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Enabled not Disabled

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About Enabled not Disabled

  • Rank
    Norfolk Broads
  • Birthday 04/02/1973

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  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    Northern Ireland
  1. Thanks Nobby. I meant no offence. First book i came across actually - in waterstones. I do have Tony's book too. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asperger-Syndrome-...8866&sr=8-1 I guess you've had people around you who have understood your differences and helped you. You're lucky. Not the case for everyone. 'people with AS are not spiteful egocentric people who look down on the poor NTs for not being enlightened. we are people with a social/communication disorder who may find it difficult to understand and navigate in social situations' I agree with your first sentence but i'm not sure it has to be viewed as a disorder anymore. I think the original quote was well intended - i.e. an attempt to make people with AS view themselves as normal and view NTs as different.
  2. Thanks for your comments on Aspergers. My 'snap shot state of mind' is releasing 36 years of being cooked up inside and alone. Mentally not physically. I've read a lot of 'disease' ridden literature which has got my back up and presumably been written by people without AS traits. Try Luke Beardon - Asberber Syndrome & Social Relationships JKP - http://isnt.autistics.org Purely to try and show people without AS traits what it feels like to have AS here it is: 'Neurotypical syndrome is a neurobiological disorder characterized by preoccupation with social concerns delusions of superiority and obsession with conformity. [ ..... ] When in groups NT's are socially and behaviorally rigid and frequently insist upon the performance of dysfunctional, destructive, and even impossible rituals as a way of maintaining group identity. i'm not ashamed to admit that I find comfort in this. It 'puts the shoe on the other foot'. Thanks for your comments anyway
  3. I discovered that I have a lot of the symptoms usually associated with Asberger’s about two weeks ago. I am in my mid 30’s. Having read a great deal on Asberger’s over the last two weeks, I thought it would be good to post my feelings and findings for others to read. One of my initial worries about Hans Asberger’s ‘discovery’, was that I had gone 36 years with ‘traits’ and never ‘connected the dots’. How could Hans possibly discover Asberger’s, without having Asberger’s himself [sic]? I believe it would be almost impossible for a ‘normal’ person (NT) to make such a discovery. They appear far too consumed with social importance and appearance to have the time to make such a discovery. I was relieved to read that Hans did in fact show behavioural patterns that are today associated with his own discovery. I have assumed for so long that no one could possibly know what it is like to be me. After all, I can’t imagine what it must be like to be someone else. Last week however, I discovered that my own biography had already been written (by people talking about their own AS life) numerous times over, and until now, without me knowing. I can’t wait to read them all. I feel so typical of many people I have read about with Asberger’s. I have been completely alone my whole life and now that I know I’m not alone, I feel found. I have never thought of myself as disabled and still don’t. I prefer to refer to myself and others with similar traits (Asberger’s or not) as ‘Enabled’ people. My only disability is not wanting to pretend I know or like someone I don’t know or like. This chit chat socialising frequently carried out by the masses appears enjoyable to them but is not to me. It is false, a lie and must (in my opinion) start any relationship off on the wrong foot. It is acting and has no ‘good’ purpose. I have frequently seen people be nice when talking to someone's face and completely the opposite once the ‘chit chat’ is over and they leave the conversation. This pattern does not instil confidence in receiving chit chat as a measurable or truthful form of communication. This is especially so for someone who finds it difficult to read body language and facial expressions. How can you ever take anything they say in future as truthful and honest if they’ve ‘acted out’ the first encounter. It is only right to add however, that even if I wanted to, I couldn’t socialise the way they do. I don’t know why. The brain just freezes and stops sending messages to talk. Alcohol can ‘unfreeze’ the Enabled brain and has served as a useful tool for me to fit in amongst NT’s and disguise my usual traits. Unfortunately, alcohol remains my only interface between my world and that of the NT’s, without use of which I would be a recluse. Actually, that’s not entirely true. My wife helps me an awful lot. She is like a guide dog to the blind (meant in the nicest possible way). Although it frustrates her, she knows what I can and cannot do and helps me through social situations to avoid unnecessary anxiety. I’m sure it looks odd to ‘outsiders’ but without her I’d be a drunk. I have begun lists of my traits on several occasions in the last week but they become so long and end up telling the story of my life. On the assumption that the reader is aware of the stereotypical traits of an Enabled person, I thought it would be better to state that I have them, all of them – or almost all of them. The list below contains the stereotypical symptoms normally associated with AS that I don’t have. (Yes, I am aware that I am making a list). My NT symptoms 1.I don’t get shaky hands 2.I’m not sensitive to sunlight – although I do prefer drawn curtains during the day 3.I’m not clumsy 4.I don’t have a photographic memory or an aptitude with numbers 5.My speech development was normal 6.I don’t walk on my toes 7.I am good at assessing distance and speed My GP’s referred me for diagnosis but thought I’d point out the above list to see if I’m going to fall at the first hurdle. Is there any point, without a photographic memory or without being clumsy?
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