Aspergers and the desire for an asexual state

[balcatraz (imported)]

Are there any other "Aspies" out there who are curious about switching-off their sex drive so that they can concentrate on work, research or other interests/pursuits in life?

Does anybody know if there has been any research linking the desire for castration/lowered sex-drive with Aspergers and other autism-spectrum disorders?

[machieldehaan (imported)]

hi iam also have asperger and the this dream to become a asexual state like the feeling to have notning down there and hope thate one day this can become treu for me

[Riverwind (imported)]

Many of us have already found that joy, welcome to the zoo.

River

[chilliwilli (imported)]

It seems to me people that have been aflicted with this disorder have a valid reason to become void of sexual desire.

chilli-

[KingJones (imported)]

I also have this disorder, And feel the same way for the most part

[chibifish (imported)]

Depends who you ask. I saw a someone supposedly trained in the field for like five minutes with my step mother present. The interview went "Do you hate people?" "Is this who you are?" "He loves music..." "He's capable of starting a family...". Follo

... I'd say no, but then my research on Aspergers has left me rather jaded on the subject.

I don't think castration would help me concentrate as much as I would like it would, though. I'm actually a bit worried the opposite would happen, which... makes little to no sense, other than hormonal stuff.

So yeah, that ... probably wasn't a contribution.

[eunuch wannabe (imported)]

I think I have Asperger's Syndrome. That would explain a lot of things. I've always felt different, have poor social skills, never had sexual relationships (apart from addictive masturbation and a fetish for my own body fat)... I'd like to be in an asexual and androgynous state. That's why I have a serious desire for castration and I'm doing alcohol injections.

[Sweetpickle (imported)]

Hold on there bucko's.

I'm probably mildly aspergerish, but I don't think it would make much sense

for me to cut off my balls so I could spend more time concentrating

on work. And that's what the OP ask.

I think the idea in dealing with mental quirks is to minimize the aggravating

factors, not do something designed to feed the problem and make it more

pronounced.

And I think if you had Aspergers you would be paying a lot closer attention

to the stated issue.

[seagull70 (imported)]

Alan Turing, the British homosexual who broke the Enigma code and invented the computer, is widely considered to have suffered from Aspergers. Aged 39, he was chemically castrated (1952) after being convicted of gross indecency. His biographer, Andrew Hodges, suggests that this was not something that Turing wanted and that he accepted it as a punishment only as an alternative to prison (not the best place in the fifties for a convicted gay man). Interestingly, Turing remained (homo-)sexually active even during his 'treatment' so he doesn't appear to have been asexual.

[fhunter]

Alan Turing, the British homosexual who broke the Enigma code and invented the computer, is widely considered to have suffered from Aspergers. Aged 39, he was chemically castrated (1952) after being convicted of gross indecency. His biographer, Andrew Hodges, suggests that this was not something that Turing wanted and that he accepted it as a punishment only as an alternative to prison (not the best place in the fifties for a convicted gay man). Interestingly, Turing remained (homo-)sexually active even during his 'treatment' so he doesn't appear to have been asexual.

By what sources information I can find, he was treated with estrogen - I do not think that this treatment strongly affects libido.

[seagull70 (imported)]

By what sources information I can find, he was treated with estrogen - I do not think that this treatment strongly affects libido.

Valid point, although I suppose it depends on whether we equate 'anti-androgen' with 'pro-oestrogen' drugs.

It appears that Turing was given anti-androgen drugs (probably cyproterone acetate, which apparently was all the rage in Europe then) in order 'to reduce male sexual interest.'

Interestingly, I found: 'cyproterone acetate suppresses production of oestrogen due to its antigonadotrophic effect.' As both men and women produce oestrogen, this would suggest that whatever the normal oestrogen level in Turing's body, it would have been reduced not augmented.

I did a quick scoot around the net to find out a bit more about judicial chemical castration. In all the references I found, it appears that the clear objective of chemical castration when used as a punishment was to reduce libido in a male convicted of a sexual offence (probably best to leave aside the moral discussion about what constitutes a sexual offence - eg Turing).

Thinking about it, it would seem a pretty pointless exercise to give anti-androgen drugs to a man convicted of a sex crime if all it did was make them grow breasts (unless the embarrassment factor alone is considered to be a deterrent).

[Peter47-NL (imported)]

Does anybody know if there has been any research linking the desire for castration/lowered sex-drive with Aspergers and other autism-spectrum disorders?

Good question balcatraz!

When I read about Aspergers it is like 80% is about me. The main difference is the fact that I like to look others in their eyes and read their faces and body language.

I did a test on internet and I had exactly the score of peopl

e with Aspergers and other autism-spectrum disorders.

The score is an indication and should not be seen as a diagnosis.

[stillgettinghard22 (imported)]

I got diagnosed as an aspie boy in highschool, and it's comforting to know that there could be a biological reason for the fact that I feel no real need for my genitals. I have a large penis, I'm attracted to women but enjoy gay sex, but I've never really felt capable of getting a girlfriend... or wanting to have one. I just wouldn't know what to do. Losing my sex drive seems like a natural and healthy step for someone in my situation

[HumanFly]

Valid point, although I suppose it depends on whether we equate 'anti-androgen' with 'pro-oestrogen' drugs.

It appears that Turing was given anti-androgen drugs (probably cyproterone acetate, which apparently was all the rage in Europe then) in order 'to reduce male sexual interest.'

Thinking about it, it would seem a pretty pointless exercise to give anti-androgen drugs to a man convicted of a sex crime if all it did was make them grow breasts (unless the embarrassment factor alone is considered to be a deterrent).

Cyproterone acetate wasn't introduced until 1964 and Turing's conviction happened in 1952. Oestrogen was the standard way of chemically castrating a man at the time and that's what Turing received. It's still sometimes used in the treatment of prostate cancer, but as previously stated, it leads to gynaecomastia and that's why it's fallen out of favour since then. There is an article here (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/article784741.ece) about men who choose different means of reducing their testosterone to deal with prostate cancer.

[Peter47-NL (imported)]

Good question balcatraz!

When I read about Aspergers it is like 80% is about me. The main difference is the fact that I like to look others in their eyes and read their faces and body language.

I did a test on internet and I had exactly the score of peopl

e with

Aspergers and other autism-spectrum disorders.

The scor

e is an indication and should not be seen as a diagnosis.

Today I did an Aspergers test again and got the mark 7 on a scale of 0-10. It was an extended and well formulated test and says that with a mark of 6 and more a further Aspergers diagnosis is needed. The test was a fair confrontation with facts and questions, but I wonder what should I do with it?

[nicnic1988 (imported)]

I have Aspergers and I totally want to kill my sexual drive (I also have pedophilia so its really better for everyone). I was chemically castrated for quite some time but I had to quit for medical reasons. Luckily it seems the Triptoreline drug had permanent effects to my testicles so my testosterone level remains lower than normal and my libido is not as strong as before. But I still wished I could get rid of all my sexual organs... But my psychiatrist is strongly against it.

[erikboy (imported)]

That following text is for other people reading this.

Aspergers syndrome isn't considered a diagnose anymore. You simply have authistic spectrum disorder. Spectrum is very wide. And "asperger" is just one way how people with their heightened sensitivity percieve surrounding world and react. While most autists tend to switch off too painful inputs, making them look like they ignore everything, then aspergers won't switch off their inputs, insteid they react exactly how normal people would react only remember, autists feel everything in much amplified way and thus reactions are accordingly amplified. Sometimes even a smallest air movement can be unbearably irritating depending on context. That also means, autists (spectrum) can feel things and work intensely with inputs to their brain that remain barely noticeable for normal people. Thus it is no wonder many famous people have had autistm spectrum disorders. Like Albert Einstein, Mozart, Beethoven, Michelangelo Buonarotti etc.

I think that your psychiatrist might be good for helping you to cope with your autism. You should seek for someone else who is more competent with gender dysphoria and sexuality issues. Though your desire for nullo might be linked to your hate of having socially unaxeptable sexual desires. Which regarding your autism spectre could be extremely strong and barely unbearable. Anyway, seek for second opinion.

[nicnic1988 (imported)]

I think that your psychiatrist might be good for helping you to cope with your autism. You should seek for someone else who is more competent with gender dysphoria and sexuality issues. Though your desire for nullo might be linked to your hate of having socially unaxeptable sexual desires. Which regarding your autism spectre could be extremely strong and barely unbearable. Anyway, seek for second opinion.

My psychiatrist is specialized in the treatment of pedophilia. But she only wants to treat it with chemical castration, not surgical. I dont think I will find a psychiatrist that will support me in having me nullified.

[Arab Nights (imported)]

Those diagnosed with Aspers probably know better than I, but I have a general point I'd like to make. I have gone thru most of my life thinking a whole bunch of things were either yes or no, 0 or 1, you either have it or you do not. In my last decades I have come to realize that a lot of things from food allergies to mental states, personality traits and psychological conditions are not 0 or 1, they are gradational from 0 to 1 and any individual can be anywhere between 0 and 1. Furthermore, if we were all normal, we would still be living in caves. You have to be a little bit different to see things differently than other people and move the world forward, but not so much that you cannot function in it.

Castration is one of those 0 or 1 things. So what degree of Aspers are you going to commit to something that is all or nothing?

[nonconsensual (imported)]

After watching Dumb and Dumber Too I understand some sufferers also have a problem with wiping as well.

[Losethem (imported)]

After watching Dumb and Dumber Too I understand some sufferers also have a problem with wiping as well.

What on Earth are you talking about? Are you actually joking? Honestly, I find that offensive. I have it, and trust me, I have no problem with wiping. Grrr...

[Paolo]

He watched "Dumb & Dumber"?

Enough said...

[Losethem (imported)]

He watched "Dumb & Dumber"?

Enough said...

Apparently watching Dumb & Dumber made him Dumbest.

[nicnic1988 (imported)]

I have aspergers and I am pretty sure there was some form of irony behind this post

But when I think about it... I really had some issues with wiping until late puberty...

[nonconsensual (imported)]

Best line in the movie, It was a reply to some asking abou the health of genius at at TED type conference/Look it up.