The "in" thing?

As I browse around different blogs, forums, websites etc. about Asperger's I see a common theme of people saying it is the "in" thing to be diagnosed with. I've seen it posted at least five times. I didn't realize that mental disorders/diseases/conditions etc. were fashionable. I would have given my right arm (okay maybe my left arm) to have not gone through the torture that I faced growing up as a child. It took 33 years for me to understand me and I had to endure a lot of depression, anxiety, confusion, and pain to get to this point. Why would someone want those feelings?

To my understanding there are multiple factors at play here. First and foremost a better realization in the profession that AS exists. Therefor more diagnosed people. Then it seems there is some 'evidence' that here is a biological component, i.e. the number actually increases.

And then there are the parents who prefer their troublesome child to have a diagnosis with some 'allure' (the common folklore we are so very intelligent and how many geniuses have it) so they'll tend to push a diagnosis.

Lastly the media attention in movies, tv shows etc.

I believe that an Asperger's diagonosis is fashionable right now due to stereotypes portrayed by the media and just plain public lore that Aspies are gifted, especially in technical realms and have super powers of concentration and are more intelligent. It is said that some companies actively court Aspies because of this. Just the link to Bill Gates is enough. Aspergers is non threatening, we are generally peaceful. We are thought of as the smart nerd in the class that has what it takes to make it in this information driven economy. N.Ts do not know the sometimes painful and downright disabling aspects of it.
I also think that the reason for the explosion of diagnosises of all kinds of mental and physical conditions is that the drug companies want to sell us drugs. They are powerful .They make lots of money. Prescription drugs are also "in'.

I also think that the reason for the explosion of diagnosises of all kinds of mental and physical conditions is that the drug companies want to sell us drugs. They are powerful .They make lots of money. Prescription drugs are also "in'.

Hmm...

I'm the last person you could accuse of being an apologist for the drug companies, but the fact is that some of their wares work dramatically well. I suffer from clinical psychotic depression and I take two drugs to counteract that. They work wonderfully well and I can function more or less normally.

Funny, though, that there is no "cure" for Aspergers But how many of us would take it if there were?

Division wrote:Funny, though, that there is no "cure" for Aspergers But how many of us would take it if there were?

I wouldn't. But i would definately take a change to the world i live in if it were an option - towards having more open straight-forward, kind, accepting people, and less NT heirachal crap.

-- Sun Jul 17, 2011 3:24 pm --

strawberryindigo wrote:I believe that an Asperger's diagonosis is fashionable right now due to stereotypes portrayed by the media and just plain public lore that Aspies are gifted, especially in technical realms and have super powers of concentration and are more intelligent.

Unfortunately there is also a stereotype that aspies are a bit retarded in their behavior - and not someone who a popular person would want to be friends with. Which is a bit unfortunate

Division wrote:Funny, though, that there is no "cure" for Aspergers But how many of us would take it if there were?

If you asked me in middle school or high school I would have taken it in a nanosecond. Now, I'm happy with who I am. I like that I think about deeper things and don't get caught up in all of the social drama. I like that I don't care what other people think and I don't desire power and fame. That seems so exhausting to me.

i wouldn't. Not then and not now. I like my shining mind and gladly take the side effects with it.

When they say it is an "in" thing, they don't mean that the feelings you described are "in" but that it is "in" to have those feelings diagnosed/labeled/objectified as AS. I am certain that no-one wants those feelings of confusion/isolation/etc. but there definitely is a huge trend for having them diagnosed as AS. In that sense AS is quite trendy and people do want and actively seek the label.

I am personally critical of the way AS is used to stigmatize individuals as opposed to helping them understand the world they are living in and the difficulties they face in that world. Medicalizing problems as individual conditions is a quick fix that doesn't expand a person's awareness of who they are in the greater scheme of things. So I don't buy the story about learning to "know who I am" through diagnosis because a simple medical label does not increase self-awareness, and can in fact further alienate a person from a deeper understanding of their life.

Apparently I must live under a rock...I didn't know this is now "trendy". I know more are being diagnosed for it....but why not just be diagnosed as "gifted" if "gifted".

If parents are pushing to get their kids diagnosed with AS...then that really kinda angers me. I didn't get diagnosed with PDD-NOS until like a month ago. I'm very happy that I wasn't diagnosed as a kid...because my father was happy enough letting me be who I wanted to be. A label, at that time, wouldn't have helped...and definitely could have hurt. Labels such as PDD-NOS/Aspergers, ADHD, and so on can really give people just an excuse for acting a certain way instead of improving on the situation. This is a case in point with someone I know with AS. She, commonly, would point to either AS or ADHD or Depression as an excuse on something she does. This kinda bugged me at the time...and made me a lot more thankful in the way my father raised me.

TDT wrote:Apparently I must live under a rock...I didn't know this is now "trendy". I know more are being diagnosed for it....but why not just be diagnosed as "gifted" if "gifted".

If parents are pushing to get their kids diagnosed with AS...then that really kinda angers me. I didn't get diagnosed with PDD-NOS until like a month ago. I'm very happy that I wasn't diagnosed as a kid...because my father was happy enough letting me be who I wanted to be. A label, at that time, wouldn't have helped...and definitely could have hurt. Labels such as PDD-NOS/Aspergers, ADHD, and so on can really give people just an excuse for acting a certain way instead of improving on the situation. This is a case in point with someone I know with AS. She, commonly, would point to either AS or ADHD or Depression as an excuse on something she does. This kinda bugged me at the time...and made me a lot more thankful in the way my father raised me.

We must live under the same rock, because I haven't heard anything about this either. Maybe it's different in different parts of the world? But around here at least, I rarely hear anything about Aspergers, and if I do, the people talking don't have a clue what it is (Ass-burger? What??), let alone if it's a "positive" thing or not.

Off topic, since you bring up diagnosing as a kid, on one hand I agree with you that it's probably just as well that I also never got diagnosed back then. I don't think being labeled would have helped me. However, I am facing the decision with my son whether to tell him what his diagnoses is when I get it. He went to see the psychologist a couple of weeks ago and she just asked him a bunch of questions, she didn't tell him what she was seeing him for. I just told him that it was so his new school he's going to can know what classes to put him in (Hey, he's 9, he bought it!). It is partly true, as his assessment includes ADD, so I want to give the school he's going to as much information as I can so he can get into the RSP program. And I personally want to know if he's got AS so I can help him in life. THAT I wish I had, someone who actually understood me who could explain things about "life" in a way I could comprehend! So I'm glad my son will have that (in me).