why are self-diagnosed aspies considered "posers?"

Post Reply New Topic

I first noticed aspergers in myself about a year ago and now i'm starting to see that a lot of self-diagnosed aspies are not taken seriously. apparently, if you self diagnose, a lot of "real" aspies are pissed at that. WTF? what about people who grew up before aspergers was widely known about? what about the millions of people who are uninsured and can't aford to see a doctor to diagnose them?
i personally have never quite felt like i fit in anywhere growing up, was made fun of all 12 years of school, have always had trouble showing physical affection, have always loved computer games, have always struggled to keep jobs. had all of these traits long before i even heard of aspergers. i am 27, and am too old to be listed on my parent's insurance. i don't go to the doctor because i can't afford it.
so because of this, i'm not supposed to call myself an aspie when i know that i am, lest i be labeled "poser?" seriously?...

We human beings, or at least some of us, seem to have all kinds of immature and/or neurotic ways for dealing with our personal issues and/or an identity crisis of some kind ...

... but I have actually seen very little of that around here lately as compared to when I first got here about a year ago.

One thing that seems to help a bit is to just let the professional "diagnose" where others of us have simply "self-assessed" ... and that leaves certain mindless folks right where they want to be: Special!

If you think you have aspergers you should go get an actual diagnosis or else their is a slight chance that people who have been diagnosed will think you could be trying to take advantage of people who are diagnosed in some way... I personally can't tell others intentions so I prefer it when people have an actual diagnosis. Plus, what is the point of saying you have aspergers & not getting a diagnosis when acknowledging that you "may have" of "have" aspergers means you are probably seeking help with coping. A good way to come up with affective coping strategies is to get the opinions of others with the condition, a medical professional & knowing yourself to find good middle ground for creating strategies. Not getting a diagnosis limits the kinds of help you can get which isn't very practical.

To say that you have a disability....but not to seek any legitimizationg, help, accomodations or treatment for it and continue to live your life functionally, paying your rent on time, holding a job, not breaking down crying and hyperventilating every other day, etc. etc. indicates that you don't really have a disability...and that you just...have a PERSONALITY.

which is strange and abnormal, but not technically a disability.


What's the purpose of a DX if there's no way for you to use it??? (i.e. getting financial aid, therapy, accomodations, etc.)

a mental DX is a disability. not a personality type or personal preference. And it involves help from professionals or at least trained teachers, not just a best friend or parent, for at least some considerable amount of time of ones life.

that's what i think

I think the concept of autism as a spectrum is still threatening to people. There are still people who shriek that people with Aspergers don't have autism and feel threatened when anybody who can live on their own refers to themselves as "autistic." Maybe something similar happens her with those of us who are self-diagnosed. I do think that many of us who are self-diagnosed have fewer autistic traits than those who are, and in general-- although certainly not in all cases-- need less support. When people hear things like Sharron Angle's comment about "everything they want to throw at you is now covered under autism" I think it is also pragmatic to want to defend an Aspergers diagnosis as something that matters.

Also, Aspie is a tribe, odd as that is, and tribes function by exclusion. It is natural for some people, especially those who are still learning to view their AS with pride, to want to exclude the less Aspergian. If I can pass in the NT world, and I can for the most part, what sort of role should I play in the autistic world?

I think one thing the self-diagnosed can do to help is be open about our status, and try not to speak as though we understand everyone else's autism. And try to be welcoming to each other.

Hi.

Because people, both ASD and NT, often seem to have this need to feel superior to someone else, and any way of feeling superior will do, including dismissing someone's assessment of themselves and their problems no matter how sober and rational.

I don't trust people that claim they have a disability without a diagnosis or affirmation from anyone. People that self-diagnose make the label illegitimate to those that need it. There's a difference between saying you possibly have autism and then saying you do but you self-diagnosed yourself. Likely you are not a qualified professional, and your view will be biased. I have no problem with self-diagnosed people posting here, I just wish they would identify as likely having autism instead of "self-diagnosed."

No one on these forums has the right to say that someone is Aspie or not. They don't know the person personally. I also understand that a diagnosis can be hard to come by...

However, this reminds me of back when I took an abnormal psych class. The professor called to attention (ack, and I forget the name of it now) I'll call it "psych major syndrome". It occurs when a student starts learning about different mental disorders and sees traits in themselves. They self-diagnose themselves with all different conditions. ...The truth is, everyone can find some similarities with any disorder. Its best to get the opinion of a doctor, or several if possible. Deciphering one's own behaviors/symptoms should be done very carefully.

I'm making a doctor's appointment to get diagnosed within the next few days. Thing is, I do my research. I don't need a doctor to tell me I have Asperger's. It's perfectly clear. I feel I need a diagnosis so other people take me seriously, and until then I won't tell a single person I know. It's frustrating, yes. However, there are a lot of hypochondriacs out there and people know it. I guess I can't blame people for wondering if we're one of them! lol

On a separate but similar theme, does anyone here have people tell them that they don't have aspergers? It drives me nuts, and for the record I am diagnosed with aspergers, people who tell me that because I'm as intelligent as my history professor and frequently correct him and he knows I'm as knowlegeable as him that being smart somehow disqualifies me from having aspergers. They tell me that I'm just strange and weird when they have no clue. They tell me that since I am capable of living by myself and paying the bills that I don't have it, not knowing that I don't pay the bills, my parents do and they check up on me everyday and even if they didn't it still wouldn't mean I didn't have it. And no, these are not my friends, they are my teammates who include me in parties to use me as a stump the schwabe game and nothing more. Sorry to hijack the thread but this drives me nuts.