Next person to say AS "symptoms"...

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...get's punched in the nose.

Complaints? Do you believe characteristics should be labelled as manifest of illness?
If so, why?

...were you dropped on the 'ead or sumfink? At least, that's what cockney punkers'd say.

Do you consider it a possibility that you might not be sufficiently apathetic about the subject?

Symptoms... hmm. Does sound a bit like 'illness', doesn't it? Still, it's used so often that people use it without thinking.

Is "traits" a more neutral word?

I don't have symptoms, I have traits.

yeah I guess that does sound too much like an illness and the term "traits" is much better.

AS symptoms!! !

Alright, bring it. I'll supply the gloves!

Seriously, I agree with you about the use of the word "symptoms." It's a problem. I don't consider my AS a disability or an illness. At the same time, it has made fitting into the NT world pretty challenging. With a fierce determination and lots of trial-and-error learning, I am getting by, but it would be much better to thrive.

An alternative that I have seen is "Aspie Criteria."

http://www.thegraycenter.org/store/inde ... page_id=58

While it's an improvement over "symptoms," even "criteria" has too much of a clinical connotation for me. When I hear or read the word "criteria," I immediately think of measurement or evaluation of some kind. It seems as if we are being measured according to some standard (basically the predominantly NT standard by which most of the world operates), and either falling short of that standard or fitting a standard that characterizes us as somehow "abnormal."

Ultimately, no term we choose to describe our characteristics will be perfect; someone will not like it, due to their view of the world or their experiences. Therefore, we ought to use a variety of words to replace "symptoms." Here are some of my ideas:

"personal qualities"

"attributes"

"characteristics"

I'm going for traits. Sounds good, lacks that terminal "illness" taint, and hey...what the hell?

Let's call them characteristics. That gives it an overall more positive connotation, don't you think? I agree symptoms does make it sound like we have a disease and worse that it could be contagious.

Stay away from Liverbird, she's got that awful AS and never wipes her nose. Gave it to 15 people last week. They're all dead now.

I agree symptoms is too medicalistic. But I also know what it's like to be bugged for a word choice that wasn't really connected to thought, but came as a whole phrase, and is not easy to change, too, so I wouldn't hit anyone for it.

I think it CAN be a disability, but even in full autism every single trait isn't disabling.

Oh, and traits is a better word.

Yeah. I usually say "traits" or "characteristics"

Sort of...but I was already weird before I cracked me noggin.

"Tendencies" feels pretty neutral.

"Indicators"... could mean anything

"Manifestations" is a bit grandiose... but it tickles me for some reason.

Please explain how these words and the concepts they represent could make you "angry".

Do the words challenge an assumption you have about your "self" and thus anger is born because your ego is being threatened by such words and concepts?

I am genuinely curious about this phenomenon.

Words and concepts don't anger me, insanity confuses, amuses and fascinates me.

The system of psychiatry is fascinating in it's picaresque weirdness.

Some feel like symptoms to me; they're easily as severe as any infectious illness I've had. For example, the symptom of sensory overload by just existing physically and mentally hurts, as does a change of routine and environment.

But then, I just realized that this is thread is pertaining to AS rather than AD.

I think this answer is as relevant as any. The severity of the "symptoms" may vary but many of them are shared by many of us.