Lol Psychiatry and Facebook

[Suu]

One of the problems - at least with Aspergers - is that, socially, its a positively regarded diagnosis.  I suppose we could go back to the dark(er) ages when every mental illness had a serious stigma attached that was mostly based on ignorance, which would at least stop people from seeking diagnoses for self-esteem reasons.

But I think a better solution would be to popularize hypochondria.  If we got enough really cool, smart, and attractive hypochondriac movie, book, and television characters, and some kind of public self-advocacy movement (with good PR) for the disorder, people would start wanting to be hypochondriacs rather than ASD or AD[H]D.  So they'd go doctor-to-doctor until they get recognition from their disease, and tell all their friends about their new disorder - while accurately labeling themselves.

I mean, could you disagree with them?  "You're not a hypochondriac - you just think something's wrong with you."

Holy shit. I think you're onto something.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Both of my Aspergers siblings insist on posting about mental health issues on Facebook. They're both kind of obsessed with them.

Makes sense when you think about it.  A fixation on one particular subject is part of the diagnosis.

It's, like, Meta-spergers or something.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Does anyone actually WANT to be diagnosed with Aspergers?

Well, I guess hypochondriacs do.

My mom is a hypochondriac; so far she's had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel, and Lyme Disease. I'm pretty sure it's only a matter of time before she gets diagnosed with Aspergers, considering she has a son and a daughter who have both been diagnosed. For a while she was trying to claim she had ADD but she never had an official diagnosis for it.

[fomenter]

Does anyone actually WANT to be diagnosed with Aspergers?

Well, I guess hypochondriacs do.

i think some socially awkward misfit types would like the diagnosis because of the positive symptoms and the ego boost they could get from it...??

[Sir Squid Diddimus]

My son used to be really hyperactive. So much so that he could just not sit still. For anything. I thought for sure he was ADD or hyperactive. He would stand in one place and just go boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy, then we cut out sugar and fast food.

Calm as a hindu cow.

I regret ever giving him the shit in the first place, but it was a simple solution. I see a lot of other parents (that I work with) having the same problems so I suggest doing the same and for some reason, they can't seem to stop giving their kids garbage.
"They just won't drink water, it hurts johnny's tummy" blah blah.
Now, I'm only mentioning the people I know who need to stop feeding their kids shit and practice a little discipline.

I know there are plenty of actual cases. I just think the first step should be at home, not the doctor. Then if problems persist see a doctor.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Does anyone actually WANT to be diagnosed with Aspergers?

Well, I guess hypochondriacs do.

i think some socially awkward misfit types would like the diagnosis because of the positive symptoms and the ego boost they could get from it...??

"Positive symptoms" 

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

My son used to be really hyperactive. So much so that he could just not sit still. For anything. I thought for sure he was ADD or hyperactive. He would stand in one place and just go boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy, then we cut out sugar and fast food.

Calm as a hindu cow.

I regret ever giving him the shit in the first place, but it was a simple solution. I see a lot of other parents (that I work with) having the same problems so I suggest doing the same and for some reason, they can't seem to stop giving their kids garbage.
"They just won't drink water, it hurts johnny's tummy" blah blah.
Now, I'm only mentioning the people I know who need to stop feeding their kids shit and practice a little discipline.

I know there are plenty of actual cases. I just think the first step should be at home, not the doctor. Then if problems persist see a doctor.

Yeah. I seriously think the first plan of action with a hyperactive kid who can't pay attention is to cut out crap food, including white bread, bagels, etc.

[Golden Applesauce]

Does anyone actually WANT to be diagnosed with Aspergers?

Well, I guess hypochondriacs do.

i think some socially awkward misfit types would like the diagnosis because of the positive symptoms and the ego boost they could get from it...??

"Positive symptoms" 

Yeah.  People who know what the disorder is tend to associate above-average intelligence with the disorder.  So having the diagnosis makes you smarter than everybody else, while excusing your moments of idiocy, and also buys membership into a persecuted minority, which gives you something to build an identity on.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Does anyone actually WANT to be diagnosed with Aspergers?

Well, I guess hypochondriacs do.

i think some socially awkward misfit types would like the diagnosis because of the positive symptoms and the ego boost they could get from it...??

"Positive symptoms" 

Yeah.  People who know what the disorder is tend to associate above-average intelligence with the disorder.

Huh. Why is that? Because it's not true.

So having the diagnosis makes you smarter than everybody else, while excusing your moments of idiocy, and also buys membership into a persecuted minority, which gives you something to build an identity on.

That's part of being a hypochondriac.

[Sir Squid Diddimus]

Are you thinking of like, an idiot savant ?

[Triple Zero]

I'm kind of confused why you would ever start giving your kid crap food?

It's your kid after all, I mean, sure enough sooner or later they're going to want to have it cause all the other kids are having it or they got it at a party or visiting friends or whatever, but I'd want to postpone that moment for as long as possible, and even then ration it as a very special treat. Or maybe that's just how I was raised and how I see my friends with kids raise theirs. Funny thing is, if you give them only healthy food from a young age, usually you will discover some kind of really weird (but healthy) thing that they're absolutely crazy about, be it raw mushrooms, grated carrots with raisins or broccoli stem sticks in yoghurt-based dip, I've heard it all it differs greatly from kid to kid though.

[Suu]

My son used to be really hyperactive. So much so that he could just not sit still. For anything. I thought for sure he was ADD or hyperactive. He would stand in one place and just go boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy boingy, then we cut out sugar and fast food.

Calm as a hindu cow.

I regret ever giving him the shit in the first place, but it was a simple solution. I see a lot of other parents (that I work with) having the same problems so I suggest doing the same and for some reason, they can't seem to stop giving their kids garbage.
"They just won't drink water, it hurts johnny's tummy" blah blah.
Now, I'm only mentioning the people I know who need to stop feeding their kids shit and practice a little discipline.

I know there are plenty of actual cases. I just think the first step should be at home, not the doctor. Then if problems persist see a doctor.

A can of Coke used to make my brother pass out. He drinks coffee to go to bed. Boy is 100% misfiring up thar. My sister and I used to get mad that my brother could have soda and we couldn't.  

[fomenter]

[

"Positive symptoms"  

maybe some are negative symptoms being used as a excuse??
poor social skills and taking obsessive or detailed interest in unusual things (can blame disease for being friendless/awkward nerdy)

some positive symptoms are success in school, attention to detail, ability to memorize minutia, and the association these skills  usually have with intelligence

edit to add -- what GA said better

[Rumckle]

I'm kind of confused why you would ever start giving your kid crap food?

It's your kid after all, I mean, sure enough sooner or later they're going to want to have it cause all the other kids are having it or they got it at a party or visiting friends or whatever, but I'd want to postpone that moment for as long as possible, and even then ration it as a very special treat. Or maybe that's just how I was raised and how I see my friends with kids raise theirs. Funny thing is, if you give them only healthy food from a young age, usually you will discover some kind of really weird (but healthy) thing that they're absolutely crazy about, be it raw mushrooms, grated carrots with raisins or broccoli stem sticks in yoghurt-based dip, I've heard it all it differs greatly from kid to kid though.

That's the correct vegecycle.

[Golden Applesauce]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/03/health/03asperger.html

Article has a few interesting tidbits about the entire diagnosis.

"The general public has either a neutral or fairly positive view of the term Asperger's syndrome," said Tony Attwood, a psychologist based in Australia who wrote "The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome" (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2006). But if people are told they should be evaluated for autism, he went on, "they will say: 'No, no, no. I can talk. I have a friend. What a ridiculous suggestion!' So we will miss the opportunity to assess people."

"My identity is attached to being on the autism spectrum, not some superior Asperger's identity," said Ari Ne'eman, 21, an activist who founded the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, a 15-chapter organization he has built while in college.