Tag Archives: autism

True Story: My Therapist Told Me I Had Asperger’s

Dating Man With Autism
Dating a man with autism taught me to be myself. Read More »
Autistic Beauty Queen
Alexis Wineman
Alexis Wineman could be the first Miss America with autism. Read More »
Best/Worst Therapists
The best & worst zingers from our therapists. Read More »

I’ve been seeing my therapist, Jennifer*, for years. I love her. She’s helped me through a lot of hard times and she’s one of the first people I want to talk to when something big happens in my life.

However, there was one time she crossed the line between analyzing and annoying: the time she convinced me I had Asperger’s, a form of autism. Keep reading »

Miss Montana Alexis Wineman Could Be The First Miss America With Autism

Alexis Wineman

Meet Alexis Wineman, 2012′s Miss Montana who is headed to the Miss America pageant this January. This year, Alexis will truly be unlike all the other pageant competitors: she was diagnosed with autism at age 11.

Alexis spent her childhood learning to cope with with the effects of autism, including having difficulty socializing with her classmates and taking “everything so literally,” she explained to DisabilityScoop. Performing — like the comedic monologue she’ll perform at Miss America — helped her gain confidence and socialize other people. Now Alexis is now 18 and travels across Montana as the state’s beauty queen teaching kids about developmental disabilities like her own. Keep reading »

Girl Talk: Dating A Man With Autism Taught Me To Be Myself

Ughhhhh, he is infuriating, I thought as I scanned Paul*’s Facebook page. There were new status messages — “carboloading” — a recent video of him performing, and links to new posts on his blog. Facebook told me what parties Paul had recently attended and which ones he had just RSVP’d to; it told me “Paul and So-and-So are now friends” and that new friend made a reference to how great it was to meet him. I felt my mouth puckering in the way that my friend Erin refers to as “Cat Ass” — tight and pissed. I wanted to scream expletives at him, eviscerate his ego, slap him, do something to show him just how hurt I was. Instead, I took a deep breath and clicked the window closed. You’ve moved on, Amelia, I thought. You’re over him. You realized you deserved way better than what he could possibly give. There’s no point in being angry. Keep reading »

Mother Gives 9-Year-Old Son Pot: Therapeutic Or Psychotic?

Ah, Double X. Welcome to the world of “alternative motherhood.” This week, Marie Myung-Ok Lee delivers an update on why she gives her nine-year-old son pot. Yes, nine. Yes, pot. Why? Well, he’s autistic and allergic. According to her, the marijuana helps him function. The pot is delivered daily by way of cannabis tea and pot cookies. (Oh, a tea party! How fun!) Four months since the start of this “experiment” in getting her kid stoned, Lee’s son, whom she refers to as “Cannabis J.,” has stopped eating his clothes and is significantly less prone to acting out aggressively in school; although, she says, his autism has “become more distinct.” Her conclusion?

“I don’t consider marijuana a miracle cure for autism. But as an amateur herbalist, I do consider it a wonderful, safe botanical that allows J. to participate more fully in life without the dangers and sometimes permanent side effects of pharmaceutical drugs; now that we have a good dose and a good strain.”

Great, I think, reading those words. Congrats on finding a good “dose” for your son. On the other hand, pot is … natural. What do you think? Mothers Gone Wild or Mother Nature’s Treatment? [Double X] Keep reading »

Quick Pic: Jim Carrey & Jenny McCarthy Share A Picturesque Embrace

The funny couple were marching on Capitol Hill, in support of a cause dear to Jenny’s heart — eliminating the toxins from children’s vaccines. McCarthy has said she believes her son developed autism from vaccines he received as a baby. [Washington D.C., 6/4/08] Keep reading »

Jenny McCarthy Is A Bad Ass

Jenny McCarthy is busting all kinds of stereotypes and proving big-breasted bleach blondes are smarter than stodgy old dorks with degrees. The funny former Playboy pin up has been singled out for her autism activism and has just published a book on the subject, Louder Than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism. She has been standing up for her son, Evan, who suffers from the brain development disorder. McCarthy tells the compelling story of watching her son literally die as he went into cardiac arrest from a vaccination that she claims later caused his autism. She spoke out about her experience on Larry King Live this week, including how a shift in diet has helped her son manage his symptoms. If you thought McCarthy was brave for posing nude, you should see her fight the health care establishment! Keep reading »