#high functioning

[clown-around-and-find-out]

everyone is all about autism acceptance until they meet an autistic they can't infantilize

[spooksforsammy]

Saw really wrong statement so need get out.

Low functioning autistics do exist. High functioning autistics exist too. It an identify, and for some a diagnosis. You might not like term, or want used on self, but to say no one is functioning label is wrong.

Know others who call self low functioning n know some who use high functioning. Know some who use severe autism and special needs. Know some who hate those and only use autism/ support labels. That’s fine! It’s how identify self.

No the world shouldn’t determine worth based off how much can do. But some of us have accepted not able do much for society. Accepted fact can’t function how society wants. That ok.

Please don’t say (low/ high) functioning autistics don’t exist. Because then forget n block out so many of use that do exist

[son-of-dracula-flow]

Doc told me I was autistic, so I smoked all the air out of his lungs and stole his abilities. Call that high-functioning

[chronicsymptomsyndrome]

Idk if this is controversial but “high/low support needs” doesn’t feel any better to me than “high/low functioning” my brain processes them as the same sentiment. Idk if I’m the only one? Obviously I don’t personally know every autistic ever, but in my experience both firsthand and through six years of community research, it seems to me that support needs/function levels tend to fluctuate throughout a persons life. And it’s all relative. And I think that applies to humans regardless of neurotype, not just autistics. Maybe I’m wrong, I’m not all-knowing, that’s just what makes sense to me.

EDIT: If you see things differently that is valid. If you personally identify with support needs labels that is valid. If they help you navigate the world and your place in it, that is valid. Just like its valid for me to feel extremely uncomfortable and often triggered by them. Don’t try to tell me its not. Again, this is just what makes sense to me. Thanks.

[cr-pplepunx]

i cut off a friend because they reposted something that used unemployment as an insult. the sentiment was along the lines of "you still cant get a job". i tried to inform them but they said that im just being ridiculous and insecure, as well as drawing a boundary that it isnt okay to tell them that something they said was ableist.

today they informed me that they have no intention of apologizing because they know for a fact that it wasnt ableist. they believe they have authority over whether it qualifies as ableism because they are autistic and mentally ill. however, they are low-support needs and able to maintain a fulltime job and relationship without detriment to their hygeine or health. personally, i think that since im unemployed and low functioning my voice should maybe take precedence in this kind of conversation. but maybe im missing something with that mindset, so i wanted to see what the internet thinks.

please only vote if you are disabled. reblogs for sample size are highly appreciated <3

[gillipopmoji-archived]

honestly I'm tired of the person first/identity first debate. the default shouldn't matter very much as long as you listen to what the person in question wants. shout-out to anyone who uses any of the following terms:

person with autism.

autistic person.

autistic (noun)

autistic (verb)

has autism

is autistic

suffers from autism

gifted with being autistic

on the low end of the spectrum

on the high end of the spectrum

very autistic

has a little bit of autism

profoundly autistic

high functioning

low functioning

low support needs

high support needs

gifted

not normal

weird

neurodivergent

disabled

differently abled

ableminded

not disabled

has a touch of the tism

neurosilly

neurospicy

special

special needs

normal

some other word/phrase I've never heard

[rain-rainynights-side]

i'm a rockstar. i can fool you into believing the glamour and glory are real and not a trick of the spotlight

[speedc0il]

im pretty sure I have autism but it's one of those forms of autism to where people wouldn't believe me if I said I have it because in today's society only low functioning autistic people get noticed

[do-angels-dream-of-starry-seas]

So I'm going to be stepping on toes, but I feel like this is something that has to be said:

When I say you cannot use "low functioning" or "high functioning", I'm not saying this as "oh that terms demeaning" (even if I do think so).

I'm saying I don't think it's possible to ever be able to reclaim those terms, as they were originally used by a nazi collaborator to do eugenics.

The last time I said this, I had autistic people who used those terms tell me off - but are you Jewish? Do you actually understand the history of the language you're using?

If anything, the only people I would trust on their opinion of these terms is from Jewish autistic people, and everyone else - low to high support needs - should listen as well

[starcrossedandstupid]

GUESS WHO GOT THEIR DIAGNOSIS TODAY BABBYYYYYY

IT’S IN MY MEDICAL RECORDS NOW

I now officially have high functioning autism!!

[antifathomable-shapeshifter]

whats fascinating about my brain is that i frequently make clever observations amd connections thats others do not and yet i also frequent forget things like. the existence of Tylenol.

[wasteland-radio]

while i remember: small life update

been volunteering for few months and going very good! very happy decided to volunteer with church even though visibly disabled and not christian lol.

church is very small very close knit and NOT bigoted as shit. very normal about me even though nonverbal/use crutch/dress alternative. only got kinda personal/invasive question once ("can you speak at all") and that was after i've already been volunteering for months. when started volunteering, was acknowledged but not asked about. ("you can just use that [my phone notes app]"). everyone very nice to me, no one insist no praying i get "better"/less disabled (which was very worried about).

i volunteer helping sunday school with elementary age kids, they also very nice to me. one even ask to learn sign language (which i'm primarily learning for reasons unrelated to verbality, and is somewhat common knowledge that i know). don't have too much responsibility but enough that i feel useful and am contributing (preparation/cleaning/distributing) and specific instructions.

volunteered with photography for easter egg hunt, and now asked for me to help there for VBS. still very different from everyone but very thankful for community (especially because all different generation and background) that treats me with respect and as equal. feel normal :)

[brytnoter]

reminder that MASKING doesn't mean

"acting neurotypical"

it means

"suppressing autistic traits"

[cr-pplepunx]

is it okay if i use functioning labels for Myself? like i am a mid-high support needs disabled person but i also describe myself as low functioning. it feels like functioning labels serve the purpose of describing your current ability to Function (feed/bathe yourself, manage your space, hold a job, socialize, etc) with your current resources. while support needs serve the purpose of describing what and how much you need.

i can only hope that once my support needs are met, i would be higher functioning. but there are people who have high support needs that will never have their needs met enough to be able to function or produce more. for example: my semi-verbal alter who will never be able to hold a complex conversation, let alone a job, no matter how many aac devices she uses or patient listeners she encounters. or our body. with all the physical therapy, braces, medication, and whatnot in the world there would still be days we cannot cook or clean or bathe ourself.

maybe im reaching, idk, but it almost feels like the idea that functioning labels are insulting to the disabled individual comes from the idea of productive=good person + unproductive=bad person. i dont see how the statement that i cannot function in my day to day life is somehow degrading to myself or those who share my disabilities.

[trashandwriting]

"They are high functioning" WRONG! I'm actually screaming crying throwing up

[job-joana]

Foreword

Some people were born poets, I unfortunately was not one of the chosen ones.

I suffer with long phrases, complicated paragraphs and have always been cursed with finding it impossible to quiet down the long stream of words that leave me every time I sit down to write. This nasty habit has followed me to my personal thoughts, never have I ever been able to simply say what I mean. I use synonyms of simple words because I always seem to try to find the perfect locution for whatever I'm feeling, but it is never the case. A thesaurus has always been a dear friend of mine. Plagued with the painful knowledge that I'm not one to write brief beautiful and crystal clear works around what I truly want to communicate. Stuck in a life of misunderstandings all because I constantly fail at constructing simple phrases worthy of attention. Always the quiet one in a full room afraid of being a bore with my weirdly condescending speech. I do not wish to bore you, I merely can not be one of those straightforward individuals with strong words and honest opinions. My nervous system has always been more nervous rather than systematic, my methods are not always orthodox and are far too dishonest to be called true beliefs. My intention isn't to deceive you but perhaps to make you not truly know me, I am afraid you will understand me too well if I speak clearly rather than murmur meaningless sayings.

I chose to not write in my mother language, not because I am not patriotic or fail to exceed at writing with it, my mother tongue is simply too dear to me. Too honest maybe. For all I know, one day I might write to you, beloved reader, in my beautiful language. But right now, you still have to prove to be worth talking to with stronger words and definitions. English was always a sweet shield from harsh realities, owning words that can be powerful but, to me, feel empty.

So if you allow me, let me tell you half-truths with empty words and if you truly wish to get to know me, I'll let you read between the lines.

This is high-functioning.