3 ms·

Sometimes I think I'd be quite happy to be "rectified" of ASD... Whether it is correct or not to see it _entirely_ in a disease model (which it's not clear to

Sometimes I think I'd be quite happy to be "rectified" of ASD... Whether it is correct or not to see it _entirely_ in a disease model (which it's not clear to me, how should the study have been done with a hybrid model?), I have to disagree with the suggestion it shouldn't be seen as an issue.

DoctorOW 4y ago
But what would "rectified" look like? Autism isn't entirely separable from the things that I think make me the person I am.
- foolswisdom 4y ago
  I agree it isn't entirely separable. I assume that personality / self develops differently due to the "issue" identified in the study, and if it were "rectified", then it would no longer be a factor. That doesn't mean that you'd wake up the next day as a completely different person. Everyone changes over time, and the prior "self" is still there and you can still choose how to integrate the new "changes". Of course, this is just my imagination, it may not actually be anything like that. But I will double down on the thrust of my original comment, which is that although autism is not simply a "disease" because the self has developed differently, doesn't necessarily mean that we want it to stay.
- goda90 4y ago
  Don't forget that the S in ASD is for "spectrum". There are parts of this spectrum with people for who ASD is debilitating to their happiness and participation in society. "Rectified" might not mean complete change, but enough to give someone the tools to handle things better.
  - nailer 4y ago
    But also removes the tools of autism. Neurotypical peopple often lie about things for social convenience, overly value fitting in, have trouble exploring the depths of their interests, and have a poor sense of smell and taste.
    - marcellus23 4y ago
      For people who are high-functioning, it may be that the benefits of autism you mentioned are worth the downsides. But I think most medium and low-functioning people would not agree with that.
      - nailer 4y ago
        I’m technically level 2, which means there are periods where I cannot communicate. I have at least one level 3 friend that I’m sure would feel the same, I’ll ask her and find out for sure though.
chasd00 4y ago
I would be 100% ok with being cured of ADHD and off spectrum. If I don’t take my meds everything goes haywire for me and everyone around me. I don’t think people realize how “one hand tied behind your back” these things really are.
cat_plus_plus 4y ago
So be a constant slave to judgement of strangers on how I talk, act and dress rather than tuning out all that useless noise and focusing on the few people and things I truly care about? That would be a hard pass for me. Maybe "ASD" umbrella is part of the problem, I don't have a "sensory integration disorder", I have emotions that tend to go from 0 to 65 with little in between and some other issues like poor facial memory (that would be nice to cure) and tendency to daydream. Maybe that's consistent with Aspergers as originally understood, maybe not. But just for starters, can we stop inventing nonsensical umbrella terms like "ASD" and "AAPI" that serve no purpose except shared victimhood and shaming everyone else for supposed microaggressions? Hawaii is not the same as India, and I don't need a service dog to tell me there is a fire alarm in my building. Maybe then it would be easier for me to work on my unique needs. Like you know how one in a several hundred people finds your responses 100% natural and preferable to superficial norms without necessarily sharing the same personality themselves? Would be great to be able to find them efficiently to maintain a decent social circle rather than stumbling upon one randomly every ten years.

DoctorOW 4y ago

But what would "rectified" look like? Autism isn't entirely separable from the things that I think make me the person I am.

foolswisdom 4y ago
I agree it isn't entirely separable. I assume that personality / self develops differently due to the "issue" identified in the study, and if it were "rectified", then it would no longer be a factor. That doesn't mean that you'd wake up the next day as a completely different person. Everyone changes over time, and the prior "self" is still there and you can still choose how to integrate the new "changes". Of course, this is just my imagination, it may not actually be anything like that. But I will double down on the thrust of my original comment, which is that although autism is not simply a "disease" because the self has developed differently, doesn't necessarily mean that we want it to stay.
goda90 4y ago
Don't forget that the S in ASD is for "spectrum". There are parts of this spectrum with people for who ASD is debilitating to their happiness and participation in society. "Rectified" might not mean complete change, but enough to give someone the tools to handle things better.
- nailer 4y ago
  But also removes the tools of autism. Neurotypical peopple often lie about things for social convenience, overly value fitting in, have trouble exploring the depths of their interests, and have a poor sense of smell and taste.
  - marcellus23 4y ago
    For people who are high-functioning, it may be that the benefits of autism you mentioned are worth the downsides. But I think most medium and low-functioning people would not agree with that.
    - nailer 4y ago
      I’m technically level 2, which means there are periods where I cannot communicate. I have at least one level 3 friend that I’m sure would feel the same, I’ll ask her and find out for sure though.

chasd00 4y ago

I would be 100% ok with being cured of ADHD and off spectrum. If I don’t take my meds everything goes haywire for me and everyone around me. I don’t think people realize how “one hand tied behind your back” these things really are.

cat_plus_plus 4y ago

So be a constant slave to judgement of strangers on how I talk, act and dress rather than tuning out all that useless noise and focusing on the few people and things I truly care about? That would be a hard pass for me. Maybe "ASD" umbrella is part of the problem, I don't have a "sensory integration disorder", I have emotions that tend to go from 0 to 65 with little in between and some other issues like poor facial memory (that would be nice to cure) and tendency to daydream. Maybe that's consistent with Aspergers as originally understood, maybe not. But just for starters, can we stop inventing nonsensical umbrella terms like "ASD" and "AAPI" that serve no purpose except shared victimhood and shaming everyone else for supposed microaggressions? Hawaii is not the same as India, and I don't need a service dog to tell me there is a fire alarm in my building. Maybe then it would be easier for me to work on my unique needs. Like you know how one in a several hundred people finds your responses 100% natural and preferable to superficial norms without necessarily sharing the same personality themselves? Would be great to be able to find them efficiently to maintain a decent social circle rather than stumbling upon one randomly every ten years.