How does autism work? People I met with it seem totally self aware and normal
In: Biology
Autism is on a spectrum, many people have it and are mainly functional with maybe a few issues with social behaviors and understanding. The opposite end of the spectrum can be completely debilitating with people needing total care for their whole life.
Not only are we on a spectrum, but the set of symptoms isn’t totally consistent across every autistic person. So someone’s more ‘severe’ symptoms might be ones that other people aren’t going to notice. For example, I can (usually) communicate about as well as anyone without autism, but I’m *extremely* sensitive to certain textures. In most situations, other people aren’t going to be able to tell that that’s the case, even though it’s a symptom that greatly impacts my life.
Odds are, you’ve met plenty of autistic people in your life, and didn’t even know it! We’re sort of a grab bag.
What is autism spectrum disorder?
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a group of complex neurodevelopment disorders characterized by repetitive and characteristic patterns of behavior and difficulties with social communication and interaction. The symptoms are present from early childhood and affect daily functioning.
The term “spectrum” refers to the wide range of symptoms, skills, and levels of disability in functioning that can occur in people with ASD. Some children and adults with ASD are fully able to perform all activities of daily living while others require substantial support to perform basic activities. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5, published in 2013) includes Asperger syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorders not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) as part of ASD rather than as separate disorders. A diagnosis of ASD includes an assessment of intellectual disability and language impairment.
ASD occurs in every racial and ethnic group, and across all socioeconomic levels. However, boys are significantly more likely to develop ASD than girls. The latest analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 68 children has ASD.
[https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Autism-Spectrum-Disorder-Fact-Sheet](https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Autism-Spectrum-Disorder-Fact-Sheet)
##
There’s people on the lower end of the spectrum who can’t talk at all. This is called nonverbal autism.
Some will make noises like when they’re happy or scared. [https://www.healthline.com/health/autism/nonverbal-autism](https://www.healthline.com/health/autism/nonverbal-autism)
Then there’s people on the higher end of the spectrum who are have the high functioning variety. Despite what people say, aspergers and high functioning autism, are not the same thing because high functioning is not a formally recognized medical condition . [https://www.healthline.com/health/high-functioning-autism#asperger’s-syndrome](https://www.healthline.com/health/high-functioning-autism#asperger’s-syndrome)
I work in residential care for autistic kids considered too challenging to remain in their family home.
My partner’s understanding of autistic people is that they’re a bit quirky, say funny things, struggle with social awkwardness, have obsessive hobbies and lack empathy. Although this is true for many, that’s just the positive examples that you see on TV.
The kids I work with in many cases have really complex issues. Many are non verbal, incontinent, cannot manage their emotions, can be volatile, aggressive, self injurious and completely incapable of making self care decisions not to mention a long list of associated physical and mental health issues. I have to help them wash, dress, eat and toilet and they will probably need this kind of care throughout their lives.
I have worked with young people who have been permanently on 1to1, 2to1 and sometimes 3to1 supervision all day every day.
Yes, it is a spectrum, but it’s very broad. It’s great that society is beginning to accept and understand autism but remember it’s not just about people with slightly different personalities navigating the world and occasionally making a faux pas. It’s not just the exploitative dating shows you see on UK television. There are people and their families out there really struggling with challenging and aggressive behaviour and not getting the help they need.
Thank you.
Difficulty with social cues, hyper focused on 1 subject, circular conversations that lead back to that subject, high anxiety, lots of stress if routine is disturbed.
Its like being a normal person to an extent, but you get more easily bothered and cant always calm down. Its a lot harder to go to the grocery store, if you’re one of the more independent ones , or work…If you can work because of of us cant adapt to the routine, or hit the 7 month wall where we burn out and cant function at work properly.
Theres an element of forever being a confused child at times. Its incredibly embarrassing and irritating because no matter who you are, or how old you are, you can revert to this for a few moments or longer.
I ain’t gonna lie, it feels like being an imitation sometimes. I only got a mild case and it can be hell at times because I can pass for being normal, but can’t live up to it.
There’s a show called love on the spectrum on Netflix that follows a few autistic young adults as they try to start dating life. I feel I have a better understanding of autism after watching it and thought the show was pretty good.
Autism ranges from people like me who can cope and get by by basically faking sufficient normalcy, to people who are, honestly, total helpless bonkers.
The latter are usually not capable of caring for most of their own needs, and a lot of them will never leave the family or facility that cares for them, basically nullifying any chance to come into contact with them.
Edit: Source: Personally have autism and have been doing research and working with the group for over a decade. I have recently gotten a PTSD diagnosis from treatments I received as a kid.
Most of these replies are incorrect and people (even with autism or those that research it) generally don’t understand how it works. One of the leading theories and the one I subscribe to is by Martine Delfos, a dutch researcher, and it’s called the mental age spectrum within one person. It basically means different areas of your brain mature at different rates, so you can be say 25 in knowledge of how trains work (including the physics), yet 3 in social interactions. Obsessions are a result of this, if everything in your life is hard except for one thing you’ll tend to focus on the thing you do well. “Stimming” is often a result of undersimulation, being misunderstood or traumatized, as are agression issues. A lot of the behaviors associated with autism are actually due to other mental disorders, such as attachment disorders, which people with autism are at a higher risk for due to the world (and the treatments they receive at psychiatric instances) not being designed for them. The entire spectrum thing was invented because doctors finally agreed the way they’ve been treating autism was entirely wrong and the diagnostic model needed more flexibility.
Latest Answers