I have been looking for an article like this. My father shows the signs of being an Aspie...even though he was a doctor himself. He finds it very hard to show emotion, intiate any kind of communication or emotional connection with me or my siblings. He also is not the greatest communicator and although when talked to he responds just fine I noticed that it is very rare that he initiates conversation. Growing up with him like this was extremely difficult. My brother and I always felt ignored and we developed self esteem and depression issues that lasted to the present day that I can see are directly related to us feeling he was 'ignoring' us throughout our developmental years. He never played with us or held us or even showed much interest in us. Our saving grace was our mother, but she has ADHD herself...which is probably why they were a good match. Both dysfunctions complimented each other.
Anyone that says growing up with an Aspie parent doesn't affect the kids is simply wrong. The low self worth caused by always feeling ignored growing up causes self-sabotaging behaviors and deep seated self doubt in the kids that haunts them through life. It was only in the past year or two that I finally 'figured out', at the age of 35, why my feelings about my father were so angry and confused. Only when I realized he probably is an Aspie...but undiagnosed because as a doctor he is in denial that he might have something wrong with him. To make matters worse he 'doctored' his own family so my primary care physician was an undiagnosed Aspie. Talk about lack of observation. I myself while not an Aspie, did suffer from a mild form or tourette syndrome and my father was so 'inside himself' that he didn't even diagnose it in his own child. I realize my situation is unusual with this extra 'twist' of not having objective medical care...but I have a feeling this kind of thing happens more than many realize. It certainly made my life much, much harder than it should have been and wasted many, many years and opportunities because of it. The more people get educated about Aspergers the better.
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I have been looking for an article like this. My father shows the signs of being an Aspie...even though he was a doctor himself. He finds it very hard to show emotion, intiate any kind of communication or emotional connection with me or my siblings. He also is not the greatest communicator and although when talked to he responds just fine I noticed that it is very rare that he initiates conversation. Growing up with him like this was extremely difficult. My brother and I always felt ignored and we developed self esteem and depression issues that lasted to the present day that I can see are directly related to us feeling he was 'ignoring' us throughout our developmental years. He never played with us or held us or even showed much interest in us. Our saving grace was our mother, but she has ADHD herself...which is probably why they were a good match. Both dysfunctions complimented each other.
Anyone that says growing up with an Aspie parent doesn't affect the kids is simply wrong. The low self worth caused by always feeling ignored growing up causes self-sabotaging behaviors and deep seated self doubt in the kids that haunts them through life. It was only in the past year or two that I finally 'figured out', at the age of 35, why my feelings about my father were so angry and confused. Only when I realized he probably is an Aspie...but undiagnosed because as a doctor he is in denial that he might have something wrong with him. To make matters worse he 'doctored' his own family so my primary care physician was an undiagnosed Aspie. Talk about lack of observation. I myself while not an Aspie, did suffer from a mild form or tourette syndrome and my father was so 'inside himself' that he didn't even diagnose it in his own child. I realize my situation is unusual with this extra 'twist' of not having objective medical care...but I have a feeling this kind of thing happens more than many realize. It certainly made my life much, much harder than it should have been and wasted many, many years and opportunities because of it. The more people get educated about Aspergers the better.
March 5, 2010 - 10:37pmThis Comment
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