DSM change justified due to pandemic of AS misdiagnosis

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Yes, the rationale stated that getting a clinical diagnosis for the purposes of an identity label was not intended.

Either way, "clinically significant distress" can be externally invisible. Everyone presents differently.

It's not Asperger's, it's Mine.

I'm relatively new to looking this far into it, so do not have much basis to discuss DSM IV or V or their relative merits. I am currently self-diagnosed as being "on the spectrum" because of the way in which what I came to realise were sensory issues affect me, and the differences between my view of the world and those of the socially normal. I am in the process of gearing up to go and have it made "official".

I pretty much agree with the OP. Especially with the current trend for young people to decide that they have "Asperger's". Everyone wants to feel/be "special" and it's a sad fact that there are people who will say they are Aspie because, bluntly, they are inconsiderate, self centred pricks/prickessess who are too lazy to be polite or considerate to others. Given that I too was once a teenager and have had possibly more experience of being a bit of a prick than I am comfortable admitting at times in my life, I view this as a simple fact. It's not a slur on anyone, it's not an attack, it's just something I have observed.

Yeah, yeah, let the hating and the shouting commence - read the words. I'm throwing this at the world/internet, not you, for anyone inclined to take my comments personally.

I've been here a very short time, and I've spent most of it reading older threads, and I've noticed that there a quite a few similarities between "some" Aspies and what I observe out there in the world.

1. Bullying, led by a ringleader, against someone with something valid to say or posit to people who's minds are closed or narrow.
2. Contempt for people considered "lesser" whether it be in terms of sociological "success" or "Aspieness" / "Autisticness"
3. Elitism, based on a title.
4. Intolerance of other's points of view. (going against whatever "you" feel the "norm" is/ought to be.) Please note, this is a metaphorical/hypothetical "you" - it's easier for me to write to A Person rather than a mob.

That's all, off of the top of my head, for the moment, I'm sure that with a year or so spare and some psychology/sociology textbooks I could come up with some more.

"Bullying" and it's degree of damage caused are indeed in the mind of the victim, however as I have pointed out to a drunk twat I advised was annoying me, to be told "no I'm not" : "That's not YOUR judgement to make, because I am annoyed, and YOU have caused it. Now I would be grateful if you would go away and stop bothering me." - Possibly one of my most successful spontaneous conflict situation utterances, ever. It was a shame that what I thought was a plainly understandable message had to be backed up with a threat of a punch in the face (remembering to clench and wave my fist, using "angry face") before it was taken seriously.

I too, often feel a personal reaction to something I read in a paper, hear on the radio or see on the TV. When I do that, I go back and check why, and 99% of the time I end up remembering that it is the job of the media to polarise me towards a particular way of thinking and to keep me unbalanced and no more well informed than absolutely necessary, if at all.

When I read something on here, I try and see whether someone is stating what they see as a fact, making a point, or simply ( and these, tbh are my favourites) throwing an idea into the conversational arena to be kicked around a bit. If I'm unsure, I might ask for clarification. On here, you see, I regard each post as having been written by a Person, someone who I may or may not know. I try and treat everyone with at least a modicum of respect, right up until I (may) decide they are not worthy of it. Even if I disrespect their statement, or viewpoint I will still treat them civilly, or simply ignore their posts. Stuff written here is not designed to increase market share, circulation or Nielsen Ratings, it comes from People who, for however they define the reason, feel that they are different from many others.

"How badly" you are bullied, depends on how badly it affects you, not on the standards a third party might place on the nature of the behaviour causing the distress. My victimisation was horrific and affected me very deeply, but I would be the first to be mortified and sincerely apologetic if someone called me on something that I did or said that caused them pain, especially if I had forgotten not to be spiteful or vindictive.

I have really digressed from my point here - sorry! Back to diagnosis. External traits are driven by internal reactions, the effect of which it is possible for some, by dint of greater or lesser effort, to control or manage. These reactions are caused by being wired differently. Now I am, as I said, "currently self diagnosed" because I know that I have sensory issues, executive malfunction, and often socially unacceptable viewpoints which are, to me, perfectly logical and sensible. I would expect a diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome, with a co-morbidity of mild ADHD. (I also have a quite high Tourette's score, apparently, which also explains quite a bit.) Someone Spectrum on a "good" day can be told that there is nothing wrong with them by an NT psych or doctor, because they are looking for signs that you may have spent years learning to hide, as a survival mechanism.

If being an "Aspie" means that I have to be part of a clique, then I would reject it, because I'm no "better" ( or, more importantly, "worse") than the smartest or dumbest, most eloquent or most uncommunicative, the most ugly or pretty, or even richest or poorest person in any society. I'm an amazing, unique individual, just like everybody else.

I believe that there are too many variables inherent in depth and nature of Autism-related affective issues and ability to exert control, for the spectrum to be divided up into colours. I believe that "Them as can, have a duty to them as can't" (Esmeralda Weatherwax) and I believe that everybody is equal. I believe that we are "equal but not lesser" (Temple Grandin's Mum) to NTs, and I believe that if we allow NT mores too much sway over our own interactions we are denying ourselves the potential for acceptance both in, and of, our own community that NTs enjoy in theirs.

I would say that if after doing your research you know you're on the spectrum, then you likely are. If after doing your research you only think you might be, then you are possibly wrong. If your basis for claiming Asperger's is "Man, I do that too sometimes" then I would probably invite you to grow up a little.

My apologies for writing such a long and rambling post.


TL:DR? OP is right, and some people are arses.

The title of the threat suggests that there is (or I suppose was recently) a "pandemic of AS misdiagnosis" -- does anyone have any evidence for this?

I don't know enough about it to have a strong view, but I have heard a number of experienced clinicians suggest that the misdiagnosis was historical. Autistics were routinely misdiagnosed with mental retardation, childhood schizophrenia as the rate of correct ASD diagnoses has grown, the rates of retardation and childhood schizophrenia have dwindled just as dramatically. It's also proposed that a significant number of people who previously have gone without a diagnosis are now being diagnosed because of the increase in trained, experienced clinicians.

The idea that developmental pediatricians, neuropsychologists, child psychiatrists and pyschologists specializing in ASD are making significant numbers of misdiagnoses, and casual observers can detect this from reading posts on the internet in which unknown strangers make claims about ASDs seems, frankly, totally absurd.

I have to disagree (in reference to the original post). My view of a diagnosis is important to understand one's self and have services available when necessary. Social stigma is the only reason I can see as to not getting a diagnosis of any kind of mental or physical abnormality, which could affect employment, reputation, etc. I don't see this as a valid reason for myself, but to others they may consider it so and I won't blame them for it.

I would say I am mild to moderately impaired, I do not drive, I have somewhat visible issues in social settings, varying sensory problems, and had severe bullying. However, I have held a job going on 11 years (though had multiple warnings and complaints on the way) and married at 25 (dated maybe 4 girls since I was 16, my wife is similar to myself in many aspects though, and the girl was always the one to break up in the past). I also still live with my parents and have not done well living on my own in the past. By most standards I am doing well and question why I would seek to have an official diagnosis given possible implications or not being impacted "enough", but aside from closure it is also security in that if I need those programs or services beyond therapy, I can receive them when needed.

I agree with the OP. IMO nobody should be diagnosed with a significant neurodevelopmental disability unless they have major impairment in their lives because of it. Otherwise they may have some genes and some traits of a polygentic disorder but not actually have the disorder and diagnosing them as autistic belittles the problems that autistic people have. I'm glad they made the criteria a little stricter.

Autism isn't the only risk factor for bullying but I think the OP's point was that even though she was diagnosed and told her presentation was mild to very mild her traits were readily apparent to casual observers. She wasn't just a little socially awkward and quirky with a couple friends who understood. She had obvious nonverbal communication problems (flat affect) and problems with social reciprocity (saying wildly inappropriate things-offending people) and no friends. This is a severe impairment in social interaction. Being a bit of a socially awkward ,shy kid with only a couple friends is not a severe impairment in social interaction.

I was similar to the OP, no friends, said and did wildly inappropriate things like going up to people and loudly reciting a t=story or he class rules at them,, had weird facial expressions , gestures and walk and was bullied constantly from kindergarten to grade 10. I also had super obvious constant stimming including hand flapping, walking in circles and twirling a string in front of my face. I threw tantrums when the routine was changed. In preschool my mum was told that I was always in my own little world and had strange behaviour. From the first week of kindergarten onward there were letters sent home about me concerned that I was: "always in my own little word", "wandered off" ,"constantly twirled fingers in front of *her* face", "gets very upset when routines are changed". In primary school I refused to eat in the lunch room (too noisy and crowded) and was put in the younger kids classroom to eat instead. Nevertheless I was told I had a fairly mild presentation because I was an "active but odd" child. I tried to initiate social contact (albeit in an abnormal way), I had some response to social contact some of the time, I spoke well and my IQ is in the high average range, verbal IQ in the superior range. Asperger's didn't exist when I was in school (until I was about 10 years old) so I was just identified as a special needs child with some social/emotional and attention problems and later with a specific learning disorder. At 13 I was diagnosed. I believe if I grew up in a country that didn't diagnose kids with these kind of problems or in another time I would have been stuffed in an institution somewhere.