How many of you are diagnosed with aspergers/autism?
 

So we've had a thread about sexuality, glasses, slang, disabilities, now its time for an aspie thread.

Its funny, up until a couple of years ago I had never even heard of the word, "autism." I simply never knew about it. I started coming to online forums and for some reason everyone kept saying, "Yeah, I'm an aspie too" and I kept wondering what was this people were talking about? Its funny how much you learn through online fandoms. Almost every fandom I've been a part of, it seems like half the people said they were diagnosed with either high-functioning autism or had aspergers.

Now it seems like autism and aspergers syndrome is very widespread and quite common. More and more kids are being diagnosed with this at a very young age. Its hard to believe that almost a third of the general population probably has it.

So how many of you, and I'm sure there are quite a number, either are aspie's or know someone in your family who has it?

I doubt a third of the population has been diagnosed with autism, the last stat I was given was 1/100 I believe, but that was a two or three years ago.

The reason autism diagnoses are going up is because we are just now beginning to understand autism and its becoming widely known now. Parents, teachers, and children doctors are now aware of the signs and then has them professionally diagnosed. Also parents come in with their child and a doctor may be diagnosed as well :lol:


something happened with (A.D.D) that is why their was such a spike in (A.D.D) Diagnoses. Both parents and children were being diagnosed because we were just starting to understand it and it became widely known.

My mom said I show signs of it but I've never actually been diagnosed with it so I don't really know about myself personally. My brother has been officially diagnosed with a low level form of autism. He talks a lot but he has mild speech problems and he throws mild tantrums when he is asked to move away from his computer... We are working with him on it though and he is getting better at not getting mad when he has to get off the computer...

I don't have it or know anyone offline who has it; I do follow a blog by someone who is autistic though.

I'm not autistic, and I don't know anyone who's autistic in real life. Online is different though, I'm pretty sure we've had an autistic member join a few months ago.

As a psychologist, id say there has been an increase in diagnosis. However, there has been a steady increase in population. In addition, in order to get insurance to cover costs, having a diagnosis helps people get more Coverage. Basically, autism and aspbergers is way over-diagnosed just like child bipolar and ADHD. We live in a diagnosis-happy time.

I am not sure if I would group Bi-polar with autism or especially ADHD. I feel like Bi-polar is actually the forgotten dis-order. :lol: I am arguing with a professional psychologist.:lol:

But you would know better, I am curious if you don't mind me asking are you a psychologist only or are you a licensed psychiatrist as well?? I am asking bc I am wondering how hard it is to make the jump.

My brother and nephew have autism, and now the doctors think my nephew might have ADD as well.

Off topic post under spoiler...

I honestly wonder if PL has some form of aspergers syndrome or autism.

I had a classmate with aspergers. I'm generally a patient person, so I was one of ~5 people that could even stand working with him. In fact, I liked it. I'm gonna be honest, he basically never contributed anything useful, and he sometimes was a little pissed at us not taking his (very bad) ideas seriously, but he's a super nice person and I did consider him a friend back then.

... the hell? Funny enough, I've often wondered the same thing about you ;)

I have Aspergers. Diagnosed in my mid 20's after seeing several specialists. My mom was the one who thought I had it after reading the various symptoms.

Previous to my diagnosis my family would force me to do stuff I didn't really want to do when all I wanted was to basically be by myself and read books. Since then they've come to understand me better and basically leave me alone. They have also realized other family members (past and present) as being Aspies as well.

There's a town near where I grew up that has more low-functioning autism cases per square mile than anywhere else on earth. There's a street in one neighborhood where every house has a low-functioning autistic child from what is now called Generation X.

While they're not entirely sure what caused this, the strongest theory has to do with the fact that this neighborhood is adjacent to where a large plastics factory once operated.

So take of that what you will.

That is what baffles me is that we still do not know the cause or origin of autism....
There are theories ranging from genetics to environment.

Unless it was a typo, it would do you well to get the correct spelling of Asperger's correct as a psychologist. As for your last sentence about us living in a diagnosis-happy time, you're rather on point about that.

Anyway, this whole thing was kind of discussed in a thread in the past. I don't have Asperger's, although I was told I've got characteristics of it. In fact, I was once diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder.

http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/sho...&postcount=166

This kind of reminds me of how someone once told me that she loves people with Asperger's, since they have unique ways of thinking. Though I guess there are some exceptions.

And there's nothing saying it can't be a combination of both.

*shrug*

I've actually never been diagnosed with anything. Not an aspie, I've never been depressed, no OCD, nothing.

I'm 100% straight and narrow. By the books, so to speak.

I often think Cyber Cubed is on the spectrum too. Or at the very least extremely sheltered and sort of inexperienced with the real world. Lots of odd posts.

*shrug*

I'm not an aspie or autistic. I have no social anxiety. My only thing is depression. But it is well controlled.

Never been diagnosed with either but I'm pretty sure I don't have autism. Aspergers is harder to define but I doubt I have it either. Sure, I used to be kinda shy and struggled in social situations but that's not so uncommon when you're a kid or a teenager. I've improved a lot ever since.

I guess Cyber Cubed tends to come off strange to others, but I don't think it's right to go and speculate that he might be on the spectrum outright on here. Not just him, but others too.

Yes it is rather common for kids and teenagers to struggle through awkward phases. That's why the whole diagnose-happy thing annoys me.

I remember one person who I knew from a job I worked when I was younger, who thought I might be slow or retarded just because I don't talk to girls (which he seemingly assumed because I hadn't been socializing with the girls there). Also, because he believes I don't listen to rap, simply because I once mentioned being a fan of alternative. Stupid, right? I don't know why I never felt compelled to talk to those girls at that job, but it's not like they couldn't talk to me. I may not have ever had a girlfriend at that time, but I've always liked women. My first "crush" dates back to fourth grade as a matter of fact. Also, it's not like being of a certain race or ethnicity should entitle you to limit your tastes in music or anything else.

Also, this one woman I know who speaks Arabic and learned it before she learned English, told me that some people thought she was retarded since she spoke Arabic a lot when she was younger. Now THAT'S stupid.

I consider it a kindness to assume someone is on the spectrum when they behave or exhibit a socially inappropriate behavior. Maybe it's something they can't help, and aren't aware that they're behavior is unacceptable. Giving them the benefit of that doubt gives me the opportunity to take a breath and not automatically downgrade that person to Jerk right off the bat.

I used to work with a guy who appeared to have NO concept of personal space, and for a good long while I used to think very poorly of him because of it. After we'd known each other a bit longer, all the while me thinking of him as a massive jerk, he told me that he's legally blind. So all those minor facial expressions and all that body language I was utilizing to display my displeasure at his behavior wasn't seen. The moment he told me he was blind I changed tactics, and when he was doing something I considered in appropriate I just up and told him, and our relationship got a whole lot better then.

People are usually diagnosed with various disorders at an early age, such as when they're kids or teens, or by their latest their early to mid-20's. I'm in my late 20's, so if by now I haven't been diagnosed with anything, I most likely don't have anything.

I'm actually really glad I've never had depression, OCD, anxiety, aspie, etc. or anything of the sort. I feel like I'm lucky in that regard.

My only problem is I'm starting to lose my hair, but hey, that's the best kind of "problem" to have! :lol:

Not entirely true, but let's go with that.

D-did you just make a joke?!?!?!

Maybe it's one thing to consider the possibility, but maybe you just shouldn't to say it out in the open to or about someone. I've had that done to me, and I didn't much care for it. It's just like the example I gave. I guess the aforementioned guy was only trying to understand my mannerisms, but his speculations were complete ass-pulls. People ought to be minding their own business as well.

At my previous job, three women just started raising Cain with me just because I sneezed. While they were ranting and raving, this one woman chimes in saying that you have to be patient with me, for it takes a long time for me to get things. Then they all agree. I didn't like that very much, because that suggests that I'm slow or something. They don't know me as well as they think they do. Besides, I can say the same thing about them since they've come off as closed-minded to me many times.

I had one friend in high school who was autistic and a friend in college who was autistic. The one in high school always got mad when he did something wrong and would hit himself and sometimes bite himself in elementary school. By high school things were better for him, but it was something that was a problem for a long time. My college friend didn't have anything like that, but she did tell me she had autism.

FWIW, I think Cubed is a nice enough guy but I think he does say stuff which he may not even necessarily mean, just to get people to bite.

My reasoning is that if he acted in real life the way he does online, someone would have throttled him a long time ago. The fact that he lives is proof that his online persona is mostly an act. ;) I was starting to take him seriously for a while there, and then I kind of had to reason my way to the logical conclusion. :lol:

As a psychiatric nurse, I'm very happy that so many disorders are starting to get the level of attention they deserve and that we are starting to see a substantial decline in negative stigma as social awareness improves.
The DSM5 now uses the term Autistic Spectrum Disorder which includes Asperger's, as new studies have shown that it's not such a black or white diagnosis and there is a much wider range of variance than what was previously recognized. I think the word "spectrum" appropriately draws attention to this. To my knowledge, I don't have any family members that fall under this diagnosis but I did look after a young boy with Aspergers. I would accompany him to his Scouts meetings and other social activities. Extremely smart and kind young guy. He just required some guidance and support in social situations. Luckily we have more knowlege, awareness, and support now.
As for Cubed, I don't know what ya got brother. It's so rare and bizarre it defies classification. :lol: I'm just kidding btw. Thanks for being such a good sport. I admire the fact that, like myself, you don't take yourself too seriously and don't offend easily. At the very least your posts provoke thoughtful discussion and you're not afraid to speak your mind, regardless of the popular public opinion. I respect that.

You know its very interesting to see that a lot of people never understood why certain kids acted the way they did in school until people found out they were autistic or aspie. Instead teachers wrongly put these kids in "special ed" or remedial classes thinking they were just stupid rather than they couldn't help themselves.

Kids who were shy and kept to themselves, made weird motions, or weren't able to keep up with the schoolwork like other kids. There were always kids like this in my classes, but my teachers always treated them like they were just "stupid or slow" kids, rather than what they should have been treated like.

It's a real shame. Its good that the study and discovery of autism/aspergers is more widespread now. Kids in the 80's and early 90's did not have this luxury and I feel sorry for what they had to put up with in school.

It's a shame the kids from my generation (the mid 80's and 90's), didn't get this type of treatment. Looking back.

Sure but, on the other hand, you see a lot of over-diagnosis nowadays. It seems like every time a kid acts different from his classmates, he gets diagnosed with some sort of disorder. I wonder if I'd be diagnosed with a disorder if I was a kid today, since I was kind of an awkward and shy kid.

I had trouble pronouncing words with the letter R as a kid. Diagnoses? Who knows? Damn doctors diagnose people with anything nowadays.

The pharmacy industry has to make money somehow, I guess.

It is sad, because parents start treating their kids differently if they're diagnosed with something and it might not be true. Also imagine how a kid must feel to be told he's an aspie at like 8 and your parents to say, "Well you're not like other kids" and nonsense like that?

It seems nowadays if you act just slightly different than what's considered "normal" you're diagnosed with some sort of mental disorder.

Pretty glad I grew up in the mid 80's and early 90's before this became a common thing.