The term you use to refer to your diagnosis

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What term do you use to refer to your condition?

Why? Give a good argument for why your pick is the best for your particular case.

I usually say autism, unless for some reason I need to be specific, which isn't often because the people I talk to about it already know. I dislike saying the word Asperger's, just because it's an awkward word.

I say that I am on the Autistic Spectrum or have Asperger's Syndrome. It depends on how broadly I am speaking about the subject.

I say that I am mildly autistic.
I may sometimes further explain that I was assessed as having Asperger's by an AS specialist, but the assessment did not come with formal paperwork, and that another Psychiatrist jotted me down for PDD-NOS after a lengthy interview I went through in an attempt to get medicated for ADD symptoms.
The psych doc was more susceptable to the notion of my being mildly autistic than he was to my having ADD, and the AS specialist also told me that my ADD symptoms were a result of my having Asperger's
I have been medicated for ADD for about a year...I went to a psychiatrist where I did not mention anything about the AS......I passed an ADD test with flying colors.
I have tapered off on the adderall on my own..it has not helped very much...I am a little more fond of my diazapam...but I don't take it every day.

I use the term Aspergers's sometimes, PDD-NOS others and autism sometimes.

I say "Asperger's" when talking to someone familiar with the field, autism when talking to someone not familiar with the field and PDD-NOS when it seems appropriate (I decide based on the situation).

I guess 'Aspie' (for those who know what the term means). More formally, Asperger's Syndrome. I like Aspergian, a lot, but this might elicit quizical stares.

Now, after being badly hurt, I almost would never "I'm Autistic." Personally, within myself, I am perfectly fine with being Autistic and the term is correct and accurate. However, for most outsiders, the term "Autistic" has drastic connotations that I do need/want to explain my way out of! Unbelievable ignorance displayed by the general public!

But, that being said, I truly tell no one. I know, the hard way, to NOT tell - people can be flaming arses upon disclosure. For my GP, whom I very much like/respect as he's an educated man, I told him I have Asperger's Syndrome. He totally understood. My PhD supervisor knows (and he's a gem). He and I do not talk about it as there's no need, but he knows the term "Aspie" so I may, if necessary, refer to myself as such. With discretion, of course.

Although it's semantics, the term we use, in the NT world, does have ramifications for how they may perceive. Never underestimate the power of a neurotypical's ability to be judgemental bigots. Just sayin' ........

Don't ask don't tell is in order here (unless you're amongst Wrong Planet friends) In which case, the Lab Pet is FLAMING AUTISTIC

It's really a shame that i feel I need to be very careful what term I use, but i guess I just wouldn't say it to anyone i don't know well, and the ones I do know well, upon knowing i'm autistic, can simply know "oh that's autism" and understand it better.

I have yet to have to disclouse myself to anyone other then my brothers and sister, I haven't had any personal contact with anyone else other then my mother, siblings and therapist so theres not really any need to say it to anyone else, but I dread when the time comes. What worries me even more is that i know my mother told my aunts that i have aspergers without telling me she was and now they've probably told my cousins, so everyone in my family probably knows now without knowing anything about autism and without my consent.

i just say im oin the autism spectrum, because the way i pronounce Aspergers it sounds like "ass-burgers" i only use the actual terminology when i need to, like at the doctors office or when i need to disclose my condition, like at work.

Mostly it's kind of a thing I don't bring up unless I need to, like when people ask me why I'm rocking (oops...). I'll say it helps me and if they ask more, I'll tell them I'm ever so slightly autistic, and no, it's not severe at all.

I like Aspergian, but I use that more to refer to traits than to people.

Asperger's just sounds like "ass-burgers", so I try not to use that, since people make fun of me enough as it is.

Autism.

People know what it is. Say "PDD-NOS" and you have to explain for ages.
It's the proper term for the whole spectrum.
I don't like saying "mild" or "high-functioning" because I don't like distancing myself from the people who get stereotyped as low-functioning. I feel like we need to stick together because things are hard on everybody, not just those of us who need a lot of help.

I use a lot of different terms: "autism", "high-functioning autism", "Asperger's" and "aspie". I use "high-functioning autism" and "Asperger's" interchangeably, because they are the same thing in my honest opinion. It's actually a pet peeve of mine when people insist on using one term or the other and correct me for using the term they don't like.

I say just plain "autism" because Asperger's/HFA is an autistic spectrum disorder. I only use plain "autism" when talking to my mom because she knows what I mean when I say it, but if I were to use it online ,people might get confused and think I'm talking about classic autism.

I like the word "aspie" because I think diminutives are cute, so I use that term when I'm referencing my AS in lighthearted conversation.

Last edited by IdahoRose on 25 Apr 2011, 1:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I say 'Aspie'

For me having Asperger Syndrome isn't like having an illness, disorder or disability, it's more like being part of a specific race or belonging to a specific group of people, so I say 'I'm an Aspie' like a person would say 'I'm black' or 'I'm an Atheist' - for me it is very much a definition and distinction of who and what I am. I think using a bit more of a cute term this way lets people know that it's not something they have to apologise to you for or something that you resent having.

I also prefer 'Aspie' because it's less formal than 'Asperger's Syndrome' or 'Autism' - often if you say you're autistic you can get negative reactions, even if people don't have an issue with autism per say I think many are so ignorant that they don't know what it means, they may assume you're simple-minded, slow in some way, or that you are a looser, the way in which they interact with you changes and it does bring about prejudice. I think saying 'Asperger Syndrome' not enough people know what it is, or often those who do seem to hold it in the same regard as ADHD in that people still think it's made-up or over-diagnosed, this somehow ends up reflecting badly on you.

If people don't know what 'Aspie' means it actually serves as a bit of a benefit, either they will ask straight out in which case you can inform them what it is and although you get the odd 'Oh...' I think this is still much better than instantly saying 'I have Asperger Syndrome' or 'I have Autism' and their making assumptions from there, or they'll be too polite/shy to ask so learn for themselves.

I did answer the poll but i cant say for sure what i am they said HFA when i was 14 or 15 they said PDD NOS when i was 6 to 7. So who knows because not one is really a diognoses from what i heard but were still working on it. but id say even without knowing if im anyone of them at all i would say i am autistic but in a higher form.

I prefer "autistic."

I find that people make assumptions about "Asperger's Syndrome" that suggest to them that things are actually easier for me than they really are. Like I'm just "quirky" or "eccentric" and that I don't have a disability at all.

I also don't like the sound of the word or saying it.

I'm basically unable to live independently right now, so I am not really concerned about people assuming more extreme things based on a label.

I generally don't tell people. But they could put the pieces together. I say "I didn't really talk until I was 19" "I fidget a lot but it doesn't mean I'm bored, it's just something I do." "I can't always verbalize the concepts in my head, it's like speaking a different language" and "I don't understand a lot of the social interactions that people have, and noisy crowded places scare me and make me freeze up."

If I do tell someone it is "mild Aspergers, more of a personality trait than a disorder for me"

I actually don't bring it up a lot in conversation. If I were to do it more often, though, I would most likely just say that I'm autistic. If I say that I have Asperger's, their first reaction will be "what's that?" and they'll probably snicker at how funny the name sounds. I likely wouldn't feel like explaining what it is, hence my choice of the word "autism."

Also, I see no reason why they'd think that I'm ret*d by my telling them that I'm autistic, otherwise I wouldn't be able to hold up a conversation with them.