• Replies 70 replies
  • Subscribers 17 subscribers
  • Views 4716 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Oyez, oyez! Calling all "high functioners"!

Deleted User

...Autism is a spectrum and everyone is different. What characterises a diagnosis of autism is if it has an impact on ones daily life. I am classed as "high functioning" but currently do not know what this means.

Overload as a result from doing less than what someone who is not autistic can do. This means currently bare minimum of activity because intolerance and sensory input cannot be regulated. 
Working hours are reduced because of the struggle to cope with full time even though preference is to work more. The load is primarily from executive function difficulties which also include the social aspect and sensory. Fatigue on a daily basis which impacts everything.

So, when people make throwaway comments like "we're all a bit autistic" or "I think my dog is a bit autistic" (yes, I was present), or labels like "high functioning", or someone gets imposter syndrome thinking they are "not autistic enough", just remember - the difficulties faced - on a daily basis - which many people do not face.

I'm not saying no-one else has problems, but they are of a different kind.

Parents

  • I thiink there's a lot of misunderstanding about what high functioning is and how it manifests. A person can be high functioning in some areas but can barely function in others. This seems to cause problems as people, both NT and Autistic, expect some sort of consistency and meeting your individual needs becomes tricky as they can't be systemised and helping agencies love systems and tick boxes.

    I'm not sure what high functioning means either although I suspect I fall into that box, it s seems to me to mean can you function on a day to day basis, keep yourself clean and fed etc.

Reply

  • I thiink there's a lot of misunderstanding about what high functioning is and how it manifests. A person can be high functioning in some areas but can barely function in others. This seems to cause problems as people, both NT and Autistic, expect some sort of consistency and meeting your individual needs becomes tricky as they can't be systemised and helping agencies love systems and tick boxes.

    I'm not sure what high functioning means either although I suspect I fall into that box, it s seems to me to mean can you function on a day to day basis, keep yourself clean and fed etc.

Children