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Do You Think Everyone Is Autistic?

Daniel

I often find myself come across people claiming "I'm a bit autistic" saying everyone is a bit autistic.

I point out to them so many things they refer to as "autism traits" are not autism traits at all but is just general human behaviours by all people, but when an autistic person does it it gets described negatively.  

Stimming as an example, I see nearly everyone stim, so many people tapping their foot on the floor, some picking their nails, some just twirling hair etc. because they do something an autistic person does they assume they're a bit autistic. 

When I tell them doing something labelled "autism trait" doesn't make them a bit autistic, that people are either autistic or not, I back it up asking "I sometimes say a metaphor, does that mean I'm a bit neurotypical?" I point out to them autism is a neurodevelopmental condition. 

I say "people with bipolar have mood swings, I hear most people have mood swings, so does everyone have a bit of bipolar disorder?" 

They still go claiming everyone's a bit autistic. Do you agree with the people who say everyone's a bit autistic?

Parents

  • Who says you don't need a medical diagnosis? I think human behaviour is all somewhere on some sort of continuum (more of a 3D shape than a line). So that most people will somewhere or other have some autistic traits whether they are mild or severe. I think when people say "we are all a bit autistic" they are trying to show you that they have problems too and are empathising. I think one of the main things is anxiety, so where someone might have an autistic trait, it might not actually bother them or give them anxiety, whereas it could be the opposite for someone on the spectrum. Or they might not feel fundamentally different from other people.

    I think these sorts of comments are usually in reference to people who are "high functioning" / Aspergers types. I'm not sure the same sort of comments would be made about someone who has more obvious problems.

    I do agree, it can be a bit........invalidating when people say it but I think it comes from a place of not understanding. And then if I ever have to explain myself that's where it gets tricky.... I find it hard to get my point across that "yes we all do that but for me it's a bit different because...."  ...then it just looks like I'm being dramatic and wanting special treatment.

    I'd also like to look at it from another point of view. The language used by some autistic people... talking about "stimming" and "shutdowns" / "burnout" etc.... everyone experiences these sorts of behaviours. I think the autistic community has kind of got hold of these phrases. Sure, they're helpful in order to explain experiences but they don't just belong to the autisitic community (although are probably used less by non-austics people because they are not aware of them). I don't like using these phrases myself because I have got by for the past 30-odd years without knowing about them.

    Edit - I feel a bit sick in the mornings and I've put on a bit of weight. It doesn't mean I'm a little bit pregnant.

    Sometimes I get headaches. It doesn't mean I suffer from migraines.

    This is why I wanted a formal diagnosis. Because otherwise I'd just come across as being a bit dramatic.

    I have a friend who never has a cold. She always has flu. It can get into a bit of a competition with these types of people - who's got the biggest "illness"? Sometimes when your problem trumps theirs, they don't like it and that could be why they say "everyone is a bit austistic"?  Just a thought.

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  • Who says you don't need a medical diagnosis? I think human behaviour is all somewhere on some sort of continuum (more of a 3D shape than a line). So that most people will somewhere or other have some autistic traits whether they are mild or severe. I think when people say "we are all a bit autistic" they are trying to show you that they have problems too and are empathising. I think one of the main things is anxiety, so where someone might have an autistic trait, it might not actually bother them or give them anxiety, whereas it could be the opposite for someone on the spectrum. Or they might not feel fundamentally different from other people.

    I think these sorts of comments are usually in reference to people who are "high functioning" / Aspergers types. I'm not sure the same sort of comments would be made about someone who has more obvious problems.

    I do agree, it can be a bit........invalidating when people say it but I think it comes from a place of not understanding. And then if I ever have to explain myself that's where it gets tricky.... I find it hard to get my point across that "yes we all do that but for me it's a bit different because...."  ...then it just looks like I'm being dramatic and wanting special treatment.

    I'd also like to look at it from another point of view. The language used by some autistic people... talking about "stimming" and "shutdowns" / "burnout" etc.... everyone experiences these sorts of behaviours. I think the autistic community has kind of got hold of these phrases. Sure, they're helpful in order to explain experiences but they don't just belong to the autisitic community (although are probably used less by non-austics people because they are not aware of them). I don't like using these phrases myself because I have got by for the past 30-odd years without knowing about them.

    Edit - I feel a bit sick in the mornings and I've put on a bit of weight. It doesn't mean I'm a little bit pregnant.

    Sometimes I get headaches. It doesn't mean I suffer from migraines.

    This is why I wanted a formal diagnosis. Because otherwise I'd just come across as being a bit dramatic.

    I have a friend who never has a cold. She always has flu. It can get into a bit of a competition with these types of people - who's got the biggest "illness"? Sometimes when your problem trumps theirs, they don't like it and that could be why they say "everyone is a bit austistic"?  Just a thought.

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