Yeah, sure, what the heck? It might be fun for a month or two.
[disclaimer]I realize that many aspies don't have issues with the points I'm about to make below--this is my very own personal list, based on where I've felt alien relative to what seems like the norm.[/disclaimer]
What might it be like to be NT for a month? It'd be cool if:
1. I wasn't allergic to "cute." Maybe I'd like knick-knacks, stuffed animals, kittens, puppies, babies, and other cute entitites.
2. I discovered the joy of sex--really enjoying physical contact and arousal. And felt that spiritual connection with another person that people say a sexual relationship can convey.
3. I was more empathic--intuitively understanding the feelings of others, and how they pattern match non-verbal expression to intention and attitude.
4. I was more graceful and physically coordinated. Maybe I could read my handwriting, not walk into things, not move so jerkily.
This is one of the most disturbing posts on this whole subject
Anyone got any citations from medical journals relating to this?
What disturbed me is the fact that this idea of what is essentially a complete cure (however temporary) is being accepted so easily. Not just removing the comorbid issues but removing EVERYTHING, in case you missed autism rights 101, is a fairly bad thing and thus supporting the concept even just as a curiosity will ultimately have very negative consequences if enough of us do.
Whatever isn't part of the very core of autism is comorbid. As to anything within the core that's negative, you can treat just those negatives without wiping out the whole thing. Sensory overload comes to mind.
Treating sensory overload can be as simple in mild cases as avoiding overexposure to bad stimuli or pharmaceutical approaches (personally whenever I am too overloaded I take some valerian root - mild herbal sedative).
I'd buy that for a dollar.
If enough people have that attitude, guess where all these dollars go?
To the same pharmaceutical company that invented the thing, and who would be quite interested in developing it further. I'm not normally one to attack pharmaceutical companies but it makes a lot of sense that they'd have no qualms about their products being forced onto people (this already happens with various drugs in fact).
Any pill that is capable of removing autistic traits for even a temporary period is a major threat, not a cool little "let's see what it's like to be NT for an hour". The cost of that 1 hour to satisfy your curiosity now may very well be your soul later.
I would totally refuse it, I'm disappointed that so far people have been voting yes. Remember that alcohol (a known neurotoxin, this is why it causes such bad drunken behaviour) can temporarily "cure" autism too.
At least when I'm drunk, I don't feel like a *** in comparison to those around me, normally I'm that guy sitting alone not talking to anyone, but when I'm drunk, I'm the guy at the Karaoke machine singing every Johnny Cash song they have without a care in the world of what others think of me. Sure it's a "neurotoxin", but I figure since I'm gonna die anyway, is living a life of feeling inferior to everybody else all the time really worth it to extend my life another decade?
The fact you describe yourself as feeling inferior to everyone else unless you're drunk (and thus equal to other drunks) is not a good thing to base major decisions on. It is in fact more a symptom of low self-esteem and/or depression and should be investigated.
I don't see the problem...I would never take in permently, nor do i want to be NT, but I think it would be interesting to see how a NT sees things for a couple hours, what is the big deal?
2 issues:
1 - If you take it a few times and it leaves any minor lasting effects (which is quite likely if it alters enough neural pathways to make an autistic brain act NT) then these lasting effects will be cumulative. This is why I asked if anyone can cite a medical journal so I can read up on the mechanism of action and study this more.
2 - Every person who willingly takes any drug is supporting the manufacturers/inventors of that drug further and funding further development of it. Don't kid yourself into thinking that such a drug will remain forever optional, it WILL be forced onto people, children at first (if it gets approved for usage in minors, otherwise it'll have lesser uptake but still happen), eventually it could very well be a case of "take your autism meds or we cut off all services and support and/or put you in an institution".
1 - please if anyone knows of any journal articles about this drug, cite them
2 - if you were given one, someone else has already paid for it
If you support these kinds of drugs, you are supporting the destruction of autism, and as a consequence the autistic community.
Puckorz - if someone has paid for it and given it to you, it could be because they wanted you to try it, or you trying it could result in them purchasing more, or it could result in a general view that "hey, autistics are alright with this stuff".
You aren't conciously supporting the destruction of autism, but "just trying it" with this drug is exactly that sadly.
It isn't malacious intent and that's the problem. The same goes for genetic research.
Genocide of autistics will not come about as a result of a deliberate conspiracy, but as a result of "help". Taking this drug yourself as an individual is your choice and all I can do is describe my concerns, but personally I will never just sit idly by and watch it destroy our community and eventually impact people I love.
I would totally refuse it, I'm disappointed that so far people have been voting yes. Remember that alcohol (a known neurotoxin, this is why it causes such bad drunken behaviour) can temporarily "cure" autism too.
At least when I'm drunk, I don't feel like a *** in comparison to those around me, normally I'm that guy sitting alone not talking to anyone, but when I'm drunk, I'm the guy at the Karaoke machine singing every Johnny Cash song they have without a care in the world of what others think of me. Sure it's a "neurotoxin", but I figure since I'm gonna die anyway, is living a life of feeling inferior to everybody else all the time really worth it to extend my life another decade?
The fact you describe yourself as feeling inferior to everyone else unless you're drunk (and thus equal to other drunks) is not a good thing to base major decisions on. It is in fact more a symptom of low self-esteem and/or depression and should be investigated.
So you're gonna tell me that when you're in a large group of NTs and they're all talking and you can't for the life of you figure out what they're talking about with all the metaphors and sarcasm, you don't feel the least bit inferior? If that's the case than you sir are a better man than I.
And yea, I have low self esteem and depression, but I also have another thing that you Europeans never have to worry about, I have no health insurance, and a very limited income, so the closest I'll get to having something investigated will be either in an online forum, or by a bartender.
If i'm in a big crowd of NTs and they're all using metaphors I can't grasp, if it's a friendly group and I actually need or want to know what they mean I just ask. If it's an unfriendly group or I just have no desire to know I just ignore them. I know already that I am inferior in many ways, but superior in many other ways and it's the latter that matter.
As for your limited income and therefore inability to get medical attention for your depression, at the very least you could try a few simpler treatments yourself. On the chemical side take some l-tryptophan or 5-HTP at night and st johns wort in the morning and try to exercise more. This will alleviate milder cases of depression a bit, and take the edge of the harsher cases.
I don't care for the most part whether others care about my strengths. I use my strengths and work to overcome my weaknesses.
Try to chat up a girl.....yes give me NT drugs. Give me a taste to navigate the non-literal NT maze of seeing the subtle indicators to a path to successful dating.
Would I want it every day? No. But an occasional glimpse or ability to strengthen my weaknesses when required would be nice.
Try to chat up a girl.....yes give me NT drugs. Give me a taste to navigate the non-literal NT maze of seeing the subtle indicators to a path to successful dating.
Would I want it every day? No. But an occasional glimpse or ability to strengthen my weaknesses when required would be nice.
I voted for trying it, but there's meds already out there for social anxiety, etc, but I have only toyed with the idea of taking them - never have, probably never will. I am only a problem when I leave my four walls.
That is the thing it is not social anxiety. I do OK socially for the most part.
The courting thing does not work for me at all though.
I am not shy but I do not understand:
Body Language
Subtleties
The "unsaid"
Voice tones
Eye gestures
Social rules.
Sure I have had a few girlfriends and so forth.
I have had a lot of women more interested in me that I was unaware of at the time and did not pick up their signals.
Presently I am interested in a girl (woman - no I am not into young) and she likes me and I can not read her and so it is all getting very difficult to do anything about it.
My workmates are probably a bit confused too as we are a bit too intimate to be just work colleagues when we are out after work but I don't "close the deal".
I get comments, "Oh so I saw you walking her to her car the other night after the work do....."
"Yeah I did"
"She seems nice"
"Yes she is"
"Right Rossco fair enough"
Oh well time will tell. Hopefully she can just let me know one way or another too.