Page 4 | Do you believe everyone is slightly autistic?

Fuckmeicantbebothered · 31/12/2023 01:19

I'm sorry to be one of those people OP, I'll admit I've spent years saying it, but in my defence, I've always thought everyone is a bit autistic.
I have 3 diagnosed siblings, and have been avoiding assessment for autism myself for 13 years or so. Always believed I just had a few tendencies. Said the same about DD, who has just been diagnosed.
DS has also displayed some tendencies, which then leads back to DH having the same tendencies that the health visitor is picking up on from DS.

So from the people I've had around me daily throughout my life have all had ASD, or atleast tendencies.

I'll admit that I do think maybe in the past I've tried to downplay some of our tendencies, in order to not really have to address the issue. I know when DD was younger, I'd be quite defensive and say, it's just a few tendencies because I didn't want it to be a big deal, and I didn't want her to ever think there was anything wrong with who she was. I think there were a lot of fears related to treatment of one of my siblings throughout our childhood.

Sorry this has been a long reply!

HeraSyndulla · 31/12/2023 01:21

No

SerpentEndBench · 31/12/2023 03:25

Namchanged · 31/12/2023 00:48

you can have autistic traits but I think actual autism is over diagnosed nowadays. I feel as if you can have a few traits and be diagnosed autistic nowadays. Actual autistics have a hard time understanding jokes or context, have a blank expression, dont play w other kids, scream and meltdown because they’re overwhelmed from certain sounds or labels in their clothes and so on,

Ummm I don't even know where to start with this.

falalalalalalalallama · 31/12/2023 03:29

Unfriendlywoes · 30/12/2023 21:59

Constantly have people saying this to me, usually when I’m trying to open up about my struggles with my ASD dd. I feel like a complete failure as a parent quite a lot, and feel so utterly broken and angry after fighting and begging for support for so long and still not getting any really. Currently draining all of my finances to access private therapies for her. If it’s a case of everyone is slightly autistic, why is it so fucking hard?

No I don't, and when a TA said this to autistic DS, I complained to the school as it's total bollocks.

I'm sorry you're finding it hard, it is hard. Much love and strength to you.

randomuser2020 · 31/12/2023 03:37

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randomuser2020 · 31/12/2023 03:44

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avemariiiiiaaaa · 31/12/2023 04:22

No.

Many people have unusual traits, or even a few classic signs of autism, but they doesn't make them autistic.

The hoops people have to jump through to get a diagnosis and appropriate support is astonishing, you can't just claim to be a bit autistic.

LinesmanMinnelli · 31/12/2023 04:43

Earhell · 30/12/2023 23:36

Interesting thread. A few things I've not seen mentioned...
Dh, for work, has access to medical journals and in my very basic understanding has explain some of the following to me -

The white blood cells behave differently in autistic individuals (hence why autistics are offered the covid vaccine).

Autistic individuals were found to secrete in their urine higher levels of serotonin.

There's other random things I can't remember. One to do with connective tissue also and something about amino acids.

I'm autistic, as is my son. I personally don't think autism is JUST to do with neurotype. I believe it's a lot bigger. But to answer the question, I believe you either are/aren't autistic. No partial autism

And of course commonly autistic people like my DD have trouble sleeping due to a lack of melatonin production.

Zoflorabore · 31/12/2023 04:46

Hi op, it’s a bloody insult to hear people say this. Both of my dc are diagnosed with autism. My ds is 20, diagnosed at 8 and suffers terribly with anxiety and ocd, his life is hard, he dropped out of university this year as he just couldn’t cope.

my dd is 12, diagnosed just last month, again suffers with anxiety and poor mental health. Hasn’t left the house since mid October as just couldn’t cope anymore after masking for so long. School useless and won’t even send work home. All I seem to do is fight her corner and am getting nowhere: what about the children who have nobody to advocate for them?

i myself was diagnosed with ADHD in May at the age of 45 and am now on the adult asd pathway. Nobody knows how hard it is to live with this and it’s put on a brave face a lot. As someone said above, it’s how our brains are wired differently. I’m sick of hearing people say about them being “ a little bit ocd” or “on the spectrum” like it’s something you can just decide to have.

hugs to you, I get it.

Itwasafterallallaboutme · 31/12/2023 05:03

My son's psychoologist at CAMHS told my husband and me that every male has some degree of Autism, and that it is just finding out how far they are on the scale that determins whether, what, and how much input they may need from the mental health team! This was years ago, and unfortunately I was too shy, naive and/or uneducated on the matter to question her about it at that time.

Itwasafterallallaboutme · 31/12/2023 05:10

I, of course meant, psychologist!
determines! I don't think I can edit mine after it has been sent.

AutismMum89 · 31/12/2023 06:02

Totally outing myself to anyone who knows me (hence the naff name change). My son (ASD and ADHD) was giving a talk about autism at his secondary school and I drew this very sophisticated 😉picture for him to help explain why ‘everyone is on the spectrum’ is a load of crap. Obviously because it’s for children I didn’t use the proper terminology (triad of impairments etc). Feel free to print it off and papercut anyone with it who tells you they think everyone is a bit autistic.

Do you believe everyone is slightly autistic?

whitebeads · 31/12/2023 06:03

No, buts it's overused these days as a reason/excuse for behaviour

itsgettingweird · 31/12/2023 06:08

No. Otherwise autism wouldn't be a neuro diversity.

I have an autistic ds and hair people down when they say this.

It's usually helpful to add things like "being out of breath doesn't make you a little bit asthmatic!"

Blumarine · 31/12/2023 06:13

It’s a common mistake. But the autism spectrum is a spectrum of people with autism, not a spectrum of everyone. You’re only on the spectrum if you have autism. It’s really ableist to say everyone is on the spectrum, and it minimises the struggles of people who actually are on the spectrum.

useitorlose · 31/12/2023 06:15

No. It's like being pregnant in the sense that you are or you're not, there's no slightly. It infuriates me to hear that too and I often deliver training on autism so always make a point of including this.

Coincidentally · 31/12/2023 06:21

People on here are really missing the point. Autism is not a disease like cancer or diabetes. People are not either autistic or neurotypical-there is a range and ultimately people should all be treated as individuals rather than lumped into a binary category.
Many people do have autistic traits and many more have them and mask them. But parents seem to want to jealously guard the label ‘autistic’ and resent that actually the traits are very common.

Mountainviewse · 31/12/2023 06:30

No.

Psychoticbreak · 31/12/2023 06:37

No and I get angry about it. I was recently diagnosed and when saying it in passing to my boss she went 'ah sure arent we all'. Eh no and quite frankly having paid one thousand euro for a diagnosis cos in Ireland there would be no point going for a public referral cos you would be dead before you get it so you have to pay to go private, it fucking internally pissed me off but I realise that is her ignorance and a lot of peoples ignorance and while it cannot be helped (the ignorance not the autism) it really is so fucking hard to be diagnosed with a condition unless you actually have it. I was listening to an audible recently about autism and the woman said 'being diagnosed with autism is about as the same as walking from one end of scotland to the other without encountering rain' so basically fucking impossible unless you really are on the spectrum.

Perfectlystill · 31/12/2023 06:40

No

Psychoticbreak · 31/12/2023 06:48

Namchanged · 31/12/2023 00:48

you can have autistic traits but I think actual autism is over diagnosed nowadays. I feel as if you can have a few traits and be diagnosed autistic nowadays. Actual autistics have a hard time understanding jokes or context, have a blank expression, dont play w other kids, scream and meltdown because they’re overwhelmed from certain sounds or labels in their clothes and so on,

Eh no we do not. I do not only GET sarcasm it is almost my first language and I am not a 'little bit' autustic I have been fully diagnosed with autism and adhd. It is not 'overdiagnosed' as it is fairly hard to get a diagnosis unless you are actually autistic. I would say what you should consider doing is closing your mouth and opening your mind.

romdowa · 31/12/2023 06:48

I'm autistic and I have a son who is awaiting assessment and I think it is possible for people to have traits but not meet the threshold for a diagnosis. The diagnosis criteria is a man made thing, they had to set the limits somewhere and I think people who fall short are more than Likely nd .

Blumarine · 31/12/2023 06:50

Coincidentally · 31/12/2023 06:21

People on here are really missing the point. Autism is not a disease like cancer or diabetes. People are not either autistic or neurotypical-there is a range and ultimately people should all be treated as individuals rather than lumped into a binary category.
Many people do have autistic traits and many more have them and mask them. But parents seem to want to jealously guard the label ‘autistic’ and resent that actually the traits are very common.

Wow this is really offensive and ableist. Yes autism is a defined condition that you’re diagnosed with. You’re either autistic or not. Even if you have some similarities to autistic people that doesn’t make you autistic, the same as having some similarities to a Buff Orpington doesn’t make you a chicken. Parents of autistic people are not “jealously” guarding a label - and there are also plenty of autistic adults who don’t need parents to speak for them.

Fl100p555 · 31/12/2023 06:56

Namchanged · Today 00:48

“you can have autistic traits but I think actual autism is over diagnosed nowadays. I feel as if you can have a few traits and be diagnosed autistic nowadays. Actual autistics have a hard time understanding jokes or context, have a blank expression, dont play w other kids, scream and meltdown because they’re overwhelmed from certain sounds or labels in their clothes and so on,”

Wow what a truly dreadful and ignorant post. You clearly know nothing about the diagnostic process ,diagnostic criteria and autism itself.

Oblomov23 · 31/12/2023 07:15

@Ellie56

Thanks for the link. But I personally didn't feel that either explained it very well. The spectrum not being linear but a multi coloured circle didn't seem to explain it much better. and the fact that someone could have many many traits, but not enough to meet thriad of impairment, doesn't make it any simpler either.

Also what are savent skills. Is that a spelling mistake for savant?

Do you believe everyone is slightly autistic?

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