Asperger Syndrome
The modern era has witnessed a dramatic shift in the outlook of people towards the differently-abled. People are making themselves aware and sensitizing themselves to the needs of these special individuals. As their problems get recognition, we are slowly coming face-to-face with the various mental issues plaguing the individuals in our society. It is important to recognize them and help the people accordingly. The taboo that is mental illness needs to be done away with for these diseases to be treated carefully.
One among the many psychological disorders is Asperger’s Syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder(ASD), named after its propounder Dr. Hans Asperger. This features on the “high-functioning” end of the spectrum because the individuals suffering from it do not generally show cognitive disabilities. They are significantly intelligent and possess some highly – specialized talents and skills. They have limited interests and also like regularity in performing their daily tasks.
They possess adequate cognitive skills but have problems with social skills. They cannot partake in a group discussion with ease. They fail to understand non-verbal cues and do not understand the urban lingo. They go by the exact meaning of the words such as “cool” or “chill”. They have difficulty in establishing eye contact with another and do not understand expressions and emotions conveyed to them, easily. They might not be able to control their emotions or express them and often convey the wrong emotion at the wrong time. They also might develop unusual phobias and need to stay away from stimuli that elicit the phobia.
These people can be treated and with therapy, they can show significant improvements in their social and behavioral skills. They need someone to be patient with them and understand their need to take it slow in group situations. With care and perseverance, they can learn better communication skills and lead fairly normal lives or even famous ones such as that of Satoshi Tajiri, the creator of our beloved Pokemon!
