The 7th myth: Aspies are weird because we refuse to wear uncomfortable clothes.
Shouldn’t this be the other way around? Off-the-spectrum folks are willing to wear uncomfortable clothes in order to look fashionable. To me, that’s weird.
The 8th myth: "Without proper diagnosis children cannot get proper treatment; without proper treatment they cannot succeed." - Petition by Lisa DeSherlia
Two words: Yeah, right.
Could we please define "succeed"? Do we mean financially, socially, or academically? I know Aspie adults who are succeeding in all these ways, and they never had "proper treatment" OR a "proper diagnosis." Let's stop viewing things so hopelessly, people!
The 9th myth: People with psychosocial illnesses cannot (or should not) enter into relationships and maintain them - at least not without regular counseling sessions.
Again with the hopelessness. These kinds of counseling sessions may be helpful, and in my case, they have been. However, relationships have come fairly easily as long as they were in a one-on-one session. In groups, my Asperger's Syndrome is more noticeable, but it hasn't stopped me from marrying my wonderful Aspie husband who diagnosed himself after reading my blog.
Let's wind up with three more myths, and then we can move on to other things.
The 10th myth: Aspie emotional outbursts are always inappropriate.
Did you know that in Bible times, mourners were hired to mourn the loss of loved ones? Bad things do happen, and they are worth getting upset over. Enough said.
The 11th myth: Aspies are incapable of learning social skills and etiquette.
On the contrary, Aspies are more interested in social skills than the average neurotypical for whom it comes naturally. The main difference is that Aspies need that teacher or peer or etiquette book in order to LEARN social skills. It does take time and practice, but this goal is not unattainable for any Aspie, I believe - or even an low-functioning autistic person, I believe. Yet the instructions must be very precise.
The 12th and final myth: Aspies don't know how to have fun like "normal" kids.
The reality is that Aspies love to have fun, but different things are fun to them, such as: learning from books, walking in circles, talking to yourself, humming, playing make-believe by yourself, or cutting out paper dolls alone, or watching ant hills - and I have enjoyed all of these. Softball, kickball and dodge ball were my enemies, but I could cut a mean paper doll!
So try having fun the Aspie way, and you'll learn things you never knew - unless you ARE an Aspie, and you've been there before.
"WHEREFORE THE KING SAID UNTO ME [NEHEMIAH], WHY IS THY COUNTENANCE SAD, SEEING THOU ART NOT SICK? THIS IS NOTHING ELSE BUT SORROW OF HEART."
