Q&A: Ming-Yao speaks out about Autism
Contributed by: Jennifer Nease, education major.
UPDATE: 5/20/18 – The question and response regarding friends outside of immediate family was added.
Ming-Yao Catherine, 24, is a math major and has Asperger’s Syndrome and is pursuing an education at UHCL with an exceptionality.
Q: What level of education are you currently in and do you have a professional goal you are working toward?
A: I do not have a professional goal I’m working toward. I do not know what I want to do with my life. I transferred from San Jacinto College with almost an associate’s degree and I’m currently working to get my bachelor’s in math.
Q: At what age were you evaluated for a disability and who or what department evaluated or assessed you?
A: 21 and I do not remember their names but they worked for the Khrist Center …A psychologist or a counselor. And I had to take a test and it took me like two hours.
Q: Would you tell me briefly what it is that you have been diagnosed with?
A: I’ve been diagnosed with Asperger’s [Syndrome] and more recently I’ve been diagnosed with schizophrenia by the school psychologist.
Q: Do you feel that you understand your exceptionality to the fullest?
A: I would say no. I mean I understand it but at the same time, I don’t know everything about it. I’m living it.
Q: Do you have at least one person whom you consider to be a friend outside of your immediate family?
Do you count? Then yes.
Q: Do you feel more comfortable answering questions about your exceptionality by a person whom you are familiar with verses a stranger or doctor whom you have not met before?
A: I can talk to doctors because they’re professionals and I’m more comfortable with those I know as well. However, it really doesn’t matter I have become more open with who I am.
Q: What do you believe would allow persons to better understand your exceptionality?
A: Our minds [people with Autism Spectrum Disorder] are more literal. Even now some of us walk on our toes. I did as a kid. But that’s just a physical symptom of high-functioning autism. For my mind, I have difficulty expressing it in words because of my literal-mindedness. And I find that as science such as psychology advances, they find more things with which to help us understand our disability but it is still far too little to properly describe. It’s like blankness. For me it’s void. Empty. I have difficulty concentrating and focusing. I get distracted easily. I wander off in different directions, literally. I want to say that I don’t want to offend anyone who has different experiences than me.
Also published on Medium.
