whats your opinions on autism/anyone else here have it?

[toric5]

I'm pretty shire this is within the realms of the forum rules, i read them again just to make sure.

anyway, I'm a 16 year old aspie that was officially diagnosed (at a mental hospital, worst experience ever.) about a year ago. however, it was pretty much certain when i was 11 and suspected since i was 5. i lived most of my life win chad africa so i didn't quite have the social struggles i would have otherwise. (there were other struggles too though, such as all out civil war.) anyway, i just wanted to see what the opinions of other people are when it comes to others that are... slightly different than the norm. if i have read the community right, I'm hoping that i will at least not get any hate. i would also like to find out if there are any other ASD people out there in the community. so, just give me your opinions guys, ignore my rant format, and don't hate on people.

(and mods, if this type of thread is not ok, take it down, its fine with me. although infractions would hurt.)

i would also like to thank the ksp team for making the game that kept me sane during algebra 2!

[MaverickSawyer]

I'm a diagnosed Aspie, although if you met me in person, you might not be able to tell unless you know some of the signs real well.

To be fair, it's not a good or a bad thing: It's just part of who you are. I could care less about other people's opinion of you; I'll form my own based off of my experience.

[KvickFlygarn87]

I think it's fine, and everyone should. You were born that way, everyone should just accept that.

EDIT: I also have an AS diagnosis on me, but I'll quote Maverick: although if you met me in person, you might not be able to tell unless you know some of the signs real well.

Edited February 28, 2014 by KvickFlygarn87

[Nuke]

pretty sure i have aspergers. though its not something in the plethora of things ive ever been diagnosed with.

but i kinda think its one of those things that schools tag children with so they can segregate the trouble makers (non conformists) from the rest of the school population. they were doing the same thing with adhd when i was still in high school, it seemed like half the class had it. in almost every case it was the school psychologist calling it out, and then referring to a shrink that they knew. once that went through, you quickly found yourself riding the short bus to school. aspergers is kinda taking over where adhd left off.

in retrospect i think i was just smarter than everyone else.

[Deadpangod3]

I have both aspergers and autism, I think I was diagnosed around when I was still a baby, but what annoys me most is that people treat me like I'm not even human,

They treat me like I'm one of those mentally off people that can't even talk normally or can't think, yet I'm not like this at all, I can speak normally and my rain works fine,

Even my own MOTHER treats me like this, she has me in a sort of program for the mentaly off people, so I when I'm doing my work, I have to sit in a room amongst like seven other kids younger then me, constantly screaming "AHAHAHAHAHA!!!" At random, one doesn't even know how to read or write, yet somehow he's in seventh grade another has severe anger issues, one I swear purposely tries to anger me by making a clicking sound with his mouth, and one freaks out yelling he doesn't want to, or he doesn't know, whenever they try to get him to do his assignments.

So I've had to sit in this same room since I was in fifth grade, for about four school years, even though I am perfectly fine, and according to my mother, I'm in there so the teacher (who doesn't even qualify as a teacher) can "help me with my work" WHEN I AM FULLY CAPABLE OF DOING IT MYSELF IF THEY WOULD JUST STOP DOING ALL THIS STUFF AND LET ME TRY TO BE NORMAL FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE! My mom tells me to act my age, and try to be normal, yet I don't know how she expects me to when she treats me like I'm two, talks to me like it also, and treats me like I'm the least important person on the planet!!!

I just want to be normal, for once in my life, I want to be treated like a perfectly normal kid,

I don't care if my mind runs at like twice the speed of anyone else,

Or my head is the size of a freaking basketball,

Or I can hear airplanes overhead five minutes before anyone else,

Or if I have ADHD, even though I can focus fine,

I don't care if I have asthma, and almost every birth defect under the sun that doesn't impair my ability to do things severely.

I could care less that I can get super focused on something,

Or I can do five different things at once.

I just want to be normal.

Edited March 1, 2014 by KasperVld

[toric5]

this is very encouraging for me to read, as when i first meet someone, often their first reaction on finding out I'm 'autistic' is one of slight disgust. that is, until there in the same case as me and get to know me a bit. (not the best at first impressions.) as a reply to nuke, aspie does not simply mean your generally smarter, it often means you are smarter in one particular subject. also social skills often become an issue, where as ADD (or at leas the ones i know, including my sister.) are often much more socially outgoing. my attitude is that i like to talk in one on one or maybe even groups of three, much more than that and i quickly get overwhelmed. also, i have been fortunate enough that my her girlfriend (would be, exempt we both have a fear of saying good bye, and she's going to college this year;)) is also an aspie. (met in robotics, one of the best activities out there, IMHO) as to the first two posters i would have to mostly agree with maverick. people usually thing there is something wrong with or I'm just being rude. (WHY does eye contact such a big deal!) but other than eye contact any my occasional bluntness, I've learned to act pretty normal. (oh, and don't forget the fidgeting.) what would you say would be the biggest giveaway for you guys if another aspie or someone else who knew the symptoms really well were to meet you?

deadpangod:

although i can't really say I've been in your shoes, i have been in situations like that. thankfully though, my parents learned the hard way that when it comes to my activities, they need to let me have the final say in it. (speech therapy went down the drain after the first week.) I'm not sure if your in that situation any more, but if you are, depending at what country you are in, you are probably at the age where you have a say in it and you can get yourself into public school. again, before you start believing your mom, or anyone else of a similar opinion, look at my sig, written by perhaps the best known aspie on the planet.

Edited February 28, 2014 by toric5

[Nuke]

i was never formally diagnosed with aspergers, and im told that its virtually impossible to be diagnosed with it as an adult (im 32). i had one therapist who thought i had it but he couldn't make a diagnosis (he didnt have his phd yet). but im pretty sure i have it (according to the DSM-5). never had much of a social life. always hacking on something, working on some random project, etc. when i was a kid i would play with legos 10 hours a day building all kinds of machines. then around '96 my grandma bought me a computer and i immediately took to programming, graphic design, modding, etc. currently doing a lot of electronics projects and some light modding.

but the public school system is overrun with bureaucrats and they actively discriminate against anyone who does not fit the mold of the common student. those that are lagging behind academically, those who are ahead of the curriculum, anyone with severe emotional problems, and any rebels in the middle that they just dont like. then you stick those students in special ed, convince them that they will never amount to anything, separate them from the normal people so they never develop socially (they can interact well amongst themselves, but not with anyone who went through school the normal route), and fail to prepare them for the real world.

i actually think that a lot of the diagnoses are bogus because of this. schools are constantly being rated. the school principals love their scores. if they see someone dragging the stats down they will actively try to get rid of them. they will use the school counselors (in their employ) to try to convince parents to take the kids to a psychiatrist, and in the process refer them to one. any psychiatrist can always find something wrong in anyone (everyone has cobwebs in their attic). once an official diagnosis is made, the children are moved to special ed and are exempt from contributing to the school's rating, entirely at the detriment of the children. i think its rather disturbing.

instead of putting kids in special ed, where they will be treated differently by everyone. instead assign them classes that suit their abilities and needs. someone with adhd (my sister has it bad) would benefit from activity oriented classes (gym, sports, dance). aspies would do well in computer science and electronics classes. things like that. get rid of the no child left behind crap, its just an excuse to remove anyone that doesn't fit in, then abolish the concentration camp that is special ed.

Edited February 28, 2014 by Nuke

[tiger336]

I have ADHD, just not the hyper part of it and everything else that's been said in this thread pretty much runs in my family. And to labeling kids and being put into special ed classes, it has taken my family a little over 7 school years to get me an IEP. The schools I have gone to don't care, I look and act fine, so they see nothing wrong.

[toric5]

I have ADHD, just not the hyper part of it and everything else that's been said in this thread pretty much runs in my family.

so just ADD?

and nuke, i have seen that most of the diagnoses do exist, i have read several phycology books, but i prefer to think of these thing, including autism, as not a decease (anyone or any organization that says so, including autism speaks, have not met a real, average case of it.) but rather, as simple a different way of thinking. the next step up from culture.

[Nuke]

im pretty sure the diagnoses exist and are valid. i may have been harsh when i said some of the diagnoses have been bogus. its when the diagnosis is used as an excuse to segregate students that i have problems with.

[tiger336]

so just ADD?.

If you look in a med dictionary there is no term ADD just ADHD which has four levels to it.

[Deadpangod3]

It also pisses me off that the teachers in here expect us to worship everything they do and that their always right and we're always wrong.

Edited March 1, 2014 by KasperVld

[toric5]

i mostly agree with you there, i have had some good teachers though, most of the teach elective. however, most of them are just like you said.

[MaverickSawyer]

I have both aspergers and autism, I think I was diagnosed around when I was still a baby, but what annoys me most is that people treat me like I'm not even human,

They treat me like I'm one of those mentally off people that can't even talk normally or can't think, yet I'm not like this at all, I can speak normally and my rain works fine,

Even my own MOTHER treats me like this, she has me in a sort of program for the mentaly off people, so I when I'm doing my work, I have to sit in a room amongst like seven other kids younger then me, constantly screaming "AHAHAHAHAHA!!!" At random, one doesn't even know how to read or write, yet somehow he's in seventh grade another has severe anger issues, one I swear purposely tries to anger me by making a clicking sound with his mouth, and one freaks out yelling he doesn't want to, or he doesn't know, whenever they try to get him to do his assignments.

So I've had to sit in this same room since I was in fifth grade, for about four school years, even though I am perfectly fine, and according to my mother, I'm in there so the teacher (who doesn't even qualify as a teacher) can "help me with my work" WHEN I AM FULLY CAPABLE OF DOING IT MYSELF IF THEY WOULD JUST STOP DOING ALL THIS STUFF AND LET ME TRY TO BE NORMAL FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE! My mom tells me to act my age, and try to be normal, yet I don't know how she expects me to when she treats me like I'm two, talks to me like it also, and treats me like I'm the least important person on the planet!!!

I just want to be normal, for once in my life, I want to be treated like a perfectly normal kid,

I don't care if my mind runs at like twice the speed of anyone else,

Or my head is the size of a freaking basketball,

Or I can hear airplanes overhead five minutes before anyone else,

Or if I have ADHD, even though I can focus fine,

I don't care if I have asthma, and almost every birth defect under the sun that doesn't impair my ability to do things severely.

I could care less that I can get super focused on something,

Or I can do five different things at once.

I just want to be normal.

Define "Normal". You are who you are, and you have certain things that you're really good at, and some you're terrible at. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Find your strength, and lock onto that. Work on the things you're not so good at, and with time, they'll improve.

i was never formally diagnosed with aspergers, and im told that its virtually impossible to be diagnosed with it as an adult (im 32). i had one therapist who thought i had it but he couldn't make a diagnosis (he didnt have his phd yet). but im pretty sure i have it (according to the DSM-5). never had much of a social life. always hacking on something, working on some random project, etc. when i was a kid i would play with legos 10 hours a day building all kinds of machines. then around '96 my grandma bought me a computer and i immediately took to programming, graphic design, modding, etc. currently doing a lot of electronics projects and some light modding.

but the public school system is overrun with bureaucrats and they actively discriminate against anyone who does not fit the mold of the common student. those that are lagging behind academically, those who are ahead of the curriculum, anyone with severe emotional problems, and any rebels in the middle that they just dont like. then you stick those students in special ed, convince them that they will never amount to anything, separate them from the normal people so they never develop socially (they can interact well amongst themselves, but not with anyone who went through school the normal route), and fail to prepare them for the real world.

i actually think that a lot of the diagnoses are bogus because of this. schools are constantly being rated. the school principals love their scores. if they see someone dragging the stats down they will actively try to get rid of them. they will use the school counselors (in their employ) to try to convince parents to take the kids to a psychiatrist, and in the process refer them to one. any psychiatrist can always find something wrong in anyone (everyone has cobwebs in their attic). once an official diagnosis is made, the children are moved to special ed and are exempt from contributing to the school's rating, entirely at the detriment of the children. i think its rather disturbing.

instead of putting kids in special ed, where they will be treated differently by everyone. instead assign them classes that suit their abilities and needs. someone with adhd (my sister has it bad) would benefit from activity oriented classes (gym, sports, dance). aspies would do well in computer science and electronics classes. things like that. get rid of the no child left behind crap, its just an excuse to remove anyone that doesn't fit in, then abolish the concentration camp that is special ed.

Yes, more effort does need to be put into getting students out of "special ed" and into normal classes at all levels. Colleges, though, are pretty good about that. They tend to work with you to make your education easier, rather than make you work to fit in.

I have ADHD, just not the hyper part of it and everything else that's been said in this thread pretty much runs in my family. And to labeling kids and being put into special ed classes, it has taken my family a little over 7 school years to get me an IEP. The schools I have gone to don't care, I look and act fine, so they see nothing wrong.

IEPs are a wonderful safety net. I had one from about 5th grade onwards. It really helped me more as a safety net than as a crutch.

It also pisses me off that the teachers in here expect us to worship everything they do and that their always right and we're always wrong.

(quote partially removed)

First off, DON'T GO DOWN THAT ROAD. I've been there, said some stupid things, and paid the price for it. Only my IEP kept me from being expelled from a public high school.

Second, find some teachers that DO care, and try as hard as you can to get classes with them. It will get easier once you reach college, but until then, find those teachers who care about helping the students, and make friends with them.

i mostly agree with you there, i have had some good teachers though, most of the teach elective. however, most of them are just like you said.

One of my favorite teachers was the metal shop teacher. Great guy, partially because he took no lip in the shop. You screwed around, you got kicked out. My kind of teacher.

Edited March 1, 2014 by KasperVld

[Rainbowtrout]

I'm a high-functioning person with Aspergers Syndrome. I've been in the same situation as Deadpangod3, where I'm put with "people like me". I don't work like that. I try to keep it quiet, most people wouldn't care and continue to not help.

Edited March 9, 2015 by Rainbowtrout

[Comrade Jenkens]

Large list of mental problems here

Aspergers, dyspraxia, short term memory loss, GID, short term memory loss, and really bad depression.

I think that the KSP forums will have a large amount of people with aspergers on it simply due to the type of people it attracts.

[MaverickSawyer]

I think that the KSP forums will have a large amount of people with aspergers on it simply due to the type of people it attracts.

I think you hit the nail on the head there, Comrade.

[NQMT]

OCD, slight anger management issues, anxiety issues, paranoia, depression. Not a fun mix.

(back on topic)

My best friend is mildly autistic and he's the nicest guy you'll ever meet.

Loosely quoting a few people from the previous page; you'd never be able to tell, unless you know the signs.

[Red Iron Crown]

I really, really dislike that autism, even in its milder forms, is treated as something "wrong" with the person. Autistic minds work differently, certainly, but I think calling one way "normal" and the other "abnormal" puts a negative value judgement on the autistic mind. It would be better to say autistic minds are "uncommon", they work differently than common minds, in some ways better and in some ways worse.

Edited March 8, 2015 by Red Iron Crown
Redacted some personal info.

[CaptainGiblets]

Ok, I don't have autism or anything like it ( But might have mild depression) but there is this one kid in our school that I believe is autistic, and I truly feel bad for the guy, he gets hated on, people always talk about him behind his back and it's horrible. So a couple of days ago I asked if he wanted to sit with me at lunch. While I have trouble understanding him, he is still a very nice guy.

[toric5]

I really, really dislike that autism, even in its milder forms, is treated as something "wrong" with the person. Autistic minds work differently, certainly, but I think calling one way "normal" and the other "abnormal" puts a negative value judgement on the autistic mind. It would be better to say autistic minds are "uncommon", they work differently than common minds, in some ways better and in some ways worse.

thank you so much for posting this. i feel much the same way, and every time i see an ad from something like autism speaks, i cringe. we are not deceased, we are simple a diffret type of people.

also, for everyone else, i had no idea how many there were. i though there might be a few, but comrade jenkins! you became my new danny 244 a while ago. (with the kraken drive 1.) just wow. thanks everyone!

Edited March 8, 2015 by Red Iron Crown
Redacted some personal info from the quote.

[Nuke]

reading through he dsm-5, its hard to find something i dont have.

[Red Iron Crown]

Maybe stay away from WebMD then, you'll have something fatal by the end of the day.

[Comrade Jenkens]

but comrade jenkins! you became my new danny 2462 a while ago

Now I feel obliged to make something else crazy!

[Nuke]

Maybe stay away from WebMD then, you'll have something fatal by the end of the day.

i have a fatal condition called mortality, turns out everyone has the same disorder.

no, its more that my opinion of the state of mental health is at an all time low. im convinced that if everyone went to a shrink, that said shrink will find something wrong with everyone.