Aspergers - our aliens

Until now, professional literature has focused on Asperger's syndrome (hereinafter referred to as AS) predominantly in children – as if it disappears in adulthood. In reality, however, it is easily recognisable in many previously undiagnosed adults. AS may even be one of the most common, yet overlooked, diagnoses.

Asperger's syndrome represents an innate, surprisingly widespread difference in the organisation of the human mind. A person with AS – paradoxically called "our alien" in the book – is confronted from the beginning of their conscious life with a significant internal difference from the majority of the population. However, this difference is not outwardly apparent and is not usually understood, let alone accepted, by others. How to survive with this otherness is precisely what the author sees as the "fundamental conflict of the person with AS". The possible solutions to this conflict are varied and often lead to very different personality traits.

The text naturally invites the reader to reflect on themselves – and thus easily come to the realisation that they have long known some "aliens" in their own lives. Here, AS appears as a broad social phenomenon that calls for a deeper understanding.

The book attempts to fill a gap in current knowledge and boldly develops existing professional concepts. At the same time, however, it remains accessible to the lay reader: technical terms are explained throughout, the text is interspersed with examples from psychotherapeutic practice, and in dialogues with his doubting reader, the author arrives at unsettling speculations and provocative subjects.