Asperger Syndrome. Illness, or type of personality?

Post Reply New Topic

I read somewhere it's caused by a genetic anomaly in the brain's frontal lobe (the one processing emotions). Myth, or truth? Have your say!

If you research enough it'll start to seem like autism has a million causes.

It's a developmental disorder.

As to the second question, I think the "mirror neurons"-theory is very interesting. Check it out.

scientifically, it's seen as a developmental disorder. however, i personally think it is a personality type, as many people who have it do very well and are able to use their aspie traits to their advantage.

I'm mostly with 'personality type' side of that debate.
But there are certain aspects that can be a handicap. Hypersensitivity issues can be rather confining at times.
And social anxiety issues can greatly effect career opportunities.

But I don't think it's so much "an illness that needs a cure" as it is a handicap that needs to be learned how to be coped with. It's good that it's getting noticed at younger ages now. As someone who was diagnosed at 35, most of my life I knew something was wrong, but couldn't put my finger on it. I wound up developing unhealthy coping mechanisms like alcoholism and cannabis addiction. Also if I had been diagnosed as a child I might have found better resources for career development & job search skills. But, alas, they just didn't know much about autism in the 70's & 80's. I was just a withdrawn child who got into a lot of trouble as a teen. I spent a number of years treating the symptoms as the actual problem.

I think the best approach to AS is better education of the part of the autistic, AND the people around them.
We have great talents and abilities, locked up in a cage. We don't need a cure, we need a key.

Developmental disorder ... or perhaps better phrased "difference" ... but the way you develop obviously shapes your personality ... so it's a personality type.

It definitely doesn't fit with my understanding of "illness".

a. Illnesses can be cured.
b. AS can not be cured.
: : AS is not an illness.

Neither.

To answer your topic question: It's both. EDIT: I don't like the term illness though. It's inaccurate. Disorder is more accurate. At least I like it better.

To answer your second question: No idea. I'm not really concerned about it, and won't be until it's announced firmly that a cause or causes have been found.

I'm not holding my breath.

None. It's a neurological disorder and affects more than emotional processing.

Personality type? NFW! Personality types can change over time. Mine has changed, but oh, still autistic.

Ugh, "illness" and "personality type" -- what a morass of connotations and restrictive preconceived notions. If I had to choose I'd say it's neither.

"Illness" makes me think of cholera, influenza, or cancer. "Illness" connotes something that's bad and which you're always better off without.

"Personality type," makes me think of trivial "quirkyness" that is of no significant consequence to one's life.

I agree with this. I was way more open to talking to others, but even when I did interact, people noticed something was different. That's when I'd get stupid comments about "Rain Man" and people were trying to either be funny/rude/whatever/all of the above,etc.

Now I'm more matured, and in my opinion, I'm way more "autistic" than ever.

I just thought it was my personality though. I actually thought there weren't many people with my kinds of perceptions. That's before I heard about Asperger's Syndrome. Apparently, everyone else noticed it before I did.

I really just think it is a personality type or a set of core traits that may result from differences in neurology and/or processing. I don't consider it to be an illness. NT's would because they like everyone to be the same (within certain boundaries) and if someone deviates from the norm they like to turn that deviation into a disorder and try and put it right so you end up more like them!

People are always trying to make me more 'normal' and it irritates me.

If Asperger's is an "illness", so are blue eyes.

I see it as a part of my personality. I don't see it as a horrible illness that needs to be cured. The reason that I have such a unique personality is because of my AS. You take that away from me and you take away my quirky personality. I see autism as a different way of being that should be celebrated.

Neurological disorder.