I Had Asperger Syndrome. Briefly.

Hi DaisyGirl,

I agree that media skew will likely create misunderstandings, but I have a different perspective.

Of course, as has been discussed before in these postings, I'm in the small atypical population, diagnosed on the NHS but on the "mild" side with good coping strategies, and I have to count my blessings, faced with the statistics for most aspies. I do have a stable home life in the sense that I live contendedly alone, no relationships or close friends, just lots of acquaintances. I live in my own home got by dint of hard work and saving and am retired after a rocky but mostly continuous career, though with a late start as this were bad when younger. I have published three books in my special interest area. I'm not claiming any financial support and just muddle on regardless.

But I admit that's fortuitous for me and untypical of most.

But what needs to be said here relates to how society works. Most disabilities are boosted by the success of those who persever despite their disability and society loves that (might sit on their couches and do nothing positive to help but they like it). And that's what gets funds. Take dyslexia, large body of successful sports personalities and public figures raise the profile.

I agree that's definately a no-no for a lot of people on the spectrum.

But autism/aspergers depends largely on funding from parents' groups and NAS owes its existence to dedicated parents groups. That gets the attention to children. It doesn't help adults that much as we are seeing.

You cannot just seal off aspergers as only for people entirely helpless and claim anyone succeeding is marginal and unrepresentative, because society is not responding to this in a helpful way.

You need to adopt a more flexible approach to whether some people on the spectrum can succeed without being branded "cured" or "phoney". Because unless you take a more flexible approach things are not going to change much. That's reality.

Hi DaisyGirl,

I agree that media skew will likely create misunderstandings, but I have a different perspective.

Of course, as has been discussed before in these postings, I'm in the small atypical population, diagnosed on the NHS but on the "mild" side with good coping strategies, and I have to count my blessings, faced with the statistics for most aspies. I do have a stable home life in the sense that I live contendedly alone, no relationships or close friends, just lots of acquaintances. I live in my own home got by dint of hard work and saving and am retired after a rocky but mostly continuous career, though with a late start as this were bad when younger. I have published three books in my special interest area. I'm not claiming any financial support and just muddle on regardless.

But I admit that's fortuitous for me and untypical of most.

But what needs to be said here relates to how society works. Most disabilities are boosted by the success of those who persever despite their disability and society loves that (might sit on their couches and do nothing positive to help but they like it). And that's what gets funds. Take dyslexia, large body of successful sports personalities and public figures raise the profile.

I agree that's definately a no-no for a lot of people on the spectrum.

But autism/aspergers depends largely on funding from parents' groups and NAS owes its existence to dedicated parents groups. That gets the attention to children. It doesn't help adults that much as we are seeing.

You cannot just seal off aspergers as only for people entirely helpless and claim anyone succeeding is marginal and unrepresentative, because society is not responding to this in a helpful way.

You need to adopt a more flexible approach to whether some people on the spectrum can succeed without being branded "cured" or "phoney". Because unless you take a more flexible approach things are not going to change much. That's reality.