Neurodiversity

[christie]

Originally Posted by Liam

Thank you, for introducing me to this blog, violaine, while reading her work, I came across this statement, which really hit home.

Having Aspergers is that living paradox of understanding so much, being blessed with amazing intellectual and thinking capacity – a very quick mind – and yet, that not mattering, socially at all.

Liam -

Thank you for these words. I was reading the blog for a moment earlier (playing catchup at work - moments are few) and thought that it was an amazing site. I cant wait to have the time to dig into it.

One things I was thinking about today is how I once heard a description of being an aspie as being a freshwater fish trying to live in a saltwater world. I think that is one of the reasons I have tried so hard to assist Bratboy in finding ways to accomodate the NT world we live in - because it becomes so apparent that there is little progress in that world accomodating him.

[Apocalipstic]

Thank you for posting that link Violaine! What a great blog.

Many of the people I work with are artists and musicians and my partner is/has ? AS too, so sometimes I forget how difficult it can be out on the world until it slaps me in the face.

I especially like the post asking if we have empathy, as we discussed the other night I think we really do, but people might not see that from how we seem outwardly. I have always been mystified by what seems to be a huge disconnect between what I am actually thinking and what some people perceive or decide that I am thinking and communicating.

Also, the focus on change. The people who expect us to change and how much time we spend on it. And who are we trying to change for?

Lot's to read and process...will be back after I have read more.

[violaine]

i am glad you are enjoying the link. i found her blogs some time ago, and she keeps entries up to date, which is nice. maybe i should write and thank her for providing such great information.

jen, i used to say that i 'have' autism- because that's what i heard from NTs! i am on the spectrum. also, there are damaging statements being said/heard all of the time, like these: 'she has communication issues. [my wiring is different- not an 'issue' to ME]; she doesn't try.[what kind of expectations/standards are being set? have they been communicated - and if possible, taken into account that i'm a visual learner, perhaps shown to me - with patience?]; she does x.y.z deliberately. [this one slays me and has since childhood! i am not an inflexible person who cannot see roundly]; she is aware of x.y.z.' - [true! i'm very observant! this last remark is not meant as a compliment, however]. . . i could go on until i ran out of space here! where do those thoughts / projections come from, and why? the blog explains it really well, i think.

[Apocalipstic]

Originally Posted by violaine

i am glad you are enjoying the link. i found her blogs some time ago, and she keeps entries up to date, which is nice. maybe i should write and thank her for providing such great information.

jen, i used to say that i 'have' autism- because that's what i heard from NTs! i am on the spectrum. also, there are damaging statements being said/heard all of the time, like these: 'she has communication issues. [my wiring is different- not an 'issue' to ME]; she doesn't try.[what kind of expectations/standards are being set? have they been communicated - and if possible, taken into account that i'm a visual learner, perhaps shown to me - with patience?]; she does x.y.z deliberately. [this one slays me and has since childhood! i am not an inflexible person who cannot see roundly]; she is aware of x.y.z.' - [true! i'm very observant! this last remark is not meant as a compliment, however]. . . i could go on until i ran out of space here! where do those thoughts / projections come from, and why? the blog explains it really well, i think.

The same thing my teachers said when I was little...if she would apply herself...try harder...change...listen...change...getting the right answer is not good enough...she must show her work...even if the answer pops in her head...stop her from counting with her fingers...she needs to make decisions faster...she is in her own little world and cares for no one but herself...she reads too much...she needs to stop drawing during class...it won't help her future to memorize all those train stations and maps...

Love the blog!

[Liam]

I just watched Adam, a movie about a fellow aspergian. Has anyone else seen it? What did you think of it?

[violaine]

[QUOTE=apocalipstic;162503]The same thing my teachers said when I was little...if she would apply herself...try harder...change...listen...change...getting the right answer is not good enough...she must show her work...even if the answer pops in her head...stop her from counting with her fingers...she needs to make decisions faster...she is in her own little world and cares for no one but herself...she reads too much...she needs to stop drawing during class...it won't help her future to memorize all those train stations and maps...

Love the blog!

did you ever try to explain to the teachers that you were listening, thinking, feeling, following, understanding . . . only to be met with something ELSE [negatively stated] about your tone of voice ? ? ? being called 'argumentative' in responding to how they so wrongly perceived you?

[Ursy]

Originally Posted by apocalipstic

The same thing my teachers said when I was little...if she would apply herself...try harder...change...listen...change...getting the right answer is not good enough...she must show her work...even if the answer pops in her head...stop her from counting with her fingers...she needs to make decisions faster...she is in her own little world and cares for no one but herself...she reads too much...she needs to stop drawing during class...it won't help her future to memorize all those train stations and maps...

Love the blog!

I got that - well, I got branded "lazy". "Apply herself" was something that I heard a lot, as well as "daydreaming" - oh yes, and the "stop drawing during class" - I once got into big trouble for drawing on an exam once I'd answered all the questions that I could. But nobody had heard of Asperger's back then. I wonder if it would have been easier if they had? I guess so...

Originally Posted by Liam

I just watched Adam, a movie about a fellow aspergian. Has anyone else seen it? What did you think of it?

I saw it - awhile ago. I think I enjoyed it, could see myself in some of it (not all). I think some of it was a bit over-simplified but that could have been for the benefit of the masses who might not know a lot about people on the autistic spectrum... but overall, I think it was a pretty good movie. My favourite is Snow Cake, even though the character Sigourney Weaver played was more autistic than asperger's. I think her daughter was probably aspie.

Originally Posted by violaine

did you ever try to explain to the teachers that you were listening, thinking, feeling, following, understanding . . . only to be met with something ELSE [negatively stated] about your tone of voice ? ? ? being called 'argumentative' in responding to how they so wrongly perceived you?

I wish I could have tried, though it sounds like it would not have helped anyway - I would have been misinterpreted just like you described, Belle. I usually would just cry and be completely unable to advocate for myself or explain anything at all.

It's very frustrating to be so emotionally fragile!

[suebee]

"Does not pay attention. Easily distracted." But with me it was undiagnosed ADD. To this day I have to explain myself. I once told a friend who was a physician that I had ADD. He told me that I was "far too intelligent to have ADD". And this was only ten years ago!