Tag Archives: autism/aspie

The DSM 5 & Effectively Connecting to Others

The DSM 5 changes for 2013 are official, Asperger syndrome will be removed from the DSM forever. However I don’t think that it will affect me from losing my Autistic label since I still fit the criteria for Autistic Spectrum Disorder under DSM 5. Although I have spoken to several people about this topic of change in the DSM. There really is not a direct diagnostic testing tool to show whether people are on the autism spectrum or not. It’s very subjective to the clinician who is diagnosing a person. Though you should seek a clinician who has the most experience and can effectively give you the proper label to be successfully helped to connect with others.

Yesterday I went to Aspies for Success, a positive Aspie meet up in New York City and discussed this topic. I feel there is so much stigma being used on labels that this was the cause of the DSM changing the labeling. From a discussion yesterday after talking to those people thoroughly yesterday, I feel labeling is something that is a part of life, but we need to be able to talk to people we can connect with. If someone who was considered to have Autistic disorder spoke with someone who had Asperger’s syndrome, although similar people will probably be a very different way of communication. However, I have felt for a very long time that there are people with Autistic disorder who are non-verbal who can draw very interesting conversations with their Augmentative and Assistive Communication (AAC) devices.

Early last year I met a highly verbal and what clinicians would call “low functioning” Autistic person who would watch YouTube videos on the computer all day of sesame street or some nursery school videos. While watching them, he would be constantly “Stim” with his hands, spinning around, and feeling happy. He could potentially use the iPad, but he is very verbal. He was a very interesting person too. I am not sure about his intelligence, but a lot of these people are very smart too! Though there are some Autistics out there who just have a difficult time doing similar things like their Autistic counterparts in communicating and living because they simply don’t understand how to communicate and live.

I have met some more of these people this year especially over the summer who society just gave up on and seem very capable if they had the proper education and learning environment. The point is no one should be a stick in the mud where society just gives up on teaching someone who just needs the proper education and mentorship from other people who have successfully been taught. In terms of communicating with other Autistics whether being Aspergers or Autistic, I feel we still need to be able to connect with the person we are talking with. If someone is not on the same page with you, then you can’t really communicate with them effectively. Though you can still communicate with them by helping them to connect with others.

I have started a path of helping these Autistic people to realize they can have a better future by getting them to make eye contact and relaxing at the sight of their fears. It’s important to remember that we are all in this world together and struggle with similar things to be happy. Some people find things more difficult than other people, but we need to come together to help. Every person I have helped so far inadvertently has helped me too in some way. I think when you help someone do something who has been struggling to connect with others to connect more effectively, helps you too! So may be I should it more.

I have done so much to helping other Autistic people voluntarily this year and feel good about my efforts. Whether I am considered Aspergers or Autistic, I am still a person. The same goes with anyone else because we have many labels attached to ourselves. In a nutshell, it should not really matter what the DSM says your label is. The time is now to work together to positively communicate and connect with each other effectively without struggling or having difficulty getting our voices heard. It’s time to understand & accept the many labels we all have that make us who we are without being judgmental.

Adaptations at the JCC in Manhattan is the program that is a great source of help and guidance toward successful futures for Autistics and other disabilities alike. There are many labels there and every one is still a person trying to connect with whomever they want to communicate with. It should be a catalyst to branch out to connect and communicate with the rest of the world. In the end, we should always remember to outreach and help out others who need that help to connect, referring people to the source which helps so many people already.

Finally, the DSM is just 1 book, but not a book written in stone. It’s a work in progress!

OUT, J

Autistics Speaking Day and My Experiences with Hurricane Sandy: Difficult Communications

This year Hurricane Sandy not only brought about hurt and pain to the Northeast, but sparked a greater need to love the very relationships we so desire in the people around us. Before Hurricane Sandy arrived, no one knew exactly what was going to happen except it was going to be really bad.

My experiences with Hurricane Sandy have been pretty horrible in terms of the wind blowing down trees, the power outages, lack of gasoline, and issues with internet communication. It’s important to have good communication because otherwise people become angry and afraid.

A communication response from Autistics Speaking Day occurred on November 1 in the midst of a Major Crisis in Northeast United States due to the aftermath of a widespread hurricane. Communication is important which is part of the reason why Autistics Speaking Day was created 3 years ago to give Autistics everywhere a chance to have their voice heard to insist the rest of society begin to listen to all of us.

It’s been pretty harsh for me and others this year who have not been able to participate on the official day. Thankfully, the founders of Autistics Speaking Day allowed posts and video logs after the official day. ASday (Autistics Speaking Day) will in the future perpetuate Acceptance, Communication, and Loving feelings from Autistic to Neurotypical. No one should feel like they don’t have a voice and felt like they don’t have a mind of their own. Every one does! That is why we have NeuroDiversity or Neurological Diversity.

We need to help not only Autistics, but many other Disability communities to not be afraid or pushed away unable to let their voices be listened to. I know I have been out of the internet for a work week without power, but the feelings I have are being able to help so many other Autistics who need that help to speak too.

What happened to understanding the abilities Disabled people have?

Much of society is still ableist, ignorant, and confused about how to talk to Autistics like myself. Most people rely on the medical model of Disability. What happened to the Social Model and Social Justice for people with disabilities? How much accommodation does disabled people need to make in society so every one will be happy? It is slowly changing toward the social model. There needs to be a balance of the two.

What makes up a person?

For example, when Governor Chris Christie and President Obama were walking together during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey’s Atlantic City, they were not walking around with labels. They were walking around as people. A person is a person like the pulse which beats in all of us.

We are the people, not we are the labels that society places on us. We all have a right to speak and receive the same benefits like any one else. We are the people with disabilites who are trying to change the perception society originally believed about us from a long time of discrimination and segregation. Now is the time for all of us to feel included with the rest of society because disability is a part of our existence. I know communication is important to receive positive feedback. The understanding of Autistics (from sensory issues, self-stimulation aka stimming, and feelings we have) and others with disabilities will forever be complete once society will accept us. Once this happens, this will allow people to forget labels, not judge any one, and be open-minded. So that we all can listen and respect one another.

I hope communication among every one of us gets better. My hope is Hurricane Sandy brought about more understanding, generosity, and feelings of love toward each other now. I am glad Autistics Speaking Day brought about more understanding and hope for a better tomorrow. We all will survive the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy someday becoming a unit of love without trying to hurt each other!

Thank you!

Posting soon after I get back on my own computer,

OUT, J

Valuing Yourself, Others and Developing Better Positive Action

It’s important to value who you are as a person, what you do for others to develop better positive action in your life. Sometimes we become blindfolded from the influences of material things such as money that influences our values. Our judgement coincides with our action. When we have bad judgement, we have negative reaction. Every thing is cause and effect.

I am unsure whether or not society understands this idea. When society advertises bigotry, the value people see in themselves and others diminishes. No longer will they see the positive action that is intended for every one. Instead society encourages this discrimination because they post advertisements of it wherever. I hope to continue to inspire people to develop better positive action. People should not be encouraged by the internet advertisements or other media showing how society is allowed to devalue themselves and others in such a bad way. In fact, material things like money influences this bigotry that society advertises in front of us all.

The judgements we make are very harsh, but it is very important to instruct ourselves to create a better sense of who we are as a person. Some people do practice better judgements instinctively, but most do not. In fact, the laws we create in society are not being enforced enough when others are devalued and passed with false judgements based on what their disability, race, ideology, or sexuality is. For example, it’s okay for someone to be asexual as well as its okay for someone to be hetero- or homo-sexual. People are the way they are for a reason. Every one in society wants to live their life the best way they can. Not every one will be doing the same things and some people need more support to make it through a day.

Living the way we all want to be is important and no one should influence any one otherwise. However, this can also mislead a lot of people too. Some people misunderstand being who they are because we really need to live our lives in a morally acceptable way without being antagonistic. Not every one will like each other, but we all do have to be polite with one another.

The way society attempts to enforce the ‘normal’ is by advertising degeratory statements in a comical way. This encourages people to strive for connection by living in a so-called ‘normal’ life and telling others who don’t live their life a certain way that they are devalued. Notwithstanding we all need to learn the ways of being polite and respectful to each other. However, we all need to have certain standards.

Sometimes experiencing the unknown and creating a sense of warmth of comfort about what the unknown is, is very rewarding. Not every one can experience this sense of warmth of who they are nowadays because many people in society are cruel. The laws created to protect people are not being enforced as much as they should. How can we live in society when some laws are not being enforced and many examples of discrimination still exist? There has to be a way to not profile a person based on the ‘normal’ so-called testing that examines how a person really is. Society is not going to move forward when others’ abilities contributing to society are not being accepted and given a chance. It concerns me that society can lack so much empathy and stigmatize people. However what is also concerning is the aggressive behaviors many of these people who are cruel do which causes more aggression to every one.

When is society going to take action and enforce these many laws to help protect so many people from being victimized with stigma, bigotry, and being devalued?

It’s that simple. We need these laws enforced!

posting more soon,

OUT,J

Working Builds Confidence, Independence, and Stability for Any One

Why are people in the disability community including Autistic people not extended a chance to work or are thought of as a second thought by an employer? Why can’t any one in the disability community be accepted in to a job like any body else? Instead most of us are pushed to the side. Although some of us do get lucky.

I can only speak for who I am as an Autistic person (Aspergers). We all have our quirks, we all have our eccentricities, we all have our emotions, we all are human. However many Neurotypical people are considered for a job far more times than a person with a disability. Employers think twice before hiring someone who may be a little different or a lot different from the average person walking into their office.

Instead of classifying, judging, and placing a label on individuals; employers should be objectively viewing an individual’s abilities. It’s important to teach a person who wants to learn, but most importantly we should all teach people to work in a job in order to conform to society by living independently, confidently, and comfortably. Regardless, working for employers helps build character, strength, dignity, and most importantly stability. However the person has to be motivated enough to want to work. Most people I speak to want to work, but struggle to earn a title from an employer to achieve their dreams. Although there are some people who may say they want a job, however they just don’t have the motivation to conform to society’s standards to get a job.

Whether you are working toward a goal of finding a job or moving forward toward building a career, every body should be working toward a goal to live a life of stability. No matter who the person is, people need to be inspired to help themselves and be motivated to feel jointly appreciated by society. However there has to be some kind of connection in order to be appreciated.

Every body has at least 1 skill moving forward to be a success, however all you need is that 1 skill. Some people are skillful diplomats while others have talented hands. The skill you were meant to have should be the skill you use toward your success. After you have used your skill to be successful in what you can do, you begin to earn the respect you always wanted.

Success without a successor is failure. We always need somebody to teach a motivated person regardless if they have a disability or not, to teach the practice that made the predecessor successful for all those years. There are surgeons who have disabilities like Tourette syndrome or Aspergers who are just as successful as a surgeon who doesn’t have any disability. However, once everybody accepts disability as a natural part of human existence will everyone, one day know that it’s okay.

Money is a powerful object we earn after being successful at what we do. There are always many choices how to use the money you earn. It’s important to think about your ethics, your value about life, and what is important to you before you act on using it.

Alec Trebek said it best when he always says “Teaching is the noblest of all professions!” However every profession is a teacher regardless of what they do because we are always teaching our successors to do the same great job for the future, so why be judgmental on who you teach for an employer to be able hire any individual in society motivated to succeed?

Have a great day and get working!!

OUT, J