Why do people think everyone is autistic to some degree?

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I'm curious, on another forum someone asked whether anyone thought her kid could be autistic and then someone posted saying everyone is on the spectrum. Quite a few posted agreeing. I don't agree. And I'm curious as to why they think this, anyone have any ideas. Also do you agree that everyone is autistic to some degree?

I don't think everyone is, but you can share autistic traits without actually being autistic. For those the expression used is "broad autism phenotype" - while they have traits, they do not have enough nor are effected enough to be classified as having a disorder. But by no means is everyone autistic. It's not rare to have autistic-like qualities.

I don't think everyone is autistic to some degree. I think what they mean is, everyone shows a sign here and there but the difference is people with autism go above it and that is when it becomes autism because it causes them an impairment.

Everyone shares a couple of symptoms of everything. It's a normal fact of life.

I don't like the phrase, it makes it sound... I'm not sure. Like it's no big deal to be autistic because everyone is, even though there are groups claiming autism is a horrible disease that needs to be eradicated and we definitely don't fit in with society. The wording is also untrue, because autism is how the brain is wired, and there is a distinct difference with those on the spectrum.

However, it is easy for people to have autistic traits and not be autistic themselves, like my husband. He's... odd enough to be considered eccentric, but he is not socially awkward, quite the opposite. I don't think anyone would say he's on the spectrum, they'd be more likely to blame his eccentricities on being intelligent (that whole fine line between genius and insanity thing).

I guess because people have said that autism is a spectrum from disordered to NT. Therefore, NTs can be thought of as being at the far end of the spectrum rather than not on it at all.

There are some people who have traits that cause them a significant impairment but they don't have enough to be on the spectrum so they are called autistic tenancies I believe. Then there is borderline autism where they score between normal and autistic scale but they didn't have enough to be on it but they have traits that impair them. I have met a few like that in my group. It's treated like they have it because they have the label so they can get the help they need.

Due to this autism thing being quite the "fad" within society.

Also because of Conspiracy-Theories™ regarding Sodium-Fluoride, Fluoxetine, Mercury, Big Pharma, MK-Ultra, Mind-Control™, Psychotronic-Weaponry, Mass-Hypnosis, Televisions™, Propaganda, Educational™-Institutions (i.e.: Indoctrination-Centres), and a Pseudo-Scientific™ Public !

I feel that the claim is a misunderstanding of what autism is. If you took each criteria of an autism diagnosis on its own, you're bound to find many people with the same trait. I think it comes from focusing on only one or two of those criteria, which can easily apply to a large portion of people. For instance, there can be many children who are obsessed with trains and have poor social skills. Narrow interests and limited social ability are two of the criteria in an autism diagnosis, but it doesn't mean the child is autistic. Those criteria add up to autism when a certain number of them are met and it presents an impairment in functioning.

I've had a lot of this recently. It's especially tough to explain it to BAPs (broader autistic phenotypes). Almost everyone in my family and social circle are on the spectrum, (obviously I surround myself by like-minded people who don't judge me) but most are not at diagnosable levels. It seems they relate to things I'm saying too much and it's easy for them to dismiss it as a fake diagnosis. I find being able to refer to my sensory problems and physical symptoms specifically helps, as they have been observed. For example, I refer to times of injury when I reacted in an odd way, like not sufficiently advocating for myself, seeking help or showing "normal" signs of pain. I've also referenced the things they've found annoying, like not returning phone calls or being able to organising myself, but this tends to make it seem like by seeking a diagnosis I just wanted an excuse. I once mentioned how I feel the diagnosis has given me validation but there was a noticeable "Oooohhhh, that's why she wants to be autistic" moment, which was frustrating after almost getting through to the person. It's hard to explain the "quirkiness" thing to someone who just talked about having 10 boxes of her old 'polly-pocket' and 'my-little-pony' toys and openly planned her wedding/stocked up on baby clothes before meeting her husband :p

I find the reaction of "oh yeah everyone I know is autistic in some way" is often just an observation (it's a good thing to start with- at least the traits are not completely alien and frightening to them) and an attempt to connect or relate to the person. From their perspective they are up-to-date with the research of autism, possibly their own social circle are made of fairly-high-up-the-spectrumites, and all their visions of "real" autistic people are of children having tantrums or in medical situations. I don't think we should expect too much before they fully understand it affects us all differently in different situations.

I think I'm waiting for apologies for dis-believing me and insinuating hypochondria before the actual diagnosis. Then I'll know that they really understand it and realise they were wrong about autism. I don't think I'll actually get apologies though.

If more of us have these awkward educating conversations, less will eventually have to. It's important to stress we are not "defective", but also that it is a serious disability when we're trying to cope with everyday things. We have to admit that it's a thin line for them to tread when struggling to know what to say.

It may be that what they mean by the statement is that there are commonalities of experience wherever you are on the human spectrum. And that is true.

For example: anxiety is common to the whole of the human spectrum; some people (including some NTs) experience anxiety much more intensely; anxiety is a particular issue for people on the ASD part of the human spectrum.

On the other hand, I think there are times when people make this statement to minimise differences - in a misguided attempt to be more inclusive of differences, in a well meaning way.

At the end of the day we are all on the same planet and part of the human spectrum. In that sense, they have a point I think.

My older brother is quiet and shy (except when he's around me and other people he knows well), speaks in a low voice that our parents and I have trouble understanding, and has unusual interests, but he's always had friends and makes eye contact and will eat almost anything out in front of him. But I still wonder sometimes how he was never diagnosed with Asperger's but I was.

But to say "Aren't we all just a little Autistic?" is annoying beyond belief.

Trust me when I say that most people are not autistic.

Some people do have traits but that's because of their personality type. The quiet, not overly talkative, very logical types do have symptoms but they're not necessarily autistic. The popular, party-animal, neanderthalz who just want to grind on some b*****s all night long in da club definitely arne't autistic.


I can meet someone and within 5 minutes, I can tell if they're autistic or not. Because even though they say autism affects people differently and it's unique, most autistics have similar traits which I can pick up on. Someone who appears socially off, nerdy, aloof and quirky, and doesn't understand neurotypical talk. Seriously though, most autistics act the same. They either come off as special or socially aloof nerds.


btw, I f*****g hate that they got rid of the Aspergers diagnosis. A big load of BS. f**k you, DSMV!

If I am actively engaged with someone I have just met - say in a one to one conversation - I can usually discern within an hour whether they have ASD traits or not, I think. When new people come to our Social Anxiety group - 80% appear to be on the spectrum - I can usually tell very quickly; many do avoid all eye contact when speaking, particularly to a stranger, while trying to relieve anxiety with stims that others may not notice, though I do; often just when someone else happens to mention anything about Aspergers, the newcomer's face and eyes instantly light up and there is a fleeting look of relief on their faces. We are a very inclusive group, and it operates as an Aspergers haven of understanding for the hidden autists, as well as people with Social Anxiety alone. The membership overall is made up of the kindest and most considerate people I have ever met in a group setting like this; there is empathy in spades.

I share your concern about the deletion of Aspergers; that was a political decision, not a scientific one, though it does show a bigger picture of how the DSM is constructed and functions, and the populations it serves are not the populations who are affected by its reconstructionism with every new edition.

If everyone was autistic then WE would be the NT's.

Those people are uninformed...ignore them

Autistic people attribute too much to autism, that isn't autistic. NT people think they have autistic traits that aren't actually autism.