Autism/Aspergers: A Gift or God's Cruel Joke?

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Are Autism Spectrum Disorders gifts or curses?
Gift 56%  56%  [ 59 ]
Curse 44%  44%  [ 47 ]
Total votes : 106

Giftorcurse
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14 Apr 2009, 6:05 pm

Hi. My name's Connor and I just joined the site a few minutes ago. And I have Asperger's.

Believe it or not, I signed up for no apparent reason. Maybe I felt sorry for insulting the people on the chat room. As of late, I have a fairly negative outlook on my Asperger's and life in general. My resource teacher and parents tell me I'm a genius and that my Asperger's is a gift. Gift? More like a curse God inflicted on me for kicks.



ruveyn
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14 Apr 2009, 6:18 pm

It is no more a curse or gift than hair color, skin color, eye shape. It is a genetic trait. We all have genetic traits. They are the hand we are dealt.

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Rainbow-Squirrel
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14 Apr 2009, 6:22 pm

Giftorcurse wrote:
More like a curse God inflicted on me for kicks.


100 % false.



Giftorcurse
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14 Apr 2009, 6:26 pm

How do you know?

P.S. My Asperger's is one of the reason I tried to strangle myself with bedsheets a few months ago.



Giftorcurse
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14 Apr 2009, 6:26 pm

How do you know?

P.S. My Asperger's is one of the reason I tried to strangle myself with bedsheets a few months ago.



Rainbow-Squirrel
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14 Apr 2009, 6:50 pm

Sorry, I was too categorical, of course it's only my opinion.



Flismflop
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14 Apr 2009, 7:08 pm

Hello Connor. Welcome to WP.

I voted that it's a gift. However, I don't agree with your terminology. AS is not a disorder at all, it's merely a difference.


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Woodpecker
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14 Apr 2009, 7:08 pm

Welcome Connor,

Sorry to hear that you do not like having AS, and that it drove you to try to end it all.

I would say that AS is both a gift from on high and a dire curse at the same time, some aspects of AS are great while others are a total nightmare. So I have not voted as the thrid option is not there. It is up to you to play the hand of cards you have been given in the best way possible.

Try to look on the positive side of things.


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Diagnosed under the DSM5 rules with autism spectrum disorder, under DSM4 psychologist said would have been AS (299.80) but I suspect that I am somewhere between 299.80 and 299.00 (Autism) under DSM4.


Glory
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14 Apr 2009, 7:09 pm

The old phrase that "life is what you make of it" is certainly true, unfortunately I've found that Aspergers/Autism makes it a lot harder to make anything of life. Being different has its advantages, but fulfilling basic human needs would also be really nice and unfortunately they often require interpersonal contact, something I find rather difficult.



SoulcakeDuck
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14 Apr 2009, 7:25 pm

yo Connor, GIFT.

NOTHING comes for free, the reason for your IQ (which you claim is very high) comes from your AS. You do not see the world in the same way as "normal people" NT's do (I say this since what is normal anyway?...), therefor you are in for a ride and you need to embrace it and use it's beneficial side to your advantage. I have AS + Bipolar, It ain't no dance on rose petals but I love who I am and you have to rip my AS from my cold dead hands.

I hope things get better, they often do. But you can't allow yourself to spiral down in negativity.

Stay smart Connor and welcome to WP.


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glider18
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14 Apr 2009, 7:39 pm

For me, AS is a gift. In my ministry of music I refer to my autism as a gift from God. I know that people will have their opinions on this, but for me, definitely a gift. AS has given me fun interests and talents. I love the way I think, and I enjoy being eccentric.

I describe autism as a gift that needs to be unwrapped, accepted, and enjoyed---then it will become a true gift.

I would like to add that life isn't perfect for me. I have undergone therapy for some issues. And I have OCD along with my AS. But still---I love my AS. I would not want to get rid of AS. And I will keep my OCD too---because it is a good thing for me.


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SoulcakeDuck
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14 Apr 2009, 7:51 pm

Giftorcurse wrote:
How do you know?

P.S. My Asperger's is one of the reason I tried to strangle myself with bedsheets a few months ago.


When I was 12 I had a dream I was walking in a dark forest, when I woke up I had some how crawled inside my sheets for the cover and tangled myself up in a ball, I was in a total cocoon but wasn't scared, I saw it as a puzzle. The odd thing was that I was led by a giant golden brightly glowing owl. I will never forget this, and I was awake as well because I remember coming out sweaty as hell and drank about 3 L water afterwards.

:roll:


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KenM
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14 Apr 2009, 7:56 pm

Curse because its the one thing from preventing me from having a relationship. No matter how much I try or work on myself, I always get rejected because I can't read people because I have AS. God can suck my dick.



SoulcakeDuck
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14 Apr 2009, 8:19 pm

KenM wrote:
Curse because its the one thing from preventing me from having a relationship. No matter how much I try or work on myself, I always get rejected because I can't read people because I have AS. God can suck my dick.


ermm,.. Rorschach. God is a force that exists in all of us it's not a dude in the clouds... so if a force is suppose to suck ya cock, then the force from Star Wars would be more correct.

happy 2 help >______^


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AgentCROCODILE
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14 Apr 2009, 8:24 pm

It can be both a curse and a gift. It depends on the severity of your case.

If you are moderate plus (like me) then it is more of a curse.

If you are super mild then it may not be a curse.

Judging by your first post on this thread, you seem to find it really tough. Me to mate!



Concenik
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14 Apr 2009, 8:37 pm

poll is somewhat limited by lack of a 'both' or 'neither' option imo