Personal opinion on aspergers

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My first ever wrong planet post. I think Asperger's is a personality type rather than a disability and would be open to anyone's opinions on the subject

P.S I am officially diagnosed with Asperger's

Apologies in advance if I offend anyone but I feel if our society was structured to accept diversity more than it does now Asperger's wouldn't be a disability it would just be a different way of well... being I suppose.

No offence taken and there's no need to apologise. As someone who lived both in very rigid and very tolerant communities, I agree with that part.

Just keep in mind that many people here are affected in ways independent of social interaction/judgement, like sensory issues, alexithymia, executive function etc. Also, from what I've noticed on this forum, the range of personalities is pretty broad, including extroverts etc.

And welcome to the forum

Welcome to the forum.

For some people on the spectrum you are probably right and for others you are wrong. It all depends how the condition effects the person.

Now this is from what I have learned, that autism is braincells which should have connections that have failed to connect. (Sometimes the brain then develops other connections instead to make up for the lost connections and this is where one gets hypersensitivities from and also where someone can be a genius in a certain field or subject).
Consider a computer ad all its circuitry that makes up its "Brain". Cut a single random wire or connection. Switch the computer on and this missing con ection could effect the computer in various ways. It may not even run or start up. It may run ok until it reaches a certain point trying to execute a program and then it shuts down or the screen shows a distorted pattern or the sound does not play certain notes (A bit like an autistic persons brain in a partial or a full shutdown). It may even start going a bit crazy and start to print out random sheets of data in a crazy way... (A bit like a meltdown?! !)
But you get the point. If we just take a random computer connection and break it, all may seem to run fine unless the computer has to do a certain thing...

Anyway. I hope this makes sense. Some missing connections may mean one person is not able to operate their body the way they should. Another may be very bodily able, but not be able to mentally cope... It all effects each person in different ways and this is even with those who are not on the spectrum but share a few autistic traits.

So yes, for some I entirely agree with you. Apart from a few interesting quirks, they may be fully functioning and even excell in their specialist subject. But others are soo dissabled through it that it is a miracle they are still alive!

Welcome, and I agree with Bender. My executive functioning and sensitivity challenges are definitely not something I'd ascribe to simply having a different personality than most people.

No need to apologize. We are all here to share. We all come from different angles from the "I am awaiting an assessment and if I am not on the spectrum I will be puzzled" types like me, to others who are not on the spectrum but want to ask questions, to the ones who can type and join in but who can't speak or need assistance to get around. Many different angles. A few have similar conditions like bi-polar or things like that. All are welcome and so are all abilities. And we are a relatively tollerant lot as if we offend each other we point it out or just have some grace... We realize that we all say things from time to time. Don't worry. Your point of view is important as it is what you were thinking, and it is good you have said it, because for you personally, it is how you feel from your personal lifes circumstances. All is good.

I say it's equally both.It's disabling because Asperger Syndrome means much less of chance of getting a Job compared NT'S and even compared to people with other Neurological disorders outside of Asperger/Autism. Also many people with Asperger Syndrome end up being dependent on their parents or other family members for longer periods of time, and often struggle with Independence compared to other people.I say it's difference in a sense that impair our social skills, and we see things differently than everyone else.A lot of us may struggle with changes in our routine. Also some of us might not see a need to socialize ,have romantic partners, or have friends,tho I think this probably applies a lot more to people with Classic Autism(HFA and LFA), than people with Asperger Syndrome.

I am of the both opinion.

If you are a minority for any reason you will be at a disadvantage. Daily life is you going doing things and having experiences against expectations and being constantly punished for these. This does mean you are wrong and they are all correct. Sometimes what was the weird outlier becomes the mainstream. Real acceptance will make life for autistics much better and even good.

Still, I think there are real Autistic impairments that a more accommodating society can at most make less bad but never close to good. Executive dysfunction I believe is one of these. I can't envision poor planning abilities and poor ability to change to be generally good things(of course resistance to bad change is good). Extreme sensory sensitivities probably falls into this category.

my quirks maybe due to a autism condition but , it may seem a great deal of my neurobiological differences are aswell . Quirks may oddly be simpley stating the obvious , when noone will say it regardless if appropriate timing . Or ...... being whatever ?

Just to be clear not to be blunt, I wasn't asking a question I was asking for an opinion. Correct me if I am wrong it sounded to me at least like you answering a question I didn't ask. Sorry if this sounds pushy or a bit blunt.

I hope I haven't offended everyone on the thread the message above refers to some of you but not all of you.

No offence taken here.

In my own belief/opinion, that autism is much deeper than 'personality'.
More of a major internal systems that can be itself independent from personality, yet an individual's personality dependent on the said internal system that includes strengths and weaknesses.


The closest match of a stereotype aspie would be alexithymia's personality construct, yet not every aspie is like that...
Not even me, as much as I intend or even aspire to be, I'm an autistic who isn't internally built as alexithymic.

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Undiagnosed. My personality is ISTP and I understand the confusion/flip-flop because on 16personalities it suits me to a tee, probably 90% accurate. But for every trait listed I can give you an autistic explanation.
But most of all Myers-Briggs can't explain the inside turmoil and confusion I was born with. I figured things out by watching and analyzing, by reading, through movies. I observed, I analyzed EVERY LITTLE DETAIL until I felt ready to take part in whatever was going on (masking) - that is not a personality thing! I was born with a brain defect. With all my observing I am still often surprised (pleasant now that I'm older) with a still very active sense of fight/flight.
By recently reading books on Autism/Asperger's the pieces are finally coming together and I feel good for the first time ever. Anxiety is way down, in acceptance mode, have an explanation that fits. I tried to discredit having autism/asperger's but the more I read the more evidence I find.
I do not see it negatively at all. I could use it as an excuse but I prefer to try to improve, and to educate others if they want to listen. The biggest change I've found since self-diagnosing is accepting my learning style. I have new work-arounds to previous issues so I feel way less frustrated. I feel momentum that things will get better for me.

Off track - the disability part...I only completed grade 10 because I felt broken. Took up drinking for a few years and had friends first time ever and it squashed most of my social awkwardness. Opened me up to experiences that made me better at masking. And therefore better to work, get married etc.
Outside everything looks great. But my family worries about me, my recent work history has been sporadic but improving (momentum), I CANNOT do many things but because there are things I can do well I get by. I would have been diagnosed as a kid in today's system, but now I wouldn't be because I mask. I have been alone for a loooong time.
From what I've read I'm luckier than most, but still disabled.

I'm also a part of the both camp. I also think that it's both.