Listening to Cassandra
Cassandra Affective Disorder or CAD is a disorder in which family members with a relative with Asperger’s Syndrome (especially if it is undiagnosed) are not only “affected by AS behaviors” but even “begin to reflect AS behaviors.” Families of Adults Afflicted with Asperger’s Syndrome (FAAS) coined the term “Mirror Syndrome” in 1997 for this disorder. In response to overuse of the word “disorder,” the term “Cassandra Phenomenon” was coined “for the ‘traumatic stress disorder’ which affects NT spouses and NT family members.” Maxine Aston specilizes in counseling families affected by CAD.
Cassandra was a Trojan princess. The god Apollo was infatuated with her and granted her wish, which was the gift of prophecy—but Cassandra refused him and Apollo, unable to take back the great gift he had bestowed, made it so that no one believed Cassandra’s prophecies, including the fall of Troy. Cassandra was brought back to Mycenae as the slave of the Greek commander Agamemnon. He, and she, were murderd by Agamemnon’s wife, Klytemnestra and her lover, Aigisthos.
Raising a child with autism is no easy journey and ours has been full of darkness and much, much light.
I don’t have CAD.
And Cassandra is the wrong mythological personnage to name CAD after. There’s a lot more to her (go read Aeschylus’ bone-wrenching rendition of her in full priestess mode in his tragedy Agamemnon) than saying she’s “a mythological character who was given the gift of prophecy, but the curse of having no one believe her even though she was right!” Cassandra is the namesake for any watchdog who calls out the truth against all the naysayers, against all odds. And knows she’ll suffer for it.
I’m taking Cassandra as the muse of AutismVox.
Related Stories
POSTED IN: Asperger's Syndrome
11 opinions for Listening to Cassandra
Autism Vox » Weapons of Autistic Destruction: Violent Words and Violent Deeds
May 23, 2006 at 1:53 pm
[…] Aeschylus’ Agamemnon presents this deed, as well as the murder of the Trojan princess Kassandra who predicts her death in visions of blood-drenched walls. But it is other words of Aeschylus that make a gesture towards summing up what I feel in reading about the dead Katherine and her living mother: […]
chris reiss
Jun 4, 2007 at 3:59 am
God bless and keep all of you parents of kids on the autism spectrum. A lot of people are trying to hijack the sympathy that is due to you, and unfortunately the author of CAD as well as the organization FAAAS are such people.
CAD was plagiarized from Seasonal Affective Disorder caused by lack of sunlight during winter. They literally cut-and-pasted the symptoms. CAD does not exist. The author has no credentials. Neither does FAAAS. Not a doctor anywhere near the place. These are mostly jilted ex-wives/lovers of men whom they are guessing have Asperger’s.
They have no idea what it is like to make the real sacrifices you have.
Kristina Chew, PhD
Jun 4, 2007 at 9:49 am
Thank you for your words of support!
Paula
Apr 21, 2008 at 11:00 pm
Two continuing education seminars will be given on “Cassandra Affective Disorder” at Smith College School for Social Work (June 21 2008) and at the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology (May 3 2008).
I think the nonexistent “CAD” can work both ways. Imagine someone with AS being believed by any social worker, psychiatrist, or judge who has attended one of these seminars.
http://www.smith.edu/ssw/geaa/academics_ceweekendb.php#Saturday
http://www.mspp.edu/academics/continuing-education/programs/h396.asp
H
May 19, 2008 at 3:50 pm
With reference to an earlier comment, I don’t know that anyone is trying to’hijack the sympathy’ deserved by parents of kids on the autistic spectrum. There are many sides to every situation. Undoubtedly kids on the autistic spectrum will go on to be wonderful partners, spouses and parents. But many people with autism went undiagnosed and unsupported and misunderstood in the past. Some of those went on to marry and have children with no support ever given to them. Whilst they also undoubtedly deserve respect and sympathy, many of their children will have struggled enormously. NT parents work hard to understand their AS child and to help them interact effectively in what is often an alien world. The NT child with an AS parent or parents also grows in a bewildering world with rules and behaviour and responses that do not make sense to them. Unless they and their parents are lucky enough to have considerable external support and recognition from other NT adults ….who knows…? I think that FAAAS are simply trying to provide some recognition and support for those left confused and bewildered as adults by the behaviour and responses of their parents. It is a difficult subject to discuss and not one that many would understandably wish to address. But to some people it will provide hope and much sought after answers. I applaud them.
Jody
Jun 27, 2008 at 11:44 am
I think comment about jilted women not knowing how to take care of our husbands that think they have AS is so far off the mark. There is no experience comeing from this person. I am at the end of an 18 year marriage with 5 kids 2 that are on the spectrum. When they were diagnoised I didsocvered that my husband as well had AS. It was an awful day and it was the day my hope died. So do not sit there in judgement of something that you know nothing about. The end of my marriage is my choice not his. Most if not all of the marriages that I have heard about ,NT and AS, the NT partner ended the marriage.
Kristina Chew, PhD
Jun 27, 2008 at 1:06 pm
@Jody, have heard of more than a few families in which a parent, often the father but sometimes the mother, realizes that he/she has AS. But hope things are all right for your family and yourself—a lot to deal with—- my own husband has ADHD pretty severely and it makes things interesting.
Regan
Jun 27, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Relationships do not occur in a vacuum and loneliness is loneliness. Co-dependency is pretty well-documented phenomenon. Whether the symptoms were hijacked or no, the collection indicated to me someone who was pretty depressed and need of a change of some sort. If help in available for those who need it to find more understanding or peace of mind to individuals, and harmony and better functioning to the family unit, to me that seems positive.
(I kind of had a boggle on the title because my husband’s nickname for me is Cassandra.)
Suzanne Miller
Jun 27, 2008 at 7:19 pm
FAAAS - For a group that claims support, they spend too much time pointing fingers. Many contribute without really understanding the make up of FAAAS.
Regan
Jun 27, 2008 at 9:46 pm
Well Suzanne,
That’s good to know. Help us to understand what really happens.
I can agree that simply stirring up or practicing bitterness instead of understanding or facilitating improved relationships probably isn’t helpful to anyone.
Kristina Chew, PhD
Jun 27, 2008 at 11:41 pm
@Regan, your husband’s nickname for you is Cassandra—–interesting………..
@Suzanne, it seems the case that pointing fingers never goes too far, at least in regards to autism.
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: