Published on 12, July, 2020
One thing I've always struggled with since being on this forum and understanding more about autism, is the fact that levels are no longer used.
I understand the idea of the spectrum and that we can all shoot off at angles and pick up where something affects us deeply.
However, levels were to do with the amount of support required, so how much a person's functionality is impacted by autism.
Level 1, 'Asperger's Syndrome', 'high functioning' were for people who had what was then termed as 'mild' autism.
I realise that 'mild' probably isn't appropriate for us.
However, there are threads on this forum relating to a 'solution' for autism and 'acceptance'.
I can answer for myself and my own struggles but I feel sometimes that the people who are without speech (some of whom I think are actually on this forum, from reading profiles), who cannot live independently without support, are not taken into account.
This is a reason why I actually find it quite hard to answer these questions, because I see myself as 'level 1', high functioning and I can't answer for people whose lives are so very deeply impacted by their autism and their carers.
🐝 Bees 🐝 (they/them) Autism resources in bio #stoptheshock #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs said:So I don't accidentally imply their importance is on the same level as objects, because I think there is a misconception that "if you forget about certain things you must not care about them enough" and well ditto people.
I understand what you mean, people don’t understand or want to understand the complexity of executive function/neurology/working memory to think otherwise. It’s sad that this assumption is made.
Not always objects, sometimes people, and tasks, I just don't like to lump them (people) in with objects so I try avoid the exact phrase "object permanence". So I don't accidentally imply their importance is on the same level as objects, because I think there is a misconception that "if you forget about certain things you must not care about them enough" and well ditto people.
🐝 Bees 🐝 (they/them) Autism resources in bio #stoptheshock #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs said: I do when I see it, but usually I just forget it exists (permanence issue) if Youtube had always had it as a feature maybe it would
I do when I see it, but usually I just forget it exists (permanence issue) if Youtube had always had it as a feature maybe it would
Object permanence?
Ausomely Autistic said: did you know that you can skip to each time stamp section of the video by scrolling at the bottom?
I do when I see it, but usually I just forget it exists (permanence issue) if Youtube had always had it as a feature maybe it would be second nature by now but it's a similar issue to forgetting that my smartphone has apps, I remember it has certain apps when it is in my hand but the second I put it down it re enters the same category as my old "dumb"-phone, so the most used calendar is the one on the corkboard, the most used clock is also on my wall etc. It takes decades to develop that kind of long term permanence. It's only in recent years I started to use google as a dictionary, for the longest time even though I could get online I was just consulting paper dictionaries.I also don't always remember emojis are a thing now and just use older forms.¯\_(ツ)_/¯ <*))))<3 (I Still love this fish lol.)
Yes I understand what you mean about the length of the videos, there are very long. It’s quite ironic really given that the majority of the Aucademy audience is probably AuDHD. It would be good if each video was condensed into a bullet point summary, did you know that you can skip to each time stamp section of the video by scrolling at the bottom? Do you use Facebook, maybe you could suggest the use of bullet points at the end of videos?
That’s why there is a playlist of Bitesize videos on the Aucademy YouTube channel. I am glad you found these videos more accessible, maybe you would enjoy these too:
The Language of Autistic Culture:
https://www.youtube.com/live/EHYc3n2udGA?feature=share
Functioning language, subtyping and myths:
https://www.youtube.com/live/WDObD69BOoI?feature=share
Autistic experience:
www.youtube.com/.../U4zzGFziZMU
Building boundaries:
https://www.youtube.com/live/H1uTVDDmUls?feature=share
Enjoy!
It's unfortunate but I've noticed I can't do Aucademy's longer vids, because I'm AuDHD I just waft off after 20 mins whether I'm interested or not. But these 2 are much more accessible. I think Aucademy could do with a bullet pointing of their longer vids into a short version for more accessibility. (Autocorrect needed correcting.)
firemonkey said: Many people will think you're b*ll***tt**g them if you talk about doing very well on psychometrician based tests of intellectual ability, but needing support in order to maintain an acceptable level of independent living.
So true.I get "but you have 126 IQ", "but you can drive 4 different kinds of vehicles", etc, but none of that means my executive function doesn't fall apart in other areas of my life.
It's possible to have learning difficulties combined with very high intellectual ability. I do very well at verbal and numerical based tests , but I'm all over the place when it comes to fluid intelligence. I'm low average at mental rotation, very probably due to having object and spatial aphantasia. On the other hand I'm borderline Mensa level when it comes to pattern recognition.It's not at all easy to talk about a mix of very high IQ, combined with far less ability at daily manual/practical tasks ( adaptive functioning < IQ) . Many people will think you're b*ll***tt**g them if you talk about doing very well on psychometrician based tests of intellectual ability, but needing support in order to maintain an acceptable level of independent living. I have been care act assessed and my daughter(not blood related, but we see ourselves as father and daughter) has had a carer's assessment. For the vast majority of my time as a psych patient I've been seen in a negative light for not fitting the expected pattern of 'good at x, good at y/bad at x,bad at y'. It's only through moving to be near my daughter , and her having painted an accurate picture as to how things are to mental health services here in Wiltshire(prior to my moving) that things have changed for the better. . It's great to be treated in a caring,non aggressive, and polite manner, but much damage has been done that can't be reversed.
No I don't think you're misunderstanding, I find the implications of what they are suggesting to be deeply problematic too.
I know where you’re coming from, as one can certainly reach peaks of competency, such as with procedural learning. I am concerned the cost to the one’s self-image and public-image, by being referred to as being unique and peerless and matchless in one’s anomalous character. My consideration is that being special, in one’s own awareness and in others’ awareness, can lead to a poorer quality of life.
I think that autistic individuals are less-equipped handle the expectation and isolation of being on the fringe. Due to their well documented social impairments, it is not surprising that so many of us experience psychological trauma, and experience alienation by our peers. I think that this is one of the greatest issues in autism.
DeSpereaux said:sparing of intellect and language abilities
I don't think it's so much a matter of sparing these, as it is that these can be part of our spiky profile and being at either end of a bell curve. It seems that ND people are more likely than the general population to either have learning difficulties or to be a mensa level genius; are more likely to be either dyslexic or hyperlexic, non-verbal or talking too much (whether the ADHD chatterbox thing or the overwhelming urge to infodump).
Thanks for the compliment! I appreciate it! There are some videos from Aucademy that may be useful, they explain the diversity of autistic experiences:
The Autistic Spectrum really:
https://www.youtube.com/live/pK4foXJM5FY?feature=shareThe Farahar and Foster Three Dimensional Autistic Space- Reconceptualising the spectrum to include all autistic people:
https://youtu.be/kqyt0Nf1h2Y
I hope you enjoy these videos, they are great.
That’s a pretty decent attempt a a concise summation. The reality of living that is of course that it’s like being the human version of a phone with a leaky battery that starts Monday on 17%, runs flat rapidly due to being pushed to the threshold of parallel process running at max tolerance, makes it home on 1% to recharge as fully as possible if lucky. Starts Tuesday on 15%….
Then the weekends become essentially healing comas of maximised solitude if at all possible. But rumination has its free reign in those circumstances too. So the 17% on Monday becomes pre-determined yet again.
Maybe not the most elegant analogy but you get the idea…
I hope those 70 pills keep you going as best you can for a long time to come. It sounds on first read like a big number but it’s clearly simply the right number.
Beautifully put.
If Asperger’s always means high intelligence then it rules me out too. So now I’m very confused! What the hell am I?
Is that what ‘support’ is - assisted disguise?
Those definitions feel weird. Slightly insulting? Almost like they’re saying ‘we think we can teach L1’s to be better maskers and - god willing - fit in as they should’ Am I being too harsh here? Misunderstanding?
I agree, I am also not a fan of this diagram and the associated descriptions. It also misrepresents the idea of a 'spectrum'. As far as I have understood, the 'spectrum' represents the diversity in the autistic community- ie there are several different autistic traits and each autistic individual can have different combinations of these traits and may have each trait more or less strongly. But it does NOT represent a spectrum from 'slightly autistic' to 'severely autistic'. - this diagram seems to support this misguided view of a spectrum in terms of levels of 'severity' . And it portrays 'hiding'/ masking autistic traits as a 'desirable' thing... ie Level 1 don't seem autistic if given support (what does support even mean here?) - so basically more masking... . There are just so many things wrong with this diagram in my opinion.
I would say that ASD lvl 1, represents those autists that have the minimum impact on functioning, and maximum sparing of intellect and language abilities. That’s not a firm statement its the product of my best dead-reckoning..:)