Apologies if this has already been discussed (I looked, but couldn't find it).
I read this article in Saturday's Guardian:
I understand the arguments, and I know that, as awareness is raised and more people come forwards, more people will be diagnosed, and the recent report confirms this. That's not what I'm posting about.
The article raises an interesting (to me) point about the 2013 DSM5, ASD as an umbrella term and the absorption of Asperger's. Baron Cohen seems to regret this, and hints that this might be responsible for some of the current faux outrage / culture war posturing. I think his off-the-cuff solution was to have new sub-types of ASD, effectively reinstating Asperger's with a more politically-correct name. Doing this might separate higher-needs from the so-called "lifestyle", "high-functioning" and lower-needs children and adults, who, I suspect, are (perceived as?) the faster growing demographic and bone of contention for the easily-offended and old-school psychologists.
I personally don't have an opinion one way or the other—I'm just the messenger here. The terms in quotes are not my words, but things in popular use (rightly or wrongly). I just wondered what people here thought about this?
[Disclaimer: I self-diagnosed a year ago and would put myself firmly in the latter category. I have a bit of Imposter Syndrome when I read about the problems other people have to live with, and I think my problems are trivial by comparison. My (self-)diagnosis helps me to understand the past more and better cope with the future, and I wouldn't want to waste the NHS's time with an official diagnosis, as I am pretty much retired. What started me thinking about this was a discussion with a friend who was diagnosed with "Asperger's" 20 years ago. I have since read into Asperger's, and I wonder if Baron Cohen is onto something.]
