different opinions on autism from autistic people
CockneyRebel
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Why would you not want to be a neurotypical?
Autism affects everything about me in some way. Without it I would be an entirely different person. I like who I am now.
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ASD level 1, ADHD-C, most likely have dyscalculia & BPD as well.
RAADs: 104 | ASQ: 30 | Aspie Quiz: 116/200 (84% probability of being atypical)
Also diagnosed with: seasonal depression, anxiety, OCD
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I do not want to be cured.
Autism is a fundamental part of my essence and a "cured" me would no longer be me.
Versus NT relatives with similar circumstances growing up, I believe, in most respects, I've done better.
And, disadvantages and unpleasantness associated with my Autistic traits appear, to me, to not be from weaknesses due to Autism but rather to the NT culture I am surrounded by. NTs think it's their way or the highway.
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When diagnosed I bought champagne!
I finally knew why people were strange.
ProfessorJohn
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Why would you not want to be a neurotypical?
Autism affects everything about me in some way. Without it I would be an entirely different person. I like who I am now.
But what if you could be an even better person?
I might gain some social skills but I would lose much other useful stuff that has allowed me to do well in life, if not social life. I don't consider social skills to be the apex of importance.
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When diagnosed I bought champagne!
I finally knew why people were strange.
Ditto.
I do not like change (duh?). I bumbled along through a successful career, and marriage not knowing I was autistic. I am now retired. The idea of being cured and suddenly wanting a social life gives me the willies.
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Broader autism cluster (Aspie) score: 139 of 200 Your neurotypical score: 60 of 200
Aspie Quiz (v5) 155 of 200 .. AQ 48 . Detailed Aspie Quotient for adults 1,540 out of 2,200 (70%)
RAADS-R Total 192 of 240 Social Problems 91 Circumscribed Interests 42 Language 19 Sensory Motor 40
Meyer-Briggs: INTP Comorbidities: Narcolepsy, NFLE, Alexithemia, Dyspraxia, Prosopagnosia, Anomia, IBS
........................If God meant for us to go around naked, we'd have been born that way........................
I believe autism is a disability, but a lot of the challenges are because we live in a world that was set up by NTs for NTs. On bad days I wish I had a cure, but on good days I'm happy like I am. I think if it came down to it and they were offering a cure, I don't think I'd want it. I'm 37 years old, I'm not trying to get a whole new brain, which is probably what they'd have to do. I do wish there was medication, though, to ease off the bad traits. And I'm definitely not in love with the whole eugenics thing, yipes.
It is hard for me to imagine someone saying”if I weren’t blind I wouldn’t be me”. Or “If my car didn’t have a flat tire it wouldn’t be my car”. In philosophy there is the idea of “accidental aspects” and “essential aspects”. I take meds for ADHD - I don’t stop being me when I take them. They help. I take meds for depression and anxiety. I don’t stop being me when I take them.
If there was a med that cured me of autism or significantly reduced the symptoms I would take it.
Near my house there is a walk/don’t-walk sign that makes different sounds for walk and don’t-walk. Good idea if you are blind or even partially seeing impaired. But no-one goes around saying “being blind isn’t a handicap it is just a difference”. Or maybe they do - but I don’t. I wish I could see as well as I could 20 years ago.
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ADHD-I(diagnosed) ASD-HF(diagnosed)
RDOS scores - Aspie score 131/200 - neurotypical score 69/200 - very likely Aspie
For me, there's no 'normal' - there is only 'different'. I simply don't wish to think or talk in terms of autistic vs neurotypical, though I understand well that categorisation like this can help us understand broad trends.
Applied to myself there are certain tasks or processes I manage well. There are some others that I just do not, enough to be considered a 'disability' in their own right. I am acutely conscious though that this kind of analysis applies to everyone else, for lots of different specific reasons unique to them.
That's why I think that ASD is considered a 'spectrum' - in simple terms an 'autistic' person is quite far along the line. But there is no sudden clearly demarcated dividing line.
For me, autism isn't like a physical disability like blindness. It isn't for me like bipolar or ADHD which can be mitigated through medication. It's just a DIFFERENCE.
'Curing' autism would be a bit like opening the hatch, taking them 'me' put, and replacing it with another, quite different 'me'. It doesn't work for me
If there was a med that cured me of autism or significantly reduced the symptoms I would take it.
Near my house there is a walk/don’t-walk sign that makes different sounds for walk and don’t-walk. Good idea if you are blind or even partially seeing impaired. But no-one goes around saying “being blind isn’t a handicap it is just a difference”. Or maybe they do - but I don’t. I wish I could see as well as I could 20 years ago.
Blindness doesn't necessarily affect every aspect of you as a person in the same way autism does. Autism is neurodevelopmental, everything about the way we navigate and perceived the world has been colored by our autism. To be changed would be to have to learn an entirely new way of being.
Plus I have seen some people who were blind from birth say that they wouldn't necessarily want to be sighted, unless they could give it a trial run first. Tommy Edison on YouTube, for example.
People who were sighted and became blind typically want their sight back.
I also don't view autism as a net negative, personally. And I am within my rights to see my own condition how I like, so long as I am not dictating this to others.
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ASD level 1, ADHD-C, most likely have dyscalculia & BPD as well.
RAADs: 104 | ASQ: 30 | Aspie Quiz: 116/200 (84% probability of being atypical)
Also diagnosed with: seasonal depression, anxiety, OCD
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I agree with colliegrace. I think my Autism has been a net positive for me. All positive? Probably not. But net positive.
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When diagnosed I bought champagne!
I finally knew why people were strange.
I have been blind from birth. I'm not too bothered about being able to see. I would have to learn everything all over again. There was actually a science fiction book that I can't remember the name of, where a girl who was born blind had a surgery that made her see. It sucked for her. She had to learn how to do everything like a baby pretty much. Heck all of that noise.
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Brings to mind "The Country of the Blind" by H. G. Wells.
Is there a comparable "The Country of the Autistics"?! I'd like to read/hear/watch that!
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When diagnosed I bought champagne!
I finally knew why people were strange.
My experience of being autistic is something completely different from being blind or being a car with a flat tire. I am not sure exactly how ADHD affects you but I would guess it is a bad comparison as well. Being blind is a lack of sight. A flat tire is a disfunctional tire. A person with ADHD that is on medication finds it easier to concentrate and focus while being themself. Being autistic is being different. It comes with some strenghts and with some weaknesses. If I lost my autism I would probably lose a big part of my personality and become a differerent person. If it were up to me I'd wish everyone were autistic.
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English is not my first language.
Double Retired
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Is there a comparable "The Country of the Autistics"?! I'd like to read/hear/watch that!
I'm married to a (wonderful) ADHD gal. So my mind wandered on to "The Country of ADHD".
I love my bride...but, for me, the thought of "The Country of ADHD" is frightening.
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When diagnosed I bought champagne!
I finally knew why people were strange.
My experience of being autistic is something completely different from being blind or being a car with a flat tire. I am not sure exactly how ADHD affects you but I would guess it is a bad comparison as well. Being blind is a lack of sight. A flat tire is a disfunctional tire. A person with ADHD that is on medication finds it easier to concentrate and focus while being themself. Being autistic is being different. It comes with some strenghts and with some weaknesses. If I lost my autism I would probably lose a big part of my personality and become a differerent person. If it were up to me I'd wish everyone were autistic.
I am diagnosed ADHD and Autistic.
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ADHD-I(diagnosed) ASD-HF(diagnosed)
RDOS scores - Aspie score 131/200 - neurotypical score 69/200 - very likely Aspie
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