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What are your thoughts on the term "High Functioning"?

Jalapeno

I've noticed quite a few autistic people on this forum describing themselves as "high functioning." I'm genuinely interested in hearing why people choose to use this label.

Personally, I dislike it and would prefer not to see it being used.

From the outside, based on my qualifications and career, many people would probably describe me as "high functioning." Yet I still struggle with many aspects of daily life and work, and I worry the label makes those difficulties seem less significant or suggests I need little support or reasonable adjustments, which isn't the case.

I'm also not convinced that the Levels 1, 2 and 3 always solve the problem, as our support needs can vary enormously depending on the environment we're in.

I also wonder whether some people use "high functioning" simply to mean they don't have a learning disability. If so, wouldn't it be clearer just to say that?

For those who do use the term, what benefit do you feel it provides—for yourself or when explaining your autism to other people? I'm genuinely interested in hearing different perspectives.

NAS - any thoughts on running a poll on this ?

Parents

  • It’s not a term I like or use.

    The term is disrespectful to those who may have higher support needs than myself. Anyway, what is a fully functioning human being? Does high functioning” mean “fully functioning” or does it fall short of “completely functioning”? By this thinking, those who aren’t “high functioning” would presumably be classified as “low functioning”. What a horrible thing to say about anyone, as if a person’s value is intrinsically connected to their function.

    I agree with you that it could clarify things, if people who are meaning they don’t have a learning disability, would say so.

Reply

  • It’s not a term I like or use.

    The term is disrespectful to those who may have higher support needs than myself. Anyway, what is a fully functioning human being? Does high functioning” mean “fully functioning” or does it fall short of “completely functioning”? By this thinking, those who aren’t “high functioning” would presumably be classified as “low functioning”. What a horrible thing to say about anyone, as if a person’s value is intrinsically connected to their function.

    I agree with you that it could clarify things, if people who are meaning they don’t have a learning disability, would say so.

Children
  • in reply to ArchaeC

    I can cook, shop and run a house, I was self employed too and have had various jobs, never a career, I have a degree and I drive a car, on the surface those things may make it appear that I have no problems, but scratch the surface and the toll those things have taken on me start to show. I was self employed because I'm not very good at being an employee and have been sacked or "let go" of every job I've ever had, often its been because I just don't fit in, or I can't handle the hours, or having to be in the same place at the same time everyday causes panic and a melt down. Some things of course I'm just not very good at and just don't understand. I drive a car, on local journey's but not long ones and never on motorways or other bsuy roads, I can't I have a melt down and thats really not good in the middle of a motorway. I had lots of learning support when I was at uni. So whilst on paper I might look "high Functioning", am I really, when I have so many limitations on what I can and can't do? 

    What about the things that I really cannot do? Like tech or anything mechanical, or that requires attention to fine detail, I am unable to see enough even with corrective lens's. Do things like the ability to let more ait out of tyres than I put in class as an amusing and sometimes irrating foible, a learning difficulty, or me being deliberately difficult? I get accused of being deliberately difficult quite often, even on here, by people who refuse to believe that I really can't do some things. 

    I was diagnosed before things like levels existed, I was just told I'd coped for the last 50 years and could continue coping. Is that all the is or should be to life, just coping?

    What about when the physical and autism collide and gang up on me? 

    I wish there could be drop in places with people that could help with the things I can't do or find difficult to do, like filling in forms, theres nothing quite like a form to turn me into a jibbering wreck Where does that sit on the function level?

    Obviously some people who are autistic are profoundly affected and have higher support needs, but for the rest of us, it seems like whatever level they decided we are, if any there are massive great cracks we fall down and find it hard to crawl back out of, if we manage at all, or don't fall straight back in again.