My therapist stopped using Aspergers.

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now when my therapist/psychologist explains my symptoms and his other clients, he doesn't use Aspergers he uses Autism. and i think im starting to use Autism too, who else uses autism now instead of aspergers? for those who no longer use aspergers, why is this the term you prefer.

Mine says, that Aspergers isn´t autism, but a developmental disorder on the autistic spectrum, meaning, it isn´t classic autism, but a condition, that implies difficulties of autistic quality. Only kids have "Aspergers Syndrome" now, but between us, he still calls me an "asperger".
I would rather present myself as an "asperger", than "developmentally disordered". Listen to it!

Last edited by Jensen on 04 Dec 2013, 4:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I am a rule follower. The DSM 5 talks about autistic spectrum disorders, so I say that I am autistic. That is what the psychiatrist has to use and that is what the insurance companies and government recognizes, so I want to be clear in my communication.

I never cared for the term Aspergers, anyway.

What would you suggest?

I just say autism, and let people decide for themselves how highly I function.

I have always seen them as interchangeable, since AS and HFA only ever differed in an early speech delay, to begin with. Personally, I prefer High Functioning Autism to "Ass Burgers."

However, there is scientific evidence coming out now that both Asperger Syndrome and/or High Functioning Autism have enough physical differences neurologically speaking, to qualify separating them from Classic Autism as different diagnoses. So expect to see Asperger Syndrome reinstated to the DSM before too long.

There is so much controversy over the DSM-V within the Mental Health profession, that it is likely to be revised sooner rather than later. Many Professionals are refusing to use it and sticking with the DSM-IV.

I was reading last year that the US Federal Government is going to switch to a completely different Diagnostic Manual, which may have something to do with Obamacare, IDK.

A review of the DSM-V, read as a work of dystopian fiction: http://thenewinquiry.com/essays/book-of-lamentations/

Professionals are under no obligation to use the DSM 5 or any DSM. They are guides.

My psychologist was in on the meetings where this decision was made and she said it was done basically for insurance purposes. She diagnosed me as moderately severe aspergers under the DSM IV and Autism Spectrum Disorder under the DSM 5.

Interestingly they went from IV to 5. Some have speculated that it gives them more room correct/modify things ie having a DSM 5.1 instead of waiting 15 years to redo everything at once for the DSM VI.
I don't know if this is true and I do not know about government requirements.

I believe the widespread misperception that professionals have to abide by the DSM 5 will be one of the reasons only die hards will be using Aspergers in 15 years time. Anecdotally people for the elimination of Aspergers are more enthusiastic then it's defenders. Defenders were much enthusiastic for the Aspergers diagnosis at one time.

All of the below is my feeling/opinion etc
Reasons for declining enthusiasm among "Asperger"diagnosis supporters.
A. The DSM 5 book is out. After having lost the fight to prevent Aspergers from being subsumed into Autism Spectrum Disorders supportrs now face the tougher task of reverting the decision.
B. As noted above the widespread misperception that clinicians must go by the DSM 5.
C. Repeated pronouncements that "Aspergers doesn't exist anymore"
D. The perception that the NT world sees Aspergers negatively (ASS-BURGERS, fad, fake, scam to rid taxpayers of their hard earned money etc) . This is a reason that some former enthusiastic defenders of the Aspergers diagnoses actually reluctantly agree with the change now.
5. The perception that Aspergers was over diagnosed which was shared by the people who actually subsumed Aspergers into Autism Spectrum Disorder

To me reasons A - D are the wrong reasons and reason D is ableism but that is what I see it happening.

Last edited by ASPartOfMe on 05 Dec 2013, 3:11 pm, edited 8 times in total.

I prefer Asperger's Syndrome to Autistic Disorder partly because of the adjective disorder.