Can having Asperger's Syndrome stop me from my dreams that I want to accomplish?

[Matin R]

I never knew I had Aspergers until I was 15 and now I'm 16 years of age.. I have very big dreams to serve in the Air Force and also become a cop. The most successful people in the world has had Aspergers including George Washington,Abraham Lincoln,Harry Truman,Bill Gates,Albert Einstein,as well as the creator of Facebook. Even Al Gore and some other politicians has Aspergers.

[Jessica]

Everyone has to work hard to get what he or she wants regardless if they have a disability or not.

[Katie]

Sure you can! If you didn't even realize you had it until a year ago, I have to take a wild guess and say it's probably not bad at all; you were doing just fine before you found out. Like everyone else, work hard and put your heart into what you do. You'll do just fine!

[Aussie Aspie]

I truly believe most Aspergers can do almost anything they set their minds to BUT the Air Force and Police Force may be difficult as there may be laws in place (I've heard the US military has them) to prevent Aspergers from joining. I think it's insane and discriminatory to rule out all Aspies rather than on a case-by-case basis, but I don't write the law. I suggest you ask this question in the Politics & Government category, in the sections for 'Military' and 'Law Enforcement & Police' and see what the opinions are of those in these services.

The people you mention (Washington, Einstein etc.) have been proposed to have been autistic but there is no actual proof any of them were (all these people are also 'claimed' by the ADHD community, something they can't prove either!). Bill Gates has publicly denied he has Asperger's and to state he does is slander. Due to his significant language delay Einstein did not meet the criteria for an Asperger's diagnosis (these criteria were only written 4 decades after his death), though he may have had high-functioning autism. Either way, the possibility these people were autistic is hypothetical and there is simply no proof to the contrary - you cannot diagnose someone who is dead. Gore, Gates and Zuckerberg (Facebook founder) "may" have Asperger's but until they are formally diagnosed and state publicly this is the case ("They Haven't!") no-one will ever know for sure! There are many famous people who have 'genuinely' been diagnosed with Asperger's like Vernon L. Smith, 2002 Nobel Prize winner for Economics, so concentrate on them.

Stick to what you can prove, and be careful of what you read! If you are a person who naively believes things you're told without first checking the facts then perhaps you aren't suited for the careers you mention. A career in the police or military (particularly a combat role) requires a good ability to read people, their intentions and if they're telling the truth. If you can't it could potentially result in the deaths of many people. All Aspies get ideas in their heads at times which may be unrealistic. You need to apply some of that renown Asperger logic and critically appraise whether you think you're truly suitable, or whether it's just a fantastic pipe-dream.

Sorry to sound harsh, but better to find out now if you aren't suited or can't legally join rather than after you've applied. Good Luck!

[phynx577]

Well, you certainly can still become whatever you want.

However, you're wrong about all those famous people having Asperger's. They have never been officially diagnosed. They don't even display a lot of Asperger's traits.

[Marion]

My brother who has aspbergers was a security officer for a few years. Today he answers a customer service line for his company. My brother with aspbergers is also a father. You can be a husband, boyfriend, uncle, grandfather, cousin, and have aspbergers.

Believe in yourself.

[Justmeinthisworld]

FYI--at most the people you mentioned are rumored to have had aspergers..and i never hard of most them being suggestd...washington, lincolc, truman, Gore, facebook...

Gates has denied it, Einstein can't be proven

having apergers does not rule out your dreams

you don't have to tell them you have aspergers before you are hired