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| There are so many reasons to be proud as an autistic individual, stand up and believe in yourself... |
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| Written by Put together by AsPlanet.info (sent in by various members) UPDATED May 2010 | ||||||
| Aug 08, 2007 at 06:16 AM | ||||||
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Reasons, Traits, Greatness and Genius All good things about Spectrum-wise. . .
for greater acceptance of individuality than for the curing of autism. As uncomfortable as autistics often make closed-minded normal people, their positive traits are vital for innovation/societal growth. . . Quotes : "We don't see things as they are; we see things as we are." - Anais Nin, French writer and diarist We are all unique individuals on this planet, no two of us alike and we all have our own window into this world. - Alyson Bradley . . . Why I simply love being an autistic adult, because to many as mysteries as the universe... we seem to have a deeper sense, connection with the world around us and often I feel privileged to see things others may miss and in a way its like we have been given a unique window, insight into this world. . I use the word autistic because I know people who will not even say the word, I do feel I have a difference insight into the world and have no problem being autistic or being called that, but of course its not what or who I am, simply a unique individual like everyone. I read and pick up others peoples senses quite intently, which in turn affects me not always a good thing... but my very core, I call my autism heart as it's what makes me different, but does not define me. My version on life, the world and how I connect may never quite be like none spectrum individuals, but personally I like that about myself.. . Talent in autism even the experts agree! http://www.autismresearchcentre.com/doc/papers/2009_BC_etal_Talent_RoyalSoc.pdf My comment : Maybe the reason as a child the Rubik's Cube seemed, like a naturral process, pattern, order and could escape within my own thoughts: " Talent in autism comes in many forms, but a common characteristic is that the individual becomes an expert in recognizing repeating patterns in stimuli. We call this systemizing, defin...ed as the drive to analyse or construct systems. . The Gift of AS :.http://fora.tv/2007/07/08/Gift_of_Asperger_s_Syndrome "for success in science or art, a dash of autism is essential..."
. .AUTISM POSITIVES : are what also distinguishes us, just a few words that come to mind in my opinion, which of course vary as we do: Honesty, genuine, dependable, integrity, reliable, loyal, trustworthy, non judgmental, free of many prejudices, sensitive, very accepting of other differences. We pay attention to detail and often notice things others may miss, will stick to the facts if feel others are wrong, we have principles. We can be a little over enthusiasm and have a great need for knowledge which often may seem to outsiders obsessive research. Of course this can lead to all sorts of talents when encouraged, as often interesting, complex and intelligent, creative in our own differencing ways and for some of us at times feel we are ahead of our years in some respects! . Autism never boring, as autism spectrum disorders are illusive because they are not identifiable by a common trait or behavior and no one strategy works for all of them. We have ability to love totally, unconditionally, live in a moment, less materialistic. We can be in our own company for hours and not feel lonely and have great conversations with ourselves. We were born to think "outside of the box" , chase new ideas and concepts with a passion at times a little obsessively but often that's what leads to great discoveries, we often open new doors for none autistic individuals, and even though the characteristic traits of autism can make life difficult and uncomfortable at times, for those around us we are often happy in our own way, many autistic individuals have been responsible for some of the world's greatest achievements throughout history - intense focus and potential to become leaders rather than followers. . . Some fun quotes, what makes us AS! My child is stimming because your staring. - Alyson Bradley . I value my sanity more than preforming for you. So please do not just turn up, I have to prepare myself for the exhausting event. - Alyson Bradley . You can not fix me, but I can help you fix your attitude. - Alyson Bradley . I would rather talk to myself, than listen to chit chat. - Alyson Bradley . Its not logical how can I understand, as I don't do pretence - if your boring, irrelevant or pointless I will say. - Alyson Bradley . I may not get your jokes, but I do have a sense of humour. - Alyson Bradley . No I am not an alien, actually human. - Alyson Bradley. . Its not your thought you can not understand, I would explain but not sure your ready to listen. - Alyson Bradley . . - Alyson Bradley (in part taken from basic facts article I wrote - ______________________________________________________________________ . . . Proven Link Between Autism and Genius? . Many leading figures in the fields of science, politics and the arts have achieved success because they had autism, according to a leading psychiatrist. Michael Fitzgerald, professor of psychiatry at Trinity College, Dublin, claims the characteristics linked to autism spectrum disorders are the same as those associated with creative genius. . One of the reasons for this could be the fact that the disorders create people who are able to persist with one idea for huge periods of time - while those without the disorder would have long since moved on to another area of thought. . Prof. Fitzgrald said: "Psychiatric disorders can have positive dimensions. I'm arguing the genes for autism and creativity are essentially the same. These produce people who are focused, don't fit into the school system and who often have poor social relationships." . "They can persist with one topic for 20-30 years without being distracted, and they can produce in one lifetime the work of three or four other people." . Isaac Newton, he said, was known to work non-stop for three days without recognizing day or night, often forgetting to eat, and Einstein worked in a patent office because he was too disruptive to get a university job. . Prof. Fitzgerald revealed his beliefs at a Royal College of Psychiatrists' Academic Psychiatry conference in London, where he argued that the link between ASDs, creativity and genius were caused by common genetic causes. "The genes for autism, Asperger's and creativity are essentially the same," he said. . "We don't know which genes they are yet or how many there are, but we are talking about multiple genes of small effect. Every case is unique because people have varying numbers of the genes involved." . Prof. Fitzgeralds research involved comparing the characteristics of around 1,600 people he has diagnosed with ASDs and the known biographical details of famous people. . Prof. Fitzgeralds book "Genius Genes: How Asperger Talents Changed the World" was published in 2007. . ______________________________________________________________________
THE EIGHT ASPERGER ADVANTAGES
There are aspects of Asperger Syndrome that you can use to your great advantage.
Your ability to focus on one objective over long periods of time without becoming distracted allows you to accomplish large and challenging tasks.
Your ability to find novel connections among multi-disciplinary facts and ideas allows you to create new, coherent, and meaningful insight that others would not have reached without you.
Your willingness to consider unpopular or unusual possibilities generates new options and opportunities and can pave the way for others.
Rather than being swayed by social convention, other's opinions, social pressure or fears, you can hold firm to your own purpose. Your unique ideas can thrive, despite naysayers.
Your ability to remember and process minute details without getting lost or overwhelmed gives you a distinct advantage when solving complex problems.
Your ability to utilize 3-dimensional visioning gives you a unique perspective when designing and creating solutions.
Your ability to recognize and speak the truth that is being "conveniently" ignored by others can be vital to the success of a project or endeavor.
Your ability to make logical and rational decisions and stick to your course of action without being swayed by impulse or emotional reactions allows you to navigate successfully through difficult situations without being pulled off-course.
THESE TRAITS CAN BE USED TO DEVELOP
Copyright 2007 by Kristina Elaine www.kristinaelaine.com All rights reserved. _____________________________ . .
The Benefits of Aspergers (Your little professor!)
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. . 10 Things an Autistic Adult Wishes You Knew Adapted from http://press.xtvworld.com/article7047.html . I hope this list might bring greater awareness of how it is to Be autistic, and educate people that our neurological differences have both an upside and a downside relative to other people. .
I am autistic, not just an adult with autism. It is part of who I am. Autism is a part of who I am. I was born this way. I would not choose to change that. Acknowledging my autism as a part of me is entirely compatible with respecting me as a person with thoughts, feelings, and talents. I am also a human being and deserve equal dignity and respect. Please consider whatever terminology I prefer and refrain from using language that suggests I suffer from some unfortunate disease.
Autism is a neurological variation, not a disease, nor a mental illness. Autism often includes legitimate differences in social behavior and practical skills. My behaviors and learning styles might vary. My perceptions may differ. I may learn and understand things in ways that are different and process the world in a different way. Please do not judge me or other autistics for our differences, nor for the differences between us.
Who I am and what I am capable of is not defined by medical diagnostic criteria. I am born with my own set of difficulties and abilities, autism included. Those who use labels to limit who I am and what I can do are using stereotypes. Please do not make generalisations and assumptions about me or other autistics. Ask.
I am not going to be cured. And I do not want to be. Nothing will change me, and if it could, it would destroy who I am completely and would leave me worse off. I have the right to refuse questionable or risky treatments. My life is my own, I do not want to be cured and I think the idea of curing me and other autistics is seriously misguided. Please respect my individuality and do not try to fix me, because I am not broken.
I may be your adult child, but my life is own. Parents do not have the right to choose questionable or risky treatments without my consent. I have my own mind. I can think for myself. I know what I want and don't want.
Focus on the positives of my, and others autism. I am living my life as best as I can, I want to make the most of it every day. Talking negatively about autistics and focusing on our weaknesses all the time causes me and other autistics emotional distress. Please do not use language that suggests that being autistic is bad or inferior in any way.
I am a logical thinker, that is one of my strengths. It can make me take words literally, or misunderstand jokes. Also I may be misunderstood equally by others, if you do not understand my own logical style. I do have my own sense of humor and of social propriety – it is unique to me.
Socialising is not always easy, if I don't want to join in, that is my choice, and I will avoid a situation if I am uncomfortable with it. I am not trying to be 'rude' or impolite. It is simply better for me to participate socially when I choose, rather than feeling forced or required.
I do have emotions, autistics are not emotionless like some stereotypes suggest. However, I may express them in a different way. What may make someone else cry, can be different for me, it doesn't mean that I don't care, or am an uncaring person. My facial expressions might not always reflect my emotions.
If you have an autistic adult in your family, try to find out information about autism. Many articles in the media only concern children, try and find out the differences in an autistic adult. Some autistics do get married, have jobs, leave home, some don't, we are all unique. Please do not use language that suggests that being autistic makes a person violent.
[John Greally- Wellington Adult ASD group]
Open New Doors for Neurotypicals For some of us neuro typicals, having an autistic person in our lives has had a profound positive impact on our perceptions, beliefs and expectations. For me, at least, being the mom of a son on the autism spectrum has released me from a lifetime of "should" -- and offered me a new world of "is."
Live in the Moment How often do typical people fail to notice what's in front of their eyes because they're distracted by social cues or random chitchat? People on the autism spectrum truly attend to the sensory input that surrounds them. Many have achieved the ideal of mindfulness.
Are Passionate Of course, not all autistic people are alike. But many are truly passionate about the things, ideas and people in their lives. How many "typical" people can say the same?
Are Not Tied to Social Expectations If you've ever bought a car, played a game or joined a club to fit in, you know how hard it is to be true to yourself. But for people with autism, social expectations can be honestly irrelevant. What matters is true liking, interest and passion -- not keeping up with the Joneses.
Have Terrific Memories How often do typical people forget directions, or fail to take note of colors, names, and other details? People on the autism spectrum are often much more tuned in to details. They may have a much better memory than their typical peers for all kind of critical details.
Are Less Materialistic Of course, this is not universally true -- but in general, people with autism are far less concerned with outward appearance than their typical peers. As a result, they worry less about brand names, hairstyles and other expensive but unimportant externals than most people do.
Rarely Judge Others Who's fatter? Richer? Smarter? For people on the autism spectrum, these distinctions hold much less importance than for typical folks. In fact, people on the spectrum often see through such surface appearances to discover the real person.
Rarely Lie We all claim to value the truth, but almost all of us tell little white lies. All, that is, except people on the autism spectrum. To them, truth is truth -- and a good word from a person on the spectrum is the real deal.
Play Fewer Head Games Who was that woman, and why were you looking at her? I know I TOLD you I didn't mind if you went out, but why did you believe me? Most autistic people don't play games like these -- and they assume that you won't either. It's a refreshing and wonderful change from the Peyton Place emotional roller coaster that mars too many typical relationships!
Have Fewer Hidden Agendas Most of the time, if a person on the autism spectrum tells you what he wants , he is telling you what he wants. No need to beat around the bush, second guess, and hope you're reading between the lines! . .
Rather than attempt to cure autistics, we should try to figure out whether those that are destined to become lower-functioning autistics can be helped to become high-functioning (in the early years), and to celebrate autistic people as being part of the genotype that includes Einstein and many other people of genius... people of greatness. .
See asplanet forum for lots more Positive posts: http://asplanet.info/forum/index.php?topic=656.msg2686#msg2686
. . Add comments and/or Positive thoughts...
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| Last Updated ( May 04, 2010 at 08:01 AM ) | ||||||
