Would YOU take medication that "cured" autism?

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I know this is not the first time such a question has been asked, but in light of recent and increasing scientific evidence that autism is biologically based, I ask you: if a medication or combination of medication (treatment/therapy) was discovered that alleviated or eliminated the core symptoms of ASD (no matter where you are on the spectrum), would you want to try it? Do you think a "cure" for autism is even possible?

There are many scenarios to consider, such as: what if a pregnant women could choose to receive "treatment" to prevent her baby from acquiring autism (or the predisposition for it) in utero?

I am well aware there are many people on the spectrum who have made or are making valuable contributions to society, which makes this question all the more complicated.

I have to admit, there are days when I most certainly would be happy NOT to be on the spectrum! But I seriously wonder, would I still be "me" without autism? OR, would I be a happier, more content version of me?

Please elaborate on your views...

I would a few years ago, but as a computer engineer, there are a lot of benefits to the disorder.

I would not because the way I think makes academics things easier for me. However if I could take a medicine that eliminated the undesirable characteristics such as meltdowns but nothing else I would. Also I would definitely take something that could eliminate the court characteristics when I wanted them to be gone and be out of my system within an hour or so so that I could be back to "normal"

I probably wouldn't. It would likely change so many things about me that nobody would even recognize me any more.

I wouldn't take any such medication, because I don't wish to be fixed or cured. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I know I will still be me if I wasn't on the spectrum, just more of a socially-connected version of me who doesn't feel as agitated and angry and walking around moaning and being disagreeable all the time.

On another note, if there was some sort of medication for Asperger's that is proven to improve the person's social skills without making that person look like he/she is high or doped up on drugs, then I would happily take it. All I need is something to speed my social reflexes up, so that I can think of the appropriate things to say at the appropriate times, and then I will probably fit in more. Instead when somebody's talking to me, I just end up going ''ohh....oh right....really?....oh, OK....oh, yes....yes....oh....ohh....ah....oh....'' as they're talking, because I can't think of appropriate questions or other more interesting responses to what they're saying, until the conversation is over, then I walk away and think of all the things I could of said to get me more emotionally connected to that person. I really need a drug to make my brain think faster in social situations.

I hate all my Asperger's symptoms, but I think my worse one is the social awkwardness, so I would love that cured. I would just love to fit in, be part of something, be accepted, be noticed, and feel more at ease and connected. I would also love to make my voice be heard without having to shout. I don't speak in monotone as such, but I seem to have a low mumbly voice that gets filtered out by the group, and I see people speaking quieter than me but still get heard, probably because their tone is more ''colourful'' and contains confidence, and confidence is always the key.

All I need is something to make me more confident without making too many social faux pas.

I already took "medicine" that cured my autism. After a while, I started wanting it back, either because there is comfort in the familiar or because being normal SUCKS. Probably both. The "medicine" I speak of is more about opening up my mind than about an actual cure. There is no cure, because autism isn't a disease, and there is nothing wrong with autism.

For a little while, I was a more content, happier version of myself. I forgot what it was like for me before. It happened around the same time the Baltimore Ravens got Joe Flacco to replace Kyle Boller, so in my mind I always compare it to that. Remember Boller? I'll say to Ravens fans here and there, just to amuse myself. We don't. We're spoiled. And so am I.

Now I can be in a crowd of people, and although I'm still nervous and slightly clammed up, I can assess the situation and blend in, be normal so to speak. I know what to pay attention to, and why, and most important, when to do this or that, and for how long. And I can do it naturally instead of mechanically. Before, I never knew what to say to people, crowd or not. What to talk about? Why to talk about it? How can I hold this person's interest? What should I do after the conversation is over? How can I start another conversation with someone else? How to make myself look normal in a crowd? Etc. Basically, I stopped giving a s**t about myself. And now I'm normal. You'd never ever know I was once on the spectrum. And I'm not anymore, or if I am, there are no visible "symptoms". I was always told there's no cure, and it turns out that is true, but again, that's because cure is the wrong word. There's nothing wrong with autism. But now that I'm normal, I get bored really easily, and I have no way of, ahem, "curing" myself of my boredom. Before, it took no effort to cure it, because there was always stuff to wonder about. I'm highly verbal now. Yippie skippie. No more living my life in my head. and it SUCKS.

Maybe I'm still on the spectrum. Maybe its true what they say, that I'll always have autism. But that sounds too much like what all marginalized groups of people are told, so to me its indicted by association.

Autism is biologically based, but it starts prenatally and exprsses itself in the structure of the brain. It can't be cured--at least, not until we're able to restructure a person's brain at the micro level. And that would also erase all your memories and personality traits.

That's something that I don't want for myself. I'd like to keep my memories, tastes and personality traits.

If it was a pill and analogous to the "cure" adderall offers for ADHD, I wouldn't hesitate to try it.

If it was a shot that permanently altered me, no.

Hypothetically, I'd like to be able to flick between autistic and NT. I imagine if I didn't identify as autistic anyway, I'd probably end up transitioning to NT full time.

In reality, that is impossible and will probably always be impossible.

I would. No second thoughts.

Reasoning is simple: Who I am now would not change. What would change is this #@$@# social short-circuit in the brain that F's life up.

There is a temporary 'cure': by sending EM pulses into specific neuron structures people with AS have been temporarily 'cured' of many of the social dysfunction issues (for example, problems reading other's emotions/body language in real-time). The effect however only lasts for a few days and is very expensive. It can't be continuously applied for obvious reason (zap your brain 24/7 is not good!).

...As for 'curing' it while the baby is being formed.. that I think is a grey area. If its a condition like severe autism then yes, absolutely do it. If it is AS then I would probably say no. The child will have an advantage in mental processing at the expense of social functioning .... I would say these children should be allowed to develop and be born and then the 'cure' be given to them at around age 4 which is the start of the critical social-functioning 'wiring' stage of the brain (age 4 to 10). That way the kid would have the neural 'advantage' of AS 'pre-installed' and not suffer social issues (or not as many) later in life.

I decided to vote maybe/not sure, because I don't know if the cure would be one time permanent or it would be one where I could go between the two worlds. My biggest concern is that there's always tradeoffs between one and the other. They both have their strengths and their weaknesses. So if the cure was temporary and allowed me to switch between the two worlds, then yes by all means I wouldn't hesitate to take it. If however, the cure was a one time thing and there was no going back, my answer would be no, I wouldn't take it because who knows, if you find yourself on the other side only to find out that your worst off. It a risk I am not willing to take.

I constantly lose and get estranged from mine, so maybe I'd be a good candidate for 'curing autism'. Not sure if the good things (whatever those were) would be gone either, though.

I would advocate medication for symptoms that disable one, and make them suffer. If it would mean the difference between being dependent and independent, I'd go for it.

Otherwise, Autism as a state of mind shouldn't be "cured." Without it, we wouldn't have at least some of the greatest discoveries in human history. Imagine if Einstein were "cured," or Newton? Or Temple Grandin? The autistic person should understand the effect his features have on NT's. And NT's should exhibit that same understanding; NT's have eccentricities, too!

I would and I wouldn't.

I would take the medication because I want to be able to fit in with non-autistic/AS people. Perhaps if this medication did exist and I was to be "cured" I would not be subjected to bullying, teasing and taunting from other people at school. I would be able to understand everything around me more and I would not be as dependent as I am now on my family members and teachers. I would like to be able to function without constant routine and repetition and to not be so sensitive to my surroundings. E.g. loud sounds and bright lights.

However, I would not take the medication because I am afraid of change and the consequences of the alterations.