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Autism. Many people have a idea about what it looks like. Seems I am not one of them. When I said I was going to get tested for autism to my therapist she said I may have it but would be extremely high functioning. Yeah I can pass for normal most of the time and can work a full time job with accommodations. But that kind of dismisses the problems I do have and puts pressure on me to be normal all the time. I got my autism diagnosis confirmed by an expert in the field. But sometimes I think I can’t be autistic. I just don’t conform to the normal stereotype the media and others portray as being autistic. I am considered too high functioning.
What does that mean too high functioning? I can drive, hold down a job, and for the most part take care of myself. But what about the fact that I have a hard time living alone so I live at home, have a hard time with personal hygiene, have a hard time fixing meals for myself, have a hard time going public places alone, or have an extremely hard time forming relationships outside my own family. But like I said I am considered to be very high functioning.
Why we have to have functioning labels to begin with is beyond me. I think it hurts everyone who is autistic. It puts unrealistic expectations on some while looking down on the others. I have read posts of other autistics that don’t like the functioning labels as well and it makes sense that they are inherently bad. Though I can see why some would like the “high” functioning label. Mostly to tout as being better than the ones labeled as “low” functioning I would think. But to me I hate being considered “high” functioning to me its like saying you are not autistic so your struggles do not matter.