[Benherszen]

IT IS A TYPE OF AUTISM. I HAVE THIS DISABILITY. dont make fun of it!

[merry10]

Ben, I will never make fun of it. I know people with it. Good for you for sticking up for yourself.

[cyborg]

You misunderstand me. I'm not making fun of this illness. It's NOT funny. I don't find anyone's illness humorous. I'm referring to another thread in FR.

[cyborg]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1126808/posts

[sarasota]

There are so many clueless freepers on these threads about autism and it's more than a little disappointing. My daughter is on the spectrum, diagnosed at 17. Then I could understand, in a small way, what she was going through. Don't let the naysayers get you down. Forgive them their ignorance and hold your head high.

[AntiGuv]

I have Asperger's. Why one earth would someone make fun of it? It's one of the more unpleasant things one can have..

[Ohioan from Florida]

If it's any comfort to you, this article reminds me exactly of how I felt when my son (now 18) was diagnosed with ADD. When I first began to understand it, I realized it was what I had struggled with (undiagnosed) for so many years. I learned some coping mechanisms, but they didn't always work for me. Now, ten years later, I still have trouble with it, but I don't let it get the best of me. When I screw up, I screw up. I try to learn from it, forgive myself, and move on, always trying to improve. Isn't that how life is for everybody else anyway? We all have our own little imperfections. My best to you!

[RobRoy]

>>IT IS A TYPE OF AUTISM. I HAVE THIS DISABILITY. dont make fun of it!<<

I don't think you get it. 8^>

Hmmm. Maybe I don't get it...

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

I agree that it is not funny. I was disappointed that Rush seemed woefully uninformed about autism and Asperger's syndrome.

I have regular contact with a young child who seems to be suffering from some type of autism. It is most evident in her loss of language skills and very obvious in her inability to relate to children she is exposed to. She does not know how to interact socially and it is a very sad thing to watch. She also has many other classic symptoms. It has nothing to do with shyness. Rush sounded ignorant to use that description.

I didn't even bother to read the story, but I heard Rush speak of it and cringed when he poked fun.

[RSmithOpt]

I understand the disorder too. Though very sociable for the most part, I myself find myself mentally wandering in social settings sometimes. I can concentrate well on a lecture or something technical, written or oral, but there are times I don't have a clue about what's going on in a social setting because my mind is caught up with something else. It's like being in the center of something and trapped and looking out. I guess it's the way a I process things into the brain. Sometimes, I never even stop to think what another person may be actually thing or feeling. I'm just focused on one thought or subject they have brought up. Those are the days when my brain is busy processing 10-50 sometimes unrelated thoughts at the same time in a 5 minute period. I just figure that it's wasted energy to try and guess at what all someone may be thinking, body language, etc.

Just say want you mean and get on with it!

I can remember dates, numbers and facts to a tee; however, I only remember conversations in a general sense...not exact words, tones of voice, body language, what they were wearing, etc. I've seen lots of movies, but I couldn't tell you a lot about who all was in them, the lines, what the main characters wore in a scene unless it was a really good film (i.e. Shawshank Redemption, Tombstone, etc.)

DAMN! This made my afternoon! Glad to hear I'm not the only one that's screwed up!!.

[Godebert]

"IT IS A TYPE OF AUTISM. I HAVE THIS DISABILITY. dont make fun of it!"

That explains it then....I just thought you were a dork.

[Mercat]

When I read Temple Grunden's book, Thinking in Pictures, I realized that it's all on a continuum. My sons and husband think in pictures much more than I do. My adopted daughter is socially a whiz. It comes naturally to her. My oldest son has always had trouble making and keeping friends. My younger son has to work at it and has isolated his problem and cures it with music. He can always relate to people with music and he's very talented. btw, Grunden is a high functioning but definitely autistic person. I don't know enough about Aspergers vs autism but do know that they're related. Ok, I'm done. bye

[SamAdams76]

I also have this as well as a mild case of Tourette's syndrome. I've never discussed it here before because I don't want to appear to be making a "victim" of myself. But it isn't easy. I still try to avoid social events as much as possible because I always freeze up at them and never know what to say. When I try to be witty, it never comes off well. So I retreat off to a corner by myself. But I have improved at "small talk" and I am much less socially awkward than I used to be. But I'll never be the "glad-handing back-slapping" type so I just don't try to be.

I actually do much better in more intimate social settings (with less people) - especially with people that I know and are comfortable with. But with strangers, I almost never make a good first impression. This has hurt my career too. But so it goes.

As for the Tourette's, I was made fun of unmercifully in school because of my twitching. Fortunately I never had the more extreme case that involves involuntary swearing (but the urge is there). In fact, I make it a point to never even swear on purpose, it helps keep it under control.

Anyway, I don't want to dwell on it. It did make me a much stronger person and while childhood was a torture, I've had a terrific adult life so I got no major complaints and a lot to be thankful for.