Dispel this myth about autism for me, please

Page 1 of 2 [ 29 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

pensieve
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 18 Nov 2008
Age: 38
Gender: Female
Posts: 8,204
Location: Sydney, Australia

27 Nov 2011, 5:11 pm

I don't know many people in real life with Asperger's and autism, I just know people on this forum and from what I seem on videos but one thing I'm not sure about is if people with classic autism (even HFA) are eager to share their interests with others and talk at length about them like people with Asperger's syndrome are known to?

The reason why I ask is because I'm writing a book with the central character being autistic (HFA) and so far he is almost math illiterate, more artistic but interested in science but struggles to understand science because of the math problems. Most of his personality comes from me and one thing I love doing is telling people about my interests or some random fact. I actually went from not talking about them to talking about them too much, so maybe it has to do with how much one socialises, and self confidence or how comfortable one feels with a person to share that information.

I just wanted to do an accurate portrayal of autism which I know is difficult because everyone with autism is different, and I definitely don't want to stereotype. So, I thought I'd ask it here first as a question rather than saying 'well I think people with AS do this and people with autism do this.'

If you are autistic (classic) and talk about your interests please tell em or if you have an autistic child who loves to talk about his/her interests I'd like to know that too. An dif possible, give examples.


_________________
My band photography blog - http://lostthroughthelens.wordpress.com/
My personal blog - http://helptheywantmetosocialise.wordpress.com/


fraac
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 23 Mar 2011
Age: 45
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,865

27 Nov 2011, 5:12 pm

Dispeliarmus!



Tuttle
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 26 Mar 2006
Gender: Female
Posts: 3,088
Location: Massachusetts

27 Nov 2011, 5:29 pm

I'm diagnosed with Asperger's and don't discuss my interests unless others explicitly start it. Even then I do so far less than the stereotypical aspie.

I've met someone with classic autism who definitely seems to discuss her special interests a bunch.



pensieve
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 18 Nov 2008
Age: 38
Gender: Female
Posts: 8,204
Location: Sydney, Australia

27 Nov 2011, 5:43 pm

Tuttle wrote:
I'm diagnosed with Asperger's and don't discuss my interests unless others explicitly start it. Even then I do so far less than the stereotypical aspie.

I've met someone with classic autism who definitely seems to discuss her special interests a bunch.

Thanks for that. I suppose I just needed to hear someone say it rather than me just assume it.
Still, wouldn't mind hearing from other people. Now YouTube comes to mind...


_________________
My band photography blog - http://lostthroughthelens.wordpress.com/
My personal blog - http://helptheywantmetosocialise.wordpress.com/


MagicMeerkat
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 11 Jun 2011
Age: 37
Gender: Female
Posts: 2,964
Location: Mel's Hole

27 Nov 2011, 5:45 pm

When I was a kid, I would lecture to anyone who would listen about my special intrests/obessions. As an adult, I don't want to dicuss them with anyone. I am actually really creeped out by people who want to know about my obsessions. I think it's because as a kid, I was never freely allowed to talk about them. Certian obsessions I only share with people who share said obsession.


_________________
Spell meerkat with a C, and I will bite you.


btbnnyr
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 18 May 2011
Gender: Female
Posts: 7,359
Location: Lost Angleles Carmen Santiago

27 Nov 2011, 5:48 pm

I don't talk about my special interests much, because I would rather pursue them by myself than talk about them with other people. I usually think about them all the time, but not much of that thinking leaks out of my mouth.

When I was a kid, I never talked about my special interests, because I almost never talked.



pensieve
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 18 Nov 2008
Age: 38
Gender: Female
Posts: 8,204
Location: Sydney, Australia

27 Nov 2011, 5:49 pm

I still get really surprised when people are genuinely interested in my special interests. As a kid people were always telling me to be quiet (when I actually talked) and get some normal interests or not be as obsessed.


_________________
My band photography blog - http://lostthroughthelens.wordpress.com/
My personal blog - http://helptheywantmetosocialise.wordpress.com/


MagicMeerkat
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 11 Jun 2011
Age: 37
Gender: Female
Posts: 2,964
Location: Mel's Hole

27 Nov 2011, 5:56 pm

pensieve wrote:
I still get really surprised when people are genuinely interested in my special interests. As a kid people were always telling me to be quiet (when I actually talked) and get some normal interests or not be as obsessed.


^THIS^


_________________
Spell meerkat with a C, and I will bite you.


MrXxx
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 11 May 2010
Age: 64
Gender: Male
Posts: 5,760
Location: New England

27 Nov 2011, 5:57 pm

Mith.

Oh, sorry. I thought that said misspell. Or was it mythspell?

Seriously though, you've lost me. What's the myth we're supposed to dispel?

As far as telling you about our interests, I don't understand how that's going to help you with your writing. They are our interests. Not yours. You should write about what you know. Give your character one of your own interests. The interest topic isn't all that important when it comes to accurate portrayal of Autism. How the character talks about it is more important. I wouldn't worry too much about that either. First, you can't tell how we talk from what we write. Second, while some of us are somewhat "robotic" speakers (I'm told I was very robotic as a child), a lot of us are fairly animated.

Do us all a favor. Just write the character as you would write it. If the character turns out appearing "too normal" that's perfect. It's about time non-Autistics in general are exposed to fictional characters that are more like the reality than the stereotypes. Just have the character talk a lot about whatever it is. It really isn't important how he talks about it. Don't try to "make" him Autistic. Just LET him be. The mere mention of it is enough. If you try to mold him into something, it's just going to end up being another one of the many dismally inaccurate portrayals already out there.

I think that's the real problem with all the bad Autistic portrayals. The writers tried too hard to make them Autistic. When you do that, that's when the stereotypes and overdone symptoms come into it that we all hate.


_________________
I'm not likely to be around much longer. As before when I first signed up here years ago, I'm finding that after a long hiatus, and after only a few days back on here, I'm spending way too much time here again already. So I'm requesting my account be locked, banned or whatever. It's just time. Until then, well, I dunno...


Sparhawke
Deinonychus
Deinonychus

User avatar

Joined: 23 Jul 2011
Age: 47
Gender: Male
Posts: 311

27 Nov 2011, 6:19 pm

pensieve wrote:
The reason why I ask is because I'm writing a book with the central character being autistic (HFA) and so far he is almost math illiterate, more artistic but interested in science but struggles to understand science because of the math problems. Most of his personality comes from me and one thing I love doing is telling people about my interests or some random fact. I actually went from not talking about them to talking about them too much, so maybe it has to do with how much one socialises, and self confidence or how comfortable one feels with a person to share that information.


Oh, I am flattered you would cast me as your central character :D

That is basically me though, interested in science but next to useless with maths, quite artistic yet unable to put paint to canvas and having a propensity to share knowledge and even bore people with it lol

For something more specific about me though I like to sit in a busy pub, in the corner and just watch everything going on about me, if I am in a busy place I will also tend towards a quiet corner or sit near a wall where someone cannot walk up behind me. I know a lot of NT people sit near a wall to, but for me it is somewhat of a necessity since due to possible sudden noises I could end up halfway through the ceiling.


_________________
AQ Test = 36


Verdandi
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 7 Dec 2010
Age: 55
Gender: Female
Posts: 12,275
Location: University of California Sunnydale (fictional location - Real location Olympia, WA)

27 Nov 2011, 7:20 pm

Given the last time I saw an autistic character in a novel, she never mentioned a single interest, this would be a nice contrast.

Admittedly, it was a Mass Effect novel.



btbnnyr
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 18 May 2011
Gender: Female
Posts: 7,359
Location: Lost Angleles Carmen Santiago

27 Nov 2011, 8:10 pm

Does this special interest talking stereotype come from some autistic people rambling when they talk? Because I do ramble a lot, just not about one thing all the time. Anytime I talk about anything, I tend to ramble.



cyberscan
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 16 Apr 2008
Age: 56
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,296
Location: Near Panama, City Florida

27 Nov 2011, 8:25 pm

I like to talk about my interests if someone else brings it up first. Other than that, I try to stay away from these topics. I'm medium to high functioning autistic.


_________________
I am AUTISTIC - Always Unique, Totally Interesting, Straight Talking, Intelligently Conversational.
I am also the author of "Tech Tactics Money Saving Secrets" and "Tech Tactics Publishing and Production Secrets."


pensieve
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 18 Nov 2008
Age: 38
Gender: Female
Posts: 8,204
Location: Sydney, Australia

27 Nov 2011, 8:46 pm

MrXxx wrote:
Mith.

Oh, sorry. I thought that said misspell. Or was it mythspell?

Seriously though, you've lost me. What's the myth we're supposed to dispel?

As far as telling you about our interests, I don't understand how that's going to help you with your writing. They are our interests. Not yours. You should write about what you know. Give your character one of your own interests. The interest topic isn't all that important when it comes to accurate portrayal of Autism. How the character talks about it is more important. I wouldn't worry too much about that either. First, you can't tell how we talk from what we write. Second, while some of us are somewhat "robotic" speakers (I'm told I was very robotic as a child), a lot of us are fairly animated.

Do us all a favor. Just write the character as you would write it. If the character turns out appearing "too normal" that's perfect. It's about time non-Autistics in general are exposed to fictional characters that are more like the reality than the stereotypes. Just have the character talk a lot about whatever it is. It really isn't important how he talks about it. Don't try to "make" him Autistic. Just LET him be. The mere mention of it is enough. If you try to mold him into something, it's just going to end up being another one of the many dismally inaccurate portrayals already out there.

I think that's the real problem with all the bad Autistic portrayals. The writers tried too hard to make them Autistic. When you do that, that's when the stereotypes and overdone symptoms come into it that we all hate.


I guess I should have said 'personal theory' or from what I've seen so far. Don't worry, he will have his own interests but because I'm a bit of a talker and even when not talking about them there is an urge to - and I'm not sure where you would put me on the spectrum. One thing is clear: not only do I want to make him completely against the stereotype of savant autistic abilities but I don't want him to be another genius in a science fiction story who is destined to save the world. I like accidental heroes and I really tire of math geniuses in sci-fi. I've got enough scientists in this story to let them ramble on about physics and whatnot.

I do want him to have a special interest though which is astronomy because that's one of mine.


_________________
My band photography blog - http://lostthroughthelens.wordpress.com/
My personal blog - http://helptheywantmetosocialise.wordpress.com/


MindWithoutWalls
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 25 Oct 2011
Age: 56
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,445
Location: In the Workshop, with the Toolbox

27 Nov 2011, 8:55 pm

"Help! I'm talking, and I can't shut up!" That's how I feel sometimes. At other times, I can't get a word in edgewise in a conversation. At still other times, I really don't want to talk at all. When I get going, I can pour out a great deal about whatever's in my head at the time. I do have interests, and I can go on at length about them, but I can go on about anything else, too, such as an opinion about whatever topic is being discussed. I do it in writing, too, as anyone who's read my posts here can attest. One time, I was writing an e-mail from a friend's computer, and she asked if I were writing a novel. (Part of what made it take so long to finish, though, was that I was editing, which I can also do to death!)

I'm not ready for anyone to take any of that into account just yet, though. I find out if I have Asperger's, something else, or just a goofy, annoying personality on Tuesday, so let's hold off on whether or not this counts until then.

In the meantime, I'll repeat a quote for the second time today, which I recently read in a book: "If you've met one kid with Asperger's, you've met one."


_________________
Life is a classroom for a mind without walls.

Loitering is encouraged at The Wayshelter: http://wayshelter.com


SuperTrouper
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 1 Jun 2009
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,117

27 Nov 2011, 11:03 pm

I talk about them a lot for how much I talk... but since I don't talk that much, it's still not really a lot. I like to talk about autism, Food Network, and cats. I'm not really able to discuss anything else.