Is it wrong to tell people I'm autistic if Ihave Asperger's?

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Qi
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08 Jan 2011, 1:37 am

Asperger's is a form of autism, but I notice that people make an effort to distinguish autism from Asperger's, which caused me to wonder whether I'd be misrepresenting myself if I tell someone I'm autistic. Since people in general are more familiar with the term "autism" than Asperger's, especially where I'm from, I tend to just say I'm autistic, or partially autistic.



ooOoOoOAnaOoOoOoo
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08 Jan 2011, 1:46 am

There's no difference between AS and autism, so if you must tell, go ahead and say you have autism. Since autism is a spectrum, not everyone is going to be affected the same which explains the wide variation in people with autism :)

Even better, you can always say you have a "dash of autism" ;)



Last edited by ooOoOoOAnaOoOoOoo on 08 Jan 2011, 2:06 am, edited 2 times in total.

TheSpecialKid
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08 Jan 2011, 1:57 am

I would say that it's okay, since Asperger's is an ASD.
ASD stands for "Autism Spectrum Disoders".

So in turn Asperger's is part of the autistic spectrum, and you may therefore present yourself as autistic if you like.
I would say however, that it's wrong to say that you have Autism, since this is often refered to Kanner's.

Well, that's my opinion, hope that helps.



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08 Jan 2011, 2:03 am

Some people may argue with you about it, but you can always argue back.



anbuend
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08 Jan 2011, 2:59 am

Go ahead and do it. Soon they will be merged in the DSM anyway. Some people are incredibly touchy about this but that's their problem. Don't allow them to make it your problem.


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peterd
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08 Jan 2011, 3:29 am

I tell people I'm autistic.



Verdandi
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08 Jan 2011, 3:49 am

I prefer autistic over Asperger's.

I am pretty sure I'd be diagnosed as AS given how I started talking at 13 months and was hyperlexic to the extreme as a child, but I think that the separation is completely artificial and have no investment in it.



Asp-Z
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08 Jan 2011, 5:14 am

Qi wrote:
Asperger's is a form of autism, but I notice that people make an effort to distinguish autism from Asperger's, which caused me to wonder whether I'd be misrepresenting myself if I tell someone I'm autistic. Since people in general are more familiar with the term "autism" than Asperger's, especially where I'm from, I tend to just say I'm autistic, or partially autistic.


I do the same, there's nothing wrong with it. The "Asperger's" label is being dropped soon anyway.



Pobodys_Nerfect
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08 Jan 2011, 5:49 am

I say "I'm Autistic" too.



PunkyKat
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08 Jan 2011, 2:39 pm

No. AS is a form of autsim and I think the term AS dosen't exist anymore.


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Zen
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08 Jan 2011, 2:51 pm

I think I'll do the same. I dislike saying or writing Asperger's for some reason.



Moog
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08 Jan 2011, 4:48 pm

I tell people that I suspect I have an autistic spectrum condition, though I don't usually disclose without good reason anymore. I experimented with disclosure, but I didn't find it all that helpful. I think it's easier and perhaps more effective to explain certain traits that you might have as a result of your atypical neurology, if doing so might be helpful.


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amusedviews
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08 Jan 2011, 8:10 pm

I prefer Aspergers over autistic.



Non_Passerine
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08 Jan 2011, 8:40 pm

amusedviews wrote:
I prefer Aspergers over autistic.


Me too. And classic autism involves learning to walk and talk at much later ages than normal, which didn't happen to me.



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08 Jan 2011, 8:56 pm

It's like the difference between a Mandarin orange and a Navel orange. Once you take the peel off, it's just an orange,.


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Verdandi
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08 Jan 2011, 8:56 pm

Non_Passerine wrote:
amusedviews wrote:
I prefer Aspergers over autistic.


Me too. And classic autism involves learning to walk and talk at much later ages than normal, which didn't happen to me.


Didn't Kanner's original patients include children who fit the modern diagnostic criteria for Asperger's Syndrome?