Is Asperger's an illness?

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I am discussing this topic with one aspie, who firmly believes that AS is an illness/disease, and says that he feels ill (because of AS). While I think that what he feels is his own business (even though I would like to convince him otherwise), his statements about AS have a potential to do a disservice to us all. I, for one, don't want to be labeled "mentally ill". Does anyone have an idea how to address such a situation? The guy seems quite nice, and I don't suspect him of any bad motivation.

I think it's a disorder in that it can put us at a disadvantage in the given environment.

But I, personally, have never found the term "disorder" demeaning. But that's probably because Psychology fascinates me greatly. I know most other people don't think of "disorder" in quite the same way.

As for something which needs to be fixed or cured, well, that's up to the individual. If that person isn't happy with themselves and their abilities, then they have the right to try and change their situation and improve upon those things which they consider deficits. Though I hope most will want to change those qualities which bother them as opposed to those which bother other people who in turn make life difficult in return for that person.

To Me it is a condition that is something I live with and it is apart of Me. Though the Medical Community I would think would see them as disorders.

It's a big question.

If the world was full of aspies, would it look full of sick people?
Or would the ill be those who were more severely autistic, and those who suffered from logical insufficiency and emotional hyperactivity?

At what point does being away from the normal taken statistically (and largely neutrally)
become something seen as medically or socially abnormal, liable to correction or treatment?
(With blood pressure we want it brought down, made normal.
Olympic athletes are highly abnormal but not socially disapproved of. )

Given that severe autism is difficult to see as other than a disability or a disease, is it not natural to see Asperger's syndrome as "a mild form of..." which fits neatly into a medical pathology framework?
(Especially since it is in the DSM-IV, which is again double edged, because while it makes support available for some, it also leads to problems of labelling and caricaturing)

Subject to a clearly better simple answer, I'm going to have to stick with the complex one, that all these models of the situation have uses and flaws and that the biggest problem comes with those who insist that there is only one correct view of the situation that covers all its aspects.

If there was a pill which would increase my intrinsic social awareness without side effects against my logic or emotional control, I'd take it.
(working logically at social awareness is not the same thing)

If society had a better understanding of and tolerance for neurodiversity I'd have a happier and easier life without changing at all.

If there were a lot more aspies, that might already have happened, or we might be facing T-shirt campaigns:"Social Butterfly and Proud!" railing at *our* prejudice.

i would tell him to f*** off, but that's just coz i am so damn lazy and ppl upset me easily.
who cares about the medical community?
but i also dont think that there is anything wrong with having a disorder, i just dont want asperger's to be one. i am facinated by pshychology too, and i also think that beeing; schitzo, bipolar etc. is perfectly normal and i dont think that people should be treated just coz they dont fit in to the NT society. not even some of those "disorders"...

Mental illness is a common reaction among us when we didn't know we had AS but I like to say that in itself no, it's not a mental illness. It's like being dyslexic or colour-blind: learning disabilities hard-wired into the brain.

My parents refused to get me help because they didn't want the shame of a child labelled 'mentally ill' but their approach caused that anyway as the AS got worse. They were ashamed of me.

Don't let that 'stigma' keep you (rhetorically, not anybody here in particular) from getting the help you need.

A person who is psychotic is mentally ill. Aspergers is just our brains working in a different way.

We're perfectly capable of rational thought. To me that means we're not mentally ill.

I would say it's kind of a disorder in that it can put you at a disadvantage ,of course that depends on the environment AS can defintely make certain things quite the struggle.many times jobs and schools can be harder.AS can make your life more difficult If that's what your friend meant he's right but it's way more just a different way of being.

I disagree that "mental illness" should be defined solely by psychosis. However, I don't like the term "mental illness" anyways. Someone who is psychotic has a disorder, as does someone with Aspergers. But a disorder is often labeled due to a contrast with the norm and the norm frequently helps to construct the environment which puts the minority at a disadvantage. If the world were made up of Aspies, we would end up finding other labels to fit under the term "disorder".

I prefer not to use the term "neurodiversity" personally (not that I don't like the idea and admire its use) but science and psychology don't yet know the causes of the various disorders on the Autistic Spectrum. And if there is something other than just pure genetics (i.e., environment)-- which it is most probable there is-- then there is likely some element of damage or prevention of intended development in these disorders, as though something genetically unintended occured in the person's development. And for some reason I think of "neurodiversity" as "this was supposed to happen".

I know that view isn't probably too popular here on WP. But thinking about it that way doesn't make me feel depressed or any less proud of who I am. It's just something that (thankfully) happened to make me what I am today-- even if it was some variation of genetics plus brain damage or prevented development. I don't mind it at all and am glad it happened. I don't find it demeaning in the least.

No

Thanks for replies. I would like to stress that the wording that my interlocutor used could be translated as illness, sickness or disease, not disorder or disability. My own stance is clear: associating the words from the former group can be harmful to aspies in general, and to me in particular, and I would prefer that those words are not used. The question is how to say it in a friendly way. Any ideas?

That's why we are spreading the word about AS and advancing the "autism epidemic".

I think we are similar to normal.

Where have you been?

Illness means disease or sickness of body or mind,AS or any other Autism type are not illnesses,regardless of cause,Autism is a way of life,a different brain setup to the majority [hence the term 'disorder' as well].
I wonder would this person consider savantism a disease or illness?

An illness or a disease is a condition which creates problems on its own. AS only gives trouble because society can't offer a good environment for aspies.

I'd say AS isn't an illness, but a condition.

If it's an illness, it's not one you can catch,
nor get rid of by spending a couple of days in bed.

It's not going to kill you either.

(Describing, at length, relentlessly, exactly how many versions of Luke Skywalker are available in the official Star Wars figures collection may, however, prove fatal.)

That is not true for everyone. For example, I have several traits that I link to AS, that cause me problems, and that have nothing to do with unwelcoming society. To name just a few: problems with concentration, too much "spacing out", clumsiness, tactile sensitivity, distorted vision...