What are signs of level 2 autism as opposed to level 1?

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IsabellaLinton, you're quite a survivor. ASD-2 people can and do survive living independently, but not easily.

At first, I had trouble understanding what the issues are for ASD-2 people achieving independent living. I have a better feel for it now and IsabellaLinton's story is not surprising to me. You should watch the TV series "As We See It" (Only on Prime video). It is a good representation of ASD-2s, with minimal support, learning to be independent . Also the film "Please Stand By", where an ASD-2 with a higher support level, elopes into the world and has many mis-adventures.

I saw the pilot of As We See It.
I was really freaked out by Violet.
I wasn't really like her.
I wasn't boy crazy or interested in sex at her age.
The guy I married was the first person to ask me out.
I wasn't happy in the dating relationship but didn't know how to end it.

Violet made me nervous because I could anticipate the danger she'd face.
That's why I had to stop watching it (trauma trigger).

I'll look for Please Stand By.

My issues of living alone:

I won't go outside to cut the grass or take care of the property
I have to pay landscapers and snow shovellers
I'm afraid to call tradespeople or service help (phone phobia / being exploited)
Executive function problems (cleaning, planning, decorating)
Lots of food issues, cooking issues, etc. (Thank goodness daughter went to chef school)
I have to do online shopping for groceries, to avoid sensory in stores (This makes it more expensive)
Self-care -- I can be really bad with this -- don't even ask
I've been sued by neighbours for violations of simple bi-laws
I get overwhelmed by paperwork and need help organising files or warranties
I can do my own income tax but I've made serious errors in the past
I'm afraid of car mechanics or anyone who might swindle me as a woman
I'm afraid to get married again or let anyone help me
I end up in shutdown most of the time, just staying inside ignoring the world
Not to mention: Years of custody assessments and family court trials so I could keep my kids

I meant how are you able to avoid the average strain of life and responsibilities of an adult? But you just said you are on disability which clears stuff up. I am in the process of getting approved for SSI now and am turning 19 in two weeks

Good luck, sohil.

I hope I haven't made life sound too intimidating.
I had a very rough go of it, because I didn't know I was autistic.
I thought that my fear and lack of awareness was normal.
I got in over my head from age 18 onward because I didn't know any better.
I didn't think I had any other options (and, perhaps I didn't).

I'm glad you're aware that you need help.
Don't take on more than you can handle.

I don't know what I should have done differently.
Obviously I shouldn't have married my first partner, when I wasn't happy.
I guess I should have moved back in with my parents after school?
(I don't see that as a great option either though, in my case.)
It never occurred to me I could have found a female roommate instead of marrying.

I did have a female roommate once, when the kids were little.
She moved into my house to help pay the bills.
That was a disaster too, because I couldn't communicate my needs properly.
I couldn't get her out.

I'm lucky that I had a good job which offered me LTD pay and a pension.
I just officially reached my retirement date last month.

One point I forgot to add to my recommendation of the series and film. They always have to make the characters extra cringy to make the plot interesting. I found it far fetched that Violet could have that level of social cluelessness along with other less severe issues.

I don't have a diagnosis, but I think I'm closer to level 2 than 1, at least compared to my brother and other level 1s.

I have a really hard time socializing, so interacting with others gives me intense anxiety, plus I don't like eye contact and can't even look at or face most people since it makes me panic. I get so paralyzed by the fact that I don't know what to do that I physically can't make myself talk a lot of the time. Crowded places and being in groups bigger than 5 people also freak me out, and the former disorients me. I also have noticeable deficits in body language + reading and imitating nonverbal communication, and have problems making the proper facial expressions + using proper tone. I still have some speech issues as an adult, like stuttering and having a speech impediment.

I have strict routines to the point most of my day has to be planned out to keep them them relatively the same, and if I can't manage that it makes me shutdown (or meltdown if the disruption is significant enough). Even slight changes in my routines or how things are done gives me intense anxiety. I also find it hard to handle new situations and changing activities without preparation, and usually depend on what's going to happen explained to me and planned out to do so. I also eat the same few things in a specific rotation, so my diet isn't as restricted as it could be, but is still restricted since I don't stray from that much.

I am prone to sensory overload. Loud sounds, multiple sounds at once (like multiple people talking), certain clothes and food textures, sunlight and certain artificial lighting, etc. overhelm me and can make me have a shutdown (or meltdown if it goes on for a long time and/or multiple things are happening at once). I have a lot of shutdowns, though I don't have a lot of meltdowns as an adult, which is good. I also stim a lot without noticing, even in public, since if I don't stim I get overwhelmed really quickly.

I am relatively independent otherwise and can take care of myself, though I couldn't really handle living by myself or handle a job without any support. I would neglect a lot of things even though I know how to do most of them (going to the doctor, shopping for food, etc.) and become burnt out quickly. I'm already getting burnt out as is with support from my family.

I also have comorbids that contribute to my difficulty functioning, like dyscalculia, ADHD, OCD, etc.

I honestly didn't find that they were unrealistically "cringy", and each of the characters and their issues reminded me of different autistic people that I have known. People who have more noticeable autistic traits are just naturally "cringy" (aka noticeably socially inept... like autistic people are lol) to allistic and higher functioning people, even without writers using them as comedic relief. That's just something I noticed from interacting with other autistics throughout school and even online.

I am diagnosed level 2/borderline 3.
What I've noticed in particular is that I do not fluctuate in my functioning. I do not ever feel above that. I am constantly that level, even when sitting alone by myself at home. That's what always puzzles me, I hear others say how we may be one level or another according to circumstance, and it's not like that for me. I am always this level of support needs. It doesn't go higher or lower throughout the day. My needs are constant.
So what is the difference for me?
I cannot drive. I do not own a phone, cannot answer a phone. I do not speak other than to my spouse.
I require a service dog to leave my home.
I can only work four hours at a time, and that has to be alone. My diagnosis actually states I shouldn't be expected to hold a job or support myself.
I don't answer doors, I am not capable of doing things in front of others. I have issues with showering and self care.
I can't attend college and I don't go out with any friends, because I don't have any.
I can't recognize faces.
I am married, but I rely on my husband to do pretty much everything, and sometimes it's more of a caretaker relationship.
That said, I tested as gifted on my iq, published my own book and graduated early with a fast track masters. yet I can't even muster to eat a normal meal. My diet is all same foods, and if I drift off of that, I tend to sink into disordered territory.