Would you "Cure" yourself if you could?

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I would be afraid that I would lose whatever that makes me an engineer, which is my family's source of income, that which is needed to get three kids through college.

Perhaps after I was retired.

Hmm, the sheeple concern is valid too.

I wouldn't want to get rid of my autism. I would, however, like to get rid of my social anxiety. But then, I'd probably talk more to people, which would probably make my autistic traits more obvious. I wouldn't care though. I'd like to be able to talk to people comfortably, even if I may mess it up sometimes.

<am severely classic autistic and woudnt accept a cure.
am not sure anyone with moderate, severe or profound classic autism woud willingly accept a cure because of lacking the self awareness to look at their lives negatively,
and having acutely rigid thinking which makes us completely intolerant to and fearful of all types of change.

people with HFA [although some with severe levels dont] have the self awareness of themselves and their place in society and may want a cure because they use societys view of them to judge themselves,or they may feel something they do is to difficult/ impairing.

it will be those of us with low functioning autism they will have in mind with researching for cures as we cost the most to society and are deemed by everyone [including many HFAs]to suffer and have terrible lives.
however curing our autism woudnt remove our intelectual disability.

I'm not sure if I would want to be cured of my ASD. For sure there are some aspects I wish I could change as I struggle a lot with social communication, however it seems to me that NTs like to waste so much time talking to others about rubbish and most of them find the things that interest me boring. If a cure meant that I would stop being interested in interesting things and want to fill my spare time talking rubbish with friends then I wouldn't want that. If I could cure my social anxiety and still keep my special interests that would definitely appeal to me

Of course I would cure myself if I could...of cancer. Of being Autistic? No way!

The more I look at the difficulties [and there are many] of being Autistic, the more I see that we need, as a group, to lift each other up. We need support from each other much more than we need it from NT society and the "experts."

theres a lot of posts like this, and i just really dont understand enough about being an NT to 'cure' myself. im not in complete termoil, im not suffering. i of course have hurdles that i can never ever cross but it doesnt mean theyll stop me from progressing and learning to adapt to the world i was born in. i dont need a cure, i can find my own way.

I've answered this question a million times and each time the answer has been the same.

No, not at all. While my ASD might make things difficult in certain aspects, it's also given me an incredible wealth of knowledge as well as the ability to easily withhold it (and vast amounts of it) and a unique sense of humor.

No way, I wouldn't be me then.

I have moderate/pronounced classic autism. I lack self awareness but know from others what my disabilities are. and my whole life has been about therapy and stuff for my disability. going on forums was a way to get around my inability to interact and communicate with others in real life. and am aware of suffering i have caused by autism things like sensory overload. would like to at least have less difficulties caused by autism. so not change really just improvement.

As much as I've struggled, and have been shunned, and mistreated----all the negative and positive experiences I've had, make me, me. I don't think I'd want a cure, per se, cuz I wouldn't want to lose the things that I like about myself----BUT, I have tried (and will return to trying, as soon as I get a job) different dietary things that have lessened some of the parts that I don't like about the way I am.

Last edited by Campin_Cat on 31 Jul 2014, 7:20 am, edited 1 time in total.

This is an interesting study, pointing at matrix metalloprotease 9 (MMP9, see www*omim*org/entry/120361?search=MMP9&highlight=mmp9 ) activity as a problem that can be reduced. And I'm especially interested because just yesterday I posted some thoughts about a different study on "curing" autism ( the interface won't let me link yet, but it's in the post about kudzu at www*wrongplanet*net/postp6181059.html and the paper is www*nature*com/tp/journal/v4/n6/full/tp201433a.html ). Now where this gets cool is that I do see there is a potential direct relationship between these two steps in the literature --- according to onlinelibrary*wiley*com/doi/10.1111/jnc.12031/pdf (and amazingly, even though it's at Wiley you _can_ download this paper freely), the purinergic signalling via the P2X7 receptor does indeed activate MMP9 in microglia. The cherry on top: P2X7 is one of the receptors inhibited by puerarin! (see www*burnsjournal*com/article/S0305-4179(12)00262-8/abstract )

Despite all this, I am _NOT_ saying that this is the mechanism. Pick any two popular genes of study and you'll probably find some paper linking them. There's a whole lot of put-up-or-shut-up between this and a "cure". But I feel like autism has just lit two cigarettes on a match and I'm looking down a scope eagerly waiting to see it try for a third. For example, that Wiley paper listed cathepsin B as another player in the process, so if anybody sees something come out about inhibiting _that_ to cure autism (I didn't see anything in a really quick search right now) then it's going to be interesting.

I also have absolutely no knowledge whether kudzu will really have a positive effect, but I see someone above saying how he helped autism with a gluten free diet, and I'm thinking that "Japanese arrowroot" i.e. kudzu is a frequent replacement for gluten-containing starches. I would love to hear if there's been any informal testing of this supplement by people here.

As for the nature of the "cure", sorry, that paper in Nature said that the clumsiness wasn't fixed by the treatment. However, in other ways the behavior became more normal. And the mice weren't exactly getting physical therapy, nor did they have years and years to recover; it's definitely not evidence that recovery is _im_possible. So I think that this is very close to the point where people here will be making these decisions one way or another.

This question comes up a lot.

No, you can't take my Aspergers away. That's like asking 'Can I take away your sense of humour?' Without either, I wouldn't be me - and I like me.

I didn't even know I had a 'syndrome' until I was 40 but I've always been me, I've always been the same and I've always liked me, difficulties and all.

Just because I found out that Aspergers is responsible for so much of who I am, I am still me and I still like myself.

I think it boils down to the type of Autistic experience you're having. If it brings with it, some really cool abilities and you can suffer the bad, you'll find these people wouldn't want to change but if you don't get any of the cool and a lot of the bad, those are the ones who'll want a cure. My opinion based on answers to previously asked similar questions.

As for me, I love being an Aspie. It can be really cool! (It can also suck big time!)

A cure for my autism as a whole I would not want because I would not be me. I would be less functional if I had to start to learn everything from the beginning. There is a lot of my autism that is not "wrong" There is nothing wrong about wanting only a small amount of socializing. There is nothing wrong with stimming. It is only considered wrong because we are a small minority

However I would seriously have to consider taking a cure for the executive functioning part of it. Poor planning, organizing and multitasking abilities have nothing to do with NT prejudice or misunderstanding. They are my deficits.

I do fear people being forced to take a cure if one becomes available. It might not take the form of law. It would be strong societal disapproval. They would say how can you not want to make friends, get married and be "better" socially and have empathy. I could also see refusing a cure being seen as proof of mental illness.

Oh HELL - It's not something that needs a BLOODY CURE!! !

IT'S NOT SOMETHING WRONG. IT'S WHO WE ARE!! !

HOW INSULTING!! ! I DON'T NEED A CURE!! !

No, I would not!