Autism isn't a fucking superpower !!

[lollipoprainbow]

Sorry but it's really not. I'm currently doing an online autism course with a lovely bunch of parents and the teacher of the course is sweet but she will keep referring to autism as a superpower and everyone chuckles and agrees!! If they could see how distressed my dd10 is every day, having massive meltdowns about her looks etc they'd have a different view.

Anyone else agree with me ??

Re my dd, I'd personally say it's a double edged sword.
Definitely gives her the ability to think about things differently.
But can't cope in normal social situations etc

There was a very similar thread to this not so long ago. It got quite tense

Of course it isn't a superpower. I don't see how framing it that way is helpful to anybody. It's made my life immeasurably more difficult. I wouldn't wish this particular "superpower" on anyone.

Agree with forrestgreen
Ds has an amazing ability to recall facts , dates , time & figures
But struggles greatly socially , & with language & communication

I work with autistic children. No it definitely is not a superpower ! The challenges it brings to our learners and families is horrendous

If you know one person with autism etc.

Some people might see it like that, others have different experiences.

A friend put a qoute on my wall when my son with ASD was out of school for 2 years.
Basically saying look at all these famous people with ASD and how well they have done.
Some people just don't get it, some feel that it is a super power.
I can not speak for people with Autsim but seeing how my son has suffered due to his Autsim it really isn't his super power.

I can see why some people say it about themselves, as an attempt to reframe it more positively. And for some people they might genuinely feel their autism does give them something special or an added bonus. But given the huge variations in severity of ASD, it's incredibly tone deaf for anyone to say that to parents who might have children who are totally non-verbal, violent, unable to be toilet trained, etc. It's almost patronising, really, isn't it? Some parents have incredibly difficult lives and certainly don't consider autism a super power.

Really, it should be solely up to the person with the condition whether they want to view it as a super power or not, not some external third party.

I'm autistic. It's definitely not a superpower. It's exhausting trying to exist in a neurotypical world.

Well it's a dickhead thing to state, because people with Asd are not all the same. So for some they might have abilities that nt people do not. But for others, that are not even verbal, it's really insulting. I have a ds with Asd. He is high functioning and even I would never say that Asd is a gift or a superpower. He struggles in ways that even he does not understand and who knows what kind of future he will have?
I hate a lot of things that people say about autism. Like, we are all on the spectrum 🤬🤬🤬 no we're fucking not. And people self diagnosing is becoming quite common, like it's almost popular?

My cousin (mid 30s) is very severely autistic, and someone well meaning used this phrase to my aunt.

She now repeats it furiously when scrubbing off the shit my cousin repeatedly wipes on the walls, or she needs to put on the same Thomas the Tank video she’s watched daily since 1990.

It’s not something my family see, let’s put it that way.

I can only speak for my child who is non verbal and will need 24 hrs care for the rest of his life ,that for him no its definitely not and ,the teacher needs to educate herself that for many it's a very real disability

It's certainly not a superpower for me, it's a massive hindrance to my life, to the point where I cannot work.
Some people may think it's a superpower for them though, especially those with savant like abilities.

Definitely not a super power here.

Tho DS12 would be considered 'high functioning'.

He refers to his stupid brain that makes him autistic.

We try to cheer lead but frankly it's a bum deal.

I agree with you. There are absolutely no superpowers going on in this house. Well, that’s if you don’t include what it must take for my darling boy to get through the day, day in and day out.

Yep agree I can't get into a discussion about self diagnosis.

I don’t have a problem with an autistic person describing their own autism that way if they wish. I dare say for some people it genuinely does feel that way, and great for them.

As my son says though about his autism “it’s not a superpower, I can’t fly or anything”. He does have some very positive autistic traits, and some that he hates and are quite disabling. He doesn’t need well meaning people trying to gaslight him that his struggles are in fact superpowers, he needs adjustments, acceptance and valuing for who he is - just like everyone else.

God, yes. The level of disability at this end of autism is very real nth times over.

What is this "superpower" that autistic people have? I have two ASD teens at home. Is there a coach/trainer or someone I can hire to bring out their superpower?

Although it depends what the superpower is, I suppose. If it's being invisible, I think that would be a non-starter for us. It's difficult enough chasing after him as it is!

I don't think it is. I look at my young HFA DS and see what limitations lie ahead for him. And there will be restrictions to his life and chosen career if he's able to have one, no matter what companies and celebs post on their socials about 'autistic pride day' or whatever. The truth is his life (and mine) would probably be about 85-95% easier if he did not have autism.

However he has a book about his diagnosis in which it is framed as a 'superpower' which is the best I could find that was age appropriate. I'd rather he have that impression at his age while he's still trying to understand it than the very sadly negative perspective and worries I have. I love him to bits and he copes very well but I fucking hate the difficulties of everything that goes with his autism.

Just this week I had a very awkward interaction with the dentist receptionist who was trying to enforce me wearing a mask which would have flipped DS completely out. He was already on the verge of a meltdown due to the stress of the situation and she did not help even after countless explanations of why I was mask exempt due to being his carer. Then we finally got him in the chair and the dentist insisted on waffling on at DS who was baffled, and dentist said to me 'they like things explaining in detail don't they? Why's he so quiet?' I said maybe some kids do but my son is taking it all in and struggling to process the room, the people and he's now having a hard time understanding what you are saying on top of that. He likes things quiet and calm. He's being quiet to take it all in. 'Oh yeah, they're like that aren't they' followed by more endless chat. It's that casual stereotyping and unwillingness of people in positions of power to listen to what the ASD person/carer is advocating that riles me up. Not much superheroism in these every day difficult interactions.

Christ, the number of people I know who think autism = Sheldon from TBBT is ridiculous, and that all it means is you're endearingly awkward with genius-level intelligence.

A good friend of mine has a severely autistic brother in his 20s. He'll never be independent, and the years-long battle to prove he needs PIP has been exhausting all on its own.

Calling it a "superpower" is so bloody tone-deaf.

Do people say missing a leg is a superpower? Nope. Same logic.
And it’s not just a ‘different way of thinking’. The disruption to your life has to be severe enough to meet the diagnostic criteria.

Every idiot who’s a bit socially awkward just self diagnoses, drives me up the wall.

*HFA DP :) ND myself

It's a spectrum.

The teacher sounds well meaning but woefully uneducated about autism and how it impacts everybody differently.

It's a disability. No idea how anyone reaches the 'superpower' conclusion. Utter shite.