Life With Aspergers Syndrome (Chris Packham Medical Documentary) | Absolute Documentaries

For most of his life, broadcaster and naturalist Chris Packham didn't tell anyone that he is autistic and has Asperger's Syndrome, which means he struggles in social situations, has difficulty with human relationships, and is, by his own admission, 'a little bit weird'. Chris wasn't diagnosed with Asperger's until he was in his forties but what if there was a way of taking away these autistic traits?
In this absolute documentary, Chris invites us inside his autistic world to try to show what it is really like being him. He lives alone in the woods with his 'best friend' Scratchy the dog, but he also has a long-term partner, Charlotte, who discusses the problems Asperger's creates in their relationship. Chris experiences the world in a very different way, with heightened senses that at times are overwhelming, and a mind that is constantly bouncing from one subject to the next.
With scientific advances offering new possibilities to treat his condition confronting this deeply personal subject with brutal honesty and reflecting on the devastating struggles of his adolescence, Chris explores the question of whether he would ever want to be cured even though Asperger's has helped make him who he is today.
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[@rainerzilch]

He is an extremely likeable person and no matter how different he felt or feels, I understand him very well

[@sirmadam8183]

I like your difference. I like your passions. Leave yourself alone. NOTHING is wrong with you. Some NDs want to be more passionate like you. Celebrate yourself.

[@taxusbaccata9200]

I could almost be this guy. The relating to animals, nature, etc. I used to catch tadpoles and smell and taste toads (eek! they're poisonous ). I also didn't have a great need for social contact. Life was not easy because of autism, though. Now I'm retired and often spend hours in my studio drawing. Autism is a blessing and a curse all in one.

[@turtleanton6539]

Yes indeed 🎉🎉🎉

[@snicklesnockle7263]

I identify with this guy. I have schizoid personality. Everyone hates me because I never laugh and hate small talk. I've also concluded it's best to avoid people entirely. I wish more people were like me. When I meet other withdrawn people I feel more comfortable because they don't expect anything from me. So I actually open up and become more talkative around them. Normal outgoing people just make me wanna hide.

[@Medietos]

snickle snockle: HEllo, you describe a part of yourself well, and I feel with you there. Have you ever started reading good psychology-therapy books to learn, better understand and maybe get ideas towards solution of problems, towards change and healing? It took me decades to understand that everyone wasn't going to be given help, that they couldn't help some, or wouldn't provide the right competent people, or that it was not in my fate so far. That I had to take my also physical health into my own hands. You sound to have normal psychical problems too. That comes naturally in a (sensitive intelligent) human being. Of course one is ging to get tenseand inhibited when noticing ppl don't seem to like one. Isolation is not good for the soul, evcen if we need alonetime. HAve you got a good habit of daily outdoor daylight/sunshine movement? I shouldn't think so, and it would help improvethings. So would really good quality helath food 3 regular, early times a day.m You may also have some nutritional imbalances and toxic metals, as do everybody today and which is influenced by lifestyle, mood, overall health. Robust ppl can handle the toxins better than sensitive, traumatized ones. Natural detoxification protocol is good. This may be borin glyt written, but I am too tired and sicj´k in mistreatment and decades of severe sleep deprivation to engage and put a lot of pedagogic effort, as I need paid for my work, and help to have the abuse stop, get health care, trauma therapy, my homwe back and all I ned to get my life finally. But I Ask you to not give up and get active researching that schizoid p and help ypurself. THERE ARE 12 STEP PROGRAMS FOR SELF-HELP IN WELL-STRUCTURED GROUPS, MAYBE YOU'D FIND A program and a GROUP of your liking, to settle down, calm, and start changing. I like AA' andOA's Big Book the best and only go to such meetings nowadays. you can seek and ask for a sponsor to help through the 12 step-work, because alone it's difficult for most. It takes some courage and inner strength , and willingness to get a better life. There are phone/ zoom and online meetings, which may be an alternative. Although when one it soo alonely, I think seeing ppl IRL is best. Even if one doesn't get all understood. Others have their pronblems, even after thaty have got help there. BEing human is complicated and changes.all the time. Oh, and the cell phone / gadgets are not good for us, so keep a normal real telephone ,or switch it off and kep it fara way from the body when sleeping at least, will ease symptoms. Seek naturopathic treatment if you cana fford it, and nutritiontherapoy. One can work from different angles. You can get better. Self-love is also good to practise, that will help in others loving one. TAke care of yourself, is a key. How old are you?

[@Teenywing]

I’m with you alllll the way. ♥

[@imhere8380]

@@Teenywing me too

[@snicklesnockle7263]

@JaneSmith-nothingness They're just too hyper for me and it's annoying, so they don't know what to do. So they just get passive aggressive or really jumpy or avoidant. It's not good for anyone involved. I wonder what my purpose in life is.

[@steveneardley7541]

My form of Aspergers is also characterized by heightened senses and sensory overload. When I was in high school, I worked at NIH, and tested my vision on a spectrophotometer. I could see way into the ultraviolet spectrum. It just looked like dark violet, but very visible. I also tested my hearing, which went way further than normal hearing in the high pitches. Once a dentist tried to use an "ultrasonic" drill on me, and I threw it across the room because it was so loud and piercing to my ears. The effect of all this sensory overload was extreme withdrawal. I also had obsessive interests, which I pursued doggedly. I asked to play classical piano at four, got into chemistry, astronomy, gardening, and rock collecting. I also tasted everything--not disgusting things like tadpoles, but every plant I would bite to see what it tasted like. I rarely talked about these interests, because outside of classical music, no one else seemed to share my interests. I was living pretty much in my own world. For years I had a vanity license plate that read KLAATU--which was the name of the alien in The Day the Earth Stood Still. I certainly didn't know I was autistic at that time, but most definitely felt like an alien. I had (and have) a lot of social problems. I always wondered why everyone else seemed to know how to behave, or what was considered important or appropriate. It's like they took classes that I somehow missed. That is a recurrent nightmare I've had my whole life--missing important classes. I gave up on being socially "normal" pretty early. I realized that I would just have to wing it and improvise, then take the consequences. Otherwise, I was just going to remain totally withdrawn.

[@anne.1205]

I have this dream, too. Over and over again. That I'm late for school or miss the whole day. Most of the time because I can't find my car or miss the train. But it doesn't feel like a nightmare.

[@rudeoptics8409]

Well said. Ditto.

[@OneMoreRedNightmare]

I also have this exact same dream about missing class, or showing up but I don't have my homework with me. I also have chronic sleep paralysis, which I didn't know wasn't normal until recently. I can hear very low tones, especially in music that other people can't. I have to leave shops sometimes because of they play certain music it seems to just get louder and louder until it gives me an anxiety attack.

[@steveneardley7541]

I had a "lost my car" dream a few months ago. In the dream I was thinking, "Well, maybe I'll drive back to that parking lot. Maybe I left it there. Wait a second!! I'm driving. I'm IN my car."@@anne.1205

[@paulmryglod4802]

Your experience aligns with mine. It's good to know ow other people are experiencing the world in a similar way. I had my hearing tested and could hear in to the ultrasonic range. I could also differentiate shades of color in the 99th percentile of people. No ultraviolet as far as I know. I can also since childhood hear specific vehicles and be able to identify them by sound alone, as long as the exhaust isn't fully muffled. I can also identify vehicles from a brief glance oh headlights only. I never trained or studied this, just picked it up.

[@ajs6750]

This program is so reassuring, for me as an autistic adult. Knowing i am not the only one

[@turtleanton6539]

Me2

[@wagu7003]

That was cool how he started focusing on the bird calls and knew each one. What a wonderful man he is. Godspeed sir!

[@barbarasunday3514]

I have been a mom for 22 years.I have known that I had an Aspergers daughter for only a few months. Yes .life with my girl can be very challenging, but there are such amazing aspects too, such as her intelligence, how she thrives on challenges, and her deep connection with animals,especially dogs. She once had lunch with a hawk that stayed with her for several minutes Normal is a deception. Weird is a gift.

[@rover790]

Love this. I am a mum of an asperger and can testify yo the amazing joys as well as the frustrations

[@deborahstone9696]

So nice to see he is still smitten ❤. After 10 years.. love his quirks. I'm adhd, ptsd,cptsd diagnosis at 60 years..absolutely no friends for 23 years now.try to keep busy with home, and raising my grand child. ❤❤

[@JDMimeTHEFIRST]

I just recently feel like I have real friends since college at nearly 40 . Seek out other neurodivergent people. I get along with those with ADHD.

[@kingfisher9553]

It's not crazy, it's not mad. It's another way to be a human and it has it's rewards.

[@mariaj.machado6055]

That bird was his connection with this mad world. I am a " normal" woman but I understand/ feel like him in so many ways

[@oramihi]

"Imagine all those people trapped in their room, because they're isolated by this condition. They haven't been able to sculpt opportunities, manage themselves in a way that allows them to fulfill their lives. That's like a ghastly sentence set in a vile fairy tale. No one should be imprisoned by this condition. They should be allowed to exhault in those aspects of the condition which empower them. That difference is such a valuable tool and enormous asset; to be able to see things, understand things, process things and remember things in a way most people can't do, has to be seen as a gift, not something that you're badged with and it's about what you can't do. It's gotta be about what you can do."

[@lornenoland8098]

Neurotypical people have no clue how mentally and physically exhausting it is to try and act “normal” all day. But, I believe we aren’t neurodivergent, we are “neurospecialized”. Our brains have abilities that are necessary and useful that normies have trouble doing.

[@JDMimeTHEFIRST]

And they make no effort in our direction which seems unfair to me. We are expected to accommodate our own disadvantage. It’s like asking a blind person to make their own braille.

[@relax2dream164]

In spite of all the difficulties having As ethers, this man has lived a very good life! It makes me happy to see this.

[@rebeccaneef6070]

Beautiful and spot-on depiction of Asperger's, at least the way I personally experience it.

[@MsShannruggles]

We are Frightenly similar in so many ways; except i am an female American; never ate, but caught many tadpoles, never listened to Punk Rock nor owned any Kestrol bird....but owned Two Large Moluccan Parrots.. but I have recently spent over 17 years exploring & living in the Mountains and Forests OFFGRID in the middle of nowhere and I am a BioChemist & was a 4.0 student in college but am very much also a Scientist & Naturalist. He even reminds me of 'The Professor' on the old Gillians Island TV programme. Resembles him too (uncanny resemblence) I too, am a Marathon Traveller & Retiree; Explorer & Researcher in PNW (Pacific NorthWest) in USA. SelfDiagnosed ASD Aspbergers Spectrum. In total agreement with his resistance to that cubic milimeter brain electrode zapper; "A Little Dab will do You eh-"? From that horror movie with Jack Nicholsen. This mans personality is nearly identical otherwise with mine own, except i cant stand his musical tastes; i am therefore Classically Trained since childhood and have a completely different style of music preferred. When he started off the dialogue in the programme saying "My Brain is different than yours" .. ...Nope. Im a Neuro-Divergent also; "hardwired differently" and see the surrounding world very differently than regular NEURO-TYPICAL humanity on Planet Earth. I have learnt to "MASK" THE ASPBERGERS Autism symptoms in order "TO SURVIVE" in the normal world and APPEAR "NORMAL" LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.. I have High functioning ASPBERGERS Im a reclusive person and a loner (like that man) and have spent nearly 18 years living as a hermit in the Wilderness & Mountains and Forests of The Great Pacific Northwest; Experimenting with OFFGRID LIFESTYLES & having very little to no contact with anyone at all, unless it was to obtain food supplies and gasoline or to change vehicles ...i do love animals and birds too, i just do not have any at the moment. God Bless Him; I see he is able to function well enough in society to become a TV Personality and have his own TV SHOW. 😃🙂 Thats how he affords his amazing dwellings!! I too, would have a house in the forest in the middle of NoWhere, if i had my druthers ...my pension unfortunately, does not afford me such luxuries. Well, perhaps something else will come up that can afford that lifestyle one day. (Hope springs eternal...as they say) Enjoyed very much this Documentary; Thankyou Very Much Indeed .. GOD BLESS YOU PS: I scanned some other comments & seems there are enough Others here who are so identical; we need to form our own CLUB, except no one would ever attend the meetings!! 21:37

[@iamme6773]

I have five kids. Two have been diagnosed with Asperger's, two are "normal", and one actually has an appointment tomorrow to get tested. I'm fairly certain they get it from me, but I am 40 and have never been tested. I would never want a cure for any of them. Being social isn't really as important as people make it out to be. I wouldn't want to be all concerned about people I don't know, and what they're doing. It sounds exhausting.

[@turtleanton6539]

Indeed it must be

[@jesterr7133]

I am high functioning, but have a relative that is not. I did not find out about myself until I was Mr.Parkham's age. Despite having an IQ over 145, I have struggled in many aspects of life, and never understood why. I went through the typical school and college system, and excelled in some areas, and struggled in others. My relative has a much more severe form, and is nonverbal. He was diagnosed as an infant and has been in a special school year round for his entire life. His symptoms have not improved in any appreciable way. He requires round the clock care, and I certainly hope some "cure" will come along one day that will give him a better quality of life than he has today. I fear for what his future will be.

[@RatsPicklesandMusic]

Pretty decent documentary. Explored multiple opinions of autism!! I'm autistic myself. Female.

[@turtleanton6539]

❤

[@SageRosemaryTime]

There is surprisingly little in the way of Medical/Scientific data . it's more of a Biography than documentary which is not at all bad However the thumbnail showed brain scans , which is what I came here for .I agree it succeeds as the gift of understanding . Many will be able to relate to folks " on the spectrum" and that's Gold .

[@rover790]

I doubt any scientist could explain it well enough. They would still be speculating, because it's not something neurological people properly understand. You need someone who is an asperger to explain how it is for them to get it to the rest of the world.

[@rover790]

That should read neurotypical, auto correct stepped in without my noticing.

[@diannerose8030]

My husband and I (and our 4 kids) are autistic and we struggle to understand each other because girls and boys are still so different even though they are both Autistic

[@wisecoconut5]

That is a very good point. I believe I am autistic and I suspect my mom is too but we are very different. When I talked to her about it she confessed that she didn't want to know. For me, exploring autisim has been enlightening and freeing. I am no longer broken. I am normal but different.

[@stefjordan]

I appreciated this much. What a lovely exposition. I wish I could meet him in person. As a recently, (late) diagnosed person with autism at 35, I'm just now realizing how much I enjoy other neurodivergent people. I immediately feel comfortable.

[@robynmeyer7796]

Chris, what a beautiful soul you are. You actually have huge empathy…you just internalise it. In so many ways you are like a mirror of my own personality…I grew up on a huge farm in the middle of nowhere and am like an animal and plant whispererer (I feel what’s happening with them and see tiny subtleties of change within them)…it’s like deeply understanding them. Older and female and happy living on my own…people often overwhelming. Thank you for giving me the gift of seeing and understanding a big chunk of who I am…it’s amazing when I’m almost 60. Please don’t let anyone try to change who you are…just be yourself. I don’t know about anyone else but the other thing about me is I am overly honest…just can’t tell lies…is this a part of Asperger’s?

[@ldebusk-xu4br]

Yes, the inability to lie is a "symptom" of Aspergers. I have the same problem, although I don't really see it as a problem in myself. However, that means that I rarely can tell when others are lying to me, which has caused a lot of issues. In general, aspies like order and rigidity. Lying throws that out the window because now you have to remember the lie and who you told it to and what other people know. Total chaos.

[@steveneardley7541]

I was just telling my brother yesterday how I made a teacher hate me in high school, just because I was honest. I had no clue that I was being rude, and no intention of being rude or even critical. I just answered a question honestly. I think this trait can make people uncomfortable, especially if they are insecure. Positively, my teachers in grad school used to ask me to critique their writing, because they knew I would give them honest feedback. Being direct is a way of keeping things simple, because even if there are social repercussions, at least I know who I am in the midst of all this confusion. @@ldebusk-xu4br

[@The-Finisher]

Yes lies and the notion how often others lie and a never ending ability to recognize that and utter disappointment when I realized I’ve been fooled yet again

[@jaymeharris2898]

You should get a parrot, a Macaw for free flight! It's everything you loved about that first bird you had. And they live for far longer than 6 months, try anywhere from 30 years to 70 years or even longer sometimes. That's why I got my macaw, I got tired of feeling like I was constantly grieving the loss of a pet. I wish I knew a way to make sure that you see my comment but that'll never happen. Hopefully someday someone tells you about free flight and it clicks in your head like it did in mine. My bird saved my life.

[@existenciaintegrativa]

Great video 👏👏👏I thank you so much for the video and I send my best wishes to Chris Packham. There were moments of me pouring tears watching his experience in adolescence that I felt empathy and could remember my own life story.

[@maryw3643]

I can relate to this man so much.

[@brendaeaster8874]

I live with a high functioning Aspie. Life with him has been challenging!

[@katherineswart474]

brilliant documentary. Very moving about Kestrel, reminded me of that book, Kes.

[@filminginportland1654]

1:36 This ‘cascading memory’ he’s talking about - I do that. That’s how I invent things, by joining together stuff that lines up in my head intuitively but are otherwise unrelated to anyone else. Like reading scientific studies proving five various things and then tying it together to form a new invention that’s never been done using those new principles someone else already proved in a lab. So I think this is a feature many of us have and is probably the defining feature of many (if not most) great inventors and scientists. I imagine many of them would qualify as autistic in today’s world. So perhaps one career option for many young autistic people might be inventing new ways of doing things in their areas of interest. That’s what kept my alive through childhood, drawing schematic diagrams of the stuff I was into as a kid (microphones and recording studios). If this is perhaps a common feature of ASD, then perhaps we’re all inventors whether we know it or not?

[@legionreaver]

Synchronicities are what their called. Synchronicity is a phenomenon where people interpret two seemingly unrelated experiences as being meaningfully intertwined, even though there is no evidence that one led to the other or that the two events are linked in any other causal way. The normies think that it's a flaw in human thinking/perception however if you go deep enough into quantum mechanics you understand they are a feature of reality and a form of fractals expressed in reality as a consequence of fundamental data structures. It's like bumping your funny bone into one of the corners of reality but only you can perceive them because of you're unique perspective and knowladge set. A particularly fun read I'm about to go into is "Number and Time" by Marie-Louise von Franz a friend of Carl Yung who termed the word synchronicities. In it she attempts to convey the ideas he was working on in what would have been his last book. The book I suspect i filled with an exploration of the topic.

[@rover790]

My son foes the same thing. His mind goes way way out connecting dots to things others just can't see, and lands at an amazing outcome.

[@divineinpurple9058]

I am a special needs teacher and a parent of a child on the spectrum. While watching the ABA approach is uncomfortable to watch and a challenging place to work, I wonder if the motivation is less about stamping out Autism and more about trying to provide as much independence and opportunity for the child to function as an adult as possible. It's all well and good to have your own personal private place to live if you can afford it. If you can't function in a workplace environment then your options as an adult are far more limited. Life-long care for your child is expensive and a frightening thing to think about as a parent.

[@tspfull]

i completely agree that parents need to provide help to create self sustaining adults if possible. the problem is that neurodivergent adults who had went through ABA find it both unhelpful and incredibly abusive and suffer from trauma wounds.

[@mimosaa8829]

I'm reading a book named autism breakthrough it's Raun Kaufman's book he talks about his experience with autism and about the son rise approach , it's very interesting a very respectful program, I advise all parents to take a look to the son rise program.

[@eks2024]

I can relate on the social part (don't want friends, parties), didn't even complete my education cause of that. (school = sicializing) Went to several therapist but they said I was just anxious and 'bubbly' as a personality and no way I could be autistic.

[@swedishdissident3406]

Not if you go to adult college or university you can get through unnotoced if you want to. It is much harder in working life to do this. When I whent to school I enjoyed the math and science, but not the social side. I used skive off when there was sport to do my studies. School was a wast of time.

[@Sazandora123]

Yeah, I'm kinda in the same boat. My parents moved around a lot when I was little so I'd change schools almost every year, any friends I made in school only lasted that one year and then just disappeared. Growing up I only had two real friends, then I moved to a different town far away from my hometown and they disappeared too, luckily in my final year of school I befriended two of my classmates who refused to just "disappear" from my life like everyone else did. I know I'm not good at keeping in contact with people, it's very easy for me to accidentally "ghost" people because I'm just not very social at all. Only lasted like three months in my country's equivalent of high school (I'm Finnish) before dropping out. I hate group projects.

[@steveneardley7541]

I have tried to collaborate several times on big projects. They have all been total disasters, not so much because of the social side of it. It's just that the projects were never completed, and barely even got off the ground. Now I know to avoid these things. I seem to have a naive faith that I can work collaboratively with others. I blame them more than me when it doesn't work, but it hardly matters who's to blame. It's just a losing proposition.@@Sazandora123

[@turtleanton6539]

​@@swedishdissident3406indeed

[@maryw3643]

His stepdaughter livens him up like no one else.

[@theuniverse3425]

I noticed that too, it was awesome to see. Love it!

[@WetSand1789]

Best doc I have seen in a long long time. Thank you so much for putting this together! My son has aspergers and I just adore him and so appreciate the way he has touched my life and so many others. His hunger and thirst for things that most people could care less about, intrigue me thanks to his interests.

[@diannerose8030]

I'm Autistic/ADHD and any talk of cure I get angry but willing to watch till end to see what happens.

[@soioioioioioio34]

Made up illness

[@richardward2469]

I am the same as this man. I was James Cameron’s dolly grip on the avatar sequel.

[@Macmadgram]

Thank you for telling us who you are in this video. I feel enriched!

[@diannerose8030]

We all struggle with loosing those we love. Autistic people feel things deeper then most and we struggle with understanding death.

[@anntunaley9974]

Its kind of weird ? I struggle with everything as an aspie, except death

[@diannerose8030]

@anntunaley9974 it's because this world isn't meant for us, they make us out to be damaged but many believe we are the next stage in evolution and just need the right understanding and environment and we fly. Our minds are amazing I just have to hope my children grow up in a more accepting environment

[@turtleanton6539]

Indeed🎉

[@rover790]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. This documentary was so insightful

[@diannerose8030]

Love this guy he has autism spot on ❤️ autism people are amazing when in the right environment

[@cocogee5991]

Best documentary on that topic i have ever seen. 🙏

[@chriscross3720]

Thank you for this!

[@BG-nm5xt]

Asperger's diagnosis has been changed and is now included with Autism Soectrun Disorder.

[@turtleanton6539]

😮😅😮

[@crowcloud1776]

Brilliant. Love it. Thank you!!!!

[@tdc3298]

Thanks for sharing

[@richardward2469]

Sorry just on the topic of “curing” autism? I think you would have to look at trying to change our very chemical molecular structure quite dramatically,especially as you get further along the spectrum. I practice earthing, I love doing the washing because of the static electricity. It’s fascinating.😳😳💖💖💖

[@jodiecatlin3790]

Normal people just need to learn to accept other people's differences. And I suppose it goes both ways?

[@songoftheblackunicorn666]

I am a nuroatypical with learning disabilities. It took me a long time to understand the truth is that if you stopped my nuroatypical thinking and my learning disabilities you would also get rid of my ideas and creativity and musical talent spacial skills and tactile ability. So no I no longer want to be normal or cured. I will deal with my shortcomings on my own. The other aspect of this is the normies aren't perfect either. We have gifts they are lacking. The normies are only considered better because they are the majority. More is not nessisaraly better it is just more. They have no empathy for any of us at all and that is not seen as a handicap. But when we can empathize with each other and animals but we just don't get the normies how is that a lack of empathy? It is just a different kind of awareness, different is not wrong it is just different.

[@JDMimeTHEFIRST]

Well said. I also think neurotypicals have LESS empathy from what I observe and how they treat me and each other.

[@jodiecatlin3790]

What an interesting man

[@amazonlife2609]

Chris’s childhood almost exactly mirrors my own and our adult lives aren’t dissimilar. I’m confused.

[@minnietheminx]

Same here, I even grew up in the same area and was a punk rocker where I finally fitted in with a crowd of people, I probably knew him then!

[@spaghettiking7312]

If my autism was ever "cured" I would cease to be myself.

[@starbrandenburgh7935]

I have a learning disability and bad anxiety

[@nehorlavazapalka]

He's tall, has high IQ and is well connected. This is not the typical experience of an ASD child/adult. He can compensate, most others can't.

[@Crazyunicornsdollworld]

It's because of the difference between autism and Asperger's, which has many many overlaps, but also differences

[@DrPwnStar]

I need this guy to buy me a cabin in the woods, then I'll be set.

[@robbgregorrichard1009]

True, but it is nice to see there are people like him. As well on the spectrum, I identify more with what he experiences and the way he thinks than many other documentaries where people with ASD are shown.

[@CrustyUgg]

Right but people like me who have an autistic child who (so far but it's still too soon to tell) seems like he will be able to make it through life on his own enjoy seeing autistic people just living life independently and doing things like everyone else. It's a constant fear in my mind of "what if?" The unknown for what the future holds for my son is stressful.

[@REGjr]

What's your point? His experience isn't valid because somebody else has it worse? You do know by that logic the other person's experience you're sticking up for is invalidated too, right? If you'll point me to them I'll gladly let them know what a gift the challenge of their disability is to you. As someone who proxied my mother's Munchausen it is indeed one etiology of autism. The genome's been sequenced for over a dozen years. Behavioral heritability within families looks "genetic". Definitely makes sense the person pathetic enough to do what you're doing would have a hollow ego in need of perpetual inflation.

[@songoftheblackunicorn666]

They excluded you because you were better than them and they wanted you to feel bad about it.

[@songoftheblackunicorn666]

I wonder why you and I feel the same about birds. I live with a handicapped Americana.

[@turtleanton6539]

❤❤❤ it is a deep connection to animals

[@Allannah_Of_Rome]

In Australia, spergies I not a syndrome, it's a part of the autism spectrum and is now know as ASD as a collective!

[@YochevedDesigns]

I spent 10 years of my life being controlled, manipulated, and horribly abused by my ex husband. When I finally asked for a divorce, he just said OK, packed his bags, and left the next morning without saying goodbye. I found out a few years later that he had taken out a ton of loans in my name, ruined my credit, and left the country. I'm still fighting to get things straightened out. Now tell me how ALL Aspies are wonderful people.

[@sirmadam8183]

If it's not severe, leave yourself alone. There is nothing wrong with you. We NDs accept you. Sometimes you can perform even better than NTs. But the idea of blending in, I think, needs to go. It should be out in the open.

[@user-xw4od8kb7y]

I got diagnosed at 19.

[@annealbert9490]

Do you also have OCD ? My son was diagnosed with OCD / ADHD and Tourette’s and at 17 and now addicted to Cannibis he’s been diagnosed on ASD spectrum

[@laurastabell2489]

Can you really embrace anyone who was described as being "Sooo NORMAL!" Normal is really as bad a word as weird. Weird is at least interesting. Of course, the problem for any different people is bullying. Bullying is the labeling of anyone or anything, people, new ideas, hair cut, clothes etc...as " different" and not as good, and therefore deserving of abuse. Bullying is a sign of brain damage. People with neurological damage have scarring and lesions in the brain blocking the flow of electrical impulses. Electrical processing rises in response to new and different stimulators. The blockages from scarring act like the highway closed down to one lane during rush hour. Traffic backs up and cars start to honk horns. The result in the backed up human brain is a feeling of irritability- and anger. Why should they be made to process more!? The world has to change to please them! They have no tolerance. Until we identify bullies and bullying as a pathologic condition that needs treatment, those in their audience will be listening to them and giving them power over those who are different. Group sucess depends on bringing different strengths, ideas and abilities to meet different challenges. In a normal society, differences are valued.

[@heide-raquelfuss5580]

I looove animals. I like the smell of animals, plants, rocks, clothes, perfumes essential oils. I would never want to taste any animal, like in this video. I love animals to much, so i do not want to hurt them, kill them. I avoid people as much as possible, but animals i welcome them. I enjoy intensely their presence and everuthing about them. So i rescue them and i am intensely heartbroken if i see a dead insect, animal. No one can comfort me. Living in the middle of nowhere. A dream of mine. Nature. Animals in the wild. No human being. No human noice. Being yourself. Never ever use this device tms on your brain. Please folks...accept your brain, eat healthy, live healthy. My god. This device. Pure human stupidity.

[@turtleanton6539]

❤❤❤❤❤🎉😮

[@songoftheblackunicorn666]

Normal is overrated

[@StanCat4]

Neurotypical, not ‘normal’

[@songoftheblackunicorn666]

@@StanCat4 fair enough. These people are only about 40 percent of the population. They are just better organized than the rest of us and make all the rules and social edicts

[@sirmadam8183]

"He is like an alien." Okay, so you think NTs can't eventually see this as well? At work and at play, we will figure it out too. I've worked with many NDs, trying to blend in who think they are blending in but we NTs know and talk about it because sometimes it's odd and frustrating. It's pretty dang obvious.

[@dapawap]

Poor bird & tadpoles

[@ianandrews6890]

I wonder what his parents thought about the kestrel living in their home ?

[@jacquiventurini8844]

I’m the opposite. I have the worst memory!

[@sirmadam8183]

When wife stops being "fascinated with his mind" and decides to discover her OWN mind, she will discover true happiness. LOL.

[@lasercat3542]

11:53 fidgety fidget

[@forrestfey]

Why cure a superpower?

[@antoniorenteria2896]

Its easier to control people who all think the same way

[@supermoon1430]

Yes the rare condition that has many many side effects is a super power I’m sorry mommy lied to you very few people in an already pretty rare condition are intelligent enough for it to be a power

[@songoftheblackunicorn666]

@@supermoon1430 yes but nurture those few instead of oppressing them and then we have the next stage of human brain development. Your comment shows the same lack of understanding about us nuroatypical s as you normies complain about us having for you guys

[@MissNebulosity]

It's not a superpower.

[@mbennett5]

OK..... 👍 SMH

[@leskuzyk2425]

I don't understand why you would want to take away any aspects of who you are. Of course now I'm over 60, and have gotten used to being this way. There's that one film where the main schizophrenic character has imagined people around. With time, he gets used to them, and ignores them. Greta Thunberg has Aspergers and sees that as a gift. Overwhelmingly I see Greta's abilities as a gift to humanity. Chris too. When Chris was asked which species he disliked, I was sure he was going to say humans. And he did. And I agree with that outlook. Myers Briggs classifies me as INFP, which is the least likely category especially for males like myself. Don't do it Chris ... you are like totally normal shaman material.

[@Sazandora123]

I wouldn't call my oversensitive ears, my equally overloaded sense of touch, my crippling social anxiety or constantly fluctuating interests a "gift". I can never study anything because my interest in it just won't last very long, I might want to pursue one career path for maybe a week or so, and then suddenly begin to lose all interest in it. I can't work because I cannot talk to strangers face-to-face at all, I tend to lock up in fear because I'm constantly anxious over what I'm supposed to say to not look like a total fool. If there was a cure to autism/Aspergers that was guaranteed to work, I would take it. I want to be a part of the society but as I am now, I simply cannot because I can't get over all these issues Aspergers gave me. It sure as heck is *not* a gift.

[@jodiecatlin3790]

So ABA teaches kids how to mask? Is that fair?

[@minnietheminx]

It looks like brainwashing. Not for the benefit of the kid but to make the people around him feel more comfortable. Like a lobotomy.

[@pernilladomander7648]

How did the bird die?

[@TedApelt]

Instead of changing individuals we need to change society. Bingo! We have a winner! It took you how long to figure that out? Didn't take me that long!

[@fluffgirl1000]

Einstein was only interested in one things .the universe ,and that was ok and not weird …

[@JDMimeTHEFIRST]

Yes, people often excuse it when we achieve something incredible but it shouldn’t have to take that extreme effort to be accepted

[@turtleanton6539]

Yes indeed 😮

[@eScential]

If not like me, can't be autistic. It is just that autistics are not just a different 'look' of uniformity that allistics imagine. I have seen the Asperger seal of approval autistics have very different but not 'less severe' and better/greater quality/value. Actually i imagine my brother with Dr A approved autism to suffer far more but mental/emotional and masked. My imbecile tag kept me out of public education, yet i was insulated from social torture. I don't mind hearing his view but disagree with the crush autistic blobs to compinents and rebuild he thinks my sort require.

[@erinancientelements]

Admittedly, I have not watched this video... But one comment.... Could we lose the bloody asd vs NORMAL labels. Our effing brains are NORMAL for us. Just because NTs are intimidated by not reading our cues does not make them normal and us by default ABnormal.

[@songoftheblackunicorn666]

All they are doing is teaching masking at the expense of these children

[@OurTube_TheOriginal]

Are we so sure he has aspergers? Many people dont’ want to be around other people, LOL. He can afford to live in a beautiful quiet place. I don’t see how this isn’t “Just” a sort of Narcissim given focus all on him…he perhaps subconsciously competed with a younger sister showing up and his parents reinforced that. The sister noted ability to manipulate others and his answer was he just doesn’t care however if he just didn’t care he’d not be able to understand the social sophistications one has to in order to manipulate. Maybe he was bullied because he couldn’t deal with not being the center of attention rather than because he had a “Diagnosis”. “The confusion” was the agony….the confusion between being center of universe at home and not later..also could easily lead to suicidal feelings. Over intellecutalizing also a coping mechanism. Self portrayed also fit in with Narcisissm. “Redesign” society to have no empathy? Be ok with people without empathy? . As for bonding with a dog…suggests he does have empathy and just needs to be center of attention. He has found someone who “Loves me” without mention of loving her…ouch. Step daughter…narcissists can be the center of the universe of pets and children…a child, the latter who focuses entirely on their interest. His step daughter may be have been lost “you’ve always been there”…egads i was just going to write perhaps she has no one else and he was the only one she had so she focuses on fitting into his way of being.

[@sirmadam8183]

I admit I do feel sorry for your wife. You seem very very very very self-involved. I know you can't help it but my gosh.

[@sirmadam8183]

You can think you are hiding it, but rest assured we NTs can figure it out. We see it. Trust me. Wink.

[@patrickglaser1560]

How barbaric... electro shock?

[@rebeccas6674]

Good documentary. The one thing I would say that irritates me as someone who also has a mental/learning disability is that Chris can recognize how his syndrome can affect him but not how it effects others around him. Instead of trying to gain skills to cope and try to gain an understanding of why someone may react to him in specific ways he just states that the world should change to accommodate him. I do agree people need to be more sympathetic and understand of people with mental disabilities, but compassion and adaptableness needs to come from both sides to work, even just a bit.

[@rebeccas6674]

@Bonjour You can see throughout the documentary how he shows little to no regard for other's around him. (ex. his girlfriend who obviously states she wants more, but he is not willing to compromise or being isolated from others in school because he says rude things and is unwilling to listen and corporate with them.) He may say he is trying to fit in but you can clearly see through his actions that in reality he is not trying. Plus didn't you just make a judgment on my one statement rather than asking how I may have come to that conclusion?

[@garyomason]

@Rebecca S From my perspective, your observations and opinions are accurate and I agree with them. In my twenty years of marriage to an autistic woman, it's been a challenge to learn, accept and live with the characteristics of Aspergers syndrome. At no time have I ever attempted to "change" her or "wish" she would change. I have learned how to have even more compassion, understanding and love for her and people in general because of this experience. HOWEVER, I am often sad and a lot of times lonely because as I have compassion and understanding for her, she has none for me so it is a one-way road in our relationship because she is not able to express or show love in a way that I can feel, which is a part of her Asperbergers characteristics. I specifically responded to you because I noticed there were some individuals that appear to have limited reasoning abilities commenting to your observations and I wanted you to know that there are also people out here who understand and agree with your thoughts! You have a great day!

[@garyomason]

@Bonjour I saw your reply. Thank you. I apologize as we will not be able to communicate cordially and civil. I choose my words carefully and I do not tear people down. Again, thank you for your reply and Good Day!

[@JDMimeTHEFIRST]

No offense, but you sound like a selfish ableist person who is o oy thinking of yourself. If you have autism, you don’t know. Just like I don’t know what it’s like to have an intellectual disability. It’s like if I said you should try harder not to have an intellectual disability to make those of us who don’t feel more comfortable around you even though it’s you who struggles and has to do all the work. Do you see how ableist that sounds /is?

[@Pika-Chu64]

I thought that was John cena

[@mayan9458]

My sister used to eat bugs too.. she doesn’t have Asperger’s.. what does that say about her? Lol

[@quantumpotential7639]

It means the bugs will be metamorphized into a being that has a much higher consciousness than themselves. She's lowering a hand down the ladder to a fellow creature, and they both win. She gets nourished, the bug gets a free ride on a mothership that is infinite awareness. That's a very generous and altruistic sibling you have there. 💪🥅🏋️🇺🇸🙏

[@hannelaursensabine2259]

My brother and I use to eat bugs to, I am autistic and he's not. We are just curious about everything 😊

[@DrPwnStar]

I also have asperger's and I collected tons of tadpoles as a kid and it never occured to me to eat one. Your sister is odd and people who eat bugs are odd. Aspergie people are much more likely to eat the same thing every day as he says. Having heightened senses makes us really dislike or strongly adhere to various tastes & textures.

[@thequattro20v]

Isn't this american school just giving autistic children big box of masking tools to be "normal" and just crash and burn later becouse they can't do that for the rest of their lives????????? I cried many times watching this doc. so sad the cure...........................

[@ImThatSassyChic]

Exactly why I didn't end up graduating and got my GED and later excelled in a college course that was based on my special interest. Also why my 17 year old daughter has been battling depression and social anxiety... the masking burnout is brutal.

[@thequattro20v]

​@@ImThatSassyChic How can these kind of schools even exist😢

[@ImThatSassyChic]

@thequattro20v I know, it's sad. There are some schools that are neurodivergent friendly but at a high cost. A friend of mine went on a tour of a school for her daughter, which implements art therapy and allows children to use balance balls while doing school work, or music while learning and testing, etc... but it's an expensive private school costing thousands monthly in tuition. The success of many ND children is in the hands of societies education system. Every school should have ND programs for children who learn and process differently.

[@jacquipotgieter5821]

ABA is awful

[@po.po.poquito]

First?

[@po.po.poquito]

😱

[@po.po.poquito]

Watching this tomorrow with my 16 year old spectrum sussy bakka.

[@aysenakgul974]

all was perfect until ABA came into the scene...

[@juliearch1]

I am struggling with this as he shows TOTAL emotion...sorry! also i see severe developmental delay through deprivation of oxygen during birth which needs to be addressed with the others that he shows in usa, he has empathy for animals and is clearly emotive with th kestrel and his dog.Iwork with severe disability and this has not demonstrated for me Asperers.Bullying at school would do it at that time I am same age...physical and mental abuse by my parents...there ya go...and chris when we lose pets your not alone and you know that!!

[@Beabeautiful231]

Quite sad he can’t have empathy or care for one

[@lingy74]

Many autistic people have hyper empathy. They are so sensitive, they do not know how to express it and so people see it as them having no empathy. It’s a misunderstanding that needs to change.

[@scriveinonda]

I don't believe in all this having to label everything. As if to say "I'm special". Humans come in wide variety. Some of us don't care much about others in the common ways. Some of us would rather use our brains to create subtle change in the way humans or other creatures live. Just because we aren't cuddly doesn't mean we aren't normal. There is nothing dysfunctional about preferring to be alone. You aren't special. No one is. Just shut up about all the labels already. Some of us are bored to death by it. Christ. It's obnoxiously annoying. Just go live your life. Find someone else eccentric to pair up with. Or don't. Who cares?