3 ms·

Aspergers has to be the most self-diagnosed disorder in history. Everyone who is a bit socially awkward is convinced they suffer from it. I don't have much of

by enjo 17y ago

Aspergers has to be the most self-diagnosed disorder in history. Everyone who is a bit socially awkward is convinced they suffer from it. I don't have much of a point... Just find it interesting how often folks in these articles are always 'self-described'.

jcromartie 17y ago
Seriously. I know two people who are real "Aspies" and they put all of the self-diagnosed jerks to shame. You don't know awkward until you've hung out with the real deal.
- electromagnetic 17y ago
  I've seen some very high-functioning and low-functioning people with Aspergers, yet even though I'm rather socially mal-adjusted and am seriously not a group-person, I can't compare myself to an "Aspie" after having taken psychology and sociology for years. It's still a night-and-day difference if you know what you're looking at. I think the true issue with these self-diagnosed "Aspies" is that they truly have no clue, they just know something is wrong with them socially and want to attach a name to it that's not 'anti-social'. These people rarely have the social issues that a real "Aspie" does; IE they lose most of their social-awkwardness on a one-on-one basis. Like I said, I've met "Aspies" and they're generally as awkward one-on-one as they are in a group. They don't read many of the physical clues that allow seamless conversation, so they tend to wait awkwardly long at the end as if they're waiting to see the speaker has finished. It's almost like a satellite-link on a news program, there's always that 3-second pause between one person talking and the other responding. I'm anti-social in groups. I simply dislike large gatherings of people I don't know much (even work colleagues), however one-on-one or in a group I'm fine and talkative. I've been at family gatherings where there's easy been upwards of 100 people in an area no bigger than a large yard where the population density could be measured in the square-foot. Yet I'm sociable, it's not that I can't socialise, it's that much of the time I'm simply unwilling.
omgsean 17y ago
I agree. I think a lot of self-diagnosed "Aspies" are really just people who are afraid to get out of their comfort zone and like the idea of having something legitimate-sounding to blame. If I was an actual Asperger's sufferer I would be a lot angrier at fairly normal people pretending they have it and wearing it like a badge of honour. I doubt the real deal is a lot of fun.
- andyking 17y ago
  I don't think you can generalise in such a way. I had a proper diagnosis made whilst at school but manage to hold down friendships, family relationships and work in a fairly "social" and communicative field (radio). It makes a few things like reading social cues a little more difficult than for many people but it really doesn't have a particularly detrimental impact on my life - quite the opposite when it comes to economically useful things like language learning and understanding technical concepts. Asperger's just isn't something I think about day-to-day and I certainly don't see myself as a "sufferer".
  - potatolicious 17y ago
    I have friends who have been diagnosed (i.e. not self-described), and Asperger's really runs the entire gamut. You have the slightly awkward people who prefer to be alone, and then you have full-blown inability to fit into any social situation. It sounds like your case is somewhat mild - but I do think for more extreme cases it can be "suffering". Note: I too dislike the amount of self-diagnosis that goes on with things like this. Asperger's and autism are real conditions that real people suffer from - diagnosing yourself just because you're antisocial and afraid adversely affects how seriously people view these conditions.
- smokey_the_bear 17y ago
  As someone with ADHD, I find it very annoying when people say "I'm so ADD".
- jamesisftw 17y ago
  these people who claim they are the "real deal" and aren't make me sick.
jamesisftw 17y ago
I'm actually diagnosed, and these people with behavioral problems who say that they're "autistic" annoy me because it makes teachers assume you are going to be a little brat. People should not be allowed to proclaim they have a disorder without going to see a paediatrician and getting it diagnosed. It seems asperges/autism is the new "fad", like adhd was a while ago. It's becoming way too over diagnosed.

by enjo 17y ago

jcromartie 17y ago

Seriously. I know two people who are real "Aspies" and they put all of the self-diagnosed jerks to shame. You don't know awkward until you've hung out with the real deal.

electromagnetic 17y ago
I've seen some very high-functioning and low-functioning people with Aspergers, yet even though I'm rather socially mal-adjusted and am seriously not a group-person, I can't compare myself to an "Aspie" after having taken psychology and sociology for years. It's still a night-and-day difference if you know what you're looking at. I think the true issue with these self-diagnosed "Aspies" is that they truly have no clue, they just know something is wrong with them socially and want to attach a name to it that's not 'anti-social'. These people rarely have the social issues that a real "Aspie" does; IE they lose most of their social-awkwardness on a one-on-one basis. Like I said, I've met "Aspies" and they're generally as awkward one-on-one as they are in a group. They don't read many of the physical clues that allow seamless conversation, so they tend to wait awkwardly long at the end as if they're waiting to see the speaker has finished. It's almost like a satellite-link on a news program, there's always that 3-second pause between one person talking and the other responding. I'm anti-social in groups. I simply dislike large gatherings of people I don't know much (even work colleagues), however one-on-one or in a group I'm fine and talkative. I've been at family gatherings where there's easy been upwards of 100 people in an area no bigger than a large yard where the population density could be measured in the square-foot. Yet I'm sociable, it's not that I can't socialise, it's that much of the time I'm simply unwilling.

omgsean 17y ago

I agree. I think a lot of self-diagnosed "Aspies" are really just people who are afraid to get out of their comfort zone and like the idea of having something legitimate-sounding to blame. If I was an actual Asperger's sufferer I would be a lot angrier at fairly normal people pretending they have it and wearing it like a badge of honour. I doubt the real deal is a lot of fun.

andyking 17y ago
I don't think you can generalise in such a way. I had a proper diagnosis made whilst at school but manage to hold down friendships, family relationships and work in a fairly "social" and communicative field (radio). It makes a few things like reading social cues a little more difficult than for many people but it really doesn't have a particularly detrimental impact on my life - quite the opposite when it comes to economically useful things like language learning and understanding technical concepts. Asperger's just isn't something I think about day-to-day and I certainly don't see myself as a "sufferer".
- potatolicious 17y ago
  I have friends who have been diagnosed (i.e. not self-described), and Asperger's really runs the entire gamut. You have the slightly awkward people who prefer to be alone, and then you have full-blown inability to fit into any social situation. It sounds like your case is somewhat mild - but I do think for more extreme cases it can be "suffering". Note: I too dislike the amount of self-diagnosis that goes on with things like this. Asperger's and autism are real conditions that real people suffer from - diagnosing yourself just because you're antisocial and afraid adversely affects how seriously people view these conditions.
smokey_the_bear 17y ago
As someone with ADHD, I find it very annoying when people say "I'm so ADD".
jamesisftw 17y ago
these people who claim they are the "real deal" and aren't make me sick.

jamesisftw 17y ago

I'm actually diagnosed, and these people with behavioral problems who say that they're "autistic" annoy me because it makes teachers assume you are going to be a little brat. People should not be allowed to proclaim they have a disorder without going to see a paediatrician and getting it diagnosed. It seems asperges/autism is the new "fad", like adhd was a while ago. It's becoming way too over diagnosed.