About me

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Society on Aspergers

Here is a quote word for word on what Wikipedia has to say about Aspergers.

"Asperger syndrome (often Asperger's syndrome) is a way of describing the way in which a person understands other people, talks with other people, and acts with other people. A person who has Asperger syndrome may not fit in well with other people, and may be unable to act like everyone else in different social situations. Neurotypical (or NT) is a term that was coined in the autistic community as a label for those other people who are not on theautism spectrum. Asperger syndrome is thought to manifest as a developmental disorder, and is not considered a mental illness. Most adults with Asperger syndrome can learn how to make friends, do useful work, and live successful lives. Asperger syndrome is considered to be at the highest functioning end of the Autism spectrum disorders. Both sexes can have Asperger syndrome, although it is more common in males.

Asperger syndrome is not disease. People who have it will have to deal with it for the rest of their life. However, they can try many solutions to help them and learn how to be able to reduce the impact in their life. One solution can be drugs to restrict the different symptoms like aggressivity. The big problem with Asperger people is that they cannot understand emotions or how people think. Psychotherapists try to help the person with that. They will do many activities like acting an emotion and let the Asperger people guess what it is."

For each of these sections from Wikipedia, I will input my own feelings, thoughts, and how I actually act and how accurate this is.

"A person who has Asperger syndrome may not fit in well with other people, and may be unable to act like everyone else in different social situations." (Line 2-4.)

I believe this to be completely untrue. I have Aspergers If you couldn't tell the hinting, and I can make friends just fine. Some of them think I'm weird yes, but I purposefully act weird for attention. I may have a mild case of the syndrome, but I know how it works for anyone who has it, they know what they're doing. For instance, A boy in my class has a slightly stronger case than mine, and tends to annoy people, who in return shrug it off because they feel he can't help his actions. I highly disagree with this. I know exactly when I annoy people and I know what people find irritating and use it for my own amusement. People with this disorder know exactly what they are doing and think almost like normal people, just wanting to amuse themselves slightly more than people without disorders. Sorry for the long rant, but I feel strongly about this.

" People who have it will have to deal with it for the rest of their life. However, they can try many solutions to help them and learn how to be able to reduce the impact in their life. One solution can be drugs to restrict the different symptoms like aggressivity. The big problem with Asperger people is that they cannot understand emotions or how people think. Psychotherapists try to help the person with that. They will do many activities like acting an emotion and let the Asperger people guess what it is."

Okay, I agree that some people will have to live with it the rest of their lives, but one of my very good friends once has Asperger's and is now Asperger free. She no longer has impulses, she can read emotions and communicate very well. And as for not understanding emotions being the big problem I strongly think that normal people would wonder how we think as well. I do sometimes misjudge an emotion, but for the most part I can tell very well. And you don't always have to understand how people think, everyone is different, and you don't necessarily need to know how to tell what someone is thinking.

Causes and treatments section from Wikipedia

"Asperger syndrome may be observed and diagnosed in early childhood. No one knows exactly what causes it, but it is thought to have a genetic cause. The part of the brain which controls a person's "social behavior" (understanding and communicating with other people) may grow or function differently in a person with Asperger syndrome. Another part of the brain that may be different is the part that controls some body movement such as balance. A person with this condition may walk or act in a clumsy way and have trouble doing body actions such as sports. They may also do physical actions repetitively, such as rocking, flapping their hands, or tapping their feet. The condition seems to run in families. Parents who have Asperger syndrome often have children who have it or another kind of autism.

Asperger syndrome cannot be found by testing blood or looking at someone's body. A medical doctor needs to talk with the person and other people who know him or her well, to watch how the person moves and behaves, and to learn about the person's past. Sometimes a doctor believes by mistake that the person has schizophrenia, Obsessive-compulsive disorder, ADHD or mental retardation instead. Tourette syndrome with "tics" (repetitive, uncontrolled actions like twitching, blinking, coughing) sometimes comes with Asperger syndrome. Many people with Asperger syndrome also have ADHD and/or OCD.

People who have Asperger syndrome have normal to high intelligence. As children, they may need special help at home and school to learn social behavior. The syndrome cannot be made better by taking medicine. (People who have this condition are sometimes given medicine to help them with depression, which is often experienced by people with the syndrome.)

People with Asperger syndrome can have a hard time "fitting in" with other people. Adults who have it usually learn enough "coping skills" to act in a way that seems normal, but often with a few differences. Most people with the syndrome can communicate clearly with friends and family. They may have more difficulty in communicating with new people."

"No one knows exactly what causes it, but it is thought to have a genetic cause."

This is entirely untrue. Genetics have nothing to do with Aspergers. I have asked many of my friends with the same disorder how they were born and asked my mother how I was born as well. Each one of us was born without much oxygen to support us when we were in the womb. No one in my family has or had Aspergers.

"Another part of the brain that may be different is the part that controls some body movement such as balance. A person with this condition may walk or act in a clumsy way and have trouble doing body actions such as sports. They may also do physical actions repetitively, such as rocking, flapping their hands, or tapping their feet."

This, however, is completely true. I have never learned how to ride a bike because I always fell over from severe balance issues. I also need to be moving constantly, I bounce my leg when I sit and I turn my head often.

"Sometimes a doctor believes by mistake that the person has schizophrenia, Obsessive-compulsive disorder, ADHD or mental retardation instead. "

This is also true. The only public school I went to was elementary school and even then I only stayed until 3rd grade before I moved to Montessori. For about 2 years doctors had given me medicine for ADHD until we had seen over 5 therapists until the last one professionally diagnosed me with asperger's at about age 7.

"People with Asperger syndrome can have a hard time "fitting in" with other people. Adults who have it usually learn enough "coping skills" to act in a way that seems normal, but often with a few differences. Most people with the syndrome can communicate clearly with friends and family. They may have more difficulty in communicating with new people."

This isn't even a very bad thing. I find it inviting to be unique and different. I must agree that some of us do have trouble fitting in, but it's not their fault. People and teenagers in general today have very high expectations and properties they want to be met. Popularity is still an issue in our schools and bullying and students who want a 'cool' person to hang around with are not the child with Asperger's fault. The only reason they have trouble fitting in is because of high expectations from the social students. Although meeting someone new, I have always had a hard time with. I feel awkward when it becomes silent, and when I try to break the silence i feel hesitant because hey, what if I say something wrong or something that will offend them? What if they tell everyone around them I'm a jerk? So mostly I don't talk to many new people.

Symptoms section of WikiPedia

Engaging in one-sided, long-winded conversations, without noticing if the listener is listening or trying to change the subject
Displaying unusual nonverbal communication, such as lack of eye contact, few facial expressions, or awkward body postures and gestures
Showing an intense obsession with one or two specific, narrow subjects, such as baseball statistics, train schedules, weather or snakes
Appearing not to understand, empathize with or be sensitive to others' feelings
Having a hard time "reading" other people or understanding humor
Speaking in a voice that is monotonous, rigid or unusually fast

Asperger syndrome is noticeable when the person acts differently in social situations. Their social disabilities can have different levels. It’s not everybody who have Asperger syndrome that have the same level. This symptom is not the only one. Someone who dislikes people in general does not necessarily have Aspergers. Other symptoms that can be identified are that Asperger people hate any changes in their routine. They also dislike having eye contact. Most of the time they will try to avoid it. They will look away. Usually people who deal with Asperger syndrome have less facial expression than anybody else. There are many symptoms. If someone only has some of them probably that there is no problem with him/her."

"Engaging in one-sided, long-winded conversations, without noticing if the listener is listening or trying to change the subject"

Honestly I have four opinions about this statement. The first again being about how today's society is. Honestly people do not like to be wrong or try to be told they're wrong. I for one don't like to be wrong or told I'm wrong when I'm right. Even if it's an opinion with no guaranteed answer, we always want to be on our side. The second point is that during an argument, the student with Asperger's has their heart set on what they believe, and even though the person doesn't want to listen or isn't listening, we will state we we are passionate about, we continue to speak until someone notices that we will not stand to be persecuted for what one believes and being told they're wrong. They will continue to talk and argue until the listener notices them, I know I do. Thirdly, sometimes I don't care if the person I'm talking to doesn't listen to me. If I make a good point or say something important and they miss it, that's their problem. Also if I wanted to be judged I'd tell them to go ahead because sometimes I don't care what people think when my heart is set on something. Fourthly, if there are more than one person or two other peers are having an argument, we with Asperger's have the choice to pick a side based on popularity and trying to fit in and picking a side who is honest and being sincerely adequate about something. I have to say this decision was difficult when I was in middle school. By High school I didn't care who did not like the way I am, because I love the way I am, I'm unique and if they don't like it then they don't have to talk to me.

"Displaying unusual nonverbal communication, such as lack of eye contact, few facial expressions, or awkward body postures and gestures"

I know that I personally I don't like eye contact for more than five seconds. Eye contact that is longer than five seconds is intimidating to me. However, I love to show my emotions through my facial expressions. It's how I show myself, I have a facial expression for everything. And the only awkward body position I've seen on myself or another fellow Aspergers holder was simple hands behind the back and hands holding each other.

"Showing an intense obsession with one or two specific, narrow subjects, such as baseball statistics, train schedules, weather or snakes"

Doesn't everyone? Some are obsessed with musicals, and they don't have Aspergers. I personally equal out my obsessions so no favorite hobby has any doubt about being turned down for something else.

"Appearing not to understand, empathize with or be sensitive to others' feelings"

Appearing is the keyword in this sentence. I know good and well what I do and do not understand, and sometimes I really don't understand something someone says, and I tell that person. But other friends I know with Aspergers feel almost embarrassed about asking so they make a facial expression without realizing, and usually the person notices. And not all people with Aspergers empathize other's feelings. I know a few rude students with Aspergers who don't care how anyone feels but themselves. But I do often speak without thinking and I end up saying something hurtful when I don't mean to, and I sincerely apologize.

"Having a hard time "reading" other people or understanding humor"

This statement is mostly true. I have personal problems with trying to tell if a person I'm talking to understands me, heard me, is mad at me, or what they feel if I said something important. But not all people with Aspergers have that trouble. I know a friend of mine who knows immediately what the person is feeling from what they have said, and asks them why they feel this way. As for understanding humor, this is mostly true for me. I cannot detect sarcasm. I cannot portray sarcasm very well either. And I definitely don't understand some jokes told. But again that's not the case for other peers with Aspergers.

"Speaking in a voice that is monotonous, rigid or unusually fast"

This is only true for more severe cases of Aspergers. As for in my case, I speak completely normal, only changing my voice on purpose to receive a reaction from the person I'm talking with.

"Asperger syndrome is noticeable when the person acts differently in social situations. "

This is entirely untrue these days. Many people act weird in social situations. No one can act perfect and everyone will be assumed as weird for a slight mistake. Although this is very accusative, no one can tell the difference so everyone points out the mistake even if they know the person does not have an illness. And as for me in social situations, I am completely normal during such events. I have no trouble reacting how I should even though it's not the way I would have wanted to react sometimes.

" Other symptoms that can be identified are that Asperger people hate any changes in their routine. They also dislike having eye contact. Most of the time they will try to avoid it. They will look away. Usually people who deal with Asperger syndrome have less facial expression than anybody else. "

Again, not all people are the same. No one has the same annoyances as another. Even though the hate for change in routine is very common, I for one do not have this issue unless if It's unneeded change. Then I get highly irritated by the pointlessness. Eye contact is the same way. A friend of mine requires eye contact, even though I'm completely opposite. Even people with the same disorder and level of disorder are different, and being different is not a bad thing.

More information and opinions I have

For anyone with Aspergers, please do not think you are stupid. In fact there are many smart and famous people who have done amazing things who have Aspergers. If you ever are feeling down and think Aspergers is a handicap, please reconsider and view it from the eyes of the ones you love. No matter who dislikes you and calls you names, you should never be discouraged by such things. Aspergers is known to not prevent learning, but in some instances increase knowledge. Most people with Aspergers have high intelligence and those who don't are still averagely smart which is still amazing. The people I list next have or have been speculated of having Aspergers syndrome:

Satoshi Tajiri, creator and designer of Pokemon

LadyHawke- an Indie musician

Abraham Lincoln- A politician

Al Gore- Politician

Albert Einstein- Scientist

Alexander Graham Bell- Inventor of the telephone

Benjamin Franklin- Politician and writer

Bill Gates- Computer

Bobby Fischer- World chess champion

Emily Dickinson- U.S Poet

Franz Kafka- Czech Writer

George Washington- Politician

Marilyn Monroe- American Actress

H P Lovecraft- US writer

Henry Ford- Industrialist

Isaac Newton- Mathematician and Physicist

Jane Austen- Author of Pride and Prejudice

Ludwig Van Beethoven- Composer

Mark Twain- Humorist

Nikola Tesla- Scientist

Thomas Jefferson- Politician

Vincent Van Gogh- Artist

Mozart- Composer

So after you have read all the successful people in the world who have Aspergers, please consider yourself for things greater than anyone can imagine.

Never use Aspergers as an excuse. It is highly impossible to be believed as an excuse for one thing, and for another you know what you are doing. Be honest instead of using an excuse.
I know everyone wants to fit in, but be yourself and no one else an be as good as you than yourself.
Express your interests. Enhance the knowledge of those interests. Do what you want with your life. Chase your dreams even if people say It's impossible. Anything is possible if you have the passion.
Aspergers is not a disease and not a retardation of any sort. Aspergers is unique and should be treated uniquely, no person who has Aspergers should be treated differently than everyone else.
Aspergers is also known for enhancement of personal emotions. Only a few emotions are actually affected though. My targeted emotions are sadness, anger, jealousy and anxiety.
If you have any of these symptoms, don't be shy to question if you have Aspergers, because even if you don't it's a good thing to discover who you are and embrace your characteristics.

Thank you for your time.

-Katie