Published on 12, July, 2020
It seems like this newfound societal understanding of ASD started a couple of years ago. Even as recent as 10 years ago I really don't remember so many people calling someone(online or IRL) autistic, being on the spectrum etc. It's like everyone knows what it is now.
IMO therein lies a problem because it is used as an insult. It's not even a 'disability' for most of us(I don't even know if I should say we, I'm not diagnosed and feel like a lot of it doesn't apply to me, guess I'm extremely 'high functioning') but it is treated as such.
If this gets known about you in your friend circle? They're gonna start seeing and treating you differently. if it gets known at work? Forget about it. Anybody who can will use it against you since people only focus on the negative aspects of it and it's seen as debilitating.
Even the psychology behind it that's supposed to be so helpful has a tone like that IMO. I mean a term like "masking" for example. Like we're wearing masks trying to be "normal". I feel like a phony just reading about that aspect of ASD. I'm a freak for being something I can't control and I should try to be normal, yet when I try I'm "masking".
I just don't find the ASD relevation uplifting whatsoever and I honestly feel like life was better before this understanding. I wonder if anyone feels similar about this.
i think its opposite...before the understanding and it being known more it was a insult... infact i saw it as a insult when someone called me autistic before we all knew what it was and i thought he meant it as insult but looking back on it now he wasnt insult but suggesting or observing.but before i knew what it was, yeah i always saw it as a insult. knowing what it is takes away the insult from it. as the insult in it lies in the wrong assumption of what it is. its not as bad as what we all thought it was before we knew what it was lol i cant describe it without offending or being banned though to make that clear. as the meaning behind the word when one doesnt know what it is and would bring up bad stereotypes of other conditions instead.
It can be a bit of a double edged sword, busy people like in the workplace for example will have probably had a days training and have learnt the basics. I can be quite combatative and am very likely to challenge people who try and use my diagnosis as a weapon and ask them if thats the best they can do and if it is then they don't really have a problem with me, but with themselves. |Some people are just nasty, and I'm glad I don't have to live in thier heads.
The other thing, is ASD is a spectrum it has a list of traits and a person will have some, but not all of them, unlike something like measles, where everyone gets the same symptoms. This makes it hard for people NT or not to understand.
I don't like this us and them stuff, whether it's politics, religion, ethnicity or anything, I just see people as people, there are people I like and people I don't. I treat everyone the same at first with a basic level of respect and kindness and as I get to know them, they will either be treated with greater respect and kindness or less by either avoiding them or when nessercary confrontation.