Published on 12, July, 2020
That people are raving about.
Given he's a celebrity, and able to afford it , I wonder whether he was diagnosed privately. That's an option not realistically available to many of us who are middle aged and whose childhood coincided with a time when the definition of autism was much more narrow. There are quite a few of us out there with marked autistic traits/could very well be on the spectrum who struggle to get our problems recognised enough to be put forward for assessment. Often we are seen in negative and unflattering terms and certainly don't get the help and support we need . Personally I would like to see a program that focuses on those of us in that unfortunate position rather than a celebrity with aspergers.
I got a private diagnosis in the end, at first when I figured it out I wasn't that bothered, I looked at the NHS options and it was along the lines of it might take several years if it ever happens at all so I didn't bother. The a couple of years later I was talking to someone through work who happened to work in the field and they had a colleague who specialised in diagnosis in adults and I thought I might as well find out for sure so I did. It cost me and assessment took place over four one-hour and one two-hour session.
Now I'll add that having a diagnosis (Asperger's, now reclassified as higher functioning Autism) didn't change my outlook or perspective, it's not given me any further insight than I had before the test because I already figured out that I had Asperger's. All in all haven't gained anything from it and it hasn't granted me access to help, but then nor do I feel the need for any.
The reason for the "celebrity" element is that it helps attract viewers, having a program about "MattBucks" or "Firemonkey" won't draw in the viewers so if they can leverage the celebrity element to gain more viewers and so increase awareness then that's a good thing. There's also the issue that many with Asperger's have different outcomes, I'm one of the lucky ones that doesn't need help and have made a relative success of life in-spite of, or even because of my Asperger's but if a program focused on me it would create calls that it discounted those with difficulties, just as when a program focuses on those with difficulties and ignores those of us without there are also complaints.
It's a balance and it's difficult to find, but I think it's good that there are more programs on TV about those with ASD, it can only raise awareness and I think it's good that Chris Packham has used this to raise awareness in general.
NAS15840 said:The reason for the "celebrity" element is that it helps attract viewers, having a program about "MattBucks" or "Firemonkey" won't draw in the viewers so if they can leverage the celebrity element to gain more viewers and so increase awareness then that's a good thing
The trouble with that is that celebrities are not ordinary people and awareness of a celebrity with Asperger's won't be the same as an awareness of "MattBucks" or "Firemonkey" with Asperger's.
How about a “talking heads” of ASD people from all walks of life...
It was good @trainspotter! More needed x