There are several reasons...
1.) Most people associate the word 'Autism' with 'Retardation.' Obviously, I'm not retarded. In fact, I'm as far from it as one can get.
After all, I'm only half joking when I refer to myself as 'someone who was practically born a Mad Scientist'... I've also been told by an increasing number of people in recent weeks that I'm smart enough to build a Death Ray and conquer the world. I've laughed at the notion in public but, I do find the idea intriguing on a number of levels. I probably could build one. I do have a perfect spot for a 'Mad Scientist laboratory' at home in New Orleans, LOTS of tools, spare parts and raw materials. It could probably be done. [/Insert evil laughter here.]
Anyway, until I heard of this 'spectrum' the shrinks invented (and that I am not 100% comfortable with), I had a similar idea in my head about Autism as most NT's. I thought of it as a debilitating mental/developmental problem that would keep you from functioning in society. In short, the best case scenario would be Forrest Gump and the worst (and sadly more prevalent) would be some poor kid that's still wearing diapers at age 17. I didn't have a lot of experience with anyone who's 'Classically Autistic' and still don't. For the sake of their privacy, I've decided to NOT describe my very few experiences with Classically Autistic folks.
Yet, despite increased awareness, most people still immediately think of Classical Autism when they hear about this Spectrum or hear Asperger's being called 'a form of higher functioning Autism.' Let's just call it something else like 'neurologically different' instead. How does that sound to you?
2.) What about PDD-NOS?
I do wonder about this one. It was never a very clearly defined condition but, I do have a 2nd Cousin on my mother's side with this diagnosis. I never suspected him of being different in any way but, I don't see him much. I'll take his mother's word for it since she would obviously know better than me.
Still, why create some spectrum and put this one in the middle? As I understand it, this is just the diagnosis given when no one can figure out what is wrong with you. It's like the APA's version of that assessment I received when getting an IEP in High School. The system simply labeled me as 'OHI' for 'Other Health Impaired.'
Knowing what I know now though, I think the problem was more with the system than me. They didn't know I was an Aspie and that I needed a different way to learn Higher Math. I'm glad I managed to solve that issue to some extent. Math is a lot easier now, even if remembering all those damned processes can be annoying and pointless.
Note to future Math Professors: Make your processes logically flow. In fact, if the proper procedure is not immediately obvious (like, for example, just simply following the Order of Operations once the equation is properly written), then you have FAILED in developing your proof and need to go back to the drawing board. Math should NOT be hard. EVER.
3.) About the DSM-V trying to lump us all together...
Personally, I like the term 'Asperger's Syndrome' a LOT better than being called 'Autistic.' Even if someone doesn't immediately assume that I'm retarded in some way, they are still going to think that my ability to do anything is limited. That isn't true. My only real problem is dealing with people. That is quickly dissipating now that I know what the problem is and what I have to do to solve it...
In fact, why lump us all together and try to treat us with the same methods? What works for me is not necessarily going to work for anyone else. Would you do that to Cancer patients with radically different types of Cancer? While all of them might receive some kind of surgery or radiation/Chemo treatments, I'm pretty sure Brain Cancer and Lung Cancer patients will get all kinds of different drugs to treat their various illnesses. I strongly suspect this change has more to do with simplifying paperwork and allowing Doctors to just throw pills at some of us. That is really lazy on their part. So much for 'Do no harm'...
4.) In fact, is Asperger's even a real problem?
Besides the social impairment, is being an Aspie really so terrible? It can be quite positive in many ways. There are some things I'll never be able to do, (like being an athlete) no thanks to the physiological awkwardness that comes with Asperger's Syndrome. However, that tends to be common for the NT's of the world as well. Not everyone is going to be the star Quarterback on the team that becomes the next Super Bowl champions.
5.) Or, maybe all the NT's that know of our unusual abilities are just simply jealous?
It is a rather unfortunate aspect of Neuro-typical Human Nature to hate and/or fear what they don't understand. It comes from both being controlled by emotion and the fight-or-flight response. And these arrogant little piccola mortali have the nerve to call people like me 'mentally unstable' or 'deficient'... Maybe in your world, where I have all of you looking at me like a Wizard or Mad Scientist because of my impressive academic/scientific/technological abilities.
In my world though, most of you NT's would probably be heavily medicated, wearing a strait jacket and locked away in a place where you can't hurt yourself. As crazy as I seem to some of you, I can assure you that almost ALL of you seem completely nuts to me. Expressing such strong emotions in public?! How perverse! And letting people use your feelings against you to alter your thought processes and/or sell you something too?! That's how Democrats win elections and how car salesmen talk you into upgrading to leather seats!!! How do any of you ever manage to function? How do you not see that you are being manipulated? It's so obvious!
Sometimes, and I mean this with love, you NT's can be a real bunch of Dumbasses...
- Lord Publius
Well said. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteI certainly thought so... ;)
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