The magic of a movie: inspiring or ...?

[Heather Dawn]

Vaguely, with a former therapist. Didn't really help. I suppose I should print out this forum and show it to my current counselor next time we meet. (Obviously, I get a sense from you, Victoria66, that this is a severe problem that I have, even though I'm well aware they're just movies. Am I correct?)

 

I think you need professional help. You claim to know the difference between reality and fantasy - and perhaps you do on an intellectual level - but you clearly have emotional problems to work out if you're living your life based on a movie. It's so unhealthy and abnormal. If you don't seek help now, you will only slide deeper into trouble.

[browneyedgirl36]

I think you need professional help. You claim to know the difference between reality and fantasy - and perhaps you do on an intellectual level - but you clearly have emotional problems to work out if you're living your life based on a movie. It's so unhealthy and abnormal. If you don't seek help now, you will only slide deeper into trouble.

 

I think it's worth noting that the OP has revealed on other threads that she has recently been found to have Asperger's Syndrome. While I don't disagree that talking to a counselor about this would be helpful, in my experience working with a number of students with Asperger's, they tend to get very fixated on a particular thing -- often something in the creative/artistic realm -- and become somewhat obsessive about it. For example, one of my students with Asperger's is VERY into sci-fi; he spends countless hours weaving lengthy stories in the sci-fi genre, participates in live role-playing games, etc. -- it's pretty much his whole life and all he talks about, and he talks about these things as if they were real even though he *knows* intellectually that they aren't. Another, a woman of about the same age as the OP, is the same way with music. She's a musician herself, and she lives/breathes music; she has certain bands she is fixated on and talks about them constantly, quoting their lyrics, amassing a huge collection of memorabilia connected to them, talking about the bands and musicians almost as if they are friends of hers.

 

I'm not saying that the OP couldn't benefit from counseling, but I am suggesting that there might be a connection between this and Asperger's. I am not an expert, by any means, but I do have a lot of experience (I've been teaching for nearly two decades) working with adults who are on the autism spectrum, and my observations of them tend to be consistent with a lot of what the OP is saying here about her own thoughts. Of course, not all adults on the autism spectrum will have the same types of thoughts, but some do, for sure.

 

Anyway, to the OP: If this feels like it's interfering with your life in any way, it would definitely be a good idea to talk to your counselor about it. It's always helpful to bounce these things off of a professional and get his or her thoughts.

[Seraphim]

No, she doesn't have Asperger's but some other disability. I can't remember what but it wasn't autism.

[midnightdeirdre]

No, she doesn't have Asperger's but some other disability. I can't remember what but it wasn't autism.

Aspergers is no longer a diagnosis as of mid-2013. If it was, that would've been my diagnosis when I was tested. Instead, my diagnosis is Social Communications Disorder. (I did read that I can be considered "autistic-lite.")

[Seraphim]

Yes, I understand it is now covered in the autistic umbrella, AS, that is. But the psychologist who diagnosed my son and many others do not agree with it being no longer a diagnosis and he gave my son the diagnosis regardless . If your diagnosis was supposed to be Asperger's they would have said you have ASD.

[midnightdeirdre]

But you are taking it too far: you are not living your own life because you feel like fictional characters would not approve. If this was trying to make your friends/parents/teacher etc proud, it would be different.

Different how so? It's still approval addiction.

[browneyedgirl36]

No, she doesn't have Asperger's but some other disability. I can't remember what but it wasn't autism.

 

She said in a fairly recent post that she has Asperger's (I went back and checked just to be sure), but perhaps the diagnosis has changed since then. I was just going off what she posted in a previous thread.

[midnightdeirdre]

If your diagnosis was supposed to be Asperger's they would have said you have ASD.

 

He did say I have Aspergers. He just said that because of the new diagnosing criteria, he couldn't "officially" give that to me. (Otherwise he would have. Know what I'm saying?)

[Capricorn3]

Three words: COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY.

I would agree with this. OP, it seems you live in a fantasy world to a point where you believe it to be real. That's not normal and becomes a big problem when you can't tell real life and fantasy apart. I would strongly recommend professional counseling/therapy or of course CBT.

[Seraphim]

He did say I have Aspergers. He just said that because of the new diagnosing criteria, he couldn't "officially" give that to me. (Otherwise he would have. Know what I'm saying?)

 

Well, then according to the DSM5 you have ASD instead of social communication disorder because ASD is the new diagnosis for AS.

[midnightdeirdre]

Odd, I posted this forum awhile back and it didn't seem to get much feedback:

 

Rather, it sure didn't get the same type of feedback I'm getting here.

[midnightdeirdre]

Well, then according to the DSM5 you have ASD instead of social communication disorder because ASD is the new diagnosis for AS.

It all seems to connected. Just google all the terms and you'll see.

[Seraphim]

I don't have to google the terms. My son has AS. I know what it is and I have studied autism for about 10 years. Just looked up SCD and it can be independent of autism as well. But obviously people with autism have troubles with social communication.

 

However, your approval seeking could just be particular to you. Not every autistic person approval seeks.

[midnightdeirdre]

I don't have to google the terms. My son has AS. I know what it is and I have studied autism for about 10 years. Just looked up SCD and it can be independent of autism as well. But obviously people with autism have troubles with social communication.

 

However, your approval seeking could just be particular to you. Not every autistic person approval seeks.

 

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[midnightdeirdre]

I'm well-aware that lining-up objects is a trait of autistic kids. I used to do that growing up.

[Seraphim]

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And? It says they fall under a new disorder which is not autism because they don't have the characteristic repetitive motions and restricted interests.

[Seraphim]

I'm well-aware that lining-up objects is a trait of autistic kids. I used to do that growing up.

 

My son still does it. As we speak he is presently lining up cards accross his floor while bouncing slightly on his crossed feet under him and it is almost 2 AM here.

[Seraphim]

This is the criteria for an AS diagnosis .

 

[The following is from Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM IV]Asperger's

(I) Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:

(A) marked impairments in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body posture, and gestures to regulate social interaction

(B) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level

© a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interest or achievements with other people, (e.g.. by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people)

(D) lack of social or emotional reciprocity

(II) Restricted repetitive & stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:

(A) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus

(B) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals

© stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g. hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)

(D) persistent preoccupation with parts of objects

 

(III) The disturbance causes clinically significant impairments in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

 

(IV) There is no clinically significant general delay in language (E.G. single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years)

 

(V) There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self help skills, adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction) and curiosity about the environment in childhood.

[midnightdeirdre]

And? It says they fall under a new disorder which is not autism because they don't have the characteristic repetitive motions and restricted interests.

Either you misread it, or I did. But we can agree I have Aspergers or a light form of autism. (Or we can just agree to disagree.)

[midnightdeirdre]

For the record...I do have a friend named Justin who seems to have a similar love/admiration for another movie: The Superman trilogy, with Christopher Reeves.

 

And for good reason: Justin was in a very bad, abusive childhood. So bad, he decided to end his life by slitting his wrists. On the day he was going to do it, he was at the library with his aunt, looking through movies to pick one out to watch one last time. But he had seen all they had. Then, a woman dressed all in white, handed him Superman II. She said, "Here: rent this, it will help you." He took it, and when he looked up to thank her she was gone. He rented it, watched the movie, and it inspired him so much he decided not to take this life. Two weeks later, he moved to FL with his mother, away from his abusive stepdad.

 

Suffice to say, he has a collection of Superman memorabilia. Obviously, I feel the same way with my favorite film that I'm talking about here.

[Seraphim]

Just go by what it says on your diagnosis paper. The psychologist report will have a diagnosis on it.

[Seraphim]

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Is SCD part of the autism spectrum?

 

SCD is not included under the autism spectrum disorder category, instead it is a communication disorder. If an individual meets criteria for an autism spectrum disorder, they will receive that diagnosis rather than SCD.

[midnightdeirdre]

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Is SCD part of the autism spectrum?

 

SCD is not included under the autism spectrum disorder category, instead it is a communication disorder. If an individual meets criteria for an autism spectrum disorder, they will receive that diagnosis rather than SCD.

I see what you're saying. But if it's not at least "autistic-lite", like the article below suggests, why would it be on the Autism Speaks website?

 

 

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[Seraphim]

It is on the website because previously children who were diagnosed autistic were re diagnosed SCD and are not getting services they got under the autistic umbrella and parents are peeved.

 

Asperger's is autism " lite" as you say.

[midnightdeirdre]

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This article says I can consider myself with Aspergers, even though SCD is now the new diagnosis. Good to know.

 

Did I mention a friend recently told me that she thought I had Aspergers back in high school? Also, before I went out anywhere back then, my mother would always say to me, "Think before you say something! I don't want people to think you're weird!"