I Have Discovered a Cause of My Challenges

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There is so much to this, I don't know where to begin. Although I have Asperger's, there is something that causes me far greater anxiety and problems. I have noticed this "thing" since 2008. Sometimes, this "thing" has not caused me much stress, and other times it has caused me great stress. It can consume much of my time at the expense of ignoring more important things. This "thing" is filled with entities that harbor opinions that they will argue disrespectfully for hours/days/weeks/months/years on end. The entities within this "thing" often cannot agree on what makes them the way they are, and thus begin the arguing process all over again.

This "thing" is The Wrong Planet.

There is one particular thread discussing the greatest enemy of autism. Of course that has fueled arguments and disrespectful tones. Some say autism is a disease, others say not. Some say Autism Speaks is a hate group, some say not. Then there is the endless barrage of telling others that their claims are inaccurate because of some fancy named argument technique that is flawed. Or because no valid sources are used to back up the claim. Then if a source is given, then that can be argued as flawed data.

I have come to the conclusion that The Wrong Planet is the Borg from Star Trek with certain members trying to argue argue and argue as they try to force their prey into submission. But then this can be argued because it is a forum. And in forums there are debates. But seeing other members in this bickering (which it often is more than civilized debate) causes me anxiety. It makes me realize I have far more important things to do than try to participate in this. No, I haven't been in any heated debate or argument with anyone. As far as peacefulness goes for me around here lately, it has been quite peaceful. It's just seeing all the arguing on the various posts that raises my anxiety for some strange reason.

Someone even posted recently about members trying to build post numbers by the number counting and stuff on the games section. There are two reasons why I have played those games about once a day for maybe four or five posts. One, the pattern of the numbers and posting without doing much thought was relaxing for me --- more so with the old layout of the site. And second, to keep my post average from falling below 3.40. Why? I don't know. I just don't want it go to 3.39. Gee. I am a professional person with a high education. What am I doing? Well, I have just spent an entire 45 minutes typing this when I could have been doing something useful. Go figure.

Hi Glider, I like the off the wall section, but I could not comprehend why anyone posted there until I tried it out. Its light hearted, warms up my brain and helps me type other posts, sometimes I’m not able to communicate more than one word and a post there is a success, for me it has a practical value.

It's seriously weird, isn't it? I've currently got this thing about my post count falling below 34.00 (exactly 10X your figure - numerology? - go "figure"! ), and I too am supposedly mega bright, .

I agree with Amity about the therapeutic value of Off The Wall as well.

I ran out of time earlier and was unable to finish. So here is more.

I would like to add an important third reason why I began playing the games section --- there was the general absence of bickering there. But then with the recent suggestion that others are trying to get high post counts, then that area becomes part of a debate.

I, like many other members, was used to the old site that we had grown accustomed to (whether we liked the old site or not). It had become the routine. Now we have the new site. Change. Generally, we on the autism spectrum don't like change. I have wondered why with the upgrades it was necessary to change the look of the site. Could the old look have remained with the upgrades? After all, that is just a part of design. Although some members like the new site, I have observed a great many of them agreeing that the white is too bright.

Friends. So many have left. When I joined this site in 2008 I quickly made Wrong Planet friends with several members. One, who was an artist, left several years ago. She was kind and compassionate and offered so much support to many of us. Upon reading her responses to my posts, I felt good. Another member I actually met in person one summer. We shared the interest of music. And although our religious views differed, we could discuss those here without making the other feel bad. We respected each others views. And there were many others. Some have remained here, others have not.

Then there have been the members who began upheavals in the community. And like others here, I have gotten tangled up in some of those where we were literally bullied. Most of those bullying/troll like members were ultimately banned. So as with most social type sites, there is the drama. Personally, I don't like the drama. Maybe The Wrong Planet is a shoe that I once thought fit me, but it doesn't seem to fit anymore.

I think I keep coming back here out of habit ... a habit I formed in 2008. In these years I have made some of the same statements over and over again because they help guide my life with this fascinating condition of autism.

*I try to look at the positives of my autism and ignore (the best I can) the challenges. Everyone has challenges, whether autistic or not.

*Although it can be shown through definition that autism is categorized as a disease, I, like so many others, view it as a "difference." That is my right to view a large part of me how I want to ... especially with a condition that has so many mysteries surrounding it.

*My journey has just begun. That is the signature I use. After being diagnosed with Asperger's, I stepped out of the clinic onto the sidewalk and had the thought, "My journey has just begun." I now knew I was not the only person on earth like me. There were others like me. I wanted to meet them. So I journeyed to learn from those others ... here at The Wrong Planet. It has mainly been a positive journey. But yet, I get anxiety in the midst of this place. Even now, after speaking my thoughts, I expect to hear some kind of response which will cause me anxiety. I don't need that.

*I believe is Autism is genetic. I believe that the gene is passed on, and it takes some trigger to turn it on. For me, it was oxygen deprivation at birth ... I was delivered via C-section. That was what I believe triggered my Autism gene on. Those in favor of the disease definition could say, "Aha ... oxygen deprivation ... brain damage ... disease!" But it is funny that I was labelled as intellectually gifted in school. Brain damage? I was playing the trombone professionally by high school, played in the county's honor band all four years of high school, and won the school's Director's Award and John Phillip Sousa Award. And at my final high school concert the spring of my senior year, the band director handed me my award and told the audience, "Sometimes you get that individual like (stated my name) and you hope to get another one like him, but the odds are against it." Although I did not use it, I had a music scholarship in the making. Brain damage? In college I graduated with honors. And I maintained a straight "A" average on my Master's Degree. Brain damage? I memorized the statistics of every roller coaster in North America (year of build, designer and builder, height, length, ride time, etc.) by the time I was in high school. Brain damage? I am able to play musical instruments I am fascinated with (on a professional level) with no lessons and in little time. Brain damage? As a child I became fascinated with bowling. Upon my first year bowling on a league, I had the high average on my league. From that moment until my senior year in high school, I always held the high average for the entire county's school leagues. And I usually had the high game and high series as well. Brain damage?

I view a disease as something that hinders a person. If there is a person who does something well like football (something I never wanted to try---no contact sports for me please), and they had a physical impairing disease, then they would be known as someone who conquered a physical obstacle. But I view my accomplishments as coming not from conquering some obstacle, but rather from Asperger's providing me the gifts. Asperger's had made the difference in me. It has allowed me to do things as a result of this hyper focus in special intense interests. That's why I don't view it as a disease for me. But people can call it what they want ... because they will. And I can call it what I want ... because I can.

*I am not broken. I am a human being with gifts and talents that I use to the best of my ability.

To Amity. Thank you for posting. Yes, I agree, it does warm me up too for doing other posting.

To DeepHour. I am happy to learn I am not alone in not wanting a post count average to fall below a certain point. 34.00? Wow, keep up the posting. 10X my count ... very interesting.

LOL....Who cares about post counts or whatever?

The games on WrongPlanet are there for a purpose: to entertain.

They are also there to encourage one to use one's mind.

I think they're cool, actually.

My colleague is an Aspie but doesnt even know it, i think.
The problem with him is that he is a walking encyclopedia in the sense that he can sum up a great amount of random facts about things. When you have more knowledge in a few areas than him and try to correct him, he gets mad and a discussion ensues lasting longer than our break at work

Some people are just like that, autism or not.

Have you ever visited tech websites where alot of news articles are posted related to computer gear, camera's and other gadgets?

Man, there are SO many neckbeards on such websites who always know it better and downvote you, i barely read the comments anymore.

This thread is very insightful.

I never understood the 'count to __' threads, and usually viewed them as clutter, but it's nice to know that they have a soothing effect on others. I personally prefer the word games.

I, too, get stressed when I read the debates on this site. I don't usually put in my two cents because I can't handle the anxiety. A lot of the time I consider how someone might argue against me, and whether I would be able to answer back. Usually I'll find that I can't. That is usually enough to discourage me from participating in debates.

Kraftiekortie --- Very true, the games are there to entertain. And that's what many of us need, time to just be entertained. And you do need to think, so therefore the mind is used.

Suncatcher --- I was on a camera blog website once. Although I have a membership there, I only visited it a few times. I have some old cameras like a Rolleiflex twin lens reflex from 1954, an Argus brick as they called them, restored back to its early 1960s condition, and other medium formats, 35mm, etc. But I hardly knew what some of the bloggers there were talking about half the time. About neckbeards, that happened a lot to me on a roller coaster blog site.

ReticentJaeger --- I like the word games too. I have actually been playing them more than the number games now. They are soothing. Your talking about the anxiety of posting on debates ... that is me exactly. I have done it on occasion, but I always get the anxiety when I log in and check to see if anyone posted comments on something I said that might cause a problem.

This happens with pretty much every thread I reply to. Even on completely harmless and debate-free threads.

Can I argue the fact that your post is interesting?

I thought that the anxiety was usually reserved for the under diagnosed because of validity. But it seems I am wrong which is interesting, I usually find that this is a problem with me in general anyway, the only difference on the forum is I have got some
Chance to edit it. I suppose if you are worried about your posts, then that has got to mean that you care how your opinion might affect others. There has to be a limit though otherwise how do you talk at all. I like of the wall games there relaxing and they teach me about new words and they challenge my brain without anxiety, though even a single word can stress me out and put images into my head, but that happens anyway, I can think evil demonic thoughts but the trick is to swap them with happy thoughts. Also I haven't been tallying up my post score, although I don't like being called a tufted titmouse or a raven. Dormouse and jackdaw would have been better. 123 posts was a good day

People have the right to express their opinion.

They also have the right, if somebody else doesn't agree, not to have to bear a disrespectful rebuttal.

^^^ Right on Kraftie - said like a scholar and a gentleman.

Yeah I feel the same way, I rarely try to get into heated debates with anyone and when I do I feel so anxious that I avoid being on the forum. I regret about 50% of my posts because they're raw thought rather than having been filtered and properly prepped. I really hate PPR and anything related to it I just need to learn to give it a wide berth period.

Me too.

I didn't even know there was a post average!

Some people don't like conflict and arguments, and some people do.
If you don't like them, then you can avoid them, avoiding participating and reading.
Personally, I have no problem with them and generally find them more interesting than eberryone agreeing all the time, which is boring and annoying to me.
Ackshuly, that seems more like the borg.