high functioning vs classic autism

Post Reply New Topic

It might be best not to force the issue right now. If/when he feels he needs help, he'll either let you know or seek it out himself.

^^^ This is actually sage advice

Perhaps casually ask him.

Definitely without emotion or judgement. Definitely no pressure.

Don't dwell on it.

Just casually collect info...on how he sees things.

Might take some casual repetition.

About masking and burnout, I don't have that experience, but not stimming makes me lose focus and act impulsively quickly - textbook ADHD. Controlling body language too much is also exhausting and stressful - Do I stand right? Do I look right? Do I have the right facial expression? Etc. Loop that and include thoughts that I did something wrong, because I'm being a mess if I don't watch myself.

As for mental health professionals... I agree that they can be very unhelpful. I haven't had much luck for a long time either. And it's stressful, many of them have a behaviouristic approach which is frankly very unhelpful. They tend to think there is just one right way to bahave and you have to be like that otherwise there has to be a psychological reason and they seek meaning they can argue with. The behaviourism is very unhelpful, it doesn't address the real problems, just what the paychologist think is right or wrong behaviour. There is no room to feel differently about something, have a different temperament etc. I'm apparently a bad person, because I don't beat around the bush, for example

Classical Autism, when I was a kid, was called AUTISM! Around the 1980s, maybe because of AS, they realized that some people had deficits that could maybe be fixed, or at least explained, such that they could have a more normal life.

Because of that, they came up with TWO new types of diagnosis. First, you have to understand something FEW really do. IQ is NOT really IQ! What people generally are told, and remember, is what is known as the COMPOSITE IQ. There are 7 "IQs", IIRC. And most tests only test 4 of them, because they are those that are most important for general life and work. They deal with Logic, Math, Spatial Reasoning, and Vocabulary. Anyway, someone can test like a GENIUS in one, and be horrible in another. So a person that you think seems like a genius may have a low score, and a person that seems like an idiot might have a high score. In normal people, the various scores tend to be less divergent.

For the most part the IQ variations may explain the different types of diagnoses between the three types, though Classical also tends to be most affected by stimuli, and less vocal.

TODAY they are not so likely to be called HFA or AS, because the latest DSM removed them because the psychiatrists couldn't get it straight. NOW it is something like Non specified ASD. The only one specified I believe is Classical. Personally, with things being so broadly specified, and the bad press, etc... I decided not to try for a diagnosis. I come here sometimes just to see how things have changed, or ask some things I am curious about. People that know me well would likely say I am certainly not NT. Of course I think all the people that knew me that well are likely not around. I am getting up in age. 8(

At its core though, ALL THREE types of autism have the idea of not handling social interactions well. There are problems with eye contact, non verbal communication, etc....

Just before coming here today I watched yet ANOTHER video from a woman that is autistic. She showed the DSM 5 criteria again. YEP, I match a number on the first two pages. My childhood was much like people described in aspergers kids. When I was younger, and even today, but ESPECIALLY then, I was VERY sensitive to the fluorescent lights, and sounds.

I didn't watch her WHOLE video, and am not here to advertise, but if you are curious: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT_IUs_fzdg

Yet another Youtube using autistic person that I struggle very much to identify with. Without exception the failure to identify with them makes me doubt my diagnosis. They're invariably more extrovert appearing,self assured, and self confident than I am.

I'm high functioning enough to living on my own. I'm classic enough to need some supports. I'm a real-life Sgt. Schultz so to speak. There could be someone more classic but also more intelligent than I am. That person would be more like Rain Man. I went to school with a boy like that. Him and I were best friends. He was tall and skinny and he wore glasses.

TWICE this week, the last time being perhaps 1 hour ago, I remembered a GREAT way to compare all of this stuff! In the US, there was a TV series called MONK! It is a GREAT series, BTW. And the subtitle/punchline is "The defective detective". I forget if they ever specify it, but if you watch the series, it is obvious he is an HFA autistic Savant!

He certainly isn't AS because of the various limitations he has, and he needs assistance, and he isn't classical, because he doesn't need that much assistance. And the police force considered him a problem and a liability, so he was fired from the force, but Leland was his friend and knew that Monk was so good at solving crimes, that he hired him back as a consultant. And a number of peculiarities, due to ASD, just end up helping Monk. And being an autistic SAVANT makes him great at solving the crimes. In one case he had to connect like 7 points to answer a question NOBODY else even thought to ask! HOW could a FAT man stand on a wicker chair, to disable a fire detector, without breaking the chair? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvE35nAe6xY

OH, and monk ALSO has trouble relating to people, is an introvert, and has STRONG preferences, etc.... All very Autistic traits. In one episode he had to go somewhere that didn't have the water he wants, so he had like an entire suitcase FILLED with bottles of that water, because he couldn't get it there!