BEST THERAPY for people with Asperger's and why?

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Mw99
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21 Sep 2007, 8:34 pm

I know AS can't be cured, but what's the type of therapy is best suited for people with Asperger's Syndrome and why?



Thelostcup
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21 Sep 2007, 8:42 pm

Being friends and hanging out with other 2Xers has been a great help to me.

2X stands for twice exceptional, aka gifted with something else going on.

Most of them are aspies too, so I can be myself and don't have to worry about being misunderstood by other people.



Wrackspurt
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21 Sep 2007, 9:22 pm

From my own experiences (& from what I've heard from aspie & autie friends) is that therapy of any sort very often has little benefit. It's easy for a autistic person to be coerced into giving an explanation for behavior that they can't easily explain themselves, which is why therapy can be very confusing and non-productive for people on the spectrum. I say find a therapist that you are comfortable with & give it a try yourself, just talk with them. Personally five years didn't help me one bit, it ended rather badly actually.



lelia
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21 Sep 2007, 10:26 pm

If by therapy, you mean training or insight to navigating social situations, I suppose that wouldn't hurt. Otherwise, the only therapy that would be useful would be for comorbidities. I take anti-depressents because my body refuses to make serotonin. Some people take anti-anxiety pills. Martial arts might be good for someone with clumsiness. I used to do Tai Chi which feels great, but I discovered I have no proprioreceptive memory (so that's why it took me years to learn how to type!) and it got too aggravating to go home and try to do a routine we had practiced twenty times the hour before and not be able to remember what to do. If there's been trauma, you might need therapy, but it wouldn't be any different for you than for a NT I should think.



Mw99
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21 Sep 2007, 11:48 pm

I am not looking for a therapist who will tell me things that will make me "feel good." That type of therapy doesn't work with me. If that means I am stupid or close minded or whatever, that's probably what it means.

This is what I am looking for: I am looking for hands-on therapy where I'll be taught how to express my feelings effectively and how to read other people's body language. I also want to be taught how to communicate properly and how interact in social situations. But I don't just want to be told how to do those things. I want to see examples. I want to role play with the therapist; I want the therapist to explain me how I fail when I try to interact socially. I want to be coached. I want the therapist to tell me: "look, you did this and this wrong, you should have done it this way, and this is why." I then want to be taught why certain unwritten social norms are appropriate and why some are not. I want arguments that are grounded on reason; I want to hear logic. I don't want to hear "just because" arguments -- that's gibberish to me.

Does this type of therapy exist? And if so, what is it called?



Last edited by Mw99 on 21 Sep 2007, 11:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Brian003
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21 Sep 2007, 11:54 pm

Excuse Me- Why would you need a "cure" for AS?

Extremely Logical thought, increased intelligence, independance, and the ability to take everything literally.

Heck, some of you guys always talk about AS like it's a curse.

You don't really actually want to be like everyone else? I don't.

If I was like everyone else and just "followed" the mainstream decisions I would consider myself a complete failure. In all things in life.



Mw99
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22 Sep 2007, 12:14 am

Brian003 wrote:
Excuse Me- Why would you need a "cure" for AS?

Extremely Logical thought, increased intelligence, independance, and the ability to take everything literally.

Heck, some of you guys always talk about AS like it's a curse.

You don't really actually want to be like everyone else? I don't.

If I was like everyone else and just "followed" the mainstream decisions I would consider myself a complete failure. In all things in life.


It's difficult to advance professionally when you have poor social and communicational skills. In my case, I don't want to be doing an entry level job the rest of my life. And while it is true that some aspergians can skate by on their genius-level intelligence alone, I am not one of those lucky few. In my case, I need to act like an NT if I want to get anywhere in life.



jaleb
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22 Sep 2007, 12:25 am

Mw99 wrote:
I am not looking for a therapist who will tell me things that will make me "feel good." That type of therapy doesn't work with me. If that means I am stupid or close minded or whatever, that's probably what it means.

This is what I am looking for: I am looking for hands-on therapy where I'll be taught how to express my feelings effectively and how to read other people's body language. I also want to be taught how to communicate properly and how interact in social situations. But I don't just want to be told how to do those things. I want to see examples. I want to role play with the therapist; I want the therapist to explain me how I fail when I try to interact socially. I want to be coached. I want the therapist to tell me: "look, you did this and this wrong, you should have done it this way, and this is why." I then want to be taught why certain unwritten social norms are appropriate and why some are not. I want arguments that are grounded on reason; I want to hear logic. I don't want to hear "just because" arguments -- that's gibberish to me.

Does this type of therapy exist? And if so, what is it called?


If I am understanding correctly, you are wanting "social skills training" but it is not a cure for AS, just a way of helping you to "navigate" the social aspects of the world.


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xenu27
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22 Sep 2007, 12:57 am

Mw99 wrote:
This is what I am looking for: I am looking for hands-on therapy where I'll be taught how to express my feelings effectively and how to read other people's body language. I also want to be taught how to communicate properly and how interact in social situations. But I don't just want to be told how to do those things. I want to see examples. I want to role play with the therapist; I want the therapist to explain me how I fail when I try to interact socially. I want to be coached. I want the therapist to tell me: "look, you did this and this wrong, you should have done it this way, and this is why." I then want to be taught why certain unwritten social norms are appropriate and why some are not. I want arguments that are grounded on reason; I want to hear logic. I don't want to hear "just because" arguments -- that's gibberish to me.

Does this type of therapy exist? And if so, what is it called?


It seems to me you are looking for a behaviorist therapy. Behaviorists work directly on your behavior, rather than your childhood, thoughts, etc. I don't know if there's a therapy or anything that is exactly as you describe, but social skill trainings are supposed to be like this. Honestly I don't think that something precisely as you describe it exists, but I understand where you are coming from, and I agree, there should be some therapy of that kind. The problem lies mostly in the fact that psychologists and psychiatrists are not trained for social skills, it has to be a real specialist in the subject, and someone with very good training. It has to be like a combination between a psychologist and one of those persons in the showbusiness that advice people how to behave.



rdos
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22 Sep 2007, 2:21 am

I think that the social aspects of the ART-program could be beneficial. It basically teaches basic social courtesis.



lelia
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22 Sep 2007, 2:31 am

Okay. Such therapy does exist, though maybe not exactly in your area. How to find out what exists in your area? The Autism Society might be able to help. There are DVDs with social stories for kids that might be able to help. Check out some of the articles on this site.
Ah, toastmaster's club. Join. Members help each other learn how to express themselves. It's work, but everybody I ever heard of who joined loved it.
Some colleges have asperger's self-help groups that practice social situations.
I wish I wish I could remember where I heard about exactly the therapy you want. Was it at an Autism meeting? Reading an autism magazine?
Well, one thing you ought to read is Temple Grandin's and Sean Somebody's book: The Unwritten Rules of Social (Relationships?) If you look up Temple Grandin on Amazon.com, you'll find her book with a title something like that. She advocates finding someone trustworthy you can ask to become your life coach. She said she was mad the day a woman handed her some deoderant and told her to use it. Now she's grateful.



batista90
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22 Sep 2007, 3:08 am

Mw99 wrote:
I know AS can't be cured, but what's the type of therapy is best suited for people with Asperger's Syndrome and why?
as cant be cured therapy only helps



Mw99
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22 Sep 2007, 9:06 am

xenu27 wrote:
Mw99 wrote:
It has to be like a combination between a psychologist and one of those persons in the showbusiness that advice people how to behave.


What are the latter called?



9CatMom
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22 Sep 2007, 9:14 am

The best therapy for me would be the kind that would let me accomplish all the goals I set out for myself. Hard work and accomplishment work best for me.

Cats help too! Those four-footed therapists work wonders. Pets are a great comfort.



KingdomOfRats
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22 Sep 2007, 9:54 am

Brian003 wrote:
Excuse Me- Why would you need a "cure" for AS?

Extremely Logical thought, increased intelligence, independance, and the ability to take everything literally.

Heck, some of you guys always talk about AS like it's a curse.

You don't really actually want to be like everyone else? I don't.

If I was like everyone else and just "followed" the mainstream decisions I would consider myself a complete failure. In all things in life.

this is why some need to get more experience with AS,and the whole spectrum,it's not all the same level,no cure was mentioned also.
many people with aspergers are not independant,and live in residential homes,some go to respite centres,and there are some whom are not even able to move out of the family home.
not every aspergan has above average intelligence,are extremely logical or extremely literal.
if people had access to more support,and more services,and were treated individually,rather than as ret*ds or more able than they are,there might not be as much hate to autism and aspergers.
having bad understanding from family and others causes problems to.
also,do not hate am autism,but am think no one can say what its like for another,unless they are them.

social skills lessons.
if there are any asd day centres or clubs around,ask them if they offer social skills lessons,some do.



Brian003
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22 Sep 2007, 10:09 am

With me, AS really only works for my benefit.

I have it very very slight, and I can remember 1-2 times in high school where these 2 girls said some rather unfriendly things about me in high school- Somewhere along ret*d and such.

I have gotten deaf before haha because I didn't respond to someone at church.

I can do fine in Social Situations- I just rather avoid them because I would like around 4-5 hours along on a given day. And I don't like small talk because it is lame.

I'm completely independant I guess, I don't need my parents for anything except for money. I don't like how its that way- But I'm 20 and I'm in College so for now I need their help.

I guess I just wouldn't understand what you are talking about since I don't really have it that bad.

I could tell my roommate that I was Autistic and he probably wouldn't believe me, he just thinks of me as a workaholic/studyaholic.

Here is my opinion. If you want to quote this please understand that this is my opinion and I don't expect everyone else to agree with me and I don't think I am always right about this sort of thing:

Really what you need to do is understand stereotypes. In social situations when you are meeting people for the first time you need to be able to understand and more importantly "comprehend" what they think of you.

The world revolves around stereotypes and the more you understand that the easier it is to use them to your advantage.

Once you can undertsand that, dealing with any situation is much easier.

Just understand what other people think of you when they meet you- If you don't know, ask people. It would make it much more easier.