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High Functioning

TheCatWoman

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.

Parents

  • I agree.

    I think it’s a question of NT social expectations. The societal ‘ideal’ is an even level of ‘functional’ ability through all areas of education (maths, science, art, history) where as ND people might be particularly adept at something but not something else. 
    In school I was treated as a little genius in some classes (art/history) but as one step away from having a learning disability in others (maths/IT)

    it takes me back to the old saying.. trying to teach a fish to ride a bicycle. 

    some people who can’t wash themselves or verbalise or are shut indoors due to sensory issues etc.. are often geniuses or more often.. just people with interesting points of view, but are treated like they have no capacity to think whatsoever by a society that doesn’t want to understand (including, shamefully, me until not long ago) 

    in conclusion- functioning labels mean nothing- I truly believe it’s the problem of how the world treats ND people. 

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  • I agree.

    I think it’s a question of NT social expectations. The societal ‘ideal’ is an even level of ‘functional’ ability through all areas of education (maths, science, art, history) where as ND people might be particularly adept at something but not something else. 
    In school I was treated as a little genius in some classes (art/history) but as one step away from having a learning disability in others (maths/IT)

    it takes me back to the old saying.. trying to teach a fish to ride a bicycle. 

    some people who can’t wash themselves or verbalise or are shut indoors due to sensory issues etc.. are often geniuses or more often.. just people with interesting points of view, but are treated like they have no capacity to think whatsoever by a society that doesn’t want to understand (including, shamefully, me until not long ago) 

    in conclusion- functioning labels mean nothing- I truly believe it’s the problem of how the world treats ND people. 

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