See the world through her Asperger eyes: Wendy Lampen at TEDxDelft

Wendy Lampen (Belgium, 1969 -- @lampadedromy) works as a lecturer for a university of applied sciences. She got diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome herself. Trained as a teacher in English, History and Ethics she later on worked with adolescents with autism in a school setting.

Next to being an MA in autism, she extensively studied neurotypical (non-autistic) behaviour in order to understand people better. It gave her insight into what really set her apart from (most of the) others: sensory processing and its ongoing processes and the way the two braintypes give meaning to the world they experience.

This hightend awareness made her start her own company with her (neurotypical) partner. From her international experience in how different cultures look at autism or 'disorders' in general, Wendy is an advocate for a neuro-divers society. She focusses on the competences and the possibilities of the different braintypes and how they each can contribute to a richer life.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[lampadedromy]

How nice that you watched this and left a comment.
Maybe you here the stress in my voice. Partly because of being so overwhelmed. Experiencing and 'reliving' things the whole time. After the performance I was exhausted. But thankful I got the opportunity to have been given the chance by TEDxDelft for bringing my story.

[MayonR]

My wife used to get frustrated because I would require full explanation of what she is trying to say. And I have told her I need to define everything to understand it. I can totally relate with this.

[ralphnathanielalpanghe]

I'm a 16 year old Aspie turning 17. And I just want to say that no one would ever completely know what it feels like to have Asperger's but only those who has it.

[ethelhoose]

My daughter has asberger but the school system didn't believe it so she left school at sixteen and is doing better because of it

[euanelliott]

I was 51 before I discovered I am autistic, and the relief was better than how I imagine it feels to win the lottery.
Suddenly my whole life made sense.
In school I knew I thought differently. While everyone babbled nonsense, I would wander the corridors wondering what made the tides go in and out, and how radio waves worked.
I thought "okay, I'm eccentric. I'll probably be a mad scientist".
I used to escape school to hide in the top of a tower block, and was comforted by the thought that I knew where all the teachers and students were, but none of them knew where I was.
The smell of disinfectant was comforting as I associated it with safety.

[jamesvcardoza]

An economist I used to work with used to say, “Everything is connected..we just don’t know how.” Well with a lot of things, I actually do know how.

[Watcher]

I'm an aspie and the way she describes it seems like some kind of superpower or something. Simply put, overwhelming sensorial input. I just can't ignore any little sound I hear. Light blinds me, I wear sunglasses in cloudy days. Powerful memory. Wild association of ideas and concepts. I have some kind of synesthesia with logical flaws in arguments, I see fallacies with color. Political speeches seems fireworks to me. LoL

[theobolt]

I have also Aspergers. It was diagnosed when I was 58 though. So my development was much more restrained, because there was no room in whole my life for being different. That room is coming now. And when I listen to Wendies story? I hear music. She dares to float on the waves, freely. I am about knee deep now. Thank you Wendie! ❤️

[paddlegodsun]

that pretty much explains my world i have aspergers and im constantly trying to integrate every experience into the whole of my life. frustrating but can be enlightening. just the way our brain works. the problem is stress. the aspergers brain doesnt know when to shut off and even when the body is tired the brain is still trying to make sense of every small unimportant situation. and for all you people criticizing her, grow a heart. aspergers is real and she has a great explanation about it. if u think shes being a bit self absorbed just imagine what its like to live with it. u get much rejection and laughs for the way u behave. every day someone chooses to poke fun at you and u dont understand why. grow a heart

[MuseCatherine]

OMG I have just had such a profound connection with this I want to cry. The sponge analogy. This is how my daughter works. She is 6 and is an aspie. Gosh I love her so much she is awesome. Just awesome.

[jennseven]

39 years old. All my life, I thought everyone was like me. All my life, I wondered... if they all see all of this and know all of this, then how can they behave as they do? How do they not understand? But at 38 years old, I finally learn what Aspergers means, and it is me. My personality is attributed to Aspergers. It is just what I am. All that is described in this video, well, yes... thats just how it is. I have always embraced it, written about it, sang and made music and sculpture and paintings and drawings, because the world is so profound and beautiful and meaningful. My children; they are like me. My sister, her son. It is a freedom and a relief, to know and to understand, finally, that I am different. That's why. I really am different. That is the why behind all that I have lived in this world; the good and the bad. I have aspergers, and I am deeply, deeply grateful.

[murtazaarif]

I completely understand. I was diagnosed with Asperger's in 2014. In recent years I produced a document of over 100, 000 words or so of my childhood experiences in Belgium where I was born. This was based on my five senses through which I remember my childhood experiences that I cherish deeply. I have also realized that we have eight senses instead of just five. This has made me return to my document joyfully and expand it. My next write up will be the second part of my childhood from age 10 onwards of my experiences in the UK. I have already created a template of all the addresses that I lived in. Through this framework I will dissect sensory information contained in my memory. They say short term memories are usually lost in childhood by the age of around five because different sensory information tends not to attach together but for me it is the opposite. I become overloaded with sensory information. So there is no shortage of sensory information coming together in my mind. I am a neurodivergent meaning my brain works differently than most so called normal neurotypicals.

[dannybailey]

I feel like I'm going crazy sometimes because I want all the answers to how and why people act. It has made me break down. I have to go to the hospital soon, because I can't make sense of the world. It almost feels like I'm in a dream or in a bubble where things are not as tangible to me as they are to other people.

[veloxlupus]

Note, This does not represent how 'most' Asperger experience the world. I have Asperger's, and i its represented only by crappy social skills and intense interests (and a few other minor things), but my senses are seemingly normal, maybe only a bit more sensitive.

[echadmiyodea]

I call this experiencial memory, where it's more than just facts remembered, but very much like re-living the experience with all the sensations.

[craigwallace]

In these 10 minutes, I've been given a verbal expression of my 7 yr old son's wonderful mind, that he has been unable to articulate. This has been beyond enlightening; I'm in tears and overwhelmed with gratitude for helping me understand and connect even deeper.

[adammoore]

I love how this woman articulates her experiences. Thank you

[MarcusLeeWhite]

My 13 year old daughter has Asperger’s. This is a difficult age for her and she can’t express what she is experiencing as eloquently as you. This will help us to interact with her and understand when and why she is having difficulty. Thank you so much for publishing this.

[imagismus]

"Intense world syndrome" and "sponge" really describes me 100% since I can remember...I constantly associate ideas to objects, objects to ideas, names of people to concepts, taste to smell, songs to temperature, and ever since I can remember I'm just walking outside and making up a full movie in my head with actors, speech lines and background music. I've been diagnosed with BPD but I've been struggling with that diagnosis because it doesn't make a lot of sense to me 😶 still hoping that I get properly assessed...hugs for all of you

[lovelyebonywhite]

As a Aspie this makes me very happy to see us interpreted in a postive way.And so much people in the comment section have it too.It's nice to know I'm not alone.😊❤