General Autism Discussion

That is a premise I like.

edited 17th Jan '15 3:43:41 PM by captainmarkle

Which premise are we talking about?

The one Bonsai mentioned. I put one arrow up and didn't realise you'd posted in the interim.

By the way, little update on the Black Manta thing I was talking about a page back. Apparently the original idea from the origin, published in 2003, wasn't supposed to be that he was violent because he was autistic but because he had been subjected to a series of incredibly painful, damaging "treatments" that failed to "fix" his autism, and just left him mad at the world. Later writers didn't pick up on that, and just wrote him as though "autism=psychopathy" until somebody decided to remove the whole thing.

That's too bad. I can't speak for the rest of the thread, but had they actually run with that origin story I wouldn't have had any particular issues with it.

Lame. Hack writers who don't understand nuance had to ruin a potentially good idea, and in the process, create Unfortunate Implications that could teach nasty misconceptions to readers who don't know any better.

I wonder how accurately Black Manta's "autism" was portrayed. I have the feeling that to a lot of writers, autism is just a big word to toss around, or a go-to for certain types of characters, and they're too lazy to do the research.

One writer said he researched autism because he wanted to make a story about a future world where a certain percentage of the population were savants who had excellent jobs that other people couldn't get, and portray the resentment against them and other things that would exist in such a society. Having heard (incorrectly) that "autistic = savant", he decided to do more research into autism, only to learn about the social struggles of autistics, and realize that even IF "autistic = savant" were actually true, not having the social/networking skills can really limit your chances at many things.

He was upset that he couldn't just write a story about people who were otherwise normal but just happened to have savant skills, but then he decided "screw it; I'll make them autistic, portray autism more realistically, and do the story anyway".

That sounds like such a good idea for an Origin Story, a shame they never really kept it in.

I think it would only work for an Origin Story if they knew how to portray autism realistically, and they stuck to it. If they didn't portray it realistically consistently, then it wouldn't help people who have misconceptions of autism.

Because my Mom was Autistic, by Tsara Shelton

The bolded parts are what stuck out to me.

Autism does indeed show up in forms so varied, that it's easy to understand how an average person can have all the sympathy for a low-functioning autistic with obvious symptoms, but encounter that exact same autistic years later after they've gotten much better control over their symptoms and are now higher-functioning and struggling to fit in and be accepted, that individual will be treated like crap.

When I was a toddler, I regressed (according to my parents), and it was at age 3 I got my diagnosis. I was low-functioning, and people didn't recognize high-functioning autism's existence at all in the US at the time. I got my early intervention, learned to talk, look at people, read, etc. and became so high-functioning... that I was that "weird kid" at school who got in trouble for weird, seemingly random behaviors (that were not random at all, but must look that way to an outsider). I didn't get seen as disabled. I got seen as an obnoxious, weird kid who kept getting into trouble.

Due to my behaviors at school, I got sent back to the autism center that had originally given me my skills when I was little. But they too got frustrated with how I kept getting in trouble, and at one point, the director flipped out and shook me, saying "Who do you think you are?? Who do you think you are??" I had no idea how to answer her. I felt like I was in trouble for something I had no control over, and those people's failure to understand high-functioning autism didn't help. As far as they knew, I was some kind of star child who was no longer autistic or something, but suddenly was getting in trouble at school for apparently no reason. There was a reason. They didn't know it because they didn't understand autism's high-functioning forms.

Regarding perceptions of the world, I too assumed people saw the world as I did. That's why I warned my parents that the vacuum cleaner would be LOUD when I had to use it as part of my chores. It was loud as all hell to me, but not to them. I assumed people thought like I did, had the same sensory perceptions I did, and so on. Not understanding that difference, or that there even is a difference, is a real problem.

edited 19th Jan '15 1:20:31 PM by BonsaiForest

Assuming people see the world the way you do isn't limited to just autism, or even just mental conditions. When I started losing my sight, I didn't tell anybody because I assumed that everyone had the same trouble seeing the blackboard that I did. It wasn't until my dad was trying to teach me to catch a football that he realized there was something more than just clumsiness at work—I literally could not see the ball.

Yes, that's true. Autistics just happen to see the world so very differently, that it creates major communication problems if both sides are unaware of it.

Sorry to hear about what happened with your eyesight. :( That must be really rough.

Bonsai, that was really very eloquent.

Thanks, but what was? My response to the article I posted?

Yes, esp. your own personal experiences.

Thanks. While there are people on this site who have been diagnosed with Aspergers, I'm probably one of the few diagnosed with low-functioning autism, who managed to become high-functioning later on. As a result, my experiences are different than the diagnosed Aspies.

The people at that institution talked about me as if I were their star pupil, and I was featured in the front page of their newsletter one year as a success story, and yet, I have to say, that it was mere luck. There are many autistics who get early intervention, and not all become much higher-functioning as a result. I'm sure I received the exact same treatment and teaching that the other kids at the center did, and yet, during my revisit there in the summer between third and fourth grade (to deal with behavior problems in third grade), I recall seeing many very low-functioning teenagers there.

When I was a kid, my parents didn't tell me why I went to this place. It was weird to me, and I didn't understand why all the other kids and teens there were so "weird". I didn't realize that I was the same as them, only much higher-functioning. I didn't see myself as being like them at all.

When I was older, and learned everything about my past, I became very self-conscious, and would never let anyone know I was autistic or went to an institution to deal with it. I didn't want people knowing that. I didn't like knowing that about myself.

edited 19th Jan '15 6:35:15 PM by BonsaiForest

I'm not sure if I perceive the world differently than other people. I know I have poorer hearing in my right ear but besides that ....?

It's not just about physical perception but also social perception, to me talking about my past and some of my troubles is an act of trust and investment in a person, to others it's boasting and bragging. It's the exact same social act, but the perception is very different and creates a very different impression.

Edit: Just look though this thread for examples, Bonsai in particular has said some things that have been perceived radically different by others compared to how he perceived such statements.

edited 20th Jan '15 3:16:18 AM by Silasw

Today I got into an argument with my family because they suggested to me that I should take a half day off on the third day of Chinese New Year (I work half day on Saturdays, which the day falls on) even if I do not go to Port Dickson with them. According to them it is pointless to simply work half a day between two rest days (the second day of Chinese New Year is public holiday for those who are unaware). My response was adamantly refuse because I find it pointless to take leaves just for the sake of it.

The idea of annual leaves are meant to be taken without regards of reasons as long as it is approved (and sometimes, not approved, but in case of travel this is somewhat justified) and has to be used up (even if it is convertible to extra money at the end of the year) baffles me a lot. My neurotypical elder sister says that it is a employee right. I'd say it is a privilege and not meant to be used that way (though I can tolerate resting to relieve strain that would cause fatigue if leaves are not taken). What are your takes on this situation?

edited 20th Jan '15 6:36:23 AM by murazrai

My job allows us to take a certain number of days off from work with no explanation given. I take time off for family vacations, and nothing else, for the most part.

It's up to you to take off if you want to, if your job lets you do that. I don't even see it as a big deal.

In the meantime, I thought this was cute. A 14-year-old autistic boy who's been obsessed with vacuum cleaners ever since he was 2, got a birthday surprise from the Kirby vacuum company, and one of their salespeople.

His mom wrote the company this letter:

The company responded by sending a salesman, who demonstrated a Kirby model, and the salesman was impressed by the boy's enthusiasm and deep knowledge of the Kirbys. He said the kid knew more about vacuums than the salesman himself ever did. He was impressed enough to just give the vacuum away, and that act brought the family to tears.

Yeah, vacuum cleaners are a weird obsession, not to mention that to many autistics, they're an unholy terror thanks to their LOUD sound, but hey. The kid met one of his heroes that day. And Kirby got free publicity.

edited 20th Jan '15 1:31:09 PM by BonsaiForest

I can see the probable chain: loud! >> how does it get so loud? >> starts digging >> woo! all the things connect to other things!

It's not unlike a fear of spiders can be converted into keeping jumping spiders or tarantulas as pets.

edited 20th Jan '15 3:41:44 PM by Euodiachloris

More autism brain stuff.

Apparently, it's not lack of pruning synapses that causes sensory overstimulation, but having created too many synapses in the first place.

This one's too much to simplify with just a single sentence, so I'll go into some detail:

• Autistic people's brains form connections differently, not just differently from normal brains, but also differently from each other, as each brain is wired in its own distinct way.
  • The more severe/intense the autism, the more abnormal connections there are.
• Many different brain profiles fall under the description of "autism" despite how different they are, adding yet more credence to the idea that autism isn't one condition, but multiple related conditions.

edited 21st Jan '15 11:35:21 AM by BonsaiForest

Every time I get an email from someone I worked under as an intern, my mom ALWAYS pesters me to email them back immediately, thanking them for no specific reason besides sucking up so that they're more likely to rehire me. Its annoying!

But not incorrect.

A lot of the social rules are annoying.

We need to learn which ones truly are stupid and useless (after all, we live in a world where people are bullied in high school for wearing the "wrong" shirt or listening to the "wrong" music), and which social rules are genuinely important, and why.

I think "why" is the number one most important question anyone can ask about anything. Once you understand the "why", everything else falls into place. Rules become easier to remember, and you also learn which ones can be safely ignored.

The issue is people who don't want to say the "why". I've met people who basically just say "That's because that's how it is. Period." and think I'm weird for wanting to know why (for example) wearing glasses is lame is half the people in the school do.

Yes, that is a problem also. People who don't want to admit the real reason they do some of the seemingly stupid, irrational things they do. Because the real reason is embarrassing, stupid or selfish.

New movie features actors with autism

edited 22nd Jan '15 12:36:58 PM by BonsaiForest