Comments on: We selfish assholes

By: Publicola

Publicola — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 08:06:53 +0000

It should be pointed out that no one wants to be disabled in any way. And no disability is able to be cured. I have Spina Bifida so I know all about not wanting to be classified as being disabled or handicapped. But let’s be honest, disabled shouldn’t carry a negative cogitation because anyone who was born with a physical or mental disability is disabled regardless of how normal some may appear. All persons born with non physical disabilities have learning and emotional problems; most born with physical disabilities have those issues as well.

I think we should agree that Asperger’s patients are no different than anyone else in the disabled community.

By: jack

jack — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 02:20:24 +0000

Two things accompany the categorization of mental condition. One is the stigma associated with mental illness and the other is the idea that Asperger’s is something that needs to be cured. Many people with Asperger’s find that notion offensive. Hence the term “neurotypical” to describe those who are not on the spectrum. A lot of people with Asperger’s think of themselves as merely different and not handicapped. If anything Asperger’s is a learning disability and that is how it should be treated. In fact it should probably be removed from the APA’s DSM-IV.

I appreciated your prompt response and understand that you meant nothing offensive by your response.

By: Publicola

Publicola — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 04:03:49 +0000

There are two broad spectrum of disabilities, mental and physical. Mental conditions are those that primarily affect non physical aspects of the human condition; learning, emotions, any aspect that is primarily contributed back to the brain. Physical disabilities are those which afflict a person in a physical manner; Spina Bifida, Polio, etc. There are many forms of both mental and physical disabilities, and some of them are more true to their parent classification than others are. Asperger’s, and Autism do not manifest themselves in a physical manner, which means they are not a physical disability that is all I meant by mental.

By: jack

jack — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:39:34 +0000

I believe I like and with what you had to say. It contains much that appears to be true about the human condition.

The only thing I would say to you is that Asperger’s syndrome is not a mental disability. It is a neurological disorder. Because of the difference in how the brains of people with autism spectrum disorders developed they perceive the world around them differently, particularly when it comes to social interaction. There are many people with Asperger’s who have above average or excellent cognitive ability.