Being treated like a 'disorder' is getting depressing...

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Why is it that a large majority of people think of Aspergers as a disorder, disability, etc? Sure it has some negative aspects but it also has a lot of positive aspects too. I'm getting really tired of being treated like this by most NTs...

I mean if you wanted one could point out the negative aspects of being NT but just being NT doesn't make one a 'disorder' now does it?

In Nazi Germany who was the majority; who was the minority?

It is NTAs who define the entire spectrum for pete's sake!

Of course we are seen as defective, and we take our place on a very long list of defectives across the centuries.

It's still going on today with "Autism Speaks".

2 of my 3 sons have Asperger's.

They have a fantastic psychologist (who works at Tony Attwood's clinic) called Ivy Gomez.

Today at my 8 year old son's first therapy session she said having Asperger's is 80% good and 20% not so good. But then she said NT was the same - eg 80% good and 20% not so good.

You would have to say one of the not so good features of NT's is being judgemental of anyone different to them.

My 2 boys with Asperger's are so accepting of anyone which has certainly taught me a lot!

Being on WP has taught me that my boys have an extraordinary gift!

Helen

I consider myself not 'disabled' but 'disabled by society'.

There is a good page on Aspergia.com that talks, light heartedly, about how NT would be described if one were to look at is as a 'disorder'.

Take a walk in someone else’s shoes
you might learn something if you don’t snooze
it’s a spectrum where the minority constantly moves
there’s a majority here
and a majority over there
who both think they know the correct answer
‘cause they’re fixating on either end of the question
I’m “good”
no
he or she is “bad”
I’m “disabled”
I’m “labelled” but I’m not really “disordered”
I’ve never bothered being “labelled” but my voice is final
so go and have a walk
there’s more choices than that fork
converse with those who cannot talk
work with those who can handle it barely
socialise with those who panic rarely
you might learn something on the nature of disabilities
and disorders

AMEN!! I agree and well put Danielismyname!!

What else is everyone going to call something that isn't "normal"? There has to be a label for everything or people feel unsettled.

To be honest I believe aspergers is a disability, according to the social model. But lets not have that debate again.

I can completely relate to people treating you as lesser, as though you couldn't possibly be a person they'd enjoy spending time with, as though you couldn't possibly have anything interesting or perceptive to say. People seem to judge what's going on in your head by how much comes out of your mouth. Just because I don't feel like exercising the faculty of speech every second of every day, some of my colleagues treat me as though if you cut my head open, all that would fall out would be lice and soggy potatoes. (This despite the fact that whilst they stack shelves I'm the one who's balancing the books).

My social difficulties mean that I often mis-interpret things, which gives people ample opportunity to talk down to me.

The sympathy vote pisses me off more than the "disorder" thing really, many people as soon as they find out don't know how to act around me and alot of them often act as if they feel sorry for me. I always tell them that there is no "special" way to treat me be as they would usualy be around me and if they piss me off I'll let them know

sarahstilettos,

Nobody is arguing that AS has its problems. HECK, I wish the good was CONSISTENT. I mean I figure I am in the middle. Some are FAR worse than I, but some are better with memory, math, and visualization than I am. If we all had the good I have, and the memory, math, and visualization that some others have, WOW!

FEW would be considering it a disability, so demanding of a cure, etc... Admittedly, it would STILL be a bit of a disability though. THAT is what pointed me to AS in the first place.

Still, I have had a LOT of NTs marvel at what I COULD do, call me genius, etc.... My boss recently misunderstood something I said, and started laughing, and said something like "WOW, it figures!". When I asked him why he was laughing, he said something like "Because you always seem to be doing something new, is there anything you CAN'T do!?".

I had no need to do the task, and don't even have permission to use it, so I didn't do it BUT, if I had the need, I could probably do it. Still, his comment shows how he feels about me. If I didn't meet so many "experts" that did so much worse than I do, I would think it all a lie. This stuff just seems too easy to me.

Still, it WOULD be nice to not have the meltdowns, sensory issues, social problems, etc...

BTW just so you know. Some think I am a one trick pony(they are dumb and figure an "expert" in one thing must not know any others), and they know I don't know sports, etc... and feel I know little in some areas that I know a LOT about. I get left out of some social things. *I* am not a party to the "OLD BOYS CLUB", even though I am white and male.

As for YOU? So they treat you bad. ***YOU*** know BETTER. That helps a bit, and is really what counts.

People sometimes hear me slip, etc... and think I am far dumber than I am, so I don't think you, or even anyone with AS or NT, is safe from it. One person called me stupid because I didn't wear a coat in winter. I like the cold.

I believe asperger's is only a disability if you let it be.

I don't consider myself disabled at all though everyone else around me does.

Yeah same most people do consider me 'disabled'
there like whaattt you dont look disabled.
teehee thats because im Not
anyway i dont realli care its what i think of myself that matters
and i just think of AS as a gift a gift im lucky i have and there jealous because they dont have it
teehee
xx

Ditto

We are gifted

Disorder: a disruption of normal physical or mental functions

I think that is quite an apt description, actually. Our brains don't work as they should - some parts work at decreased or non-existent rates, other parts work much harder to compensate. It is disordered.

My brain works just like it should, even if that may be different than other people.