In a way, name calling isn’t restricted to childhood. It usually becomes more subtle with age, but lately it seems to be escalating back to an immature level. To be blunt, names like: retard, bitch, or idiot, are used. Toned-down name calling would be to use terms like: knucklehead or blockhead. Sophisticated name calling crops up under the guise of words like: Asperger Syndrome, Autistic, or the now less heard phrase (but once upon a time accepted) Deaf and Dumb.¹ It’s the socially acceptable sophisticated names that are at risk for being abused. That’s what causes most people who are different to hide their other names.²
I prefer to use the word name rather than diagnose to make my final point in this post.
The verb diagnose carries a negative connotation behind it. Personal names, like Mary or Mike, typically remain neutral. No parent choses a name for their daughter or son based on diagnosing whether or not they show symptoms of having Mary’s Syndrome or Mike’s Syndrome. However, too many psychologists (and psychiatrists) choose a name for their client (or patient) based on what they would like to use as a reference for describing the differences they observe about him as compared to how they perceive the rest of society. Once these names get registered into the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) and are made available to the public, others end up tapping into what they begin. What is especially destructive is the fact that first impressions last (unless of course they’re fought hard to destroy) and the DSM does repeatly alter certain descriptions after they’ve become widely used and accepted. I’ve already ranted about the DSM in my Hidden Expressions post back in March. I’m not saying a DSM book is useless, but what I am saying is that it has the potential to ruin lives and families just like it does to help them. This is especially so for gifted children and adults and is pointed out in the book Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults.
Now comes my final point:
Because the awareness of Aspergers and Autism began in the same century (combined with the lack of knowledge to know how much they differ), Aspergers has become rooted and entangled into the Autism Spectrum category. High Functioning Autism is commonly used synonymously with Aspergers. Few people even question this, since not enough information is available to the public. Even for myself, I have to accept Aspergers as being a form of Autism in order for me to begin learning more about this in depth, regardless of whether or not I agree.
As I’m learning about the ways in which Aspergers is not Autism, I’m also realizing why the mental health profession is reluctant to be more open about the risks behind incorporating Aspergers into the Autism Spectrum.
The American Psychiatric Association is presently redefining these categories in their DSM book. I’m sure it will have to continue being edited over time. If, and only after, the truthful facts get sorted out can they leave this chapter of their book closed. We will know that day has arrived when we no longer see Aspergers named as being a mental disorder (disorder in the subjective sense).
Given that those at the top level of the mental health profession cannot agree upon whether or not Aspergers is a form of Autism — plus, the fact that too many of them cannot make correct diagnoses often times³ — they are not going to want to make things more difficult by adding the responsibility of separating Aspies from Auties on top of it all!
I want to focus time and energy specifically upon Aspergers and all that relates to it. That means I want to keep my involvement with Autism down to the minimal level necessary to untangle this mess for my own benefit primarily.
¹Because syndrome has two different meanings (a complex of concurrent things vs. a pattern of symptoms indicative of some disease) like the word dumb does, it must be removed or at least replaced with something neutral or positive (not something that is acceptably abused!). Too many kids today (hopefully not adults too) probably don’t even know that dumb also means unable to speak.
²I’m an odd duck who can’t be bothered to hide my identity. I like all my names so long as they remain used as neutral tools for identity (not used negatively and/or abused), and are as equally respected as their counterparts: Woman (vs. man), Introverted (vs. Extroverted), Calvinist (vs. Arminian), Christian (vs. Christ-less), Conservative (vs. Liberal), Honest (vs. Deceptive), Republican (vs. Democrat), Finn (vs. non-Finn), Aspie (vs. Neurotypical), Aspergian (vs. NTgian), etc. For each new label I could add to my list, I would increase the percentage of society who will hate me. [Don't take the way I constructed this list as me making a dig. My intent is not be malicious, but rather to show how easy it is to play mind games with words and admittedly have a little fun while doing it.]
³Naturally, the Psychiatric Association will never humbly admit how often they fail at their job. Their failure rate gets exposed by those who finally receive a correct diagnoses (evaluation/name) due to persistently seeking after the truth. They then share this knowledge (of having been repeatedly misdiagnosed) with others (either online like at WrongPlanet.net or offline among family and/or friends).
You and I have kind of had this discussion a little bit before. What I have a hard time with is when people who talk about my son say he has Asperger’s, when in fact he’s diagnosed with Autism. I’ll give you the issues with the DSM and all of that, but for those areas where the DSM criteria is necessary (insurance purposes, school, etc.), I get frustrated with the whole thing. Because my son is completely verbal, is in a “regular” ed classroom, and is academically on target (for the moment, until the hyperlexia evens out), they say he has Asperger’s. But he doesn’t fit the diagnostic criteria for Asperger’s because he had a severe speech delay, and in fact still has a pragmatic speech delay. So then people online harp on me for using the term “high functioning autism.” But for him, it fits, and if I need to describe his areas where he needs some help – for example with our state programs – it is the most descriptive term. And in our state, a diagnosis of Asperger’s does not qualify one for the state program that gives him therapies, us some well-qualified respite care, and other thing like that.
So I don’t disagree with you, and while I would never use “high functioning autism” as synonymous with “Asperger’s,” I do see at least some (one?) occasions where the term is useful.
Interesting post, as always!
To asdmommy:
All moms should be able to relate to having a hard time with people who talk about their son or daughter as if they know him or her better than that child’s mother does. I’m not sure I understand what you mean by, “I’ll give you the issues with the DSM and all of that,…”
I hope people can see that I want to constructively investigate Aspergers in relation to Autism more deeply without haste. I’m excited to learn about this as much as I can, but at the same time, I have to be patient with what I write so I don’t have to do any more editing than necessary. I already know I have my plate full in that area already.
Thank you for your thoughtful words said about my writing.
I’ll need to hang onto everyone’s words of encouragement as I slowly travel back through what I’ve written that may need some revising.
To the general public:
It’s easy to misunderstand what someone is saying. It is wise to ask when you’re not sure. It is foolish to make assumptions, especially when misjudgments are made without fully comprehending what is written. ← [I try to remind myself of these words too.]
I don’t know why people tell me I’m a good writer, because I’m not so sure how well I express myself. The way I perceive someone who is on the autism spectrum, or being referred to as PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified), or is an Aspie, or is Neurotypical… is all the same way→ we are all human beings; no particular population or individual is better than another.
I meant that I agree with you about the problems with the DSM. I don’t think the DSM is a be-all, end-all either. It definitely has its limitations along with the practicalities.
I do understand what you are trying to do with your investigation into Aspergers and Autism. My point was completely a side-bar not really relating directly to what you posted! I often feel weird about using the term “high functioning autism” and want to explain it as much as I can in terms of how I use it and how it relates to my child. I don’t want to offend anyone by using the term, which again explains my need to explain myself constantly!
asdmommy,
You and I are both alike in that we don’t want to offend anyone by the way we use our terms. I’m sorry if I mislead you with what I wrote in my previous comment. I didn’t think your point was directly related to what I posted. I caused confusion because of including a similar train of thought meant for other eyes to read.
Even though I already knew you would understand about what I’m trying to do in regard to sorting out Aspergers and Autism, not everyone else is willing to. Thank you ever so much for letting me know that you too feel the need to explain yourself constantly!!!! It’s called kindness.