Can someone actually explain autism to me?

[Vash The Stampede]

To be honest I feel that autism is a generic disease that was made up to explain something that Doctors can't explain. It went from something tangible to something they give away like candy, probably to make a profit. Like ADHD.

[Zigrifid]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_justice_warrior
Here you go


[Infracted]

[Celista]

Here is the actual diagnostic criteria. This is what you should reference, as people seem to be confused as to what autism actually is. It is a spectrum disorder meaning that symptoms can be more or less severe, but to meet the definition of a disorder, behaviors should adversely impact an individual's social, occupational, or academic functioning.

A. Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, as manifested by the following, currently or by history (examples are illustrative, not exhaustive; see text):

1. Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity, ranging, for example, from abnormal social approach and failure of normal back-and-forth conversation; to reduced sharing of interests, emotions, or affect; to failure to initiate or respond to social interactions.
2. Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction, ranging, for example, from poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication; to abnormalities in eye contact and body language or deficits in understanding and use of gestures: to a total lack of facial expressions and nonverbal communication.
3. Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships, ranging, for example, from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit various social contexts; to difficulties in sharing imaginative play or in making friends; to absence of interest in peers. Specify current severity: Severity is based on social communication impairments and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior.

B. Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, as manifested by at least two of the following, currently or by history (examples are illustrative, not exhaustive; see text):

1. Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or speech (e.g., simple motor stereotypies, lining up toys or flipping objects, echolalia, idiosyncratic phrases).
2. Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behavior (e.g., extreme distress at small changes, difficulties with transitions, rigid thinking patterns, greeting rituals, need to take same route or eat same food every day).
3. Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus (e.g., strong attachment to or preoccupation with unusual objects, excessively circumscribed or perseverative interests).
4. Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the environment (e.g., apparent indifference to pain/temperature, adverse response to specific sounds or textures, excessive smelling or touching of objects, visual fascination with lights or movement). Specify current severity: Severity is based on social communication impairments and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior (see Table 2).

C. Symptoms must be present in the early developmental period (but may not become fully manifest until social demands exceed limited capacities, or may be masked by learned strategies in later life).

D. Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning.

E. These disturbances are not better explained by intellectual disability (intellectual developmental disorder) or global developmental delay. Intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder frequently co-occur; to make comorbid diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability, social communication should be below that expected for general developmental level.

[chazus]

Am I wrong about is, if so, what really and how does autism manifests itself?

That's the problem, and one of the reasons I reeeeeeally dislike most discussions about autism. The issue is that autism has such a broad range, from literally having 'habits' about things, like always walking on one side of a hallway (That people might confuse with OCD), to being a complete vegetable that can't feed oneself. That's all lumped into the same bucket as 'autism'.

Introversion, social awkwardness, shyness, can be indications of some range of autism, however that doesn't mean they ARE.

It's getting better, over time, but there's still a lot of problems with the entire scale, especially when it comes to funding. There are treatment centers, but they're expensive, so the rich parents who can afford to bring their special snowflake that is simply just high energy, gets 'help' while the poor family who has a kid who is unable to verbally communicate at the age of 10 gets no help at all. Its a screwed up system. It's also one of the reasons a lot of doctors are starting to move away from DSM IV/V standards.

As far as forums and internet go, "Autistic" is the current generation way of calling someone "Retarded" pretty much.

Austim spectrum ranges from things like Aspergers, to Developmental Disorder (which is simply saying 'more severe Aspergers'), Autistic Disorder, and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, where you start seeing lack of communication, seizures, and mental degeneracy.

[De Lupe]

Like others said, you can google the specifics of the actual disorders.

With regard to people using it as an insult... It is usually directed at people who are weird/socially awkward/do things that aren't socially acceptable... For example, weebs walking around with their anime body pillows and fat thirty year old dudes watching that pony cartoon... Those things aren't normal and aren't considered socially acceptable... So calling them autistic is basically calling them socially retarded.

All people are weird in their own ways. Some have just been public long enough to be considered "normal" (if there is such a thing anymore) while others, many of which have been around longer, have only recently been brought to the light of the world.

-Some enjoy animated constructs designed to entertain with stories of fantasy, drama, action, horror, or adventure with characters in a variety of shapes, sizes, creatures, and colors (sometimes, yes, even pastel.)
-Others idolize the ritualistic display of brute force, alcoholic inebriation, and testosterone-fueled fits of rage over an annually televised desecration of an artificial pigskin on a national scale.

What makes one version of weirdness worse than another?

[chazus]

What makes one version of weirdness worse than another?

Whether they think they're better than you or not. Seriously, like no joke. Thats.. pretty much the basis of all insults that aren't joking.

[apepi]

Autism is a whole range of symptoms, but a layman's summary would be this: The brain areas responsible for decoding and/or sending social signals are less developed than in neurotypical humans. However, that brain capacity is often "assigned" to other functions. Not necessarily supergenius stuff, but uncanny memory, enhanced sensory processing or improved pattern recognition are definite options. Even then, most autists can "learn" social interaction, though it will always be a greater effort.

However, most of the internet just uses "autistic" as a curse, common perception being defined by the movie you saw. Or something similar.

Some of the people don't learn to do it better, some of them just mimic other peoples behavior.

[De Lupe]

Whether they think they're better than you or not. Seriously, like no joke. Thats.. pretty much the basis of all insults that aren't joking.

That's what I've concluded in my experiences. All fandoms, sports fandoms included, are identical in structure; the light fans have the best public image, the moderate fans compose the largest percentage, and the extremists are the stereotype. The ONLY variable is the topic of their fanbase.

But this should be continued elsewhere. We are going off topic.

[brimdog]

you realize how stupid everyone else really is and so you try and make yourself stupid too so you can fit in but it comes out as autism.
better to hone your comprehension of universal forces than to be social and "OMG,,,shes a dime, lemme go spit game and get her drunk so i can have sex with her and tell my boys about it whiles shes down at the clinic getting my sperm maggots scrapped out of her 'gina."

[ItachiZaku]

Soo, why are you not just researching this yourself?

Google it.

I think many times we don't use google (or wowhead when asking in /2 for help) as we'd like to generate a discussion, or in terms of this thread, a more frank description of what the issue is, without having to click through a few more medical jargon'd websites.

- - - Updated - - -

On topic, autism is a major side effect of vaccinating your children.

^ did I internets correctly or naw? :P lol

[schwarzkopf]

The irony is that if someone does have an Autism spectrum disorder, they may well be the worst person to get an explanation from.

[ComputerNerd]

Autism is used too often as a derogatory description of someone that disagrees with a point of view.
In many respects on this forum it is thrown out as easily as casual, fanboy, and other buzzwords used when they lose an argument.

On the definition, it is used as an umbrella for a considerable number of conditions which do not have their own descriptions.
In many ways I think that is harming the public perception of it, in that it is too difficult to describe to someone.
What does or doesn't count as being on the autistic spectrum seems to change frequently, depending on who you talk to.

[Deleted]

Did your muslim overlords give you permission to speak @DiegoBrando?

Yes. I love oil money.

[Holofernes]

u can easily idientifie them on the internet: they have a anime avatar.

[Aeriel]

Some of the people don't learn to do it better, some of them just mimic other peoples behavior.

This is basically what I do. My friends say I am the most well adjusted person they have met with ASD. I just spent 20+ years acting normal. I avoid things that trigger my quirks. For instance I avoid flashing lights and fidget spinners. I force myself into crowds and have found that having a drink in hand helps me.
My problem is still that my thought processes are non-linear and people do not know how I get from point A to ppint Q in a conversation.

[Independent voter]

This is basically what I do. My friends say I am the most well adjusted person they have met with ASD. I just spent 20+ years acting normal. I avoid things that trigger my quirks. For instance I avoid flashing lights and fidget spinners. I force myself into crowds and have found that having a drink in hand helps me.
My problem is still that my thought processes are non-linear and people do not know how I get from point A to ppint Q in a conversation.

When you go get your diagnosis the psychologist will train you in coping skills, give you techniques and even some video games to play. Also a meeting with your wife or gf.

[Selastan]

http://theoraah.tumblr.com/post/1423...g-the-spectrum

[StayTuned]

Why do people create threads about things that would literally take them 5 seconds to type and search through Google?

[Lex Icon]

When you go get your diagnosis the psychologist will train you in coping skills, give you techniques and even some video games to play. Also a meeting with your wife or gf.

eh i got none of that.. just got to try some pills and then they sent me on my way with a vague pamphlet for family and friends.

[Deleted]

Why do people create threads about things that would literally take them 5 seconds to type and search through Google?

Why can't people even be bothered to read the first post in a thread?