Aspergers Challenged Support Group

I have a father that thinks that I will grow out of my AS. He also thinks that he doesn't need to adjust to the way I fuction just b/c I have AS. I am sick & tired of my dad thinking that.

My mom on the other hand, totally accepts my AS & has adjusted to dealing with it the best she can. She knows that I will not grow out of my AS.

I've been told that mental illnesses are lifetime illnesses. I totally agree with that.

I do not think that you have a mental illness...not by a long shot. But you do have a unique way of thinking and seeing the world, and no, that will not change. The world is full of people that try to normalize who we are by dismissing the diagnosis or by saying things like "you'll outgrow it". I know its tough, but you have to learn to block those negetive comments out and be confident in yourself. So much easier said than done, i know. I have Apergers, and not many people in my family know about it. However, my daughter was diagnosed with Autism last year and we hear comments like what you hear very often. It infuriates me that such ignorance can come from my own family. It belittles all the hard work my daughter puts in every day to be what society calls "normal". know and trust yourself, and try as hard as you can to let go of ignorant comments made by people who just dont know any better

Growing out of your AS is like saying AS can be cured, and neither of those things are true (despite what some people say). Autism's a complex neurological condition that makes you experience life differently than others. There's nothing inherently negative about it, until you get into the neurotypical lifestyle that demands constant social interaction and frequenting sensory-filled environments. It's easy to feel like you're broken when you're in a minority of individuals who are often stigmatized, but you're not. None of us here are, despite what some people say.

Asperger's can be a gift or a curse, depending on how you view it. I prefer to see it as a gift.