Identifying as an Aspie.

Post Reply New Topic

I was diagnosed with Aspergers in 2012, and since then i've viewed myself and my actions with a new perspective. I've been attending a group meeting with people who also have autism, as well as joining this site, and all that has been very useful and interesting.

What i've noticed though is I hesitate to identify myself as my condition. I've seen many people use the term 'Aspie' and 'NT', which is a helpful distinction (and seems to promote a form of comfort), but it doesn't sit well with me. Perhaps it's just an immature part of me that doesn't want to be labeled, but there's a distinct feeling that I don't really belong, even despite the fact I have been told I do, and feeling as though I do, I can't seem to embrace the title as fluidly as others seem to.

I realize that Aspie simply is a descriptive term for people with Aspergers, but from my perspective Aspergers is the diagnosis and Aspies are more like a social circle, or the group within the group. I'm fully aware of the strange distinction i've made, but that is how I think about it.

Can you relate to that at all, and also, does identifying yourself specifically as an Aspie (rather than simply as someone with Aspergers) provide you with a sense of comfort or belonging?

Aspies don't stop being aspies among neurosimilars. I still feel like I'm the only person in the world with my problems in spite of reading on others' similar experiences on here.

I identify with Aspies but I don't identify as someone with Aspergers.

It does when I have to write a paper on my social identity and don't otherwise know what I would write about but that is more about the paper.

I understand and agree with you. I am HFA so i don't even identify as Aspergers at all. Eventually it will all be either spectrum somewhere or not at all once the DSM-V comes out..

Use of the NT (by me anyway) is only to make a distinction, i had never heard of NT until this site. However not all non-spectrum folks are NTs so it can get confusing i guess.

Qoute:

[uote="Sylvant"]I realize that Aspie simply is a descriptive term for people with Aspergers, but from my perspective Aspergers is the diagnosis and Aspies are more like a social circle, or the group within the group. I'm fully aware of the strange distinction i've made, but that is how I think about it.
I identify with Aspies but I don't identify as someone with Aspergers.[/quote]


I don't identify with any social circles on this site. Or any in general i am old.
A lot of topics i find interesting and other folks' opinions are interesting. Some topics get me to want to research and i do, if its something i want to learn better.

However i have noticed that Aspies seem to be a sort of fad or trend, especially with teens of which they think it's cool to have Aspergers as a label instead of something else. I've never seen anything like it. Imagine if the Schitzophrenics started a site and kind of made a set of stereotypes they went by specifically and referred to themselves as Phrenis? It's almost mind boggling, as it's a diagnosis.
Yet it's the first time ever i've seen a diagnosis take on a life of its own, complete with stereotypical aspects of it. Which a lot of some individuals seem to have. Even if they are more common diagnostic criteria for Autism and lower functioning of the spectrum.
Granted no two autistics are alike they say.

Many here i can identify with, as i've experienced similar and i do enjoy the forums.

I don't identify myself by my diagnoses'

Last edited by Chloe33 on 14 Jan 2013, 12:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Hello.

Although I have not yet been formally diagnosed, I identify myself as someone with Asperger's. I don't think I would ever be an Aspie. I don't have that sense of belonging.

I think that no matter how you say it, being an aspie, having aspergers, having autism, it's all the same thing. Granted, aspergers and autism are separate diagnoses (for now), but it's all part of the autism spectrum.

I just think of the word "aspie" as a shorter and easier way of saying "a person with aspergers syndrome".

I don't like the term "Aspie" because it's a hipster form of the word aspergers. I don't use aspergers because it sounds like assburgers and the word is being replaced by asd anyways. I usually just refer to myself as having autism.

I think of "Aspie" as "a person who has a neurotype that is often (but not always) DXed as "Asperger's Syndrome"".

I use the term on myself because I find it cute.

I can relate to that.

I don't identify as 'aspie' because, although I can relate to a lot of other autistic people's experiences, I don't believe that having Asperger's (which is just one part of a person) makes us all the same. It's just a diagnosis, albeit sometimes a helpful one, so I don't think I have the sense of belonging you are talking about. Also, the term strikes me as somewhat 'cutesy', which doesn't seem to be the right way of describing a neurological condition. Asperger's/autism is just a thing to me, not good or bad, just a thing- much like the way different people have different eye colours, yet I haven't heard of people with blue eyes referring to themselves as 'blueys' or 'aquas'.

I prefer 'person with Asperger's syndrome', 'autistic', or 'person with ASD'.

How is a word being "replaced" by DSM-5. Yes, the term is supposed to be withdrawn from APA documents, but I would'nt say the word is getting "replaced".

I believe the word started as shorthand because who wants to say "Person with Asperger's Syndrome", and Aspie was the best way to say the same thing. I think it's more of a cultural phrase now, and it will be fully divorced from it's beginnings when DSM-5 is final.

For the DSM-V Aspergers and also PDD-NOS folks will be re-evaluated and either put into the Autism Spectrum or into that Social Communication Disorder new category.

So technically Social Communication Disorder would be the new category that replaces half of the Aspergers folks that don't fall into the Spectrum anymore.

Social Communication Disorder sounds a bit insulting, I don't know why. It sounds a bit like personality disorder or something, it makes it sound as if you are just a crap person, like you are a bit ignorant. It's funny how some titles give off a feeling.

I use "aspie" because it is shorthand for "Asperger's syndrome" as it is not something anyone can have, it is something one is. Saying someone "has" Asperger's is ableist. I'd use "autistic" if there weren't confusion between the low-functioning peeps and what not. Also because many here would have absolute screaming fits if I used that term. It is true though. You peeps getting upset about thinking you're included can just translate it in your head to whatever term you prefer (there's even an add-on that does it for you!), and stop thinking that you have the right to decide what makes other people comfortable (as long as it's not offensive/part of an -ism). Also, so identifying with the clinical words of a diagnosis is less "sense of belonging" than using a slang word meaning the same thing? There is a big group of people being on the autism spectrum, and then an even bigger group of people being NTs and other diagnoses. That does NOT imply that it is a club, or any sense of belonging, it's just factual categories that are useful when talking statistics. Yes yes, most aspies are f*****g individualists to the core, that doesn't mean that there aren't actual statistics that are real about a group of people. Reality applies to us too (oooooh I did it again)