*sigh* "I guess we're ALL autistic!"

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It happened again.

The other day I posted here about someone who, hearing I'm on the spectrum, said "I have a relative who says autism is being over-diagnosed."

Yeah, so helpful and understanding.

Today, someone else asked me "Just what does 'autism' mean?"

I explained to them the bad neuro-wiring, the bad effect it has on natural "mechanisms" involved in socially connecting, overall communication, how it messes with sensory input and can lead to being easily fatigued...

The response was "Oh. Well, I guess we're all a little autistic".

I asked "So we're also all blind?"

The reply? "Yes."

These people who try to water everything down and...I don't know...smooth out human differences...

We're all blind? I'm sure blind people would appreciate someone being so understanding of their needs and circumstances.

I sort of clammed up when they said "Yes" because obviously this person just doesn't get it that there ARE disabilities and that they DO have impact, sometimes SERIOUS impact on someone's life.

Just like with the other day and the "over-diagnosed" comment, I'm not sure how to deal with people like this.

Again, any suggestions?

"Autism might be overdiagnosed in infants. In adults it's underdiagnosed" - a scripted answer to the overdiagnose text.

The answer to your question about blindness is so absurd that I couldn't respond to it, too.

NTs, unless they are really smart, have difficulty understanding autism.

Most disorders can be viewed as a collection of differences. If you spot enough differences you can extrapolate and assume that all the differences, or at least most of them, are present. Down's syndrome is like that.
But not autism. There is always someone here who will say that they have autism but not the difference (from NT) you just mentioned.

I'm tempted to copy and paste this thread into a word processor, print it out, and give them a copy.

This is something I am struggling with. I don't know if I am autistic or an NT. I have traits... I have a few issues. But where I stand I just don't know.
I tried to explain what I mean by a partial shutdown to my cousins eldest who works in the same place as I am (I currently have a part time temporary job) and he says "I have shutdowns" but then goes onto describe something which is not a shutdown and no where near what I get, and when I try to describe it, he says "I know what you mean" when he does not have a clue. What he is describing is what I call mind blank... Yes. I get them if very nurvous, but they are not shutdowns as I can reverse my mind out of them or I can think of something else. Is not the same. (Well... Not the same or anywhere near what I call a shutdown. I am not so concerned about mindblank when nurvous other then I can't get the information I want accross to the person I am speaking to).
Shutdowns have a panicky feeling with them if I go into them deep as I lose my ability to see and hear. Ooh... I want to start a thread as I have triggered off some thoughts...

That we are all blind makes me think you were dealing with a troll because that answer is so ridiculous.

The remark about blindness is ridiculous.

I do agree that autism is overdiagnosed, though.

Is difficult to tell if it is overdiagnosed or not. Many people are probably struggling through unaware of what is going on. Can you imagine going through life not knowing why?

I have tried that test. I had a score of 41? (It may have been 43). I don't think that can be right or I would have been discovered a long time ago. I actually did it twice as I first took it a few years ago when I had an aspie GF and she said to take it, and I put "No" for quite a few questions I disn't understand the meanings to, and I ended up with being right on the boarderline... And then just before i joined this site I didn't realize I had been given the same link so I did it again, but this time I knew what some of the words meant. I realized at the end of the test that it was the same test as the score was out if 50.
Why I ask if it is a real indication rather then a guide is I scored much higher then I expected. I believe I should be closer to just inside the boarder of being on the spectrum with traits...
I have not done any more tests and don't want to do that test again as I don't want my mind to get used to tests before I am assessed. I want an accurate reading about me as I can get when I am assessed.

I don't have a diagnosis and I don't consider myself ND at all, even though a lot of things are pointing that way. I can easily understand what you mean because it's the same thing when you try to explain to other parents how your autistic child is different. They just don't get it at all.

Typical conversations go like:
- He's very difficult to handle outdoors because he's unaware of dangers and comes across as totally deaf when you try to call on him.
- Yes, it's the same thing with my children, they just refuse to listen and scream no.



They can't comprehend the challenges at all because their idea of being shy, tired of people, anxious etc is not on the same level at all. I sometimes wonder how these people would be able to cope if they were given the same challenges. One thing I can give them is how extremely annoying it is with NT children and their conversations

According to some theories, everyone has an autistic aspect to their personality, which may be anywhere from very weak to very strong, but even with the latter, it doesn't mean they are autistic. Using autistic as an adjective of autism, suggests otherwise, and is misleading; historically, "autistic" came first, and it is "autism" that is derived from it, and not the other way around!