Greta thunberg syndrome

Greta Thunberg | Biography, Climate Change, & Facts

Greta Thunberg

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Born:: January 3, 2003 (age 20) Stockholm Sweden

Founder:: Fridays for Future

Subjects Of Study:: “I Am Greta”

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Greta Thunberg, in full Greta Tintin Eleonora Ernman Thunberg, (born January 3, 2003, Stockholm, Sweden), Swedish environmental activist who worked to address the problem of climate change, founding (2018) a movement known as Fridays for Future (also called School Strike for Climate).

Thunberg’s mother was an opera singer, and her father was an actor. Greta was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, which is now considered an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It is characterized by abnormalities in social interactions (as in classic autism) but with normal intelligence and language development. People with Asperger syndrome tend to focus deeply on one idea or interest, and Thunberg’s cause became climate change. She first learned about the issue when she was approximately eight years old, and within a few years she changed her own habits, becoming a vegan and refusing to travel by airplane. (Both livestock and airplanes emit a large amount of the gases that contribute to global warming.)

Seeking to make a greater impact, Thunberg attempted to spur lawmakers into addressing climate change. For almost three weeks prior to the Swedish election in September 2018, she missed school to sit outside the country’s parliament with a sign that stated “Skolstrejk för Klimatet” (School Strike for Climate). Although alone for the first day of the strike, she was joined each subsequent day by more and more people, and her story garnered international attention. After the election Thunberg returned to school but continued to skip classes on Fridays to strike, and these days were called Fridays for Future. Her action inspired hundreds of thousands of students around the world to participate in their own Fridays for Future. Strikes were held in such countries as Belgium, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Finland, Denmark, France, and the Netherlands.

Thunberg received numerous invitations to speak about climate change. She gave speeches at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and at the European Parliament as well as in front of the legislatures of Italy, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In September 2019 her appearance at a UN climate event in New York City—which she traveled to on an emissions-free yacht—drew particular attention for her impassioned comments: “You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words…We are in the beginning of a mass extinction, and all you can talk about is money, and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!” That month millions of protesters marched in climate strikes in more than 163 countries. While Thunberg was credited with shifting some people’s views and behaviours regarding climate change—her influence was known as “the Greta effect”—she was not without detractors. Brazilian Pres. Jair Bolsonaro notably called her a “brat” in 2019.

In addition to her environmental work, Thunberg was credited with raising awareness about Asperger and inspiring those who had the disorder. While acknowledging that Asperger had hampered her in some ways, she also noted its advantages, at one point tweeting: “I have Aspergers and that means I’m sometimes a bit different from the norm. And—given the right circumstances—being different is a superpower.” Her books include No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference (2019), a collection of her speeches, and The Climate Book: The Facts and the Solutions (2023). The documentary I Am Greta appeared in 2020.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.

How Greta Thunberg’s autism helped make her the world’s most important person for 2020 – The Hill

Greta Thunberg — named person of the year by Time magazine — has shown the world that nothing can interfere with the fulfillment of her mission of climate activism. Not cyberbullying. Not expressions of opposition, some from prominent power players. And perhaps most remarkably, not an autism spectrum diagnosis. In fact, her autism profile is arguably an asset as she sets forth in winning over hearts and minds across the globe.

Asperger’s syndrome, which is Greta’s autism spectrum diagnosis, is frequently accompanied by other disorders. In her case, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is relevant, which likely contributes to her intense and unrelenting focus on speaking truth to power in urging action on climate change. Inspiring what has become a worldwide movement no doubt requires a degree of “thinking outside the box,” a common attribute among folks with Aspie (a more feel-good way of saying Asperger’s) profiles. The decision to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a solar-powered yacht on her way to the United Nations Climate Action Summit is but one example of such thinking.

Repetitive behaviors that are limited in scope, another prevalent trait among those on the autism spectrum, would probably be construed by most as a problem that needs to be fixed. Then again, maybe not, depending on your perspective. Greta uses this aspect of her Aspie profile to her advantage. As is the case with her OCD diagnosis, it arguably helps her allocate her energies only toward what is most important to her: her goals for our planet and its inhabitants. Aside from what she says about climate change and the relatively few words she has shared with the media about her autism profile, we don’t hear much else from her. I’m fine with that. I choose to see a young woman who remains passionately engaged in what she most believes in.

Like Greta, I, too, am an Aspie who often hyperfocuses, obsessively, on what matters most to me, and with solid results. I could not have become proficient at the piano had I not locked myself in practice rooms for hours at a time over many years while studying at music camps and schools. I could have given up early on my almost lifelong struggle at building self-esteem. Instead, I fought through and eventually learned how to love myself. I, too, have endured more than my share of bullying and survived, stronger than before. For both of us, it’s all about turning adversity and struggles into triumphs.

Asperger’s syndrome is widely thought of as a disorder, but this is not how I look at it, and Greta probably feels the same way. Rather, Asperger’s is an integral part of who we are, a way of being that carries unique personality traits, challenges and strengths as well. I praise Greta for being who she is, for not hiding her true self, in spite of knowing she is different and a figure of controversy.

Let the Australian prime minister try to undermine her efforts by publicly stating “more learning and less activism. ” Let OPEC call her “the greatest threat to the fossil fuel industry,” to which Greta appropriately replied “thanks.” Let the bully who responded to a video of one of her speeches at the U.N. climate summit state on Twitter that she is “so obviously deeply disturbed.” Greta’s response to this statement: “when haters go after your looks and differences, it means they have nowhere left to go. And then you know you’re winning … being different is a superpower.”

The sheer force of Greta’s personality, to which Asperger’s and OCD are integral, has led to several impressive accomplishments that could be construed as epic in light of her age and profile. The president of the European Commission, standing next to her, announced during a speech that hundreds of billions of euros would be spent on climate change mitigation. The scientific community has been paying attention and supporting her. An invitation to speak at a U.N. summit and a Nobel Peace Prize nomination speak for themselves. And perhaps the greatest of all of her feats to date: Being the single most inspirational voice behind the recent global climate strike, with millions of young people and older like-minded folks supporting them, joining her in solidarity, taking a stand for what they believe in and against a very real and shared fear.

Greta’s successes, when considered within the context of her Asperger’s profile, shed light on the importance of accepting neurodiversity as a significant and meaningful aspect of our social fabric. We acknowledge diversity with respect to race, ethnicity, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, skin color and political affiliation, among others. Why not neurology? Let’s view folks like Greta Thunberg and countless others whose brains are wired a little differently as people with unique abilities and challenges, rather than as people with a disability or a disorder.

Many folks with Asperger’s, not just Greta and me, function at a high level and are successful doctors, attorneys, CEOs, fine and performing artists and celebrities. Daryl Hannah and Dan Aykroyd are among them. Others suspected of having had Asperger’s based on what is known about their personalities and how they conducted themselves include Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Edison, Marilyn Monroe, Isaac Newton, Beethoven and Mozart, to name just a few.

What a beautiful and special young woman Greta is. She is arguably a force of nature. Perhaps you can agree, even if you don’t agree with her platform? Either way, take a stand for what you believe in, no matter what may stand in your way.

Sam Farmer wears many hats, among them father, husband, musician, computer consultant and autism spectrum community contributor. Diagnosed later in life with Asperger’s syndrome, he writes blogs, records coaching videos and presents at conferences and support groups for the Asperger/Autism Network. To learn more, visit samfarmerauthor.com.

A Long Walk Down a Winding Road: Small Steps, Challenges, & Triumphs Through an Autistic Lens is available on Amazon and can be purchased at all major booksellers.

What Greta Thunberg really suffers from

07 October 2019 17:01 Society

If Greta Thunberg has disorders, they are well compensated / Photo: www.instagram.com/gretathunberg/

Young environmentalist From Sweden, Greta Thunberg changed the description on her Twitter profile once again on October 7, writing: "16-year-old environmental activist with Asperger's Syndrome." "Evening" understood whether the signs of this mental disorder correspond to Greta's behavior in public.

According to the media, based on the statements of the activist herself and her parents, the girl has a history of many diseases: Asperger's syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder and selective mutism. At the age of 8, having learned about climate problems, Greta fell into a three-year depression, and then began to struggle. The sensation, thanks to which the whole world learned about the young social activist, was her speech at the UN summit. The recordings show what strong feelings grip Greta: this is despair (“you stole my childhood”), and anger, and determination to go to the end. Does this speech have signs of Asperger's syndrome, or does it contain only teenage maximalism? 9 answered the question of the correspondent of "Evening Moscow"0009 clinical psychologist Evgenia Lyutova.

- On the video recording of Greta's appeal to the UN, echolalia is not visible (uncontrolled automatic repetition of words heard in someone else's speech - note "VM" ), there are no special deviations in speech and voice, everything looks adequate to the message she is trying to convey. Also, there are no stereotypes (sustained aimless repetition of movements, words or phrases - note "VM" ). Unlike people diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, Greta does not show abrupt changes in the topic of the speech, does not lose sight of the context.

I doubt that this girl really has such a set of disorders - it is extremely problematic to perform under it. For example, mutism is a stupor, when a person periodically loses the ability to speak. Asperger's syndrome is characterized by abnormal social interactions, although symptoms may not fully manifest in the absence of stress. Obsessive-compulsive disorder - the presence of frightening obsessive thoughts ... I can’t believe that with all this she “drives” around the world and preaches the improvement of the environmental situation, that a person with Asperger's syndrome is so eager for publicity. Or she just has a very good psychiatrist who successfully combines drugs without side effects.

Evgenia Lyutova explained under what conditions Greta can show signs of disease (if any):

— If Greta Thunberg has disorders, they are well compensated. After all, any organ or system, including the psyche, has mechanisms by which it can adapt to changing conditions (changes in the external environment, changes in the way of life of the body, the effects of pathogenic factors). And signs of disorder will not appear . .. But these are limited opportunities. In severe violations, compensation may be incomplete, side effects occur. If the severity level is too high, the compensatory mechanism may fail. That is, this story will end, most likely, sadly, or, conversely, well - the girl "everything will pass", she will finally go to school.

Recall that Thunberg has repeatedly changed the profile description on Twitter, being under the new impression. After the words of US President Donald Trump about her, she quoted him, writing about herself: "A happy girl who looks forward to a bright and wonderful future." And the other day I changed the entry in this column after the critical remarks made by Russian President Vladimir Putin. “A kind but ill-informed girl,” the Russian leader said to her, suggesting that someone could use the kindness and sincerity of the eco-activist for their own purposes.

Read also: The phenomenal popularity of Greta Thunberg raises more and more questions

Health Psychiatry Greta Thunberg

03.

10.2019 at 15:54 Society 41085

Because of the 16-year-old Greta Thunberg, serious passions flared up. The country has been thrown into endless debate since its high-profile UN speech on the environmental issue. Opinions about the Swedish girl were divided. Greta has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. One of the features of her illness is a manic passion for a particular topic. We talked to Russians who live with the same syndrome.

Photo: AP

According to Greta, she first heard about climate change at the age of 8. At the age of 11, the girl fell into depression, stopped eating and talking. She was later diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism. It is known that people with this syndrome can show a strong, obsessive interest in hobbies or collecting. Some of them have exceptional knowledge in their chosen field of activity. Greta herself considers Asperger's syndrome a "gift" that defines her vision of the world.

“I didn't know if I would return from school safe and sound”

People with Asperger's syndrome hide in Russia. None of them speaks out loud about their diagnosis. They prefer closed online communities to live communication. They chose not to include their names in the article.

Elena is 25 years old. The girl is one of the founders of the public in the social network dedicated to the problems of autism.

Not like everyone else: That I am “not like everyone else” was decided by society for me. And I still can not find the answer, why exactly I am so different from others.

Diagnosis: I was first diagnosed with signs of autism at preschool age by a teacher-psychologist at a children's development center. Her parents did not take her suggestion seriously, because they always calmly perceived my oddities.

I was not taken to a psychiatrist. But they didn’t send me to kindergarten, they didn’t take me to any children’s centers anymore, they explained this by the fact that I was just a physically sick child.

Then came the school, where labor and fine arts teachers insisted on my autism, convinced that I could not study among normal children just because I had problems with motor skills, my hands were shaking, it was difficult to communicate with my peers. Teachers in the main subjects were satisfied with me. I studied well, which saved me from a psychiatrist, a diagnosis and a correctional school. I just got the reputation of a special child. I lived strictly according to the “school-home” scheme - nowhere else.

Bullying: Bullying started by classmates. The boys didn't touch me. After graduating from school, I specifically entered the correspondence department so that the team would not notice any deviations from the norm in me. It didn't work out.

Classmates started pointing out my autistic symptoms. They were annoyed by everything: my prosopagnosia - I did not recognize many of them for a long time, clumsiness, lack of reaction when they addressed me: I did not hear people, because during my school years I got used to being in my little world, my peers did not talk to me.

My inability to communicate in the company was taken for arrogance. My classmates did not like my informative nature of communication, the sad expression on my face, the fact that I spent too much time studying, being, in their opinion, limited. And I learned information more slowly than my peers, so I had to study a lot. I changed as the environment demanded, but no one noticed the changes. As a result, my peers got angry with me, denounced me to the dean's office with a demand to take action against me.

Some threatened and forced them to behave like all normal people. Others did not doubt my mental disorder and ridiculed. Thus, they only strengthened my pursuit of excellent marks. Studying took a lot of energy from me, not everything was interesting, despite my favorite specialty.

Treatment: I am in favor of treating this problem. But in our small town there is no professional who specializes in autism, and I do not have enough money to visit a private clinic. The experience with budgetary medicine of my colleagues in misfortune is deplorable, it is not worth wasting time on this.

About “special interests”: I have repeatedly written an appeal to the Ministry of Education and Science with a proposal of my ideas for improving the Russian education system. In her city, she took part in a competitive selection with a social project in this area. I dream about the Finnish education system, I would borrow a lot from it for our country. But it was not possible to get money for the implementation.

About friendship: Since childhood, I have not found a common language with female representatives. With modest and shy boys, I do it much better - they listen to my special interests, which is important to me. After all, I can talk for hours on a topic that I am obsessed with at the moment. Now I have several such friends, we are similar. But I don't know how long they will be in my life.

About popularity: It is difficult for me to be guided by the tastes of the masses, but today it is important to become famous in any field of one's activity. Becoming famous just because of the syndrome is a shame. We need help, assistance in finding employment, not glory.

About Greta: Greta's story hasn't touched me, because I still can't get infected with the ideas of saving the environment and vegetarianism. Do not judge people with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) by Greta. If you know one autistic person, then you only know one autistic person.

About the present: I could not get used to a life where I had to go to school in the morning, master an uninteresting and strangely designed curriculum, and be among my peers. Getting ready for school in the morning, I did not know whether I would return home safe and sound, whether they would laugh at me with the use of physical force.

Today I feel much more comfortable. I do what I like, do not interact with those who hate me just for one sad expression on my face. Until now, one fact is depressing - I feel like a burden for loved ones.

Daily routine: After waking up, I definitely need stimming (repetitive body movements or actions, for example, the rhythmic repetition of certain sounds). In the daytime from 14.00 to 18.00 I have to be outside the house: on the street, in the office, somewhere else. I can’t go more than four hours without stimming, so then I need to either return home or leave a public place.

Life after school: I successfully disaccustomed myself, but it is of little use. Now everywhere you need sociable, smiling, energetic people who can find a common language with any person. The standard mode from morning to evening is unbearable for me because of my own daily routine. Its violation leads to meltdowns (breakdowns) and physical ill health. It is comfortable for me to work from 14.00 to 22.00 with breaks for stimming in a separate room. But because of bullying during my school years, I am still afraid to be in a team. Therefore, for the time being, I am doing creative part-time work in the evenings remotely for little money, which, however, cannot be lived on. I also continue to lead projects on enthusiasm that benefit others.

About love: I had the opportunity to start a family. But it's hard for me to share my personal space with someone. I can not stand the screams of children, I have breakdowns from them. A guest marriage would suit me better, but I don’t know how to contact frivolous young people who need relationships without obligations.

About others: I don't understand why others didn't perceive me. My parents always attributed my oddities to the fact that I was a creative person. Although I also could not find a common language with creative people on the Internet.

About being categorical: I think that she is stubborn, but this is not a manifestation of a syndrome, but a trait of character. I try not to impose my opinion on anyone if it does not concern my special interest. But it is impossible to impose your position on me, even if I myself do not have an answer on a specific issue.

About fears: Fear arises in an elevator and in a closed space, in a crowd, in unfamiliar places, loud noises (acousticophobia), talking on the phone (outgoing calls), eye contact, touching.

About comfort: Stimming brings comfort - pacing from side to side, shaking hands, pulling hair on the head. Personal space is important to me - I need to spend evenings alone at work. I love holidays, oddly enough. I dream of my favorite job on a convenient schedule, I prefer a minimum of changes, communication by correspondence.

About envy: I don't envy Greta. Autistic people have enough bullying as it is, and fame can only make it worse. In addition, it is more difficult to control yourself when speaking in public. You can at least start stimming. And, perhaps, there is nothing wrong when you pull your hair or shake your hands, but if you start, for example, crawling under a T-shirt to rub a certain area of \u200b\u200bthe body, this is indecent.

“Mom was embarrassed of me”

Our second interlocutor, Svetlana, discussed with us in detail the moments concerning the personality of Greta Thunberg.

- After Greta's speech at the UN, many suggested that a person with Asperger's Syndrome could not express his thoughts competently. It was assumed that Thunberg's text was written by adults.

- A person with AS (Asperger's Syndrome) can speak very well. I myself lectured several times on history - this is my special interest. Although I have speech problems. For example, when I talk on the phone, I can forget the words, sometimes I stutter. But that doesn't make my ideas any less valuable, or me as a person, any less important. Whoever wants to understand will understand.

- Greta has a fixed idea - global warming. For the sake of this struggle, she refused to attend school. Opponents of Thunberg claim that the teenager simply does not want to study.

- Just at some point, Greta realized that the school had already played its role in her life. Greta does not need to visit her further. She has already found herself. How much will a good high school diploma matter compared to what she does? In many years, no one will remember that she once skipped school.

- Do all people with Asperger's Syndrome have a manic idea that their whole life revolves around?

- A person with Asperger's syndrome can be carried away by any idea indefinitely. People with AS may have several special interests and divide their time between them. It's a great pleasure. You are never bored alone. There is always something to do. For me, it is better to develop in one direction than not to develop at all. My interest is the history of costume.

- Where do interests come from?

- Hard to say. For me, my special interest in history began with a picture in a children's coloring book. It manifests itself in the fact that I read a lot about the history of costume, watch themed films, and spend hours talking about it. Over the years, I have developed a technique for quickly sewing complex items. Opened a sewing shop. I am very demanding in terms of tailoring technology. Anyone who has not mastered my technique sews very slowly. And it annoys me wildly when my method is not perceived. When our company produces the volume of garments that some similar workshops sew twice as long, no one believes us that only three seamstresses work for us. I think it's cool.

- It turns out that people with a similar diagnosis can achieve heights in one or another business?

- This is happening to me right now. When my colleagues and I started our business 10 years ago, we rented a room in the basement with one dim light bulb. There was not even linoleum on the floor. Now we have our own building and equipment. Our client is the President of Bashkortostan. I meet people in our sports uniform on the street every day. Those who once refused to work with us are now biting their elbows.

- Do specialists help to get rid of obsessions?

- Why get rid of them? Unless the ideas are socially dangerous. Greta promotes an environmental theme, which is rather saving for others.

- Can Greta's popularity harm her psyche?

- Man has found himself. This is happiness. Many go their whole lives to find their calling. And most don't. It is much worse to live the empty gray life of a “normal person” than the bright life of a person with special needs. The fact that Greta challenged the world is courage, even heroism. The best thing that could happen in the world of people with AS. This phenomenon shows that we are not crazy.

- Many people accuse Greta's parents of making money on their daughter in this way.

- I think that the girl was lucky with her parents. My mom was embarrassed by me. There was no understanding or trust between us. I talk a lot with parents who are raising children with AS. Some of them don't care, some are shy of their children, but only a few are proud of them. It is typical for Russia to be ashamed of its differences. Greta does a great job also for such parents. Shows what you can expect if you support your "not like" child, and not hide it. By the way, people with this syndrome are often too smart. Strange as it may seem, but smart children cause fear in parents, and many school teachers often recognize us as unsuitable for teaching.

- How do people with this syndrome live?

- It's hard for me to communicate with people. I don't understand half of what they tell me. Or rather, I understand the words, but often I don’t see a reason for their pronunciation. I do not see the point, why wag your tongue unnecessarily. Why exchange generalities just to show how sweet and polite you are?

Among the Indians, silent sitting nearby is also considered communication. This is enough for me sometimes. There is a problem - it is necessary to discuss, but empty chatter is useless. I also do not accept flirting and hints - such manifestations on the part of men annoy me. It was difficult for me to find a job. Even by profession. But then it turned out that not a single company could simply offer me the amount of work that I can really do. But I myself have reached heights in my business. Difficulties hardened.

- Is depression a frequent companion of Asperger's syndrome?

- I have never had depression. Sometimes I feel a sense of hopelessness.

- Greta inspired the students with the idea of "school strikes". Instead of lessons, schoolchildren take to the streets, seeking to draw public attention to the problem of the climate crisis. Do people with this syndrome tend to infect others with their idea?

- Like hello. If a person is carried away, then he is filled. It's interesting with him. He wants to imitate. He is being listened to. Greta did the same. It seems to me that so much criticism is directed at Greta just because people envy her. She was heard, she succeeded. Now, after all, everyone rushed to discuss the problem of the ecological crisis. About Joan of Arc what they just do not tell. But she is a heroine of France.

Martha: “Few people understand us”

Nikolai was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome as a teenager. The man did not achieve heights, because he was born in the wrong country. Greta's story doesn't seem interesting to him, so we talked about him.

- The fact that I'm not like everyone else has become clear since kindergarten. I did not play with other children. During quiet hours, I did not sleep, like everyone else. Educators said about me "without a king in my head."

I studied in Komi, at the republican boarding school for physics and mathematics in Syktyvkar. It was a nightmare: huge workloads, conflicts with classmates and teachers. There they stuck the nickname “brake” to me, because I went into myself, thought slowly, hardly repeated the exercises in physical education, seemed confused and lost. I studied for triples, but won all the city and regional Olympiads in physics.

All I got from school was a shattered psyche, a bunch of complexes and disgusting memories. Most of the time I was educating myself.

- Do you have an obsession?

- I have always had interests: at school it was physics, radio engineering, scientific literature. Now - psychiatry and neurology, I am writing an article on these topics.

- Do you have friends?

- Almost none live. I talk a lot on the Internet with people who have the same problems.

- Are you unhappy?

- I'm used to this kind of life. I wouldn't call myself happy. By the way, our famous mathematician Grigory Perelman, as far as I know, has the same diagnosis. Can we call him happy, given everything we know about him?

- How is your day going?

- I spend 80 percent of my time on the Internet. This is my window to the world. Due to bullying at the institute, I could not graduate from any university. I have two incomplete higher educations. I worked as a driver for six years. Now 5 months as unemployed.

- How is your relationship with your parents?

- I communicate only with my mother, a little with my grandmother. With father and brothers only on business.

We continued to ask people with Asperger's what they think of the Greta Thunberg phenomenon. Here is what the interlocutors said.

March: Many people think that Greta has an angry expression and needs to be treated. Greta has increased anxiety, so she looks “ominous” like that, she cries because she is worried, she is worried about the topic. And the monotonous voice and low facial expression are due to Asperger's syndrome.

A girl is reading from a piece of paper - again a sign of anxiety. At school, even when I knew the material well, I forgot everything from excitement, I needed to peep into my notebook so as not to stray from the correct order of the story. Autistic people are rarely understood. Our facial expressions and manner of speaking do not always reflect real emotions.

Angelina: One day my teacher and I were invited to the local television in Vitebsk as a successful contestant in biology. I was so worried that I spent the whole broadcast, huddling into the sofa, praying to all the gods that they would not touch me. Imagine how Greta felt, knowing that the whole world would gossip about her.

Zhanna: Greta is accused of having written the speech for her. This is wrong. Hyperlexia occurs in people with AS. Such a person may well write a speech for a speech on his own. Another question is whether it will be easy for him to speak in front of a huge audience and learn what he himself wrote? We often have difficulty putting text in the correct order. Therefore, many have problems with oral speech and prefer to read from a piece of paper. But there are autistic people who are taught to perform on camera from childhood. Perhaps Greta was taught.

As for the special interests of people with this syndrome. Due to social difficulties, we spend a lot of time alone, which provides more opportunities for long, painstaking research, as a result of which ideas are born. Many guys and girls with Asperger's Syndrome are obsessed with one hobby for years. It is far from always that something great is hidden behind the special interest of such people, but there is always a reasonable idea in what they devote themselves to.

Veronica: What kind of idiot do you have to be to call a child's attempt to defend his rights to clean water and air a manifestation of a mental disorder? If Greta had been born in Russia, her voice would have been lost in a sea of accusations. She would be called "sick", and the opinion of an unhealthy person is easy to ignore with us. The fact that Greta is now being bullied is a shame and an absurdity. Descendants will talk about us as about some kind of Middle Ages.

“Frantically collecting information about movie characters”

Experts on Asperger's Syndrome believe that Greta Thunberg's obsession with environmental issues may develop into something more serious over the years. And the diagnosis will not be an obstacle. We learned what special interests people with Asperger's Syndrome have in Russia.

Anna: “I am interested in education, political regimes, Russian classical literature, versification. I collect quotes from various Russian-language songs, taking out of context what I attach meaning close to me. I devote myself to special interests when everything is good in life. And it's good when there are no serious problems with the main special interests, which are no longer objects, but subjects. As a rule, these are people or characters.

I had three movie characters and four real people that I frantically collected information about and was obsessed with them 24 hours a day. For some reason, strictly every three years, a new subject appears. As a rule, people I'm interested in are cruel to me, and the characters tend to die. It was on their lives that my switch to other special interests depended.

Elizaveta: I used to be seriously interested in the history of Russia. But, when I learned a lot, I realized that I could no longer trust her. After talking with former citizens of the USSR, I realized that everything that I had read earlier about the USSR turned out to be a lie. I don't want to be disappointed anymore. I switched to the study of system-vector psychology, but later it turned out that there was no smell of science here. I quit. Now my area of interest is esotericism: the world is full of inexplicable things, it will be cool to combine this with explainable things.

Katya: Among my hobbies is the Arab world. I recently gave up pork. My parents questioned me with prejudice whether I had converted to Islam. The second interest is the history of the Great Patriotic War and partisans. The third is chemistry, especially explosives excite me. My parents also worried at first whether I was going to become a terrorist. I am also fond of the slums of large cities in Afghanistan, I like the theme of military and extreme psychology. By the way, I became interested in the criminal topic from the age of 7-8. And as a teenager, she studied all the maps of the area and plans for buildings in her city.

Maria: “For many years I have been interested in reflecting the theme of US nuclear weapons in art: I collect poems all over the Internet and translate them. At the moment I'm working on Hagedorn's huge poem "The Bomb that Fell on America", studying the smallest facts, I know all the films about it. An even narrower topic within US nuclear weapons is the Manhattan Project.

My third passion, narrower, is the secret town of Los Alamos. That's Los Alamos and given my heart. I am proud to have single-handedly translated an entire season of Manhattan on this topic. I know by heart every phrase, every scene. I am the only Russian-speaking Manhattan fan. It's like being a lighthouse keeper on a godforsaken island. I even made the group on the network on the series private, because there is no one to encroach on my interest, and I don’t want them to encroach. At the same time, I am not a nuclear physicist and not a physicist at all. I study modestly as a computer science teacher.

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