Please GET RID of functioning labels!!!

I agree Hope, we need to define a better term. It's just too misleading.

When I listen to you folks, i'm always in awe. You seem to have such a good handle on it all. Personally, I have huge gaps in my knowledge, both about Autism and life, and even now I still very much feel i'm only just scratching the surface of it all.

I'm pretty sure I'm not thick and yet the obvious (to others) often alludes me. Interpretation is a difficult issue for me, I've realized recently. Someone asked me If my high-functioning child had behavioural problems once, and i replied no. But by behavioural, I assumed they meant violent, what they were actually refering to was the meltdowns, which for him are more a form of terror than violence. This clearly gave an inaccurate picture.

In my own case, I was asked recently about my own special interest. (It's cooking) yet almost on a daily basis i forget to eat, when immersed in my daily activities of the care of my boys. (Even though i manage to feed them!)

It's the transference of skills and info, that's hard for me. Yet I would be classed by many as high functioning and very intellegent by most.

The anxiety has to be one of the most difficult areas. Worrying about the unlikely or sernarios that are probably never likely to occur. All so draining for me.

I had to be curt with an old aqautence recently. She just didn't get that I was overwhelmed and couldn't take in what she was saying. How do you get others to 'walk a mile in your shoes?'

It's the constant bending to others demands, that often pushes me too far. Some have me wiped out for days.

Yet I find myself at the mercy of others judgement and advice, in order to get by in life. On some occassions running for cover from things I don't understand or have no reason to be fearfful of and all because I pick up that others are fearful or trust their judgement way more than my own.

For once, I'd like to feel supported. I'd like to be heard, understood and reassured by someone who didn't have an ulterior motive and who would guide me through my unfounded fears, without judgement. Respecting me, for my and my childrens condition, without agenda, doubt, disbelief or cynicism.

The minimising of ones ability to manage the things that others find easy is so damaging I find.

What the last year or so has taught me, is that I need to believe in myself a litlle more, thrust that i will get it wrong on occassion, trust that I will get it right even more, inform those who are ignorant instead of staying silent, but if they still don't get it, then walk away and leave them in their ignorance.

As I get older in life and each trauma takes longer for me to recover from, I've finally realized that I need to conserve my energy for myself and only expend efforts on those who really want to understand.

Hope my rant wasn't too deep. Wish you well Hope.

I agree Hope, we need to define a better term. It's just too misleading.

When I listen to you folks, i'm always in awe. You seem to have such a good handle on it all. Personally, I have huge gaps in my knowledge, both about Autism and life, and even now I still very much feel i'm only just scratching the surface of it all.

I'm pretty sure I'm not thick and yet the obvious (to others) often alludes me. Interpretation is a difficult issue for me, I've realized recently. Someone asked me If my high-functioning child had behavioural problems once, and i replied no. But by behavioural, I assumed they meant violent, what they were actually refering to was the meltdowns, which for him are more a form of terror than violence. This clearly gave an inaccurate picture.

In my own case, I was asked recently about my own special interest. (It's cooking) yet almost on a daily basis i forget to eat, when immersed in my daily activities of the care of my boys. (Even though i manage to feed them!)

It's the transference of skills and info, that's hard for me. Yet I would be classed by many as high functioning and very intellegent by most.

The anxiety has to be one of the most difficult areas. Worrying about the unlikely or sernarios that are probably never likely to occur. All so draining for me.

I had to be curt with an old aqautence recently. She just didn't get that I was overwhelmed and couldn't take in what she was saying. How do you get others to 'walk a mile in your shoes?'

It's the constant bending to others demands, that often pushes me too far. Some have me wiped out for days.

Yet I find myself at the mercy of others judgement and advice, in order to get by in life. On some occassions running for cover from things I don't understand or have no reason to be fearfful of and all because I pick up that others are fearful or trust their judgement way more than my own.

For once, I'd like to feel supported. I'd like to be heard, understood and reassured by someone who didn't have an ulterior motive and who would guide me through my unfounded fears, without judgement. Respecting me, for my and my childrens condition, without agenda, doubt, disbelief or cynicism.

The minimising of ones ability to manage the things that others find easy is so damaging I find.

What the last year or so has taught me, is that I need to believe in myself a litlle more, thrust that i will get it wrong on occassion, trust that I will get it right even more, inform those who are ignorant instead of staying silent, but if they still don't get it, then walk away and leave them in their ignorance.

As I get older in life and each trauma takes longer for me to recover from, I've finally realized that I need to conserve my energy for myself and only expend efforts on those who really want to understand.

Hope my rant wasn't too deep. Wish you well Hope.