Is aspergers a disorder or not?

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can mainstream society create suitable accomodations for us though? Now aspergers is not my only problem so that could be effecting my opinions. But if you really look at society and how the world works its just depressing. I mean you work so you can either get on top or be a consumer that the people on top profit off of. I just don't even see the meaning of any of it. I pretty much agree with the movie Fight Club....I mean its true there is not much meaning in anything or so it seems.

You are only focusing on a very narrow band of what life is all about. How much of your lifetime do you spend as a consumer, and how much as a brother, son, father, husband, expert, reader, viewer, learner, educator or friend? Saying life has no meaning because there is consumerism involved ignores 99% of what life really is about.

I think some can function and many think that their ability to function is the same as everyone else's.

It reminds me of that thread a few weeks ago about how high intelligence supposedly allows one to mitigate impairment and thus function more easily.

And what is life really about, having a family you cannot truly connect with......being isolated even in the prescence of friends and familiy. I mean you're lazy if you don't want to compete like your in a damn sports competition to succeed at anything you do according to this sick societies standards. Pink Floyds song Welcome To The Machine pretty much sums it up. Even if I do choose to have any kids I would feel bad for bringing them into this reality...I can't go back now that I feel this way.

Well, then you suffer from depression which has nothing to do with capitalism. Then again, everyone your age does to some degree. I was where you are now once. Now I am in the light. It doesn't last forever.

Yeah, I can't get into the whole "this is an advantage" thing. I enjoy my hyper-focus and enjoy my special interests but man, the socialization problems when I was younger were terrible.

Ive been spotted as different at times even when I felt I was performing well as an adult. They can't always do it but that they still can shocks me. It's usually some kind of left-handed compliment that makes me realize I've been spotted. A condescending, "I think you'll be alright", or a "y'know? I know someone just like you. My cousin is... ". I'm then left wondering, "where did that come from? Oh, I was spotted".

Also, if you have anger issues with interruptions, light, noises or texture I just don't see how that's anything other than a problem of sorts. It's not like we are at war with fluorecent lighting and my revulsion will come in handy.

I've been severely depressed ever since I can remember....thats like 19 years, I don't think its going away any time soon......its been getting worse actually. I have been struggling with suicidal urges for over two weeks....just trying to cling to anything I can find like getting an apartment with my sister and cousin I don't want to let them down by attempting suicide again. Its very hard not to jump out in front of the light rail and just get it over with once and for all.

Maybe we should be.

And what are you doing about it? CBT, medications or both?

Yes, I think so.

I'm in counseling.....and I tried anti-depressants which I only got a terrible experiance out of. The depression is getting worse and my anxiety is also on the rise. I mean its not normal to be walking around feel like someone is following you when no one is and have to fight back the urge to run from the non-existant pursuer. and then get a feeling of depersonalization(not being fully you) during it. I mean what am I supposed to do about that? ignore it? But I am waiting it out hoping thse things magically stop getting worse and really hoping the walls or whatever I happen to be looking at would stop making slight movements. even the computer screen, that is not how things are supposed to look when you're completly sober.

I had a terrible reaction to the first anti-depressant I ever tried also. So bad that it took me another 8 years before I would try another one. I wish I had those 8 years back. After 5 years on the second one I weaned myself off and now everything is great. I would suggest you give it another shot.

High intelligence can be useful at times, as it can help one find a way to get around certian obstales.....but lets face it if you have to find an alternative way to do everything normal people do easily it can become quite overwhelming. Also, there are some things no amount of intelligence can replace.

Yeah, exactly this. This could be my life story.

With how things are going and considering my last bad reaction, I think trying a new drug on my own at this point could be a terrible idea. I might get such a strong urge to kill myself I actually succeed.....at this point I dont exactly want death its just a matter of sometimes it seems a better alternative. not something I want but maybe a little less painful then life. So I really dont want a bad anti-depressent reaction at this point in time. I do end up alone for a lot of the day so what would I do if I had a bad reaction?

Anyone looking at the general discussion group topics from the outside would judge it as a disorder and one that they wouldn't want. On the other hand, if they were to look at the PPR section, they might not see much evidence of a disorder.

I obviously had some kind of disorder all of my life, if for no other reason, the inability to touch fabrics etc. There wasn't a name for the disorder, so I did the best I could do to adapt to life. Looking around me I could see the myriad of issues that others had; I had a challenge, but so did everyone else. More than anything else I just wanted to be part of the game.

If a person with Aspergers feels more comfortable with the term condition than disorder, condition is the word they should go with. From a medical perspective, it is technically considered a disorder, so if you get a diagnosis you get labeled as having a disorder.

Denying that it is a disorder can be a problem, if eventually you need help, but don't get it because you don't want to be diagnosed and labeled as having a disorder.

As far as the issue on the meaning of life, I think it is a struggle and a competition to survive, that we have an opportunity to engage in or withdraw from. Why should it be any different for us than any other creature on the planet? I think all that we can really do is ride the wave of life as long as we can.