Aspie

[shyguy]

Hello everyone,

Is anyone here who is LDS that is an adult who is an aspie?

Thanks,

Shyguy

[Backroads]

I'm not, but my dad is.

[Mahone]

Yep *sticks hand up*

[carlimac]

What is it?

[Chrissy3818]

What is it?

someone who has Asperger's Syndrome

[Mahone]

Yeah, I've never liked the nickname to be honest. I always refer to it by it's full name. Maybe that's due to my aspergers

[carlimac]

Oh. Never heard of the nickname. My nephew has it. He's 18 so I suppose that makes him an official adult but he's barely out of high school.

[Vort]

ASPIE HAIKU

Always remember:

Focus! Remain aware! Stay --

Ooh, nice iPod, man.

[shyguy]

Mahone,

Makes 2 of us.

Can you guys start an LDS aspergers board? For LDS adults who have aspergers to come get advice and support. I think there is a need in the LDS church for people who have aspergers. People like me and others who have it can help each other. especially when it comes to church issues. I'm sure you know what I mean.

[shyguy]

Not the church.

[shyguy]

People issues.

[Mahone]

Mahone,

Makes 2 of us.

Can you guys start an LDS aspergers board? For LDS adults who have aspergers to come get advice and support. I think there is a need in the LDS church for people who have aspergers. People like me and others who have it can help each other. especially when it comes to church issues. I'm sure you know what I mean.

I do understand what you mean, although it's doubtful enough people are affected for it to warrant a board specifically targeted towards LDS members with aspergers. There are a number of more generic resources online however, including forums, for those with aspergers, which I find useful sometimes.

That said, I always found church by far the most difficult aspect of my life to get through (especially in my teens) because of the constant focus on social interaction that we find so emotionally exhausting.

[Penstress]

It affected me. My husband of 13 yrs was diagnosed after a very empty n lonely marriage. We just divorced 18 months ago. They have 80 % divorce rate. Sad... Hard on the spouse, you have no idea.

[Mahone]

It affected me. My husband of 13 yrs was diagnosed after a very empty n lonely marriage. We just divorced 18 months ago. They have 80 % divorce rate. Sad... Hard on the spouse, you have no idea.

Charming. I hope that's not true. I just got married, less than a year ago.

Like anything on the autistic spectrum, there are varying degrees of aspergers, some more severe than others.

One of the positives of aspergers is that it's high functioning - whilst it makes our life difficult because we don't have a lot of the social instincts that come naturally to most people, we can and do learn them intellectually - it doesn't always make sense to us (because it was a learned behaviour, not an instinct), but we do it anyway as it's the only way we can fit in.

Your marriage likely wasn't helped by the fact that he wasn't diagnosed until afterwards. He will have spent his life up until that point wondering what was wrong with him. Once he knows why he has the difficulties that he does, he will learn over time how to work around them.

Edited October 16, 2012 by Mahone

[Penstress]

He was a engineer gone doctor. Yes, the statistic is true. But yes, neither of us knew. I just couldn't live that way. No offense please....

[Aino]

Yes, the statistic is true.

.....Wow.

First thing you need to come to understand is that we are not a monolith.

Furthermore, that statistic is actually a myth with no factual basis. I have yet to find any reliable source backing it up. We are not soulless robots; we are fully capable of expressing love and affection just like everyone else. It is just that we are wired differently to do so in a world that is not designed for the way we are, which is simply "not neurotypical."

[shyguy]

True that Aino. People need to be more educated about Aspies. We are very affectionate people. We are the most honest people you will meet. Most of us are very smart.I'm happily married to my sweet wife. We all have issues and struggles we have a name. I would not change want to not have aspergers because that's how God made me:) I look at my strengths. Alot of people are misdiagnosed by doctors who have aspergers and don't even know it.. Go here Tempe Grandin.

Welcome to Temple Grandin's Official Autism Website Cow the invention. Much more:) Another good site for help.Wrong Planet - Autism Community

SHYGUY

[Aino]

I agree, Shyguy. I would also advise EVERYONE against getting their information from Autism Speaks; they are an incredibly corrupt organization that does a lot of harm to the autistic community.

I would recommend instead looking into the Autism Self-Advocacy Network.

[JudoMinja]

One of my younger brothers has Aspergers, and I haven't been diagnosed but always score fairly high on aspergers/autism tests. I've read Temple Grandin's books, watched her movie, and feel like I can really relate to her in some ways, though I've never had to deal with any difficulties as extreme as hers. If I do have Aspergers, I'm high functioning enough that it's basically gone unnoticed, and I don't know that I would really say I have it if it hasn't been anything more than a bit of a social inconvenience.

[shyguy]

Judo.

Is your brother a member of the LDS church? If so. How is he handling it?

Shyguy

[shyguy]

Hi I'm Cameron | Asperger's, Jeffersonville, Louisville, Raleigh, Blackwell, missionary, Mormon.

[JudoMinja]

Yes, my brother is LDS. Social situations are so beyond him though, that he doesn't even notice the lack of people attempting to socialize with him. He would get picked on by his peers a lot when he was a youth, but it would go completely over his head. As an adult now, he doesn't have any friends his own age at church, but he enjoys spending his time with a couple of the older people (old enough to be grandparents). He's found his "comfort zone" at church, and he stays inside it. If he ever wanted to step outside that comfort zone though, I know he'd have a hard time of it.