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Question about the "spectrum"

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SignOfLazarus
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26 Sep 2014, 7:53 pm

EzraS wrote:
SignOfLazarus wrote:
EzraS wrote:
I think it should be on a 1-10 scale.

1 Very mild
10 Severe.

On a scale like that am probably a 7.


There is great difficulty with that- and it is actually one of the issues that I personally run into with the whole "High Functioning Autistic" thing.


Far as I know high functioning means not intellectually disabled and able to care for yourself.

That is what it is SUPPOSED to mean.


Quote:
I'm moderate functioning because I'm not intellectually disabled, but not able to care for myself; have to be taken care of like a 5 year old.


But then by ^that^definition^, what you are saying doesn't apply?
So, then you probably get what I said, even if you are trying to apply the technical definition. If I have the label "High Functioning", people still try to apply that label. to everything in my life- whether or not they actually understand what it is supposed to describe. Even professionals who are supposed to know.

But I completely agree on the "too complicated" thing. EVERYTHING too complicated.


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Opi
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27 Sep 2014, 8:48 am

Well it's not uncommon for other conditions to run into people who have traits but don't meet the full diagnostic criteria so I don't see why that wouldn't hold true for asd. After all any diagnosis is an artificial construct. It's just a way for doctors to try to identify common groupings of traits or symptoms and of course now for billing insurance. That any diagnosis reflects only our best understanding at any given time is one reason why the dsm is constantly being revised. If someone has enough traits to be deemed clinically significant but not enough to meet diagnostic criteria they call it "NOS".such as "depressive disorder nos ". Etc. or someone might have a few traits but not enough for any diagnosis. So I would go with option number one. Jack what did I win? ;)


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EzraS
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28 Sep 2014, 1:28 am

SignOfLazarus wrote:
EzraS wrote:
SignOfLazarus wrote:
EzraS wrote:
I think it should be on a 1-10 scale.

1 Very mild
10 Severe.

On a scale like that am probably a 7.


There is great difficulty with that- and it is actually one of the issues that I personally run into with the whole "High Functioning Autistic" thing.


Far as I know high functioning means not intellectually disabled and able to care for yourself.

That is what it is SUPPOSED to mean.

Quote:
I'm moderate functioning because I'm not intellectually disabled, but not able to care for myself; have to be taken care of like a 5 year old.


But then by ^that^definition^, what you are saying doesn't apply?
So, then you probably get what I said, even if you are trying to apply the technical definition. If I have the label "High Functioning", people still try to apply that label. to everything in my life- whether or not they actually understand what it is supposed to describe. Even professionals who are supposed to know.


Oh I see what you are saying. Like they say/think "if she's high functioning, why does she have trouble with whatever"
I don't like either term high functioning or low functioning because I think they are very misleading.

SignOfLazarus wrote:
But I completely agree on the "too complicated" thing. EVERYTHING too complicated.


Amen to that.