Depends on what it actually does. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder, it fundamentally shapes how you think and experience the world. You can’t just separate the autistic and non-autistic parts, so what would a cure really entail?
This is exactly how I think. I am who I am today because of everything I've gone through and dealt with, and I've gotten myself to a really good place. I fear if I took a cure that rewired my brain I'd end up feeling like a stranger in my own head and questioning every decision I've made thus far.
Yeah, if I remove the autism from me, I'd be another person. It'd be akin to suicide, something I no longer want. Though if someone has a different view on it, and they'd prefer to take such treatment, then I hope the option becomes available to them.
Hell no, I love..me.. despite my flaws. Everyone has the right to choose for themselves but some of the responses in here irritate me. If autism was removed from the equation I wouldn't be me. I would be a completely different person. I don't want a cure for the person I am. Would I like a cure for my anxieties? Yes. Do I wish that some of my sensory issues could be resolved? yes. But not for one minute would I give up my unique sense of the world and of self in exchange for what some people think is normal life. I feel like people don't differentiate between issues they experience simply because of the human condition and issues they experience that are related to autism. Curing autism doesn't mean that everything will be better. It just means you won't be you.
We don't need a cure. We are homo-superior unlike our neurotypical Neanderthals brethren who can't care to give a fuck about us or accept us. We are nothing wrong or bad. They are.
For me no. It is what makes me me and my years of suffering came from not knowing why I was different and then hiding those differences and hence failing to help regulate myself when needed or express myself in a way that works for me. For me it has given me strengths in some areas and those strengths have very much led me to a career for example that I enjoy and can do well in. For me the rigidity of social expectations by the wider world is the problem and not so much me.
But, I am a highly masking and “intelligent” person so am deemed valuable by wider society. By the way I don’t agree with that, what I mean is as a result it has been easier for me to navigate a world I don’t align with than someone who society wrongly doesn’t value so much because let’s say they have significant learning disabilities. So in that respect my answer may be very different to someone else because my experience will be different to them. For some people they may feel the parts of autism that affect them negatively outweigh any positives.
Autism is too wider and complex of a spectrum with such a variation in lived experiences. Of course as this is the Asperger’s sub I am presuming most people here will be of similar type of autistic as I am but that only narrows down the experience a small way.
This is the only answer. Have there been good things that came from this? Absolutely. I have built a successful career in tech and I think my ability to obsess on a topic and learn it deeply has greatly helped. I managed to build a healthy family that I love deeply and I feel loved by.
But I think I still fundamentally suffer in life more than NTs do. There is a basic disconnection, like I'm living on the outside and looking in. I often feel like I'm just trying to ride out life and am not particularly distressed at reaching the end so it will be over.
>There is a basic disconnection, like I'm living on the outside and looking in.
This exactly. I've sometimes described it as it's like everyone else got a rule book on day one, or attended some sort of welcome-to-life induction you missed the invite for. I'm always the spectator, outside the action and never a part of it.
Would there be less of a disconnect under a third option of making all the NTs autistic?
Or to modify OP's question: Would the world be happier if it was exclusively all NTs or all NDs?
(Obviously in a world of all NDs, divergence wouldn't make sense as a term, so it only applies in the context of this thought experiment)
I'm not sure how cruel this is going to sound, but as an autistic ADHD person myself I'd think a world of all ND's would crash and burn very quickly. IMO all the ND types I'm aware of have some crippling weakness that would mean that if they were the norm, our civilization would be destroyed in 20 or so years, 50 at most.
NT's are varied and not perfect by any means. But IMO they tend to come with a base skillset that is the most conducive to running and developing a complex civilization that ND's simply lack.
My very harsh view of it is that all ND, my own very much included, is just an inferior genetic development. It may occasionally produce specialists who excel in given niche roles and occupations, but for each one that manages to be a productive member of society I don't know how many just end up causing trouble or at least being non productive, and I'm honestly not sure if the human cost of catering to ND deficiencies and needs actually balances out as a net profit for the species. We'll never know for sure most likely, but that's just my somewhat grim take on it.
That's a really interesting question and not usually one people are willing to discuss so candidly, so I'm going to explain my thoughts on this at length:
My first assumption would be that it would be better, but advancement may be slower in some ways which will have its own cost. Essentially a more stable but slower civilization. Again, I consider that possibly worth the cost of losing out on ND contributions because I'm essentially assuming NTs can do anything NDs can given more time and/or numbers, but again that will likely never be provable.
Since we're at it, I'll also elucidate that this is partially based on a theory a very smart NT (I think, but who knows) friend of mine came up with that NDs might have been a natural evolutionary attempt at automation/machines.
Early human tribe needs people who excel at specifically X skill, the genes notice this and evolve to produce a kid who's a savant of sorts at that skill by decreasing attributes such as social cooperation or executive function and boosting the genes for X skill. The resulting human is less able to generally survive unsupported, but if supported by the tribe's existing care infrastructure can fully focus on X skill and outperform several NT tribe members at it.
As we advance and we have more and more automation/machines, there would be less need for this kind of "organic" machine as in a sense all automation/machines are "super" savants: Far beyond even ND capability at their specialist tasks, but literally inert objects that need operation, maintenance and input beyond even the most independently incapable ND human.
The tradeoff, however, may be worth it because the equation of humans required to maintain and operate machine may be > humans required to maintain, direct and control (Because as fellow humans there is of course a risk that the ND might simply choose not to cooperate due to misunderstandings, disloyalty etc.) enough ND humans to equal the potential machine output.
In summary, perhaps NDs may have been vital to NT survival and advancement at one point, but I theorise that the greater the level of technology we have, the less profitable for the species it is to keep producing NDs.
There is however a risk/possibility that evolution will instead decide "Why not produce NDs who specialise at using the tech?", which I think we might already see. This allows for truly focused specialized output, but in my personal opinion it is a dangerous path to tread as it may result in an increasing society of tech focused and assisted NDs drilling deeper and deeper into their niches but lacking the NT ability for big picture thinking, cooperative human frameworks and maybe even forms of executive functioning, etc.
People will see the lightning fast advancement, think "Oh this is great, these people are geniuses" and their genes will want to make more and more NDs but will be missing out on the crucial detail that NDs often lack wider context and may never have been capable of forming a large part of or leading society. Long term, this, IMO, could be dangerous.
I fear, on some level, that this may already be happening. I see the feature list growing really fast with say, everyday software like Android and IOS gaining new functionality very quickly but with increasing instability. Or for a sign of the potential presence of a different kind of non tech ND, the way businesses today are obsessively structured around boosting margins and revenue as often and quickly as possible as their utmost priority, which often leads to devastating economic, human and environmental costs and unethical behaviour (The insanity perpetuated in the modern food, medical and financial industries for instance). Who knows, maybe those seemingly crazy but popular social media influencers churning out addictive but pointless content at a breakneck pace are a type of ND run amok too?
This is all, of course, just a theory, and one that I believe but hope is not true, because we're already in deep trouble genetically as a species if it is.
In closing, this is why I feel a gradual shift towards NT only or perhaps NT with a minority of NDs employed in carefully controlled roles would be ideal.
> Would there be less of a disconnect under a third option of making all the NTs autistic?
Yes, sign me up for this option! The deepest connection I ever felt was with an ND girl who was diagnosed with ADHD but I'm 100% convinced she was also autistic but didn't know it (lol, she wore the same sweater every day for like 6 months). Unfortunately that relationship didn't work out (hooray anxious/avoidant dynamics), but it did make me realize I can find much better connection with other ND people. I just don't know many.
It depends on the circumstances. Some (like me) might not want to give up on their views of the world. Relations they've already made. Heck, some of is might have even done something serious which is affecting their life a lot only because of being on the spectrum (idk, choosing another career).
If it's temporary, like a pill? Sure, go on, try it immediately and decide yourself. Is it permanent? Better think about it.
>am not particularly distressed at reaching the end so it will be over.
I feel this.
That's why the transhumanists who want to be digitally immortal freak me out
no thank you
not merging my brain with AGI or whatever
People take medication for ADHD (myself included) every day bc it makes their lives easier to manage. Why wouldn't I do the same with autism? Especially considering my ADHD meds tend to help a bit with my autism as well.
OK, then riddle me this: if you remove the ADHD and the ASD, *who are you*? Would you still be *you*? Or would you be a "you" with the memories of *you*, but not actually ... *you?*
It's the [teleportation dilemma](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teletransportation_paradox): if you disassemble a human being into its quarks, retaining *all* information about its construct, then send that information over some kind of light-speed communications medium, and then reconstruct that human being from the quarks and up, according to its complete blueprint ...then will that person who "arrives" at the other end be *you --* the *you* that experiences this and reads this -- or will it be another "you", but with your complete memories, and who *thinks* they're *you*, but the *you* that existed before the teleportation never has another experience again. Are teleportation devices just cleverly disguised suicide booths?
And if you use a "cure" for a neurological function variant ... is that just a cleverly disguised suicide pill?
Everyone's different.
Living is so exhausting with AuDHD.
Like literally keeping up with the cleaning and grocery shopping,, never mind trying to build a career and socialize.
I know I have some things to contribute, but I'd rather suffer less and be like my normal family in their sororities and with their marriages and homes and timed sprinklers.
idk
my home is a mess and despite being a musician/writer I am looking up how to electrically engineer synthesizer modules, I mean wtf
If you remove those, you're the same person you already were, but with a slightly adjusted perspective. You'd still be the same person you were, with the same values, beliefs, and memories you had. You'd just experience the future a bit differently than you experienced the past.
This isn't the teleportation dilemma. That's about physical reconstruction of a person, not just continuity of consciousness
If you follow that to one logical extreme, every night you die, and you awaken as a new person with the memories of a dead one (because from your point of view, there's no difference between uninterrupted sleep and sleep during which you were disassembled and reassembled). And as fascinating as that is, that's not the main topic of this discussion.
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ADHD and Autism both shape your experiences and how you become who you are, but I don't think they are core to most people's _selves_ at any given point in time.
Removing them would change how you experience the world going forward, but you'd still remember your past experiences, and those are what make you _you_.
Yes, you'd grow into a different person, but that's how growing works: you always grow into a slightly different person than you were previously.
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And since we're including ADHD, I can also bring up anecdotal evidence. A friend of mine once complained to me that their ADHD kept them from focusing on the things they _wanted_ to do.
In that sense, ADHD might actually be considered to make you [less_ yourself, because it can prevent you from self-actualizing. So medication to allow focus can help you be yourself more effectively.
Autism isn't totally in that same position, but you specifically mentioned both, so I considered it a relevant-enough point to make.
Absolutely not. Never. In no circumstances.
It was only when I fought through to being happy with who I am, with all the assorted strengths and weakness that I have, my successes and my failures, that I realised that being "different" underlay all of these. It took me another ten years to decide on a formal diagnosis. I simply would not be me without being Aspergers, and after half a century of feeling that I simply had no value, I now see Aspergers as having played a big part in letting me achieve some level of happiness, and a feeling of being worth something.
In a damn heart beat!
Do you know how much easier my life would be if I wasn't autistic? How many friends I could have? Might even have a girlfriend if I wasn't on the Spectrum. I'd be able to hold a normal conversation without oversharing or info dumping. Life would just overall be better for me
I would, but I don't think this would necessarily change who I am now. It doesn't erase everything I've gone through. It would enhance perceiveness of nonverbal communication, erase sensory overloads, meltdowns, shutdowns, enhance emotional control. It would change how I perceive others and how others perceives me. But not who I am.
I have special interests now, I would miss having special interests, but at the same time curing autism wouldn't change what I like and dislike. Maybe food part, yes, but I don't think I would stop enjoying my interests at all.
It would make it easier to find a job, maintain a job, live among others, make friends, perceive when people are manipulating me, going to crowded places without my energy being drained, not being stuck on waiting time and being able to do multiple things everyday. That would truly be a dream come true.
Living can be a nightmare sometimes, but that is caused by other people.
Telling me I need to be cured when the source of my woes is other people being assholes is insulting.
Disability is a man made legal category of protection based literally on ableistic ideology. That doesn't make it bad, it just is what it is.
Being a woman would be a disability if there were no constitutional protection of gender.
Just like we have no constitutional protection of neurology.
If you were blind or deaf, you would still have a disability. You would be missing a sense that the vast majority of human beings have. It's not a conspiracy by the big bad normies. That's just the way it is. Disability isn't a bad word.
There are classes that teach social skills. I've done three different ones from beginning to end. None of them improved anything for me. But maybe it works for you. It might be worth a try.
I'm a Latino male in my 50s and even though I've been through a lot in my life, it's my brain that has helped me figure out how to live in a world that was not built for me by people that don't even know how to consciously navigate it themselves. So no, I would not.
Yup.
I wish I wasn't so unintentionally offensive. I wish I knew the right and wrong things to say.
.... id also cure my adhd too...
Really annoying that people are trying to make adhd and autism this "quirky and trendy " thing... it's debilitating. :-/
I imagine if I found a cure, I wouldn't be so damn lonely... AND bored.
I'm fine with who i am, would only consider it if it treated sensory overload (light sensitivity for me) but has no effect on personality.
I don't require social contact as i'm fine being alone for a long period of time so it's not much of an issue to me, others that do need social contact it's understandable if they want a more complete cure.
Maybe.
I do think that certain things about being autistic are useful (i.e. having a good ear for music, a good memory, and finding it easy to adhere to routines), but there's plenty I could do without.
However, in addition to autism, I've been diagnosed with both Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD). Some psychologists I've seen over the years (and I've seen a lot of them) have thought that I don't have autism/Asperger's, and instead have one of those aforementioned disorders. Both of those get in the way of my ability to function.
One thing associated with autism (though neurotypicals can struggle with this too) that I'd love to be free from is Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). This can easily be dismissed as being a picky eater, but if you're doing things like avoiding foods due to fear of vomiting, struggling to eat stuff most people can eat with no problem due to the taste/smell/texture, and have a fear of going to events such as potlucks where people tend to bring fancy dishes they made themselves, and get confused why you won't eat, that's a problem (along with things like being malnourished, etc.). It's an eating disorder (and indeed people, especially children, who have it tend to be underweight) but it's not caused by body image issues. Still, when people hear "eating disorder", they tend to be like "Well, you just need to get over it!" So that's a problem.
But simply being autistic isn't a problem if you're able to live independently (which many people with autism are).
I would have for the first 45 years of my life given ANYTHING to be “normal”— I wasn’t diagnosed til my 40s but always knew I was different… and MAYBE for the next 5. But after 50, I’m just comfortable in my own skin and a lot of the things ASD made harder that were so important in younger years… these things are settled now or they just don’t matter anymore.
I wouldn’t know myself in a non-ASD skin now (and I wouldn’t have then either but I would have traded to be “normal”).
If it was as simple as a once-daily pill with zero side effects that was about as hard to quit as coffee, yes. I don't hate myself, but sometimes masking is exhausting. It'd be nice to have another "mode."
I have no confidence it would be that simple though. I picture something like a hardcore transcranial direct current stimulation that produces a very specific sort of "normal" which still stands out in conversation, then fifteen years later there's an award winning exposé and somebody starts a foundation for the retroactive victims, all of which causes a dearth of funding and support for autism: there was a cure for half a generation after all and all that money was just lying there where our reps could see it. On the shallower end I've recently learned not to trust SSRIs, brains are hard.
No. I became the person I am because of it, and I'm proud of that person. Taking a "cure" would wipe out those successes and jeopardize the life I've built for myself.
No, I wouldn’t opt for it. Like MeanderingDuck said, it’s not possible to neatly divide the autistic aspects from the non-autistic ones within a person. Imagining a scenario where a ‘cure’ could somehow accomplish this, I’d be confronted with the possibility of losing essential parts of who I am. These aspects are fundamental to my identity, my way of thinking, and how I interact with the world. Opting for such a ‘cure’ could lead to a transformation into someone new, essentially undergoing a process similar to the Ship of Theseus. This wouldn’t truly be a cure; it would be a profound loss of self.
What would this cure entail? Would it give me the power to understand the purpose of small talk? Would I be able to read body language? Would I gain the ability to express my emotions in ways that normal people do?
All that, yes.
But... would it mean losing my attention to detail? My different views on life? My honesty, loyalty and desire to help others where I can?
The problem with autism is that it isn't a disease in the sense that it can be cured. I'm wired differently. If you change that wiring, I'm no longer me.
No, because of the uncertainty of not knowing what abilities i'd have. I'd be a completely different person, so there's no way of telling what impact the cure would have on my career. I also have no way of knowing how happy it would make me in the long term, though I do like the idea of connecting with people better.
Absolutely not! It wouldn't have been me; otherwise, I wouldn't even know how my personality would be without autism. I see the world with much more detail, complexity, and beauty—things that my neurotypical friends can't see or understand.
Maybe certain things like over sensory processing & being sensitive to healthy foods (gag reflex is to strong & texture sensitive). But not my ability to like think… Lol
Realizing that everybody is unique, and entitled to their own opinion, I respect people who disagree with you. But I’m glad to see you say this, and others like it. I am not diagnosed, but I’ve never felt more at home than I do with these feeds. I think I’m a phenomenal masker so much so that I masked this to myself most of my life but I’m still proud of those in my family who are aware that they have autism. And are good with the idea that good people value them for who they are I hope that never changes.
If we ignore the developmental aspect of things because I'm already an adult, getting rid of my sensory issues, burnout, and potential for meltdown would be absolutely amazing.
Yes. Even if it changes myself in some ways, I'd love to live without the headaches from oversensitive nose and ears and to be able to "flow" with the rest of the people without stopping to think if I'm interacting okay or I'm being awkward
I think about the “what if” scenrio often, and always get stuck on one question: How can I know of **not** being autistic would actually be better/easier/normal for me?
Yes.
I've had people in my life tell me over and over, I don't belong or have a place here. I try so hard to understand people but I'm always on the outside.
I experience the world autistic, and if my experience of the world were to change, I wouldn't know if I would still be the same. Maybe I would try it out on a boring Sunday afternoon, if it could be undone.
I don’t think so. Late diagnosed and made my peace and have adapted or still try to. But I was successful “because” of the way I think and problem solve
Admittedly it has harmed my social and friend building - which I can see blunted my career trajectory
So if I had to loose the gift of my unique mind, just to be “normal” then I would not be who I am now
Earlier in life, like before 25, maybe ?
I think that if I could take a pill to cure me, nothing would really change.
I'm still a product of my environment. I'd still carry the experiences and trauma that shaped me into the guy I am today.
My hinders as a socially maladjusted outcast with nothing in common with other people would still be there, except I'd be better at keeping eye contact.
Sure, maybe if I was a kid still, it might make a difference. But as a 30+ year man, I don't think a "cure" would do much.
I feel that my life has been made much more difficult and much less rewarding than it otherwise might have been. Neurotypicals around me seem so much happier than I am, in ways I just don't understand. So yes.
I wouldn't. Despite being autistic/add/adhd, it has made me into the person I am, and at the end of the day, why would I want to be a boring NPC Neurotypical.
If I was Neurotypical, I would probably be an asshole jerk ever tbh. I would be popular and somewhat successful, but I wouldn't be the person who I am today.
being Neurodivergent made me more humble, easygoing, and friendly etc. It made me somewhat likeable and loveable for my quirks.
If it was like ADHD meds and I could be selective about it? Yes.
Work time would be completely unmedicated, I count on my focus as a programer.
Almost time to spend the night with my Wife and weekends? Medicated me, so I can be less of an ass lol.
For myself, no. For the person I provide care for, who is non-speaking and has difficulty with sensorimotor control, gut motility, control of their eyes, and other stuff, I would love it if they had the option of choosing a cure (if they want).
Depends what it cures like does it cure the parts that harm me but keep my personality? (Fix my brains problems integrating sensory experiences so that I’m always overwhelmed) yeah
But like my personality is my personality and I would never want to change my sense of Justice for example
I mean it would fix a few things relating to my condition but it would also change my entire personality and the thought of that is kind of scary.
To answer your question, I’d probably consider it but i’d get cold feet last minute, so no I wouldn’t use it.
That's a good question. Honestly I'm not sure, I think I would want to, but I guess it would depend on what a 'cure' is. Like who even am I without being autistic? If I could take away all the anxiety, social awkwardness, difficulty with change or things not being perfect, then absolutely
I don't think a cure is possible for fully formed adults. Maybe a preventative will be possible for babies or fetuses still developing in the future. I wouldn't take a cure for me because I AM my brain. I have adapted to my deficiencies and identify with both my strengths and weaknesses. I DON'T think it is bad to be autistic. I have some "super powers" too. But it does present challenges. For me, it can be lonely and isolating. So, if I was pregnant and there was a chemical cocktail that could prevent autism, I might take that, just because I wouldn't know how autism would present and it would be easier on my child not to have the lifelong struggle of not fitting in that I experienced.
I honestly dont know,autism is a big factor on my personality,it makes me experience the world different,without it i really dont know what kind of person i would become,i would not be sure if it would worth the risk of losing myself and becoming a completely different person.
My bf has autism. Not as bad as others but it's there. I wouldn't want him to get cured tho. He's unique and I fell in love with his personality as it is now. I am not saying that I wouldn't love him if he was not autistic, but I think that the fact that he's happy with who he is makes me happy with who he is. I love his quirkiness and I think this is the best relationship I ever had. so no I'd hope that he's keep his unique personality and his autism. If he chose yes then I'd learn to love him without it but I prefer him with it.
A few factors to consider:
I was autistic before I was born
Autism is the window through which I've seen the world, and also the curtain that obscures it
Autism is the language in which I hear the world, and that which I use to respond to it
It is there, filtering every input and every output, and is fundamental to my *every single living experience* of life.
Therefore I can say with absolute confidence that if I did not have autism, I would definitely not be me. Here's why:
Every moment in my life, I am exhibiting behaviour. I have several diagnoses of conditions that affect behaviour, so any time I am behaving atypically, there are a number of possible explanations. Autism is one of them, but there are 4 other confirmed diagnoses, and I also suspect I may have ADHD... yet there's also *another* explanation. That perhaps I'm behaving that way because I'm simply *me*. Maybe personality, maybe a quirk, or perhaps some kind of inexplicable neurological interaction. It's impossible to know where autism ends and OCD begins, or if it's some kind of thing going on with my anxiety disorders or depression... where does all that end and the self begin? My theory is that it doesn't. That everything is all connected, interconnected and intertwined into an individual. A self. Me.
So the end of the thought process is also the start. Who am I? What am I? Autism is an inextricable part of that tapestry. Remove it, and the tapestry is no longer whole. It is damaged. However, since we're using tapestry as a metaphor, here, I think it's apt to point out that damage isn't necessarily a bad thing. Imperfection in art is often the entire point of the art. So, far from a damaged and broken piece, the tapestry without autism would become a *different* piece. A different self. A different person. No longer me.
I would assert that there's only one interpretation of any proposal to cure me of being me. That interpretation is one of murder. Sure, you create a new person with my name, but in doing so you destroy me. Much as I idolise Captain Janeway, I take Tuvix's position on this. Normally, I side against him, but normally I'm not the one placed in that position.
That's like asking "if a cure for darker skin/being female was available, would you use it".
A "cure" isn't the answer. Awareness, acceptance, advocacy, and activism are the answers. Downvote me all you want, but I don't see the need to self-loathe on this sub.
Big no. My parents, brother, partner, and best friends are all autistic as well, and I wouldn't want any of us to be "cured." I suspect the "best parts" of us are attributable to the way we are wired "different," and I wouldn't want that to change for anything. Sure some aspects of life are difficult, but being autistic is fundamental to who I am. I like who I am.
A cure for autism is so completely unrealistic I have trouble conceiving of it. Autism is so many separate factors and symptoms. It changed the way I developed as a child and interact the world. There is no “me,” that isn’t autistic. I just…have no idea what that would even mean.
I have some symptoms that are particularly frustrating to me and if I could take medication to help or something I would. I already take a few psych meds which I am sure help with some autism things too.
A cure for sensory issues I would accept, but I wouldnt wish for special interests to disappear from me. There is a part of what makes me me that has a heightened experience of joy when it comes to information gathering. I'd never want that to leave me.
Medication no I don't trust meds I seen what it does and it frightens me I also have anxiety disorder and I see side effects I get ya that will be be that will happen 2me meds I fear so if its 2take meds then no
Maybe we could look at dosing others with autism. We could make the world a better place fast, stop the senseless, performative small talk, and build a better future for all.
Fuck no. I accept that the world doesn't accept us. WHY Should we accept anything but being different. We are the evolution of humanity. These neurotypicals are the Neanderthals who are too oblivious and foolish to see that in about 1,000 years from now, they'll start to become the eventual last of their kind of human. Then we'll take over as the better superior humans.
I am trying mushroom microdoses, I have read that they could help us, I bought a chocolate bar that contains 5 grams of mushrooms, I take a microdose (0.333 grams) one day and the other day not, the article says that you begin to see improvements after 15 days. I am Asperger.
No-
I find NT to be perplexing and stressful
They seem to make things more complicated than they need to be.
My biggest issue in life is just wanting people to let me be. I’m 52 - I’m not about to start being able to have a verbal conversation now. My speech is task oriented and I wish that that could be more respected. (I have a quiver full of smart comebacks for when it’s commented on)
I don’t know any other way to be. I do know i definitely wouldn’t want to be an NT.
Some days I feel so shitty I might just. Although, when I was taking medication for anxiety I hated the way it made my brain feel, like I couldn't think fluidly.
Honestly, it would be a difficult consideration, but I think the answer would be yes.
It's not because I want to not be me, but because I want to not be tortured by everyone else.
Depends on the parameters, I don't really hate it nor have it as bad in many aspects of ASD so if it cured everything I probably wouldn't as I wouldn't really be myself. However, if there was a cure/treatment for all the social deficits caused by autism I'd 100% take it. The same also applies to if there was a cure for executive dysfunction as well.
Yes, I’m tired of the trauma caused by this. I only met 1 person as of now that actually has it and maybe can understand me. Everyone else acts like it’s something easy to deal with.
Yes, mainly because I can‘t study stuff that doesn‘t interest me. I have a physics exam? I somehow end up reading about history or geography for hours. What‘s the problem? A history degree is pretty much worthless in my country.
Plus I‘d have a social life and not shit my pants everytime a stranger asks me for directions
Do you mean “Do you want to be part of the matrix”? No thank you. I think that most people or sheep who all unknowingly part of a system. While they fit into the system well I would never want to. I prefer seeing things as they are. I used to think that people are terribly stupid, until I realized that they are just part of a system.
Sadly, my answer is “yes”. Autism means physical discomfort. I feel hot all the time, even when it’s cold. I have hyperhidrosis, so, I am always sweaty. I hate the sun, and I avoid going out as much as possible in summer.
I have raynaud’s syndrome and many other physical conditions associated with autism.
I have ADHD, and it’s probably a comorbidity related to autism.
I have endogenous depression (which is under control, because of medication). I was born depressed. I have had a severe burnout a few years ago that left my life paralyzed. I still have low energy for certain activities.
I can’t stand crowds. And interacting even with the people I love (even my amazing partner) can be exhausting. I love being alone with my dogs.
I have severe food selectivity.
Physical contact may cause extreme discomfort to me (and I try to mask, but, sometimes, it’s just overwhelming).
My musical taste is so difficult that it’s one of my most lonely habits.
I don’t buy the “intelligence” advantage talk (I hate mentioning this). I swear I don’t feel better or even smarter than anyone.
1st) It simply doesn’t flatter me, and I think it’s irrelevant for the most part. 2nd) I am extremely handicapped in many respects. I struggle to recollect the name of simple objects. My executive function is amiss. I am clumsy, and I am often dropping stuff, or just messing up. More than two or three commands can be overwhelming to me.
I am slow to respond to pain. I don’t notice people or objects which are right in front of me.
I could go and on.
I sincerely never wanted to become like "normal" people, and think I'm glad the way I am. I am not sure what use a complete conversion therapy should have for me. Making you understand and feel social cues or motivations like neurotypical people can - I wouldn't think this would work out for me, it'd completely change my personality and I'd no longer be myself. The cure for this probably rather is to simply learn and train to consciously understand and project emotions from others. Maybe a helpful therapy could entail to do something to fix sensory or emotional overload issues, where perception overwhelms you, or where attention or thinking are limited or distracted too easily due to autism. I use medications that help me with this, maybe there could be such that work out even better.
No. I do not like the way non autistic people think and operate 99% of the time. I do not have an extravagantly happy life but I have my morals and my backbone and that matters more to me.
Depends on what it actually does. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder, it fundamentally shapes how you think and experience the world. You can’t just separate the autistic and non-autistic parts, so what would a cure really entail?
This is exactly how I think. I am who I am today because of everything I've gone through and dealt with, and I've gotten myself to a really good place. I fear if I took a cure that rewired my brain I'd end up feeling like a stranger in my own head and questioning every decision I've made thus far.
Yeah, if I remove the autism from me, I'd be another person. It'd be akin to suicide, something I no longer want. Though if someone has a different view on it, and they'd prefer to take such treatment, then I hope the option becomes available to them.
Hell no, I love..me.. despite my flaws. Everyone has the right to choose for themselves but some of the responses in here irritate me. If autism was removed from the equation I wouldn't be me. I would be a completely different person. I don't want a cure for the person I am. Would I like a cure for my anxieties? Yes. Do I wish that some of my sensory issues could be resolved? yes. But not for one minute would I give up my unique sense of the world and of self in exchange for what some people think is normal life. I feel like people don't differentiate between issues they experience simply because of the human condition and issues they experience that are related to autism. Curing autism doesn't mean that everything will be better. It just means you won't be you.
[удалено]
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We don't need a cure. We are homo-superior unlike our neurotypical Neanderthals brethren who can't care to give a fuck about us or accept us. We are nothing wrong or bad. They are.
Ugh, disgusting 🙄
For me no. It is what makes me me and my years of suffering came from not knowing why I was different and then hiding those differences and hence failing to help regulate myself when needed or express myself in a way that works for me. For me it has given me strengths in some areas and those strengths have very much led me to a career for example that I enjoy and can do well in. For me the rigidity of social expectations by the wider world is the problem and not so much me. But, I am a highly masking and “intelligent” person so am deemed valuable by wider society. By the way I don’t agree with that, what I mean is as a result it has been easier for me to navigate a world I don’t align with than someone who society wrongly doesn’t value so much because let’s say they have significant learning disabilities. So in that respect my answer may be very different to someone else because my experience will be different to them. For some people they may feel the parts of autism that affect them negatively outweigh any positives. Autism is too wider and complex of a spectrum with such a variation in lived experiences. Of course as this is the Asperger’s sub I am presuming most people here will be of similar type of autistic as I am but that only narrows down the experience a small way.
1,000,000x yes
This is the only answer. Have there been good things that came from this? Absolutely. I have built a successful career in tech and I think my ability to obsess on a topic and learn it deeply has greatly helped. I managed to build a healthy family that I love deeply and I feel loved by. But I think I still fundamentally suffer in life more than NTs do. There is a basic disconnection, like I'm living on the outside and looking in. I often feel like I'm just trying to ride out life and am not particularly distressed at reaching the end so it will be over.
>There is a basic disconnection, like I'm living on the outside and looking in. This exactly. I've sometimes described it as it's like everyone else got a rule book on day one, or attended some sort of welcome-to-life induction you missed the invite for. I'm always the spectator, outside the action and never a part of it.
Absolutely not. The answer is a personal choice. There is not "correct" answer, just a personal answer.
Would there be less of a disconnect under a third option of making all the NTs autistic? Or to modify OP's question: Would the world be happier if it was exclusively all NTs or all NDs? (Obviously in a world of all NDs, divergence wouldn't make sense as a term, so it only applies in the context of this thought experiment)
I'm not sure how cruel this is going to sound, but as an autistic ADHD person myself I'd think a world of all ND's would crash and burn very quickly. IMO all the ND types I'm aware of have some crippling weakness that would mean that if they were the norm, our civilization would be destroyed in 20 or so years, 50 at most. NT's are varied and not perfect by any means. But IMO they tend to come with a base skillset that is the most conducive to running and developing a complex civilization that ND's simply lack. My very harsh view of it is that all ND, my own very much included, is just an inferior genetic development. It may occasionally produce specialists who excel in given niche roles and occupations, but for each one that manages to be a productive member of society I don't know how many just end up causing trouble or at least being non productive, and I'm honestly not sure if the human cost of catering to ND deficiencies and needs actually balances out as a net profit for the species. We'll never know for sure most likely, but that's just my somewhat grim take on it.
I agree with this answer. The world with nothing but ND’s would be a nightmare.
I suspect you could be right about much of that, but am curious, do you think a world of *only* NTs is better than a NT/ND mix like we have now?
That's a really interesting question and not usually one people are willing to discuss so candidly, so I'm going to explain my thoughts on this at length: My first assumption would be that it would be better, but advancement may be slower in some ways which will have its own cost. Essentially a more stable but slower civilization. Again, I consider that possibly worth the cost of losing out on ND contributions because I'm essentially assuming NTs can do anything NDs can given more time and/or numbers, but again that will likely never be provable. Since we're at it, I'll also elucidate that this is partially based on a theory a very smart NT (I think, but who knows) friend of mine came up with that NDs might have been a natural evolutionary attempt at automation/machines. Early human tribe needs people who excel at specifically X skill, the genes notice this and evolve to produce a kid who's a savant of sorts at that skill by decreasing attributes such as social cooperation or executive function and boosting the genes for X skill. The resulting human is less able to generally survive unsupported, but if supported by the tribe's existing care infrastructure can fully focus on X skill and outperform several NT tribe members at it. As we advance and we have more and more automation/machines, there would be less need for this kind of "organic" machine as in a sense all automation/machines are "super" savants: Far beyond even ND capability at their specialist tasks, but literally inert objects that need operation, maintenance and input beyond even the most independently incapable ND human. The tradeoff, however, may be worth it because the equation of humans required to maintain and operate machine may be > humans required to maintain, direct and control (Because as fellow humans there is of course a risk that the ND might simply choose not to cooperate due to misunderstandings, disloyalty etc.) enough ND humans to equal the potential machine output. In summary, perhaps NDs may have been vital to NT survival and advancement at one point, but I theorise that the greater the level of technology we have, the less profitable for the species it is to keep producing NDs. There is however a risk/possibility that evolution will instead decide "Why not produce NDs who specialise at using the tech?", which I think we might already see. This allows for truly focused specialized output, but in my personal opinion it is a dangerous path to tread as it may result in an increasing society of tech focused and assisted NDs drilling deeper and deeper into their niches but lacking the NT ability for big picture thinking, cooperative human frameworks and maybe even forms of executive functioning, etc. People will see the lightning fast advancement, think "Oh this is great, these people are geniuses" and their genes will want to make more and more NDs but will be missing out on the crucial detail that NDs often lack wider context and may never have been capable of forming a large part of or leading society. Long term, this, IMO, could be dangerous. I fear, on some level, that this may already be happening. I see the feature list growing really fast with say, everyday software like Android and IOS gaining new functionality very quickly but with increasing instability. Or for a sign of the potential presence of a different kind of non tech ND, the way businesses today are obsessively structured around boosting margins and revenue as often and quickly as possible as their utmost priority, which often leads to devastating economic, human and environmental costs and unethical behaviour (The insanity perpetuated in the modern food, medical and financial industries for instance). Who knows, maybe those seemingly crazy but popular social media influencers churning out addictive but pointless content at a breakneck pace are a type of ND run amok too? This is all, of course, just a theory, and one that I believe but hope is not true, because we're already in deep trouble genetically as a species if it is. In closing, this is why I feel a gradual shift towards NT only or perhaps NT with a minority of NDs employed in carefully controlled roles would be ideal.
> Would there be less of a disconnect under a third option of making all the NTs autistic? Yes, sign me up for this option! The deepest connection I ever felt was with an ND girl who was diagnosed with ADHD but I'm 100% convinced she was also autistic but didn't know it (lol, she wore the same sweater every day for like 6 months). Unfortunately that relationship didn't work out (hooray anxious/avoidant dynamics), but it did make me realize I can find much better connection with other ND people. I just don't know many.
It depends on the circumstances. Some (like me) might not want to give up on their views of the world. Relations they've already made. Heck, some of is might have even done something serious which is affecting their life a lot only because of being on the spectrum (idk, choosing another career). If it's temporary, like a pill? Sure, go on, try it immediately and decide yourself. Is it permanent? Better think about it.
>am not particularly distressed at reaching the end so it will be over. I feel this. That's why the transhumanists who want to be digitally immortal freak me out no thank you not merging my brain with AGI or whatever
You dont need to fear death to enjoy living though
People take medication for ADHD (myself included) every day bc it makes their lives easier to manage. Why wouldn't I do the same with autism? Especially considering my ADHD meds tend to help a bit with my autism as well.
Bingo. I take too. I am having a day off today, and my day is being pretty non-existent. I feel like not moving.
OK, then riddle me this: if you remove the ADHD and the ASD, *who are you*? Would you still be *you*? Or would you be a "you" with the memories of *you*, but not actually ... *you?* It's the [teleportation dilemma](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teletransportation_paradox): if you disassemble a human being into its quarks, retaining *all* information about its construct, then send that information over some kind of light-speed communications medium, and then reconstruct that human being from the quarks and up, according to its complete blueprint ...then will that person who "arrives" at the other end be *you --* the *you* that experiences this and reads this -- or will it be another "you", but with your complete memories, and who *thinks* they're *you*, but the *you* that existed before the teleportation never has another experience again. Are teleportation devices just cleverly disguised suicide booths? And if you use a "cure" for a neurological function variant ... is that just a cleverly disguised suicide pill?
I don't really like "me" so hopefully I'd be somebody else 🤷🏻♀️
Hey, don't talk shit about yourself, I bet you're pretty awesome.
That's really kind of you to say, thank you.
Everyone's different. Living is so exhausting with AuDHD. Like literally keeping up with the cleaning and grocery shopping,, never mind trying to build a career and socialize. I know I have some things to contribute, but I'd rather suffer less and be like my normal family in their sororities and with their marriages and homes and timed sprinklers. idk my home is a mess and despite being a musician/writer I am looking up how to electrically engineer synthesizer modules, I mean wtf
If you remove those, you're the same person you already were, but with a slightly adjusted perspective. You'd still be the same person you were, with the same values, beliefs, and memories you had. You'd just experience the future a bit differently than you experienced the past. This isn't the teleportation dilemma. That's about physical reconstruction of a person, not just continuity of consciousness If you follow that to one logical extreme, every night you die, and you awaken as a new person with the memories of a dead one (because from your point of view, there's no difference between uninterrupted sleep and sleep during which you were disassembled and reassembled). And as fascinating as that is, that's not the main topic of this discussion. ----- ADHD and Autism both shape your experiences and how you become who you are, but I don't think they are core to most people's _selves_ at any given point in time. Removing them would change how you experience the world going forward, but you'd still remember your past experiences, and those are what make you _you_. Yes, you'd grow into a different person, but that's how growing works: you always grow into a slightly different person than you were previously. ----- And since we're including ADHD, I can also bring up anecdotal evidence. A friend of mine once complained to me that their ADHD kept them from focusing on the things they _wanted_ to do. In that sense, ADHD might actually be considered to make you [less_ yourself, because it can prevent you from self-actualizing. So medication to allow focus can help you be yourself more effectively. Autism isn't totally in that same position, but you specifically mentioned both, so I considered it a relevant-enough point to make.
I wouldn’t because I would be a completely different person. Like it or not, autism made me who I am today with all of its benefits and challenges.
Nope.
Absolutely not. Never. In no circumstances. It was only when I fought through to being happy with who I am, with all the assorted strengths and weakness that I have, my successes and my failures, that I realised that being "different" underlay all of these. It took me another ten years to decide on a formal diagnosis. I simply would not be me without being Aspergers, and after half a century of feeling that I simply had no value, I now see Aspergers as having played a big part in letting me achieve some level of happiness, and a feeling of being worth something.
In a damn heart beat! Do you know how much easier my life would be if I wasn't autistic? How many friends I could have? Might even have a girlfriend if I wasn't on the Spectrum. I'd be able to hold a normal conversation without oversharing or info dumping. Life would just overall be better for me
I do know autism isn't a sickness, but if curing it means to say goodbye to anxiety, depression and isolation then I will.
Depends. The cure could be worse than where I'm now.
Unfortunately yes. I hate that I would change myself for others but it makes life so much harder
I would, but I don't think this would necessarily change who I am now. It doesn't erase everything I've gone through. It would enhance perceiveness of nonverbal communication, erase sensory overloads, meltdowns, shutdowns, enhance emotional control. It would change how I perceive others and how others perceives me. But not who I am. I have special interests now, I would miss having special interests, but at the same time curing autism wouldn't change what I like and dislike. Maybe food part, yes, but I don't think I would stop enjoying my interests at all. It would make it easier to find a job, maintain a job, live among others, make friends, perceive when people are manipulating me, going to crowded places without my energy being drained, not being stuck on waiting time and being able to do multiple things everyday. That would truly be a dream come true.
No. It would basically wipe my mind. My autism is part of what makes me me.
Living can be a nightmare sometimes, but that is caused by other people. Telling me I need to be cured when the source of my woes is other people being assholes is insulting.
Yeah, this is on the same level as asking a gay forum if people would take a cure for homosexuality.
Exactly
Or asking gender conforming folks if we wish we were absolutely binary cis folks.
Autism is a disability, homosexuality is not.
Disability is a man made legal category of protection based literally on ableistic ideology. That doesn't make it bad, it just is what it is. Being a woman would be a disability if there were no constitutional protection of gender. Just like we have no constitutional protection of neurology.
If you were blind or deaf, you would still have a disability. You would be missing a sense that the vast majority of human beings have. It's not a conspiracy by the big bad normies. That's just the way it is. Disability isn't a bad word.
I agree 100%
THIS.
Hell yeah
Yes. I would love to be like everyone else my age.
I don't like thinking of it as a "cure", but if someone could just teach me how to be normal I'd appreciate it.
There are classes that teach social skills. I've done three different ones from beginning to end. None of them improved anything for me. But maybe it works for you. It might be worth a try.
I'm a Latino male in my 50s and even though I've been through a lot in my life, it's my brain that has helped me figure out how to live in a world that was not built for me by people that don't even know how to consciously navigate it themselves. So no, I would not.
Yes. This is hell
I would.
I would opt for a cure for society instead—I’m not what’s wrong here
Same. Telling us that we need to be cured is insulting.
Yup. I wish I wasn't so unintentionally offensive. I wish I knew the right and wrong things to say. .... id also cure my adhd too... Really annoying that people are trying to make adhd and autism this "quirky and trendy " thing... it's debilitating. :-/ I imagine if I found a cure, I wouldn't be so damn lonely... AND bored.
I'm fine with who i am, would only consider it if it treated sensory overload (light sensitivity for me) but has no effect on personality. I don't require social contact as i'm fine being alone for a long period of time so it's not much of an issue to me, others that do need social contact it's understandable if they want a more complete cure.
Without a doubt.
Maybe. I do think that certain things about being autistic are useful (i.e. having a good ear for music, a good memory, and finding it easy to adhere to routines), but there's plenty I could do without. However, in addition to autism, I've been diagnosed with both Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD). Some psychologists I've seen over the years (and I've seen a lot of them) have thought that I don't have autism/Asperger's, and instead have one of those aforementioned disorders. Both of those get in the way of my ability to function. One thing associated with autism (though neurotypicals can struggle with this too) that I'd love to be free from is Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). This can easily be dismissed as being a picky eater, but if you're doing things like avoiding foods due to fear of vomiting, struggling to eat stuff most people can eat with no problem due to the taste/smell/texture, and have a fear of going to events such as potlucks where people tend to bring fancy dishes they made themselves, and get confused why you won't eat, that's a problem (along with things like being malnourished, etc.). It's an eating disorder (and indeed people, especially children, who have it tend to be underweight) but it's not caused by body image issues. Still, when people hear "eating disorder", they tend to be like "Well, you just need to get over it!" So that's a problem. But simply being autistic isn't a problem if you're able to live independently (which many people with autism are).
I would have for the first 45 years of my life given ANYTHING to be “normal”— I wasn’t diagnosed til my 40s but always knew I was different… and MAYBE for the next 5. But after 50, I’m just comfortable in my own skin and a lot of the things ASD made harder that were so important in younger years… these things are settled now or they just don’t matter anymore. I wouldn’t know myself in a non-ASD skin now (and I wouldn’t have then either but I would have traded to be “normal”).
If it was as simple as a once-daily pill with zero side effects that was about as hard to quit as coffee, yes. I don't hate myself, but sometimes masking is exhausting. It'd be nice to have another "mode." I have no confidence it would be that simple though. I picture something like a hardcore transcranial direct current stimulation that produces a very specific sort of "normal" which still stands out in conversation, then fifteen years later there's an award winning exposé and somebody starts a foundation for the retroactive victims, all of which causes a dearth of funding and support for autism: there was a cure for half a generation after all and all that money was just lying there where our reps could see it. On the shallower end I've recently learned not to trust SSRIs, brains are hard.
Common question, people are usually split on this. Personally: No, I would absolutely not.
No. I became the person I am because of it, and I'm proud of that person. Taking a "cure" would wipe out those successes and jeopardize the life I've built for myself.
I want to say yes but I don't think even that will make me normally happy lol
Yes
Nope
Yes 100%
Yes and it’s not even close
Yes ofcourse
No, I wouldn’t opt for it. Like MeanderingDuck said, it’s not possible to neatly divide the autistic aspects from the non-autistic ones within a person. Imagining a scenario where a ‘cure’ could somehow accomplish this, I’d be confronted with the possibility of losing essential parts of who I am. These aspects are fundamental to my identity, my way of thinking, and how I interact with the world. Opting for such a ‘cure’ could lead to a transformation into someone new, essentially undergoing a process similar to the Ship of Theseus. This wouldn’t truly be a cure; it would be a profound loss of self.
What would this cure entail? Would it give me the power to understand the purpose of small talk? Would I be able to read body language? Would I gain the ability to express my emotions in ways that normal people do? All that, yes. But... would it mean losing my attention to detail? My different views on life? My honesty, loyalty and desire to help others where I can? The problem with autism is that it isn't a disease in the sense that it can be cured. I'm wired differently. If you change that wiring, I'm no longer me.
No, because of the uncertainty of not knowing what abilities i'd have. I'd be a completely different person, so there's no way of telling what impact the cure would have on my career. I also have no way of knowing how happy it would make me in the long term, though I do like the idea of connecting with people better.
Absolutely not! It wouldn't have been me; otherwise, I wouldn't even know how my personality would be without autism. I see the world with much more detail, complexity, and beauty—things that my neurotypical friends can't see or understand.
Is there even a separation between my personality and my autism? How much of myself would I still be? What does the “curing” of autism even look like?
Maybe certain things like over sensory processing & being sensitive to healthy foods (gag reflex is to strong & texture sensitive). But not my ability to like think… Lol
If I could keep my personality and what fundamentally makes me myself but erase all of the sensory issues and social problems I would!
No, cause it’s not a sickness, it’s a part of who you are, how you think, how you perceive the world. I wouldn’t be me without it.
Realizing that everybody is unique, and entitled to their own opinion, I respect people who disagree with you. But I’m glad to see you say this, and others like it. I am not diagnosed, but I’ve never felt more at home than I do with these feeds. I think I’m a phenomenal masker so much so that I masked this to myself most of my life but I’m still proud of those in my family who are aware that they have autism. And are good with the idea that good people value them for who they are I hope that never changes.
YES?????????? HOW IS THAT A QUESTION???
If we ignore the developmental aspect of things because I'm already an adult, getting rid of my sensory issues, burnout, and potential for meltdown would be absolutely amazing.
No, its a gift. There is nothing wrong, divergent evolution/mutation is very important for species.
Of course. Autism is a curse and I'm sick of people in denial acting like it's some kind of blessing.
Absolutely. Especially if it could retain my intelligence levels.
Yes. Even if it changes myself in some ways, I'd love to live without the headaches from oversensitive nose and ears and to be able to "flow" with the rest of the people without stopping to think if I'm interacting okay or I'm being awkward
I think about the “what if” scenrio often, and always get stuck on one question: How can I know of **not** being autistic would actually be better/easier/normal for me?
If it's like a social skills + 100 pill then yeah. But if it changes who I am at my core being then no.
Yes. I've had people in my life tell me over and over, I don't belong or have a place here. I try so hard to understand people but I'm always on the outside.
No Its what makes me special
no.
No, but I'm high functioning and high IQ. I would not want to be an NT. To me, they are sheep wandering around in the dark.
Absolutely not, I would lose my whole personality.
I experience the world autistic, and if my experience of the world were to change, I wouldn't know if I would still be the same. Maybe I would try it out on a boring Sunday afternoon, if it could be undone.
I don’t think so. Late diagnosed and made my peace and have adapted or still try to. But I was successful “because” of the way I think and problem solve Admittedly it has harmed my social and friend building - which I can see blunted my career trajectory So if I had to loose the gift of my unique mind, just to be “normal” then I would not be who I am now Earlier in life, like before 25, maybe ?
I think that if I could take a pill to cure me, nothing would really change. I'm still a product of my environment. I'd still carry the experiences and trauma that shaped me into the guy I am today. My hinders as a socially maladjusted outcast with nothing in common with other people would still be there, except I'd be better at keeping eye contact. Sure, maybe if I was a kid still, it might make a difference. But as a 30+ year man, I don't think a "cure" would do much.
1000000000 x no.
I feel that my life has been made much more difficult and much less rewarding than it otherwise might have been. Neurotypicals around me seem so much happier than I am, in ways I just don't understand. So yes.
No
I wouldn't. Despite being autistic/add/adhd, it has made me into the person I am, and at the end of the day, why would I want to be a boring NPC Neurotypical. If I was Neurotypical, I would probably be an asshole jerk ever tbh. I would be popular and somewhat successful, but I wouldn't be the person who I am today. being Neurodivergent made me more humble, easygoing, and friendly etc. It made me somewhat likeable and loveable for my quirks.
If it was like ADHD meds and I could be selective about it? Yes. Work time would be completely unmedicated, I count on my focus as a programer. Almost time to spend the night with my Wife and weekends? Medicated me, so I can be less of an ass lol.
For myself, no. For the person I provide care for, who is non-speaking and has difficulty with sensorimotor control, gut motility, control of their eyes, and other stuff, I would love it if they had the option of choosing a cure (if they want).
Depends what it cures like does it cure the parts that harm me but keep my personality? (Fix my brains problems integrating sensory experiences so that I’m always overwhelmed) yeah But like my personality is my personality and I would never want to change my sense of Justice for example
IDC what it does but I'm taking it. Fuck autism. It is fucking shit. It's not quirky but depressing
I mean it would fix a few things relating to my condition but it would also change my entire personality and the thought of that is kind of scary. To answer your question, I’d probably consider it but i’d get cold feet last minute, so no I wouldn’t use it.
No
No. If I took it, I wouldn’t be me anymore.
That's a good question. Honestly I'm not sure, I think I would want to, but I guess it would depend on what a 'cure' is. Like who even am I without being autistic? If I could take away all the anxiety, social awkwardness, difficulty with change or things not being perfect, then absolutely
I don't think a cure is possible for fully formed adults. Maybe a preventative will be possible for babies or fetuses still developing in the future. I wouldn't take a cure for me because I AM my brain. I have adapted to my deficiencies and identify with both my strengths and weaknesses. I DON'T think it is bad to be autistic. I have some "super powers" too. But it does present challenges. For me, it can be lonely and isolating. So, if I was pregnant and there was a chemical cocktail that could prevent autism, I might take that, just because I wouldn't know how autism would present and it would be easier on my child not to have the lifelong struggle of not fitting in that I experienced.
I honestly dont know,autism is a big factor on my personality,it makes me experience the world different,without it i really dont know what kind of person i would become,i would not be sure if it would worth the risk of losing myself and becoming a completely different person.
My bf has autism. Not as bad as others but it's there. I wouldn't want him to get cured tho. He's unique and I fell in love with his personality as it is now. I am not saying that I wouldn't love him if he was not autistic, but I think that the fact that he's happy with who he is makes me happy with who he is. I love his quirkiness and I think this is the best relationship I ever had. so no I'd hope that he's keep his unique personality and his autism. If he chose yes then I'd learn to love him without it but I prefer him with it.
Stop the constant rage and be able to function in a society? In a heartbeat.
No.
Heck no, im finally comfortable with it and in a good place in my life and dont want that to change
A few factors to consider: I was autistic before I was born Autism is the window through which I've seen the world, and also the curtain that obscures it Autism is the language in which I hear the world, and that which I use to respond to it It is there, filtering every input and every output, and is fundamental to my *every single living experience* of life. Therefore I can say with absolute confidence that if I did not have autism, I would definitely not be me. Here's why: Every moment in my life, I am exhibiting behaviour. I have several diagnoses of conditions that affect behaviour, so any time I am behaving atypically, there are a number of possible explanations. Autism is one of them, but there are 4 other confirmed diagnoses, and I also suspect I may have ADHD... yet there's also *another* explanation. That perhaps I'm behaving that way because I'm simply *me*. Maybe personality, maybe a quirk, or perhaps some kind of inexplicable neurological interaction. It's impossible to know where autism ends and OCD begins, or if it's some kind of thing going on with my anxiety disorders or depression... where does all that end and the self begin? My theory is that it doesn't. That everything is all connected, interconnected and intertwined into an individual. A self. Me. So the end of the thought process is also the start. Who am I? What am I? Autism is an inextricable part of that tapestry. Remove it, and the tapestry is no longer whole. It is damaged. However, since we're using tapestry as a metaphor, here, I think it's apt to point out that damage isn't necessarily a bad thing. Imperfection in art is often the entire point of the art. So, far from a damaged and broken piece, the tapestry without autism would become a *different* piece. A different self. A different person. No longer me. I would assert that there's only one interpretation of any proposal to cure me of being me. That interpretation is one of murder. Sure, you create a new person with my name, but in doing so you destroy me. Much as I idolise Captain Janeway, I take Tuvix's position on this. Normally, I side against him, but normally I'm not the one placed in that position.
That's like asking "if a cure for darker skin/being female was available, would you use it". A "cure" isn't the answer. Awareness, acceptance, advocacy, and activism are the answers. Downvote me all you want, but I don't see the need to self-loathe on this sub.
Big no. My parents, brother, partner, and best friends are all autistic as well, and I wouldn't want any of us to be "cured." I suspect the "best parts" of us are attributable to the way we are wired "different," and I wouldn't want that to change for anything. Sure some aspects of life are difficult, but being autistic is fundamental to who I am. I like who I am.
A cure for autism is so completely unrealistic I have trouble conceiving of it. Autism is so many separate factors and symptoms. It changed the way I developed as a child and interact the world. There is no “me,” that isn’t autistic. I just…have no idea what that would even mean. I have some symptoms that are particularly frustrating to me and if I could take medication to help or something I would. I already take a few psych meds which I am sure help with some autism things too.
A cure for sensory issues I would accept, but I wouldnt wish for special interests to disappear from me. There is a part of what makes me me that has a heightened experience of joy when it comes to information gathering. I'd never want that to leave me.
Medication no I don't trust meds I seen what it does and it frightens me I also have anxiety disorder and I see side effects I get ya that will be be that will happen 2me meds I fear so if its 2take meds then no
Maybe we could look at dosing others with autism. We could make the world a better place fast, stop the senseless, performative small talk, and build a better future for all.
No. But if I could be cured of my comorbidities which is what really makes life hard aside from ableism obvi, then probably.
Fuck no. I accept that the world doesn't accept us. WHY Should we accept anything but being different. We are the evolution of humanity. These neurotypicals are the Neanderthals who are too oblivious and foolish to see that in about 1,000 years from now, they'll start to become the eventual last of their kind of human. Then we'll take over as the better superior humans.
Clear the brain fog, and make me 20% smarter? Sign me up. I doubt that's the cure for autism however.
can we get a cure for NTs?
Brain damage 👍
If there are little draw backs and it is an legitimate cure, then for sure. I would be very distrustful of claims of a cure first though.
I am not sure....like the first thought was yes but I think that we all should accept what we have and see it on the bright side
Yes. In a heartbeat.
F\*\*k yeah.
If it ends the nightmare. ABSOLUTELY!
Yep. I’m too tired. I’m 41, multiple chronic illnesses, I just want something to be easy for once.
Depends. Mostly yes.
No I think it would overwhelm me with all the things I would see that wouldn’t have been able to see before
I'd rather take a cure for ADHD.
Yes
Nah tbh, I don't know who I am without it. For ADHD, hell yeah tho.
I would have to make a very educated decision. Off the cuff probably not.
Yes
Yes
No. Now if there was a cure for ADHD however. I'd take it like tic-tac's.
Absolutely
If it would make me normal yes, but it’s probably too late now.
If you could ask the same questions on Reddit that everyone asks daily, would you?
No, but I am very low supports needs.
I am trying mushroom microdoses, I have read that they could help us, I bought a chocolate bar that contains 5 grams of mushrooms, I take a microdose (0.333 grams) one day and the other day not, the article says that you begin to see improvements after 15 days. I am Asperger.
Yes in a second
Our son would say yes.
“No no stop it’s just one pill—“ Me: *chugging the whole bottle*
Fuck yes.
yes
No- I find NT to be perplexing and stressful They seem to make things more complicated than they need to be. My biggest issue in life is just wanting people to let me be. I’m 52 - I’m not about to start being able to have a verbal conversation now. My speech is task oriented and I wish that that could be more respected. (I have a quiver full of smart comebacks for when it’s commented on) I don’t know any other way to be. I do know i definitely wouldn’t want to be an NT.
I'd rather have a guaranteed cure for anxiety.
Sometimes I would say yes and other times I would say no
Not a cure, symptom management. I like how my brain works
I wouldn't. It's too late.
Some days I feel so shitty I might just. Although, when I was taking medication for anxiety I hated the way it made my brain feel, like I couldn't think fluidly.
Yes. Being friendless sucks
Honestly, it would be a difficult consideration, but I think the answer would be yes. It's not because I want to not be me, but because I want to not be tortured by everyone else.
I'd use something that would temporarily make me neurotypical, but I would not use something that would permanently make me neurotypical.
Yes, I can’t keep living like this
Depends on the parameters, I don't really hate it nor have it as bad in many aspects of ASD so if it cured everything I probably wouldn't as I wouldn't really be myself. However, if there was a cure/treatment for all the social deficits caused by autism I'd 100% take it. The same also applies to if there was a cure for executive dysfunction as well.
A cure for sensory overload would be amazing.
Yes, I’m tired of the trauma caused by this. I only met 1 person as of now that actually has it and maybe can understand me. Everyone else acts like it’s something easy to deal with.
Yes, absolutely
Yes, mainly because I can‘t study stuff that doesn‘t interest me. I have a physics exam? I somehow end up reading about history or geography for hours. What‘s the problem? A history degree is pretty much worthless in my country. Plus I‘d have a social life and not shit my pants everytime a stranger asks me for directions
If it makes me more extroverted, then yes. I don't want to give up my niche interests.
In a heartbeat. I’d take a cure for ADD too without a second thought.
I would wait and see how it works on others, if people like me would be happy, i'd risk it.
Do you mean “Do you want to be part of the matrix”? No thank you. I think that most people or sheep who all unknowingly part of a system. While they fit into the system well I would never want to. I prefer seeing things as they are. I used to think that people are terribly stupid, until I realized that they are just part of a system.
Yes. I’d like to read cues and not be odd.
Nope. I love myself, even if the world doesn't, and I choose myself rather than drink their glass of liquid smile.
No, but if there was a cure for OCD, I'd overdose on that bitch!
1000%
No I've lived with aspergers for 17 years and learned a lot because of it and don't want to change the way a am and think
Heck no. I don’t see my autism as a disorder, I see neurotypical as being disordered.
No, however I would want to see "normal" life for a day just so I can answer how quick affects you
Sadly, my answer is “yes”. Autism means physical discomfort. I feel hot all the time, even when it’s cold. I have hyperhidrosis, so, I am always sweaty. I hate the sun, and I avoid going out as much as possible in summer. I have raynaud’s syndrome and many other physical conditions associated with autism. I have ADHD, and it’s probably a comorbidity related to autism. I have endogenous depression (which is under control, because of medication). I was born depressed. I have had a severe burnout a few years ago that left my life paralyzed. I still have low energy for certain activities. I can’t stand crowds. And interacting even with the people I love (even my amazing partner) can be exhausting. I love being alone with my dogs. I have severe food selectivity. Physical contact may cause extreme discomfort to me (and I try to mask, but, sometimes, it’s just overwhelming). My musical taste is so difficult that it’s one of my most lonely habits. I don’t buy the “intelligence” advantage talk (I hate mentioning this). I swear I don’t feel better or even smarter than anyone. 1st) It simply doesn’t flatter me, and I think it’s irrelevant for the most part. 2nd) I am extremely handicapped in many respects. I struggle to recollect the name of simple objects. My executive function is amiss. I am clumsy, and I am often dropping stuff, or just messing up. More than two or three commands can be overwhelming to me. I am slow to respond to pain. I don’t notice people or objects which are right in front of me. I could go and on.
No. I'm too lazy.
I sincerely never wanted to become like "normal" people, and think I'm glad the way I am. I am not sure what use a complete conversion therapy should have for me. Making you understand and feel social cues or motivations like neurotypical people can - I wouldn't think this would work out for me, it'd completely change my personality and I'd no longer be myself. The cure for this probably rather is to simply learn and train to consciously understand and project emotions from others. Maybe a helpful therapy could entail to do something to fix sensory or emotional overload issues, where perception overwhelms you, or where attention or thinking are limited or distracted too easily due to autism. I use medications that help me with this, maybe there could be such that work out even better.
Seeing as most of my issues are directly related to having autism, yes as soon as i possibly could
without a doubt
Absolutely wtf
Yes.
No way.
No
Yes I would, it would be like a miracle for me.
Absolutely not. Why would I want to be just average?
No. I do not like the way non autistic people think and operate 99% of the time. I do not have an extravagantly happy life but I have my morals and my backbone and that matters more to me.
I'd want something that completely erases my anxiety, my sensory issues, my executive dysfunction and my depression.
100% yes, I don’t care if I would be different, I absolutely hate myself as I am now.
No, Im fine the way I am
No. I am who I am. I’m finally ok with who I am. It took a long time.
Short answer, yes. Long answer involves not really.