Poll: Asperger Syndrome [please vote, even if you don't know what it is]

[ssjSephiroth]

It has a funny-sounding name, but very serious indeed.

 

[seidlet]

All I really know for sure is that doctors believe that my problem may have been caused by mercury being used as a preservative in my shots, thats right I used to be normal dammit I wasn't born this way!

the idiotic notion that autism can be caused by vaccines has been repeatedly discredited, by the way. if your doctor actually suggested that thimerosal could have caused your autism, i would start looking for a different doctor - run, don't walk.

 

[sms_117b]

and about your last comment,
tho you dont make a very valid point, often, depending on the disorder, admitting you suffer from that disorder does not nesicarily mean you are not taking responsibility for your actions, but merely that ther might be a better way of accomplishing the goal at hand rather then the "normal" way.

to say admitting it is to use it as an excuse is the same thing as saying a man in a wheelchair is just using that chair as an excuse for why he can't get up the stairs [tho i do not mean to sound rude]

I'm going to come out with it to give you a more accurate perspective on why I said it, I have IED, Intermittent Explosive Disorder, basically when sufficiently provoked I explode in a violent rage. Luckily so far I've taken it out on walls, old computers anything other than a person, but the day it gets so bad I lay into a person, that's assault, maybe ABH or even GBH, I'm going to prison regardless of the disability.

Spoiler

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermittent_explosive_disorder

Anyway, thanks for clearing it up, do you have any suggestions for how she can act to stop what's going on?

 

[tthor]

I've been diagnosed with it (by doctors, not a self-diagnosis), but I usually don't tell people. I often forget I have it, mostly because I believe the choices I make are my own.

I don't use it as an excuse to do what I want. I accept responsibility for my actions. It contributes, not causes.

i will tell you the same argument i told sms;
tho you do make a very valid point, often, depending on the disorder, admitting you suffer from that disorder does not nesicarily mean you are not taking responsibility for your actions, but merely that ther might be a better way of accomplishing the goal at hand rather then the "normal" way, and also that you may not act in the 'normal' way others do

to say admitting it is to use it as an excuse is the same thing as saying a man in a wheelchair is just using that chair as an excuse for why he can't get up the stairs [tho i do not mean to sound rude]


tho i must admit, if you truly do have aspergers, it sounds VERY mild, (because i honestly doubt any1 with so much as a normal level of aspergers would ever so easily forget their condition, because the differences between them and 'normal' society are usually very noticable to those who have a good knowledge of the symptoms of AS)

 

[sms_117b]

Marry a girl, who knows Krav Maga

That, is a very good idea haha

 

[ArcadianTrance]

All I really know for sure is that doctors believe that my problem may have been caused by mercury being used as a preservative in my shots, thats right I used to be normal dammit I wasn't born this way!

the idiotic notion that autism can be caused by vaccines has been repeatedly discredited, by the way. if your doctor actually suggested that thimerosal could have caused your autism, i would start looking for a different doctor - run, don't walk.

All right then I know nothing... But I feel a little better now that I don't feel a need to hold a grudge against doctors I don't know for using poor jugdement in preservatives... Still a little pissed though, now I've got no one to direct it at either. Ugh, you just couldn't let me have that could you.

 

[LordMarcusX]

Perhaps I should have made some mention of the DSM-IV criteria.

How many people here have even read a DSM? I thought I was fucked in the head until I read it. Then I just realized I have a healthy animosity towards humanity.

 

[LordMarcusX]

All social dysfunctions are a result of some personal defect. I don't understand why people with AS should be cut more slack than raving, obscenic drunks and sociopaths like me.

Except Asperger's is a neurological disorder. Personality disorders such as sociopathy are not.

 

[Aschenkatza]

I have never heard of this actually. It'll be interesting to see how many people vote to having it.
Definitely a interesting disorder/syndrome to look at. As a Psychology major, these things fascinate me >.>

 

[Alleged_Alec]

Hm... Well, I've know two persons who were diagnosed with AS, and I sometimes have the feeling that I might have it as well. I am socially very awkward; I have troubles with reading emotions and all that stuff, increasingly quirky and focussed interests and all that stuff.

I don't see a reason to let me be diagnosed though. I mean, it's highly unlikely that I actually have AS, and even if I have, so what? It's not going to change who I am and how I act.

 

[NewGeekPhilosopher]

There are more books dealing with people with Autism than Asperger's Syndrome. People know who Rain Man was because there was a movie about a guy with autism, but I haven't seen anything directly about people with Asperger's Syndrome. Only last year in Australia were people with Asperger's given eligibility for government support to pay for medication, but once you turn 18 they take some of that support away from you even though you still have a need for that medication to manage your related anxiety issues.

There are a few books about what Asperger's Syndrome is, but not fictional examples with characters who have the condition. Wish there were more characters people like me could look up to, I'm stuck with Noe from True Tears and Osaka from Azumanga Daioh, and I don't even know if it's canon whether they have Asperger's. There is the manga "With The Light" but that's about autism, not Asperger's.

There are autobiographies of people with Asperger's I haven't read yet, but I would personally like to see more fictional characters with Asperger's for people like me to look up to. Maybe because if nobody sees them in the popular culture people won't know/will continue to deny it exists as a real condition. I don't know how many times I've had to tell people it isn't a disease, but a condition.

 

[DrummerM]

I've been diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, but I'm not really sure I actually have it or not. I was seeing some psychiatrist about it for a while, but I don't anymore because he was of no help. Didn't explain what Asperger Syndrome causes in a person, didn't say why (Or even if) I had it. Just told me I do, and made some half-assed attempts to help me.

 

[tthor]

and about your last comment,
tho you dont make a very valid point, often, depending on the disorder, admitting you suffer from that disorder does not nesicarily mean you are not taking responsibility for your actions, but merely that ther might be a better way of accomplishing the goal at hand rather then the "normal" way.

to say admitting it is to use it as an excuse is the same thing as saying a man in a wheelchair is just using that chair as an excuse for why he can't get up the stairs [tho i do not mean to sound rude]

I'm going to come out with it to give you a more accurate perspective on why I said it, I have IED, Intermittent Explosive Disorder, basically when sufficiently provoked I explode in a violent rage. Luckily so far I've taken it out on walls, old computers anything other than a person, but the day it gets so bad I lay into a person, that's assault, maybe ABH or even GBH, I'm going to prison regardless of the disability.

Spoiler

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermittent_explosive_disorder

Anyway, thanks for clearing it up, do you have any suggestions for how she can act to stop what's going on?

i guess i understand your previous opinion a bit better, since it sounds like your disorder can be a bit more easily 'directed',(but with AS, the symptoms dont just show up when provoked or stimulated in some way, but instead are always present. its almost like their entire brain is wired quite differently then most other ppl)

hmmm... im not sure, not knowing the full details of the situation..
what i can tell you, which may or may not help, are some of the symptoms that i think would play a role in this type of behavior..
for 1 thing, ppl with AS think very logically(which usually means they will always look for specific rules or patterns that they can use to guide there choices and actions, ["they did this, and that happened, so maybe if i do this as well, i may get the same results"])
this logical way of thinking can be their greatest strength,but also their greatest downfall, for it makes understanding the 'rules' of social interaction difficult(since there really isnt much for strict 'rules' in social interacting), so he may, for some reason, not feel the way he is acting is as bad as it truly is, not fully realizing how other ppl feel about how he is acting.
ppl with aspegers often tend to obsess over something that currently has caught their interest (normally, i would use things like math, scetching pictures, computers, etc as examples, but, i guess it could also apply to obsessing over people[which, again, would only strengthen the idea that he greatly lacks general social skills, including reading another's social cues/body language])

this person must come off as extremely strange and socially awkward in most normal situations, am i rong?

 

[willard3]

There's also a lot of stereotypes going around about extremely awkward nerds diagnosing themselves with Asperger's, when they really have nothing of the type.

*looks suspiciously around*


I'm pretty sure I don't have it; I'm just fairly introverted. But once I get to know you a little, I'm perfectly comfortable with talking. If I get to know you a lot...watch out. Plus, two of my best friends are girls who know absolutely nothing about video games or gaming, so I don't treat girls like a different species or something either.

 

[tthor]

I've been diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, but I'm not really sure I actually have it or not. I was seeing some psychiatrist about it for a while, but I don't anymore because he was of no help. Didn't explain what Asperger Syndrome causes in a person, didn't say why (Or even if) I had it. Just told me I do, and made some half-assed attempts to help me.

hmm i could try to explain many of the symptoms of Aspergers, but i think it might be better if you just read this wikipedia article about it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger_syndrome

asperger syndrome can vary a bit between ppl with it, so u may not feel all of it is accurate about u, but i would probably think the article would be atleast mostly accurate about u.

feel free to ask about anything after reading the article

 

[sms_117b]

and about your last comment,
tho you dont make a very valid point, often, depending on the disorder, admitting you suffer from that disorder does not nesicarily mean you are not taking responsibility for your actions, but merely that ther might be a better way of accomplishing the goal at hand rather then the "normal" way.

to say admitting it is to use it as an excuse is the same thing as saying a man in a wheelchair is just using that chair as an excuse for why he can't get up the stairs [tho i do not mean to sound rude]

I'm going to come out with it to give you a more accurate perspective on why I said it, I have IED, Intermittent Explosive Disorder, basically when sufficiently provoked I explode in a violent rage. Luckily so far I've taken it out on walls, old computers anything other than a person, but the day it gets so bad I lay into a person, that's assault, maybe ABH or even GBH, I'm going to prison regardless of the disability.

Spoiler

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermittent_explosive_disorder

Anyway, thanks for clearing it up, do you have any suggestions for how she can act to stop what's going on?

i guess i understand your previous opinion a bit better, since it sounds like your disorder can be a bit more easily 'directed',(but with AS, the symptoms dont just show up when provoked or stimulated in some way, but instead are always present. its almost like their entire brain is wired quite differently then most other ppl)

hmmm... im not sure, not knowing the full details of the situation..
what i can tell you, which may or may not help, are some of the symptoms that i think would play a role in this type of behavior..
for 1 thing, ppl with AS think very logically(which usually means they will always look for specific rules or patterns that they can use to guide there choices and actions, ["they did this, and that happened, so maybe if i do this as well, i may get the same reaction"]
this logical way of thinking can be their greatest strength,but also their greatest downfall, for it makes understanding the 'rules' of social interaction difficult(since there really isnt much for strict 'rules' in social interacting), so he may, for some reason, not feel the way he is acting is as bad as it truly is, not fully realizing how other ppl feel about how he is acting.
ppl with aspegers often tend to obsess over something that currently has caught their interest (normally, i would use things like math, scetching pictures, computers, etc as examples, but, i guess it could also apply to obsessing over people[which, again, would only strengthen the idea that he greatly lacks general social skills, including reading another's social cues/body language])

this person must come off as extremely strange and socially awkward in most normal situations, am i rong?

Firstly thank you and to answer your end question, not to sound politically incorrect or anything, but yes you're spot on, he does come off as incredibly strange, topics of conversation are sometimes beyond what people would call "normal". I'll pass what you've told me on to my friend, see if she can think her way out of this situation knowing his frame/state of mind better, she too is very logical.

I know I used to word "directed" but that's not quite accurate, my PC in the case of me practically dismantling it was the source of the push over the edge. My mother going on about trying home made soup constantly with me saying no, I got up and began to walk away, she said it once more and I kicked the living room door off it's hinges, walls is me feeling I'm getting close to a explosion, everyone knows a really tense wound up feeling, and then me pushing myself over the edge to punching the wall, which has left me with fractured wrists and broken knuckles more than once. It's more a case of whatever is in front of me, which is why I always walk away from a argument. Sufficient provocation is more of a off button for self control.

Anyway, I've strayed from your topic once again with my own problems, the only reason I'm not deleting it is because it took ages to write, sorry. once again thank you, your insight is appreciated.

 

[tthor]

There's also a lot of stereotypes going around about extremely awkward nerds diagnosing themselves with Asperger's, when they really have nothing of the type.

*looks suspiciously around*


I'm pretty sure I don't have it; I'm just fairly introverted. But once I get to know you a little, I'm perfectly comfortable with talking. If I get to know you a lot...watch out. Plus, two of my best friends are girls who know absolutely nothing about video games or gaming, so I don't treat girls like a different species or something either.

well, ppl with AS Very commonly fit into the 'Nerd'group (in many traits/symptoms that i prefer not to get into listing atm unless somewhat nesicary)

i think anyone who thinks they may have aspergers should first read thru this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger_syndrome and see if this article closely describes them or not