Do we need to think about mental disorders differently? In a MyAJC.com, a University of Georgia professor talks about what he calls his "Asperger's Advantage."
Explaining that he has Asperger’s, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive thinking, UGA education professor Peter Smagorinksy says, “In academia, this triad of conditions gives me the advantage that I claim. Researchers who can see patterns and go into meticulous detail without losing focus — traits of Asperger’s — tend to have successful careers in publish-or-perish environments. Those who are anxious are often incapable of leaving matters unfinished or hanging, leading to a disposition to finish tasks promptly and dependably. And obsessive-compulsiveness allows one to stick with a topic, sometimes when others would be more preferable, until a task is done.”
He continues, “In this sense, whether or not my conditions represent a disorder is entirely a matter of context. Disorder is relational and situational, not absolute and irrevocable, as terminology and everyday assumption suggest. The same makeup might be ideal, or disorder, depending on the environment.”
To read more, go to the AJC Get Schooled blog.
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