I think Gary simply wanted to post an uplifting article. I don’t think he is submitting this to be peer reviewed for his PhD in Psychology.
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True Scott, but it has been interesting researching it:) So many people think autism is Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man only. Unfortunately there’s very severe types but most function quite well and many succeed.
I have a friend who has been diagnosed with autism and I never had an idea about that. She functions and acts so normal and I was surprised to know about that after years of knowing her. So yes there really are different types and I’ve seen the both sides of it as from my friend it’s so difficult to notice, meanwhile I know a person with such a severe level of autism that he lives in a special place where he is taken care of as they started to have serious difficulties at home.
So reading someone having autism and creating something like Pokemon is supporting because I know my friend is more or less embarrassed to be autistic and that’s why I know it took so long from her to talk about it. If it’s indeed true then it can bring positivity for those people who suffer with and don’t think they will achieve something big 
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Great info xzini. Your examples certainly show how wide the autism spectrum is. I think your last sentence is inspired. If I was struggling with a mental illness (unlike popular belief here would say…no I’m not) the successes of those with a like desease would improve my perspective of what life could hold for me:)
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i was diagnosed with PDD-nos at age 17, i was treated for Anxiety/Fear Disorder (wrongly) and thus some severe damage to me was done as a result.
because i seemed so normal at first glimpse in social activities, they didn’t expect i was suffering from a form of autism.
all in all it’s great there’s so much attention for it these days and people learn more and more about it.
just to make it easier for those who have to play life in Hard-Mode.
all in all i thought it was a good read and i have always heard satoshi was autistic myself (with the bug story) and it seems quite believable, wether its true or not really isn’t that important.
i was quite hesitant of posting this but fuck it 
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Sorry about the misdiagnosis brother. By sharing your story you might prevent somebody else from going through it.
As you probably know, Autism Speaks is an incredible advocate and worth checking out for all to get educated.
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i personally haven’t really looked into it much, - my diagnosis came in after i left in bad faith (spend like a year and a half there in treatment). they wanted me back in to properly end my care there but i was like lolno.
a few years later that entire “mental healthcare-center” was purged because they were unsuccessful with most of their clients.
i’ve pretty much walked my own road from there.
my parents are very interested in all of this kinda stuff though (i was lucky with a set of amazing parents) they’re subscribed to magazines about autism etc. they attend autism readings where people just talk and share their experiences, personally i’ve never really invested time there aside from researching the subject myself.
but i’m sure it’s great!
if you have any questions, feel free to PM me.
i’m an open book, given you turn the page 
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I feel like in some respects I could be on the spectrum somewhere, but then maybe everyone does? I also feel like in todays society anyone who has a passion for something or takes pride in doing a good job is quickly judged to be autistic so I don’t really know. I’m of the opinion that these labels are more or less pointless anyway. People just love to pigeonhole everything for some reason.
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@xuzu - I think you’ll find interest in the Sociological Theories. More specifically, the micro-level Symbolic Interactionalist theory. Individuals try and make meaning in their world around them by ‘labelling’ everything. That’s why we as humans want to label individuals as autistic or having aspergers etc.
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for some people autism can be incredibly crippling in their daily life, and for this reason its important that there are labels that are researched individually.
to ensure they receive the right care to learn to cope with it, or at least “make their life easier” and hand out benefits where if/necessary,
care has to be insanely specialized on a human to human basis.
you’re right, alot of people fall under a spectrum, but that doesn’t qualify them as autist per say nor is being labelled an autist a mark of shame.
i’m not sure what you mean by “being good at something quick to be judged autistic”.
sometimes it’s really easier to understand rather than to be understood.
Early intervention, especially for speech delayed toddlers, is very helpful in an autistic child’s development. It helps prepare them for school. In this case labeling (or diagnosis) can be a benefit.
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I am autistic and didn’t learn about it until adulthood. I can tell you all kinds of facts about animals, can identify every pokemon card,can identify most toys by looking at them, got good grades…but sometimes I difficult learning things most people find simple like door latches or working water hoses, and when dealing with others in jobs/relationships. It is often called shadow symptoms but still is on the spectrum. It has made things hard but I am just me. And as a bonus I get an encyclopedia brain for animals, pokemon, toys, and more.
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Very inspiring binx and courageous sharing. People like you help to break the stigma attached to mental illness. You understand all this way more than most of us which is why I appreciate your input.
Now why is Gary so interested in this topic?
My 2 1/2 year old daughter is autistic. Scary for a parent…confusing.
At 11 months we’d spread all the letters and numbers out on the ground some even upside down and twisted and then we’d call them out, 5 F X 7 etc, she would point to them with 95% accuracy. And the misses were usually 6/9 or W/M. Not even a year old.
This was extraordinary but other problems occurred. She’s extremely speech delayed though she is getting more and more words out now. She doesn’t answer or look up when called even though her hearings fine. She rarely looks anybody in the eye. She walks on tiptoes and sometimes raises then opens and closes her hands repeatedly when excited.
Not sure what the future holds but hearing stories from fine young people like binx is encouraging:)
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you’re taking a good step as a parent though!
and i’m sure together you’ll be able to tackle those issues,
i wish you and your family the best of luck… 
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In some ways I wish I had known earlier, or at least been better prepared for the bullies. But I am kind of like Ash Ketchum, have to learn the hard way often. I got great grades, most people thought I was just hyper (ADHD I have too), but socially peers often treated me like a retarded freak in social situations(the freak part - was teen who loves pokemon), I was the lone anime/comic fan of my whole grade. I still don’t often look people in the eye for very long …unless I am either really interested (or trying to understand-communicate well) in the topic or like the person a lot. I have had periods of my life were sometimes it feels easier to walk on the front part of my feet (not tiptoes). And often when I was a kid, I would do something weird with my hands when excited.
As long as your daughter has support from parents, and a few good true friends she should be fine.
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“A few good true friends” That may be key. Will be concentrated on that:)
My story is very similar to that of your daughter’s. My mother first knew that something was different when the first sentence that I wrote was completely backwards (if you held it to a mirror, it would read like normal). I worked on this, and correcting many other things for roughly eight years in OT and speech. From my experience and now volunteering with autistic adults, having a disability like this will help her grow into a hardworking individual who will turn out great.
One small critique I have would be not to call it a mental illness, especial to her. I would call it a disorder or disability. I know that the name you call it might seem like it is inconsequential, but calling it an illness might make her feel as if there is something wrong with her.
Hopefully this helps!