Autism help?!?!
Question: what are some ways (in form of therapy or other) that help aperges syndrome?
Answers: what are some ways (in form of therapy or other) that help aperges syndrome?
The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome by Tony Attwood is a good book.
Most any book by Bill Stillman.
The key word in the question is "help". The effects never die down, but through therapy you can learn to cope with them better.
Medications are also there to to help you cope with the symptoms, but that's all they really do. An aspie needs to learn to cope with the NT world, and that's really all they can do.
The best thing for me so far has been play-acting social situations and intensive study on the NTs way of speaking(metaphors, emotions, pitch). I've also found that learning when to feign empathy and concern is a good skill when dealing with neurotypicals. This is by far the hardest, at least for me.
Really, the best thing you can do is find a local group of aspies(if you there is actually one to be found in your area) to be a part of or a club that focuses on your area of interest. When you are with other aspies or with people that share the same interest as your focus it is much easier to deal with them.
Do not let people dissuade you from your interest. This is where your advantage is over an NT based society as long as you can still function by the rules they've made to govern themselves(laws and your economic status mostly).
Train in your area of interest. You will surpass almost any NT in your field in many cases.
The NT world is not ours, we are never fully part of it. Even after many years of "therapy" I still find it hard to deal with many social situations, especially if the people involved are talking about boring things, and it becomes almost expotentially harder as the number of people to interact with increases.
Asperger syndrome treatment attempts to manage distressing symptoms and to teach age-appropriate social, communication and vocational skills that are not naturally acquired during development,[1] with intervention tailored to the needs of the individual child, based on multidisciplinary assessment.[48] Although progress has been made, data supporting the efficacy of particular interventions are limited.[1][49]
The ideal treatment for AS coordinates therapies that address core symptoms of the disorder, including poor communication skills and obsessive or repetitive routines. While most professionals agree that the earlier the intervention, the better, there is no single best treatment package.[4] AS treatment resembles that of other high-functioning ASDs, except that it takes into account the linguistic capabilities, verbal strengths, and nonverbal vulnerabilities of individuals with AS.[1] A typical treatment program generally includes:[4]
* the training of social skills for more effective interpersonal interactions;[50]
* cognitive behavioral therapy to improve stress management relating to anxiety or explosive emotions,[51] and to cut back on obsessive interests and repetitive routines;
* medication, for coexisting conditions such as depression and anxiety;[52]
* occupational or physical therapy to assist with poor sensory integration and motor coordination;
* social communication intervention, which is specialized speech therapy to help with the pragmatics of the give and take of normal conversation;[53]
* the training and support of parents, particularly in behavioral techniques to use in the home.
Of the many studies on behavior-based early intervention programs, most are case studies of up to five participants, and typically examine a few problem behaviors such as self-injury, aggression, noncompliance, stereotypies, or spontaneous language; unintended side effects are largely ignored.[54] Despite the popularity of social skills training, its effectiveness is not firmly established.[55] A randomized controlled study of a model for training parents in problem behaviors in their children with AS showed that parents attending a one-day workshop or six individual lessons reported fewer behavioral problems, while parents receiving the individual lessons reported less intense behavioral problems in their AS children.[56] Vocational training is important to teach job interview etiquette and workplace behavior to older children and adults with AS, and organization software and personal data assistants to improve the work and life management of people with AS are useful.[1]
No medications directly treat the core symptoms of AS.[52] Although research into the efficacy of pharmaceutical intervention for AS is limited,[1] it is essential to diagnose and treat comorbid conditions.[2] Deficits in self-identifying emotions or in observing effects of one's behavior on others can make it difficult for individuals with AS to see why medication may be appropriate.[52] Medication can be effective in combination with behavioral interventions and environmental accommodations in treating comorbid symptoms such as anxiety, depression, inattention and aggression.[1] The atypical neuroleptic medications risperidone and olanzapine have been shown to reduce the associated symptoms of AS;[1] risperidone can reduce repetitive and self-injurious behaviors, aggressive outbursts and impulsivity, and improve stereotypical patterns of behavior and social relatedness. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) fluoxetine, fluvoxamine and sertraline have been effective in treating restricted and repetitive interests and behaviors.[1][2][25]
Care must be taken with medications; abnormalities in metabolism, cardiac conduction times, and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes have been raised as concerns with these medications,[57][58] along with serious long-term neurological side effects.[54] SSRIs can lead to manifestations of behavioral activation such as increased impulsivity, aggression and sleep disturbance.[25] Weight gain and fatigue are commonly reported side effects of risperidone, which may also lead to increased risk for extrapyramidal symptoms such as restlessness and dystonia[25] and increased serum prolactin levels.[59] Sedation and weight gain are more common with olanzapine,[58] which has also been linked with diabetes.[57] Sedative side-effects in school-age children[60] have ramifications for classroom learning. Individuals with AS may be unable to identify and communicate their internal moods and emotions or to tolerate side effects that for most people would not be problematic.[61]
For small children, Floortime and Applied Behavior Analysis have been written up in Time Magazine as effective. Floortime is better.
If you choose ABA, though, just make sure they don't try using aversives. Some ABA therapists think that's an important part of therapy for autism, However,most of the symptoms of autism are psychological defenses--things that have to be removed very carefully, if at all.
For adults, psychoanalysis is the best because it includes enlightenment--understanding of the inner workings of the mind. Cognitive Behavior Analysis also helps in that respect, but it doesn't go as deep.
I don't know of any other forms of psychotherapy that even try to tackle asperger's syndrome, but as another poster suggested; it is probably a good idea to join an on-line group for autistics. Unlike most forms of group therapy, that would be a stiuation where an autistic can feel comfortable, like in a support group.