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Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction

Amerantin (former member)
8 months ago

DSM-5 says that to meet the diagnostic criteria for ASD there must be persistent deficits in all three of the areas below.

  1. Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity, ranging, for example, from abnormal social approach and failure of normal back-and-forth conversation; to reduced sharing of interests, emotions, or affect; to failure to initiate or respond to social interactions.
  2. Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction, ranging, for example, from poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication; to abnormalities in eye contact and body language or deficits in understanding and use of gestures; to a total lack of facial expressions and nonverbal communication.
  3. Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships, ranging, for example, from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit various social contexts; to difficulties in sharing imaginative play or in making friends; to absence of interest in peers.

So why is it some of us are completely alone and isolated while others seem to have friends, partners and active social lives?

How do people who meet the above criteria achieve this?

Parents
  • 8 months ago

    The key word is persistent. Autism is lifelong and some autists can develop strategies that work in some situations. Every autistic person is individual and what works for one might not work for another.

    It concerns me when I see time and time again people coming here asking for advice and getting the old 'push yourself', 'face your fears', etc. That's what most of us have already been told continuously throughout our lives. I know I certainly have. I have pushed myself repeatedly into social situations and suffered multiple burnouts throughout my life, due to masking and sensory overload. 

    We shouldn't make assumptions that people have not already pushed themselves or even that is what works for everyone. Tell that to someone who has already repeatedly pushed themselves beyond their limits and it could potentially leave that person feeling much worse about themselves. People should not be left feeling they are failing or inadequate on an autism forum of all places. They get enough of that out there in real life in this cruel world.

    I hope for a future where the autistic community can unite together for the right to be accepted for being ourselves. No more damaging masking to meet social norms or expectations. No more forced eye contact.

    Personally I can tick every box above. Admittedly I have the added challenges of situational mutism and auditory processing issues.  As for eye contact I can't even look at eyes when watching tv without feeling nauseous!

    Now that I know I am autistic I am determined to try to unmask. People will have to accept me as I am or not at all and I can live with that.

Reply
  • 8 months ago

    The key word is persistent. Autism is lifelong and some autists can develop strategies that work in some situations. Every autistic person is individual and what works for one might not work for another.

    It concerns me when I see time and time again people coming here asking for advice and getting the old 'push yourself', 'face your fears', etc. That's what most of us have already been told continuously throughout our lives. I know I certainly have. I have pushed myself repeatedly into social situations and suffered multiple burnouts throughout my life, due to masking and sensory overload. 

    We shouldn't make assumptions that people have not already pushed themselves or even that is what works for everyone. Tell that to someone who has already repeatedly pushed themselves beyond their limits and it could potentially leave that person feeling much worse about themselves. People should not be left feeling they are failing or inadequate on an autism forum of all places. They get enough of that out there in real life in this cruel world.

    I hope for a future where the autistic community can unite together for the right to be accepted for being ourselves. No more damaging masking to meet social norms or expectations. No more forced eye contact.

    Personally I can tick every box above. Admittedly I have the added challenges of situational mutism and auditory processing issues.  As for eye contact I can't even look at eyes when watching tv without feeling nauseous!

    Now that I know I am autistic I am determined to try to unmask. People will have to accept me as I am or not at all and I can live with that.

Children
  • 8 months ago in reply to Autonomistic

    Indeed. I know I can mask well - my career simply wouldn’t have been possible without it. I know it’s not a lack of intelligence - my career would have been impossible without it.

    Last year when I was diagnosed with autism I thought I’d found an answer.

    But it seems autism isn’t the answer because so many autists don’t appear to have my problem.

    Which leaves me with the only other logical possibility - that there is something else that makes me deeply unloveable Slight frown