#asd level 3

[stal3bread]

I think that special interests are actually a disabling part of autism

I'm tired of people (allistic and autistic) saying that it's bad that special interests are 'pathologised' because passions are good. This is because that comes from a fundamental misunderstanding of what a special interest is. Special interests are not just things you like a lot, they are 'highly fixated interests abnormal in intensity or focus'. For me (and pretty much everyone with autism I've asked about it), this means that special interests are basically your whole life. For me, my special interest is ASD. I think about autism all the time. It's the only thing I find interesting, and every thought I have can be linked to autism in some way. This is pretty disabling to me because it makes it way harder to talk about and do stuff that isn't related to my special interest.

It makes making friends really hard because, on top of my social challenges, I also don't know how to talk about anything other than my special interest, and I will bring the conversation back to my special interest if I feel comfortable around someone, and just not talk to someone if I don't feel comfortable around them. It also makes doing the things I need to do in life (such as doing work for uni, taking care of myself, cleaning my living space, etc) so much harder because my brain doesn't think it's interesting in the slightest and therefore I have absolutely no motivation to do them.

Maybe my special interests are more extreme than other people's. I wasn't diagnosed with a level, I just got a diagnosis of ASD, but I'm probably on the higher end of level 1, possibly on the lower end of level 2 but I can't really figure that out for myself. However, the ASD diagnostic criteria in both the ICD-11 and DSM-V state that your traits of autism must be causing 'clinically significant impairment' (i.e. they must be disabling) for you to qualify for an ASD diagnosis.

[mohsncharaotd]

Double feature today! Our second mid-or-high support needs character otd is Saiki from The Disastrous Life of Saiki K! He has mid-high support needs. He’s non-speaking and wears special devices on his head to assist with his sensory issues. He’s also a masker!

[ecoamerica]

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[frat-now]

Navigating the Spectrum: The 3 Autism Levels Explained

Introduction:

Understanding autism can be overwhelming, especially when faced with the complexities of support levels. But fear not, as we embark on a journey to demystify this spectrum. Today, we delve into the three levels of autism, shedding light on the nuances of each. Join us in unraveling this narrative of support, empowerment, and individuality.

To know more, check the image below.

[yellowyarn]

i always see sensory avoidant autistic people talking about how their favourite foods are all plain carbs but where are the sensory seeking autistics who live on garlic and spicy foods? the ones who will eat a straight lemon and hate buttered noodles.

[willtheweirdrat]

Here's to the autistics who are "way too aggressive". Here's to the autistics who get angry easily. Here's to the autistics who are impulsive. Here's to the autistics who have destructive meltdowns. Here's to the autistics who's anger ruins friendships/relationships. Here's to the autistics who can't control their emotions. Here's to the autistics who are bitter and mad. I see you, I love you (platonically), and I hope you have a great day.

[autibear]

stop calling other autistics ableist for treating their autism like a disorder

I don't care if your autism doesn't make you feel disabled you're a minority and you don't get to call the terminology other autistic people use ableist. Especially terms that are useful for level 3/high support needs autistics

If you don't like the levelling system or support labels and think it's the same as functioning labels don't use them on yourself. Stop calling them useless ableist and harmful

People are pretending this doesn't happen anymore but there are still posts and articles and videos everywhere trying to erase terminology useful to many mid-high support needs

If you think it's bad to talk about our differences you're wrong. We can both be a diverse community and have differences that we label. If you want to pretend we're all the same just because we're autistic you've only spent time with autistic people like you

Some autistic people need levels to understand their own needs or find other autistic people they can relate to

Some people call themselves a person with autism instead because that's what they're comfortable with

Some autistic people don't like that they're autistic and find it hugely disabling and struggle to find positives in it

Some autistic people say they are severely autistic because of how disabling their autism is

Some autistic people look autistic and cant mask

Some autistic people still use functioning labels on themselves because it's familiar and helps them and it's what they're comfortable with

Some autistic people say they have a disorder condition disability or ASD because that's what they're comfortable with

If you want to treat your autism like just a difference we're not stopping you. If you want to treat everyone's autism like just a difference then we have problems

If a label doesn't help you that's fine. Don't speak on how helpful labels that never even applied to you are. If you think all autistics with higher support needs are incapable of knowing what's ableist so you have to talk over them you are wrong.

[myrthing]

This is the DUMBEST SHIT I have ever seen, so congratulations! You win a prize and the prize is apparently "myling unwisely picking fights".

AS A LEVEL 1 autistic person I say this unto you: Shut up. Sit down. Listen to higher support autistics. If you're so scared to be seen as disabled that you have to deny how autism is the direct cause of people's disability, there's always just the possibility of masking. I don't like saying that, because I think it's perfectly possible to both be autistic and to not be disabled in any way, but I despise these attempts from fellow low support autistic people to distance the disorder from those who are actually disabled. It stinks of ableism.

ASD isn't a mental illness. It is a developmental disorder. Feel free to explain how homosexuality being seen historically as a mental illness maps onto a developmental disorder that is frequently both intellectually and physically disabling.

Sometimes, there's actually a good reason to have a name for a group of symptoms! Such as the fact it makes it easier to get help.

[borderlinedolly]

Things I Rarely See Talked About

Level 2/Medium Support Need Autistics

Level 3/High Support Need Autistics

Deaf and/or Blind Autistics

BIPOC Autistics

Nonverbal Autistics

Semiverbal Autistics

The Downsides of Getting a Diagnosis

Older People (30+) With Disorders Like DID, ASPD, BPD, Autism, Etc

[five-thousand-loaves-of-bread]

want autistics who don’t need constant or near constant support to know that having higher support needs, not able to live alone take care of self, not being able to hide autism, all of it can be really really devastating and suffocating.

not all sunshine and rainbows, or magically accommodated and needs met.

cannot leave ableist & abusive family because need to rely on them. because cannot be independent. because too poor for residential living or support worker. because no other support.

cannot escape authoritarian country with harsh censorship (not talk about US) because no country want such disabled person. because not productive member of society. because liability. because likely to be “public charge.”

forced to drop out of school. very soon. because need life carer and college not obligated to give that. even though want to learn. want to have secure future.

scared of future. because depend on others. cannot not depend on others. forced to trust. forced to make self so vulnerable. quality of life not in own hands. not having control on own life is terrifying.

scared about what to do after drop out of school. scared when parents lose job. scared when parents get old and can’t support me. scared when they die.

scared about own life. every day. trauma every day. trauma whole life. unspeakable trauma.

so, get really upset when see lower support needs autistics say that people like me lucky.

or erase people like me in advocacy. take away our language.

because am not lucky. not lucky to have to wonder if will be locked away, abused, or even killed in near future. real threat. not just distant advocacy terms.

[stal3bread]

I know that everyone stims, but I wanted to get a sample size from autistic people specifically. Also, I know there are non-vestibular stims involving other senses (such as hearing or sight) but I'm just talking about vestibular (movement) stims right now.

[mohsncharaotd]

Todays mid-or-high support needs character of the day is Sunny from omori!!! He has mid support needs and is choice verbal.

[sicksadstar]

Since we are a mid to high support level system shoutout to the autistics that :

• can't clean themselves correctly (+ too scared to ask for help)

• can't wipe correctly (+ too scared to ask for help)

• have a hard time dressing yourself (+ too scared to ask for help)

• have to be reminded to bathe

• have to be reminded to wash your hair

• have to be reminded to eat

• have to be reminded to brush your teeth

• have accidents

• wet the bed

• don't have great hygiene

[yellowyarn]

i love you autistics who don't have special interests

I love you autistics without sensory issues

i love you autistics who are hyposenstive

i love you autistics who are both hypo- and hypersensitive

I love you autistics who hate routine

i love you low empathy autistics

i love you high empathy autistics

I love you autistics with lots of freinds

I love you autistics who are hyper verbal

i love you autistics who make lots of eye contact

i love you autistics who can't mask

i love you autistics who dont know who they aren't behind their mask

i love autistics who are "childish"

i love autistics that have never had a meltdown

i love autistics with catatonia

i love autistics with intellectual disabilities

i love autistics with Anxiety and/or Depression

i love autistics with Psychotic Disorders

i love autistics with Bipolar Disorders

i love autistics with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders

i love autistics with truma Disorders

i love autistics with Dissociative Disorders

i love autistics with Eating Disorders

i love autistics with Somatic symptoms Disorders

i love autistics with Sleep Disorders

i love autistics with addictions

i love autistics with Personality Disorders

i loved autistic systems

i love autistics with multiple disabilities

i love autistics that can't work

i love autistics that cant leave their house

I love autistics who can't live alone

i love autistics who use AAC

i love poc autistics

i love people with autism who prefer person first language

i love autistics who use function labels

i love autistics with outdated diagnoses

i love autistics who were/are misdignosied

i love self diagnosed autistics

i love all autistic people

[willtheweirdrat]

Some LSN autistics in the tumblr autistic community really need to learn to find people they relate to and not just get dragged around wherever. No, HSN autistics aren't "taking over autistic tumblr", they are just becoming a part of the community and sharing their experiences. It's that simple. There are SO many resources for LSN autistics and it's just pointless to get "stuck" on that one place of the internet when HSN autistics have a voice. So, don't complain about them. They are more marginalized than us and they have a place to speak now, that's great! We should listen to what they have to say to us, respect them, and make our own spaces in such a diverse place. That doesn't mean we shouldn't ever unite over anything. We're all autistic and that's the one thing that brings us all together. Cause at the end of the day, it's night.

Thank you for listening to me.

[mischiefmanifold]

hey, autistic people (especially level 1 AFAB autistic people):

autism speaks is the reason any of us have healthcare and basic human rights, and the suffering of early diagnosed autistic girls like Murphy (darksideofautismreturn on TikTok) who paved the way for AFAB autism diagnosis.

without autism speaks and people like Murphy, most of us (me included) would not know about our autism and/or have diagnoses. be mindful of who you're condemning in your conversations about autism.

[nilla-divergent]

When neurotypicals and level 1 autistics say they love autism, what they really mean is that they love the kind that doesn't annoy you. They love the autistics who are quirky and have special talents, who can work independently and read social interactions well enough to fit in.

And then there are the level 2 autistics. They think its okay to bully us and yell when our autistic traits are more debilitating than theirs. When we can't shut up. When we meltdown.

And the level 3 autistics? "Oh, we just forget about them. We don't want to even acknowledge their existence. It's not like they can even think or hear us. We can talk about them like theyre an animal, right in front of their face, because they don't understand us anyway, right?"

When ableist neurotypicals and privileged level 1 autistics say they love autism, they mean they love it until you're an inconvenience.

If you...

Struggle with completing work

Wont shut up about your special interest

Cant regulate your emotions

Have loud stims

Cant mask

Have verbal shutdowns where you can't communicate at all, with or without AAC

Have meltdowns

Cry too much

Say something rude on accident

...you are seen as annoying, embarrassing, an asshole, an inconvenience, and someone to avoid.

If you...

Are semiverbal or nonverbal

Have "embarrassing" stims

Have frequent severe meltdowns

Can't work or live by yourself

Can't make friends

Have weird behaviors

...You're seen as dangerous, less than human, animalistic, and useless.

You are not. You have more meaning than they will ever believe. Your feelings, opinions, and thoughts matter.