Do people not taking you seriously make you doubt it?

Page 1 of 1 [ 15 posts ] 

Tyri0n
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 24 Nov 2012
Age: 38
Gender: Male
Posts: 2,879
Location: Douchebag Capital of the World (aka Washington D.C.)

22 Apr 2013, 9:46 am

That is definitely the case for me. I have been confirmed as being on the spectrum by two different professionals but continue to doubt that I have Autism Spectrum Disorder simply because others do not take it seriously. Including my immediate family. At my school, I asked for help applying for Schedule A (disability hiring program with the federal government) and ran into lots of resistance to the point that I got too embarrassed to push it since I have trouble articulating what my difficulties are and then couldn't remember if I actually had any.

By some measures, I have a worse social outcome than many with a stronger claim to ASD.

What is the solution?



Wandering_Stranger
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 6 Apr 2012
Age: 35
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,261

22 Apr 2013, 10:21 am

I've has people do this and it seems it's because I don't fit the stereotype, whatever that is. And they can't prove I don't have it - they just make stupid claims about why they think I don't have it.

I've been waiting for the last week for them to tell me how they're qualified to dispute my diagnosis.



Tyri0n
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 24 Nov 2012
Age: 38
Gender: Male
Posts: 2,879
Location: Douchebag Capital of the World (aka Washington D.C.)

22 Apr 2013, 11:53 am

Wandering_Stranger wrote:
I've has people do this and it seems it's because I don't fit the stereotype, whatever that is. And they can't prove I don't have it - they just make stupid claims about why they think I don't have it.

I've been waiting for the last week for them to tell me how they're qualified to dispute my diagnosis.


I doubted mine too but I just got it confirmed by yet another medical professional. In fact, I have never had a professional dispute the fact that I have an ASD; they just disagree on which one. But myself and those around me are very skeptical.



rapidroy
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 28 Dec 2012
Age: 35
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,411
Location: Ontario Canada

22 Apr 2013, 6:49 pm

lots of people doubt it, some close family, teachers, friends of family, anyone who stands to lose something over it etc. Why?, politeness, ignorance of what ASDs are and who can have them, a strong will to prove to others ASD and other flaws is not in their family genetics, a will to have model children/family/friends to show the world. Lots of reasons to deny or dispute someones ASD, I would go with the unbised pro's view over random people running their mouth.



jamieevren1210
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 24 May 2011
Age: 28
Gender: Female
Posts: 2,290
Location: 221b Baker St... (OKAY! Taipei!! Grunt)

22 Apr 2013, 7:36 pm

Yeah. Sometimes I take that as a compliment to my social skills. Other times, not so much.


_________________
Will be off the internet for some time. I'm challenging myself to stop any unnecessary Internet activity. Just to let you know...


Skilpadde
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 7 Dec 2008
Age: 47
Gender: Female
Posts: 27,019

22 Apr 2013, 8:37 pm

There aren't may who know, and those who do, had no problem believing it.
But going on how I react when met with doubt in other areas, I'd say no. I remain confident and stick to my view or whatever the case may be.


_________________
BOLTZ 17/3 2012 - 12/11 2020
Beautiful, sweet, gentle, playful, loyal
simply the best and one of a kind
love you and miss you, dear boy

Stop the wolf kills! https://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeact ... 3091429765


JoinTheChase
Butterfly
Butterfly

User avatar

Joined: 25 Nov 2012
Age: 35
Gender: Female
Posts: 17

23 Apr 2013, 8:19 am

Absolutely completely have this problem. I've been diagnosed almost a year, and am only just starting to be more open about it. I was fairly convinced for a few years before diagnosis, but the few I mentioned it to were very skeptical, and in one case actually laughed at me for suggesting it. Being a girl, my social mimicry is better, and over the years I've developed lots of ways to fake being normal, but I'm SO different at home. I can walk my dog with a friend for an hour, and appear 100% NT for that period, but that kinda makes it worse. It's nice that I can feel somewhat "normal" with them, but then it kinda prevents them understanding just how disabled I am by it.

An awful lot of people from my past just haven't been told, because I've already had the reaction of "nah, you're too normal to be autistic" and because I don't have the emotional strength to defend myself to people who don't know much about the condition who are still sure I can't have it. It's especially hard because I'm BRILLIANT at written communication, so if I'm talking to someone through facebook or whatever, I sound completely normal to them, but then always mess it up face to face :/



MjrMajorMajor
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 15 Jan 2012
Gender: Female
Posts: 8,771

23 Apr 2013, 8:35 am

I've run into very little disbelief, but I also don't mention it often. There's an acquaintance I know that waves his anxiety and bipolar like a banner, and I'm really getting nauseated by it. He wants to be treated with kid gloves, but nope sorry. Autistic gal here. :wink:

If I had a doctor, or therapist who denied it that would be a problem. Otherwise, I'm not going to try to convince people of who or what I am.



alakazaam
Sea Gull
Sea Gull

User avatar

Joined: 8 Mar 2013
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Posts: 231

23 Apr 2013, 9:28 am

Why would anybody feel bad for being mistaken as a NT. I mean I understand your frustration, but it's crazy to want people to think that you're "disabled". I know we aren't disabled but believe me when I say this. The first thing that crosses a NTs mind when they hear that someone is autistic is how disabled this person is. That's what they associate autism with. They then start to treat us like we
're slow creatures and talk to us like kids. Be thankful for being mistaken as NT and play along lol.



JoinTheChase
Butterfly
Butterfly

User avatar

Joined: 25 Nov 2012
Age: 35
Gender: Female
Posts: 17

23 Apr 2013, 9:36 am

I've never had anyone treat me like a baby after telling them I have Asperger's. Even if I've used the word autism. No one's ever made me feel like an idiot. But they HAVE often under-estimated how much trouble I have with stuff, because I seem to them to have NT levels of competence when I'm with them, so they don't understand there are other parts of life where I'm actually really struggling. I deliberately don't use it as an excuse for anything, because I don't want to be defined by it, but I really do feel disabled by some elements of the condition, and most people I meet really just don't appreciate what I struggle with because I can seem ok with them. I don't want to be seen as disabled (I don't want to be disabled in the first place) but sometimes when I'm having a really bad day, it'd be nice if someone understood the things I'm struggling with and made allowances for it instead of wondering why I'm being "off" with them for - as they see it - no reason.



MjrMajorMajor
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 15 Jan 2012
Gender: Female
Posts: 8,771

23 Apr 2013, 9:44 am

JoinTheChase wrote:
But they HAVE often under-estimated how much trouble I have with stuff, because I seem to them to have NT levels of competence when I'm with them, so they don't understand there are other parts of life where I'm actually really struggling. I deliberately don't use it as an excuse for anything, because I don't want to be defined by it, but I really do feel disabled by some elements of the condition, and most people I meet really just don't appreciate what I struggle with because I can seem ok with them. I don't want to be seen as disabled (I don't want to be disabled in the first place) but sometimes when I'm having a really bad day, it'd be nice if someone understood the things I'm struggling with and made allowances for it instead of wondering why I'm being "off" with them for - as they see it - no reason.


+1



rapidroy
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 28 Dec 2012
Age: 35
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,411
Location: Ontario Canada

23 Apr 2013, 10:14 am

alakazaam wrote:
Why would anybody feel bad for being mistaken as a NT. I mean I understand your frustration, but it's crazy to want people to think that you're "disabled". I know we aren't disabled but believe me when I say this. The first thing that crosses a NTs mind when they hear that someone is autistic is how disabled this person is. That's what they associate autism with. They then start to treat us like we
're slow creatures and talk to us like kids. Be thankful for being mistaken as NT and play along lol.


The problem is for myself and i'm sure most others is people don't think of me is being NT, but rather is having mental health issues, doing drugs etc. I'll gladly take being autistic over any of that stuff.



MusicalWonders
Raven
Raven

User avatar

Joined: 22 Apr 2013
Age: 32
Gender: Female
Posts: 114
Location: America

23 Apr 2013, 9:41 pm

I don't know but I don't think people take me too seriously when I am hurting because I have autism and they see me more as a little kid. Well, my mom anyways and she's the person who's supposed to help me the most but I feel ashamed telling her when something is wrong and I usually just keep things to myself. :cry:



Scia
Raven
Raven

User avatar

Joined: 9 Apr 2013
Age: 33
Gender: Female
Posts: 100

23 Apr 2013, 11:40 pm

Mostly it just annoys me. This applies to various topics, even if they mean it as a compliment (which I don't always realize until later). I guess I have kind of a pet peeve over people not believing me.



briankelley
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 24 Feb 2012
Age: 62
Gender: Male
Posts: 666
Location: STENDEC

24 Apr 2013, 12:12 am

Most of it is stereotype. I'm too articulate. As reclusive as I am, I'm still too outgoing. One of the first family members I brought it up to, said she went ahead and read about it, and she could then see it quite clearly in me. I'm sure anyone who's versed in it, would spot it quickly in me.