Why is autism not a disease? People are born autistic. Whether with high functioning (Asperger's) or low functioning.
It is not possible and it is not necessary to treat it. But for me personally, it is very helpful and necessary to visit a clinical psychologist.
And why? It helps me to understand many different situations in which I find myself, or to cope with them, so that I do not get into states of autistic
burnout, etc. More on that elsewhere.
Low intelligence? Yes and no. Many people on the spectrum are highly intelligent and gifted with abilities that
a neurotypical would only envy. But it's not just about IQ points, I would rather focus on the ability to "see things differently" or, as I've been told
several times, "see what others don't see". Do I realize it? Only in the event that I speak up (which I prefer to rarely do), and the people around me look
at me like "how did you do that?" Isn't that clear? For me yes, for NT no.
Lack of empathy. It may seem so. But many of us express empathy only in a different way, or with a delay.
Personally, I have trouble understanding facial expressions, and although I am able to notice that a person I know looks/behaves differently in certain
moods, and I can't explain what's going on. And so I remain silent. That way, I look like I don't care, but you can be sure that if I retreat to my seat,
I'm nervous about the situation and after a while I start to regret that I obviously made a mistake in my reaction again.
Incorrect or poor social interactions. It is very relative. What is wrong social interaction, communication?
Is there an assumed standard? Did someone say what is the norm? I personally reject the word "wrong". Yes, socializing is difficult for me, as well as
communicating with people, but only up to a point until we find a common topic. Well, I don't think anyone can judge whether my communication is right
or wrong.