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How long did it take for you to stop feeling 'subhuman'?

StephenHarris

I often find myself thinking, as a late diagnosee, that I'm somehow a second class human being, of an inferior class to everyone else. Have others felt that when they were diagnosed?

Parents

  • I too am a "late diagnosee" and have often felt like that (pre-diagnosis) because of other people's reactions to me (or what I have perceived those reactions to be). It's difficult to tell the two apart! 

    I have only been diagnosed a very short time but have (so far) made the decision not to tell even my close family members because of the stigma associated with diagnoses of most conditions (Not just ASD). It does worry me that I will be seen as 'different' or 'other' purely because of my diagnosis or 'label', that traits previously considered eccentricities or idiosyncrasies will suddenly become Aspergers-y. 

    The more I find out about Aspergers, the more I think that actually most (maybe all?) of the things that I love and hate about myself ARE Aspergers-y but the way I see it, that's nobody else's business. I'm still exactly the same 'Me' as I've always been, it's just that now I feel as if I've found the instruction manual to help me understand myself better. And that feels pretty good.  

    I think it might be different for people who receive their diagnosis younger. I think younger people, especially children, might find it helpful for the people around them to know their diagnosis in order to help them live and grow with it and to help them understand it. Unfortunately i think that might also leave them open to discrimination by less understanding people in society. It's a bit of a 'Catch 22' situation.   

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  • I too am a "late diagnosee" and have often felt like that (pre-diagnosis) because of other people's reactions to me (or what I have perceived those reactions to be). It's difficult to tell the two apart! 

    I have only been diagnosed a very short time but have (so far) made the decision not to tell even my close family members because of the stigma associated with diagnoses of most conditions (Not just ASD). It does worry me that I will be seen as 'different' or 'other' purely because of my diagnosis or 'label', that traits previously considered eccentricities or idiosyncrasies will suddenly become Aspergers-y. 

    The more I find out about Aspergers, the more I think that actually most (maybe all?) of the things that I love and hate about myself ARE Aspergers-y but the way I see it, that's nobody else's business. I'm still exactly the same 'Me' as I've always been, it's just that now I feel as if I've found the instruction manual to help me understand myself better. And that feels pretty good.  

    I think it might be different for people who receive their diagnosis younger. I think younger people, especially children, might find it helpful for the people around them to know their diagnosis in order to help them live and grow with it and to help them understand it. Unfortunately i think that might also leave them open to discrimination by less understanding people in society. It's a bit of a 'Catch 22' situation.   

Children
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