Us vs. Them

       One big example of how universal ego-centeredness is would be the concept of "us vs. them". It's everywhere and there's no escape. Ethnocentrism is only one form of this, and that's a little like ego-centrism but on the collective. In some ways collective ego can be even more dangerous, insidious and sneaky than individual ego yet appears more altruistic.
       Many people are now familiar with the famous red state/blue state maps that come out every 4 years after the general elections. I'll admit I find them fascinating and have their purpose. What I don't like is how they're used to simplify Americans into "us" or "them" groups with one side being the good guys and the other the bad. People get seen on a linear spectrum of right and left while the average person is far more more complex than these relative terms- and I stress the word "relative". This kind of associative thinking can lead to naive assumptions of others. Where would other countries fit in. Lets say a country is Socialist/Far Left but they still have the death penalty and wouldn't dream of same-sex marriage? The terms "right" and "left" may have a different meaning and context in other countries. A "San Francisco Bay Liberal" may not have much in common with many "Rust Belt Democrats". Many people are not at all into news or politics but among themselves have their own "us vs. them" dichotomy (eg. those who love pit-bulls vs. those who don't, those who love punk rock vs. those who don't get it...). I'll in admit that even in the "Autistic Community" there are signs of an "us vs. them" mentality here and there. For those who don't know the term NT or neuro-typical refer to people who are not ASD.
       Our own culture changes too. If one looks at the red/blue maps from historic elections going way back the "red" and "blue" counties and regions have changed. Even among well meaning good causes not aligned with the contemporary political or religious spectrum, there is frequently a "people are either with us or against us" attitude. This sometimes created a false dichotomy which can be used to manipulate people against their own reason and prevent "thinking outside the box". I'm Catholic for example, and when reading Catholic literature and online discussions there is a strong divide in people who support Vatican II and people who bitterly oppose it. Then again there are many younger Catholics who don't even understand what Vatican II was and would be lost in such an argument. I'm also a dog lover and found that even in the warm hearted "dog lover community" there is sometimes heated debates between those who follow Caesar Millan's methods in a biblical way, and those who are dogmatic about "positive reinforcement only". Of course there is overlap between both sides as both only want the best for their dog but might not realize that others with a different view mean just as well.
       In dealing with Autistic people and other developmentally disabled people there are many good people and few go into Human Services with purely selfish motives. The pay is not usually that good anyway. But no one is immune to their own ego not even a Buddhist monk. While this not know to be as competitive or cut-throat of a field as are many corporate environments, there is sometimes a moral one-upsmanship among "bleeding hearts" that can turn nasty under the radar. It is important to recognize and respect the good intentions of others even if we disagree strongly. Many times people just differ on the best methods to reach the same goal (as is the case in politics). People may differ in which way to view or approach Autism. Many times the only thing people agree on is how wrong everyone else is. In politics I feel most "Conservatives" and "Liberals" want to see an end to poverty, world peace, less crime, less corruption, less waste, good roads, and even a good beer, but it's on the means to the end in which they disagree.
       PS: If I start to seem a little random or off-topic at times- good. While I want to use this blog to give another insider perspective on the Autistic Spectrum, it is not the only purpose of this blog and Autism is not the center of my identity. So far this blog is resembling an Autism e-book with the chapters backwards more than a blog but it is still a blog so don't be surprised if I don't throw in a random post about the weather or something on the news. This week hasn't been all that exiting in weather or current events. I also don't intend for this site to be all serious. I don't like being serious unless I have to be. So far I don't have a lot of catchy photos and images yet. There will be since I like to take pictures and as for images I have to do more research on copyright laws so I don't make any big faux-pas. I realize there is a need for information and different perspectives as people try to understand Autism. I also understand that the Internet is flooded with information on the topic much of it excellent and I don't want to just repeat the obvious. This is why I'm taking a laid back approach to this and not too worried about being comprehensive. Autism/Neurodiversity is such a broad and evolving topic anyway- it would be impossible to say all that needs to be said in one lifetime.

Euphamism Treadmill

       One of the more frustrating examples of keeping up with the times is the use of euphemisms. At one time the terms "idiot", "moron", imbecile" and "invalid" were accepted clinical terms. Now they are off limits and terms that include "challenged" are more in vogue. These changes also include names for ethnic groups and more. While this is not bad in and of itself, I do believe words have power and inclusiveness is the way to go, it does seem that today's euphemism is tomorrows slur. We all have made faux-pas at one time. Years back I innocently used the term "oriental" to describe something since I grew up on the term and never thought it was offensive. A decent acquaintance of mine sternly corrected me and said "Asian" was the proper term. I guess he was right but what put me off was the big cloud of smugness around him and it's that holier-than-thou attitude is what makes people so jaded with what they see as "PC". While some words such as "moron" and some racial terms are clearly out of line, there are other changes in the English language that many well meaning people have a hard time keeping up with. This is especially true in the humanitarian community including those who work with the "challenged". If for example a kind elderly person says "Today I went to see da' Indian Doctor about my arthur-itis.", it doesn't make them a bigoted monster. While I do support respectful language I believe in having patience with others who don't know the new terms yet and that the whole attitude of respect is more important than even the words. One's inner attitude will eventually shine through in their language anyway. Smugness only has the opposite effect. On the other hand many words that were once offensive have either been desensitized or reclaimed and are no longer taboo. I especially don't want to see a world of "chips on shoulders" where people always feel like they're on thin ice. That certainly won't lead to world peace. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euphemism#Euphemism_treadmill

Bullying "epidemic"

       Here's another thing that seems to be "in" right now, bullying awareness. Now I'm in a sense all for ending bullying but the cynic in me can't understand why "awareness" causes seem to take the form of fads. I was bullied as many with or without ASD were. When I look back on it some of it may have been typical "boys will be boys" stuff but other things were just unacceptable. I don't believe there is any bullying "epidemic" anymore than there is an Autism "epidemic". I think today people are just more aware of it and the media goes through many phases of hyping things up- selectively. Years ago if someone was bullied, especially a boy, it was not so much acceptable but seen as some sort of a "rite of passage" and that the famous advice was "hit em back" and there will be some fairy tale like transition to manhood and you will live happily ever after in high school. People tend to oversimplify. Hitting back can mean getting suspended, as for who started it, it's your word against theirs. Also many people with ASD are socially isolated and don't have an entourage of friends to back us up both verbally and physically. Also no simplistic anti-bullying law can stop the subtle passive-aggressive bullying that tends to continue through adulthood. There has to be a culture of inclusion and understanding to get to the root of the problem. While many seem to think letting kids handle bullies themselves teaches self-sufficiency, most would agree that bullying the "special-ed" kids or physically handicapped people is unacceptable. Only thing is many developmental disabilities are invisible, making people seem like fair game. To be honest I think much of this anti-bullying "fad" is focused on issues of sexual orientation and gender expression and perhaps Autism to a lesser extent. Not that I have anything against any of those causes as I support equality and inclusion across the board. I'm not as comfortable with setting aside labeled groups of people as "sacred cows" as this can have an opposite effect and cause hidden resentment and eventually a backlash. Also some of the stories that make the national news as part of this horrific epidemic, while it is unacceptable at all times I can remember some of these things being rather commonplace back when I was in school. While I support putting a stop to bullying as best as we could I don't like hype or spin even if it is to further a cause that I support. This only turns people more callous and jaded later on.

Coolness/Zeitgeist

       "Coolness" is one of those elusive unspoken concepts that is a problem for many people with ASD to keep up with. It involves many rules of speech, hobbies, dress, and mannerisms that constantly change over time. It's not something that can be easily taught. One of the paradoxes of "coolness" is that as soon as it can be identified (lets say a fad or fashion), it has already moved on. It is an elusive concept related to Zeitgeist which is German for "time spirit" or "spirit of the times". The Zeitgeist is far easier to understand when looking back and reminiscing. I'm in no way implying that being cool, popular, aesthetically pleasing, or aware should be a priority in and of itself. There is nothing wrong with being a geek and I cartainly don't imply that everyone needs to have the aesthetics of an Abercrombie model. To a point though we have to have some awareness in order to avoid problems.
       Some extreme examples, in colonial times there was nothing feminine about upper class men wearing wigs. If someone wants to do that today, more power to them but it may some with social consequences. For a long time in the early 20th century, long hair in men was considered eccentric at the very best. In the 1960's and 1970's it became more popular among young people while older people saw it as disrespectful enough to deny someone a job over. In the early 1970's decorating a home in harvest gold, avocado green, burnt orange, shag carpeting, fake wood paneling, stolen street signs in bedrooms, bars in the basement, dartboards that never get used, gaudy floral wall paper and front porch furniture, and fake greenery was the thing to do. Generations later it became the butt of many jokes and sometimes a nightmare for real estate people, designers, and landlords to work with. In the 1980's many people had big hair, mullets, shoulder pads, high shoes, pants pulled up to the chest to look tall, men getting up just as early in the AM as their sisters to style their hair, short pastel colored shorts, cars overloaded with flamboyant accessories, Jordache jeans... Some of this lingered into the 90's in parts of the US. Today however, what was cool in 1984 can lead to some very negative attention unless your one of those people who know how to pull off anything. When many people look at their parents' high school yearbook and see which kids were considered cool or the major heart-throbs would be the laughing stock of their high school today.
       I am a firm believer in individuality over conformity, however I like to see everyone, especially those with ASD to understand what is going on to avoid getting bullied. One thing I learned early on is what one thinks looks cool on someone else may not work for another. Many styles, jewelry(especially on men), tattoos, mannerisms... that look "cool" on a well respected acquaintance may be meant to make a certain statement relevant to a particular subculture and may cause someone imitating that to be severely misunderstood. It seems this is most pronounced in the teen years and early adulthood, where rules can be quite complex and people struggle with trying to find the perfect balance between conformity and originality (a very thin line). Many times people just wake up and wear whatever feels comfortable with no intention of making any statements, but it doesn't mean people wont try to interpret a statement out of us. All too often, people get bullied and don't understand why. If they do something eccentric people end up blaming the victim and thinking they were trying to draw attention to themselves and have no sympathy. Many times these are the same people who won't give helpful advice.
       Another strange irony of "coolness" is that if it is revealed that one is trying to seek it out then they are anything but cool, therefore I don't recommend for people to try to be cool. I do however recommend basic self awareness. This is something that needs to be taught by loved ones and won't be part of any formal social skills or "etiquette" training.
       Here's a link to some excellent Wikipedia articles on Zeitgeist and Coolness including a profound quote from Bart Simpson. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeitgeist, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coolness... And here's a very entertaining blog about the 1970's styles from today's perspective. http://my-retrospace.blogspot.com/2010/08/that-70s-home-6.html.
       BTW I'm not sure if Einstein was ASD or not, but he may be an example of someone who made a much bigger difference in the world than the average pop-culture icon. Yet going by his pictures he wasn't what many would call aesthetically savvy. Cool people may get more esteem when they're alive but geeks seem to be better remembered in the long run.

Who do you call (ego centered)?

       The word "Autism" and "ego-centered" are frequently used in the same sentence. To many non-professionals this may be easily misunderstood to mean "egotistical" or selfish. Of course this is not the case. With human nature the way it is, everyone is ego-centered to some extent. Some people just have the skills to hide it better than others.
       Here are some examples: Many people in the rural Northeastern US would not argue that Boston is a big city with over 6 million people in the metropolitan area. However on a worldwide scale it doesn't even make the top 40 metro areas no matter how you measure them. To someone from Tokyo or Delhi it is a small city.
       A Canadian moving to Washington DC may describe their new home as having a mild climate with an average January low of 29F- not bad. However someone moving to the same place from Puerto Rico(where the temperature has never been recorded below 39F) may think of DC as a cold climate. Both are right.
       On a cozy night before Christmas in Montreal to state that it is a cold winters night seems like a no-brainer. After all Christmas is a Winter holiday... or is it? In Alice Sprigs, Australia it may be a hot, sunny Summer afternoon. In coastal Australia Christmas means a trip to the beach and maybe some sunbathing. As for much of Pakistan, one of the largest countries in the world, December 25 might be just another day.
       What about the Far East? Think Japan, China, South and North Korea. What makes them Far East. They are pretty far east on the map and Orient means East. East of what? The world isn't flat. To Hawaii, Japan is Northwest. Does this make Western Europe the center of the world?
       What about that "rude" foreigner who thinks we're rude. Both parties may know the basics of each other's native language but not the dynamics. In English a statement that would normally seem curt and direct becomes polite based on how we raise or lower our tone of voice while saying it. In a different language the same tone of voice may have a different meaning. This is stuff they tend to not teach in basic level language classes.
       Not all generalizations are malicious as long as they are accepted as generalizations and not absolutes. To say Russia has cold winters and one should be prepared when traveling there sounds reasonable. Most of this huge country does get pretty cold and some parts get colder than the North Pole. The Black Sea coast on the other hand has Winters mild enough for there to be a good amount of palm trees. While sunny Spain, Argentina, and Chile have ski resorts that may get more snow than anywhere in England. My point it not all generalizations are bad as long as one respects possible exceptions and contradictions to the rule and doesn't confuse the general with the specific. Not to say there are no absolutes, there are, but many of the things people get into pointless heated arguments about are only relative and both sides are both right and wrong.
       While most Anthropology and cultural studies examine the differences between "us" and some far away exotic "others", it's easy to forget that there are cultural differences between individuals and even households in the same neighborhood. 2 kids may have both have been brought up to be thoughtful, respectful and have good manners, but may get some stern looks by their friends parents when visiting another person's house. What one family emphasizes as good manners may be different for another family. While many households expect us to take off our shoes at the door, people in another household may be perplexed as to why an acquaintance or even a repair person just took their shoes off when the came in. To some it may seem too familiar but to others its only common courtesy.

High and Low Context Cultures

       Context Orientation is a term one generally hears in Anthropology, and Business Sociology. One way to distinguish environments, cultures, as well as business and social situations is "high and low context". I mention this because I think it is the high context situations where people on the Autistic spectrum have a much harder time learning the ropes. Low-Context cultures, which tend to predominate in the Western world (especially in industrialized regions), tend to be more transparent. Rules tend to be more written and social expectations tend to be "above the radar". Low Context cultures tend to be in areas where there is a homogeneous population, greater familiarity, or even oppressive situations where people don't want to be easily read by outsiders. These environments tend to have more nuance, unwritten rules, "secret handshakes"... No culture or environment is perfectly one way or another, but knowing the context orientation can tell us how literally or "at face value" we should take the rules. On the other hand many unwritten rules remain unspoken for a reason whether fair or fowl. One of the most universal unwritten rules is not to discuss unwritten rules in polite conversation. Doing so will easily result in defensiveness, a flippant denial that such unwritten rules exist, and being accused of ...heaven forbid...stereotyping. (Of course no one could stand stereotypes and generalizations unless they're ones they agree with, and they're coming out of their own mouth. ;)  Many places we go have written dress codes or age limits which are strictly enforced. This is low context and generally not a huge problem for people with ASD to deal with. Other places may have an unspoken dress code, age limit, or gender expectations, this is high context.
       We are still expected to follow rules even if their unwritten. These rules change over time and may even include not taking the written rules too literally. (an example in some traffic situations on highways not being willing to go one mile over the speed limit can be downright dangerous and stopping at a stop sign when the roads are a sheet of ice and no one else is around can lead us through someones garage door.) A more social example is that if a man goes into a hard core biker bar in the middle of nowhere. He comes in with designer clothes and orders an apple martini. There might be no written rule against it but it might not go over very well. Not to "stereotype" I'm sure there are bikers that can appreciate an urban drink but still, were expected to know the ropes and being naive is no excuse. Likewise were supposed to know not to go into some upscale stores on 5th Avenue in New York dressed in jogging clothes and ask how much their cheapest shirts cost. Some unwritten rules are obvious, while some are difficult to teach in words and depends on our intuition and the context of the situation.
       Luckily today we have the relative safety and privacy of the Internet to get some of this information. We can go to business etiquette sites and learn unwritten rules for different countries without being scolded for generalizing. We can even look up slang words and understand what they mean.
       Another thing that could happen when we inquire about the unwritten rules is the kindly patronizing "Why should you care what everyone else thinks of you..." Of course we shouldn't but to a point everyone does. We need to care what a prospective employer thinks of us and know enough to be on time and well dressed for an interview. Many people on the Autistic spectrum are already individualistic and could care less about "coolness" or the Zeitgeist". Breaking some unwritten rules however come with unwritten, below the radar punishments and consequences. Another unspoken rule is not to question them or else you may get a flippant "I don't know but that's just the way it is". A more extreme example the US Constitution has no prohibitions against eating cats (though its possible some smaller jurisdictions do). Either way even if it was allowed it is something that just isn't done... thankfully.
       While many unwritten rules have an understandable purpose, many aren't even fair and should be questioned (even it it carries consequences). An example would be the many taboos people in many places have regarding race, gender, or social class. Questioning such rules may expose their irrationality and absurdity.
       Here's a good website that explains context orientation better than I can:
http://www.culture-at-work.com/highlow.html

South Park review...

       The cartoon "South Park" did a show this season on Aspergers. I actually like the cartoon for its strong statements it makes behind all the low-brow humor. I know it can sometimes be offensive but they are at least careful to offend everyone equally.
       I haven't had the time to watch it in a while and was looking through itunes and noticed A*s Burgers in a show title and thought oh-no here's my turn to be ...offended. Actually it wasn't as bad as I thought. The show was meant to make fun of the vaccine controversy and not to make fun of those with ASD. A few scenes went a little far with the bathroom humor as South Park usually does. I have read things on Aspergers in professional, educational literature that is much more profoundly offensive than what you'd find in a satirical comedy.

A Good Article

This is an old article written by a woman on the Autistic Spectrum and one of my favorites: http://www.inlv.demon.nl/subm-brain.jane.eng.html

Autism and Creativity

       In many descriptions of ASD I hear how people on the spectrum have a hard time "thinking outside the box" and prefer sameness, routine, and repetition. In some ways it sounds more like a description of Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder. I'm not saying this is a lie with no elements of truth, but it doesn't mean we are boring, always stubborn, and narrow-minded. This is another example of how Autism can be a paradox. Some of the world's most creative artists have ASD and can color outside the lines just as eloquently as anyone else. Sometimes the sense of detachment can be an asset giving people freedom from social convention and the herd mentality.

Autistic "stereotypes" 101

       OK I'm not a member of the "stereotype police" and avoid blind political correctness. I realize that sometimes we need to make generalizations about things to identify patterns and understand them (this includes Autism). I'm not one to make a knee-jerk reaction or get smug anytime someone makes a generalization about Autism. I have also learned to be patient with people's ignorance. I for example never met anyone with muscular dystrophy, I'd try not to make assumptions, but there's a lot about it that I don't know. I never met a person from the country of Uzbekistan so I am relatively ignorant of their culture. Now being into geography I can easily find it on the map and know a few things about it thanks to the magic of Google but I'm still no expert on their culture. We can't possibly know everything about everything. I think it's important to know a generalization and a stereotype. And an important rule of thumb is not to judge the individual by the general and don't judge the general or group by the individual. That's pretty simple logic. I guess being a social sciences major my reaction to hearing a "myth" or so-called "stereotype" is to politely educate without being "holier-than-thou". I'll even acknowledge any elements of truth to it and try to put it into proper perspective. When we get a cold not everyone experiences a sore throat, many do however so I cannot fault a medical journal for listing it as a cold symptom. Although I'm reasonably progressive on social and cultural issues and want very much for people to get along. I also want people to understand each other as much as possible. (Not that people necessarily have to understand each other to get along but it sure helps...) Blind political correctness however doesn't really solve problems it tends more to sweep them under the rug. Now here's my take on some of these misunderstandings:

"Rainman": The late 1980's movie was about a man with Savant Syndrome, not Aspergers. Those with Autism may have a few Savant skills but it's not the same thing and rarely as extreme as the movie. On the other hand, "flu-like" symptome don't always mean you have the flu. I actually had all my state capitals memorized in kindergarden and was good at remembering birthdays as well as telling people what day of the week they are born on in 1966...In early grade school a well meaning teacher used to take me around the school quizzing me in front of other teachers. Of course it seemed cute and people were fascinated. By later on in grade school I began hiding this "talent". Sure I was the life of the party on the surface and it looked like all positive attention that it was bringing me.  My gut feeling told me to stop, esp. as I was getting older and the "cuteness" factor was waning. I was in 5th or 6th grade when Rainman came out and was already being compared to him by other kids. I felt that I was stereoptying myself by doing that (although I didn't know I has Autism until my early twenties).

"The 40 Year Old Virgin": Now this movie had nothing to do with Autism or Aspergers and I never really heard anyone else associate the movie with it. I'll even admit I had a good laugh at certain parts of the movie until the end where it got a little bit much. I do feel that the main character of this movie looks like the clichee image of how people picture those with Aspergers. Many people realize we can be logically intelligent but also see us as severely naive and therefore it is still OK to belittle us. It is true that many of us can appear "geeky" and socially awkward. Our slow processing can make us appear naive. Many times we can compensate and through either logic or intuition, can understand more than people think.

Star Trek: There does seem to be a high prevalence of Aspergers among sci-fi fans. I take strong exception to this. I've known a couple Star Trek and Star Wars fans over the years, none of them Autistic. I myself can barely get through one episode. I find watching paint dry far more relaxing.

That were all literal: Many of us do tend toward linear/logical thinking, but sometimes the opposite can be true. People think Autistic people are totally incapable of getting sarcasm, irony or even appreciate the arts. I mean you do have to watch some expressions, especially Autistic children such as "I'm going to kill you" but in general we can learn these expressions. I think slow processing is behind a lot of this. Take sarcasm for example, I can be sarcastic/cynical myself (but not in a mean-spirited way). It's not that I don't pick up on it either, but sometimes a few seconds too late. I may get a sarcastic compliment and politely accept the compliment and then realize 5 seconds later that the person was telling me off. I them look like an idiot. I also love the arts, although when it comes to movies I prefer the straight facts of a documentary than some made up love story. I do love comedy though, including irony. I also think many people get too literal in trying to understand Autism through reading official literature without using any intuition. People sometimes take me to literally thinking im Autistic so I must be literal. I many times hear Aspergers described as mind-blindness. I'm not denying that there is truth to this but people think of it in absolut terms. If someone is visually impared or hearing impared, even if they are legally blind or deaf it doesn't necessarily mean that they can't see or hear at all.

     That we have no desire for friends and want to be left alone.: I've actually seen this written by Autistic people themselves and while this may be true for them, it is not true for everyone with ASD. Everyone needs their space from time to time and those on the spectrum maybe even more. There are many Autistic people that love having friends but just have a harder time making them or find people who share their interests at the same intensity level. I love sharing my life with family, friends, and acquaintences, even strangers. My only thing is I was never much for group dynamics or cliques. Also there Autistic adults who marry and sucessfully raise families.

     That leads me to another misunderstanding, that all Autistic people are children. Adults and even older adults with Autism tend to be forgotten in the Autism Awareness dialogue. Autism Awareness has become almost a fad of sorts which can be a mixed blessing. I'll get more to that another time.

     I'm off to bed since I have to work tomorrow but I'll have more on here as I think of it. I'll remind anyone that this blog is a work in progress and I had to overcome a lot of writers block to even start this. To add to this I'll fix up my posts to look better only to pull my blog up on another computer and see something off such as my paragraphs jumbled up into one. Luckily I'm not being graded on this by an English Composition 101 professor. For now I'll just try to keep things simple.

Ideas for improving communication...

       Some things I think can help improve non-verbal communication skills: One is exposure to animals, especially dogs. Strangely I find dogs easier to communicate with than humans since they don't attempt to deceive. I don't think it even has to be a fancy, structured, "animal therapy" program. Just casual exposure over a period of time can help. I don't just say this because it sounds cute, charming, or trendy. This I believe has helped me. Dogs always seem to get their point across without any words.
       Also, exposure to others with developmental disabilities who are non-verbal can help. Working with the deaf I think can help too though I don't really count sign language as non-verbal communication.

Sensory Integration + Motor Issues

       This is one of the biggest issues in Autism and the DSM doesn't seem to mention this. Everyone has some sensory differences. No two people perceive the world exactly the same. This causes a lot of misunderstandings between people. Some people love to blast music, while others, especially older adults find it unpleasant. Some people, like me, love fragrances (cologne, perfume, air fresheners, essential oils) others find it overwhelming. If someone has a migraine, sometimes the lighting and sound that usually doesn't bother them become torture. A dog's sense of smell is about 40x than that of a human. I can recall petting my dog after I out on a mentholated muscle cream and he ran as if someone put ammonia under his nose(I know he's not human but just using him as an example). A hot pepper that may cause the average person a burning mouth is more a delicacy to others. Some people pay money and stand in line for hours in heat and humidity to ride certain amusement rides which I wouldn't go on if you paid me $1000. In Autistic people these sensory differences tend to be more pronounced and can vary by the individual. Sensory sensitivities and even sensory INsensitivities are a common issue with Autistic people and can become a major hindrance in a very sneaky way. It can be mistaken for lack of empathy, or even phobias. 
       Speaking of phobias, I think a lot of what people in general think are phobias are actually sensory sensitivities. A phobia is irrational. It is a product of our misperceptions. Knowing it is irrational may help and sometimes (not always) phobias can be treated with counseling. Sensory differences are a different ball game. Someone might fear a popping balloon for the same reason others would "rationally" fear getting shot. Sounds such as fire alarms which may be startling or annoying to anyone may be terrifying and painful for those on the spectrum and no counseling, pop-psychology, or speeches on self-confidence are going to change the way someone perceives things.
       Some mild sensory differences that many of us have are more in the category of pet-peeves. We all have a few things that may bother us slightly more than they bother others like flickering lights or the smell of a new carpet. In general people learn to make compromises with the rest of the world and learn to tolerate things. It is reasonable to ask a friend not to smoke near us if it bothers us, but not to ask a school to tear out their new carpeting because the smell annoys us. For some, flickering lights are a severe annoyance, others may not even notice anything flickering, while in some extreme cases it can be enough to cause a person to go into a seizure. In that case they need to avoid that environment. Luckily I don't have anything that severe but some people, especially on the Autistic spectrum do.
       Motor issues are also prevalent in Autism. Whatever hang to normally write with, try to write with the opposite hand. It probably can be done but it is a lot more awkward. Luckily we rarely have to do that unless we get a broken arm. Now try and apply this to any other bodily movement to get a perspective on motor and coordination issues. Not everyone Autistic has this. Some may have exceptionally fine motor skills. Some may be a mix and have difficulty with sports and excel at playing the piano (or vice vera).

Confirmation Bias

       For those not familiar with the term "confirmation bias" if you could just look it up. I bring this up because if you are dealing with a person with Autism or any other "label", always remember that you are more likely to notice things that confirm what you were presuming. If one is to presume anything, presume the best at least. Bias is a huge part of human nature. It is part of the ego, its everywhere and no human is immune to it. No one wants to be wrong about a person. We tend to like to think that our first impressions and gut feelings about a person are always right. Many times this is subconscious. Although education helps, professionals are in no way immune to confirmation bias. If for example we meet a person and we sense weakness, lets say we think this person is "slow" or naive, whether the person is or isn't we might find ourselves avoiding conversations with the person that disprove our theory. If we say a person is not mature or intelligent we might unconsciously find ourselves avoiding topics of conversation with that person that we suspect they may be well versed on. Even when we label ourselves, for example with a political/ideological label we might only pay attention to news stories which support the point of view we identify with. In many spiritual traditions the key to enlightenment is putting our biases aside, at least temporarily to get the truth. This is far easier said than done and requires humility.

My review of the DSM IV

       Clinical information like you'd find in the DSM can be easily taken out of context and sometimes sounds worse than it is. I don't really blame the DSM since it was written the way it was for a reason and meant for professional use. Not much is black and white in psychology. The manuals are good for identifying patterns not necessarily as absolutes. As time goes by these tend to change as more is understood about certain conditions and new categories form. What I will do here is go through the lines in the DSM describing Aspergers Syndrome (only on form of Autism) and explain how it affects my life and give an "unprofessional" point of view.
(BTW I need to add I am going to presume some knowledge on the part of anyone reading this to have some background about what Autism or Aspergers is. I don't want to rewrite all of the good information that is already on the net. If a word is not familiar or if one needs more info they could ask me or just highlight a word or phrase and Google it.
Now to start with these "symptoms":


[The following is from Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM IV]
(I) Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:

(A) marked impairments in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body posture, and gestures to regulate social interaction. This is one of the big things. Eye contact can be a problem for those on the spectrum. Many autistic people have a problem managing eye contact and either avoid it, or use it too intensely. Either extreme can cause a person to be severely misunderstood. Also there is difficulty with non-verbal communication. I'm OK with the basics of it but I'd want to point out that there is more to it than "body language". We communicate non-verbally all the time and don't realize it yet most people take it for granted. Everything from tone of voice, the way we dress, our mannerisms, our actions and many other things are part of non-verbal communication. Context orientation is also a big thing. Although written communication and sign-language may be non-verbal in a technical sense it is still direct communication and usually not as much of a problem for Autistic people as higher context communication.

(B) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level  When I was little I tended to get along better with kids who were a little younger, OR better yet, with older adults. I think part of this is the more differences between people and their "peers" the less people notice differences or compare you to them. One is therefore judged less. When there is a generational or even a cultural difference, people tend to overlook some minor eccentricities thinking it must be a generational or cultural thing. Lets say you have an acquaintance from a foreign country and you display odd behavior, a person my dismiss it as a cultural difference they they don't yet understand if they even notice any difference at all.

(C) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interest or achievements with other people, (e.g.. by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people) This I think can go one extreme or another. Sometimes the person can share their interests too aggressively and miss signs that others are not interested. And sometimes, we know our interests are unusual and just don't want to bore anybody. Generally I do like to share my interests to those who are interested and I will in this blog. The beauty of a blog is that if people are not interested, they don't have to read it.
(D) lack of social or emotional reciprocity OK this one gets severely misunderstood. Literally the term "autistic" means self centered. We hear terms such as "ego-centered" and lack of empathy. Much of the problem is people misunderstand what these terms mean. Empathy for example is not the same as compassion. There are different types of empathy and to save me a little time look up the word "empathy" on Wikipedia. This does not mean Autistic people cannot be altruistic or compassionate. It does not mean that we can't understand or apply "The Golden Rule", we just might take it too literally at times. Ego-centered does not mean egotistical or Narcissistic. It also does not mean we can't understand basic "give and take" but sometimes we might have a delay in applying it spontaneously. Empathy is a gift and a tool. It can be used for good or evil just like fire. Compassion on the other hand is a virtue more tied with a person's character.  
(II) Restricted repetitive & stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:  
(A) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus The term "stereotyped" here I think is just a clinical term for compulsive behaviors not the "All Italians eat pasta" kind of stereotype.
(B) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals This does not mean that we are boring people who never want change or would never try anything new. I for example love trying new things, especially food. I think this has more to do with adapting to sudden or unexpected changes that we have no control over.
(C) stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g. hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements) These "self-soothing behaviors sound at first like something typical of those who are mentally challenged. Yet if we think about it we all have a little bit of this in us. People figit, tap their foot, talk to themselves, use rocking chairs all the time and never question why their doing it. Autistic people just do this stuff more and might lack the social awareness to know when to do these things and when not to. Most people know not to talk to themselves in public but some might not be as aware that other people are nearby and observing them.
(D) persistent preoccupation with parts of objects Hmmm, do I love parts of objects? This one sounds strange. I'd say the point of this one refers to fragmented thinking and a tendency to see things in terms of parts as opposed to holistic thinking.
(III) The disturbance causes clinically significant impairments in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. Absolutely, there are people who show traces of Autistic traits but will go on to lead normal lives and never get diagnosed or have any need to. Also conditions like Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder can have overlap traits which can be mistaken for mild Aspergers at times but is not the same thing. For more on what OCPD is (which is also not to be confused with OCD), just google the terms.
(IV) There is no clinically significant general delay in language (E.G. single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years)This part is what really seems to distinguish Asperger Syndrome from classic Autism. I know I learned to talk early yet many on the spectrum talk late or not at all. For me I think learning to talk and even read early was a way of compensating for difficulties in non-verbal communication.
(V) There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self help skills, adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction) and curiosity about the environment in childhood.

(VI) Criteria are not met for another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Schizophrenia."  Good point, I think many people who may have been diagnosed with mild Schizophrenia years back may have been mildly Autistic. Before Schizophrenia was understood, people would have all sorts of theories all the way down to demonic influence.

Paradoxes in Autism

       One of my favorite websites on AS is www.larsperner.com. Dr. Lars Perner is a professor of marketing at the University of California at Riverside originally  from Denmark. He is on the Autism spectrum himself. On his websites he mentions how Autism is a paradox to understand. It can cause behavior to go from one extreme to another. Many on the spectrum have special gifts that seem to contradict the clinical definition. For example people refer to AS people as lacking empathy or thinking in black and white. Yet many of them are quite sensitive, creative and intuitive. Some say we lack theory of mind but I have a hard time believing that. Here is a link to his website, please scroll down to the part on the paradoxes of Autism:
http://www.larsperner.com/autism/Big%20Picture.htm

Disclaimer

       I guess I should start with a disclaimer. Any perspectives I put here are my own and I only speak for myself. There are others on the Autism spectrum who may have a.vastly different experience. For example, if I say that something works for me doesn't necessarily mean it works for another just because we have the same condition.
       Also I am not a doctor, neurologist, or psychologist so nothing I write should be seen as medical advice.

About This Blog

       I plan to have this blog on a variety of topics and have a hard time knowing where to start. The main one is life on the Autistic Spectrum from my perspective. The title I am currently using "A Schnauzer Speaks His Mind" is inspired by my dog. He frequently tries to "talk" to us but cannot seem to get the words out. Usually it's just a request for food, play, or a bathroom break but he always manages to get his point across. Autism affects communication, particularly non-verbal so I thought it would be a good analogy. Dogs of course have the opposite issue in a way, they're pretty good at non-verbal communication but cannot talk.
As I get more time and as this site develops I will try to answer questions people have. I never had a blog before other than facebook so it may take time for me to get used to this, bear with me... I'm not going to get too much into describing what Asperger Syndrome or Autism is since that info is all over the Internet, even Wikipedia has a pretty good article on the topic. What I'd rather do is take the clinical definitions of it and explain it in layman's terms and how it affects me.
      

Welcome to my blog.

See my profile for more about who I am.