Asperger’s Syndrome is something I’ve become interested in recently. To help me better understand someone I suspected was affected by it, I began researching the subject, and as I’ve read more and more about the syndrome, it has continued to fascinate me. Although I know I don’t have Asperger’s myself, I do recognise a number of so-called Asperger’s traits in my own thinking and behaviour; as I’m sure many of us would! And to my mind, that’s no bad thing, as some of the traits are highly positive.
So often, once someone is given a label (‘Asperger’s’ in this case), it immediately makes other people think differently about them, and to begin to see them as someone odd, or someone to be pitied or avoided, ridiculed or seen as a victim. And yes, some conditions bring their own problems, but what gets forgotten about is that there is still a person inside; a person who deserves to be treated and viewed in the same way as ‘neurotypical’ people (ie: people without Asperger’s / Autism) or as they were before being given the diagnosis.
Asperger’s is on the high end of the Autism spectrum and people with Asperger’s are often highly intelligent people. They often struggle with human interactions and communication, not being able to empathise with other people as easily as ‘neurotypical’ people. And this can cause problems in relationships and friendships … especially if either party is not aware of the possibility of Asperger’s. They can be very honest; telling things exactly as they are … which can be quite difficult to be on the receiving end of, if you’re not used to that level of brutal honesty. They are often very black & white in their thinking and are unable to see any shades of grey. They often have very high morals and standards and may find it difficult to appreciate that not everyone else lives up to their standards. They sometimes find intimacy difficult, although some people with Asperger’s can be extremely affectionate. They also often experience high levels of sensory awareness, which can make it difficult for them to cope in some situations. There are a whole host of traits linked to Asperger’s and, just like neurotypical people, every person with Asperger’s is unique and will have their own mix of traits and level to which they are impacted.
Quite often, those people with Asperger’s aren’t aware that they are experiencing it. It wasn’t fully recognised until the mid 1980’s and so a lot of adults today have grown up experiencing Asperger’s without it ever being recognised or diagnosed, as it increasingly is in childhood today. They’ve maybe had a sense of feeling ‘different’ or ‘apart’ from others, or maybe they’ve felt misunderstood, or have struggled to understand why other people have not understood them … these can all be common experiences of Asperger’s.
… and may be what initially brings the person with Asperger’s into counselling. This is where I think an awareness of Asperger’s is essential for counsellors, because someone with the syndrome may not necessarily be able to engage in counselling in the way that we would expect. As a counsellor, my research has made me even more aware of how I may need to adapt my communication and language patterns if I was working with someone with Asperger’s. And it may be that some clients who have proven difficult to work with, or who have struggled with the concept of counselling, may have had some level of Asperger’s. It’s certainly something which I bear in mind now.
Asperger’s is a neurological developmental disorder, which essentially means the individual’s brain works differently from those of us who are neurotypical. It is often confused as being a ‘mental illness’, which it very much isn’t. Therapy or medication will not ‘cure’ Asperger’s … it’s simply a description of how their brain works. Therapy can however, still be useful as a venue for the individual to explore their experiences in the same way as any other person.
I love the diversity of human beings, and for me, those with Asperger’s traits can be unique and interesting people … as can we all.
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