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06 Dec 2006, 10:12 am

Is the asperger syndrome disorder or only difference? My psychiatrist said that Asperger syndrome is difficult in the understanding other people's emotions and feelings. He said also it isn't true that Aspies understand other Aspies well because they live in their own world of Asperger and every Aspie world is different. This is likely that people suffering from depression have their own world of depression. Is it true? If it is true I think this would be argument against neurodiversity. The society couldn't act if all people would have Asperger because emotional exchange is needed. My psychiatrist says that Asperger can be cured and I am proof of this possibility. Today my Asperger can't be recognised. It is likely as the blind from birth could be cured and he would learn see colors. The cured Aspie learn to experience and read emotions and feelings relevant to contact with other people. I don't think that I had troubles in contacts with people. I haven't just been interested in contacts with people in the childhood. I think it is also result of the dread of learning new things. I have this problem through all of my life. I haven't wanted to learn writing becasue I thought it isn't needed and too difficult and I lived in own world.



TheMachine1
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06 Dec 2006, 10:23 am

Sure in time with or without treatment a person with asperger adapts to it. Yeah thats
funny your doctor used the word "cured". But I guess technically if he can teach you
skills to fool a second doctor(or you) into not thinking you have aspergers he is right.

Yeah I agree with the notion people with ASD are no more likely to understand(
get along, whatever) each other than a random pairing with a NT. I think we (user on WP) are trying everyday to disprove that but its clearily not easy.



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06 Dec 2006, 11:27 am

ASD is a neurological disorder. You cannot cure disorders in the nervous system the less you cut off your head and replace the brain with another, and then put the head back on. Of course, you'd be dead then.

However, I am not saying that aspies cannot adapt to society, but their nervous systems will always be different no matter how much they practise social situations. Its impossible to rid all the impediments.
However, as in your case, tremendous improvement is possible. Becoming "cured" isnt.



oatwillie
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06 Dec 2006, 11:37 am

"Cured" is a misnomer. Aspergers is not a disease, it is a way the brain is wired. Recent studies indicate it may involve a difference in the way mirror neurons react or an atypical response in mirror neurons to various stimuli....a plausible theory. Rather than being cured, you perhaps have acquired the skills and have become better able to utilize sensory input to deal with asperger characteristics, resulting in more neurotypical bahaviour.

I posit this as my personal opinion based on my own experience as a person with AS. After all, I don't even know you nor have I studied enough to be a mental health professional.

I just feel that by way of communicating some of these theories we can better understand what's happening with our collective mental state and deal with the situation more adequately.


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SteveK
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06 Dec 2006, 11:54 am

Depression is seperate from aspergers. If you have depression, you can understand another persons depression, but you often can't really do anything to help them. I think I understand autistics in general because I have aspergers. I am definately taking more care to not jump to conclusions, etc... HECK, I understand MYSELF better now!

Your phsyciatrists should try talking to some AS people FIRST.

Steve



KimJ
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06 Dec 2006, 12:49 pm

"He said also it isn't true that Aspies understand other Aspies well because they live in their own world of Asperger and every Aspie world is different. This is likely that people suffering from depression have their own world of depression."


It's not necessarily true that autistics can understand each other. If you have trouble with speech or reading emotional expression, then you will have trouble communicating with anyone NTs or other autistics. Two people with depression may have totally different manifestations of their emotions and reactions to those emotions. So, even though they have the same "diagnosis" they share little else.
However, being so different from the norm (NTs) often is enough of a common denominator to bond people. People share the same "types" of difficulty in the same "types" of circumstances. This supports neurodiversity, and really is an argument for it.
Two people with depression may act and feel differently, but have difficulties at the same time (holidays) and with the same people (family members). So, they can have a common denominator.



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06 Dec 2006, 1:35 pm

Understanding another person depends on that person's ability to put themselves in another's shoes, so to speak. Just like NTs, some Aspies are very good at this, others are not. Because we are human, we have just as much variety in our cognition as any two NTs chosen at random.

As for "cure", this is a simplistic term. Autism as a spectrum ALWAYS improves with learning, although there are certainly learning caps which are particular to each individual. Some Aspies may never be able to hide the fact they're AS. Others may do a good job of it. But the brain, itself, is still basically autistic no matter how much the person has learned.


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SteveK
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06 Dec 2006, 2:31 pm

Just so you understand. I meant understand as in understand what they are going through, and why they do some things.

People that are depressed may be depressed for different reasons, and it may have a chemical basis.

I certainly understand autistics better. And I even found some things out about myself. I think I was able to offer some comfort here because of that. It was like when I used a persons name, and that person said, PLEASE DON'T. I may not know the precise reason, but I can take an educated guess, and I was happy to oblige. I always kind of understood the rocking, and kicking, because I used to do it all as a kid, and still do some. The hands I never understood, but they said it was the same thing really. OK, I can understand that. I certainly understand the light and sound bit. It really is easier if you live through it.

Anyway, I am sure the psyciatrist didn't mean understand in the sense of reading minds, or having the same ideas about something causing one a problem. That would create utopia, and make psychiatrists, etc... obsolete for autistics. Then again, what would be the point if everyone thought the same?

BTW don't you think it is odd that so many AS people gravitate towards the same types of areas? There IS a deeper understanding THERE.

Steve



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06 Dec 2006, 4:05 pm

Sophist wrote:
Understanding another person depends on that person's ability to put themselves in another's shoes, so to speak. Just like NTs, some Aspies are very good at this, others are not. Because we are human, we have just as much variety in our cognition as any two NTs chosen at random.

As for "cure", this is a simplistic term. Autism as a spectrum ALWAYS improves with learning, although there are certainly learning caps which are particular to each individual. Some Aspies may never be able to hide the fact they're AS. Others may do a good job of it. But the brain, itself, is still basically autistic no matter how much the person has learned.


Yes I agree. Also, anytime a professional equates all Aspies as having to fit into a stereotype then they really don't understand the concept of a spectrum. Some with AS may not be able to understand anyone else very well - yet it seems like NT's and those with other conditions may also fall into this catagory too. Sometimes people with a variety of conditions can relate to each other very well too if they have had shared experiences.