, I don't know how some of you, who've been diagnosed for years, put up with this stuff...is there a trick aside from just not mentioning it? I honestly believe that all of us, aside from actually being Aspies, know, just from our obsessive research tendencies, much more about autism than anyone outside of specialists...even most psychologists.

I always hear people telling its so great to have and its like a magical power and its really not.

If anything I have too much empathy and I don't believe in hurting people. I can feel the moods of everybody in the room.

empathy is something you feel or something you show.. I feel it more than i show it ...and.. I believe I am more empathetic than most NT's

I believe we can learn empathy, I feel something.

We can learn empathy. I certainly have.

I handle all this by not talking to people. No one in family would dare stereotype AS/Autism in front of me. Except my mother. Bless her impulsive heart.

People have their own perceptions of what makes up AS. I have poor coordination but I know not all do. I've been told that I have empathy by as AS/HFA denier so therefore can't be autistic. I've developed empathy, I still struggle with it though. I'm not always empathetic.

People might be mistaking meltdowns as sudden acts of violence or something. I usually just attack myself or my possessions when that happens. I mean when I meltdown.

I've got a hormone disorder that gives me uncontrollable anger outbursts. But I've never lashed out at anybody.

OK, maybe when I was 13 once I was harassed so much by my sister when I was depressed and angry I couldn't stop myself from attacking her. I've not done anything like that since.

I've never planned violence against other people. It I lash out it's out of impulse and it's over pretty quickly.

I think a diagnose can't define anyone, which is also why in more recent years when i start telling about myself to someone my introduction doesn't even include my pdd-nos, or well ASD as it will soon be called, because i want people to know me and judge me as the person i am and not for my diagnose.

But there was one phrase that stuck the most with me over the years, a girl who i went to one of my schools with *my mentor thought it was a good idea to share about my diagnose since people tend to want a reason for everything like why i didn't like being touched* but anyway she said her friend told her that once a person with autism stops punching someone they never stop, and then i was like wow -_- I mean where's the logic in that? How can you never stop punching anyway? I mean even if it was possible to keep punching a whole lifetime you would eventually die anyway, i know i'm taking this way too literally but still, don't people ever think about these things, it sounds so silly xD And it gives such a wrong idea, i mean i've never punched anyone in my whole life and i'm 20 now and my school time is behind me now and i go walking for almost 2 hours every day for about 3 years now, and i've never had to defend myself or punch anyone.

Sorry i rambeled on really long but i just wanted to share my thoughts about this :)