Published on 12, July, 2020
I keep seeing posts here, that say that it is hard to "come out" because there are people who think that aspergers is not real.
Someone has just posted that people think aspergers "did not exist in my day". Someone else said that it was thought to be almost trendy to claim you have it, so formal diagnosis is vital. Misconceptions abound.
I am no good at sharp responses to this kind of dismissive remark. We do not think on our feet. Perhaps we should pool our ideas of what to say, when those around us are dismissive.
Sadly, the only thing I can think of sounds a little rude.
We used to be labeled geeks and wierdos. Now we are recognised as being on the autism specrum.
Can any one else do better please?
I agree autism is a very difficult concept.There is scope for improving the situation if there's enough resolve and momentum.
The definition is hard to pin down. I rant on there about the Triad of Impairments being used to describe autism and living with autism, even though its intention was to diagnose autism, by highlighting characteristics that distinguish it from other conditions. People with marked autistic traits may show obvious Triad characteristics, but some much affected by autism don't, and as you move towards those who are abler, the triad becomes harder to identify.
So why are all the training and awareness packages, including those produced or run by NAS, almost entirely based on the Triad of Impairments?
I think the analogy to a "spectrum" has been a huge tactical error. For a start it doesn't grade off uniformly - some characteristics are very persistent, others exist in varying degrees in different people. People who are able or "mild" can still be markedly affected by social difficulties and environmental sensitivity. But the real harm has been the implication that everyone is on the spectrum, which has dumbed down the concept of autism in the public's mind.
We are stuck with a conflict between disabled by autism and diagnosed with autism. I've a diagnosis of asperger's syndrome. I'm not "disabled" by it more inconvenienced by it. It had far worse impact when I was younger than now. There is a constant argument about whether people should be given the diagnosis if they are not genuinely disabled. Yet having the diagnosis does help those who can help themselves.
But as long as everyone argues the point we lose credibility.
This is still a childhood condition. Those originally diagnosed as children are now in their 50s, and there are many diagnosed as adults, but it is still strongly misrepresented as something that only affects people up to the age of 18 or 21.
Much of the misunderstanding arises because most of the campaigning is by parents, about the support of those who are minors. But the parents groups could do more to help adults with autism, and certainly to boost understanding of autism in adults.
Also there are a proliferation of "cures", and not enough counter argument that it is not curable. Some of the "cures" would amount to criminal fraud in almost every other context.
Despite Government "initiatives" and undertakings by the professional bodies for GPs and other health professionals, a lot of the mythology about whether people with autistic spectrum traits are genuine, or that you grow out of it, etc., are still mainly propogated by GPs. Why?
I don't feel, personally, that NAS is doing enough.