Do you consider yourself Autistic?

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The question is taking from another thread but it is a good question.

In my case lack of independent living and no friends or relationships ever I would have to answer yes.

However at times I prefer to use the term Aspergers as I don't want to belittle people who have things much worse by stealing their diagnosis.

I hope that makes sense.

Last edited by sharkattack on 22 Jan 2014, 8:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.

When I was 13 a counselor asked me the same question. I answered "I don't" and I was quite surprised I was asked if I considered myself autistic since back then I only knew about low-functioning autism and didn't know there was HFA/AS.
I was also asked by another counselor when I was 14 and I answered "well, I was diagnosed with that twice".
Now I'd answer "I was diagnosed with it" but nothing more.

The Univ. of Washington's Adult Autism Clinic does screenings. I've been thinking about getting a second diagnosis because, well, I don't seem autistic enough. I can stop my stimming in public and make eye contact. I do consider myself autistic though because of the criteria set forth in DSM-5. The problem I have is will those guys at the Clinic find me autistic or not? I've already been diagnosed and would hate to have that negated.

Yes I do. I have an ASD and I relate to people with ASD's, so yes, I'm autistic.

Yep. The manual labeled autism has all the correct instructions for my control panel. Trying to make sense of life with the traditional advice and instructions that most people run on was always such a sad joke. It was like trying to drive a trotmobile (Steambot CHRONICLES!! !) with high school driver's ed and a manual for an antique Buick.

Does it matter what I consider myself? I have the diagnosis either way. I don't consider being unable to do or struggling with certain things "who I am," though.

Yes.

I don't know why it'd be "stealing their diagnosis." Asperger's syndrome is autism. It doesn't matter where you are on a scale. It's not robbing anybody of anything. It makes it sound like autism is for labeling the people who have bad problems, when it's just supposed to describe what type of brain one has.

Yes.

Im more learning disable than autism.So I consider myself LD.

Three times a daughter of Coldharbour is right. Just because the most relevant part of the manual is in the aspergers section of the autism book doesn't mean that we're playing with different machines. The similarities are definitely there. I personally work direct care with the developmentally and intellectually disabled, including clients with various levels of autism. Because of the similarities in how our brains work, I can clearly communicate more effectively with them than other staff or clients, if only because my personal life has seen a lot of autism research. I see and really understand when someone is having a stop and process moment or a sensory issue. I can tell when some of my clients are having trouble processing all of the words my very verbal brain is making and I present a visual choice that makes them quite happy.

That post really got away from me after I started out just wanting to make a Skyrim reference...

I don't even care to use the term "Asperger Syndrome" in conversation, because A) people insist on pronouncing it Ass-Burgers and B) because the media persists in associating it with psychopathy and violence. If my disability requires discussion, I always call it "a form of autism," because that's what it is.

I stim constantly unless engaged in a focused task, find normal levels of sensory stimuli overwhelming, process incoming sensory stimuli more slowly than the people around me and as a result, function very awkwardly socially, live entirely inside my own head and find normal human behavior incomprehensible and annoying.

That's pretty much the textbook definition of autism. I wouldn't know what else to call it.

The scary thing for me is. Who would've guess that autism was the cause of my social failings. After all. I just thought I very shy or introverted. I would've never guess autism was the cause. It wasn't until A psychiatrist came up to me and sad "I think you have aspergers." and that it finally struck me.

yes. you should make this a [poll]

Yes. But I'm learning to accept my weaknesses, and make the most of my strengths!

Done.