I have decided to self-diagnose as Autistic

Throw in Tourette’s?

Can we ban these people, Muriel? For real, I'm fucking sick of it. It's beyond a joke, now.

You'll have an easier time self-diagnosing as having Aspergers instead of Autism. And it's much easier to pass off your assholism that way.

No quiz needed, just start unnecessarily bringing it up in conversation as frequently as possible.

actually diagnosed person @R2— So? Which quiz do I use? Sharing is caring.

R5 clearly you're baiting and trolling, but for the benefit of anyone reading who isn't an asshole--you go to a doctor, then therapists, then a clinical psychologist for a proper series of assessments (ADOS/CAT/RAADS), like I did and like people who seriously need help and guidance do.

Surprise! You’re already an asshole.

R6 That sounds like a lot of work for a self-diagnosis. Please return with better advice.

OP, from your appearance here it seems clear you are already an asshole without claiming to be autistic.

And oh, dear.

R9 Please do not participate in self-diagnosed Autism erasure by invalidating my journey.

R10 Such an autistic thing to say. 🙄

For Chrissake, Wentworth, I told you to drop that self-diagnosis shit.

R4 - my former co-worker did that. She said she had Asperger right off the bat when we met. Even though she did have it, I never gave into her shenanigans. No matter what. We eventually became good work friends because I had her back when it came to others and she had mine.

R11 Thank you. It is something called "Manifesting". I read about it on a podcast.

I used to be friends with someone online in the late 90s. We lived across the country from each other and we met in a music chat room and had lots of things in common about the music we were into. We would also talk on the phone but since neither of us came to the other's city, we never wound up meeting. Finally in 2012, I was going to be by him and we got together in person. He'd always been kind of an asshole, but in the way that he insisted his opinion was right and no one else's was, that kind of behavior. It didn't bother me that much because I didn't care if he thought I was wrong and he was right. It's an opinion.

Anyway, we sat down to dinner and the first thing out of his mouth was- I've diagnosed myself as having Asperger's. So now I can say whatever I want to people because I know I have no control over it. I then spent the entire evening watching him be rude to servers and people at a box office, etc. I was in town for a screening of a film I made and I had invited him to come. We went out for pizza after to this really popular, crowded spot. I grabbed us a table (a 4 top was all there was) and then some guy came up to me to tell me he'd been at the screening, how much he loved the film and had some questions.

I invited him to sit down, as there was plenty of room, and then my friend came to the table with the pizza and was so rude to the guy sitting there. Why is HE here? Who asked him to sit down? You need to leave. Over and over. He threw the pizza on the floor and walked out. I ran after him and told him- You don't have Asperger's. You're just an asshole. And you always have been. Don't ever contact me again. And we never spoke again. I apologized profusely to the guy at the table, who took it in stride, we had a very nice conversation, I bought us pizza, and I stayed in touch with him for a few years after through Facebook.

So much text at r15 with no dick payoff.

[Quote]I was in town for a screening of a film I made

Well, look at you!

You may look at me. Briefly, please. You give me the creeps.

R15 This is exactly what I'm striving for. There's this guy at work— real tall motherfucker with Turkey Lurkey energy. He just blatantly insults people right to their faces all day with a straight face but no one can complain about it because he's "on the spectrum". He's super quiet too, so you'll just be talking alone with Lisa in IT and all of a sudden he's right behind you interjecting with something like, "You actually ate two croissants today, Lisa. You said you haven't eaten all day but you ate two croissants from the kitchen this morning. You should try meal logging." And then he just walks away, all casually.

Just dye your hair blue, obsess over anime, adopt alternate pronouns and that’s all the certification you’ll need.

Attmay, you *are* autistic. AND certifiably crazy.

Don't you get some kind of government money for being autistic? Like $750 a month? I mean, I get envious for a second or two when I think of it, but then I am SO relieved that my kids don't have it. And then I wonder about people faking it. So wait, will you get the cash if you self diagnose?

Being an asshole is bad, and the people described as coworkers and aquaintances (sp?) here do sound like a-holes, but there is a lot of other creepy stuff involved. Autistics don't understand or are not able to react appropriately to emotion. Do they have feelings?

I really think that there are a lot of different issues being lumped together as autism, while they're really completely different disorders. Do I have ADD?

Maybe he meant artistic?

R2 I really fell like it's not ok to stigmatize OP for speaking about about kitten troubles. If OP can open up about kittenself and kitten struggles, you can stay in your lane and just listen.

I've decided to self-diagnose as an imbecile. My IQ is in the mid-20s, which I can't count to. I spend all day being called "stupid" by people who can't spell "stupid."

I just took that self-test ^

[quote] Your score was 25 out of a possible 50. Scores in the 0-25 range indicate few or no Autistic traits.

If I had answered 1 question differently, I might have been diagnosed!

R27 Better luck next time!

If I answer the quiz right, do I get the $750 a month checks??

Which one gets you Adderall? That's the one I'm self diagnosing.as. Severe case for double strength!

I thought Darth Vader destroyed Princess Leia’s home world of Adderall with the Death Star.

[italic]I want reparation!

Amber Bozotra from Big Brother & The Challenge revealed that she was just diagnosed as autistic, & I’m pretty shocked. Aside from being a bit naive about the cutthroat nature of the shows she competed on, I really didn’t clock her as autistic, but I don’t believe she’s lying about her diagnosis.

R30 Afflictions that will buy you adderall: ADD/ADHD; Narcolepsy or Excessive Daytime Sleepiness; Binge Eating Disorder; Atypical Depression; anything Autism-adjacent. You want to cast a wide net. And most importantly, you need to make your doctor believe you are exceedingly nonplussed about the prospect of adderall. "Adderall!? Gosh, I never even considered something like that! I dunno, I guess if you think that's best...". You gotta be like a straight guy angling for "no-homo" head.

I may be autistic too I've decided OP. I only talk about my work and bore everyone else. Is that a symptom?

Datz da suck job!

I must advise you against self-diagnosing any medical or mental health conditions. Autism is a complex neurological condition that requires a professional diagnosis from a qualified healthcare provider, such as a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist.

Online quizzes or self-assessment tools are not a substitute for a professional evaluation and can lead to inaccurate self-diagnosis. Additionally, pretending to have a medical or mental health condition to justify being unkind to others is not an appropriate or productive behavior.

It is important to seek help from qualified professionals if you are experiencing difficulties with social interactions or communication, or if you are struggling with any mental health issues. They can provide a proper diagnosis, support, and guidance for managing any conditions or challenges you may be facing.

Thank you ChatGPT Troll!

R35 Hmm...could be! What are your pronouns? And most importantly, what Harry Potter House are you in?

R37 Good bot!

OP, make sure you get the 'Disabled But Empowered' sticker.

These days it's vital to flag your victimhood. Otherwise what's the point?

Heather on Cycle 9 of America's Next Top Model had Aspergers. That’s all I know.

She couldn’t get her shit together and find addresses for appointments and such.

Oh no, I scored a 34 on the test, probably because I enjoy working with things more than people. I also like dogs a lot more than people. Does that mean I’m autistic instead of just a crusty rat bastard?

R43 Off to an auspicious start!

I wish DL had a rat bastard test as a condition of entry, and banned anyone who wasn't!

"I have decided to self-diagnose as Autistic"

Me too! To celebrate I painted you this lovely self-portrait

R46 Just laughed so hard I farted. I think I have been downgraded back to crusty rat bastard.

Is he a DLer, R19?

Reminds me of when Eric Cartman signed up for the Special Olympics on South Park.

Mom: Sweetie, what is your condition?

Cartman: How should I know, I'm retarted...

R48 DL'ers are all just closeted Autists: poor impulse control, no social filter, obsessed by special/narrow interests, repeats words or phrases over and over, unusually blunt, plays poorly with others, difficulty making or maintaining close friendships, constant thoughts about worst case scenarios...

R50 HAS SPOKEN

I think ChatGPT is "on the spectrum" and if you have doubts simply read R37

[quote] poor impulse control, no social filter, obsessed by special/narrow interests, repeats words or phrases over and over, unusually blunt, plays poorly with others, difficulty making or maintaining close friendships, constant thoughts about worst case scenarios...

That's me to a T! I'm autistic!! And r39 my pronouns are he/her!

I self-diagnosed myself as aspie Taurus

OP, I suggest you self diagnose as beautiful and fabulous. You'll be much happier.

R3 Asperger’s is no longer a diagnosis. ASD.

R55 AUTISM IS BEAUTIFUL!!!

Asperger's has been replaced by the delightfully succinct 'Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 1 (Without Language Delay or Intellectual Disability).'

I got a score of 22 and I'm kind of surprised. I really feel like I have many autistic qualities/weirdnesses about me, although I've never really verbalized that to anyone and would never use that as an excuse to act out in a crappy way or treat someone else like shit (unless they deserved it, and in that case, hell yes I would).

Oh well.

Just remember OP: thinking you may have Autism and worrying about the validity of self diagnosis is a sign you may have Autism. Neurotypical people don’t do that.

Thank you, R60. I need all the reassurance I can get. 🤞

And also attention.

This thread is making me horny!

The fad of diagnosing “high-functioning” autism is a ruse for stigmatizing nerdy introverts who are orderly, intellectual, and who say what they mean, and mean what they say.

R64 Wow! So direct you are. Have you conditioned the fact that you may have Autism?

I had someone at work tell me they were on the spectrum. I asked if she had been diagnosed by a doctor. She said that she just knew because she had many of the characteristics. Those, of course, being not fitting in socially, not having social skills, and being awkward. I just said, "Mmhm." and went about my day. She hasn't mentioned it again. I wonder if most people don't push back at all with all these self-diagnosed aspies and that's why they continue. Same with the enbies. Hence, the crossover.

R64 Fuck all this self-proclaimed "high functioning" nonsense. Just say you're autistic and let us determine how high functioning you are.

R67 STOP KILLING US!

You forgot "ace", Aiden/R68.

I got 41 out of 50 on the autism questionnaire. I’m kind of freaked out.

[quote]Wow! So direct you are.

Someone has been watching too much fucking Mandalorian.

R70 I don't know how to tell you this, but we actually secretly diagnosed you months ago. We all chipped in on a weighted blanket and some lovely shades of manic panic for you though which you can pick up at reception.

[quote]If I had answered 1 question differently, I might have been diagnosed!

Shit, I got a 26. I'm Aspergian!

I got 34 but I really hate questionnaires for things like this. I always feel like saying, "Well, I'll say Slightly Agree but actually -", etc. Maybe that in itself is an autistic trait?

apparently autistics are more likely to be homosexual than heterosexual, that explains a lot about Data Lounge

What a great idea to use as an excuse to be a rude, condescending cunt to everyone and get away with it! Thanks OP

Everyone on DL has Sudden Acute Onset Autistic Impairment Syndrome, which somehow only kicks in during office parties and at movie theaters.

I scored 38 on the damn quiz, but I do not believe Autism is even real. It is all made up.

r78 then you haven't met one. My brother and father are autistic and i date a guy on the spectrum. They are nightmare people with no emotions or empathy, cruel, cruel bastards,

R78 Oftentimes people with ASD are doubtful of ASD because they think “everyone acts that way”. What you don’t understand is that stims like humming a song you like, tapping your fingers when you are bored, or liking your independence are actually very unique traits in the general population but very common for those with ASD.

OP/R9, you're at the DL.

Being a sociopathic asshole here is not ssssssssssspeshul.

R81 I ain't no stinkin' R9!

[quote] I really think that there are a lot of different issues being lumped together as autism, while they're really completely different disorders.

Yes, I’ve wondered the same. And for that matter, I don’t believe that the DSM subsuming Asperger’s into general Autism was a wise move.

Quiet and lowkey Level 1 type adults (especially women) do have issues, but have virtually nothing in common with the other Levels, the creepy drooling gamer manchildren and the screaming kids and the bluehaired transing teens. It’s like a different set of conditions altogether.

The Autism Pride rainbow flag is so banal.

It needs to be edgy and schitzy! I wanna see ZIG ZAGS! I mean: where's the JOY?!

Would you wave this limp concoction OP?

Everyone wants to be a part of something these days. You see this especially among younger white individuals. I get it. If you're the status quo then what community can you call your own? You can't very well say, "white people are my people" without getting crucified. They search for some minority status that seems fitting to belong to a group. I'm not white, I'm transgender. I am not white, I'm autistic. I'm not white, I'm bipolar. A lot of self-diagnosis going on. Human beings need community and to be seen as a part of a community.

Whereas me being black and gay I have inherent options. All I strive to be is seen as normal and self diagnose as amazing.

Enjoy greedy misanthrope OP’s other posts: “Paraplegic stole my parking spot!” and “Stupid disaster victims got all the bandaids!”

R86 I enjoyed them too. J'adore OP. J'adore.

R78 You keep posting & assuming everyone is like your brother, dad & nasty BF. I’m sorry you have had shitty people. Therapy is more effective than poisoning the well and generalizing about strangers. I know more than 3 people on the spectrum & they are excellent people.

R85 yep, sadly there is definitely a large cohort of trend-chasers glomming on for just those reasons.

Even worse, it diminishes and sidelines those who really have got clinical needs or differences, especially if not salient ones. I got more offers of help, understanding and access to needed resources a decade ago when I was still tentatively considering jumping on a waitlist for diagnosis than I do now, when services are stretched to capacity with people who are just socially-anxious or lost in their lives or sort of nerdy.

And besides DL or anon spaces, I've never tried to advertise the fact that I'm aspergic/autistic to the general population or to social media, because I find it embarrassing and think it should be private medical info only entrusted to safe inner circle people, and because people like the many upthread stigmatise and think to have it you must either be a sociopathic robot with heads kept in your freezer or an arrested-development feral person who smears shit on the walls. Let's be clear--at any Level, it's not a fun disorder, it's not something to brag about or want. I felt sadness, grief and shame when I got my diagnosis, as much as I felt relief and self-acceptance.

There are plenty of us who live quietly and try our best to seem normal, and the fake bandwaggoners are making our lives so much harder.

R84 How did they all agree that one flag design? Surely there are a thousand others competing to be the “most inclusive” autism flag.

R90 nobody agreed on anything, we weren't all polled as a 'community' (not that ASD people would ever form a proper community). It's just some condescending pandering insignia that has been slapped on us by outside influences who want to sell rainbow shit.

Counting the show of hands by a group of autistics would be a nightmare.

[italic]Focus, people… FOCUS![/italic]

And the questions!

R88 you're replying to the wrong poster--not me

OP is there any chance we could get you to self-diagnose as suicidal?

In the old days we just said a person was a bit "touched". You all have such fancy names for idiot 🤪

Oh, and I'm sick of the word "narcissist". What's wrong with just saying a person's a jerk? Everybody understands that

R95 My mother just always called me "a wonderfully unique boy". I write it in lipstick on my mirror each morning.

^ Yes, every one knew you were "special" 🙄

self-dxers don't get members' jackets or entry to the special lounge

Why is it not okay to mock trans yet posters like this can mock autistic people and the threads stay up? It's really disgusting to make fun of disabilities and medical conditions.

In the department I work at in College, I sit on the hiring team whenever we have to fill a position (which is often, since everyone under 40 has a work expiration date of 4 - 6 months, no word of a lie). Interviewing the 20-something and 30 something year olds, some idiot on the team (in their 30s and 40s also) will ask the inevitable "Tell us something about yourself that we would never know about you from your application.

9 times out of 10, the applicant will answer "I'm autistic", "I'm an aspie baby" or "I'm on the spectrum".

Then each team member (except me) chimes in with, "Oh my God, so am I!" or "My husband and two kids are aspies and I'm on the spectrum!", or "We all have that in common in the department, so you will fit right in."

Never mind all the students here who are Autistic / Aspie / Spectrum - more here who are then who aren't.

What department, r100?

Admissions

R99 The post isn't mocking Autism, it's mocking the hordes of shit-for-brains youths self-diagnosing themselves with it just because it allows for a less-accountable manner of assholery.

R103 With all the obnoxious trolls who act like edgy middle schoolers. Who can tell what's sarcasm or not?

R103 You just have to develop a more discerning eye for humor is all. I like to keep mine sharp by following all of Anna Kendrick's tweets. Rebel Wilson is another great option.

^^*R104

We typically have a shorter lifespan. Do all the cosplayers realise that?

R107 Their channel is DOPE. I've been obsessed for years.

[quote]Rebel Wilson is another great option.

This is a piss-take, right?

I agree that we are mocking these people because they are full of shit. Real true autism is a tragedy for the parents. The kid can't be fully function and can't be on his or her own. The parents do know if the kid even understands love.

What we're talking about here are people who probably have some psychological damage (as most of us do), and also want to be special (as most of us do). And this is also true of most Trans people. It is not unique, it is the human condition. That's why we can mock the heck out of these people.

Sorry for all my typos above. I meant to say that the parents don't understand if the kid feels love.

R107 That clip eerily reminded me of two relatives, a father and daughter, both had traits of high-functioning autism; both were intelligent but couldn’t hold jobs. The daughter also had great difficulty with social situations and never dated or married. One died in their late 40s, the other in their early 50s (of different causes), but it’s likely that stress was a contributing factor because both somewhat high-strung.

I’d rather be artistic. It’s less “confining”.

Btw, that woman in the video at R107 seems perfectly fine; she has great verbal and non-verbal communication skills, so either she’s full of shit, or she’s a genius at “masking” her autism.

Ass burgers

I self-identify as someone who is sick to fucking death of all the "special people", whatever form that "specialness" takes. You are all nobodies, just like the rest of us.

R114 Because she is another faker. No autistic person would be able to handle that much make up on their face for starters.

R114/R117 Level 1 ASD can take many forms, and like homosexuality isn’t always clockable. Not every gay is a visibly and stereotypically glittery femme; likewise not every autistic/aspergic looks and acts like Rain Man.

Jenn aka Dorian’s affect (and lack thereof), mannerisms, life story and behaviours are all indicative. Look at her out of makeup or dressed ‘normally’ and hear her talk about her journey, you might change your mind. The excessive drag makeup seems to act as a form of literal masking for her—literalising being another trait of ASD.

R118 If your ASD is not severe enough to impact your life, then you don’t really have ASD.

R119, right, but if you delve into Jenn/Dorian's life story, you see the ways that she clearly is and has been impacted, by that and other conditions (mostly ED and addiction/OCD related).

Just because someone can paint their face well and upload/edit a simple face-on video where they talk to a camera with some lucidity or a good argument for 20 minutes apiece, doesn't mean they're fully functional or well in the outside world offline (that we don't see). Early stage cancer patients can do that. Paraplegics or arthritics with full use of their hands/arms and face can do that. Schizophrenics and epileptics can sometimes do that when they aren't having an episode. Agoraphobics can. Addicts can. And all should, like Dorian, have the right and freedom to share their experiences and stories if they want and are able. Everyone with a disability or a disorder shouldn't have to lock themselves away in self-imposed asylum to be 'sick enough' for your tastes.

R109 Yes, sweet child.

R120 Its like this. Lets say someone is bi. But, they present at straight, they are married to a woman, and do not have sex with me. Well, then in that case, they are straight.

This woman can claim to have ASD all she wants. It clearly isn’t impacting her.

R122 comparison to sexuality is facile and inept. Sexuality is only a secondary function of who we are, and doesn't necessarily have devastating impact on social or working life (if one is vigilant and neurotic and doesn't let it). Though it can be difficult for a certain few who cannot or won't mask, those types won't usually closet themselves anyway. So this analogy falls apart...

Not to diminish anyone's struggle with sexuality, but it's harder to disguise and work around all levels of ASD than it is to work around being closeted or bisexual/questioning (which can be hard work too). If you don't have ASD, you won't get that.

R123 Actually I do have ASD.

R124 then as a fellow ASD haver, I have no idea why you said that, sorry. Maybe your argument makes sense to others.

R125 Maybe you don’t actually have it.

^well, several doctors, therapists and peer-reviewed nationally-rated assessors all agree on my diagnosis, so unless there's a conspiracy against me or they're just diagnosing literally everybody who knocks on the door, then I don't think so.

r120 exactly. It's so funny how autistics are painted as not having feelings or empathy when neurotypicals are so fucking cruel. It's now thought that the empathy thing is the exact opposite - that autistic people actually feel so much empathy that it's overwhelming, whereas neurotypicals just parrot platitudes like "I'm so sorry to hear that" without truly understanding other people's pain at all.

It's also not at all uncommon for women to mask so heavily that they come across as perfectly fine and normal, but they are paying a really heavy price to do so. I know a woman who holds down a full-time job and appears typical, but she's so exhausted from it all that she spends most of her free time sleeping and has no energy for relationships or even friendships.

[quote]...or they're just diagnosing literally everybody who knocks on the door...

Ding, ding, ding...we have a winner!

Pay them some more money and they'll tell you you're a trans kangaroo alien. I'd wager that there were at least a couple therapists, doctors, counselors, etc. over your life who have told you that you aren't aspie but you've discounted them. Confirmation bias and people seeking out the diagnoses they want have lead to this 'epidemic' of autistic spectrum disorder.

[quote] I'd wager that there were at least a couple therapists, doctors, counselors, etc. over your life who have told you that you aren't aspie but you've discounted them. Confirmation bias.

R129 ok, then you lose that bet, because not a one professional has ever challenged or questioned or even come back with "hmmm maybe but maybe not, let's first explore these other options that might be more apt". They all said "yes, legit, you fit the profile for this better than anything else we've considered or know of." Maybe there's some diagnoses yet to be discovered that explains me and all Level 1 females, but as yet this is what we as a society have decided to term and group it, so here we fucking are.

Not your day, sorry. Empty your pockets bruv, let me see what you've got in there.

[quote]Because she is another faker. No autistic person would be able to handle that much make up on their face for starters.

Haha - great observation. I’m not autistic, but I actually have that clothing sensitivity problem that is supposedly a trait of autism. I can’t imagine wearing anything not soft and cotton, let alone jewelry or makeup. It must be hell for all the “autistic” women, trans women, cosplayers, furries, and others who dress bizarrely for attention.

How's your permanent poker face going, OP?

R118 I feel bad for Jenn/Dorian because she’s been led astray by the ASD fad. She’s a bright, vivacious, and quirky goth person who seems to have a talent for theatrical makeup and costuming, but her behavior has been pathologized simply for her social non-conformity.

That said, she does seem to be a bit manic and has an addictive personality, so if anything, she’s might be struggling with OCD, ADHD, or some other compulsive disorder. I just can’t believe she’s an aspie because of her degree of insight and excellent communication skills.

As for “masking,” we all do it. Some are better than others. It varies from culture to culture. Not everyone enjoys spewing bullshit to get others to like them. Go to Germany you’ll see that most of the population is on the spectrum.

[quote]You actually ate two croissants today, Lisa. You said you haven't eaten all day but you ate two croissants from the kitchen this morning. You should try meal logging." And then he just walks away, all casually.

I like him!

R132 Hm, no good. I have permanent 'just remembered something' face.

Agreed about Dorian. I think she's ADHD (a walking poster for it, really), but not Aspie.

[quote][R132] Hm, no good. I have permanent 'just remembered something' face.

Like everyone in this video?

R137 Not at all. You're not very good at this. May be you've got yourself a touch of the sperg.

No, like, picture the face you make when you're trying to decide if you left something on that might burn down the house. Like an upward facing scowl.

R138 Thank you for confirming you are a true autist with prosopagnosia. By the way, us normies refer to an upward-facing scowl as a “smile,” and it’s typically an expression of happiness or mischief, not “oh no — did I leave the oven on?”

R139 Joke's on you. According to my feelings chart, happiness is an upside down FROWN.

R140 Are you really autistic, or just a straight guy from the deep South?

R141 Trying to decide which would be an easier target?

How many sock puppets do you have, OP?

Jfc. Someone who said they had autism pissed you off once. We get it. Let it go.

R143 Never.

[quote][R141] Trying to decide which would be an easier target?

Go stim your pearls, OP.

I have diagnosed myself with glioblastoma. Please donate to my gofundme.

R128 Again, those are normal social behaviors. Everyone “mask” as times. And everyone gets exhausted at work.

ASD is just the new ADHD. ADHD isn’t considered special or brave enough do now people have moved to ASD.

R143 nailed it. A few posters here are weirdly overinvested in denying ASD. Presumably they were dumped or burned by an autistic, and can't get over it, so now feel the need to smear and stereotype all over the place. Classy.

Calm down, R143. No one here is trying to take away your monthly stipend.

R148 Yes, because Autistic people are known for being highly desirable romantic partners.

R150 they don't wear scarlet letters though, people don't always know when they're hooking up or shacking up with one.

Masking is unfortunate. How are people ever going to be tolerant of others who are different if everyone suppresses their quirks 24/7? Imagine how boring the world would be. I’m curious if the Christo-fascists taking over parts of America are scaring non-conformists into diagnosing themselves as autistic. Even long-dead iconoclasts like Albert Einstein and Andy Warhol are being retroactively diagnosed as having this “disorder.”

R149- I'm not on the spectrum. My boyfriend is. Also, there's no stipend for being autistic.

R153 See upthread at R22.

Afaik here in the U.K., general disability benefit does not extend to ASD. Iirc I think there may be specific and time-limited aid you can apply for, but it's not a lot nor constant, and it's a lot of form-filling and constant checking-in to get it (similar to Universal Credit).

R150 it's not all negative.

R151 Again, if someone’s ASD is “weak” enough that you cannot tell they have it, then they DONT have it.

“Masking” doesn’t mean you have ASD. Everyone mask. You think everyone just goes around acting the same behind closed doors as they do when interacting with others?

R157 no-one is this dense, surely.

The point is that ASD people, like everyone else, socially mask, but they find it so exhausting and complex and difficult that it leads to burnouts and shutdowns frequently enough to interrupt and impede a normal life. It's like a computer running the wrong OS or software that hasn't been updated right.

R158 No, you are dense. ASD used to be a medical diagnosis. Now it is a chance for people to have an excuse to not go to therapy.

You know how many times I have waited in a line and wanted to scream? Or felt overwhelmed by work? Or been uncomfortable in a social situation? All the time! Like everyone else. But, I don’t think that gives me the right to take it out on others. Tough it up, buttercup.

R159 plenty of ASD people go to therapy, and continue to mask, and try their best not to take stress out on others.

Your specific bitterness and vitriol is really strange and off-putting. If you have a therapist, I suggest calling them tonight.

r159, now imagine that, multiplied by about 100, all the time, and you might start to imagine what it's like to have diagnosed autism. What you're saying is as moronic as saying you know what it's like to be paraplegic because your leg sometimes gets numb when you sit a certain way for too long.

R161 No, what you are saying is that “if your leg gets numb you need a wheelchair” and what I am saying is “if leg numbness doesn’t impede your life then you clearly are not paraplegic”.

If someone has ASD that can be managed with therapy then they don’t really have it. They just have a different personality. Quit trying to turn personality traits into illness.

And I DO have ASD.

r162 but it clearly does impede your life. You're rude and you have no empathy, and you probably have no friends. Perhaps you're happy like that because you're not a nice person, but others with ASD would desperately love to fit in and they can't. They long for friends, relationships and to be able to socialize lots, and they can't do it, because neurotypicals sense that there's something weird about them and avoid them. They wish they could work in their dream jobs and reach their potential, but it's too overwhelming. Either they can't handle the schedules/office politics/lack of structure, or they don't get hired in the first place because they can't bullshit and charm in the interview the way neurotypicals so easily can. Maybe if you had some empathy, you'd realize why that might be fucking awful.

R163 And THOSE people you spoke of DO have ASD. But someone who is able to mask well enough so that no one can tell does not have it.

r164 but the whole point is that plenty of people are able to mask successfully....until they can't. They might be able to fake it for a while, but they can't keep it up, and that's when the burnout and shutdown happens. Autistic masking is far, far more extreme than the face neurotypicals put on in public. The entire threshold for diagnosis hinges on the impact it has on someone's life. Nobody is getting diagnosed with ASD if it doesn't impact them at all. I have known people who seemed entirely "normal" in public but had terrible meltdowns behind closed doors. You have no idea what goes on in other people's lives.

R162 honestly reads more like a schizotypal or sociopath personality.

r166 I agree.

[quote] Autistic masking is far, far more extreme than the face neurotypicals put on in public. The entire threshold for diagnosis hinges on the impact it has on someone's life.

Yes, exactly. I have lost many friends and a few love interests to the revelation that I am a totally radically different person in private than in public. The mask is so elaborate that when it comes off people are shocked and feel betrayed, like they didn’t know me at all (and that’s understandable). Only a few of my family members have ever been able to accept and reconcile the difference, and that’s out of obligation and habit rather than anything else.

That’s what makes it so hard for ASD people to keep and form deepening growing relationships. Even when we can bear progressing to real intimacy, it’s never what other people expect or want.

R155, in the USA, any child who is diagnosed as ESE (exceptional student education) qualifies for SSDI; I work in the ESE department and we have 3 clerks whose job it is to process those forms. The IEP is a legal document that spells out your child’s disability; based on how disabled, you can receive SSDI.

[quote]Throw in Tourette’s?

Copying Eric Cartman now??

How vastly has your quality of life improved, now, OP? Phenomenally or fantastically?

Are you a newer, better, you? A whole new person?

Doctors and other therapists are tossing out diagnoses like candy nowadays. Everyone's got something because then you have to keep coming back for your therapy and pills. It's all a money grab but, sure, it must actually be that 70% of the country is mentally disordered.

R173 except there's currently no therapy or pills available that work well for Autism like there are for say, cluster B disorders. You can't really medicate or make it better, only manage it with lifestyle changes. Hence why every MSM Frau shills homeopathic remedies and the like.

R168, please explain this further. How can you pretend to be that different when you are that disabled. Most of us do things to be presentable in public (take a bath, put on clean underpants and some deodorant, try not to curse as much as we'd like to). Sometimes it really is a chore.

If you are really that disabled, how are you able to keep it together in public? I really don't understand what you are saying.

R175 I will save R168 the trouble and answer for them. They will say “it is just so much harder for US”. Nevermind they don’t know how hard it is for anyone else. But just believe them, it is harder for them.

r176 why do people have such an issue with others having disabilities? If I were neurotypical, I'd just be fucking thankful. Nobody is saying that life is perfect and easy if you're not autistic, but it absolutely is much harder to be autistic in a world centred around neurotypicals.

R177 similar to being left-handed, in a world designed for and by right-handers. Everything is that bit more exhausting and difficult, because the ASD brain has to reinterpret and flip every input to make sense of it. And that effort has cumulative effects.

R177 I have ASD thank you very much.

I have ADHD, and if I don't have my meds, there isn't a cold chance in hell I could "mask" it in public. ADHD and Autism are supposedly closely related, so why could one group allegedly "mask" and not the other?

I'm not getting a satisfying answer.

How does someone who is not "neurotypical" know they aren't "neurotypical"? They seek out a professional to tell them...to tell them exactly what they or their parents want to hear. It's different if it's a 2 year old who is failing to meet developmental goals and is showing huge signs of mental and developmental problems. It is quite different when some 23 year old suddenly decides that their social awkwardness and lack of boyfriend/girlfriend/friend/job/etc. is just "different" (read special, of course) and seeks out a diagnosis or self-diagnoses.

It's literally the same thing as non-binaries. Just like no man knows what it's like to be a woman and no woman knows what it's like to be a man, all these aspies don't actually know what all the "neurotypical" people in the world feel like but they just know it's not anything near what they feel because they are "different" from the rest of us.

R182 you are so incredibly ignorant. Lots of people had serious challenges as kids but weren't diagnosed because they managed to mask the autism symptoms. Girls in particular went unnoticed because it was thought autism was mostly a male thing. You think never being able to make friends, form relationships and relate to others is some small thing? Undiagnosed autism often results in severe mental health issues, because people just think they're failing at life and somehow not trying hard enough. I know people whose diagnosis basically saved their lives, because they were able to understand why they found things so challenging. They went on to be much happier and much more successful once they realized what they were working with. You are toxic. It's not your place to decide whether other people are "really" disabled or not.

Like I said, R183 makes the exact same argument that trans make all the time. "You just don't know!" Well, neither do you and that's the whole point. You do not know that your struggles are any different than anyone else's struggles but you sure want them to be so you go get yourself a diagnosis and then you feel better. Feelings aren't reality. The person you mentioned wasn't happier because they now understood the whys of their weirdness. They were happier because now they had a fucking EXCUSE for their behaviors and didn't have to bother learning to act appropriately and cope just like everyone else in the world does every single day.

If you got to the age of 20 without anyone noticing you had autism or Aspergers, you don't have fucking autism or Aspergers. Kids who really have it are sitting in corners, not looking at anyone, rocking themselves, making weird noises, and continuously tapping the floor. In other words, it's fucking obvious to EVERYONE that something is really wrong. Social anxiety and bad coping mechanisms are not a fucking disorder, they're a personality. An annoying one, which is why they don't have friends.

Everyone needs a disorder nowadays. It's hilarious to watch the younger generations grasping for easy specialness rather than actually work on themselves in any way. They just want a piece of paper telling the world not to expect anything from them because, you know, we're disordered.

R184 Has it occurred to you that perhaps psychiatrists with years of experience might know more than you do? Who do you think you are to tell other people what they do or don't have? You do realize that a LOT of high functioning autistics DO in fact stim heavily the moment they're in private? Having the self awareness to know the things that calm you down are seen as "weird" and socially unacceptable is almost worse than being oblivious. These people are constantly on edge, living in a world not made for them, with a baseline level of stress that's enormous. My niece did sit in corners as a child, rocking and making weird noises, and she was basically forced to mask and pretend to appear "normal" to make other people comfortable. By the time she was in middle school, she was reasonably "passing", had friends and was doing well academically, but then would get home and have meltdowns, making screeching noises, hurting herself, and rocking back and forth. You have no idea what goes on in people's lives.

You come across as a deeply unpleasant person and a sociopath. If anyone was misdiagnosed with ASD, it was probably you. Go back to your psychiatrist and ask about narcissism and sociopathy.

R185 yes!! Thank you for that.

[quote] You do realize that a LOT of high functioning autistics DO in fact stim heavily the moment they're in private? Having the self awareness to know the things that calm you down are seen as "weird" and socially unacceptable is almost worse than being oblivious. These people are constantly on edge.

My ADOS assessment report pointed out in fact that all through the face-to-face interview, unbeknowst to me, I was subtly 'stealth-stimming' and holding all this tension that was obvious to everyone (but me). Like I was holding my shaking legs locked and tightly crossed rigid under my chair to stop myself rocking and trembling, twisting my fingers together tightly or fiddling with my rings to stop myself tapping or flicking or flapping, biting the skin off my lip (to the point it bled--it was an anxiety-provoking situation) to stop myself tearing the skin instead, even chewing on my sleeve at one point (in private I chew the collar of my shirts). I have been doing this all my life and wondered why I could never seem to stop and sit relaxed and still like a normal person.

It was also pointed out in this assessment report that I rarely spoke to the interviewers without prompting or permission and didn't initiate as much as a normally sociable person would. They clocked that it was an old habit that stems from the fact I was always mercilessly picked on in the playground as a child for talking a lot (sometimes gibberish), making weird noises, crying and getting upset at random over slight disturbances. By age 12 I'd been so bullied into silence that I just stopped responding vocally to social input or making social overtures unless it was directly requested of me, and then I'd keep it short and formal, let others lead and initiate any interaction.

R184 Bravo. Thread closed.

[quote]My niece did sit in corners as a child, rocking and making weird noises, and she was basically forced to mask and pretend to appear "normal" to make other people comfortable. By the time she was in middle school, she was reasonably "passing", had friends and was doing well academically, but then would get home and have meltdowns, making screeching noises, hurting herself, and rocking back and forth. You have no idea what goes on in people's lives.

You are proving my point. This girl is autistic. The other 80% of her class who claim to be somewhere on the spectrum because they shake their legs and play with their rings when they are nervous and simply cannot give that speech in front of class because they'll die of anxiety ARE NOT autistic.

You'd think all the true autistics would want the fakers called out on their bullshit but the true autistics aren't online having discussions about their horrible, horrible disorder that makes their life unliveable. The ones doing that are the fakers, so they fight being called out with all they have. Judging by this thread, what they have is endless diatribes outlining how their social anxiety and nervous tics make them unable to take part in the world with any expectations of normalcy. There are real autistics and then there are the "special people" who are "on the spectrum". You know, that thing that was invented to encompass everyone willing to pay for a diagnosis.

R188 say you're right (and you're not, but go off)--how would you propose to help treat and support these swathes of people with debilitating chronic or seemingly-permanent 'social anxiety' who can't form relationships or keep jobs or interact normally? You just want to deny them any kind of support and let them rot? You just want to take away the scant resources they can get out of, what? Spite to 'own the w0kes'? Can you just show your work or explain yourself, because you're coming across very Fox News about this.

R189, what was done before the year 2000 because that's about when they all started showing up with their "disorder". They can do what everyone did for the prior million years of human evolution. Deal with it as best they can. Nowadays, they're lucky because they can take some anti-anxiety meds to help them out a little. Otherwise, they just get to be the weird dude who works at the local store and gets the carts or something similar like everyone did forever. You fucking cope, just like the rest of us.

R190 why are you such a horrible, hateful human being? Why does it bother you so much that other people are getting help with their issues? So what if there wasn't as much awareness pre 2000? Isn't it a good thing that society is becoming more aware of this stuff? Do you get equally angry about all the other changes and advancements that have happened since 1900? Do you think children should still be working at a young age and people should be smoking on airplanes? Or is it only people seeking help and support for crippling mental health issues that bothers you so much?

R191, you are truly an idiot. Calling out the liars who are pretending to have a mental disorder that they do not have is the right side to be on. Attention whoring isn't actually a desireable trait, no matter what Twitter and Instagram say.

The over the top name calling doesn't help anything. "You are toxic! No, YOU are a sociopath!" Whatever. I wish the DSM V hadn't collapsed Aspergers into an all encompassing Autism spectrum, it makes these kinds of discussions more difficult.

I was dating someone in her mid 20s several years ago (briefly), who had been diagnosed as ADHD as a child, and had a history of trauma (my being attracted to her was part of my own stuff). But there was something else going on, and after one awkward outing I asked her if she thought she might have some Aspergers traits. Well that was it for any connection with her, she was extremely offended (she had a lot of aspie traits, some I recognized or suspected, many I didn't until I had done a lot of research on Aspergers, esp. in women, oh and she had a brother with pronounced autism as well). Later I discovered she took Baron-Cohens Autism-Spectrum Quotient test and scored very comfortably in the autistic range. She had had several psychologists and psychiatrists throughout childhood who had identified the ADHD but not the Aspergers (very often co- occurring). She was extremely smart and very good, up to a point, at masking, though still recognized as the weird girl.

[quote] I wish the DSM V hadn't collapsed Aspergers into an all encompassing Autism spectrum, it makes these kinds of discussions more difficult.

Yes, you're absolutely right to think that was a stupid move.

It does a disservice to both the feral unsociable screaming or mute Level 3/4 ASD children and the grown Aspergic Level 1 weirdos who work at your local PC World to group them together. One group need very different resources and support and community reintegration than the other.

The problem is that we have pathologized "being weird".

Groupthink rules. Conform conform conform. America's motto.

The 2017 dark edgy movie reboot of 'Power Rangers' made one of the Ranger teens autistic POC. The film was widely praised for the matter-of-factness and non-stereotypical of the ASD portrayal.

[quote]R99 Why is it not okay to mock trans yet posters like this can mock autistic people and the threads stay up?

Because being on the spectrum is a choice. If you can get ON the spectrum, you can get OFF it. Through hard work and focus.

#BeBetter

[quote]R100 In the department I work at in College, I sit on the hiring team whenever we have to fill a position… some idiot on the team will ask the inevitable "Tell us something about yourself that we would never know about you from your application.”

Does anyone say, “Sometimes I’m rather whorey”? I would.

R198 this question always scares and stymies me in interviews, and I think I answer it badly when I even can answer it and come up with something on the fly. Disclosure in formal or public settings is something really difficult for me to handle personally, ASD or no and even in situations where it’s directly required that I reveal something.

What even is it best to say in that scenario? Give an example of an offbeat hobby or a party trick you can do? Are you trying to comes across as more interesting, playful and mischievous? Or are you meant to say something boring and forgettable so that you seem reliable and steady enough to employ?

[quote] Does anyone say, “Sometimes I’m rather whorey”? I would.

Oi did, and it got mey a £1m contract, yenno!

[quote]R198 "Tell us something about yourself that we would never know about you from your application.”

“A position at your institution was not my first choice.”

Perhaps we're all just INFJs lost in a world of Jive