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How does it feel to be autistic?

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Brittany2907
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21 Dec 2007, 7:27 am

How does it feel to be autistic?

It feels completely normal to me as I have never experienced anything else and never will.


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21 Dec 2007, 8:49 am

And certainly not all NTs are the same: some are living dead (Prufrock, and the people Holden Caulfied meets in Yuletide) some are alive and we would like to have them as friends, or talk with them, or help them in need, or have their help in need.



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21 Dec 2007, 9:03 am

It's a classic conundrum, isn't it, can anyone really know how it feels to be someone else. Also "does the colour red look the same to you as it does to me". It's not just for people who are autistic.

Personally I think everyone is on the spectrum, but genes, environment (social and chemical) and whathaveyou combine to make some people more autistic than others.

Being isolated is not unique to autistic people, being depressed is not unique to autistic people, and not all autistic people live under such conditions.

If autistic people have one thing in common maybe it's an inability to take their cues from other people. But in one person this will make them a ruthless dictator because they don't feel for their victims and in another it will make them a pacifist because they won't take orders blindly. There's nothing really that everyone has in common.



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21 Dec 2007, 9:32 am

Irisrises wrote:
Personally I think everyone is on the spectrum, but genes, environment (social and chemical) and whathaveyou combine to make some people more autistic than others.

Being isolated is not unique to autistic people, being depressed is not unique to autistic people, and not all autistic people live under such conditions.

If autistic people have one thing in common maybe it's an inability to take their cues from other people. But in one person this will make them a ruthless dictator because they don't feel for their victims and in another it will make them a pacifist because they won't take orders blindly. There's nothing really that everyone has in common.


I agree completely. But it's not only a problem of taking cues in order to have a smooth interaction, it's more generally a problem of really undestanding other people's existential experience as a whole, which is very difficult.



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21 Dec 2007, 9:36 am

paolo wrote:
Irisrises wrote:
Personally I think everyone is on the spectrum, but genes, environment (social and chemical) and whathaveyou combine to make some people more autistic than others.

Being isolated is not unique to autistic people, being depressed is not unique to autistic people, and not all autistic people live under such conditions.

If autistic people have one thing in common maybe it's an inability to take their cues from other people. But in one person this will make them a ruthless dictator because they don't feel for their victims and in another it will make them a pacifist because they won't take orders blindly. There's nothing really that everyone has in common.


I agree completely. But it's not only a problem of taking cues in order to have a smooth interaction, it's more generally a problem of really undestanding other people's existential experience as a whole, which is very difficult.


which is why 'arty' types can become confused and think that AS types are evil, and out to exploit knowledge to their own knowledge.



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21 Dec 2007, 8:18 pm

It feels like being a mentally disabled person.



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21 Dec 2007, 8:20 pm

JWRed wrote:
It feels like being a mentally disabled person.

Don't even go there.


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21 Dec 2007, 8:20 pm

Ipunes wrote:
which is why 'arty' types can become confused and think that AS types are evil, and out to exploit knowledge to their own knowledge.


Wonder where that leaves 'arty' autistic people.


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21 Dec 2007, 9:19 pm

'being aware of our owm difference blinds us to thiers'

That's really beautiful Inventor.

We're already wired to be self absorbed, being aware of it just makes it go on.

I decided I did'nt want to trade places with anyone else years before I found out I was AS. I figure God has a really twisted sense of humor and I'd end up worse off.

Isn't that the way it always is when you change your original answer?

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21 Dec 2007, 9:42 pm

it feels exactly like being me, every day of my life.

Since I know about myself and autism I must say that it feels just fine.


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21 Dec 2007, 9:56 pm

beau99 wrote:
JWRed wrote:
It feels like being a mentally disabled person.

Don't even go there.


Go where? Reality?



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21 Dec 2007, 9:59 pm

I feel explained. (Being only recently somewhat diagnosed) it suddenly explains all the weirdness. All the inabilities. All the s**t I didn't get.

I feel redeemed. As in, see, there isn't anything wrong with me, it's just how my brain is wired.

I feel relieved. As in, oh, that's why I can't march to that drummer.

I feel happy and settled and completely comfortable to be myself for the first time in my life. EVER.

Oh, and a little weird.


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21 Dec 2007, 10:30 pm

feels like s**t :cry:



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21 Dec 2007, 10:43 pm

feels like being stuck in Middle School for the rest of your life...;)



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21 Dec 2007, 10:48 pm

JWRed wrote:
beau99 wrote:
JWRed wrote:
It feels like being a mentally disabled person.

Don't even go there.


Go where? Reality?

You're being way too hard on yourself.


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21 Dec 2007, 11:10 pm

well..what does it feel like to be "normal?"


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