"Asperger syndrome is a severe handicap"

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I don't think any of my impairments are severe but I wonder how much different my life would be without it and if I would notice a huge difference.

NTs and autistic people are both irrational.

I believe inner handicaps are, in general, often harder for the public to accept as they are not as obvious as say blindness.

They are less accepted by the general public such as seen with mental illness, autism, or learning disabilities (US/Canadian definition).

In this sense people suffer because they are less accepted as physical handicaps; particularly, if high functioning but still need accommodations or go into adulthood undiagnosed.

I would agree with the above and add that unless one becomes a successful hermit which a few WP members have done a spectrumite a lot of times has to deal with these issues every day for a large percentage or even all of the day. Just the constant reminders that you are fundamentally different can be depressing.

Forming an identity, actually taking pride, coming to a place like this and recognizing there are others going through similar problems, focusing on the good parts of being on the spectrum or just plain accepting this is who one is all help to alleviate depression.

Thanks for you answers. I realize there is great suffering in being expected to act differently from who you really are (i.e. an invisible handicap).

I've realized we can learn a lot about our interactions with NTs by looking at interactions between dogs (NTs) and cats (people with AS).

The NTs want to "play" with us, which means establishing a social hierarchy in order to become friends (which be perceive as bullying because establishing a hierarchy means finding out who is the most Alpha, which is a dominance-fight involving teasing/bullying).

They see it as "just for fun". But for us (who don't have a social survival strategy/we are not group-survivors) it's really serious, i.e. they are attacking us - so we try to defend ourselves by "bullying" back. But the NTs realize we actually are serious, and so they get offended when they just wanted to "play", hence seeing us af pricks.

In the strict sense of the word, yes, they are. But rationality is a consensus. We don't fit it.

qawer -- get a new job and drop this cats/dogs analogy. It doesn't work. And I mean your job doesn't work for you, and your analogy doesn't work for anyone.

I have luckily finished my contract by now (-;

Watch dog/cat behaviour and you'll see how true it is.

What NT's do does not always make sense!

In fact they have some incredibly ineffective ways of going about things sometimes. Hence why I hate doing things their way...it makes life unnecessarily difficult.

People get lost in a car. People in car panic or get annoyed or angry as they want to get home (or similar). They then either stand in road or sit in their car arguing with each other....

If that is what people think helps in such a situation I may as well put my ruby red slippers on, stand in the road with them and tap my heels together 3 times whilst saying "there is no place like home". It is just as useful.

Alternative response..firstly getting lost could be seen as an extra adventure or a chance to see extra scenery...a slight detour...it is only a problem because they make it into one. It doesn't have to be a problem at all, this way of viewing it makes it fun instead!

Secondly the best thing to do is find the nearest map, garage, human being with a map or these days the nearest working cell phone and get directions.

There you go, imaginary problem solved without any fuss.

And really how lost can you get in the UK? It's not like its the Australian outback with poisonous spiders or a Rain forest!

Yet most NT's I have met prefer to create this imaginary problem then panic instead.

I don't call that rational!

Goes off to get my red slippers.

Dodges the falling house and runs up the yellow brick road...

I have.

It's not.

I wouldn't compare the suffering of HFA/Aspergers to missing both legs or being totally blind.
I have social and cognitive deficits, but it's other people that have a problem with me. I accept myself the way I am.
I can't imagine not being able to get up and walk down the street or through a forest and see the world in all its color and detail and hear music and the birds sing.
Maybe it's a matter of not missing what I never had.
Life is more of a struggle but I would rather be misunderstood, mistreated, and isolated than be missing my legs or eyes or ears.

Just taking me for example (I'm not out of the ordinary for someone with AS either):

I can't work, no matter the allowances, because I can't handle being around people (and my special interest precludes me from self-employment). AS.

I can't make friends in person because I can't interact with people. AS

Lots and lots of other "can'ts" (there's lots I can do though).

Someone without legs whom is without an ASD can do these things with allowances. They just aren't mobile like I am.

Now, which one is worst? Exactly. It's subjective.

Very well put.

Being raped is not "just for fun", being beat is not "just for fun", being screamed at about how we're ruining everyone's lives is not "just for fun", having your life manipulated around you so that you cannot get to any appointment you need or the food you need or the help you need is not "just for fun", having the last things you enjoy taken from you is not "just for fun".

No, its not NT vs autistic. No, its not establishing some hierarchy. No, bullying is not "just for fun", no, the abuse we are forced to withstand is not for play.

When this abuse happens THEY ARE attacking us. and I'm not saying that because I'm autistic, I'm saying that because ABUSE IS NOT OKAY, and it is not okay whether the victim is a child, or whether the victim is disabled, or whether its turned into being said about how its for their own good. It's not acceptable and it is not a game. It is not some dog vs cat thing. Bullying isn't "testing" us, its hurting us. And its not limited to us. It's not a dominance fight, its people saying only some people are worthy and others should be attacked, or should be treated as slaves. We're not worthy of them. Causing suicides isn't a dominance fight. Physically beating someone isn't a dominance fight. And these things happen in between NTs and NTs too. They happen from someone who is in power attacking those below too. Whether its NT to autistic or NT to NT they both happen too.

And "Alpha" isn't a thing dogs really do anyways.

I don't enjoy having lots of people around me either, but I have two jobs where I don't have to (one of them pays 45$ per hour just by working at home)--and I'm working on a degree where my autistic traits come to use. My special interests might come in handy for self-employment in the future as well.

Losing my legs would prevent me from moving or doing anything physical work, and losing my eyesight would prevent me from doing anything I enjoy, apart from listening to music.

You're not one of these people whom Google has BLESSED with an income of $7,000 a month are you?



Sorry, bad joke, although I do wonder where all these people are...