3 ms·
The D in ASD means "disorder". If people with that weren't impaired in some way, it wouldn't be called a disorder but a personality trait. Pathologizing is use
by GuB-42 3y ago
The D in ASD means "disorder". If people with that weren't impaired in some way, it wouldn't be called a disorder but a personality trait.
Pathologizing is useful in that if ASD was considered a simple personality trait, that would mean there would be no need to help people with ASD in any way.
The idea is that before providing help, which can be in the form of medicine, therapy, special arrangements, welfare, etc... we need some kind of way to establish that you need that help. A diagnosis for a pathology is just that, a way to help people, not a way stigmatize or diminish them. Now, how effective that help will be is another story, but recognizing the pathology is a necessary step.
- LoganDark 3y agoASD is the disorder, but being autistic in itself is just a type of neurodivergence (a neurotype). I do not know anyone who is autistic without also counting for ASD, but it is an important distinction.
- PrimeMcFly 3y agoI don't think we have any examples of people being neurodivergent in a way that is purely positive, so every instance would likely be some sort of disorder.
- LoganDark 3y agoPlenty of neurotypical people can't handle certain situations. IMHO, neurodivergency can be the same, it's just that the situations that they can't handle can happen to be situations that are expected by society, so they're automatically disordered. Plenty of neurodivergent people have found a way to function in society, they just can't all do it the exact same way as neurotypicals. Of course you're not wrong that it's likely to come with disorder anyway, since for example the autism spectrum has all sorts of possible symptoms, like being unable to learn how to speak fluently, or at all. It's hard to argue that not being a disorder, just in terms of it being an unnecessary impairment and not just a difference in specialization.