New York Magazine article on over diagnosis from 2014

Post Reply New Topic

Autism Spectrum: Are you on It?

I found the article pretty cynical. Sure there is a fad element in some circle to Asperger's. But the question arises - does one or does one not meet the criteria under the DSM - V for Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 1 or DSM - IV for Asperger Syndrome?

Then the question arises - how impaired are they by it? Some people have had difficulties all their lives but have coped fairly well and perhaps only need minimal support. Others have suffered a more impairing condition and need a higher level of support.

I must admit that once I saw in writing a document signed by a real psychiatrist that stated that I am diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 1 - I did find my self thinking - now what was the big deal anyway? Well, the big deal is now I have an explanation for things that have confounded me my 60 years of living. I take certain medications now and see a shrink about once every six weeks - but the only thing the diagnoses itself has cured for me is ignorance. Now I know why.

I don't believe in all this "autism as a fad" stuff. How long before we start hearing "poverty is the newest fad?" or "Down's is the new fad?" WHO would fake autism and more importantly, WHY? We're already treated like lepers.

Why are people trying to explain away this article lol...it's so true. Of course this board doesn't want to admit it. Common guys, if you know %100 your autistic why would you defend the people who use the label on themselves cause its trendy and they want to feel special? Are YOU one of those people ?

So, you are saying that you do not think you are really on the Autism Spectrum but are only claiming it because you think the label is trendy?

What the f**k are you talking about? cant you f*****g read? You clearly have doubt's your autistic for even replying to me.

Last edited by SIDWULF on 30 Mar 2015, 4:24 am, edited 6 times in total.

\

I believe my psychiatrist was correct. Why shouldn't I?

Let me paraphrase myself:
If you know %100 your autistic (that's me) why would you defend the people who use the label on themselves cause its trendy and they want to feel special? Are YOU one of those people ?

I have never in my wildest imagination thought of Autism or Asperger's as being cool or trendy. We must live in very different worlds.

We aren't defending those people. Some of us, myself included, already mentioned that that part of the article is correct and those people are dangerous.

What we are criticizing the article for is its condescension toward Aspies. Its "if you are self-diagnosed, you don't have Asperger's" attitude and it's "if you are successful, you can't have Asperger's" attitude. Its use of insulting and demeaning quotes from Bryna Seigel, a woman who is supposed to be working to help autistic people yet who manages to insult them with her every comment.

And it perpetuates the already-pervasive assumption that NTs often make, which is that if someone appears normal, they cannot have a disorder. I can appear normal to the casual observer, and I only appear slightly quirky to acquaintances, but my ASD is severe enough that I couldn't live alone if I had to. (If my partner didn't push me to socialize and maintain healthy habits, I would hole up hermit-style and never leave my house, even to see friends. I would neglect to bathe, forget to clean up, and die one of those recluses who builds newspaper-stack mazes in their house.) But I've coped well for the little bit that people see, and I'm (usually) good at presenting a good image to people. So even with an official diagnosis, I still get people who think I'm faking because I can dress myself, and I can drive, and I have held jobs in the past. But it's all smoke and mirrors; I can't keep it going for long, and then people see the truth. But unless they are my partner, they don't know everything I struggle with. It's a daily battle, even on a day when I see no one and don't have to leave the house. But if you talk to me for three minutes, I can appear normal.

It is not for Joe Everyman at some coffeehouse to decide whether I really have a problem, but this article makes it seem like it is.

If your self diagnosed then who cares if people don't believe you. Its what you believe that counts. My first reaction if I was self diagnosed would be to smile and laugh at people who didn't believe me. I am saying those trendy b*****s walking around identifying as aspies, they have to go. The ones that say "I may have a touch of autism" but don't look into it or the ones who say "I have social anxiety so I must have autism"...the ones who attempt desperately to fit their symptoms into the framework of autism " oh I bite my lips, that must be a stim!"
Aspergers as a term was dropped anyways. Good riddance. Unfortunately trendy b*****s still try to identify with that label to be seen as special snowflakes separate from autism.

Last edited by SIDWULF on 30 Mar 2015, 4:58 am, edited 1 time in total.

I just seen so much evidence of the aspie superiority complex from people who very well may not even have autism over the years that it is really starting to piss me off.

I guess, I had a very different experience. The one diagnosed Aspie I knew in real life and what I saw on TV documentaries led me to think of Aspies/ASD people as about the least cool people on earth. I thought of them as the sort that goes bus spotting and memorizing area codes. It was by accident that I stumbled on the diagnoses with multiple testing coming from a variety of angles that suggested that I was in fact on the Autism Spectrum. My initial reaction was to be deeply insulted. But as I looked more closely, as I took multiple exams, as I discussed it with professionals - I found an explanation that fit - for the first time in my life. I am a bit leery of the whole idea of questioning who is the true Scotsman. Who is the true Christian? Who is the true Aspie?

Completely agree. Unfortunately, I do care if people believe me. I shouldn't, but I do. I don't go around telling everyone I meet that I have ASD. The people I disclose to are at least somewhat important to me. Family and close friends. For other people, like coworkers and such, I only disclose to explain some faux pas I made that involved them. So it is important to me that I am believed. I can't just shrug and walk away from my sister who said, "I just think that all psychologists are diagnose-happy. She would probably see Asperger's in anyone. You're just a little weird." Or my (probably Aspie) mother, who thinks everyone thinks the way she does and who does not see my behavior as odd because she does it, too. To not be believed is de-legitimizing and just makes me feel MORE cut off and separated from "The Real World."

Please post within forum rules.

Haven't read the whole thing yet, but this part really agitated me:

This statement reflects, what I see as, the broader social cynicism around diagnosis at the HF end of the spectrum, especially self diagnosis. What they call "wallowing", I call self acceptance, and it's been one of the more profoundly positive things in my life in the last year. In my opinion, this sort of attitude is really harmful, far more harmful than the possibility that some might inaccurately think they are on the spectrum. It perpetuates the incorrect concept that people can know the mind of someone else better than they do themselves, and that the default response when they tell you something you don't understand about them should be skepticism and dismissal.

Also, what "lunch ticket" exactly are they referring to here? Public services and accommodations for adults on the spectrum in the US, especially HF adults, are practically non-existent. In my experience diagnosis and treatment has been an enormous expense, most of it not covered by insurance, that will never return anything financially.

Who here is defending people who want to use the label on themselves because it's 'trendy'? I think people are more questioning the assumption that it being 'trendy' and wanting to feel special is the reason why people come to suspect they are on the spectrum. I know in my case it made sense and seemed to explain a lot of what was different about me from other people, I didn't particularly want to be 'special' but was glad to have some kind of grasp on what was different about me and why I had some of the difficulties I have that 'normal' people do not.

I question just how much 'over-diagnoses' is really an issue, it would also make sense that with increasing knowledge of autism especially the fact its a spectrum is to blame for the increase in autism diagnoses. But yeah on the internet sometimes I hear of how autism is some over-diagnosed thing that apparently anyone who's even a little awkward has a diagnoses of.....or how its an epidemic, but in the real world I do not see any proof of this.