tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674881866752832875.post7261708252382471688..comments2023-10-26T01:37:21.377-07:00Comments on Taking the Awe out of Autism: Can't We All Just Get Along?Susan Levy-Osbornehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12057727943622410168noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674881866752832875.post-74092226105412929082010-11-28T14:27:07.925-08:002010-11-28T14:27:07.925-08:00To Erika: Thank you for sharing such amazing thou...To Erika: Thank you for sharing such amazing thoughts. I am confident that you will accomplish great things in your life. There is so much more to you than your dianosis. I understand and support your reasoning for referring to yourself as an Aspergerian, but there is so much more to you. Accepting yourself is important and autism is just a part of the wonderfulness that is you.Susan Levy-Osbornehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12057727943622410168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674881866752832875.post-31475512188534883202010-10-07T10:53:41.584-07:002010-10-07T10:53:41.584-07:00I have been fortunate so far that I haven't re...I have been fortunate so far that I haven't really experienced this infighting. Like you said this is so hard for each of us with our own set of circumstances. To compare is futile. It still hurts.<br /> At the end of the day we are all just trying to give our children all we can to help them succeed. <br />Thank you for posting thisAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674881866752832875.post-82768928034026365882010-10-03T18:55:05.600-07:002010-10-03T18:55:05.600-07:00Very well said. I've seen a lot of in-fighting...Very well said. I've seen a lot of in-fighting among parents of children with Autism online. I've been fortunate so far that with my RL group, so far, it hasn't come up. We have children all over the spectrum. <br />Erika, your comments are very insightful.<br />"There is no low or high functioning, just "Erika Functioning", "Jacob Functioning", and so forth." So accurate! Thank you both.Gaynellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09977665114140787384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674881866752832875.post-67364222174408446812010-10-03T18:54:16.084-07:002010-10-03T18:54:16.084-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Gaynellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09977665114140787384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674881866752832875.post-79529611230616016952010-09-19T19:49:08.456-07:002010-09-19T19:49:08.456-07:00As for the writer with Asperger's, I can, bein...As for the writer with Asperger's, I can, being an Aspie myself, understand her point of view. For many on this end of the spectrum, there is conflict and ambivalence with the word "Autism". Society has such a negative - or possibly, fearful? - view of the word (Thank You: Rain Man). They relate with institutions, screaming, and babbling. That does exist; however, as you know, there is so much more than that. Many of the neurotypicals don't. When they think of Asperger's, however, many will relate it to eccentric geniuses who excel at their particular interest. Obviously, these stereotypes represent the extremes. Unfortunately, many Aspies themselves fear associating with the term Autism. Though they strive for a view of acceptance, in the back of their mind those images of hopelessness and alienation scream to them. They fear. When they see themselves, functioning and working with a family, they want to panic and run at the very thought of associating themselves with the "A" word. <br /><br />On the other side of the fence, many take pride in their "Aspie" title. Going back to public stereotype, we represent those quiet, awkward, eccentric geniuses and artists. We embrace our quirks and social ineptness, affectionately consider it a huge part of us to be proud. Out of this came the Neurodiversity Movement. In many ways, I relate to this tenfold. Among my peers, I am that quiet, awkward student who, when she opens her mouth, stuns everybody into philosophical silence. I am a writer, thinker, philosopher, Jungian, psychology-fanatic, artist, and with a mind that adsorbs everything. I still relate and am involved with the greater Autism community; but I enjoy my bit of "Aspie Pride", too. When it goes out of the books, I will hope the new umbrella of "Autism Spectrum Disorder" will open ways for wider acceptance; however, in no way will I stop referring myself to an Aspergerian. <br /><br />Either way, I am my Autistic self, and proud of it.Lyckahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17675688320247797415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1674881866752832875.post-82612527639860555782010-09-19T19:48:39.931-07:002010-09-19T19:48:39.931-07:00At fourteen years old, I struggle with a plate of ...At fourteen years old, I struggle with a plate of Moderate Asperger's, Schizoaffective Disorder (Schizophrenia and Bipolar 1), Sensory Processing Disorder, Attention Deficit, Tourette's, Myoclonic Seizures, Severe Acute Anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Dissociative Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and traits of Borderline Personality Disorder. I have been inpatient twice, and have been through intense (all day) outpatient for a month. Through the years, I have also suffered from Separation Anxiety, Anorexia, Bulimia, and Self-Injury. In terms of functioning, I am far into the high functioning range for nearly all my complications. In writing and History I excel, with a higher verbal, comprehension, and reading (college-level) than most neurotypicals. I am a walking textbook of information, especially on Psychology (my passion), most likely a side effect of my Asperger's. When most kids get home and hop on Facebook, I research fMI results on psychopaths, Jungian psychology, fear responses in the brain, and post-death analysis on many supposedly mentally ill or autistic figures. I know I am blessed with the way my card was drawn, and I don't see myself as any better. If anything, it just motivates me to help those deeper on the spectrum of things (Autism or not), as I still have enough of an understanding to see what may be going on. Yet, I struggle too, even after intensive treatments: mood swings still occur, delusions can pop up, depression rears its head, sensory issues are terrible, social situations are like trying to comprehend Arabic in its native form, I still resort to self-injury at times, my voice doesn't always sound right, I don't always act socially appropriate (who knew that responding to "What are you up to do?" does not normally consist of an all out explanation of the collective unconscious?), frequently isolate and ignore others, and self-stimulation (hand-flapping, spinning, etc) persists. I fall somewhere in between the geniuses with countless degrees and those barely communicating. <br /><br />Yet, I do not feel more or less entitled in the Autism community. Everyone, no matter which disorder we are talking about, presents their symptoms in different ways, in different combination, and in different degree. There is no low or high functioning, just "Erika Functioning", "Jacob Functioning", and so forth. There is no one cause for any brain or neurological dysfunction: ever person's case is as unique as their brain. We are one community, and should use our varied insights to help one another. Like you, I just want everyone to get along and accept one another. I believe the fighting and resentment comes from the unresolved pain and greif of those involved in this life, and that is not to be invalidated or criticized; however, fighting will get us nowhere in this long road, especially when so many of us just want to help those still dealing with all that pain. Somehow, though, if we are to figure this puzzle out, we have to find a place where we can relate and celebrate common ground.Lyckahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17675688320247797415noreply@blogger.com