What is Autism exactly?

But surely there is no such thing as 'mild' or 'severe' autism? I don't think you can accurately compare so called 'Low Functioning' Autism with 'High Functioning' Autism, because they are very different sub-groups. Yes, the support needed can differ massively, and the challenges faced can be quite different. But it is no more accurate or true to say that one type of Autism is more severe than another, than it is to say that Schizophrenia is more severe than Bipolar. I consider myself to be severely affected by Autism, yet my difficulties are completely different to those of a Low Functioning Autistic person; I can speak, feed myself, go out alone, and converse with people, all things that many Low Functioning Autistic persons will never attain. And yet, I can't maintain a full time job, require a lot of support from parents and support workers, and am friendless, and potentially isolated. Autism (the Asperger variant) stops me living a full and independent life.

I know other people with Asperger's who do manage work, relationships, and other markers of independence. Their struggles are probably quite different to mine, but the difficulties faced might be just as severe, and they might still face a lot of stress.

A disability does not have to be official, as in eligibility for social benefits and support. Arguably all people with Asperger's are disabled because the social disadvantage can put them in vulnerable situations. The disability is certaintly context specific, meaning that Asperger's is sometimes not experienced as a disability. But if the environment were to change, then the disabling features will become too apparent. Many people first get diagnosed when they become aware of their disability. In any case, Asperger's has to cause clinically significant impairment for it to be diagnosed in the first place.

But surely there is no such thing as 'mild' or 'severe' autism? I don't think you can accurately compare so called 'Low Functioning' Autism with 'High Functioning' Autism, because they are very different sub-groups. Yes, the support needed can differ massively, and the challenges faced can be quite different. But it is no more accurate or true to say that one type of Autism is more severe than another, than it is to say that Schizophrenia is more severe than Bipolar. I consider myself to be severely affected by Autism, yet my difficulties are completely different to those of a Low Functioning Autistic person; I can speak, feed myself, go out alone, and converse with people, all things that many Low Functioning Autistic persons will never attain. And yet, I can't maintain a full time job, require a lot of support from parents and support workers, and am friendless, and potentially isolated. Autism (the Asperger variant) stops me living a full and independent life.

I know other people with Asperger's who do manage work, relationships, and other markers of independence. Their struggles are probably quite different to mine, but the difficulties faced might be just as severe, and they might still face a lot of stress.

A disability does not have to be official, as in eligibility for social benefits and support. Arguably all people with Asperger's are disabled because the social disadvantage can put them in vulnerable situations. The disability is certaintly context specific, meaning that Asperger's is sometimes not experienced as a disability. But if the environment were to change, then the disabling features will become too apparent. Many people first get diagnosed when they become aware of their disability. In any case, Asperger's has to cause clinically significant impairment for it to be diagnosed in the first place.