What it's really like to have autism | Ethan Lisi

Prevodilac: Marko Milanovic Lektor: Ivana Korom

Autism is something that many people know about.

Autizam je nešto o čemu dosta ljudi zna.

For example, some people think

Na primer, neki ljudi misle

that autistic people are fair-skinned males

da su autistični ljudi muške osobe svetle puti

that speak in monotone

koje pričaju monotonim glasom

and constantly go on and on about the same topic.

i konstantno vrte jednu te istu temu.

Some people think that autistic people do not know right from wrong,

Neki ljudi misle da autistični ljudi ne mogu da razaznaju dobro od lošeg,

avoid attention

da izbegavaju pažnju

and usually say the wrong thing at the wrong time.

i da uglavnom kažu pogrešnu stvar u pogrešnom trenutku.

Some people think that autistic people are socially awkward

Neki ljudi misle da su autistični ljudi društveno nespretni

and lack humor and empathy.

i da nemaju smisao za humor i empatiju.

Now if you agree with what I just said,

Sad, ako se slažete sa ovim što sam sad rekao,

I'm sorry to tell you,

žao mi je što ću vam reći,

but you do not have the right impression of autism.

ali imate pogrešno shvatanje autizma.

How do I know?

Kako to znam?

Because I have autism.

Zato što ja imam autizam.

I do have my own obsessions with things like electronics

I ja imam opsesije stvarima kao što je elektronika

and public transit,

ili javni prevoz,

but that does not define me.

ali me to ne definiše.

Each of us are different and unique in our own way.

Svako od nas je različit i jedinstven na sebi svojstven način.

However, there is not a lot of information out there

Međutim, ne postoji dovoljno informacija

on what an autistic life actually looks like,

o tome kako zapravo izgleda život autistične osobe,

so people often resort to stereotypes.

pa ljudi uglavnom pribegavaju stereotipima.

And we see these often in the media.

Često ih viđamo i u medijima.

Some of the more common stereotypes in the media

Neki od učestalijih stereotipa u medijima

include being socially awkward,

uključuju to da smo društveno nespretni,

lacking empathy

da imamo manjak empatije

and even being a supergenius.

čak i da smo supergeniji.

And the lack of knowledge on autism doesn't stop there either.

Ali nedovoljno znanje o autizmu se ne završava tu.

Did you know that some people are trying to find a cure for autism?

Da li ste znali da neki ljudi pokušavaju da nađu lek za autizam?

That's because they see it as a negative thing,

To je zato što ga vide kao nešto negativno,

as a disease.

kao bolest.

Many people are challenging the idea

Mnogi preispituju ovu ideju

and to us, we think autism is not a disease.

ali mi, mi ne mislimo da je autizam bolest.

It's just another way of thinking and looking at the world.

To je samo još jedan način razmišljanja i pogleda na svet.

Our brains function differently from most people's brains.

Naši mozgovi funkcionišu drugačije od većine ljudskih mozgova.

Think of it like comparing and Xbox and a PlayStation.

Mislite na to kao da poredite Iksboks i Plejstejšn.

They're both highly capable consoles with different programming.

I jedna i druga su vrlo podobne konzole programirane na različite načine.

But if you put your Xbox game in a PlayStation,

Ali kada biste ubacili Iksboks igricu u Plejstejšn

it won't work, because the PlayStation communicates differently.

ne bi radila, jer Plejstejšn komunicira na drugačiji način.

When I look in the mirror,

Kada se pogledam u ogledalo,

I see someone who thinks differently.

ja vidim nekog ko razmišlja drugačije.

Oh, and I also see nice hair.

O, takođe vidim i lepu frizuru.

(Laughter)

(Smeh)

(Applause)

(Aplauz)

But the question is,

Ali pitanje je

am I really diseased if I just think differently?

da li sam ja bolestan samo zato što razmišljam drugačije?

The main problem with living autistic in today's society

Glavni problem života sa autizmom u današnjem društvu

is that the world just isn't built for us.

je taj da svet jednostavno nije napravljen za nas.

There's so many ways that we can get overwhelmed.

Postoji mnogo načina da se uznemirimo.

For example,

Na primer,

the thing that makes me overwhelmed all the time is loud noises,

ono što me stalno uznemiri jesu glasni zvuci,

which means I never crank up my music really loud

što znači da nikad ne odvrćem muziku

and I usually am not a fan of large parties.

i uglavnom nisam fan velikih žurki.

But other people on the spectrum might get overwhelmed

Ali druge ljude mogu uznemiriti stvari

with things like bright lights or strong smells

kao što su jaka svetla ili mirisi

or gooey textures

ili stvari gnjecave teksture,

that all have the potential to create anxiety.

sve to potencijalno može izazvati anksioznost.

Think about all of the social gatherings you've been to in the past.

Prisetite se svih društvenih okupljanja na kojima ste bili u prošlosti.

Was there loud music playing?

Da li se puštala glasna muzika?

Were there really bright lights?

Da li su svetla bila jaka?

Were there lots of different food smells going on at the same time?

Da li ste mogli da osetite mnogo različitih mirisa hrane u isto vreme?

Were there lots of conversations happening all at once?

Da li se mnogo razgovora odvijalo u isto vreme?

Those things may not have bothered you guys,

Te stvari možda vama nisu smetale,

but for someone with autism,

ali nekoga sa autizmom,

they can be quite overwhelming.

one mogu uznemiriti.

So in those situations, we do something called stimming,

Tako da mi u tim situacijama radimo nešto što se zove stiming,

which is like a repetitive motion or a noise

što je nešto poput repetitivnog pokreta ili zvuka

or some other random fidgeting that may or may not seem normal.

ili neko drugo nasumično uzvrpoljavanje koje može ili ne izgledati normalno.

Some people will flap their arms

Neki će mlatarati rukama

or make a noise or spin.

ili proizvoditi zvukove ili se vrteti.

Ya, it's basically our way of zoning out.

Da, to je manje-više naš način da se isključimo.

It can often feel necessary for us to stim.

Mi često možemo osetiti potrebu za stimovanjem.

However, it's often frowned upon,

Međutim, ono uglavnom naiđe na osudu,

and we're forced to hide it.

i mi smo primorani da to sakrivamo.

When we're forced to hide our autistic traits like this,

Kada smo na takav način primorani da prikrivamo naše autistične crte

it's called masking.

to se naziva maskiranje.

And some people mask better than others.

A neki se maskiraju bolje od drugih.

I mask so well sometimes that people don't even know I'm autistic

Nekada se maskiram tako dobro da ljudi i ne znaju da sam autističan

until I give them the big reveal. (Laughs)

dok im ne priredim veliko otkriće. (Smeh)

But at the end of the day, it gets really stressful.

Ali na kraju dana, postane poprilično stresno.

Even something like doing my homework at night

Čak i nešto poput domaćeg rada uveče

becomes very tiring.

postane veoma zamarajuće.

Some people think,

Neki ljudi misle,

because of our ability to mask,

da zbog moje sposobnosti da se maskiram,

that this is the cure to autism.

da je ovo lek za autizam.

However, all it really does is makes us ashamed

Međutim, ono što zapravo jeste, jeste osećaj sramote

of showing our true selves.

zbog prikazivanja našeg pravog ja.

Another common stereotype that is often associated with autism

Još jedan čest stereotip koji se često dovodi u vezu sa autizmom

is that autistic people lack empathy.

jeste da autistični ljudi imaju manjak empatije.

And again, this is not true.

Još jednom, to nije istina.

I actually have lots of empathy.

Ja zapravo imam mnogo empatije.

I'm just not really good at showing it.

Samo je ne pokazujem toliko dobro.

Whenever a friend is trying to tell me

Kad god prijatelj pokušava da mi priča

some of the struggles that they're going through,

o nekim problemima kroz koje prolazi

I often don't know how to express my reply.

ja često ne znam kako da odgovorim.

And that is why I don't show as much empathy

I zato ne pokazujem onoliku empatiju

as my nonautistic friends do.

koju pokazuju moji prijatelji koji nisu autistični.

Emotional expression, however much or however little,

Emocionalni izraz, bilo veliki ili mali

is difficult for me.

teško mi pada.

And that is because I am bursting inside

A to je zato što iznutra pucam od svake emocije

with every single emotion one feels at all times.

koju neko može da oseća u bilo kom trenutku.

Though of course, I cannot express it that way.

Naravno, ja je ne mogu izraziti na takav način.

Otherwise, let's say, happiness, for example,

U suprotnom, na primer,

sreća ne bi ispala kao neko veselo ispuštanje krika,

would come out as a huge burst of gleeful wheezing,

hand flapping and loud vocal "woohoos."

mlataranje rukama i glasno "vuhu".

(Laughter)

(Smeh)

Whereas you may just smile.

Dok se vi možete samo nasmejati.

(Laughter)

(Smeh)

Whether it be receiving an awesome birthday gift

Bilo da je u pitanju sjajan rođendanski poklon

or listening to a tragic story on the news,

ili slušanje tragične priče na vestima,

I cannot really express my reply without bursting,

ja ne mogu da se izrazim bez nekakvog praska,

so once again, I have to mask it in order to appear normal.

tako da, još jednom, moram da ga maskiram kako bih izgledao normalan.

My inner feelings are unlimited,

Moja unutrašnja osećanja su neograničena,

but my mind only lets me express extremes or nothing.

ali mi moj um dozvoljava da izrazim sve ili ništa.

So my ...

Dakle moje...

I am not great with my emotions,

Ja nisam dobar sa emocijama,

and I communicate differently,

i komuniciram drugačije

and because of that, I was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

i zbog toga, dijagnostikovan mi je spektar autističnih poremećaja.

This diagnosis helps me and my friends and family

Ova dijagnoza pomaže meni i mojim prijateljima i porodici,

to know how my mind works.

da razumemo kako moj um radi.

And in the world,

I u svetu,

approximately one percent of the population

otprilike jednom procentu populacije

is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

dijagnostikovan je spektar autističnih poremećaja.

And this number is growing.

I ovaj broj se povećava.

However, we are still a big minority.

Međutim, još uvek smo velika manjina.

And there's still lots of people that do not see us as equals

I dalje postoje ljudi koji nas ne vide kao jednake.

to other people.

This is my family.

Ovo je moja porodica.

And in my family,

I u mojoj porodici postoji

there is one other person who is also autistic.

još jedna osoba koja ima autizam.

My mother.

Moja majka.

Yes, adult women can also be autistic.

Da, i odrasle žene mogu biti autistične.

My dad and my brother are both nonautistic.

Moj otac i brat nemaju autizam.

Sometimes it can be a bit difficult for us to communicate with each other,

Međutim, ponekad nam bude teško da komuniciramo jedni sa drugima.

however.

Sometimes I'll say something like,

Nekad ja kažem nešto tipa

"Oh, Toronto's Union Station, right?"

"O, železnička stanica u Torontu, zar ne?"

thinking that I can

misleći da mogu

help them to remember certain aspects of it.

da im pomognem da se sete određenih apekata vezanih za to.

When they get confused, I often have to elaborate myself on that.

Kada se zbune, često moram da elaboriram na tu temu.

And we often have to say things

I često moramo da pričamo o stvarima

in a number of different ways so that everyone understands.

na više različitih načina kako bi se svi razumeli.

However, despite all that,

Međutim, uprkos svemu tome

we all love each other and respect each other as equals.

mi se volimo i poštujemo jedni druge kao da smo jednaki.

In his book "NeuroTribes,"

U njegovoj knjizi "NeuroTribes"

author Steve Silberman states that autism and other mental conditions

autor Stiv Silberman kaže da bi autizam i ostala mentalna stanja

should be seen as naturally human,

trebalo da se posmatraju kao nešto što je prirodno ljudski,

naturally part of a human spectrum

što je prirodan deo ljudskog spektra,

and not as defects.

a ne kao defekt.

And this is something that I agree to completely.

I ovo je nešto sa čime se potpuno slažem.

If autism was seen as part of a natural human spectrum,

Kada bi se autizam posmatrao kao delom prirodnog ljudskog sepektra,

then the world could be designed to work better for autistic people.

onda bi svet mogao biti formiran tako da bude pogodniji za autistične.

I am not ashamed of my autism.

Ja se ne stidim svoj autizma.

And I may not think like you,

I možda ne mislim kao vi,

or act like you,

ili se ne ponašam kao vi,

but I am still human and I am not diseased.

ali sam i dalje živo biće i nisam bolestan.

Thank you.

Hvala.

(Applause)

(Aplauz)