NT's on Wrong Planet?

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I hope this doesn't sound silly, but would it bother anyone here that I use this website occasionally even though I don't have an ASD diagnoses? I was diagnosed with aspergers when i was a kid, but my doctor told me recently (I'm now 19) that I "outgrew" it, which I didn't think was possible, but...

I signed up because several of my friends have aspergers, and possibly my dad. I ended up liking the site so much that I stuck around.

My point is, I like this site and I feel comfortable here, but I feel bad using the site when I might not even have aspergers. Does it bother anyone that I'm here?

We have several resident NT's here already.
As long as you're respectful of our mis-understandings, I'm sure we'll get along just fine.

And welcome.

No, it doesn't bother me.

If you were once diagnosed, but now don't qualify for a diagnosis, you may just be a "subclinical" Aspie. "Subclinical" would mean that you have the Asperger personality characteristics, but you are not actually impaired - sort of too mild to have an actual label of "disordered".

Another category like that is "broad autism phenotype" (BAP) - this means having some or maybe all of the Aspie characteristics, without necessarily qualifying for a diagnosis. Many relatives of diagnosed Aspies are themselves BAP - a bit Aspie-like without the formal label.

So don't feel out of place. If you feel more comfortable with people on the spectrum, then you are probably somewhere close to it - and who knows, maybe your doctor was wrong and you are still an Aspie. Not everyone who hands out diagnoses is an expert.

Try some of the online tests and see how you go now.

It sounds like your doctor is another ignorant one that isn't good at his job. You can't outgrow it, you can be misdiagnosed, but you can't outgrow it.

There's definitely NTs here, it's always good to have their side, especially when in need of an NT opinion.

Not everyone on wrongplanet is diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder. There seems to be many people who are members to better understand friends and/or loved ones. Also, some people join because they enjoy the forum and maybe don't feel to fit in other places. I'm sure you are welcome with the vast majority if you are civil and considerate.

As TheChameleon said, it's possible for a child to be misdiagnosed as having autism or Aspergers, but if you had it, then it isn't accurate to say you grew out of it, though people sometimes do. People speak in shorthand all the time and then start to think that way. IMO that can be helpful for getting a chance, but can also be very harmful.

Autism is not presently a primary focus of clinical attention might be more accurate way to describe the same thing.

not all of us on the spectrum here have aspergers either,we are a bunch that spans across classic autism, PDDNOS,BAP and we even have a member with rett syndrome with her autism equivilent to aspergers if remember correctly although am not sure if she still posts here.
theres nothing wrong with neurologicaly typical people being here as long as they have some sort of connection to autism and are not using us as a freak show or trolling pit.

however,if are mild enough to not appear aspergery anymore,then that means are still not NT-just because behaviors and thinking change doesnt mean the brain rewires itself.

You can be here either way, this place isn't in my mind a place for people to be excluding others, though people are people and individuals may occasionally do this.

The important thing IMO would be that you get something from being here, maybe give something back. Then it's worth it!

I hope it's ok to ask, do you still identify having any difficulty communicating, or understanding people, or with confusion or sensory problems? If so, I think this is a good place to read how others handle these things and sometimes get a better way of understanding or coping with the world

What would really irk people is if you misrepresent yourself.

As long as you're honest----NT or no----you're quite welcome.

As long as you don't act like an ass in the site, you're welcome.

I know the differences matter. And OP could identify however, because growing out of ASD makes no sense, so it's not even clear to me what would be accurate.

But I get tired of the differences mattering and realized, I don't understand how or why they do matter.

Absolutely you are most welcome here!

There is variety among Wrong Planet members. Some are not on the spectrum but rather might have a relative or close friend who is E.g., parents or partners. Related, others might have a pointed interest in autism, such as a researcher or teacher.

Understood about your Dx. To clarify, an individual can indeed 'outgrow' a diagnosis (refer to Tony Attwood et al.). Some children exhibit mild Asperger's traits, just enough to warrant a borderline diagnosis. Then, as they mature, especially with good coping skills and a positive environment, such traits may no longer be expressed, or only sub-clinically expressed such that the diagnosis no longer holds true. And that's valid, albeit rare. KingdomOfRats has explained this precisely well.

As a related example, when Dr Temple Grandin was a child, she was properly diagnosed with classic autism. Of course, she has changed since then and she is now appropriately diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome.

Anyhow, you have a connection to autism-AS and consequently fit in well here.

Sometimes I think a bit rigidly I know. But the criteria for Aspergers say no speech delay so I can't understand how Temple Grandin isn't autistic because she has progressed.

I'm also scared that because I can act how I'm supposed to more even though I still struggle terribly and need a lot of mental health services to support trying to behave socially and make conversations and understand people. So am scared progress won't be rewarded with "wow, good job", instead it will be "great, you're normal now". Only the world sees I'm different and can never truly fit in all the way so I really don't want to try and fail in his way. And really bothered the way you can't improve without more being demanded of you.

I like hearing from NTs on WP. Janissy is an NT here who is really insightful.

This is the way I feel on this issue.

Yes, me too. And I really do not look at anyone's status, unless I would have reason to you - it sort-of does not really matter. OP, please know that no one here would judge you based on your Dx and you are most welcome here regardless. For instance, certain individuals are self-diagnosed, for various reason(s), and no one would ask why. Certain of us might be more 'known' and therefore offer less information about our identity (such as the Lab Pet) and that's alright too - it does not really matter. You might choose a favourite forum and find others there whom you especially related to.

Note about diagnostics: Only phenotypic (outwardly expressed) behaviours are assessable to any diagnostician and there is an element of subjectivity. Autism/AS is a developmental condition which can change some over time. Dr Stephen Shore, for instance, was diagnosed as classically low-functioning autistic when he was little. Clinicians highly recommended to his parents that he should be institutionalized. Now, as an adult, Stephen states, 'why yes, I am in an institution....as a professor at the academic institution of Adelphi.'

Welcome to Wrong Planet!