Are you "okay" with having Asperger's?

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I am ok with being me, but I am not ok with the way I'm treated for being me.

My pleasure mate, genuinely =]



I feel you there. I try not to let it get me down by considering that they couldn't understand me even if they wanted to. Good response Pasty.

There are things we know, things we think we know, things we now know we didn't know and the trickiest of them all. The things we do not know we don't know. I have only known or come to a better understanding of my deficiencies in the last two years. I have been isolated for a long time now, I don't really interact with the outside world other than on the internet. Navigating a path not meant for me only results in anxiety.

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I understand your thinking, but for me feeling subhuman has been ingrained in my mind starting at a very young age. My mother was abusive and often told me how stupid I was. I was in LD classes and bullied for it. When the school decided to start "mainstreaming" me into regular ed classes, I was harassed hardcore. People knew I was coming from LD class and could tell I was different. Not everyone was a jerk to me, but I was an easy target. I had no motivation and so had bad grades. My home life was rough and I didn't get any support. I didn't fit in at home or among my peers. I've developed a horrible problem with social anxiety because of it. Now that I'm older I'm working on it though. I've been going to therapy and thinking more positively in general, although I still have a feeling of inferiority in the pit of my stomach. It's like a looming cloud that follows me around.

Anyway, I think I would enjoy that game you mentioned. I'm good at the card game "set", and always stomp people Let me know when you post it.

This_Amoeba: I came from a similar place, in school and at home. Please consider reading my intro post on the "Getting to know you" thread. I know that feeling in the stomach, but perhaps I have a different reaction from people, being 6'6" and looking like Cumberbatch's nemesis.


blackicemenace: Yes the internet and online interaction have improved a lot of things for us. We're able to meet based on personality first, looks and status second. It's not face to face social interaction, but we're pathologically limited in that arena, so I personally don't feel down about that. I hope you don't either?

Not at all, it has been a boon. I am thankful for living in a period of time where people like us have an outlet to satisfy the human need for social interaction. One less complex than face to face.

Great stuff dude =]

What you just said is something I tend to say a lot, in various ways. What a perfect time to be alive as this.

Sometimes. I feel like it's a part of who I am, but sometimes it can be a real pain.

"Okay" is a vague judgemental concept.

I have accepted this fact of my life, and that it is as my user says part of who I am.

Hmm. "Okay" means positive, to all but the vaguely judgemental. I could have asked if you are "happy", or "coping", or "angry" instead and I would argue that the responses would have been the same.

The answer to that question is the exact same answer that I would give to somebody who asked me "Do you mind being colourblind?" (If I haven't told you, I cannot tell the difference between green and orange)

And what's the answer to that question, you're asking...?

The answer is quite simple: I wouldn't trade my colourblindness for anything, man! True, it can be a bit of a pain sometimes, but I haven't experienced life without it. It's part of who I am, and I wouldn't want to change myself. Besides, if I ever come to a situation where being unable to distinguish colours is a problem (pH indicator paper for example), I can simply ask somebody what colour that thing is. In my experience people are generally happy to oblige; it's good to be amongst polite Canadians.

I share the exact same opinion regarding the Asperger's question -- or dyspraxia/dyslexia/dysgraphia -- these days I could easily be diagnosed with one of those instead, depending on the day and who's doing the testing, as I have characteristics of all three, but especially dyspraxia -- if I was given the opportunity to receive an injection that would instantly change my brain to neurotypical, I would fight to the death to prevent that from being done! Doing that would result in a massive personality change, and I don't know if I would be able to handle the shock of that change. It took me 18 years to learn to live as a neurodiverse individual, and I have a feeling that it would take just as long to learn to live as a "normal" person. And for what gain? I think I can use my differences to my advantage, and perhaps help others who aren't "normal" either. The world would be a boring place if everyone was the same!

Glflegolas: Great response mate, thank you. I would also fight that injection to the death!

And don't think I wouldn't win, because I am just below black belt in karate, and also trained in knife combat. I tend to carry a pocketknife in... my pocket (surprise!) because I find that if I don't, I end up not having it when it's most needed, and boy does it come in handy for many, many things! Oddly enough, the one thing I haven't used it as is a weapon.

Hehe. I used to teach certain martial arts, but it's not something I want to go into on WP. I have a modern handforged shirasaya and a carved white oak bokuto which are among my most adored possessions.

I do believe you'd rightly kick the injectOr's face off!

I prefer to think of autism as a cognitive disorder rather than a mental illness.

I do not like how my autism inhibits and impairs me.

I know I am different from others. I like some aspects of Asperger's, but not others. I like that I can generally express myself well in writing and that I can research any topic of interest to me thoroughly. I don't like anxiety, social awkwardness and doing stupid stuff.