Why do people with autism do not want to be cured?

I have borderline Pdd-nos and if there was a cure for my autism I would take it! I think that being social different from everyone else and having your whole life as a social torture is hell!|||I've never heard that pertaining to "Autism", but on the spectrum, I have heard that from people w/Aspergers. I have ALSO heard that "Aspies" wouldn't trade the problems they have with social skils with the abilities they have. (i work in special ed) I once worked with a girl who wrote her whole research paper in her head.





I just think some things are a trade-off..what;s more important to some people..exceptional abilities, or social skills. Just what I was told from people w/Aspergers..not judging. ;) good luck!!|||In general, autistic people like routine and dislike change. You might say they are naturally conservative (if you think autism is somehow natural). They may have been autistic for most if not all of their lives, and may recognize that "cure" would be a big change. Some cultures also teach people to be proud and confident, including embracing their "differences". Some people think "that which does not kill you makes you stronger". Some autistic people may be personal witness to some very dubious and uncomfortable treatments / cures, and may decide it would just be easier for everyone if they attempt to be happy with the way they are.|||Unsure where you heard that at. Having a child with autism, sure I would love to find a cure. I heard of treatment that requires brain surgery, which I would never let happen, but any other natural cure to make them normal again, would be a miracle. I love my child the way she is, but if she could be perse normal and be able to go out in public by herself, have a conversation with, have a normal life, not worry about what will happen after I'm gone, then yes it would be a miracle.|||We vary, right across the autistic spectrum.



"I think that being social different from everyone else and having your whole life as a social torture is hell!"

But I think being socially the same as everyone else, and even more being *expected* to be socially the same as everyone else, is hell.



Do I have a problem? Not half so much as *they* have a problem, but I get the backlash.

Does that mean I should give in and submissively try to conform, and ask to have my difference removed if possible? Blow that!



I suggest you have too much swallowed mainstream society's view of you, and people like you, without sufficiently questioning whether it might be wrong or mistaken.

And the "normal" view often only has validity or force by sheer weight of numbers.

(And that varies from culture to culture, anyway!)



That doesn't mean society can simply be ignored or dismissed. It's not quite that easy.

I have learned the hard way, academically, how to "do social" very effectively when I choose to or have to.

But do I aim to be "normal"? No way.

Normal is "nothing special", "unexceptional", "run-of-the-mill","average" ,"unremarkable"...



There is a different case for the more severely affected, that I understand.

But having had a long cool look at what "normal" can mean in my society, I'm very glad that I missed out when certain traits were being handed round.

I don't want to be infected with those.





"One of the major problems with neurotypicals is that they have a remarkable intolerance of difference and expect everyone to accept the same culture and conventions, yet, as humans, we have always progressed by being different."

Professor Tony Attwood, author of The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome.|||Maybe its because being on the autism spectrum isn't only a handicap. It's not like missing a leg and getting an artificial one - it's part of the very own personality and (I guess) nobody would like to change that.


"This above all: Be true to your own self"


as Shakespeare wrote.|||You should look into the Sunrise Program. They have done wonders for people with autism. You could look it up on the web and they have lots of info there.|||maybe ur a different type of autism.. but idk..|||I'm sorry that you feel that way about yourself, but you might be surprised to find out that a "cure" wouldn't be as wonderful as you might think. Nobody is really "normal." Everybody has things they struggle with, and social skills isn't even close to being one of the worst things there is, not to disrespect your experience.





You can learn social skills, even if you'd never seem typical to others, you can develop ways to communicate effectively with others and ways to understand what's going on socially. Just because it's not intuitive for you, doesn't mean you can't learn.





PDD-NOS is generally considered fairly mild, and if yours is borderline, it would mean that you're pretty functional. I wish you'd given more information about yourself so I could make more practical suggestions to you. My eldest son gets social skills training in school and this year got summer school with some additional social skills training to help him prepare for high school. He has either Asperger's or HFA, or both as he fits the criteria for both. He also has some other learning disorders, ADHD and a fairly severe form of BiPolar Disorder. He's a very social guy and has had to work hard to develop the skills he needs to have the social life he wants, and he's not completely there yet. He gets a lot of help in school and even has a full time dedicated 1 on 1 parapro. At school they have group therapy with a whole bunch of kids like him, and social skills training. They also do some OT (Occupational Therapy) to help them with gross motor skills (this will be new to my son, after many years of asking for it). All these things help the kids learn to interface in effective ways. The program goal is not to make them be more "normal" but to be functional as their best selves. It's an amazing program.





His next younger brother has Asperger's and ADHD. He's pretty functional as he is. Sure he doesn't make a lot of eye contact and won't talk to people he doesn't know well. Sure he walks on his tippy toes, holds his arms differently, and sometimes walks in circles if he's stressed...but he's an A Honors Student who wins awards for his school with his encyclopedic knowledge of various scientific and historical subjects. He's not as motivated to have an active social live as his elder brother, but is developing confidence through his academic success and is quite independent and successful. He doesn't have any kind of special accommodations at school other than his teachers understand about the Asperger's and let him avoid noisy situations when possible. I like him a lot just as he is. If he were cured he'd loose that Aspi drive to know everything about his favorite subject and the world would be deprived of a really cool mind. I'm sure he'd be wonderful as a neurotypical, but I wouldn't want to find out.





My youngest was once thought to have PDD-NOS, as he didn't speak until age 5 and is quirky. He no longer fits the criteria so we had it wrong. He's not exactly neurotypical, but not exactly in the spectrum...not until the new criteria come out including ADHD in the spectrum. Then our whole family will be "in" for generations.





Along with your social challenges come strengths. I don't know you, and you didn't share enough to guess what those are, but I'm sure they are there. Please try to find out all the great stuff about yourself.





If there was a cure I would not withhold it from those who truly want it, but like choosing gender reassignment I think there should be counseling to make sure the person truly realizes what they'd be giving up and gaining so they don't regret their choice later. Bottom line, it should be their choice. I'd support my children being "cured" of their ASDs if they really wanted it, but I'd be very sad and miss them as they were. I'd have to get to know a whole other person, and I love the old person a lot.