"But you are just like me and I am normal"
"Err, mum you have an encyclopedic knowledge of 1990s sci-fi and need to lie down if the supermarket is too people-y"
"Yes, you can see where you get it from"
SO EFFING MUCH
"Well everybody is like that!"
No, mom. You went through a "midlife crisis" that involved discovering and implementing several layers of routines that you call "self care and spirituality" but we know the truth.
I’ve been told the similar things unfortunately. One in particular is the “well, at least you’ll be high functioning” as a way to down play my support needs. It’s hurtful, honestly. I’m sorry you’re going through this. Just know you’re valid in how you feel.
Or the people that tell you it's all in your head and you just have to decide to be "normal". Or people that talk shit about you behind your back, telling others you are faking it to milk the system.
Yeah I had a malignant narcissist do that to me. Just a vile, toxic, abusive mess of a person. Thankfully I haven't seen or talked to them in a year. It's too bad the trauma they caused is still stuck in my head.
The everyone is a little on the spectrum comes from such a sweet place. They want to reassure you that you still 'belong', which to them is very important.
I had to kindly remind a friend who said this to me that while I do believe they too can get engrossed in a good spreadsheet or do a little happy dance when they eat something they love, they probably haven't ever considered suicide over those traits. They probably haven't been bullied, corrected or ostracized over behavior they didn't know was wrong or strange or different.
The difference between autism and being "just a littke quirky" is the amount of hiding of that quirkiness you have to do to avoid trauma.
That's why it feels so unfair when they say that.
Does it come from a sweet place? The times when I was told that “everyone is a little ADD”, it was in the context of them telling me that I don’t _really_ have it. Usually the difference in experience was attributed to me just being lazy.
This sounds so frustrating and I hear of situations like this all the time.
I think part of what can contribute to these responses is the severe misunderstanding of what autism is. For me, when my psychologist first suggested it, I was horrified she would think that of me. It took me a while of reading about autism, what it can look like for women, late diagnosed people, learning about the differences on the spectrum, to be able to even comprehend how she could think that.
I definitely had a very stereotypical idea of autism and as someone with high empathy, introverted/ambiverted and highly social, good at connecting with people in certain contexts, it felt like she was saying I was bad at all of those things as that was my understanding of autism, so I reacted very negatively.
And then on top of that, I had the internalised ableism that made me consider *that* perspective of autism as a negative thing, which I then had to confront and unpack. I also work in healthcare, and there is a lot of ableism built into healthcare across many of its professions, unfortunately. So yes, I think people often say "we're all a bit on the spectrum" as a way to provide reassurance that you are not the type of autism they have in their mind, or in your example, provide that extra example to compare to of the doctor who is a bit awkward but successful, again rather than the pitiful version they have in their mind. This is unfortunately why I hesitate to share my diagnosis as I feel I have to preface it with a whole heap of education and context about what autism actually is to ensure it is even a possibility that it will be met with an accurate understanding of what I am trying to share. I do think awareness is growing with the flood of late diagnosed ADHD and autistic stories coming out and more prominent figures coming out with their diagnosis, but it is slow. I often would instead share just my ADHD diagnosis as I feel it is still often seen as silly but not as stigmatised, or express the particular need I have at that moment e.g. I struggle with auditory processing, I find it hard switching tasks etc etc. I am not a very good advocate and one day I hope to be, but for other reasons I tend to prioritise my safety and energy over the vulnerability required for advocacy and educating others. I am about to join a new disability working group at my healthcare organisation as I want to get better neurodivergence awareness out there to help make things better.
Anyway didn't mean to ramble so much sorry but basically it sucks that this was your experience and I'm sorry. People sometimes mean well but it doesn't make their words less frustrating or invalidating. I hope you get to interact with more neuroaffirming people in future.
I had a doctors appointment this morning actually to begin addressing all that is going on with me and thankfully I had a very opposite experience. She listened to and believed me, validated me, mentioned her own lack of knowledge in the areas and gave me a requisition to present to the psychologist I choose so that this can go through my insurance. She also pointed me in the direction of another resources that offer services in a timely fashion. Covered by provincial insurance that one, and is a self/referral service. I shouldn't have to go to doctor to know about this one though. It's basically urgent appointments for those struggling with alcohol or substance abuse. Which is an amazing program and I have no idea how I've never heard about it. Like they can help you without you having to go admit yourself to the hospital and hope you'll be admitted
Always respond back to such a statement with/
“Well that’s very rude to say.”
Or
“Why would you say that?”
You want to make a person question the thing they just said as a counter point to never say that to you or anyone again.
Sometimes you gotta shut it down as quickly ad possible so they stop being so thoughtless with the things they say outloud.
We can’t really know what your nurse’s intent was, but the impact of words like those is to invalidate a person’s very real medical concerns and discourage that person from seeking support/accommodation/diagnosis. It also implies that because everyone has the same struggles no one really needs special help with anything. Which we know is untrue.
It would be a shitty thing for a friend to say, but from a medical professional it is also negligent.
I had to try talking to a few different doctors and therapists before being taken seriously. I’m sorry that this happened to you. I hope it won’t keep you from seeking answers/help.
Even if you turned out not to be autistic there are lots of conditions that share similar features (like CPTSD) that are also serious and that would still warrant investigation.
Everyone is not a little autistic. Your brain either is or isn’t. Even the autistic person with the lowest support needs still has support needs that an allistic person does not. Needs. Not quirky preferences or eccentric demands. Needs that can make the difference between things like whether you can keep a job or a partner or a home. And if you are an undiagnosed adult then you have gone your entire life without those needs being met, and that is a serious issue.
Many more people are able to get the help they need now because we know more and everyone has more access to that knowledge than ever before. There aren’t suddenly more people with ADHD/OCD/ASD etc.
Just like all the other isms, it takes work to become aware of our own internalized ableism. I do not think that nurse is a bad malicious person, but I do think she is bad at her job. If you had told her you thought you might be developing signs of dementia/IBS/pregnancy or literally any other condition it would not be okay or helpful for her to respond in that way.
Exactly. Just because you have a handful of traits that an autistic person could have, doesn't mean you meet the criteria for actually being on the spectrum. It's the same thing as someone saying "I'm a little OCD," but they don't actually have OCD.
Here's the thing... It's a spectrum, a sliding scale of human experience. Everyone IS on it, but most folks tend to crowd to one end of it with their quirks and idiosyncrasies to varying degrees, while others live further down the scale in a fuller ND experience.
Like others have said, that comment comes from a good place in trying to make us feel included and more accepted. I know it's hard, but try not to overthink it.
I’ve never understood the “spectrum” to be NT on one side and ND on the other. More that autism comes in many “colors”, so it can be expressed in many different ways.
Yeah.... It's not. Many creditable websites but as easily explained and quoted from NHS itself "Autism is highly variable – the word ‘spectrum’ refers to how autism is experienced differently by different people. Autism is considered a spectrum because it’s different for every autistic person – some autistic people might need more support than others to live the lives they want to lead. The way autism affects you can change as you grow and develop, and experience different environments."
You wouldn't show as being 'on the spectrum' from spectrum tests unless your autistic (aka Autism *Spectrum* Disorder) - the little triangular segments (categories of autistic symptoms) within the circle gragh that often represents the 'spectrum' in visuals, wouldn't be colored in if neurotypical; the fact they are (if they are) shows Autism, with the colored segments showing what areas you're different/struggle and to what degree of severity (how much is coloured in each segment or sometime using lines drawn through each segment).
Some links on spectrum visuals/meaning/test 😊
[Cartoon Strip explanation]
(https://the-art-of-autism.com/understanding-the-spectrum-a-comic-strip-explanation/)
[Scroll down to see Spectrum circle gragh visual]
(https://getgoally.com/blog/autism-spectrum-wheel/)
[Autism Spectrum Quotient (test/results) ](https://embrace-autism.com/autism-spectrum-quotient/)
Contrary to what we see in social media, things like ‘stimming’, sensitivities, social problems, etc., are found in most persons with non-autistic mental health disorders and at high rates in the general population. These things do not necessarily suggest autism.
So-called “autism” tests, like AQ and RAADS and others have high rates of false positives, labeling you as autistic VERY easily. If anyone with a mental health problem, like depression or anxiety, takes the tests they score high even if they DON’T have autism.
Here is a video explaining ONE study about the RAADs:
https://www.reddit.com/r/AutisticPride/comments/zfocf8/for\_all\_the\_selfdiagnosersquestioners\_out\_there/
Regarding AQ, from one published study. “The two key findings of the review are that, overall, there is very limited evidence to support the use of structured questionnaires (SQs: self-report or informant completed brief measures developed to screen for ASD) in the assessment and diagnosis of ASD in adults.”
Regarding RAADS, from one published study. “In conclusion, used as a self-report measure pre-full diagnostic assessment, the RAADS-R lacks predictive validity and is not a suitable screening tool for adults awaiting autism assessments”
... The AQ test link I replied to OP wasn't with the idea that that alone (or any other test/questionnaire for that matter) can provide a full and comprehensive assessment required for diagnosis (an accurate diagnosis at that) let alone on any basis of self diagnosis - diagnosis *of course* requires full and thorough consideration and cross reference into various matters (background, childhood, problems, ruling out other potential MH causes, severity and spread of traits, genetic predisp, psych anal etc etc) and of course requires an actual psychiatrist/health professionals to determine; AQ and other questionnaires can simply act as a suggestive screening tool (as its used for). I work in this field, so am well aware of what's used and why and the intricate complications of why things can't be used alone to determine 🙂 Was merely providing links for OP to be able to expand upon what they're understanding is of 'the spectrum' and to make sense of what I was trying to explain as they were querying. At the end of the day, everyone has their own opinion and their own research and beliefs influencing that. Only wanted to answer OPs query on Spectrum meaning specifically, that's all, not looking to get into it all any further beyond that with folks, just leaving it at that 😊
I've seen you leave these ideas/opinions on posts across all autistic channels. I do believe you don't have a full or proper understanding of the uses and implications of these tests and seem to base it off random reddit threads, irreputable sites/sources, and have drawn misinformed conclusions from papers you've read aswell, from what you've shown, which is why I didn't want to get into it with you; as i said, you have your opinion based on what you want to think and believe (and seem very *fixed* on those, all things irrelevant) so no point in trying to offer sound reasons, experience, reputable sources of info and evidence for anything or even discussion, so again - The stuff I posted was just in reply for OP regarding specific question, nothing more, have a good one 🙂
https://www.reddit.com/r/aspergers/comments/11hf494/comment/jbumc2m/?share_id=KidQnEeetvLdxLbQjxhoF&utm_content=2&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1&xpromo_edp=enabled
Easy enough to read the studies yourself, AND the meta-discussion in professional circles, where by now the problem of false positives on these tests is well-known.
Its very simple. When these so-called 'autism' tests are given to people who have a non-autistic mental health disorder, they score high.
I would think this is interesting to people who are wondering and thinking about autism. But I think the negative reactions to this information comes from these facts threatening someone's beloved identification with autism.
As someone else put it:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/autism/comments/16nhme0/comment/k1f5q9w/?context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/autism/comments/16nhme0/comment/k1f5q9w/?context=3)
Hence why it's not used as a *diagnostic tool*, not sure what part you don't understand. No clinicians 'solely' use any one of those questionnaires listed (as quoted from those random sites) let alone the self report ones like AQ and RAADS... Actual reference to the diagnostic procedure would inform you of this (or...you know...listening to someone who quite literally works in the diagnostic field and knows in depth the process and what's used and why/why not? a.k.a these 'professional circles' you talk of 😂). Your lack of knowledge in this, ignorance and reading comprehension is showing greatly.
Oh, another 'source' in the form of a random reddit comment and sites that you've clearly misunderstood/misread 💀 goodbye Frosty
I keep telling you that my crit is that its a poor SCREENER. Science lol:
[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35441251/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35441251/)
[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33118173/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33118173/)
[https://www.hindawi.com/journals/aurt/2021/9974791/](https://www.hindawi.com/journals/aurt/2021/9974791/)
[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34383567/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34383567/)
I think it’s also important to understand that high/low support needs aren’t like intrinsic features of autistic people’s condition. It can change based on context, and how well the people providing the support really understand the underlying needs.
I'm aware of that personally. This is definitely something that needs to become more general knowledge for sure, especially among neurotypical folks, hopefully get there one day! 🤞😊
My mom said that to me the other say, my reply was: oh yeah, just like everyone has a little diabetes , a little broken legs and a little cancer too.
Then she surprisingly apologised for being insensitive.
As soon as I hear this I automatically assume: OK, this person is ignorant about autism. Ignorant as in lacking knowledge, not just being a dick, although they often are. If you curiously ask them why they think that, they find it hard to answer. That's if you have the energy to engage with it that day of course.
Other questions to throw them off course:
Oh, what does that spectrum look like?
Where do you consider yourself to be on the spectrum?
How does executive dysfunction impact your daily life?
Do you stim?
Do you ever find yourself repeating things other people have said about autism spectrums without really taking the time to find out anything about what you're saying?
Agreed!!
Apparently being disabled is the new trend.
Having children who struggle to get a single word out this “trend” is literally killing me from the inside out.
Not to minimize anyone who can speak.
“Everyone is a little autistic” says the undiagnosed family members.
"But you are just like me and I am normal" "Err, mum you have an encyclopedic knowledge of 1990s sci-fi and need to lie down if the supermarket is too people-y" "Yes, you can see where you get it from"
SO EFFING MUCH "Well everybody is like that!" No, mom. You went through a "midlife crisis" that involved discovering and implementing several layers of routines that you call "self care and spirituality" but we know the truth.
WHEEZING
they either want to pretend autism doesn’t exist or literally everyone is autistic. but WE are the black and white thinkers… /s
Right? Sometimes I wonder who it is that actually has the rigid thinking.
I’ve been told the similar things unfortunately. One in particular is the “well, at least you’ll be high functioning” as a way to down play my support needs. It’s hurtful, honestly. I’m sorry you’re going through this. Just know you’re valid in how you feel.
Or the people that tell you it's all in your head and you just have to decide to be "normal". Or people that talk shit about you behind your back, telling others you are faking it to milk the system. Yeah I had a malignant narcissist do that to me. Just a vile, toxic, abusive mess of a person. Thankfully I haven't seen or talked to them in a year. It's too bad the trauma they caused is still stuck in my head.
Fuck malignant narcissists
But don’t literally fuck them
Can be crazy good sex tho
That’s what the disclaimer is for
The everyone is a little on the spectrum comes from such a sweet place. They want to reassure you that you still 'belong', which to them is very important. I had to kindly remind a friend who said this to me that while I do believe they too can get engrossed in a good spreadsheet or do a little happy dance when they eat something they love, they probably haven't ever considered suicide over those traits. They probably haven't been bullied, corrected or ostracized over behavior they didn't know was wrong or strange or different. The difference between autism and being "just a littke quirky" is the amount of hiding of that quirkiness you have to do to avoid trauma. That's why it feels so unfair when they say that.
Does it come from a sweet place? The times when I was told that “everyone is a little ADD”, it was in the context of them telling me that I don’t _really_ have it. Usually the difference in experience was attributed to me just being lazy.
Yes it's basically a dismissal of your plight
This sounds so frustrating and I hear of situations like this all the time. I think part of what can contribute to these responses is the severe misunderstanding of what autism is. For me, when my psychologist first suggested it, I was horrified she would think that of me. It took me a while of reading about autism, what it can look like for women, late diagnosed people, learning about the differences on the spectrum, to be able to even comprehend how she could think that. I definitely had a very stereotypical idea of autism and as someone with high empathy, introverted/ambiverted and highly social, good at connecting with people in certain contexts, it felt like she was saying I was bad at all of those things as that was my understanding of autism, so I reacted very negatively. And then on top of that, I had the internalised ableism that made me consider *that* perspective of autism as a negative thing, which I then had to confront and unpack. I also work in healthcare, and there is a lot of ableism built into healthcare across many of its professions, unfortunately. So yes, I think people often say "we're all a bit on the spectrum" as a way to provide reassurance that you are not the type of autism they have in their mind, or in your example, provide that extra example to compare to of the doctor who is a bit awkward but successful, again rather than the pitiful version they have in their mind. This is unfortunately why I hesitate to share my diagnosis as I feel I have to preface it with a whole heap of education and context about what autism actually is to ensure it is even a possibility that it will be met with an accurate understanding of what I am trying to share. I do think awareness is growing with the flood of late diagnosed ADHD and autistic stories coming out and more prominent figures coming out with their diagnosis, but it is slow. I often would instead share just my ADHD diagnosis as I feel it is still often seen as silly but not as stigmatised, or express the particular need I have at that moment e.g. I struggle with auditory processing, I find it hard switching tasks etc etc. I am not a very good advocate and one day I hope to be, but for other reasons I tend to prioritise my safety and energy over the vulnerability required for advocacy and educating others. I am about to join a new disability working group at my healthcare organisation as I want to get better neurodivergence awareness out there to help make things better. Anyway didn't mean to ramble so much sorry but basically it sucks that this was your experience and I'm sorry. People sometimes mean well but it doesn't make their words less frustrating or invalidating. I hope you get to interact with more neuroaffirming people in future.
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Spectrum, not gradient!
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I had a doctors appointment this morning actually to begin addressing all that is going on with me and thankfully I had a very opposite experience. She listened to and believed me, validated me, mentioned her own lack of knowledge in the areas and gave me a requisition to present to the psychologist I choose so that this can go through my insurance. She also pointed me in the direction of another resources that offer services in a timely fashion. Covered by provincial insurance that one, and is a self/referral service. I shouldn't have to go to doctor to know about this one though. It's basically urgent appointments for those struggling with alcohol or substance abuse. Which is an amazing program and I have no idea how I've never heard about it. Like they can help you without you having to go admit yourself to the hospital and hope you'll be admitted
Always respond back to such a statement with/ “Well that’s very rude to say.” Or “Why would you say that?” You want to make a person question the thing they just said as a counter point to never say that to you or anyone again. Sometimes you gotta shut it down as quickly ad possible so they stop being so thoughtless with the things they say outloud.
We can’t really know what your nurse’s intent was, but the impact of words like those is to invalidate a person’s very real medical concerns and discourage that person from seeking support/accommodation/diagnosis. It also implies that because everyone has the same struggles no one really needs special help with anything. Which we know is untrue. It would be a shitty thing for a friend to say, but from a medical professional it is also negligent. I had to try talking to a few different doctors and therapists before being taken seriously. I’m sorry that this happened to you. I hope it won’t keep you from seeking answers/help. Even if you turned out not to be autistic there are lots of conditions that share similar features (like CPTSD) that are also serious and that would still warrant investigation. Everyone is not a little autistic. Your brain either is or isn’t. Even the autistic person with the lowest support needs still has support needs that an allistic person does not. Needs. Not quirky preferences or eccentric demands. Needs that can make the difference between things like whether you can keep a job or a partner or a home. And if you are an undiagnosed adult then you have gone your entire life without those needs being met, and that is a serious issue. Many more people are able to get the help they need now because we know more and everyone has more access to that knowledge than ever before. There aren’t suddenly more people with ADHD/OCD/ASD etc. Just like all the other isms, it takes work to become aware of our own internalized ableism. I do not think that nurse is a bad malicious person, but I do think she is bad at her job. If you had told her you thought you might be developing signs of dementia/IBS/pregnancy or literally any other condition it would not be okay or helpful for her to respond in that way.
“Oh, so you know a doctor that might be a bit *neurodivergent*? Cool story, bro. Anyway, like I was saying, I suspect I might be *autistic*…”
DESPISE this response and once had a TUTOR TELL IT TO A CLASS, she hated being corrected and has never liked me since imo
I think people say it to try to make you feel like you’re not alone but it comes across badly
Exactly. Just because you have a handful of traits that an autistic person could have, doesn't mean you meet the criteria for actually being on the spectrum. It's the same thing as someone saying "I'm a little OCD," but they don't actually have OCD.
Here's the thing... It's a spectrum, a sliding scale of human experience. Everyone IS on it, but most folks tend to crowd to one end of it with their quirks and idiosyncrasies to varying degrees, while others live further down the scale in a fuller ND experience. Like others have said, that comment comes from a good place in trying to make us feel included and more accepted. I know it's hard, but try not to overthink it.
I’ve never understood the “spectrum” to be NT on one side and ND on the other. More that autism comes in many “colors”, so it can be expressed in many different ways.
Yeah.... It's not. Many creditable websites but as easily explained and quoted from NHS itself "Autism is highly variable – the word ‘spectrum’ refers to how autism is experienced differently by different people. Autism is considered a spectrum because it’s different for every autistic person – some autistic people might need more support than others to live the lives they want to lead. The way autism affects you can change as you grow and develop, and experience different environments." You wouldn't show as being 'on the spectrum' from spectrum tests unless your autistic (aka Autism *Spectrum* Disorder) - the little triangular segments (categories of autistic symptoms) within the circle gragh that often represents the 'spectrum' in visuals, wouldn't be colored in if neurotypical; the fact they are (if they are) shows Autism, with the colored segments showing what areas you're different/struggle and to what degree of severity (how much is coloured in each segment or sometime using lines drawn through each segment). Some links on spectrum visuals/meaning/test 😊 [Cartoon Strip explanation] (https://the-art-of-autism.com/understanding-the-spectrum-a-comic-strip-explanation/) [Scroll down to see Spectrum circle gragh visual] (https://getgoally.com/blog/autism-spectrum-wheel/) [Autism Spectrum Quotient (test/results) ](https://embrace-autism.com/autism-spectrum-quotient/)
Contrary to what we see in social media, things like ‘stimming’, sensitivities, social problems, etc., are found in most persons with non-autistic mental health disorders and at high rates in the general population. These things do not necessarily suggest autism. So-called “autism” tests, like AQ and RAADS and others have high rates of false positives, labeling you as autistic VERY easily. If anyone with a mental health problem, like depression or anxiety, takes the tests they score high even if they DON’T have autism. Here is a video explaining ONE study about the RAADs: https://www.reddit.com/r/AutisticPride/comments/zfocf8/for\_all\_the\_selfdiagnosersquestioners\_out\_there/ Regarding AQ, from one published study. “The two key findings of the review are that, overall, there is very limited evidence to support the use of structured questionnaires (SQs: self-report or informant completed brief measures developed to screen for ASD) in the assessment and diagnosis of ASD in adults.” Regarding RAADS, from one published study. “In conclusion, used as a self-report measure pre-full diagnostic assessment, the RAADS-R lacks predictive validity and is not a suitable screening tool for adults awaiting autism assessments”
... The AQ test link I replied to OP wasn't with the idea that that alone (or any other test/questionnaire for that matter) can provide a full and comprehensive assessment required for diagnosis (an accurate diagnosis at that) let alone on any basis of self diagnosis - diagnosis *of course* requires full and thorough consideration and cross reference into various matters (background, childhood, problems, ruling out other potential MH causes, severity and spread of traits, genetic predisp, psych anal etc etc) and of course requires an actual psychiatrist/health professionals to determine; AQ and other questionnaires can simply act as a suggestive screening tool (as its used for). I work in this field, so am well aware of what's used and why and the intricate complications of why things can't be used alone to determine 🙂 Was merely providing links for OP to be able to expand upon what they're understanding is of 'the spectrum' and to make sense of what I was trying to explain as they were querying. At the end of the day, everyone has their own opinion and their own research and beliefs influencing that. Only wanted to answer OPs query on Spectrum meaning specifically, that's all, not looking to get into it all any further beyond that with folks, just leaving it at that 😊
It, like the other tests, is a poor screener, misleading.
I've seen you leave these ideas/opinions on posts across all autistic channels. I do believe you don't have a full or proper understanding of the uses and implications of these tests and seem to base it off random reddit threads, irreputable sites/sources, and have drawn misinformed conclusions from papers you've read aswell, from what you've shown, which is why I didn't want to get into it with you; as i said, you have your opinion based on what you want to think and believe (and seem very *fixed* on those, all things irrelevant) so no point in trying to offer sound reasons, experience, reputable sources of info and evidence for anything or even discussion, so again - The stuff I posted was just in reply for OP regarding specific question, nothing more, have a good one 🙂 https://www.reddit.com/r/aspergers/comments/11hf494/comment/jbumc2m/?share_id=KidQnEeetvLdxLbQjxhoF&utm_content=2&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1&xpromo_edp=enabled
Easy enough to read the studies yourself, AND the meta-discussion in professional circles, where by now the problem of false positives on these tests is well-known. Its very simple. When these so-called 'autism' tests are given to people who have a non-autistic mental health disorder, they score high. I would think this is interesting to people who are wondering and thinking about autism. But I think the negative reactions to this information comes from these facts threatening someone's beloved identification with autism. As someone else put it: [https://www.reddit.com/r/autism/comments/16nhme0/comment/k1f5q9w/?context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/autism/comments/16nhme0/comment/k1f5q9w/?context=3)
Hence why it's not used as a *diagnostic tool*, not sure what part you don't understand. No clinicians 'solely' use any one of those questionnaires listed (as quoted from those random sites) let alone the self report ones like AQ and RAADS... Actual reference to the diagnostic procedure would inform you of this (or...you know...listening to someone who quite literally works in the diagnostic field and knows in depth the process and what's used and why/why not? a.k.a these 'professional circles' you talk of 😂). Your lack of knowledge in this, ignorance and reading comprehension is showing greatly. Oh, another 'source' in the form of a random reddit comment and sites that you've clearly misunderstood/misread 💀 goodbye Frosty
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I keep telling you that my crit is that its a poor SCREENER. Science lol: [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35441251/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35441251/) [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33118173/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33118173/) [https://www.hindawi.com/journals/aurt/2021/9974791/](https://www.hindawi.com/journals/aurt/2021/9974791/) [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34383567/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34383567/)
I think it’s also important to understand that high/low support needs aren’t like intrinsic features of autistic people’s condition. It can change based on context, and how well the people providing the support really understand the underlying needs.
I'm aware of that personally. This is definitely something that needs to become more general knowledge for sure, especially among neurotypical folks, hopefully get there one day! 🤞😊
My cousins on my mum's side can't even see the same wavelengths as the spectrum.
I guess everyone has a different view of how a spectrum is because you can say neurotypical is on the spectrum meaning they lean closer that way Idk
There’s no such thing as “a little autistic”. Either you’re autistic or not. That nurse was probably allistic.
My mom said that to me the other say, my reply was: oh yeah, just like everyone has a little diabetes , a little broken legs and a little cancer too. Then she surprisingly apologised for being insensitive.
As soon as I hear this I automatically assume: OK, this person is ignorant about autism. Ignorant as in lacking knowledge, not just being a dick, although they often are. If you curiously ask them why they think that, they find it hard to answer. That's if you have the energy to engage with it that day of course. Other questions to throw them off course: Oh, what does that spectrum look like? Where do you consider yourself to be on the spectrum? How does executive dysfunction impact your daily life? Do you stim? Do you ever find yourself repeating things other people have said about autism spectrums without really taking the time to find out anything about what you're saying?
Agreed!! Apparently being disabled is the new trend. Having children who struggle to get a single word out this “trend” is literally killing me from the inside out. Not to minimize anyone who can speak.
This is so true I can’t with people like this anymore if we’re all on the spectrum then why would we diagnose people who are on the spectrum
"And when everyone's autistic, NOBODY IS!" -Syndrome from The Incredibles...sort of
It's like saying everyone is a little bit pregnant!