So, everyone is on the Autism Spectrum?

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My psychology teacher recently spoke to me concerning my suspicions aboutAutism/Aspergers. . . In the conversation he mentioned how everyone is on the spectrum and the degree of autism is dependent on their individuality. There's just different names for each 'space' on the spectrum. So, basically, everyone has some level of autism according to the traits.

Has anyone come across this before?

Not everyone is autistic of course, but those who are on the spectrum have different traits that vary from individual to individual. Some people on the spectrum have it so mildly that it isn't noticeable, while others have more severe autism that can result in language and physical disability.

There are different names for different severities of autism. Asperger's syndrome or HFA are mild cases of autism. More sever autism is called classical autism or Kanner's Syndrome. Other unspecified types of autism are called PPNOS.

No.

Next question.

Seriously though autism is a disorder and it's people like your doctor that is making other doctors want to limit the amount of people diagnosed with autism. You get diagnosed with a disorder or illness to get help for said disorder or illness.

That would be the theory that states all forms of autism eventually merge into the normal continuum of behavior, as the symptoms of autism are found in all humans in various levels of severity (Lorna Wing has this in her paper on AS).

I'm divided:

I see that introverted people are closer to such than extroverted people, but I often see such a clear distinction between those with autism and those without, as if they're two separate species [that look alike]. This latter half isn't due to how the disorders are defined officially, just how the behavior of those with autism is so far detached from the rest of the population, no matter how introverted they are.

Statements of psychology teacher R meaningless N useless, Meow.

I haven't seen a doctor yet. I was just talking with my Psychology teacher ... I wasn't taking his word as concrete information either. I was just wondering, because my mother was saying this to me as well.

No.

I would go so far as to venture that 50% of the people could be on the BAP but this is ridiculous.

*lol*

And, that is a very handsome, cute kitty pic you have.

ps: I am into art and I love kitties, and I look at avatars.

Somebody I know has said three things. To me, she's mentioned a couple of autistics she worked with in a residential facility who were autistic, in order to try to explain to me what she thinks autistics are like. She's then also told me she thinks everyone is on the spectrum. To my girlfriend, she's mentioned a surgeon she knows with Asperger's. I think she doubts I have anything diagnosable going on, though she seems reluctant to come right out and say it to my face, in so many words. I'm kind of confused. Does she think I'm not diagnosable because she thinks of autism as a severe condition, because she thinks it isn't really anything, or because I'm not brilliant enough in anything she can see that would make me capable of being something like a surgeon?

While we're at this, let's not forget all the people who want to tell someone with mild autism, "There's nothing wrong with you. You're just weird..." or, "You just don't want to have to do things you're supposed to do but that you don't like."

So does this mean that ever one has ADHD to? I mean we could just go right down the list of Developmental disorder and just say ever one has it.

"Everyone's a little bit autistic".
My OT told me that once; I think she was trying to make me feel better, but in reality it just made me feel confused.

It's all a matter of imagination. If you're a type of Aspie who feels miserable and isolated, believe that everybody is on the spectrum, if it makes you feel better. It would me.

Autism is obviously a condition which affects developmental capabilities, emotional function, sensory integration etc etc etc. If someone is in the normal range for all or at least most of these things they do not have a condition that needs recognising and they therefore don't need help. It's simple, the name of this condition is called Autism and if people don't have the traits that relate to the condition then they are not autistic.

I understand that the spectrum fades into normality somewhere and some people could be described as having "schizoid personalities" and such, but we have to draw a line somewhere. Otherwise everyone could end up with useless labels that they really don't need.

Yeah, heard that exactly from a lecturer/ASD spokesperson.

Same person to tell me that those with classical autism are the really disabled people who generally have cognitive impairments and that I and others with AS are "simply a little eccentric but no one would ever think of us as disabled" and that "people usually notice there's something different about us due to our displays of high intelligence."

It was all so ridiculous that I didn't even know what to respond at that moment other than "no".

It's a view fairly commonly held by NTs who don't really know what they are talking about. Generally they mean "oh, everybody dislikes social situations to some degree" or something else that completely misunderstands what autism is.

That's a good point. Yes and No to the question. Yes all people have executive functioning flubs. Yes all people have impulse control problems. Yes all people have depression.
The difference is in the number of these moments. You could say that all human behavior is expressed on the spectrum, but some of this is more exaggerated or expressed to extreme degrees.