Shedding Light on Misunderstood Asperger Syndrome

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Shedding Light on Misunderstood Asperger Syndrome - Augusten Burroughs describes his older brother, Elder Robison, as the boy who grew up without a diagnosis. Burroughs included a chapter about his brother in his acclaimed memoir, Running With Scissors, and received so much feedback about his depiction of that he suggested Robison himself write a book. The result was Look Me in the Eye, a candid and often humorous book about growing up with Asperger syndrome. The book is one of many released recently that enlightens the public about the autism spectrum disorder, which became an official diagnosis not too long ago. The defining characteristic of Asperger syndrome is an inability to identify with other people. Aspergians have trouble reading the expressions on people’s faces, and socializing does not come easily. They are often brilliant people, frequently forming obsessive fascinations with specific subjects. But the lack of empathy goes both ways—for people without Asperger syndrome, it’s hard to imagine what life might be like inside an affected mind. Now, thanks to the plethora of books and films written by and about people with Asperger, we can—in a limited sense—understand what it is like to be them.

http://www.columbiaspectator.com/node/29324