Comments on: This week's series: How to deal with Asperger Syndrome at work http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/09/29/this-weeks-series-how-to-deal-with-asperger-syndrome-at-work/ Advice at the intersection of work and life Sat, 20 Mar 2010 17:30:14 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Logic induction http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/09/29/this-weeks-series-how-to-deal-with-asperger-syndrome-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-216520 Logic induction Thu, 17 Dec 2009 08:07:35 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=3978#comment-216520 Now a movie that links Asperger's syndrome, relationships and world-view. http://is.gd/5qSnE Now a movie that links Asperger's syndrome, relationships and world-view. http://is.gd/5qSnE

]]> By: Donald Page http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/09/29/this-weeks-series-how-to-deal-with-asperger-syndrome-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-215753 Donald Page Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:43:10 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=3978#comment-215753 Reading people can be learned. ASs learn to read people in order to "survive". Connecting is much harder to learn and happens without effort for NTs - so I understand. Reading people can be learned. ASs learn to read people in order to "survive". Connecting is much harder to learn and happens without effort for NTs – so I understand.

]]> By: Mervyish http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/09/29/this-weeks-series-how-to-deal-with-asperger-syndrome-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-214758 Mervyish Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:21:04 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=3978#comment-214758 My 18 year old son with Aspergers has been called anti-social by his peers as he has no desire to mix socially. His reply was well if not getting drunk, not smoking, not doing drugs, not spitting or swearing, not littering the park, not causing a nuisance to the neighbourhood is anti-social, then call me anti-social. My 18 year old son with Aspergers has been called anti-social by his peers as he has no desire to mix socially. His reply was well if not getting drunk, not smoking, not doing drugs, not spitting or swearing, not littering the park, not causing a nuisance to the neighbourhood is anti-social, then call me anti-social.

]]> By: CJ http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/09/29/this-weeks-series-how-to-deal-with-asperger-syndrome-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-214027 CJ Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:58:29 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=3978#comment-214027 The tone of this comment just floors me. It reminds me so much of the angry Aspie guys who only know how to succeed in their techie jobs, yet are more than aware of their own social deficits. So they hide behind a mask of arrogance, faux superiority, cynicism, and hostility toward NTs (often referred to as "sheep") in order to elevate their own lagging self-esteem. As a mildly Aspie woman who has to deal with these guys in various AS forums on a daily basis, I was saddened to read this post in an otherwise constructive thread of comments. Sigh. The tone of this comment just floors me. It reminds me so much of the angry Aspie guys who only know how to succeed in their techie jobs, yet are more than aware of their own social deficits. So they hide behind a mask of arrogance, faux superiority, cynicism, and hostility toward NTs (often referred to as "sheep") in order to elevate their own lagging self-esteem.
As a mildly Aspie woman who has to deal with these guys in various AS forums on a daily basis, I was saddened to read this post in an otherwise constructive thread of comments. Sigh.

]]> By: Ylanne Sorrows http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/09/29/this-weeks-series-how-to-deal-with-asperger-syndrome-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-213955 Ylanne Sorrows Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:24:50 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=3978#comment-213955 Actually, Asperger's is not characterized by a lack of empathy. A recent study (a few months ago, actually) showed that persons with Asperger's exhibit the same amount of empathy as persons without it, and sometimes even more than typicals. The problem is that because we are unable to read body language or facial expressions - nonverbal communication, that is - we may not be able to identify a person as upset in the immediate situation. Persons with Asperger's may be very passionate, may possess an incredible amount of empathy or desire to change society for the better. But if we can't read others' expressions, how are we to express it ourselves? The answer: we have to learn it. Intellectualize it. Because reading and responding nonverbally and in a non-explicit manner is not intuitive. As a woman with Asperger's, I love being able to socialize with friends who understand my difficulties in this area - because I enjoy being with my friends. I am very passionate about many things, and I have a great deal of empathy, especially for those who are oppressed or persecuted or otherwise treated unfairly or unjustly. Functioning in social situations is learned behavior. Empathizing with others is natural - expressing that is not. Passion is natural - identifying it and acting on it is not. If you ever want another perspective, feel free to send me a message at ylanne@sorrows.tk (just don't send attachments). Actually, Asperger's is not characterized by a lack of empathy. A recent study (a few months ago, actually) showed that persons with Asperger's exhibit the same amount of empathy as persons without it, and sometimes even more than typicals. The problem is that because we are unable to read body language or facial expressions – nonverbal communication, that is – we may not be able to identify a person as upset in the immediate situation.

Persons with Asperger's may be very passionate, may possess an incredible amount of empathy or desire to change society for the better. But if we can't read others' expressions, how are we to express it ourselves? The answer: we have to learn it. Intellectualize it. Because reading and responding nonverbally and in a non-explicit manner is not intuitive.

As a woman with Asperger's, I love being able to socialize with friends who understand my difficulties in this area – because I enjoy being with my friends. I am very passionate about many things, and I have a great deal of empathy, especially for those who are oppressed or persecuted or otherwise treated unfairly or unjustly. Functioning in social situations is learned behavior. Empathizing with others is natural – expressing that is not. Passion is natural – identifying it and acting on it is not.

If you ever want another perspective, feel free to send me a message at ylanne@sorrows.tk (just don't send attachments).

]]> By: Jeffrey Deutsch http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/09/29/this-weeks-series-how-to-deal-with-asperger-syndrome-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-212967 Jeffrey Deutsch Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:36:56 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=3978#comment-212967 Hello Sara Ruth Kerr, Congratulations on your work! Are you a professional coach or therapist? I specialize in helping Aspies (people with Asperger Syndrome) and NTs (neurotypicals, who are not on the autism spectrum) communicate better. Please feel free to drop me a line! Mouse, please also drop me a line (your blog doesn't have any one-to-one contact information). I may be able to help you out. Cheers, Jeff Deutsch Hello Sara Ruth Kerr,

Congratulations on your work! Are you a professional coach or therapist?

I specialize in helping Aspies (people with Asperger Syndrome) and NTs (neurotypicals, who are not on the autism spectrum) communicate better. Please feel free to drop me a line!

Mouse, please also drop me a line (your blog doesn't have any one-to-one contact information). I may be able to help you out.

Cheers,

Jeff Deutsch

]]> By: Sara Ruth Kerr http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/09/29/this-weeks-series-how-to-deal-with-asperger-syndrome-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-212942 Sara Ruth Kerr Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:05:33 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=3978#comment-212942 I'm a little behind on my blog reading and just saw this. I would love more information on working with people with Aspergers. I worked with a girl whom I suspected had Aspergers, and I would love to know some tips on working with Aspergers from the other side. Love your blog. Thanks. Congrats on the engagement! I'm a little behind on my blog reading and just saw this. I would love more information on working with people with Aspergers. I worked with a girl whom I suspected had Aspergers, and I would love to know some tips on working with Aspergers from the other side.

Love your blog. Thanks. Congrats on the engagement!

]]> By: fsilber http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/09/29/this-weeks-series-how-to-deal-with-asperger-syndrome-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-212654 fsilber Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:44:11 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=3978#comment-212654 I suspect that most psychotherapy is not validated scientifically by mainstream doctors or clinicians -- even that which is practiced by mainstream doctors or clinicians. The MBTI is not a theory of mind; it is merely a collection of four orthogonal personal characteristics. I mean, do we really need scientific validation to know that some people are extroverts and some people are introverts, or somewhere in between? Or about whether a person is more logical or emotional? To say it's not "scientifically validated" is like one person describing your looks a short-tall spectrum, a light/dark spectrum, a thick/thin spectrum, and dividing people into eight combinations -- and then having someone challenge you to prove that these are valid trait-combinations! I suspect that most psychotherapy is not validated scientifically by mainstream doctors or clinicians — even that which is practiced by mainstream doctors or clinicians.

The MBTI is not a theory of mind; it is merely a collection of four orthogonal personal characteristics. I mean, do we really need scientific validation to know that some people are extroverts and some people are introverts, or somewhere in between? Or about whether a person is more logical or emotional? To say it's not "scientifically validated" is like one person describing your looks a short-tall spectrum, a light/dark spectrum, a thick/thin spectrum, and dividing people into eight combinations — and then having someone challenge you to prove that these are valid trait-combinations!

]]> By: Ali http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/09/29/this-weeks-series-how-to-deal-with-asperger-syndrome-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-212651 Ali Mon, 26 Oct 2009 01:40:59 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=3978#comment-212651 I would strongly reccomend you read the book <i>The Cult of Personality</i> by Annie Murphy Paul. You will find that the MBTI is not all it's cracked up to be, with no scientific validation from mainstream psychologists or doctors; the only validation it receives is from within its own community (it has its own journal and reviews), which is not the way good science is made. I'm glad your type has made you feel validated, but it's a house of cards (how's that for a real-life Aspie using a metaphor?). I would strongly reccomend you read the book The Cult of Personality by Annie Murphy Paul. You will find that the MBTI is not all it's cracked up to be, with no scientific validation from mainstream psychologists or doctors; the only validation it receives is from within its own community (it has its own journal and reviews), which is not the way good science is made. I'm glad your type has made you feel validated, but it's a house of cards (how's that for a real-life Aspie using a metaphor?).

]]> By: Dawn http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/09/29/this-weeks-series-how-to-deal-with-asperger-syndrome-at-work/comment-page-1/#comment-212600 Dawn Sat, 24 Oct 2009 20:16:07 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/?p=3978#comment-212600 Interesting comment that women tend to be more high functioning because other women help them and neurotypical men don't help asperger men in the same way. It sounds reasonable as a woman who at the age of 40 (last year) was diagnosed with AS. I tend to seek out those that can help me and my female friends tend to be more the motherly type. However, I would be willing to bet that more Asperger men than women get married. Interesting comment that women tend to be more high functioning because other women help them and neurotypical men don't help asperger men in the same way. It sounds reasonable as a woman who at the age of 40 (last year) was diagnosed with AS. I tend to seek out those that can help me and my female friends tend to be more the motherly type. However, I would be willing to bet that more Asperger men than women get married.

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