LogFAQs > #958740767

(Got deleted from politics so trying here)
I am really trying to form this topic to where it doesn't get modded (since every time I bring up aspergers/autism it gets modded).

I preface this by saying I am not trying to offend anybody and definitely not trying to direct hate towards those that classify themselves as "on the spectrum". I am just throwing questions out there and trying better to understand.

Is anybody else kind of annoyed about how loosely defined aspergers is? Or really I should say was because it got reclassified to "on the spectrum" of autism in 2013 in DSM-5. I am also annoyed that it is considered a "disorder" or "syndrome" and how higher functioning autistic people are considered "disabled". It honestly feels like a form of discrimination to tie these words to it.

I get that some people feel like it gives them more identity and helps explain why they may have felt different growing up but to accept it as a disability seems odd to me. The described "different" way of processing information seems to help more than hurt people a lot of the times. I understand it can make forming relationships more difficult but who up and decided how relationships should be or how many you should have?

The way it is described and diagnosed is bonkers as well. It is all based off behavior and not any physical/blood test. Why is it a "disorder" or a "syndrome" for people to behave slightly abnormal? Wouldn't it be stranger for people to be completely normal? I've met very few completely normal people in my life. I haven't been diagnosed but I am sure I have certain behaviors that would be considered "on the spectrum"; I don't consider them to be a hindrance to myself though.

And someone mentioned the last time this was posted that most psychological conditions are diagnosed by behavior. While somewhat true, there isn't another condition that has had its definition changed to such a large degree, so many times and in a very short time frame (speaking about aspergers and "higher functioning autism").

There is actual science around conditions like bipolar disorder as well. They have identified a specific dopamine transporter protein that mediates the reuptake of dopamine from the synapse. When this protein malfunctions it causes large mood swings.

Then we have the terms neurotypical and neurodivergent. Just why? What the f*** is neurotypical? Just to be average in behavior and intelligence? What is the point of grouping up people in a very loosely defined manner like this?

If you ever look up the history of the word autism you will notice it has had countless changes to it's definition throughout time. It started out being basically synonymous to "mentally challenged". It was then closely linked to schizophrenia. It has had its definition broadened over and over again until we have the current situation of many people just self-diagnosing themselves as "on the spectrum" as some kind of quirky in-fashion trait. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3757918/ link to a really good article going over the history of autism)

I've been thinking about this for awhile and especially today when the topic came up. Does anyone feel the same about it being almost discriminatory towards people who just simply think and behave differently? Am I missing something on why it is so important that we classify and divide people this way?