Do you think autism needs to be cured

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According to the 'intense world theory,' the treatments for autism anxiety might include diminished sensation or isolation from stimulation -- in other words, a reduction of faculties or a loss of freedom.

Well fixing anxiety doesn't fix the social awkwardness. You're still gonna be awkward, just not care.

How thick are you? I did not say I wanted does with severe autism to remain disabled. What I said was I disliked the way the question was worded, as opposed to "should a cure for autism be made available" or something, and that I believe a cure will never be found. We have not cured ADHD, we have not cured schizophrenia, only provided treatment. We have not cured any form of mental retardation. I say it would probably be easier to bring a brain dead person back to life than it would be to cure autism. By help I mean services such as teaching live skills and the like, making adaptions in the work place and the like. Trying to find a panacea is trying to take the lazy way out of your problems.

Don't mince words with me. It's obvious what you mean. You're an ignorant child. You don't know much of the possibilities of medicine/technology. Teaching doesn't work when someone's brain is malfunctioning. Adaptations don't do squat. Lazy way? You don't know what work goes into promoting a cure. I don't like that you are saying upsetting things.

That's quite enough, the both of you. Just stop now please.
If you can't discuss something politely then maybe you shouldn't be discussing it at all.

Remember this?

Link to WP rules: http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt73833.html

I was thinking of my own experience. I suppose I wasn't being considerate of other's feelings, provided that I hadn't stepped on their toes or violated social protocol.

I wouldn't categorize anything I've said here as a complaint. The complaint is against autism, and the OP is suggesting a cure, though not giving detail as to what that cure would entail.

I don't recall my words exactly, but I had a problem with the idea of a cure because it's not usually spoken of as a choice, but as a form of prevention - preventing people with autism from being born to begin with - rather than as a cure one with autism could choose to take or not take.

I suggested that we should take into consideration that there have been great minds, people who've changed the world, who had autism, and it's possible it was their autism that allowed them to think in the different ways that made them great. (This is true of mental illnesses as well - Vincent van Gogh is believed to have been schizophrenic, and yet was one of the greatest painters who ever lived. But his mental illness was "unacceptable" to people, and therefore to him as well, so that he ended his own life.)

My point is that high-functioning autism results in as many strengths as weaknesses, and those strengths need to be explored and appreciated, not shuffled away with all the problems as abnormal and unacceptable.

Even an NT person tends to be much happier if they can learn to appreciate their strengths rather than abhor their weaknesses, and this isn't just me saying this but is also written of in a book titled Authentic Happiness, written by a former president of the American Psychological Association, Martin Seligman.

I find it unlikely, considering the many mental disorders that have no cure, only treatments, that there will ever be a cure that someone with autism can choose. If one ever comes about, great! However, the idea of using eugenics to choose who will be born based on whether they might have autism is abhorrent to me.

Cure doesn't have anything to do with preventing someone from being born. Only opponents of cure are making that up and screaming eugenics.

It's been said a million times already. Them doing so well isn't going to satisfy those who live through failure.


Who is getting the strengths? Who is getting the weaknesses? There's no even distribution of the burden. It's called a spectrum for a reason.

dalurker, there's no guarantee that anyone will do "well" in life, whether they have some form of autism or some other limitation, or not. There are many people with no disability whatsoever who don't do "well" in life, either by their own reckoning or by someone else's, and the causes are legion. You might want to look up that book I mentioned on happiness. I'm quite sure that everyone has strengths, or something they love to do. But it's up to each person to identify their own.

In any case, I'm finished with this thread. I find your reactions to me and to several other people here quite harsh, and you seem unwilling to acknowledge that anyone else might have a valid opinion, or that anything they say might be acceptable to you. Simply telling people they're wrong isn't discussion. I think you want to argue. Fine, but it won't be with me any longer. I hope the OP got what they wanted from asking the question. Bowing out.

Cornflakes told you to stop it, so shut up!

I think humanity needs a good cure.

In my opinion, the problem with the "cure" mindset in government officials and the general public is that it takes funds away from where they really need to be spent. This whole population on the spectrum are talented, but many have problems using their talents thanks to a lack of social skills and a stigma which may exist. Funds in the right areas could help these people transition into the workforce and live independent lives.

Unfortunately, though in the region of Canada where I live, there is no government support for autistic adults unless I.Q. is below average. Think of how many people have trouble getting a job, paying bills, and on top of that, can't get funding for programs to deal with the autistic traits that interfere in the workplace. This is just one example of how the most desperate of the autistic population are not getting the support or funding they need to function as well as if they were free of autism in the first place.

If autism (if I really have it) is causing my anger problems and poor social skills, then yes I'd want to cure myself since I don't like the amount of anger I get when I get insulted by one simple thing.

I agree - it's a waste of money being spent trying to make something go away, which probably can't even work. Meanwhile ... a vast pool of incredible human capital, that could possibly revolutionize certain industries, is just lying dormant and therefore draining the system because no effort is being made to realize the potential benefits at hand - despite the fact this potential has been noted.

It seems to me like basic problem-solving skills are severely lacking in this approach.

Agreed.

Honestly, I wonder how policy-makers and some organizations can be so clueless as to what our needs actually are...

I feel as if people are more enlightened about other genetic behavioral differences that at least they acknowledge that these people need help more so than a cure, like other learning and developmental disabilities. What do you guys think?

It's not being spent to make something go away. It's being spent to bring ability to those who are disabled. That human capital is held by the higher functioning, while the lower functioning don't have access to it. Cure is supposed to let all have that capital. It's only lying dormant when those with the high IQs don't choose to use their aptitudes for something.