Is Aspergers a mental illness?

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That's what my psych said.

In my opinion, autism is definitely not a mental illness. Autism, in my opinion, is a difference---a difference with many positives, and some challenges. But we must realize that everyone has positives and challenges no matter if they are autistic or not. The psychiatrist the OP alludes to appears to be not well educated on autism.

According to this article on the NIMH website, Asperger syndrome (AS) is a developmental disorder. Nowhere in the official description is it labelled as a "Mental Illness".

Your "psych" may think that he or she can cure you, so he or she may have tried to justify the opinion by labelling your condition an "illness".

Somebody may be "Mentally Ill", but I do not believe that the person is you.

No they aren't a mental disorder. Autism/Asperger's are a group of related neurological disorders that usually also have developmental, physical, and social aspects. Some of us are slow to talk and do other developmental things. Some of us have very real physical sensitivities to sound, touch, skin sensitivities, etc. And a lot of us have social problems with reading, or misreading social cues, making eye contact, etc.

There have been studies done showing that there are neurological differences in the brains of people on the spectrum.

Mental illness generally refers to people with depression, bi-polar, schizophrenia, paranoia, psychotic behaviors, etc.

Because of the problems caused by spectrum disorders, many of us have depression, which is a kind of mental illness, but it is not a part of the spectrum itself, rather our difficulties relating to the NT world cause us to sometimes suffer from depression.

I have been dealing with lifelong depression due to my problems relating to the NT world, but I have been doing better for the past 6 & 1/2 years, due to an improvement in my living situation.--I now live alone, instead of with NT family members. This is much better for me, and now that we are no longer living together and driving each other crazy, we get along better.

The doctor you dealt with was not correct, except that you might be depressed. This is common among people on the spectrum. There are ways to deal with depression. Either one or more methods will help almost anyone. I can't stand therapy, and don't trust drugs. Instead I prefer to use coping mechanisms. Some good ones are:

- Music
- Humor
- Exercise
- Hobbies
- Volunteer
- Join clubs or other activities
- Read
- Watch TV (especially funny programs)
- Surf the web
- Pets

The key with all of these and other coping methods, is to keep occupied. It helps to distract from depressive thoughts. Along with now living alone, my coping methods help me keep to my own level of "normal". It is lower than a non-depressive person's normal, but for me it is better than being depressed.

As for more serious mental health issues, I don't hear voices that aren't there, and don't see things that aren't there. I also don't think the whole world is out to get me (just some people ), and I don't want to blow anyone away, and I don't want to do sick things to kids and animals, so I am not mentally ill.

Finding out what IS wrong with me was a much needed relief. It helps me understand my differences better, and helps me cope better, too.

I suggest you find a doctor with more experience with spectrum disorders. And remember, we on the spectrum are all:

A Different Drummer

If a man does not keep pace with his companions,
Perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.
Let him step to the music which he hears,
However measured, or far away.

--Henry David Thoreau

I agree with everything questor had to say. It just shows how uneducated a lot of psychs are on the subject. Personally I find that very disturbing.

Asperger's is not a Mental Illness that needs to be cured and nor should it be treated as such.

In the sense that it involves a difference in thoughts versus the average brain it is a mental illness, but in my experience is more just a mental difference.

My understanding is that at least some psychiatric instruction in the US (at least) defines just about everything in the DSM-IV as "mental illness," including neurological disorders such as ADHD and autism.

Of course, the person who said this to me likes to troll people for reactions, and is something of a complete arse. But he is also studying to be a therapist.

What questor said.

ASDs ARE a type of psychiatric disorder, everyone. If they didn't have a psychiatric component, they wouldn't be in the DSM. We need to get rid of the term "mental illness." We need to start using "neuropsychiatric disorder." This will help reduce stigma against all DSM disorders. Schizophrenia is caused by brain abnormalities just like ASDs. And the brain abnormalities in schizophrenia are genetic, too, and start in the womb, making them neurodevelopmental disorders just like with ASDs.

It irks me how so many people with ASDs get angry about classifing ASDs as any sort of a psychiatric disorder. Our behaviors ARE abnormal to the rest of the world, and people who don't know anything about ASDs will think we're "crazy" when they view us having a meltdown or such. Plus, so many with ASDs also have a comorbid "mental illness," making them "crazy" anyway. I have OCD in addition to Asperger's, so I'm "mentally ill" regardless of how you want to label the Asperger's. Just something to think about.

Last edited by OddDuckNash99 on 24 Jan 2012, 7:36 am, edited 1 time in total.

I'd say it's a sanity that can make one very ill for struggling to cope with all of the insanity around them

What do you think about someone being autistic but not having an autistic spectrum disorder?

What is the difference in your view? They are the same in my book.

I think that autism is a genetic difference which causes people to develop differently across the milestones of development to varying degrees of "relative" (to how people say one is supposed to be functioning) functionality. I do not think that autism is analogous to disorder - I think that's just a cheap and easy label which is much less accurate and wrongfully implies strong negativity. I do think there are autistic people who are not even "relatively" disabled. I do not think that autism is, or should be labelled as, a bad thing. I also think however that there are autistic people who due to their relative impairments relate to the term "disorder", however I believe this term to inaccurate and inappropriate to be a generalising descriptive of autism.

Basically a "disorder" implies an impairment in a certain area. Everyone is impaired in infinite ways however, so it's relative to your function. If you are functioning properly you do not have a disorder. I am autistic, I am different, I do not have a disorder.

Aspergers Syndrome Criteria DSM-IV-TR:

Oxford Online Dictionary definition of mental illness:



If you do not meet Aspergers criteria III, you do not have Aspergers, if you do meet it, then you necessary meet the definition of mental illness.

Holy Jesus you guys take things way too literally.


Answer: Might as well be. It's a brain problem. The correct terminology doesn't matter as long as you understand exactly how this affects you.