Use of the word "autism"

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I joined not too long ago, and I've been using "autism" instead of "Asperger's/AS" in order to include myself, since my diagnosis is HFA. But I'd like to know how everyone else uses these words. Especially since I've been following this (very interesting) thread: http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt100080.html where I keep seeing the word "autism" come up, and I'm not quite sure if people are including the whole spectrum when they say that, or if they're just talking about HFA/LFA and other things with "autism" right in the name.

So my question is: you guys with Asperger's, when you say autism, are you including yourself in that? Do you consider yourself autistic?

edit: I mostly just mean: how do you use the word here on WP or in similar situations where everyone's sort of on the same page, not really IRL when you're explaining your condition to someone who doesn't know about autism/AS. Though it's interesting to hear about that, too. Autism is sort of a tricky word, since it has so many assumptions attached.

Last edited by wigglyspider on 30 May 2009, 8:39 pm, edited 2 times in total.

I see myself as autistic. Oh, yeah, I have a particular presentation of it, but at the end of the day I am just as autistic as when I started out that morning.

so to me AS is interchangeable with Autistic Spectrum or Asperger's Syndrome.

Long answer:

I'm not exactly your person with AS, but that's largely the reason why when I say autism, I mean the whole spectrum. I got the diagnosis of AS for where I live, am indeed totally AS according to Asperger's (the guy) description, could be HFA by modern standards, would be diagnosable as classical in the US (because I meet criteria for autistic disorder) and by all evidence, belong to a part of the spectrum to which few other people belong so saying 'autism' really shortens this down.

It also allows me to refer to the whole spectrum as I am certainly am today often 'looking about normal' (I think) but relate much better to what those with HFA to LFA write and say concerning my symptoms than to what those with modern AS say about themselves as I've been somewhere around MFA or so as a kid, while at the same time especially today I am functioning good in some areas that are supposedly (?) often difficult for those with even mild and hf AS such as a entirely special job where you're in contact with people for your whole 8-hour shift and got to talk, supervise, care for them and be involved with them personally.

Short answer:

I'd say kanner's or infantile autism (rarely) or classical autism (usually) to mean 'autistic disorder' or 'infantile autism' and AS to mean specifically Asperger's. I consider myself autistic. Edit: Which boils down to that, yes, I use autism to mean the whole spectrum.

I have Asperger's syndrome, and when I use the word 'autism', I include the entire spectrum. I have known that I am autistic from a young age, but it was never identified as Asperger's syndrome until only recently I found out the characteristics of AS matched me to a tee. I've always called myself 'autistic', and I think the word perfectly describes how I feel: concentrated upon myself.

I do not say I have autism; but when explaining that I have Asperger's to other (unknowing) people, I will say that I am on the autism spectrum. I know that this is a bit misleading, but most of the time, I don't have the time to actually explain in-depth, and the most in-depth I would actually get would be 'It's a social/behaivoral issue,' since that's how I see it. I'm not sure if Asperger's could be generalized that much and still fit, however.

I have AS but I don't view myself as autistic since I can pass as normal while an autistic person can't. I don't use the word "autism" to describe myself, ever. If anything I want to distance myself from autists and aspies who can't appear normal, as much as possible.

I don't care how someone makes their living. As long as they can go out in the street and ask someone what time it is, travel on their own and talk to strangers they meet without these people suspecting they have AS, then I respect them. I don't respect people who just by their tone of voice, how their eyes move or their walking style are seen as not normal.

I see myself as sutistic. A lot of times I've said to people "I'm autistic" instead of saying "I have Asperger's."

Yet you have "Have Aspergers - Diagnosed" on your profile. Why?

Maybe because the word "autism" implies characteristics that do not apply to him, whereas "Asperger's Syndrome" leaves room for redeeming factors.

As for me, I have no problem with reffering to myself as autistic. I rather enjoy explaining the vast differences between individuals on the spectrum, I use it in an attempt to spark the question "What's autism?" so I start an excruciatingly long explenation.

I don't view my form of AS as autism. I don't even think it should be called the "autistic spectrum". In my oppinion AS could do well with a namechange too.

AS is as much autism as leukemia is traditional cancer. In fact it isn't real cancer at all. AS is the psychiatric equivalent of leukemia whereas autism is traditional cancer.

Peanuts aren't really nuts at all, another example. They have many similarities with nuts, but they aren't nuts.

I say I have aspergers because I do, I don't usually say autism though. Even though I am technically autistic I only say AS, because when people hear the word autism/autistic they think of non-functional people that just flap all day and they might get the wrong idea about me.

You make an interesting oservation and although I'm dx AS I do not consider myself autistic out of respect for auties. Just my take on things and if others want to be referred to as autistic that is fine.

From what I have researched lately, AS appears more closely associated with NVLD, both are considered to involve Right brain hemisphere dysfunction, where as other autism spectrum disorders are considered to be Left brain hemisphere dysfunction. Again, just my take on things and I'm sure others have differing views.

Last edited by EvoVari on 30 May 2009, 7:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I say I have aspergers because some people don't know that autism is a spectrum, but I still call myself autistic because people don't know what is an aspie.

Sometimes, I just tell people I'm a high functioning autistic. I am. I'm just the special variety we call Asperger's Type. Lots of people haven't even heard of AS, but they know autism.

I say I have Asperger or form of autism.

My label is Asperger's but how I refer to myself depends on many factors. In my corner of the world, I'm finding there is nowhere near the same polarized split in people's minds as there used to be upon using the words "Asperger's" and "autism":only two extremes and no moderately autistic/middle ground. Though the image of a silent, head banging/low functioning child evoked by the word autism is still fairly persistent.It's often the only part of the spectrum people have or know of.

My intent, for the moment, is to widen the general public's visual library of the spectrum as I make my way through the world. A few years back more people thought of Kanner's image. For them I sometimes had conversations and a little ways in casually mentioned "oh by the way, I'm autistic". The double-take reaction I got sometimes was priceless!

This is happening with less frequency than it used to as often there is more understanding--but four,five, six years back there wasn't as much.

Asperger's on the other hand, is also getting more press. I usually use this one when I want to emphasize my capability or want to start with a clean slate. There don't seem to be as many connotations or highly emotive visual imagery attached to Asperger's yet. So the use of "Asperger's" often has a better likelihood of disarming that person's fear for the next spectrum individual they meet after me.

But most often I use the word ASD's ,autism spectrum, or spectrumites. It really is a spectrum of abilities and expressions that hold a plethora of complicated feelings--both for NTs and spectrumites alike. By accentuating the universals I hope to honor the humanity of people across the autistic spectrum and beyond.