why do people say i suffer from asperger's syndrome

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it really annoys me I cope everyday.

Ehh... they're just using NT-speak. It's like they think if you've got a weird brain you must naturally be suffering, because who in the world could be weird and not suffer, right?

Silly NTs.

If it makes you feel any better, the term "suffering from" anything but an acute illness is starting to fall out of favor, so we should be seeing less of it soon.

it is because they would be suffering if they had it, Ruchard. they wouldn't be able to cope

Okay sorry it was just I just getting annoyed seeing the same tv shows about asperger's syndrome over and over again I have asperger's syndrome i have difficulty being around people and empathy people always show the negative side of asperger's and not the positive.

I suffer from freckles and slightly crooked teeth as well.

it is annoying to hear people use the word "disease", "disability", suffers from" etc.

I have AS but I really only suffer from a few of the characteristics. some of them also give me the ability to make others suffer

I have some disabling problems that are parts of the whole, but I don't consider the whole thing to be a disability.

Yes, I know; I get tired of that, too. Either we're computer-geek savants or we're pitiful little Tiny Tims who are to be commended for our courageous struggles... Can't we be just regular people who happen to have autism?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8E3fh5xIdc

The question is, do you suffer from it?

One of the dictionary terms for "suffer" is: To appear at a disadvantage

In the ways the disorder are defined, I'm betting you're at a disadvantage compared to your contemporary peers.

It doesn't mean you are any less of a person, it's just acknowledging that it's harder for you in the ways AS is outlined.

Another question is, are there any advantages to AS that make your peers seem at a disadvantage? I haven't seen any that any other human can exhibit (any other human can't exhibit the negative aspects, however).

that's the rub. I think a point is we aren't regular people to someone that is only used to regular people. It is a spontaneous reaction when what they thought was regular people turned out to be non-regular people.

Only more awareness of autism will include the autistic as 'regular people'. Once people know there are such people as us they aren't so awkward when they meet one of us.

Merle

NTs lack experience in the non-NT world, and assume that anyone substantially different must be at some disadvantage, and therefore suffering. And there are unpleasant parts of AS, at least for some Aspies.

I prefer to offer insight and information where possible, and when necessary will explain that I have a "neurological condition" (I avoid words like disease or disorder), though since I also have seizures secondary to AS, and obvious sensory issues and weak social skills, I often am asked why I use the word "condition".

Even if AS becomes well-known, people may not understand it. For instance anorexia became well known after Karen Carpenter's death, and there are now dozens if not hundreds of books on the subject. Does the average NT know much about anorexia? Epilepsy has been known for thousands of years, and understood medically for at least 50 years. But the average person still knows virtually nothing about seizures and is afraid or nervous. States deny driver's licenses to people with uncontrolled seizures, even though the actual risk of a seizure occurring while driving and causing a collision is very, very low.

I hope people can become more accepting of Aspies and others on the spectrum. But let's say I'm cautiously optimistic, given what I've mentioned above.

We suffer from the bullying and rejection NOT aspergers.If people were to be more understanding and accept us for who we are...there would be no suffering.

I suffer from crooked teeth, flat feet, eczema but not Asperger's. Well apart from the sensory issues.

NTs suffer from a little something called ignorance.

honestly all I suffer from is having overly sesitive hearing (my only significant sennsory issue) even now that I started carying earplugs with me everywhere I go (reusable ones with spares so I absolutly can not run out) it's still the only thing that ever has a chance to bother me, asperger's just isn't that bad

I don't like it when others apply the word suffering to my life, because it applies to life in general. I do suffer, and for many reasons; the largest reason is usually other people. Those who know me would agree.

Yep, I think you're right. If the aspie style of being in the world and around people was fully accepted and not looked upon as weird, it would be easier to live with AS. The reason why people say that you "suffer" from AS, is because your way of being in the world is difficult to reconcile with the NT way of being in the world. NTs and aspies work in different ways socially speaking. NTs, although being just as capable as aspies to acquire above average knowledge about special interests, obsess over them and use relentless and complicated logic to achieve goals (I know many aspies seem to think that this is rare among NTs - it is not rare, in fact it is rather the norm than the exception), nevertheless tend to emphasise these skills and characteristics less than the aspies do. These skills are less important in an NT's life and less important to an NT's sense of purpose.

NTs place greater emphasis on social interaction, because it is in our communication with others that we find that extra layer of joy, satisfaction and insight. This layer comes on top of finding satisfaction in special interests and job accomplishments. NTs find people who are highly intelligent great conversational partners IF they at the same time know how to interact in the "NT way". Since NTs value social skills so highly while aspies find these skills difficult to apply it is little wonder that aspies may find socialising with NTs insufferable. Being ostracized as a person with poor social skills may cause pain and suffering because it may lead to isolation and loneliness, and I guess this is why they say that people may "suffer" from AS. Had people learned how to accept differences better, there would be less suffering all around.