What do you consider to be "high-functioning?"

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We now know that the IQ cutoff is inaccurate (even people with severe non-verbal autism can have average or above average intelligence, so when do you consider someone to be "high-functioning?"

Does it mean they can take care of all their basic needs and are able to communicate? I know functioning labels are controversial,) I just wanted to hear your thoughts.

Someone who can make friends, have girlfriends, not feel overwhelmed by sensory stimuli. Basically someone who has aspergers, but is closer to NT functioning.

I was diagnosed as high functioning... but I just don’t see it. I see myself as moderate since there seem to be many more socially capable than I am...

Those who can manage and perform in life in general. Regardless the shortcomings and difficulties.

OR

Those who supposed to 'have' things easier to manage and perform in life in general. Regardless of the accomplishments and actions done.

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High Functioning is a label given to us by people who have never experienced what we experience and who never will. It is a measure of how well we can conceal or hide out Autistic symptoms and traits. It has nothing to do with what we ACTUALLY struggle with or how severely we struggle. It is only a marker of how well we are able to hide our struggles so that we can be allowed to keep our independence as best as we can. Functioning labels are basically markers of how annoying we are to nts. The more difficult it is to care for us, the more annoying our traits and symptoms are to them, the lower the functioning label will be. If they can give us a high functioning label, they can make excuses and justifications as to why they do not have to help us or give us services or accommodations. That is all functioning labels do. That is why I hate them.

I agree with Skibum

I always think of it like this
High functioning: Can function in daily life and can do most stuff with very little or no help
Moderate: Needs way more help than high functioning, but not as much as severe
Severe: Needs tons of help to function in daily life

Well, there's got to be a line drawn somewhere, because years ago when ASD wasn't as acknowledged as it is today, some ASD people kind of lived normal lives while others went into institutions or whatever they're called. So basically a high-functioning Aspie is a person who usually "slips through the cracks".
But high-functioning doesn't have to have a set of precise symptoms, because every person on the spectrum is different. But there are people on the spectrum that are considered high-functioning.

I'm high-functioning. Yes, I suffer anxiety, I am terrible at math, I can get overwhelmed, I don't like certain loud noises, I need to be on meds to help have control over outbursts, and I am not the best at making friends. But despite all that I am still high-functioning, maybe because I can verbally communicate my feelings to people very easily, I'm able to ask if I'm unsure about money/math-related things, I can still put on a front when overwhelmed, I try to bear through loud noises, I can take my meds regularly, and I can force myself to fit in and chat to people without being too awkward, plus I enjoy social interaction so that helps. And I can wash myself, dress myself, cook (although I'm not good at it but I think I could cook if I put my mind to it), and go out and do errands on my own, and I can hold down a job and a romantic relationship and all that. So I consider all that to be high-functioning. In fact, I can do anything if I put my mind to it, but usually what stops me is overthinking and anxiety. But my ADHD makes some things difficult too, like focusing on tasks, remembering things, getting organised, getting motivated, sitting still, biding my time, learning new things, and a few more.

But other than IQ, I would really like to know what makes low functioning people low functioning. Is it because some of them have other conditions that are comorbid to Autism but not Autism directly that impair them further? And if they do not have comrobid conditions, what is it specifically about their Autism that makes them function at a more obviously impaired level? Are they affected by stimuli much more intensely rendering them unable to cope at all? Are they just more severe in the same traits that I deal with? Would they be able to function much better if the environment were suited for them. If we can understand what makes lower functioning Autists fit the label of low functioning, we might be able to more clearly define what makes a high functioning Autist high functioning.

I was diagnosed as having high functioning Autism and my IQ has been estimated at approximately 150 so you could say I'm on the very high-functioning end of Autism. But...

I have several other debilitating neuroses that greatly interfere with the very high-functioning aspect of my psyche. I have OCD, GAD, ADHD, Bi-polar and PTSD so all of that creates a terrible mix inside of my mind and any advantages that I might have gained with HFA were either diminished or cancelled completely. I do have periods where I can focus greatly and perform on the high functioning level but that performance level is sporadic at best and not very dependable at all.

My real advantages are extreme memory retention and political analysis as well as computer science but as I mentioned I can't perform on demand when I want to most of the time for any of that. It's a bit like being given the keys to a Lamborghini Murcielago, but without any gas in the tank nor any way to get gas when you want to.

It can be excruciatingly frustrating.

_________________
*** High Functioning Autism - Asperger's Syndrome ***

ADHD, OCD, and PTSD.

Keep calm and stim away.

Too many standards to bar with.
But I have a clearer picture of what autism could do to me because I have no comorbidities to speak of.

This is how I could explain it as simple as possible.
In my case:
Medical Standards - High Functioning (Aspergers as a diagnosis -- as in autism with no speech delay and average or better IQ)

Support Standards - High Functioning (No OT/ABA/Therapy/Assistance required. No LD/Clinical
Comorbidity/'Interfering Sensitivities'/'Narrow Comfort Zones'/'Triggers'/etc... Few interventions needed -- even nonprofessionals with enough responsibility could've handle.)

Contextualized Standards - Moderately Functioning (Still playing catch-up at age 23. Executive Dysfunction, Language difficulty, Social inappropriateness, Emotion Regulation, Certain Sensitivities, etc...)


I'm not 'stronger'. Just less vulnerable.

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I believe originally the high functioning designation was given to any who were not very severely autistic and intellectually disabled.

Someone who requires little support from other people, can blend in okay, and has few language issues.

Though I definitely don't like functioning labels, as they don't show the whole picture.

Being high functioning means you have normal intelligence, can speak normally, attend main stream school, don't need help with basic daily life. You dress yourself, wash, do your chores etc without problems, cook your meals, eat without having to be prompted.