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wigglyspider
squirrel frustrator
Joined: Apr 24, 2009
Posts: 1172
Location: USA
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 Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 4:13 pm Post subject: Use of the word "autism" |
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I joined not too long ago, and I've been using "autism" instead of "Asperger's/AS" in order to include myself, since my diagnosis is HFA. But I'd like to know how everyone else uses these words. Especially since I've been following this (very interesting) thread: http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt100080.html where I keep seeing the word "autism" come up, and I'm not quite sure if people are including the whole spectrum when they say that, or if they're just talking about HFA/LFA and other things with "autism" right in the name.
So my question is: you guys with Asperger's, when you say autism, are you including yourself in that? Do you consider yourself autistic?
edit: I mostly just mean: how do you use the word here on WP or in similar situations where everyone's sort of on the same page, not really IRL when you're explaining your condition to someone who doesn't know about autism/AS. Though it's interesting to hear about that, too. Autism is sort of a tricky word, since it has so many assumptions attached.
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Last edited by wigglyspider on Sat May 30, 2009 9:39 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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sinsboldly
Phoenix
Joined: Nov 22, 2006
Age: 59
Posts: 14236
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| Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 4:25 pm Post subject: |
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I see myself as autistic. Oh, yeah, I have a particular presentation of it, but at the end of the day I am just as autistic as when I started out that morning.
so to me AS is interchangeable with Autistic Spectrum or Asperger's Syndrome. |
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Sora
- - -
Joined: Sep 16, 2006
Age: 21
Posts: 4742
Location: Europe
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| Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 4:30 pm Post subject: |
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Long answer:
I'm not exactly your person with AS, but that's largely the reason why when I say autism, I mean the whole spectrum. I got the diagnosis of AS for where I live, am indeed totally AS according to Asperger's (the guy) description, could be HFA by modern standards, would be diagnosable as classical in the US (because I meet criteria for autistic disorder) and by all evidence, belong to a part of the spectrum to which few other people belong so saying 'autism' really shortens this down.
It also allows me to refer to the whole spectrum as I am certainly am today often 'looking about normal' (I think) but relate much better to what those with HFA to LFA write and say concerning my symptoms than to what those with modern AS say about themselves as I've been somewhere around MFA or so as a kid, while at the same time especially today I am functioning good in some areas that are supposedly (?) often difficult for those with even mild and hf AS such as a entirely special job where you're in contact with people for your whole 8-hour shift and got to talk, supervise, care for them and be involved with them personally.
Short answer:
I'd say kanner's or infantile autism (rarely) or classical autism (usually) to mean 'autistic disorder' or 'infantile autism' and AS to mean specifically Asperger's. I consider myself autistic. Edit: Which boils down to that, yes, I use autism to mean the whole spectrum.
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CyclopsSummers
Deinonychus
Joined: Jun 22, 2008
Age: 23
Posts: 386
Location: Mokum, the Netherlands
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| Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 4:41 pm Post subject: |
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I have Asperger's syndrome, and when I use the word 'autism', I include the entire spectrum. I have known that I am autistic from a young age, but it was never identified as Asperger's syndrome until only recently I found out the characteristics of AS matched me to a tee. I've always called myself 'autistic', and I think the word perfectly describes how I feel: concentrated upon myself.
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KiyokosOnlyOnigiri
Pileated woodpecker
Joined: Jun 21, 2008
Posts: 175
Location: Someplace.
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| Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 6:07 pm Post subject: |
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I do not say I have autism; but when explaining that I have Asperger's to other (unknowing) people, I will say that I am on the autism spectrum. I know that this is a bit misleading, but most of the time, I don't have the time to actually explain in-depth, and the most in-depth I would actually get would be 'It's a social/behaivoral issue,' since that's how I see it. I'm not sure if Asperger's could be generalized that much and still fit, however.
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Zoonic
Phoenix
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Joined: Apr 27, 2009
Age: 26
Posts: 572
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| Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 6:14 pm Post subject: |
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I have AS but I don't view myself as autistic since I can pass as normal while an autistic person can't. I don't use the word "autism" to describe myself, ever. If anything I want to distance myself from autists and aspies who can't appear normal, as much as possible.
I don't care how someone makes their living. As long as they can go out in the street and ask someone what time it is, travel on their own and talk to strangers they meet without these people suspecting they have AS, then I respect them. I don't respect people who just by their tone of voice, how their eyes move or their walking style are seen as not normal. |
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SpongeBobRocksMao
The SpongeBob Freak! :D
Joined: Oct 19, 2008
Age: 16
Posts: 2590
Location: SpongeBob's Pineapple (England really!)
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| Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 6:32 pm Post subject: |
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I see myself as sutistic. A lot of times I've said to people "I'm autistic" instead of saying "I have Asperger's."
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sinsboldly
Phoenix
Joined: Nov 22, 2006
Age: 59
Posts: 14236
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| Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 7:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Zoonic wrote: | I have AS but I don't view myself as autistic since I can pass as normal while an autistic person can't. I don't use the word "autism" to describe myself, ever. If anything I want to distance myself from autists and aspies who can't appear normal, as much as possible.
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Yet you have "Have Aspergers - Diagnosed" on your profile. Why? |
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Lecks
older than I look
Joined: May 12, 2009
Age: 23
Posts: 1042
Location: Belgium
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| Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 8:07 pm Post subject: |
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| sinsboldly wrote: | | Yet you have "Have Aspergers - Diagnosed" on your profile. Why? |
Maybe because the word "autism" implies characteristics that do not apply to him, whereas "Asperger's Syndrome" leaves room for redeeming factors.
As for me, I have no problem with reffering to myself as autistic. I rather enjoy explaining the vast differences between individuals on the spectrum, I use it in an attempt to spark the question "What's autism?" so I start an excruciatingly long explenation. |
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Zoonic
Phoenix
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Joined: Apr 27, 2009
Age: 26
Posts: 572
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| Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 8:09 pm Post subject: |
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| sinsboldly wrote: | | Zoonic wrote: | I have AS but I don't view myself as autistic since I can pass as normal while an autistic person can't. I don't use the word "autism" to describe myself, ever. If anything I want to distance myself from autists and aspies who can't appear normal, as much as possible.
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Yet you have "Have Aspergers - Diagnosed" on your profile. Why? |
I don't view my form of AS as autism. I don't even think it should be called the "autistic spectrum". In my oppinion AS could do well with a namechange too.
AS is as much autism as leukemia is traditional cancer. In fact it isn't real cancer at all. AS is the psychiatric equivalent of leukemia whereas autism is traditional cancer.
Peanuts aren't really nuts at all, another example. They have many similarities with nuts, but they aren't nuts. |
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MONKEY
Come wander with me
Joined: Jan 04, 2009
Age: 17
Posts: 2753
Location: Stoke, England
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| Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 8:14 pm Post subject: |
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I say I have aspergers because I do, I don't usually say autism though. Even though I am technically autistic I only say AS, because when people hear the word autism/autistic they think of non-functional people that just flap all day and they might get the wrong idea about me.
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EvoVari
Sea Gull
Joined: Nov 10, 2008
Posts: 202
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| Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 8:18 pm Post subject: |
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You make an interesting oservation and although I'm dx AS I do not consider myself autistic out of respect for auties. Just my take on things and if others want to be referred to as autistic that is fine.
From what I have researched lately, AS appears more closely associated with NVLD, both are considered to involve Right brain hemisphere dysfunction, where as other autism spectrum disorders are considered to be Left brain hemisphere dysfunction. Again, just my take on things and I'm sure others have differing views.
Last edited by EvoVari on Sat May 30, 2009 8:32 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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HappyFox
Blue Jay
Joined: May 03, 2009
Age: 13
Posts: 95
Location: Near a computer
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| Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 8:30 pm Post subject: |
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| I say I have aspergers because some people don't know that autism is a spectrum, but I still call myself autistic because people don't know what is an aspie. |
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whitetiger
Passionate Advocate
Joined: Feb 04, 2009
Age: 41
Posts: 1577
Location: Oregon
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| Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 8:32 pm Post subject: |
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Sometimes, I just tell people I'm a high functioning autistic. I am. I'm just the special variety we call Asperger's Type. Lots of people haven't even heard of AS, but they know autism.
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