WHO-MHSU: Dialogue about the necessity of the Fundamental Distinction betweenAutismandAutism Spectrum Disorder

This subject is of the utmost importance, because theAutism-Disorder Confusion”, which is omnipresent in the world, causes people to see autism only in a negative way:
which does not allow autistic people to lead dignified and fulfilling lives;
which prevents people from seeing the qualities of autism (sincethe qualities of a disorderis an absurd idea), and therefore from developing them;
which makes that the public authorities provide almost no effort to correct thesocial systemto make it more suitable for autistic people (since they believe that autism is onlya defect to be eliminated”);
which therefore perpetuates atroubled and disturbingsocial and socio-generated environment that is difficult for autistic people to bear, which contributes to maintaining their difficulties, their suffering, their exclusion (or self-exclusion, including suicide),
not to mention the stigmatisation and harassment imposed on people perceived asfundamentally defective for life” (since their autistic nature is reduced to solelydisorders”). Continuer à lire →