Are you proud of having Asperger's?

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It doesn't make sense to me to be proud of having Asperger's, same as being proud of being gay or proud of being black (not saying I'm gay or black, just saying that doesn't make sense either). I didn't have a damn thing to do with it, why would I be proud of myself for something I didn't do?

Now what DOES make sense is being proud that you did something good despite the symptoms that might make it difficult.

As many have said, AS isn't something I've earned. I am proud of some of the accomplishements I have made in life, but that is because I worked hard and struggled to acheive them. AS is something I was born with, so I would not say I'm pround to have it...but I'm certainly not ashamed to have it, either! I think it's brilliant that there are so many people thinking in so many different ways in this world!

On a side note, it is possible to have academic success even with ADHD and dyscalculia. I have both, but graduated 3rd in my class and my grades got me into Smith College. I learned coping mechanisms for my ADD (Type 2 Inattentive) before I was diagnosed. These strategies helped me become and remain academically successful in most subjects; it was only math where I did poorly. Dyscalculia was basically an unknown condition when I was a kid, so there was no support for it. If I'd had the kind of support kids with dyscalculia can get now, I might have had more success in math, too.

I'm not proud of the label "AS",(not ashamed either) but am proud of some of the qualities that came with it. So technically....no.

I don't know if proud is the right term for how I feel. I am just learning. I am convinced I have AS and basically am seeking treatment for dealing with certain symptoms. I think my feelings about it will develop more clearly if/when I get a diagnosis. Either way, I feel I have finally found my people in certain aspect. I do feel I'm in very good company though. It feels good to find that there are reasons for my behavior patterns, sensory issues, touch, etc. I feel terrible for recoiling from my sweet mother's touch, and I would love to give her a good reason. I think it'd help.

Also, I do enjoy the ability to learn complex subjects very quickly even if it is at the cost of other things like social skills.

I'm not proud in a sense that even though I occasionally get hung up about something.
After hearing other people's opinions a thousand times like a broken record I simply don't listen anymore

I don't feel pride, so being proud of anything is an alien concept to me.

I know that this disorder impairs me quite a lot in comparison to my peers, but I'm happy enough.

I wouldn't say I'm "proud", but I am certainly glad I have it, and see it as a very good thing. I wouldn't be anything like I am without it, and therefore doubt I'd have as much potential as I have now if I was NT. I also wouldn't have have all the advantages of AS.

Sure, I'm worse at social situations than NTs, but... Who CARES? I'd rather have programming and logic skills than social skills, and I'd much rather build up my business empire and become rich than get more friends.

I AM proud to be an Aspie because I like the Creativity and Uniqueness You should embrace it, too.

I wouldn't say I'm proud of it in the sense that "I'm better than you."

The deficits and gifts even out pretty well, so the only thing I can say is that I'm 'different'. I appreciate myself for who I am, which is more than most people can say, but at the same time I prefer to think the best about everyone.

As for the issue of wanting a 'cure' or to be 'normal', no, never. I'm happy with who I am, and people should accept that. They shouldn't pressure me to be something else. In the same way, I don't think anyone should be pushing for a cure on milder forms of autism. It doesn't make us 'less' of a person. It just rewires things in a different way, giving us both gifts and detriments.

Not proud of it. I wish I didn't have it, as it's caused me a boatload of pain, but I'm not ashamed of it either.

~Kate

Blaine, good sir, let time take its course; you may not think that 10 years from now. I certainly don't think the things I did about it when I was 17; granted, I didn't know I was Autistic at 17, but you probably know what I'm saying.

I don't see it as hindering my life at all. Just means I don't function on the same level that NTs do; I'd hardly call that hindering my life though....