Aspergers link

[Gerrit Holl]

Carl Banks schreef op woensdag 19 maart om 18:52:04 +0000:
> I don't think Asperger's syndrome exists, period.  If they have a
> mental problem, it's something else.

Carl,

I am diagnosed with Aspergers' Syndrome, and I accept this. Since I
have a website, I am often contacted by people, and I hear stories. Some
people are in a *very bad* state, for instance that they can't leave the
house, can't stay with their parents... I have also been in a school for
Aspergers and related syndromes. It is pure nonsense to dismiss Aspergers.
A lot of people who say "I have something similar" do not have
anything similar. They recognize the simptons but do not realize what
Asperger truly is.

I was diagnosed as Asperger 10 years ago by a professional psychologist.
It was a very "new" syndrome then, although a great lot of research had
been put into it. Asperger is not merely a rational approach to life,
neither does it have anything to do with "Geek syndrome". A lot of Aspergers
are not intelligent at all, and not interested at all in geekish subjects.

Aspergers can be extremely difficult to cope with. Non-verbal communication
is lost; you should realize how important those are! Customs are not
understood, which is a big problem. Social weakness in so extreme for
Aspergers that almost all are, or have been, bullied. Aspergers do not
understand emotions: this is *much* more than a simple 'personality
type'!

I wonder if you have ever *met* an Asperger, let alone *talked* to one
a little deeper than this. What do you know at all about Aspergers? Why
do you think you can dismiss the syndrome of a lot of people? Do you
realize it may be very difficult for some Aspergers, who just accepted
their syndrome, if they read this? Do you realize that you may *hurt*
some people badly? Do you realize that you can really do damage to
very vulnarable people? Do you know what you're talking about? Do you
know the consequences? Why are you bothering *at all*? 

Please, quit.

Please!

yours truly,
Gerrit Holl.

P.S.
You are dismissing Asperger, but not Autism: do you agree that those
diagnosed with Asperger are Autists?

-- 
259. If any one steal a water-wheel from the field, he shall pay five
shekels in money to its owner. 
        -- Hammurabi, Code of Law
--
Asperger Syndroom - een persoonlijke benadering:
	http://people.nl.linux.org/~gerrit/
Het zijn tijden om je zelf met politiek te bemoeien:
	http://www.sp.nl/