What do you want NT's to know about Autism?

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What are the top three things you want people to know about autism (aspergers, PDD-NOS, the whole spectrum, et all...)?

(Feel free to say more or less )

Last edited by nansnick on 21 Sep 2010, 8:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I cannot speak for anyone but myself but this is what I think.

-that there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes in my brain that isn't seen, I work very hard to appear neurotypical for the comfort of society
- that when we "melt down" it's really embarassing afterwards when we're back in control, give me a little space and dignity, if I can leave the situation I will, please don't take it personally if I have to leave a party or situation unexpectedly, don't assume it's something you did, it could be a background noise, a smell, etc that "sets me off"
- Sometimes I just need a safe place where I'm "allowed" to be autistic and not have to hide or deny my "true nature", that place is my home for me, my housemate is very awesome at just accepting me how I am

Have a great day!
Lisa

The list of things is the easy part -- it's getting NTs to listen that's the hard part.

I came out to one of my professors last week. She refused to believe me. I asked her to watch a ten minute video for professors of people on the spectrum and she wouldn't watch it because "I already know everything about this disorder." (her child has autism.) It was a humiliating and invalidating experience for me. I can't even get a professor to watch a ten minute film in order to understand me and my people better. What good will lists do?

That most of us can be far more aware than they think.

---

That Asperger - Autism is as real as sports concussions.

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/aspe ... perger.htm
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/autism.htm
http://www.sportsconcussions.org/

That Autism is a spectrum.

That people with Autism in any form are not "empty shells" "spiritless" "not there" etc. Just because you can't see "the light" doesn't mean that it isn't on.

Everyone's experiance is differant, and it can be really offensive to make sweeping genralizations about people who are on the specrum. The one thing that we all have in common though, NT's alike, is that we'd all as human being like to be accepted for who we are.

...that it's not simply a matter of not being a good listener...

That I'm not as daft as I look.

My top three, among others:

First, never take away an autistic person's hope. The single strongest reason why I oppose Autism Speaks--why I hate Autism Speaks--is that it presents autism and autistics as things to give up on. Indeed, most people with autism see Autism Speaks as an organization that does exactly that.

Second, autism is a spectrum, a range, a gamut of disorders ranging from the most severe to relatively mild disorders (such as Asperger's syndrome).

Third, we're more scared of you neurotypicals--always and all ways--than you could ever be scared of us.

The only thing I want them to understand is that it isn't a disease, but a difference.

What i think NTs need to know as i would say to a NT (there are 4 points i feel strongly about)

1/ We have feelings often deep feelings, but just are different to you. Sometimes we may not know exactly what the feeling is, but feelings are there. (dont you just hate it when a NT thinks we dont have feelings, cant love etc).

2/ We may appear stupid to you as we dont think like you, but that dont mean we are dumb. We are just different.

3/ It takes us GREAT EFFORT to blend in to the NT society. Please dont judge us on the so called "mistakes" we make to act and be like you when we are so different to you.
It's no different to if we expected you to live in our world and be like us.. would you be able to correctly do it??? (how would you feel for not being able to do it and be seen constantly as "doing wrong' on just being different).
........................................

4/ Cause of our minds functioning differently, we tend to have gifts. We have abilities not found in NTs as much, such as ability to concentrate for very long periods on something which interests us.... Try to take away Aspies and you will take away the rate of scienctific progress etc etc.

Humans are diverse.. and Asperger's/Autism is just another diversity

The only things NTs need to know from me are about meltdowns. Number one: when we say we're about to have a meltdown, we flipping mean it. Stop doing whatever you're doing that's about to set us off or you will face the consequences. Number two: in the event of a meltdown, there are several types. We have the basic moody, the full-on temper tantrum (and I use that phrase lightly because it's not a true temper tantrum as it cannot be controlled), self-mutilation, and what I like to call the Hulk phase, which is what happens to me, where the Aspie/Autistic gets really, really violent and will hurt anything and everything in his/her path. Number 3: if you see any of these symptoms, run. The symptoms will eventually dissipate. Wait at least one hour before attempting contact again.

I'd like them to know a lot of things, but I'd most like to tell them that there will never be a cure for autism. You should improve autistic people's quality of life instead of trying to cure them.

1. Mentioning my diagnosis does not mean I'm using it as a crutch. Explanations and excuses are two completely different things.
2. I'm not like the Rain Man or Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory. Stop asking. D: (While I love the show and Sheldon's character, it does get annoying when that's what so many people assume that I'm like.)
3. Just because I'm on the spectrum doesn't mean that I'm asexual. I like boys.

Of course there are those of us who *do* like guys and *are* asexual . . .

But I think that belongs on the "What do you want sexuals to know about asexuals" thread. :-)

I didn't mean to offend. I was just tired of people assuming that I'm asexual just because I have AS and since they met one person on the spectrum they automatically know all of us. :/