Are you or is someone you know on the spectrum?

[mr moose]

I have been umming and arring about making this thread for a while now, Part of me didn't want to because it can be touchy topic and some people have a strong hatred toward Autistic people, So please don't make me regret starting the thread.

 

I have noticed every now and then on the forum that someone pops up saying they or their brother/sister is autistic, The population prevalence average is about 1 in 88, so I figured the odds are good that given this is a computer/tech forum that the number of people here on the spectrum might be a little higher than that.

 

I am Autistic, I have many of the obvious signs and some of the not so obvious. On a txt based forum like this it is easy to hide, but I rarely feel the need to do that. I also have two sons who are both Autistic. Life is very interesting.

 

If there are other here who are or who have family that are I would love to chat about it, strengths and weaknesses, what has helped and what hasn't.

 

I also welcome questions about it from anyone.

 

 

 

[naca1227]

I am not but my cousin is, not to an extreme amount but it's very noticeable.

 

I seem to find autistic people have a fascination with trains, the other day (like a week ago) I went to a little town in Wisconsin called Stockholm and on the way there, there was these train tracks being fixed by a train car thingy and we stopped so he could get out and just watch it, he stood there for like 20 minutes watching this machine do something to the tracks, even when we were there in Stockholm he would just sit by the tacks and watch the trains go by.

It's always been like this, he plays a board game all the time with my grandmother which has to do with trains and routes and crap, he also has those wooden train track sets that I used to have when I was a kid. Mind you he is like 13 so of course you grow older mentally slower when you're "mentally disabled"

 

I find his biggest strengths of being autistic is his memory, he remembers a lot and he knows a ton about geography. Of course as you would imagine his biggest weakness is social behavior. 

 

This will be an interesting thread. 

[mr moose]

I am not but my cousin is, not to an extreme amount but it's very noticeable.

 

I seem to find autistic people have a fascination with trains, the other day (like a week ago) I went to a little town in Wisconsin called Stockholm and on the way there, there was these train tracks being fixed by a train car thingy and we stopped so he could get out and just watch it, he stood there for like 20 minutes watching this machine do something to the tracks, even when we were there in Stockholm he would just sit by the tacks and watch the trains go by.

It's always been like this, he plays a board game all the time with my grandmother which has to do with trains and routes and crap, he also has those wooden train track sets that I used to have when I was a kid. Mind you he is like 13 so of course you grow older mentally slower when you're "mentally disabled"

 

I find his biggest strengths of being autistic is his memory, he remembers a lot and he knows a ton about geography. Of course as you would imagine his biggest weakness is social behavior. 

 

This will be an interesting thread. 

Awesome, I can relate to some of that. with two autistic sons we have two plastic train sets, a timber train set, two pc train games and an HO model train layout. Plus all the Thomas DVD's.

 

Does he have a photographic/eidetic memory or just a really good one?

[naca1227]

Awesome, I can relate to some of that. with two autistic sons we have two plastic train sets, a timber train set, two pc train games and an HO model train layout. Plus all the Thomas DVD's.

 

Does he have a photographic/eidetic memory or just a really good one?

I don't know, it sometimes seems like it. I think it's just every good. 

[rhyseyness]

Great thread, looking forward to hearing some responses.

My understanding of autism is very limited so would love to hear about it.

 

Also, "some people have a strong hatred towards autistic people?"

That's awful, how can you hate someone for something they didn't choose/want to have.

These people, I truly can't and never will understand.

[mr moose]

Great thread, looking forward to hearing some responses.

My understanding of autism is very limited so would love to hear about it.

Thanks, I really hope it takes off.

Also, "some people have a stron hatred towards autistic people?"

That's awful, how can you hate someone for something they didn't choose/want to have.

These people, I truly can't and never will understand.

 

Unfortunately it all stems from ignorance. When ever there is a tragic shooting or similar, one or two minor media outlets report that the shooter is autistic (even though none of them have been), then we get a heap of ignorant people starting facebook pages who's sole purpose is to rid the world of all these "dangerous Autistics"  Just Watch the news after any major gun tragedy and you can a see half dozen so-called specialists trying to get their 15 minutes of fame by diagnosing the alleged with all sorts of mental conditions.  It sickens me.

[Volbet]

I am diagnosed autistic, but I don't really notice anything in my day to day life. I do have bad social skill, but I have tought my self to work it out and act as others expected. I usually just have a hard time noticing the social bounderies there are in my interaction with other people. 

 

I do have a very good memory, which is why I can't watch a movie more then once. I never had just one field interest though.

[foxhound590]

Awesome, I can relate to some of that. with two autistic sons we have two plastic train sets, a timber train set, two pc train games and an HO model train layout. Plus all the Thomas DVD's.

 

Does he have a photographic/eidetic memory or just a really good one?

im a high finishing  but very socially awkward with dyslexia and adhd   ** now and i still have my train set and tran simulater

Edited February 23, 2015 by foxhound590

[rhyseyness]

Unfortunately it all stems from ignorance. When ever there is a tragic shooting or similar, one or two minor media outlets report that the shooter is autistic (even though none of them have been), then we get a heap of ignorant people starting facebook pages who's sole purpose is to rid the world of all these "dangerous Autistics"  Just Watch the news after any major gun tragedy and you can a see half dozen so-called specialists trying to get their 15 minutes of fame by diagnosing the alleged with all sorts of mental conditions.  It sickens me.

That is disgusting. I hate the media/press when it comes to mental conditions (and a lot of other things too).

Like you say, they're always looking for their 15 minutes, or their headline. It's awful that some parts of society blindly follow it.

[mr moose]

I can relate to the memory, I have what I refer to as an "oil on canvas" memory, not as good as a photographic memory, but pretty good. I can remember the jist of nearly everything I have read or discussed, but not the finer details. I do not do sarcasm very well at all.

 

P.S the H.O scale train set and one of the simulators are mine B)

[Wulfgar]

I've been noticing a pattern across the internet lately where anyone perceived as lacking social awareness, or even just dumb, is called an "autist" or autistic. It's like the new version of saying "retarded" and I don't like it. It's insulting to those that actually are on the spectrum.

[jscho]

I think that it's interesting that autistic people tend to be very creative and imaginative. I've seen instances where autistic people have painted amazing artworks of something they saw in their early childhood, without having actually seen it at all since then. Quite amazing!

[legopc]

i actualy have a form of autism called (i think) asperger i was only diagnosed with it a couple of years ago (about 3 years) but most of the time i didnt realy notice it but i do notice it when my parents and me are having a "fight" becaus i dont like to get bombed with questions about something i can awnser and then i feel the need to flee and just calm down and i am also more active during the night that day so i can not concentrate on work and stuff but i like to play around with my computer when i need to sleep but for the social part i dont see myself as socialy shy person or something like that im not that guy that is sitting in the corner being loonly i am the guy that will sit with someone radom and anoy them for poops and giggles but as for the being adicted to something well i have that to when i was about 1-4 years old i was FACINATED by vaceum cleaners but after that i got my first laptop and i almost broke the thing for like 5-6 times by installing 2 virus scanners and changin all sorts of stuff but after i got my first laptop i was facinated by computers and all the stuff around it for excample when i was 10 years old i build my first custom build computer i called it THE LEGO COMPUTER  

[Hoppa]

I'm a bit uneducated in this area, but in some cases is it those autistic people who can paint life-like pictures from just recalling an image from their memory?

[mr moose]

I've been noticing a pattern across the internet lately where anyone perceived as lacking social awareness, or even just dumb, is called an "autist" or autistic. It's like the new version of saying "retarded" and I don't like it. It's insulting to those that actually are on the spectrum.

I am glad other people are starting to notice this too,  mind though as insulting is a part of human nature  I don't take it personally even though it's degrading.

 

 

i actualy have a form of autism called (i think) asperger

 

Yep, the latest iteration of the DSM they have removed the Asperger label and now it is just Autism.  I have some issues with the DSM and how they define what Autism is but not that they changed Aspergers to Autism.

 

 

 

i feel the need to flee and just calm down

 

I wonder how common this one is? my son does that when I question him too much.

[mr moose]

I'm a bit uneducated in this area, but in some cases is it those autistic people who can paint life-like pictures from just recalling an image from their memory?

 

There are but I am not too sure if it is due to being autistic or just a coincidence,  there are lots of autistics who can't do that.

[RatedBlam]

I see people with some form of disability every day since there is a kind of a hospital for them here. I don't mind them, they even seem so happy when they're walking along. I have also noticed that some people call you an autist if you take interest in something a bit unusual, they're I'll educated is my guess

[mr moose]

I see people with some form of disability every day since there is a kind of a hospital for them here. I don't mind them, they even seem so happy when they're walking along. I have also noticed that some people call you an autist if you take interest in something a bit unusual, they're I'll educated is my guess

like any disorder (not that I consider it a disorder) people will use it as a general insult or point of reference to explain something.  I usually ignore comments like that as the people who make them are not generally smart enough to understand why it could be offensive.

[xRAGExSounDxRIOTX]

Nobody in my family is autistic or has any whatever you want to call them (don't want to offend anybody). The only real problems in my family is that grandparents have some health problems (I think).

 

I know some people that are autistic at my high school, though. 

[mr moose]

Nobody in my family is autistic or has any whatever you want to call them (don't want to offend anybody). The only real problems in my family is that grandparents have some health problems (I think).

 

I know some people that are autistic at my high school, though. 

 

I refer to myself as Autistic, after all it is an integral part of my being and not a illness. Some people prefer to be called people with autism, because they have been told to use person first language.

 

 

How are the Autistic students at your school treated, are they generally accepted into the community or do they struggle?

[xRAGExSounDxRIOTX]

I refer to myself as Autistic, after all it is an integral part of my being and not a illness. Some people prefer to be called people with autism, because they have been told to use person first language.

 

 

How are the Autistic students at your school treated, are they generally accepted into the community or do they struggle?

Very accepted but I don't really talk to them, use to talk to one of them though. He used to be my friend.

[McMurderMonkey]

I am 13 and have asperger's syndrome, and I feel that the lack of social skills from the "get-go" had given me more of an incentive to improve upon those skills and I now have a fairly good idea of social boundaries and what not. When I told my class mates, they seemed fairly surprised, so I think that on a day to day basis it only really affects the way I think about things and how I see the world. It doesn't hinder me in any way whatsoever; if anything I think it is a blessing because it allows people who are on the spectrum to think in amazing and different ways. Anyway, that is my way of viewing it.

[Lil Chillbil]

I'm autistic, and aspurgers syndrome. As well as ADHD

 

 

just putting that out there. 

[mr moose]

I am 13 and have asperger's syndrome, and I feel that the lack of social skills from the "get-go" had given me more of an incentive to improve upon those skills and I now have a fairly good idea of social boundaries and what not. When I told my class mates, they seemed fairly surprised, so I think that on a day to day basis it only really affects the way I think about things and how I see the world. It doesn't hinder me in any way whatsoever; if anything I think it is a blessing because it allows people who are on the spectrum to think in amazing and different ways. Anyway, that is my way of viewing it.

I am glad to hear that the social skills side of things doesn't effect you that much. I realised at about 28 just how much my lack of social skills effected me, until then I was pretty much living in ignorant bliss of my condition. I feel blessed that I can see the world through autistic eyes.  I honestly believe people without Autism have no idea just what they are missing some times. Just like sometimes we will never know what it is like to be neurotypical.

 

I'm autistic, and aspurgers syndrome. As well as ADHD

 

 

just putting that out there. 

ADHD has a common comorbidity with ASD. My youngest has both too.

[LinusTech]

My sister is the only one with a proper diagnosis, but I suspect my whole family is somewhere on the spectrum.