Page 1 of 2 [ 24 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

Tyri0n
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 24 Nov 2012
Age: 37
Gender: Male
Posts: 2,879
Location: Douchebag Capital of the World (aka Washington D.C.)

18 Dec 2012, 7:58 pm

Would you be against a cure for NLD even if such a cure effectively "cured" some people with Aspergers (especially the ones who are misdiagnosed) or reduced the symptoms of others?

What if stem cell treatment to cure NLD ended up effectively curing a significant % cases of Aspergers, justifying those scientists who claim they are related? Would this affect your view of "cures" and Aspergers?

I think this would complicate things because NLD is a specific, quantifiably measured disability whereas Aspergers is supposedly a "difference." It's hard to consider brain damage or inability to drive as a "difference," right? But brain damage and Aspergers cause the same symptoms so....?



noxnocturne
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 5 Nov 2012
Age: 45
Gender: Female
Posts: 2,693
Location: Harassing Muggles

18 Dec 2012, 8:17 pm

No. I like all my quirks and idiosyncrasies, thanks. I don't need curing.



Fnord
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 6 May 2008
Age: 66
Gender: Male
Posts: 59,750
Location: Stendec

18 Dec 2012, 8:38 pm

"Curing" my ASD would change who I am. I've spent 50+ years trying various ways to cope with being an embodiment of the metaphorical "square peg in a round hole", and only the last 3 or 4 years understanding why this was necessary. In this process, I've built up all kinds of coping mechanisms and operant routines to enable me to interact with people who not only have different values than I, but who seem to consider my values either "cute", "weird", or "comedic".

If my ASD were "cured", all of the social cues that I've missed would suddenly flood my mind I'd suddenly be aware of come-ons and threats that I'd never noticed before, and I'd have to respond correctly to gain and maintain the status as an Alpha Male. I'd lose the intellectual "edge" of being able to focus solely on one task for hours at a time and solve any problems that the task presents; instead, I might actually start caring about who is winning on American Idol and X-Factor, and engage in mindless conversations over which judge has better hair. I'd have to stop watching the SyFy channel and start watching ESPN instead! I'd have to trade in my Prius hybrid for a Ram truck, and have fun running people off the road and taking up three parking spaces at the mall ... ohmigawd ... I'd actually enjoy crowded, noisy, smelly places like malls and theaters!

NO!! ! I DON'T WANT TO BE THAT PERSON!! ! I HATE PEOPLE LIKE THAT!! ! NO!! ! NO!! ! NO!! ! BAD CURE!! ! BAD CURE!! !

Thank you.


_________________
 
No love for Hamas, Hezbollah, Iranian Leadership, Islamic Jihad, other Islamic terrorist groups, OR their supporters and sympathizers.


glider18
Supporting Member
Supporting Member

User avatar

Joined: 8 Nov 2008
Gender: Male
Posts: 8,040
Location: USA

18 Dec 2012, 8:41 pm

If such a cure ever existed I would not be against it being used on those who wanted it. But I believe it should be up to that individual to decide.

As for me...No cure for me. I like who I am and prefer to remain autistic.


_________________
"My journey has just begun."


seaturtleisland
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 22 Feb 2012
Age: 30
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,243

18 Dec 2012, 10:51 pm

I would actually want a cure.

If it fundamentally changes who I am that doesn't bother me. I would actually enjoy the experience of the change. Being fixed/stuck in one state frustrates me so the prospect of being turned into a different person is something I would like. Obviously I wouldn't be a completely different person. I would be different but some things would stay the same. I'm just saying that if it fundamentally changed who I am I wouldn't feel uncomfortable about it.



Verdandi
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 7 Dec 2010
Age: 54
Gender: Female
Posts: 12,275
Location: University of California Sunnydale (fictional location - Real location Olympia, WA)

18 Dec 2012, 10:54 pm

Tyri0n wrote:
I think this would complicate things because NLD is a specific, quantifiably measured disability whereas Aspergers is supposedly a "difference." It's hard to consider brain damage or inability to drive as a "difference," right? But brain damage and Aspergers cause the same symptoms so....?


Asperger's Syndrome is also a disability, not just a difference.



deltafunction
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 4 Jun 2012
Age: 32
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,094
Location: Lost

18 Dec 2012, 11:03 pm

Symptoms the same, causation is different. AS is supposedly caused by a different wiring of the brain. If so, would that not mean that a "cure" would re-wire it so I will lose my unique strengths? No, I would not want a cure.



knifegill
Raven
Raven

User avatar

Joined: 8 May 2012
Age: 41
Gender: Male
Posts: 109

19 Dec 2012, 12:13 am

Sometimes I go on a ketogenic diet if I'm getting too distraction-prone. Just a few weeks and I'm back to okay enough to not feel like a spaz too much.



2wheels4ever
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 3 May 2012
Age: 52
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,694
Location: In The Wind

19 Dec 2012, 12:15 am

Ever stopped to consider that maybe it's the rest of the world who could stand to benefit from a cure for their unpleasant traits, such as doublemindedness and ignorance?


_________________
Let's go on out and take a moped ride, and all your friends will thing your brain is fried, but you can't live your life too dirty, 'cause in the the end you're born to go 30


emimeni
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 28 Sep 2012
Age: 33
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,065
Location: In my bed, on my laptop

19 Dec 2012, 12:20 am

2wheels4ever wrote:
Ever stopped to consider that maybe it's the rest of the world who could stand to benefit from a cure for their unpleasant traits, such as doublemindedness and ignorance?


THIS! EXACTLY!

I wish society was more pro-choice about cure. As it is, people are looked down upon if they choose to attain a pre-natal diagnosis, get a "positive" for a genetic disability, and opt out of an abortion. If a cure for autism or NLD was discovered, would parents be considered medically neglectful if they choose not to seek it out?


_________________
Living with one neurodevelopmental disability which has earned me a few diagnosis'


DVCal
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 4 Apr 2012
Age: 40
Gender: Male
Posts: 636

19 Dec 2012, 12:22 am

I would welcome a cure with open arms, and FYI while I think it should be a choice for adults, children I disagree with. It should be the parents and doctors decision, not the child.



emimeni
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 28 Sep 2012
Age: 33
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,065
Location: In my bed, on my laptop

19 Dec 2012, 12:24 am

DVCal wrote:
I would welcome a cure with open arms, and FYI while I think it should be a choice for adults, children I disagree with. It should be the parents and doctors decision, not the child.


What about teenagers? Heck, what about children above five or so? Should they not get any say at all?


_________________
Living with one neurodevelopmental disability which has earned me a few diagnosis'


DVCal
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 4 Apr 2012
Age: 40
Gender: Male
Posts: 636

19 Dec 2012, 12:56 am

emimeni wrote:
DVCal wrote:
I would welcome a cure with open arms, and FYI while I think it should be a choice for adults, children I disagree with. It should be the parents and doctors decision, not the child.


What about teenagers? Heck, what about children above five or so? Should they not get any say at all?


Teenagers, I am OK with them having a choice, but maybe 6 and under it shouldn't be a choice. Don't worry they will grateful once they are cure of their defect.



Pileo
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 19 Dec 2011
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Posts: 523

19 Dec 2012, 12:57 am

Something I've learned from past experience; you're never, ever, ever going to change an anti-cure persons mind regarding a cure for Autism. Never. They can be very adamant about it. Since there is no cure in existence, I've learned to take it with a shrug.

knifegill wrote:
Sometimes I go on a ketogenic diet if I'm getting too distraction-prone. Just a few weeks and I'm back to okay enough to not feel like a spaz too much.


I've responded well to the Keto Diet too. I was skeptical at first but after a couple of weeks, I noticed my symptoms had less of an edge to them. It's no cure, but it's something.



emimeni
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 28 Sep 2012
Age: 33
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,065
Location: In my bed, on my laptop

19 Dec 2012, 1:03 am

DVCal wrote:
Teenagers, I am OK with them having a choice, but maybe 6 and under it shouldn't be a choice. Don't worry they will grateful once they are cure of their defect.


How do you know if they'll be grateful? That's right. You don't.

I agree children threeish to fiveish or under shouldn't have a choice, but still.


_________________
Living with one neurodevelopmental disability which has earned me a few diagnosis'


DVCal
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 4 Apr 2012
Age: 40
Gender: Male
Posts: 636

19 Dec 2012, 1:08 am

emimeni wrote:
DVCal wrote:
Teenagers, I am OK with them having a choice, but maybe 6 and under it shouldn't be a choice. Don't worry they will grateful once they are cure of their defect.


How do you know if they'll be grateful? That's right. You don't.

I agree children threeish to fiveish or under shouldn't have a choice, but still.


Even if they aren't grateful they probably won't remember.