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Kids With Special Needs and Disabilities
Why am I so annoyed by all these fully functional adults getting diagnosed with Autism?
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Anonymous
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I know it’s a spectrum and I truly know It shouldn’t bother me and I should be happy for them for getting answers.
But all I can think about is all the people I have met through our family’s journey that have children with the same diagnosis who will never potty train, never speak and will have to be cared for in some capacity for their entire lives. And I just can’t wrap my head around it. As with most things-it comes down to people paying money to see a professional and that professional only having subjective information and basically giving the person the diagnosis they want. Similarly if someone’s depressed or has anxiety and goes in to see someone and spells out symptoms that fit the diagnosis-they come out with the diagnosis. So basically I could go in-say I get obsessed with things, say I’m awkward in social situations, that I really only want to eat blah blah blah and come out with a diagnosis of Autism. it’s trendy-it makes them interesting and that’s what it is. Do I think there are legitimately adults functioning pretty well who have Autism? Absolutely-but that doesn’t seem to be the people that are getting diagnosed. In fact the adults who I have met in my lifetime who truly fit the diagnosis would never get diagnosed. But people are getting diagnosed for their social media platforms. To be cool and weird and “ it’s my Autism”. it’s offensive for those of us who are living with the reality of having severely autistic children. I just needed to vent. |
Anonymous
| Wow. What? Who do you know getting diagnosed based on social media platforms? Who do you know that got an illegitimate diagnosis from a professional, and how do you know it's illegitimate? Why would a parent want an autism diagnosis if their child has no issues? We didn't want one, but it definitely fits our kid. We also don't pretend ASD1 is the same as ASD or ASD3, but you seem to think ASD1 is invalid, which is offensive. |
Anonymous
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Are you thinking about ADHD and how they get prescribed performance meds to do better at work?
How does an ASD diagnosis change anything about it their life? |
Anonymous
It doesn’t change anything at all. It just becomes their whole personality. |
Anonymous
There are several prominent social media adults who were recently diagnosed. A parent of course doesn’t want anything difficult for their child-but these are not children, these are adults. |
Anonymous
Come join 2025. This is very much a trend and has been for some time. Nobody thinks asd1 isn’t an issue. I know many kids with it who will never live independently. If anything I think it’s often downplayed by parents. But this is a separate issue. |
Anonymous
That’s kind of the point-it makes actual legitimate cases of ASD 1 look like a joke since “professionals” seem to be totally comfortable labeling anybody who wants it. And also nobody goes around in real life using terms like ASD 1 or ASD 3. They just say I am autistic or I have Autism same thing is they are talking about their child. They are honestly different worlds and should be two completely different diagnoses. |
Anonymous
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Both my husband and son have inattentive ADHD and high-functioning autism. You only see them when they're functional and masking, OP. You don't see the mess in my house, the missed appointments and constant tardiness, and the arguments that could easily be avoided if they remembered to do the things they were supposed to do and had the socio-emotional skills to control their anxiety and anger.
Yes, the spectrum has now widened to take such people into account. Know that they are very difficult to live with, even if they can earn money and hold a conversation with you. |
Anonymous
| You are clueless. |
Anonymous
YES this is the part that is annoying. It becomes their entire personality, it's all they talk about, it's used as an excuse - because they are FULLY CAPABLE. I get the argument for what is essentially letting one's freak flag fly, but I'm tired of it and I'm allowed to be. (Parent of DC who will absolutely be one of these adults - and I could myself I'm sure, but that means we are all on the spectrum....) |
Anonymous
That’s it right? If it’s everybody then it’s actually nobody. |
Anonymous
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I mean, Elon Musk is undeniably successfully professionally but his personal life is the definition of dysfunctional. Do you think he's fine or that he's not fine?
There has long been a dividing line between autism that looks nonverbal or unable to have a conversation and autism that looks functional as long as you ignore XYZ. There are many people that think they should have two different names (including me). But I'm not denying that the latter is a real diagnosis. That it runs in my family, including in my DC. My DC is verbal and can hold a conversation (usually) but has real problems with XYZ. It's a real diagnosis, whatever the name. |
Anonymous
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My daughter-in-law who works a job and maybe fits your definition of "fully-functioning" explained to me what it feels like to grow up with autism. She struggles with noisy situations and spent much of her childhood hiding out from other people. She also says she doesn't have "habits" in that she can't just do something out of habit like most of us. She has to think about it carefully before she does it.
Yeah, so she can "function," but her life is not an enjoyable one. Take some deep breaths, OP. |
Anonymous
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Oh god the masking. It doesn't look like autism but everyone just pretends to be normal.
That is in itself normal. It's the human condition. We are all human and quirky. I think a lot of people within the boundaries of what is normal are getting diagnoses for literally normal behavior. |
Anonymous
Me again. And neither my husband or son, or any other people on the spectrum that I know, are going around telling everyone they have autism and asking for accommodations! My son had an IEP in school because of his ADHD. For most people, all this is embarrassing and they try to mask and fit in as much as possible. |