Home and Autism
by Burbie52, HSM team writer
Sometimes he cries when he is sad or angry, sometimes he giggles too much or laughs too loud when he is happy. He walks with a bounce, and he flaps his hands like a bird trying to fly.
August is special. He sees and hears things a little different from how you or I see and hear things. August is Autistic.
-Excerpt from The World According to August – One Good Friend, by Sandra Westendorf
I have a good friend in Home who has the Aspergers form of Autism. She came to my personal space the other day for a talk, and as we did, it came to me how misunderstood this condition is. Some of the statements she made about her experiences in Home as an Autistic spoke volumes about how many people don’t know anything about this and yet treat the Autistic people they meet with disdain and rejection, as though they had some control over this condition that they were born with. That is like being mean to a person born with no legs.
To start let’s first explain a bit about what Autism is. According to Wikipedia, Autism is: “a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired socialization and communication, and by restrictive and repetitive behavior that begins before a child is three years old.” The reasons for this disorder appearing are not completely understood at this time; some blame genetics while others say there are environmental causes such as insecticides and vaccinations. No one is truly sure and the research is continual as the chances of a child being born with this are about nine per every one thousand, according to the CDC.
Asperger syndrome is different from other Autistic disorders in that the language and learning centers of the brain are not as badly affected as other forms of the condition. This makes people who have this type able to function much better within society and the educational system. This is the kind of person you might meet in Home, because they can talk well to others, even though they still have issues that will make some dependent on other people to care for them the rest of their lives, such as short term memory and repetitive behaviors.
Home is a unique opportunity for people with Aspergers syndrome. Here they can meet others and converse freely without them knowing about the health issues they have, then choose when to tell them about it, if ever. I am sure there are many people in Home who have this who have never told anyone about it. Then there are those like my friend Glayds1 who is very forthcoming with the information. She told me that she tells people almost immediately about her disorder, because then they can choose how to react to it.
Glayds1
When she first came into Home, Glayds1 told me that the first people she met had a bad reaction to her. She would strike up a conversation with someone who would act as though they really liked her for who she was, then when she told them about her Autism they would run for the hills and delete her. I believe this is mostly because of ignorance about this syndrome; people may believe that they are “crazy” or something to that effect. This is decidedly not the case and the reason I am writing this article.
I asked Glayds1 some questions about her life in Home to get a sense of what she feels its benefits are for a person such as herself. These are some of her answers.
Burbie52: Where do you live in real life Gladys?
Glayds1: I live in Georgia in a group home environment. I will never be able to live on my own because of my Autism.
Has being in Home changed your life at all?
Yes it has. Before I came into Home I didn’t have many friends in my real life. The first people I met here who accepted me for who I am were Ace420Patriot and his wife, Foxy420_69. They are still my good friends to this day.
So you feel as though they are real friends to you?
Yes, even though I have never met them I feel that because they have always been there for me when I needed to talk with someone. I consider them to be true friends.
How did you discover Home?
Like many, I saw the blue icon when I purchased my PS3 and took a chance. I am so glad I did.
What makes Home so special to you?
In Home I can be myself. I can meet people I would never have had the chance to in real life, people who accepted me and because of that acceptance, I have learned to accept myself as well.
When she said that to me it really hit me, because being able to accept yourself for the first time in your life is a big deal in my book, and Home did that for her. When I hear people say that Home is just a game, I laugh to myself because I know that it isn’t a game at all. Yes there are games here, but Home is a community of people, not games and that makes it much more than it appears on the surface.
Bakugan_Sonic and his parents.
I also have two friends, a married couple named GlowingMickeyVan and Dizney-Princess, who have a son, Bakugan_Sonic, with Aspergers. He is fourteen years old and a regular in Home. I asked them all some questions about Home’s affect on their son’s life.
Do you think that Home has had any influence on your son’s development?
Yes, we have all seen how much it has helped him in his social development. He was very weak in social skills when he started coming into Home about two years ago (under strict parental control at first).
What changes have you seen in him?
One thing that is very apparent is his ability to deal with his anger. Before Home he had a very hard time with it, he still has quite a temper, but in Home he has learned the consequences, like losing a friend. It has helped him learn what kind of behavior is appropriate and what is not.
What do you think Bak? Has Home helped you?
Yes, I think it has helped me a lot. Before I came here I had only one of two friends in real life. My condition can be a real turn off to people my age. In Home I am accepted for who I am, and I have a lot of friends here. I am a lot happier now than I was when I first came here, and I have learned a lot about being a friend.
What I have taken away from all of this is that Home seems to be a place where you can feel free to be yourself, or not. In the case of people with Autism, it has given them a platform to express themselves and learn from their experiences here to become better adapted in their real lives and because of it they become happier people. Home is what you make it, it always will be, and for some it is a haven as we have expressed many times in this magazine. This I think makes it much more than a game.
(Editor’s Note: For more information on the Autism spectrum and Aspergers syndrome, please visit www.autism-society.org or www.autismspeaks.org. If you are a parent and suspect your child may show the signs of Autism, the sooner you get them tested and the therapies they need in place the better. Remember – you are your child’s best advocate. I know my own son has benefited hugely from his early intervention program, and my deepest gratitude goes out to all the people who have the dedicated themselves to helping people with Autism and Aspergers live fuller, richer lives. ~T~)
November 9th, 2011 by Burbie52 | 16 comments
Burbie52 is a 62 year-old published author and founder of the Grey Gamers group within Home. Born and raised in Michigan, she has lived there her entire life, with the exception of a twelve-year residency on the Big Island of Hawaii. She enjoys reading and writing, as well as video games, especially RPG's. She has one son in his twenties.
What a outstanding and touching article, I am so happy to see that Home plays a HUGE part to help people communicate. I have a autistic cousin, I will try to introduce him to Home.
Another wonderful article Burbie very touching and very informative, Thank You tell her if she is looking for a couple of good friends she can count on me and my wife.
Brilliant article, Burbie. Autism in Home needs discussion as it affects so many dimensions in Home interaction. Putting a face to it with the interviews also helps understand who it affects and how, providing a personal glimpse into how life’s like for the Autistic individual and those he knows. I’d love to see more articles like this.
Thanks Estim, I was very touched by Gladys story and Sonics as well. It was something that had to be said, I am glad I was able to give them a voice here in HSM.
ty Burbie 4 putting me in your story! that was a wonderfull thing you did
You are very welcome Glayds, the privilege was mine.
This was so touching, wonderful job Burbie. It brought tears to my eyes.
Yes, very well done Burbie. Keep up the good work! If I had a dollar for every time I had to explain to someone why my son does some of the things he does I could have retired already. And Now some of you know why he does and says some of the things he does and says. If I can say one thing about him… it would have to be the words of Vicd40… “Bak is bak. He’s genuine. He’s honest. He says exactly what he thinks, and he doesnt sugar coat it.”
One good thing about PS Home is it’s a lot easier to hide a disability in Home than in the real world.
These are just 2 examples of disabilities in Home. I have several people on my FL and the Friends Lists of Diz and Bak who have other disabilities as well. Phobias, autism, bed-ridden, MS, and cancerous. They are all around us. We just have to listen to hear their voices.
Great article. It will be interesting to see how virtual social environments such as Home will continue to have an impact on our lives as they evolve and expand out into the mainstream.
Touching article Burbie. Yet another one of the countless examples of how PS Home can reach out to and help people in so many different ways and so many different levels.
ty burbie52 and glayds1 for putting out such a gret aricle on autism im sure its gonna help other people too. maybe even the older generation can have some where to spend their time too. and gladys we will always b ur true friend forever we love u
Nothing to do with this but can u put a suggestion box on home for use on home , plus i want to add keep up the good work sony , i buy all ur products for my car and my home . no xbox but i do like the wii. And if possabe can i join guids on home i buy almost everything . im on alot of hours a day ,and i a kool person …… thanks playstation for keeping my friends and i happy ur the best .
great article. that’s awesome how it changed their life. im all 4 it.
thanks for reading ur a good friend keep it up
Thank you for sharing your lives with us. I am glad that Home has been a positive experience in your lives and that Home can be a place to help all types of individuals. Glayds, it is truly an honor you have you among my friends.