A Cure For Autism: Your stance?

[-Raven-]

Society should accomodate more for the nontypical. I’m (probably) not on the spectrum but I was misdiagnosed with it and sympathy for everyone who’s been treated differently due to the diagnosis. I didn’t even know what it meant at the time- the adults in my life spoke to me slowly as if I couldn’t understand english and their attitude to me changed overnight, and they told me I was this or that and didn’t even listen to me explaining how I couldn’t relate to what they were saying I was like. It isn’t fun and I got a taste of it. I even got put in a special ed class for a bit but the school realised that I didn’t actually belong there and took me out of it.

In reality I have PTSD which… I’ll just say has a lot of knock-on effects that society also does not accomodate for.

To ACTUALLY answer the question, I’m going to echo that it should be a choice. Otherwise you’re just creating the same problem of making everyone conform to a mold. Methinks that suddenly changing identity and mindset like that would be jarring even if you were willing and chose it.
It may sound cold or something but having these different mindsets in the world is good for us all. It’s important to share alternative viewpoints, have different sparks of inspiration, different mindsets and problem solving and so on. It adds to culture. I love that kind of thing. Some people will find it too difficult to manage and should have some relief, but you know, you just have to look in this thread and you’ll see people on the spectrum who are happy with who they are.

In the case of my PTSD I wish I had some sort of medicine or something that truly managed it and cleared out my mindset and blocked out trauma more but even then it would have to be somewhat controllable and not totally mangle my brain. For me philosophising about those things is really important. I don’t mind being sad and I like a mental puzzle/challenge. It’s just when it overwhelms me and it’s totally stunted my trust. I wouldn’t erase these experiences or want to suddenly change myself, but sometimes the symptoms are truly miserable. Following up on my last paragraph I think I learned a lot from my traumatic experiences which could make for good stories and give me a unique viewpoint, I try to share it when I ramble about things. To be honest, the worst part for me is feeling alone in my mental condition. I mean, the worst part of the condition itself would be the physical effects and stress and nightmares and those kinda things, but it’s so awful that I can’t share that with someone who knows.

And still I have to wonder how much two people could understand eachother anyway. Even in the best of circumstance, we can’t literally look into eachother’s minds. And that’s why we need to be accomodating for things like the spectrum and PTSD and OCD and ADD instead of trying to squeeze everyone together into the same hole, even if all of us were neurotypical we’d end up as pretty diverse people.

 

[Mr_Persona]

I guess yes as a choice. It will help for those who hate having it. I have it and I was always labeled with it at school. Everyone that know i have it at school and still nowadays treated me different even when I'm at the beginning of the spectrum. I barely act like i have it and I have no issues in real life. I want to get it removed.

 

[Shawna]

If I had to choose a side, I would honestly lead more towards yes (as a choice like other people are saying), Since there are people who want a cure for themselves.

But I’m still mixed on the issue because it makes us a huge part of who we are and honestly just people having a better understanding and patience of us can help.

 

[Dinosaurz]

My life would be a lot better if I could be cured gimme that lobotomy

 

[Romaki]

I don't think autism needs a cure. I know a lot of autistic people, one of them being my boyfriend, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with them. All of their individual struggles are not foreign to society and their exclusion in any capacity is immoral and harmful. Being different isn't wrong.

I on the other hand suffer from anxiety and depression, and I think those should be curable. But more importantly, an autistic partner is so much better for me than a neurotypical one. Everybody is different, and the world needs autistic people. Just everybody's condition needs to be respected and nobody should be treated as the "worse than death" option, as vaccine opponents like to treat it.

 

[daringred_]

i'm autistic, and i wouldn't mind a cure. if it was an option, i'd probably get it. (i'd definitely get one for my depression.) i know a lot of people above are saying it's a part of who they are, but in my case i barely have a sense of self (it's one of the things that clued my therapist in) because my method of masking tends to involve behaving how i believe other people want me to. ergo, i tend to be relatively different depending on who i'm around. for example, with one of my colleagues, i almost mimic his goofier, more chilled out, silly personality, and with another, i tend to be more. blasé and down to earth. with any authority figure, i'll be quiet and polite. i don't know which of these is the 'true' me or closest to it. probably the me when i'm alone, but she's not exactly far off a blank slate.

i definitely wouldn't miss the sensory issues either. i had to pass on a cute plushie the other day because of the material it's made of. auditory is the worst. even things like removing dishes from the cupboard makes me cringe. and when it comes to stimming, it's usually so unconscious that i probably either wouldn't realize i've stopped doing it or would simply continue out of habit/muscle memory. my family doesn't take my diagnosis seriously anyway, so it doesn't exactly matter either way to anyone other than myself.

of course i don't think there's anything wrong with autism or that it necessarily needs a cure, but i do believe it would be a good option for people who want it and/or are seriously impaired in some way by the condition, e.g. with fine motor skills. (although i don't know that it's been proven these physical disabilities are a direct result of autism, but on the off-chance they are-)

 

[-Blue-]

I don't know. I don't have autism, but if there was a hypothetical way to make it happen, it should be available for those that want to have it. No one should gate-keep whether someone should or shouldn't have it if they want it. I doubt there is ever a way to make such a thing possible. But it shouldn't be forced on people and it shouldn't be out of someone's reach if they wish to have it.

Overall society has turned a blind eye on a lot of issues and therefore many things, including autism, don't really have the attention and help that they should have. I mean look at some of the issues just this and last year that were on the forefront of everyone's attention. Most have already forgotten and moved on, but it's not so simple for those that are affected.

 

[TheRevienne]

I was diagnosed with Autism last December, and am on the high functioning side. I know and have been friends with a few autistic people too. I got asked by someone when I told them about my diagnosis, 'Do you really want that on your medical record?'. I don't see autism as something to be ashamed of, or something you should hide. To me, my autism just means that I see, and experience the world differently to neurotypical people. I understand however not everyone is like me, and has struggles with autism, as it's different for everyone, and I can see how a 'cure' would be of benefit to them. However, I don't see autism as something which needs a 'cure', as I don't see anything wrong with it. Being autistic isn't something to be ashamed of, it makes you unique, and you have a special way of looking at the world, a way that no one else has. Getting the diagnosis has helped me in so many ways, things that I just passed off as 'quirky' behaviors before, or would have thought as weird, I now know is because I'm autistic. It can be a pain sometimes, not understanding jokes, or having what people say go in one ear and out the other because I've not processed it, but I wouldn't change it for the world <3

 

[Neb]

As a person with autism, the stigma around it can be depressing and many people treat us poorly for not being the same as them. That being said, autism is not as a disease or a mental illness. Instead of finding a cure I think more focus should be spent on representation and education. That way there would be more understanding around autism in general.

 

[AppleBitterCrumble]

honestly I feel like I can't have a say on this as of rn...

my friends (myself included) have speculated I could potentially be on the spectrum. I know some ND disorders are harder/more uncommon to diagnose in women. I personally feel like I have expressed traits of autism, ADHD, and bipolar disorder throughout my life, but have trouble documenting them. I have previously mentioned to my mom my concerns about me having ADHD (especially because I am forgetful with some things and even though I am so good at time management, when it comes to relaying a story i get all over the place). Also, my closest friends have noticed traits in me that align with symptoms of those who are/identify with autistic. I am not by any means saying I am ND, but that I have a feeling that I am (seeing that I am the person who knows myself best). I would obviously need to take some time to document my own/my friend's own worries (before seeing a professional) abt me since I believe I do have something... but I am just coming on here to I guess hold myself accountable for following through with seeking some form of help/accountability!

 

[Tulaash]

I feel like it's complicated. On one hand, I wouldn't want to give up my more unique traits that define who I am - collecting plushies, loving animated shows, being semi competent at video games and computers, but on the other hand, I will likely never be able to work because of my autism. I have a volunteer job that I go to once a week for 2 hours, and I feel like that's as much as I can do. My dream job is to work at Build-A-Bear (right now, anyways, it changes whenever it feels like it), and it pangs me to know that I could never do it because I'd have to get up, take the bus there early in the morning, and then work an 8 hour shift (something I can barely do now), and do that 5 days a week. I also had horrible, violent meltdowns, that while have been doing better now that I'm living on my own, I still fear could happen at any little thing. So I don't know if I'd want a cure or not. If they could just get rid of my violent meltdowns and make me be able to work a normal job, then I'd like that, but I also don't feel like anyone should be forced to see it the same way as me, because everyone with autism is different - it's just that I got stuck with some quite negative effects of autism.
EDIT: Oh yeah, and the sensory issues suck as well - I can't stand being around crying children or really loud noises outside of concerts (and even some concerts bother me, which sucks because I love going to concerts)

 

[wubkitten]

If you could choose to have autism or not, that would be great.

If you were forcibly "cured", no.

Thing is, there isn't a "cure" and there won't be.

Banality.

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

I say no cure because even though I wasn’t diagnosed with Asperger’s until my senior year of high school, I’ve always had symptoms of it. I don’t want to be “cured” because I literally do not know what it’s like to not have Asperger’s.

 

[Alienfish]

Consider how useless my Asperger is, if I could rid of all of my issues (hyperfixation, not being able to read between the lines, needing overly clear instructions, being misunderstood etc.) then yes. Also honestly even before I got my diagnosis I kinda felt like a "shell" at a certain age cause of it, so possibly yes I'd want one in that case.

As for keeping my interests and the very few good sides of it. I mean who say you can't re-find those interests on a better level of "fixation".

Though if you are fine with it and can manage your everyday, obviously it shouldn't be forced.

 

[Marridia]

I dont think there should be a cure for autism (I'm autistic myself)
you cant fix the way someone's brain is wired.
even there were one, it could be forced on people or parents/caretakers could make the decision for the autistic person even they don't want it.

 

[smug villager]

As a disclaimer, I'm not autistic, but I am neurodivergent (BPD) and consulted two of my autistic friends beforehand to make sure I'm staying in my lane here.

I don't know how a cure would even work. It's not like the flu where there's a virus making you sick. As I understand it, it is primarily genetic and caused by differences in the brain. That's not really something you can take a few pills or a shot and have it go away, at least not with our current medical technology. Most autistic people I've spoken to assert that their autism is an important part of their identity and helped shape the person they are, so "curing" it would erase an aspect of themselves.

I imagine the ideal course of action would be similar to with my BPD - pursuing therapy to manage the symptoms that actively harm me if needed, and accomodations to avoid unwanted emotional responses (i.e., the option to step away from a stressful environment, mindfulness, social therapy if needed, etc.). It would have be tailored individually to each person who seeks it out too, since autism isn't a one size fits all kind of thing.

 

[Damniel]

the cure would be for society to stop being so ableist. ableism is a systemic issue so ingrained in our culture, it’s made us think that neurodivergent people are the ones that need to be “fixed”

 

[Blood Eclipse]

If there were a cure, I'd take it. Adhd, autism, etc aren't cute or quirky character traits. Like any other mental disorder, it makes life harder to deal with. Not many get it or care to, even if you try educating them.

If a cure changes who I am (whatever that is), so be it. It's like refusing to take antidepressants because being miserable is part of who you are, or not getting a heart surgery or teeth removal because they're part of you.

Why should it be any different with Autism/Adhd?

 

[Red Cat]

No. The world is a messed up place and it's not because of neurodivergent people. Living with ASD has it challenges, but when I think about it, most of my problems are not caused by ASD but by neurotypical people. My quirks and ticks don't harm other people, so why should I be the one who needs "curing"? There are many neurotypical people who need more intervention than I do. Most of our problems are the result of people behaving too similarly, not too differently. I'll pass on being part of "the herd" if the opportunity ever presents itself.

 

[FaeLeaf]

The fact that I've seen numerous people's Autistic symptoms (among many, many other things like depression and anxiety) improve significantly when eating better does tell me that there could be a cure or at least a way to mitigate how severely it impacts your life. Should there be a cure? Well, I guess that's up to how you feel about the condition itself. There are plenty of high-functioning Autistic people (some of my closest friends believe me to be one) that wouldn't even think to look into a cure, while others that can't live without substantial assistance would probably love to have one.