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Do you identify as "Disabled"?

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Do you identify as disabled?
No 39%  39%  [ 43 ]
Yes, because I'm on the Spectrum 37%  37%  [ 41 ]
Yes, for reasons other than being on the Spectrum 24%  24%  [ 27 ]
Total votes : 111

Charloz
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15 Sep 2014, 2:02 am

No, I do not.

I am not in a wheelchair. I am able to talk to people, socialize and converse. I make no strange uncontrollable movements and do not have meltdowns or tantrums. Of course I am more sensitive to certain issues, and I do get overwhelmed. But none of my issues are of such a calibre I can call myself legitimately 'disabled'. To do so would be insulting for those who are severely disabled; I'm not looking to label myself or have such a stigma attached to me.



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15 Sep 2014, 5:11 am

I consider myself disabled. Even though I am very high functioning and can fool most people and can easily pass for NT, my Aspie traits and symptoms impair or interfere my functioning in my life daily and I have never been able to live completely independently.


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15 Sep 2014, 10:54 am

skibum wrote:
I consider myself disabled. Even though I am very high functioning and can fool most people and can easily pass for NT, my Aspie traits and symptoms impair or interfere my functioning in my life daily...


And for that very same reason I consider myself to have a disability. I've given up feeling ashamed about it a long time ago as that was a waste of time and energy.


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15 Sep 2014, 10:56 am

No, I do not identify as being disabled due to my Asperger's. For me, I view having Asperger's as a gift. It has brought me talents and special intense interests that have helped me be successful in life. Challenges? Sure, I have challenges. But everyone has challenges in life, autistic or not.


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15 Sep 2014, 11:12 am

Madfrog wrote:
For all of my life, people have told me about my "disability" in reference to Asperger's. I used to accept that I was disabled and therefore lesser that everyone else.


Disabled does not mean "therefore lesser than anyone else". Just saying that perpetuates stigma that they are.



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15 Sep 2014, 11:24 am

glider18 wrote:
No, I do not identify as being disabled due to my Asperger's. For me, I view having Asperger's as a gift. It has brought me talents and special intense interests that have helped me be successful in life. Challenges? Sure, I have challenges. But everyone has challenges in life, autistic or not.
I agree that everyone has challenges. That is an absolute fact. I think the difference for me is that some of my challenges impair me from being able to function in ways that are necessary to do daily life things and they have also kept me from being able to finish school and hold a job. Now Glider, I am in absolutely no way saying that you should consider yourself disabled from your Asperger's if you don't. I think it is great that you don't and that is best if you can do that. I am just saying that even though everyone has challenges, I understand that the consequences of some of my particular challenges which stem from Spectrum related symptoms and traits do interfere with my daily life enough to disable me. But yes, Asperger's should never be an excuse or a reason to whine about challenges because everyone on the planet has some sort of challenges whether they are on the Spectrum or not.


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15 Sep 2014, 11:28 am

glider18 wrote:
No, I do not identify as being disabled due to my Asperger's. For me, I view having Asperger's as a gift. It has brought me talents and special intense interests that have helped me be successful in life. Challenges? Sure, I have challenges. But everyone has challenges in life, autistic or not.

So let me get this straight your aspergers does not significantly impair functioning in any way, but they still have you diagnosed....a bit strange. Or do you just mean the negatives of it aren't as apparent to you as some positive aspects?


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15 Sep 2014, 11:32 am

skibum wrote:
glider18 wrote:
No, I do not identify as being disabled due to my Asperger's. For me, I view having Asperger's as a gift. It has brought me talents and special intense interests that have helped me be successful in life. Challenges? Sure, I have challenges. But everyone has challenges in life, autistic or not.
I agree that everyone has challenges. That is an absolute fact. I think the difference for me is that some of my challenges impair me from being able to function in ways that are necessary to do daily life things and they have also kept me from being able to finish school and hold a job. Now Glider, I am in absolutely no way saying that you should consider yourself disabled from your Asperger's if you don't. I think it is great that you don't and that is best if you can do that. I am just saying that even though everyone has challenges, I understand that the consequences of some of my particular challenges which stem from Spectrum related symptoms and traits do interfere with my daily life enough to disable me. But yes, Asperger's should never be an excuse or a reason to whine about challenges because everyone on the planet has some sort of challenges whether they are on the Spectrum or not.


On that note should everyone just keep it to themselves, not discuss their challenges....and god forbid complain or whine about it some if you really need to vent? People don't really need an excuse to complain about challenges its something every human has done...especially if its a challenge they cannot 'overcome'. Hell people complain about small challenges and then those same people will yell at someone who mentions how some struggle with their mental condition about how everyone has problems.......like 'everyone has problems therefore keep it to yourself if you have a problem/challenge ect'.


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15 Sep 2014, 11:37 am

Sweetleaf wrote:
skibum wrote:
glider18 wrote:
No, I do not identify as being disabled due to my Asperger's. For me, I view having Asperger's as a gift. It has brought me talents and special intense interests that have helped me be successful in life. Challenges? Sure, I have challenges. But everyone has challenges in life, autistic or not.
I agree that everyone has challenges. That is an absolute fact. I think the difference for me is that some of my challenges impair me from being able to function in ways that are necessary to do daily life things and they have also kept me from being able to finish school and hold a job. Now Glider, I am in absolutely no way saying that you should consider yourself disabled from your Asperger's if you don't. I think it is great that you don't and that is best if you can do that. I am just saying that even though everyone has challenges, I understand that the consequences of some of my particular challenges which stem from Spectrum related symptoms and traits do interfere with my daily life enough to disable me. But yes, Asperger's should never be an excuse or a reason to whine about challenges because everyone on the planet has some sort of challenges whether they are on the Spectrum or not.


On that note should everyone just keep it to themselves, not discuss their challenges....and god forbid complain or whine about it some if you really need to vent? People don't really need an excuse to complain about challenges its something every human has done...especially if its a challenge they cannot 'overcome'. Hell people complain about small challenges and then those same people will yell at someone who mentions how some struggle with their mental condition about how everyone has problems.......like 'everyone has problems therefore keep it to yourself if you have a problem/challenge ect'.
I don't consider talking about challenges whining or complaining. When I say whining or complaining, I mean in a spoiled brat sort of way where you think everything should be catered to you and that the whole world should drop down to pamper your every whim. (And that is an exaggeration just to make a point) We need to talk about our challenges to get the help we need. Sometimes we need to vent as well. But that is different from someone who whines and complains about everything just because he is challenged. For example, Kingdomofrats is very challenged and she speaks of her challenges often but she never whines or complains about them.


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15 Sep 2014, 11:44 am

skibum wrote:
Sweetleaf wrote:
skibum wrote:
glider18 wrote:
No, I do not identify as being disabled due to my Asperger's. For me, I view having Asperger's as a gift. It has brought me talents and special intense interests that have helped me be successful in life. Challenges? Sure, I have challenges. But everyone has challenges in life, autistic or not.
I agree that everyone has challenges. That is an absolute fact. I think the difference for me is that some of my challenges impair me from being able to function in ways that are necessary to do daily life things and they have also kept me from being able to finish school and hold a job. Now Glider, I am in absolutely no way saying that you should consider yourself disabled from your Asperger's if you don't. I think it is great that you don't and that is best if you can do that. I am just saying that even though everyone has challenges, I understand that the consequences of some of my particular challenges which stem from Spectrum related symptoms and traits do interfere with my daily life enough to disable me. But yes, Asperger's should never be an excuse or a reason to whine about challenges because everyone on the planet has some sort of challenges whether they are on the Spectrum or not.


On that note should everyone just keep it to themselves, not discuss their challenges....and god forbid complain or whine about it some if you really need to vent? People don't really need an excuse to complain about challenges its something every human has done...especially if its a challenge they cannot 'overcome'. Hell people complain about small challenges and then those same people will yell at someone who mentions how some struggle with their mental condition about how everyone has problems.......like 'everyone has problems therefore keep it to yourself if you have a problem/challenge ect'.
I don't consider talking about challenges whining or complaining. When I say whining or complaining, I mean in a spoiled brat sort of way where you think everything should be catered to you and that the whole world should drop down to pamper your every whim. (And that is an exaggeration just to make a point) We need to talk about our challenges to get the help we need. Sometimes we need to vent as well. But that is different from someone who whines and complains about everything just because he is challenged. For example, Kingdomofrats is very challenged and she speaks of her challenges often but she never whines or complains about them.


I suppose I see what you mean, though I suppose I would not hold a bit of whining and complaining against someone since it could be more frustration than them thinking the whole world should cater to them which is rather bratty...but if they had the attitude you describe, yeah it would annoy me to no end probably.


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15 Sep 2014, 11:46 am

The disability pension says I do.



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15 Sep 2014, 11:49 am

Sweetleaf wrote:
skibum wrote:
Sweetleaf wrote:
skibum wrote:
glider18 wrote:
No, I do not identify as being disabled due to my Asperger's. For me, I view having Asperger's as a gift. It has brought me talents and special intense interests that have helped me be successful in life. Challenges? Sure, I have challenges. But everyone has challenges in life, autistic or not.
I agree that everyone has challenges. That is an absolute fact. I think the difference for me is that some of my challenges impair me from being able to function in ways that are necessary to do daily life things and they have also kept me from being able to finish school and hold a job. Now Glider, I am in absolutely no way saying that you should consider yourself disabled from your Asperger's if you don't. I think it is great that you don't and that is best if you can do that. I am just saying that even though everyone has challenges, I understand that the consequences of some of my particular challenges which stem from Spectrum related symptoms and traits do interfere with my daily life enough to disable me. But yes, Asperger's should never be an excuse or a reason to whine about challenges because everyone on the planet has some sort of challenges whether they are on the Spectrum or not.


On that note should everyone just keep it to themselves, not discuss their challenges....and god forbid complain or whine about it some if you really need to vent? People don't really need an excuse to complain about challenges its something every human has done...especially if its a challenge they cannot 'overcome'. Hell people complain about small challenges and then those same people will yell at someone who mentions how some struggle with their mental condition about how everyone has problems.......like 'everyone has problems therefore keep it to yourself if you have a problem/challenge ect'.
I don't consider talking about challenges whining or complaining. When I say whining or complaining, I mean in a spoiled brat sort of way where you think everything should be catered to you and that the whole world should drop down to pamper your every whim. (And that is an exaggeration just to make a point) We need to talk about our challenges to get the help we need. Sometimes we need to vent as well. But that is different from someone who whines and complains about everything just because he is challenged. For example, Kingdomofrats is very challenged and she speaks of her challenges often but she never whines or complains about them.


I suppose I see what you mean, though I suppose I would not hold a bit of whining and complaining against someone since it could be more frustration than them thinking the whole world should cater to them which is rather bratty...but if they had the attitude you describe, yeah it would annoy me to no end probably.
Yes, we should have grace and understanding for a bit of whining and complaining out of frustration. I know I have certainly whined and complained before in my life. I think that if that is someone's only way then it can be a real issue but like you said, everyone should be allowed a little bit every now and then. :D


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15 Sep 2014, 11:54 am

I have a disability (epilepsy) and do put that into job applications for the sake of the employers, but I do not consider myself disabled.


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15 Sep 2014, 12:08 pm

Love your avatar Sonofghandi. Okay back to topic! :D


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15 Sep 2014, 12:53 pm

skibum wrote:
Love your avatar Sonofghandi. Okay back to topic! :D


Hippotherapy! You would not believe how much it helped after I the epilepsy hit hard and I was having regular meltdowns trying to deal with that, the medication side effects, a new job, and some health scares with my wife.


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15 Sep 2014, 12:56 pm

sonofghandi wrote:
skibum wrote:
Love your avatar Sonofghandi. Okay back to topic! :D


Hippotherapy! You would not believe how much it helped after I the epilepsy hit hard and I was having regular meltdowns trying to deal with that, the medication side effects, a new job, and some health scares with my wife.
It is so wonderful that you are able to do that therapy. I love horses and spend a good bit of time with them. In fact I need to go to the barn tonight. But they are so amazing at helping us with these things. The horse you are riding is beautiful. I wish you the very best for overcoming your issues and I am really glad that the therapy is helping you so much.


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