Autistic people kill themselves at much higher rates than the general population
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seekingeternalsleep
Automatic pilot: On
- Nov 6, 2019
- 52
i am autistic too, and i think it's normal that the suicide rate for autistic people it's higher because the world is just made for allistic people, and not for autistic people :(
I'm on the spectrum, but this information was withheld from me when I was growing up. I didn't find out until I was in my early 20s, then everything began to make sense on reflection.
I've found a lot of this board is. Autism makes me feel like I'm in a parallel universe to neurotypical people. There's a barrier between us that makes life so hard sometimes.
FuneralCry
She wished that she never existed...
- Sep 24, 2020
- 34,576
Yes, I have high functioning Aspergers Syndrome. It really doesn't surprise me that so many people with autism wish to die, as from my experience autistic people are not meant for this world, at least I'm not. I do think that having autism has been a reason as to why I've hated life so much and as to why it's always felt so wrong me being alive.
Aspergers, here (or whatever they're calling it, these days...and gay, on top of that. Didn't know until later in life, but in retrospect, put a lot into perspective from my childhood. Suicidal feelings since 8, and always had a feeling I'd die alone. Looks like I was right.
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Emmie
Member
- Oct 19, 2021
- 47
Yes, I'm autistic. I don't like it, but I also have no interest in being a regular person either!
I was listening to an interview with autism expert Tony Attwood and he mentioned that people who have "pure" Asperger's, meaning they don't have any co-morbid conditions, can often live okay lives if they have good support. But he says if you also have any of the conditions that frequently co-occur with autism, like anxiety, depression, and OCD, then your prognosis is often quite bad--it's just too much for one person to handle.
I've also noticed that the really successful autistics who go on about ASD being a super power tend to have either no or very mild co-morbid conditions, not to mention above average IQs and supportive families.
I was listening to an interview with autism expert Tony Attwood and he mentioned that people who have "pure" Asperger's, meaning they don't have any co-morbid conditions, can often live okay lives if they have good support. But he says if you also have any of the conditions that frequently co-occur with autism, like anxiety, depression, and OCD, then your prognosis is often quite bad--it's just too much for one person to handle.
I've also noticed that the really successful autistics who go on about ASD being a super power tend to have either no or very mild co-morbid conditions, not to mention above average IQs and supportive families.
Obliviate
Abandon All Hope
- Aug 13, 2022
- 800
Me, I have high functioning autism, had to mask it and still am for a long time to be "accepted" by society and people are still so disgusting and ableist to me I can't even imagine someone with more severe autism in the spectrum/non verbal etc. It breaks my heart.
Dolphin55
Member
- Jan 7, 2023
- 178
Might be interesting to post a poll on this to get a %
I'm also autistic. Diagnosed at 21 when I was sectioned for an attempt on my life. No one really understands the struggles unless they have it themselves. I'm unable to do simple things like socialise with people, go places on my own, meet new people etc. I spend most of my time alone and while I prefer that, I do wish I didn't.
I've had two proper boyfriends, both of which I loved in their own ways. But I don't think my love is the same as other peoples love. I know my current relationship won't last and to be honest I can't even be bothered to find anyone else, I'm better off alone.
Who would want to live life like this? It's incurable and there isn't much support out there for adults with autism. I look at non autistic people and wish I could just be like that. But I can't.
I've had two proper boyfriends, both of which I loved in their own ways. But I don't think my love is the same as other peoples love. I know my current relationship won't last and to be honest I can't even be bothered to find anyone else, I'm better off alone.
Who would want to live life like this? It's incurable and there isn't much support out there for adults with autism. I look at non autistic people and wish I could just be like that. But I can't.
It's funny, I've had little contact with other autistic people, until this year. I worked with an autistic person at my last temp job, and with one at my current job. Both on the younger side, early twenties. Their case seems more severe than mine, but they do see competent, work wise. But socially, it's more obvious. I can't help but projecting my own current state onto them, even though I don't know them well. I hope they have a better time of it than I did. Something that they have going for them is that they were diagnosed earlier in life, at a time when there's more awareness about such things, and they seem to have support at home.
(That's not to say they won't have their challenges..the supervisor at the temp job seemed to take personal delight in tormenting the one their, messing with his personal routine. And both he and the one at the current job are subject to comments behind their backs...but having that support elsewhere makes a difference, I hope, where I didn't. )
I wonder, when I look at them, if that's how people saw me at my age...I'm better at faking it now, than I was back then...
(That's not to say they won't have their challenges..the supervisor at the temp job seemed to take personal delight in tormenting the one their, messing with his personal routine. And both he and the one at the current job are subject to comments behind their backs...but having that support elsewhere makes a difference, I hope, where I didn't. )
I wonder, when I look at them, if that's how people saw me at my age...I'm better at faking it now, than I was back then...
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Shadowlord900
Seeker of Darkness
- Sep 29, 2022
- 921
I have Aspergers. Not only was I diagnosed at a very early age, I was also taught about it by my parents too shortly after.
Fat lot of help that did. /s
Fat lot of help that did. /s
Dead Ghost
Mestre del Temps
- May 6, 2022
- 1,337
I am supposed to be on the spectrum, I have been diagnosed with Asperger's since I was 40 years old. The truth is that I don't mind, since at this point in my life it hasn't had any influence on the way I am (the psychologist who diagnosed me explained that when someone is made aware of their condition it is normal for them to suddenly embrace Asperger's culture and stereotypes, they become more Aspergers, especially among teenagers).
But I have not changed... I guess if I had been diagnosed as a child everything would have been different, but I was born in 1978 and then neither Asperger's nor ASD existed. In fact in Barcelona the term started to become popular in the first decade of 2000 and I was not certified until 2019 (diagnose 2018).
I think that having Asperger's would not be important if there had not been such an important boom of social networks in this century. In fact, I don't think it would even get diagnosed in most people. Things like group work, video resumes, social skills, etc... were irrelevant in our day-to-day society. Everyone could live life the way they wanted and no one could reproach someone else for being a loner or not relating to other people... there was room for everyone. Now they are looking for a very specific profile of citizen where many people have problems to fit in and suffer for it.
I have always been the odd one out, and recently they have decided that this is not right and I have to medicate myself. But I don't care about fashions imposed by the times we live in, I will live as I know how.
//
Se suposa que estic a l'espectre, tinc diagnosticat Asperger desde els 40 anys. La veritat es que no m'importa, ja que a aquestes alçades de la meva vida això no ha tingut cap influéncia sobre la meva manera de ser (em va explicar el psicòleg que m'ho va diagnosticar que quan a algú se li fa saber la seva condició és normal que de cop hi volta abraci la cultura i estereotips Asperger, es tornen més Aspergers, sobretot entre els adolescents).
Pero jo no he cambiat pas... suposo que si m'ho haguessin diagnosticat de petit tot hagués estat diferent, però vaig néixer el 1978 i llavors no existía ni l'Asperger ni el TEA. De fet a Barcelona es va començar a popularitzar el terme a partir de la primera década del 2000 i a mi no m'ho van certificar fins el 2019 (diagnosticar el 2018).
Crec que tenir Asperger no tindría cap importància si no hi hagués hagut un auge tan important de les xarxes socials en aquest segle. De fet, crec que ni tan sols s'arribaría a diagnosticar a la majoría de la gent. Coses com el treball en grup, els videocurriculums, les habilitats socials, etc... eren irrellevants en el día a día de la nostra societat. Tothom podía viure la vida com volgués i ningú li podía retreure a un altre persona ser solitari o no relacionar-se amb d'altres persones.. hi havía lloc per tothom. És ara que cerquen un perfil de ciutadà molt concret on moltes persones tenen problemes per encaixar i pateixen per això.
Jo sempre he estat l'estrany, és fa poc que han decidit que això no està bé i m'he de medicar. Però passo de modes imposades pels temps que vivim, viuré com sàpiga i prou.
But I have not changed... I guess if I had been diagnosed as a child everything would have been different, but I was born in 1978 and then neither Asperger's nor ASD existed. In fact in Barcelona the term started to become popular in the first decade of 2000 and I was not certified until 2019 (diagnose 2018).
I think that having Asperger's would not be important if there had not been such an important boom of social networks in this century. In fact, I don't think it would even get diagnosed in most people. Things like group work, video resumes, social skills, etc... were irrelevant in our day-to-day society. Everyone could live life the way they wanted and no one could reproach someone else for being a loner or not relating to other people... there was room for everyone. Now they are looking for a very specific profile of citizen where many people have problems to fit in and suffer for it.
I have always been the odd one out, and recently they have decided that this is not right and I have to medicate myself. But I don't care about fashions imposed by the times we live in, I will live as I know how.
//
Se suposa que estic a l'espectre, tinc diagnosticat Asperger desde els 40 anys. La veritat es que no m'importa, ja que a aquestes alçades de la meva vida això no ha tingut cap influéncia sobre la meva manera de ser (em va explicar el psicòleg que m'ho va diagnosticar que quan a algú se li fa saber la seva condició és normal que de cop hi volta abraci la cultura i estereotips Asperger, es tornen més Aspergers, sobretot entre els adolescents).
Pero jo no he cambiat pas... suposo que si m'ho haguessin diagnosticat de petit tot hagués estat diferent, però vaig néixer el 1978 i llavors no existía ni l'Asperger ni el TEA. De fet a Barcelona es va començar a popularitzar el terme a partir de la primera década del 2000 i a mi no m'ho van certificar fins el 2019 (diagnosticar el 2018).
Crec que tenir Asperger no tindría cap importància si no hi hagués hagut un auge tan important de les xarxes socials en aquest segle. De fet, crec que ni tan sols s'arribaría a diagnosticar a la majoría de la gent. Coses com el treball en grup, els videocurriculums, les habilitats socials, etc... eren irrellevants en el día a día de la nostra societat. Tothom podía viure la vida com volgués i ningú li podía retreure a un altre persona ser solitari o no relacionar-se amb d'altres persones.. hi havía lloc per tothom. És ara que cerquen un perfil de ciutadà molt concret on moltes persones tenen problemes per encaixar i pateixen per això.
Jo sempre he estat l'estrany, és fa poc que han decidit que això no està bé i m'he de medicar. Però passo de modes imposades pels temps que vivim, viuré com sàpiga i prou.
Present. Never been diagnosed but you can't tell me otherwise.
It definitely makes life harder but I don't hate autism, I'm just tired of people who place so much value on stupid things like eye contact, tone, and whether or not I'm wearing a fucking hat indoors. Wish they'd get over themselves and stop assuming the worst about my intentions based on those little things. Feels like everything I say or do is ignored if my expression isn't what people want it to be. I can't be bothered to mask, I don't care if people think I'm grumpy. I am grumpy.
I could really live without the sensory issues though. I'm sure I must sound crazy, but my sensory issues have contributed so much more to my desire to CTB than social rejection. Everything is too much, all the time. I love the sun's warmth and the pretty colors it adds to the world, but it makes my eyes water without even looking at it and some days I can't even open my eyes outside. I can't focus at restaurants or anywhere with dim lighting. I get headaches from fluorescent lights and their awful buzzing. Can't focus around them either.
I'll never admit it to my friend who loves nightcore but I can't stand high-pitch munchkin voices, the tiktok voice filters make me want to vomit. I struggle to understand what people are saying, I hate all the mumbling in movies, I hate when people hiss the "S" sound, and I hate whispering most of all. When I can't understand what someone is saying, it's like my brain refuses to focus on anything else, I can't tune out whispers or background conversations or the sound of people talking in another rooms. It's hard to even enjoy music with lyrics sometimes, I prefer instrumental. Strangely, I love metal and some vocaloid. Can't explain it.
Oh and I struggle with textures too. It's exhausting. Existence is exhausting.
It definitely makes life harder but I don't hate autism, I'm just tired of people who place so much value on stupid things like eye contact, tone, and whether or not I'm wearing a fucking hat indoors. Wish they'd get over themselves and stop assuming the worst about my intentions based on those little things. Feels like everything I say or do is ignored if my expression isn't what people want it to be. I can't be bothered to mask, I don't care if people think I'm grumpy. I am grumpy.
I could really live without the sensory issues though. I'm sure I must sound crazy, but my sensory issues have contributed so much more to my desire to CTB than social rejection. Everything is too much, all the time. I love the sun's warmth and the pretty colors it adds to the world, but it makes my eyes water without even looking at it and some days I can't even open my eyes outside. I can't focus at restaurants or anywhere with dim lighting. I get headaches from fluorescent lights and their awful buzzing. Can't focus around them either.
I'll never admit it to my friend who loves nightcore but I can't stand high-pitch munchkin voices, the tiktok voice filters make me want to vomit. I struggle to understand what people are saying, I hate all the mumbling in movies, I hate when people hiss the "S" sound, and I hate whispering most of all. When I can't understand what someone is saying, it's like my brain refuses to focus on anything else, I can't tune out whispers or background conversations or the sound of people talking in another rooms. It's hard to even enjoy music with lyrics sometimes, I prefer instrumental. Strangely, I love metal and some vocaloid. Can't explain it.
Oh and I struggle with textures too. It's exhausting. Existence is exhausting.
Archness
Defective Personel
- Jan 20, 2023
- 449
NotHuman
Member
- Jul 8, 2018
- 43
Yo. I've interacted with many autistics over the years, and the only ones I've ever encountered who seem to be content with life are so low functioning and so consumed by their distractions as to barely notice life even happening. Wish I were at least partway functional enough to have a decent job so I could feel productive despite my ongoing failure to bond with any human.
Ultracheese
Arcanist
- Dec 1, 2022
- 488
I like to joke that I'm allegedly autistic, as the psychologist who diagnosed me was a shady guy who probably should've lost his license. I'm uncomfortable admitting I'm autistic due to shame, and having people think I'm stupid as a result of it, but I have it, and wishing I didn't won't change a thing.
Sparr0w
please feed my pfp crumbs they are begging u
- Jan 24, 2023
- 300
got a reccomendation from my highschool that im high-functioning (fuck high/low functioning labels tbh) autistic, so not diagnosed but not really self diagnosed either.
best (worst) part for me is that ive been unable to feel bad/grieve when people die, fun to go to ur grandparents funeral and have to fake sadness
best (worst) part for me is that ive been unable to feel bad/grieve when people die, fun to go to ur grandparents funeral and have to fake sadness
blackroseRM
Member
- Jan 22, 2023
- 31
I'm Autistic also. It's possible so many of us are here because we are not accepted other places... OR really, anywhere.
zaros
insane but in the cool way
- Jan 21, 2023
- 24
im neurodivergent but the systems we have apparently can't diagnose me because while i have p much everything needed for a diagnosis (and more), the nuance of it means im not eligible for a diagnosis of autism and adhd which means i cant get the help i desperately fucking need (public health is generally a good thing but hoooolyshit if new zealands mental health services dont suck multiple bags of horse cock)
