What level of autism do you have? And how do you cope with autism?

[amor.dor]

I recently discovered that I've been autistic all this time and I'm trying to learn more about it; I want to know more.

 

[Macedonian1987]

I have Asperger's. Because of this form of autism, i was always avoided by all people like i had the plague, called a weirdo, never had a true friend, nor a real relationship with a woman. I was totally alone for 38 years of my life. Then chronic pain came few years ago and I just cannot endure the pain+loneliness anymore. I will probably end it this year.

Also if all of this wasn't enough. My parents are so cold and never comfort me when I'm sad. In fact they twist things and make me feel like somehow I'm at fault for my depression and chronic pain.

 

[Always-in-trouble]

Level 1 (not actually sure, I don't think in the UK you are told if you are a certain level), but I am so socially inept times I shut down and try to think of anything else other than conversation. Large bouts of stimming also.

I have asperger's. Because of this form of autism, i was always avoided by all people like i had the plague, called a weirdo, never had a true friend, nor a real relationship with a woman. I was totally alone for 38 years of my life. Then chronic pain came few years ago and I just cannot endure the pain+loneliness anymore. I will probably end it this year.

Pretty hard to combat preconceptions about our conditions and gain people's trust...

 

[NormallyNeurotic]

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[UserFromNowhere]

Level one. No intellectual impairment but I'm constantly moving or picking at my skin/nails/hair to try and relieve stress, I suppose. It makes it difficult to deal with others because you're constantly having to figure out how they're going to react and never quite know the right words to say. The words that do encapsulate what you're thinking or allow you to help. Just feels like constantly faking and pretending like you know what's going on when the reality is you've just been masking and coping for so long you don't know what else to do. And then you get into cases where you're expected not to do things, like not wear headphones at work, so you can be attentive, when it's the only thing that helps with the constant mental pain.

 

[shiny_quill]

There aren't really "levels" to autism, it's a spectrum, and someone you might consider to be high functioning might struggle more with certain things than someone you consider low functioning, it really depends. I personally struggle most with social interactions and certain figures of speech, and the least with personal body language, but that's because I took acting classes and am good at masking, but I refuse to call myself Asperger because the man was literally a nazi and because rigid categories never make any sense.

I think it's usually best if you don't try to think of yourself as having "Asperger" or "savant syndrome" or anything like that but just observe where you struggle most and might need help if that makes sense?

 

[DonLockwood]

I have Aspergers and ADHD. It's not something that I would say that I am proud to have. But I cannot recall a time in my life where it has been a benefit or a source of pride. I've been treated as an outsider and have very few people I would consider as my 'close friends'. But I acknowledge the fact that I am on the spectrum. In regards to coping with it, there is a high level of masking that I try to do all the time. With little success...

 

[amor.dor]

Level one. No intellectual impairment but I'm constantly moving or picking at my skin/nails/hair to try and relieve stress, I suppose. It makes it difficult to deal with others because you're constantly having to figure out how they're going to react and never quite know the right words to say. The words that do encapsulate what you're thinking or allow you to help. Just feels like constantly faking and pretending like you know what's going on when the reality is you've just been masking and coping for so long you don't know what else to do. And then you get into cases where you're expected not to do things, like not wear headphones at work, so you can be attentive, when it's the only thing that helps with the constant mental pain.

I feel the same way as you, I'm also level 1, what bothers me the most is how easily I daydream.

 

[itsgone2]

I don't know. I'm not officially diagnosed but have all the social awkwardness and just have never known what to do. Interesting @Macedonian1987 commented because when he first mentioned having Asperger's and I looked into it. I would just say I knowI have all those symptoms. It's awful.

 

[NormallyNeurotic]

There aren't really "levels" to autism, it's a spectrum, and someone you might consider to be high functioning might struggle more with certain things than someone you consider low functioning, it really depends.

The levels they are referring to are from the DSM-5-TR, and are not the same as functioning levels! They focus more on needs/support as you can see.



While the wording of "severity" is less than ideal, this chart has helped more than it has hurt as it was the beginning of centering our support needs. Autistic advocates actually had a hand in penning much of the information on autism in this section of the DSM!

I think it's usually best if you don't try to think of yourself as having "Asperger" or "savant syndrome" or anything like that but just observe where you struggle most and might need help if that makes sense?

Also, Savant Syndrome is something completely seperate from autism, it's just that movies like Rain Man connected the two ideas. Allistic people can absolutely be a savant.

I feel the same way as you, I'm also level 1, what bothers me the most is how easily I daydream.

Literally. My maladaptive daydreaming is Hell, and genuinely led (in part) to my complex dissociative disorder.

 

[Macedonian1987]

I don't know. I'm not officially diagnosed but have all the social awkwardness and just have never known what to do. Interesting @Macedonian1987 commented because when he first mentioned having Asperger's and I looked into it. I would just say I knowI have all those symptoms. It's awful.

I know how awful and life-destroying Asperger's can be. It sucks to be avoided by all people even though you are a good person, and it massively sucks to be hated and uncomforted by your own biological parents because of it. Even my own biological brother calls me a weirdo.
This life, this world was never meant for me. I'm also much too sensitive to pain, too emotional and I cannot stand injustice.

 

[shiny_quill]

The levels they are referring to are from the DSM-5-TR, and are not the same as functioning levels! They focus more on needs/support as you can see.

View attachment 196143

While the wording of "severity" is less than ideal, this chart has helped more than it has hurt as it was the beginning of centering our support needs. Autistic advocates actually had a hand in penning much of the information on autism in this section of the DSM!

While it might be true, it's inflexible and not representative of reality. I'm west European, and here, we basically don't use it at all, because someone could be both a level 1 and 3; you could have someone who has difficulties initiating social interactions and is completely unable to cope with change, and will show signs of great distress if forced to change focus, it's not clear cut, which is what I meant by "rigid categories never make sense". Even on my official diagnosis, there's no mention of "level", it just mentions where my struggles were most noticeable during interviews and possible accomodations, and I don't know if that's the case everywhere but I assume most places go about it this way as well? At least I hope so, as that seems to makes the most sense with the current notion of ASD.

 

[Untoten_]

I recently discovered that I've been autistic all this time and I'm trying to learn more about it; I want to know more.

Enough to stim slightly when excited. I just lock myself away. I can't be bothered with having to explain to others.

 

[itsgone2]

This life, this world was never meant for me. I'm also much too sensitive to pain, too emotional and I cannot stand injustice

No. I wasn't meant for it either. I go into a rage when I perceive an injustice. I was usually raging over things that didn't really matter. But I know what you mean. One of many stupid behaviors that led to losing the people around me. A social misfit that found some areas to belong but completely ruined them, that's a large part of my legacy. What a waste.

 

[Leonard_Bangley39]

I have Asperger's and i SH on both arms. I wish i could change.

 

[amor.dor]

I have Asperger's and i SH on both arms. I wish i could change.

I'm sorry,I've had problems with SH in the past, I hope you can improve.

 

[Hollowman]

There's a site called Wrongplanet that might be useful.

 

[Macedonian1987]

I forgot to tell you all that there is a community of high functioning autistic people in my neighborhood, but sadly even they didn't accepted me in their community. While I was hanging around with them, I was always the one to initiate the first contact, so one day I stopped calling them. 3 years have passed and I got not a single call from any of them.

 

[Pluto]

 

[kuroshimi]

I am not diagnosed, but I am very interested in this, because I have some symptoms and one of my friends actually diagnosed with autism.

I have all that social awkwardness and feeling that I don't fit in. Echolalia, picky eating, all that stuff.

Also, I thought Asperger's not a thing anymore and it's called ASD now? Although it's still in ICD-10 and some countries use it. Not sure about DSM, though

 

[amor.dor]

I am not diagnosed, but I am very interested in this, because I have some symptoms and one of my friends actually diagnosed with autism.

I have all that social awkwardness and feeling that I don't fit in. Echolalia, picky eating, all that stuff.

Also, I thought Asperger's not a thing anymore and it's called ASD now? Although it's still in ICD-10 though and some countries use it. Not sure about DSM, though

View attachment 196152

I already had suspicions, but I went to a psychiatrist and psychologist who were able to notice that my ADHD masked the autism quite well, but my mother had Asperger's, and that further confirmed the autism. So, if you suspect or strongly identify with it, that's already a sign.

 

[Chronical_Suicidal]

I've never been officially diagnosed as autistic, but some people thought I am one - as well as some people thought I'm not. Anyway, I'm sure I'm neurodivergent, once I've struggled my whole life with social interactions and emotional imbalance. If I am autistic, the level of support is certainly number 1, and I can say that it is horrible, otherwise I wouldn't be here.

 

[thelostautistic]

I wasn't diagnosed with a level. But I assume people would class me as level 1. Personally I relate to experiences of level 1 and level 2 autism but I don't feel like I fit either one on its own‍♀ Anyways as for coping I struggle quite a lot. I spend most of my time isolated at home due to my poor mental health and physical health symptoms. My way of coping right now is avoidance. It's quite lonely but I've dealt with a lot of trauma from being undiagnosed and others things so I avoid the world so I can't get hurt again. Not the best coping mechanism.

 

[Mr.Tristesse]

I have the kind of autism that led me to join a suicide forum to figure out how to die.

 

[Anonymousa]

I assume I have level 2 cus of significant difficulties with some basic self care cus of sensitivity issues, sometimes only comfortable with making noises and not talking, obvious stimming and unable to emotionally handle doing a lot in one day, especially if its a one off thing or unplanned. I think I was diagnosed before the level thing was introduced. I don't really bother with masking cus of not caring what the average person thinks and family is alright with it but I worry I won't be able to handle doing all of the a lot of stuff average adults are able to.

 

[NormallyNeurotic]

Even on my official diagnosis, there's no mention of "level", it just mentions where my struggles were most noticeable during interviews and possible accomodations, and I don't know if that's the case everywhere but I assume most places go about it this way as well? At least I hope so, as that seems to makes the most sense with the current notion of ASD.

Generally, it's a consequence of how fucked the USA health system is. Setting up these levels was needed to shift focus from our usefulness to our support needs—hence me saying "it helps more than it hurts."



I agree that the "color wheel" spectrum of autism is the most accurate, but levels is still much better than what we had prior. So I think comparing them to "functioning levels" and other "Aspergian" concepts is kinda harmful.

Also, I thought Asperger's not a thing anymore and it's called ASD now? Although it's still in ICD-10 and some countries use it. Not sure about DSM, though

It was "removed" from the DSM (absorbed into ASD), yeah. But many people still use the term unfortunately.
I won't go farther into detail because frankly, it seems like I'm the minority in not liking the fact that people self-label with a disorder named after a Nazi and partially modeled after his "studies" on which autistic people are useful enough to live versus be culled.

 

[Archness]

I can't really put myself into a standardized "Level", because I'm not clearly dumber/smarter then a person overall (Though I am slower and have less memory), I am, a NEET that stays home all day. So I could say level 2 based on "results", though there's plenty of Neurotypical people that are NEETS regardless so not really an accurate guess.

Though there was a basic evaluation, but all that was confirmed is that, apparently, I'm at least capable of standing somewhere scanning tickets all day. There's that.

My problem isn't that I'm unable of using language, I've had some people tell me I'm above average actually. Difficulties with the unwritten social rules everyone else is an inherent master at though. Main issue is that internally I'm too different from everyone else. I'm not even able to really mask at all, and just clown-maxxed my way into popularity for middle and the first half of highschool.

But now, I don't initiate social interactions at all, I can manage, just not make anything start, or form into a connection; I'm unable to actually have any friends, offline, and even online mostly.

Overtime, I'd experience failure. But unlike a neurotypical person who had the foundation of Instinct and Intuition to learn and build from, I don't learn or have any gain, period. I've only learn "Don't do this" "Don't do the opposite" "Don't do nothing", but in the end it all makes the sum of null. There's no growth from failure, only confirmation of inability, while everyone bends over backwards to deny it.

Being unable to form connections with others made me really lose interest in this world... etc-etc, and thus I'm a SaSu user.

TL;DR :
-- Intelligent but incapable of understanding. Separate from humanity. Became a NEET due to this.
-- Cope? I CAN'T, I CAN'T TURN IT OFF ! ! !

 

[jazzcat621]

Level 2 here. I was "the weird one" in school, and largely avoided k-12. Now I pretty much only socialize with other autistic trans people, and cant really mask. I feel very lucky to have found the community i have, I would definitely be way more lonely most other places. If there is anything id recommend its finding community among other neurodivergant people though.

 

[NormallyNeurotic]

I can't really put myself into a standardized "Level", because I'm not clearly dumber/smarter then a person overall (Though I am slower and have less memory)

Hey, so I'm not sure where you heard that levels are based in intelligence, but you're wrong. Just wanted to make this completely clear, since Level 3s have this stereotype put on them a lot. I posted the Level chart farther up the thread.

 

[ScaredCutter]

level 3. fucking sucks man, i just play games and try to go out.

i have social anxiety and selective mutism. i still havent found a way around thpse or how to deal with either. i play games since communication is easy online (text chats). and i try to be outside then and there but i still get nervous when i see somebody. i go outside with my cats because they love it and it gets me to move around more and stop being inside as often. ill probably need a support person soon but, im scared of getting one.

most days idc about it but, i cant push through either. only recently could i break through one of my struggles when it comes to talking but, it was so unbelivebly hard. i wore smth i like though.