3 ms·

Given the rate that autism is showing up nowadays, it seems like spectrum disorders are over-diagnosed. People who were once just odd-balls or non-social are no

Given the rate that autism is showing up nowadays, it seems like spectrum disorders are over-diagnosed. People who were once just odd-balls or non-social are now being lumped in with people who have moderate to severe issues, and it's to the detriment of both groups.

kosma 10y ago
As someone on the spectrum I don't see it as a detriment. Despite a seemingly vast difference between a high-functioning engineer and a low-functioning child, the strategies for improving the quality of life are pretty much the same. Routine, sensory stuff, avoiding meltdowns, recognizing emotions, all that stuff - it's as real for a brilliant but eccentric programmer as it's real for a non-verbal kid with no particular talents. Because in the end, it's about improving the quality of life. I'm on the "eccentric" end of spectrum; for 27 years I've been told that nothing is wrong with me, that I'm just "too smart". I can tell you I was pretty close to joining the 27 club; the piling problems ended up being too much to handle. I came upon the description of Asperger's purely by accident; no mental health professional would even suspect it because I "seemed normal". Finally being able to understand why I'm losing my ability to speak once in a while or getting violent whenever overstimulated wasn't just a relief. It was a life-saver. If I didn't realize it's ASD, ignorance and stereotypes could have killed me. PS. Yes, some people will claim they are "a little bit autistic" out of ignorance or attention seeking. Others will lump clinical cases with weirdos. Both don't change the validity of a proper diagnosis.
- intopieces 10y ago
  I'm glad to hear you disagree! My concern is that people who might be borderline-or-not-really-spectrum (if that makes sense) will cause people to look at ASD individuals and say, 'well he gets along alright, you're obviously just not trying hard enough.' Despite our best efforts, mental health is a tough topic to educate people on. I still hear 'she's just sulking' to refer to people with severe depression, and it makes me quite sad.

kosma 10y ago

As someone on the spectrum I don't see it as a detriment. Despite a seemingly vast difference between a high-functioning engineer and a low-functioning child, the strategies for improving the quality of life are pretty much the same. Routine, sensory stuff, avoiding meltdowns, recognizing emotions, all that stuff - it's as real for a brilliant but eccentric programmer as it's real for a non-verbal kid with no particular talents. Because in the end, it's about improving the quality of life. I'm on the "eccentric" end of spectrum; for 27 years I've been told that nothing is wrong with me, that I'm just "too smart". I can tell you I was pretty close to joining the 27 club; the piling problems ended up being too much to handle. I came upon the description of Asperger's purely by accident; no mental health professional would even suspect it because I "seemed normal". Finally being able to understand why I'm losing my ability to speak once in a while or getting violent whenever overstimulated wasn't just a relief. It was a life-saver. If I didn't realize it's ASD, ignorance and stereotypes could have killed me. PS. Yes, some people will claim they are "a little bit autistic" out of ignorance or attention seeking. Others will lump clinical cases with weirdos. Both don't change the validity of a proper diagnosis.

intopieces 10y ago
I'm glad to hear you disagree! My concern is that people who might be borderline-or-not-really-spectrum (if that makes sense) will cause people to look at ASD individuals and say, 'well he gets along alright, you're obviously just not trying hard enough.' Despite our best efforts, mental health is a tough topic to educate people on. I still hear 'she's just sulking' to refer to people with severe depression, and it makes me quite sad.