Published on 12, July, 2020
Is What does this actally mean in practice, not the dictionary definition, but for those of us so labelled? Although no ones ever told me I'm high functioning, I guess I am.
Is it a helpful term or unhelpful?
Does it express our experiences properly or reflect away from them?
Is this a term more helpful to NT's than us?
Personally I find the term a bit insulting as well as divisive and dismissive.
I have a neighbour with a Autistic son. he will never life an independant life,and he is non verbal. For me High functioning is the opposite. I have a mortgage, wife, and have always worked. I am high functionaling, and outwardly normal because of 54 years of marsking. Obviously there will be prople in the middle, I know I am in the 'top' 10%. ASD is such a wide range of issues. I would like to see a better term as it almost dismisses what I have against the other end of the ASD spectrum, kind of makes me feel like an imposter sometimes.
Rob
Would you rather have not masked, and not had the mortgage,wife etc? Not being able to mask, or only being able to do so to a very limited degree, is every bit as stress inducing as being able to do so.
I apologize for misunderstanding your question earlier. If an autistic person is not able to mask, they may face several challenges:
Misunderstanding and Miscommunication: Without masking, an autistic person’s behavior may not align with societal norms or expectations, which can lead to misunderstandings or miscommunications.
Social Isolation: They may face social isolation or exclusion because their behaviors might be misunderstood or not accepted by others.
Bullying or Discrimination: They may be more susceptible to bullying or discrimination, as their differences are more apparent.
Difficulty in Employment: They may face challenges in employment situations where social interaction and conformity to certain behavioral norms are expected.
Increased Anxiety: The fear of being judged or misunderstood can increase anxiety.
Delayed Diagnosis: If an individual is unable to mask, it could potentially lead to a delay in diagnosis and subsequent support, as their behaviors may not be recognized as indicative of autism.
It’s important to note that these are potential consequences and may not apply to every individual. Each person with autism is unique and will have their own experiences and challenges. It’s crucial to foster understanding and acceptance of neurodiversity in society to mitigate these potential consequences.
I’m not sure what it feels like to not mask. I do have a thought that maybe I would feel more content and comfortable not masking as it does build up in me. Then I will have a couple of days feeli very low and overwhelmed. Maybe if I had never masked I might not have met my wife or have children who knows. I guess for me masking serves a purpose at the minute but I would love to know what my authentic self is like.