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Original poster

Has social media made conforming to so called norms even more essential, resulting in an explosion of people who don't, feeling they must have something pathologically wrong with them?

43 replies

NeelyOHara1 · 22/04/2024 21:07

As counter intuitive as it sounds I think there was much more room in the past for different ways of being and thinking.

OP posts:
cariadlet · 22/04/2024 22:30

Can't edit on the app on my phone.

@TFITheWeekend I didn't mean to imply that social contagion is involved in your daughter's case or in every similar case.

But it does exist among pockets of young people.

cariadlet · 22/04/2024 22:28

@TFITheWeekend I do get the problem with long waiting lists.

Reading about autism and recognising traits in oneself can be really helpful. You can understand why you find some things difficult and, whether you ultimately end up with a diagnosis or not, you can discover ways to cope with those difficulties and you can be a bit more forgiving of yourself.

But there is also an element of social contagion which I am very wary of.

SongWriter · 22/04/2024 22:25

TFITheWeekend · 22/04/2024 21:59

You’re either autistic or you’re not.

Unfortunately long waiting times means people may strongly suspect they are autistic but have to wait years for assessment. It can be beneficial to realise they may be autistic to try to access help and get reasonable adjustments. Schools for example, can help kids, even when not diagnosed, by making reasonable adjustments which can make all the difference to a struggling as yet undiagnosed child.

Show quote history

This.

TFITheWeekend · 22/04/2024 22:03

cariadlet · 22/04/2024 21:58

Nothing goady about talking about "self id'ing" as autistic.

It's a genuine phenomena and, as someone with an official NHS autism diagnosis, it really pisses me off.

Mostly seems to be young people. It doesn't help that an increasing number of forms ask if you "identify as disabled" rather than asking if you are disabled.

Unfortunately with waiting times the way they are, it’s necessary sometimes.

My daughter is autistic but even before she was diagnosed, she found it helpful to hear about others.

TFITheWeekend · 22/04/2024 21:59

Dontknowhowtodo · 22/04/2024 21:53

Not sure why that’s goady? Whee I live a lot if teens, are self diagnosing themselves as autistic, annd use it as another reason to be trans.

You’re either autistic or you’re not.

Unfortunately long waiting times means people may strongly suspect they are autistic but have to wait years for assessment. It can be beneficial to realise they may be autistic to try to access help and get reasonable adjustments. Schools for example, can help kids, even when not diagnosed, by making reasonable adjustments which can make all the difference to a struggling as yet undiagnosed child.

cariadlet · 22/04/2024 21:58

Nothing goady about talking about "self id'ing" as autistic.

It's a genuine phenomena and, as someone with an official NHS autism diagnosis, it really pisses me off.

Mostly seems to be young people. It doesn't help that an increasing number of forms ask if you "identify as disabled" rather than asking if you are disabled.

Dontknowhowtodo · 22/04/2024 21:53

Not sure why that’s goady? Whee I live a lot if teens, are self diagnosing themselves as autistic, annd use it as another reason to be trans.

TFITheWeekend · 22/04/2024 21:51

BeautifulBird · 22/04/2024 21:44

It’s our usual late night goady autism poster. 🙄

Show quote history

Seems like it. I’ve reported.

<awaits the usual influx of goady posters that these posts attract>

BeautifulBird · 22/04/2024 21:44

missmollygreen · 22/04/2024 21:42

Identifying as autistic? Interesting take

It’s our usual late night goady autism poster. 🙄

BeautifulBird · 22/04/2024 21:43

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missmollygreen · 22/04/2024 21:42

Identifying as autistic? Interesting take

Original poster
NeelyOHara1 · 22/04/2024 21:37

I was thinking it could be another reason behind the increase in people identifying as autistic as in the past I actually think there was more room for individuality, as counter intuitive as it sounds. I agree there is more room on the internet to find your tribe but it will still be viewed by the majority as niche.

OP posts:
shenandoahvalley · 22/04/2024 21:37

Does a bear shit in the woods?

That said, are you sure you’re using “pathologically” correctly?

BeautifulBird · 22/04/2024 21:30

Sometimes there is something pathological going on, and it can benefit people to communicate with each other. They can be diagnosed and get help. Like ND.

Sometimes SM is unhelpful and results in indoctrination. Like trans ideology convincing boys who like stereotypically female things, that they’re actually girls. There seems to be no room for ‘feminine‘ boys or ‘masculine’ girls anymore. Nothing pathological going on with them other than potential mental health issues, but SM has played a big role in making kids think there’s something more going on than simply not conforming to made up stereotypes. These masculine girls and feminine boys fall into the norms of humans but SM tells them they don’t.

noshadowatnoon · 22/04/2024 21:17

I think the opposite, that social media is responsible for the viewing of a wide range of "normal" as somehow pathological

MojoDojoCasaHouse · 22/04/2024 21:17

I think it’s the opposite. SM gives more opportunity to find like minded people and realise there’s a reason for why you feel the way you do, and you can name it. Pre SM you might feel like the only person in the world with your weird quirks, anxieties and ways of seeing and feeling things.

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 22/04/2024 21:17

Yes. It's the embodiment of the MNism comparison is the thief of joy.

MidnightPatrol · 22/04/2024 21:16

Complex.

I think there are a lot of people who have never ‘conformed’. They can now find each other and validate that via the internet, whereas in a small community they’d keep it to themselves.

I also think there are a lot of people looking to ‘fit in’, and they seek out communities which they can be part of - we have always done this (religion etc), but it’s method of capture has changed due to online communities.

Do people think there’s something pathologically wrong with them? If anything.. I’d say more extreme identities and ways of life are more normalised than ever.