Asperger's is a disease?

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I had to see a new physiatrist today to get my Paxil refilled. I got bad vibes from him when he first walked into the room. I figured maybe I was just nervous because it was a new situation and I am extremely uncomfortable around new people if I do not have my lizard with me. The weather was rather wet and cold today and I didn't think it would be very nice to bring her out into it. But anyway, I let my mum do all the talking because I really didn't have anything to say. He flat out said I needed to be on Abilify. I imedidadly said no and that I would not do it. He said I needed it to help with my bipolar. I guess if you disagree with someone it is bipolar. I've been having really bad depression lately but I think it's related to my father taunting me and possibly not being able to be a vet. Physiatrists NEVER want to get to the source of the problem anyway. He then said he would commit me to a mental hospital if I did not take it. I recently had a horrible experience with a mental health facility and my would never allow him to commit me anyway. I told him I even wanted to get off of the Paxil but he said I couldn't. He also said Paxil helps with the autism but not the mood swings or some similar BS. He then said it would help me with my "disease". I became extremely offended. A disease is something that will eventually kill a person or at least has the potential to do so such as cancer or HIV. It turned into a head banging contest between me and him. I told him I view my AS as a blessing and I am not the only one. I bet he would have suggested I have a lobotomy if they were still legal. He didn't even greet us when he first came into the room. I was born so low functioning it was suggested I be put into an instution but my mum worked with me until I became more high functioning. Doctors and laymen do not believe I am autistic or even AS until their ignorance makes me have a meltdown. But did he really have the right to call it a disease? I would expect this sort of attitude from a regular person, but a physiatrist?

i suppose being icrediblly smart is a disease a it can impact you ability to interact with others

My mum just came in and said he appeared to be on drugs himself. He only talked with my mum and me for about two minnutes and he was ready to give me a bipolar diagosis, and commit me if I would not agree to take Abilify. My brother is an ER doctor and he says almost every single phyc doctor he has met is "wacky".

[quote="PunkyKat]He also said Paxil helps with the autism but not the mood swings or some similar BS. He then said it would help me with my "disease". I became extremely offended. A disease is something that will eventually kill a person or at least has the potential to do so such as cancer or HIV. It turned into a head banging contest between me and him. I told him I view my AS as a blessing and I am not the only one. I bet he would have suggested I have a lobotomy if they were still legal. He didn't even greet us when he first came into the room. I was born so low functioning it was suggested I be put into an instution but my mum worked with me until I became more high functioning. Doctors and laymen do not believe I am autistic or even AS until their ignorance makes me have a meltdown. But did he really have the right to call it a disease? I would expect this sort of attitude from a regular person, but a physiatrist?[/quote]
I prefer to think about it as a characterization of behavior. Thinking of AS as a behaviorally descriptive term as opposed to a condemning diagnosis makes me feel better about it He used a poor choice of words, which a particularly egregious error to make with a type of person that tends to take things literally. I hope you can take your lizard next time Psychiatrists like that can be so hostile and impossible to work with. It was rude for him to say that you have a disease. It doesn't really sound right. It sounds like something an ignorant, nosy, school-appointed counselor would say.

Merriam Webster says that a disease is "a condition of the living animal or plant body or of one of its parts that impairs normal functioning and is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms."

According to this definition, yes, Asperger's is a disease.

But it matters greatly how you define "normal," doesn't it?

Well said. Or quoted.
They are also some diseases that aren't fatal. I suppose the word disease has negative connotations on it which is why people are getting upset by the use of it to describe Aspergers. I've known many professionals to describe it as a disease. I prefer disorder.

I would definitely look at getting a new pysch doctor. Medication can be fantastic when it is the correct one and both patient and doctor agree to it. However, a doctor should never threaten to institutionalize you unless you would be a danger to yourself or others unmedicated. Also, to talk to you for 2 minutes, decide to medicate you and not even listen to your thoughts on your depression is just a sign of a lazy doctor and one who is not going to help you become all you can be.
I really hate doctors like this.

You can't go just by the dictionary definition. The dictionary only includes the concrete meanings of words--not their connotations or all the concepts they connect to. If it did, it would need fifty volumes to manage it. "Disease" is correct only by the dictionary definition. By the way the word is commonly used, it is not correct, because the connotation--as PunkyKat states--is of something like cancer or AIDS, that will harm or kill you; something out of balance, something as it shouldn't be. But we were born autistic, and we are supposed to be autistic; autism is our natural state, not something out of balance. If you want to use some term for autism, try "condition", "difference", or "disability". Those terms don't include the "human body/brain out of balance; departure from health" connotation that the word "disease" does.

BTW, Punky, drop that psychiatrist like a hot potato. Diagnosing bipolar disorder without a proper evaluation, and then dropping Abilify on you, of all things!--You need a sensible shrink, and this guy just seems to be stuck on "bipolar" without being willing to actually check into other possibilities. I understand, of course, that it can be difficult to tell apart an Aspie obsession over which you lose sleep, and a manic cycle that won't let you sleep, but they are different and any psychiatrist who suspects bipolar in an autistic person needs to try to figure out which is which--not just randomly say "bipolar" and start throwing neuroleptics around.

Paxil is an antidepressant; if you're depressed now more than you have been and getting no better, it's a fair bet that this isn't the right one for you. Try to find a different doctor, discuss your concerns about medication. Mention that your AS might be a confounding factor in your bipolar diagnosis, and that you think that you may in fact have simple depression; and explain that the Paxil isn't working and you want to do something else. Plus, don't let them just do meds. You're going to have to learn how to cope with a brain that likes to play around with depression, and that means therapy. (Finding a decent therapist is difficult but can be done.)

Since this statement was said by a doctor he was actually using it in the correct medical context. Asperger's is technically and medically speaking, a disease. However, he used poor judgment in saying this statement to a patient who would only be aware of the common usage for word disease. If this was the only bad thing your pysch did, I would give him a break. But since I stated in my last post, I think his treatment of you was absolutely terrible and I would be definitely looking for a new one. Definitely one with a better "bedside manner".

My mum says I don't have to see him again. At first she was upset with me becuase I cocked an attitude with him. I kept telling her he had it coming but she won't listen. It was very hard for me to learn not to get physical with people when they offended or upset me (It took every fiber of my being to resist the urge to slap him silly.) I wasn't yelling like she claims or at least I don't think I was. I was simply trying to defend myself but now she sees I had every right too. I did see a therapist who seemed VERY down to earth. I have another one too in case he dosen't work out. He wasn't that aware of nerodiversity but he was willing to learn. He actualy listened to me about why I am so depressed and suggested I ask about shadowing when I take Pippin to for her check-up and pedicure (her claws are SO sharp). I asked him what I should ask and he gave me the actual words. I forget what they were. If I don't have a "job" by the time I see him next time I'll ask him to repeat them and right them down.

Last edited by PunkyKat on 08 Apr 2010, 2:29 am, edited 1 time in total.

I'm in no way agreeing with the psych, he sounds to me like an idiot and we all know how much I like idiots. (Not very much.)

I would definitely look into getting a new therapist, but don't give up just yet on the Abilify, because I take it as somewhat of a mood stabilizer (I'm not bipolar but I have been known to fly off the handle sometimes in a bi-polarish manner) and it works quite well. I was actually recommended to it by my psychiatrist after being on Risperidal for a long time, it was getting to the point where I couldn't deal with the side effects of being on Risperidal so he prescribed Abilify instead. I noticed a great change for the better when I started taking it. To each his/her own, of course, but I would at least try the Abilify (under the prescription of a better, less idiotic psych) and see how it works out.

Anyways, best of luck to you, and I hope you find a psych who is not an as*hole.

Most psych docs view patients as subhumans to perform their experiments and try out new drugs on.

I get all my drugs from online pharmacies.

That Pysch sounds like a moron.

Yes it is a disease and imo a terrible one.

Someone needs to tell this doctor that House is just a character on TV *eye roll* this guy sounds lke a piece of work. AS is NOT a disease. I'm not interpretting terms loosely- by scientific DEFINITION it is not a disease. So, from what you describe, it sounds like this guy is an idiot. I would definitely get a second opinion.

I was on Paxil for awhile too, a few years ago, and maybe it does something for some people but it did NOTHING for me. Not even my depression. I wasn't Dx back then, they just Px it for depression. It did not work. It just made me feel a little drunk for like a month and then I felt the same I did before I started it. My depression only lessoned and eventually disappeared when I left home to go on my own (meds had nothing to do with me feeling better). My mom is extremely smothering and I could never have a moment to myself. So I would get way overstim. and we'd end up fighting. So one day I left and stayed with my friend (the one I do have ) until I could get a place. I stopped taking the Paxil then and in 7 years have not needed it (I honestly don't think it did a thing for me).

And I think Abilify is BS. "Oh, this med isn't working...so we aplify it o.0 Ummm, maybe it's not working because it is not the med you need (IF you even need meds.). The Psych. I visited recently, the one who Dx me, was great. She listened to everything and when I told her flat out, I really don't want meds as I am breast feeding my son and don't think what I have going on can be treated w/ meds anyway. She agreed. She said that there are some other things that can occur WITH AS (ADD. OCD, for ex) and sometimes meds are helpful for that, but that AS cannot be treated with meds itself. So not all Psychs are horrible. I have heard though that most are. My husband, who also has AS, said that one told him to "pray it away". srsly

So, I would definitely get another opinion and just write this D-bag off. Doctors are PEOPLE too and they make mistakes (and can be just plain dumb too- even with a Dr's education...). Hope you can find someone who knows WTH they are doing.

I'm not diseased, I'm disordered.