this is a great video. so many people i’ve met think all people with autism are the exact same with the exact same behaviors and habits. great video kaelynn
we like the “concise and direct” communication when you’re surrounded by ppl who only speak in implied messages it might as well all be another language allistics just don’t get it and then get mad when we don’t get the message that’s a *YOU* fault but good luck ever convincing an unaware narcissist of that nope just nonstop gaslighting #ottawa #autism #audhd
@@KhaoticDeterminismI'm not sure that quite captures the difference in communication style between autistic people and others. For one thing communication is far more diverse and variable among allistic people, drawing a binary distinction only makes sense from an autistic perspective. Most crucially however is that language as a medium for communication fundamentally works by implication. Try defining even a simple noun and you will discover that creating a precise definition is impossible if you want to be concise and a concise definition relies on an uncountable number of assumptions of the definitions of other words. That isn't to say we can't all work to understand each other better. But that requires a level of self awareness that most people lack, autistic or not.
I think the best part is right at the end, when she doesn't understand the apparent non-sequitur and he provides his linkages. My autistic friends and I have to do that a lot. My little brother and I got really good at it.
yeah, agreed! i’ve always wondered if i have autism, but like my brother has autism and he’s VERY different from me and while he’s verbal, is very disconnected from people and is very blind to emotions/ has no idea how to respect people, and has very severe sensory issues too. but then there’s people like my friend who you could think is neurotypical and is just sensitive to sounds and doesn’t always read emotions etc. They’re both autistic though. ps: i love your profile pic i’m also a swiftie
In language abled but the more stressed I am the slower I can process? But when I’m calm I’m very articulate. It’s weird and hard to explain to people because they get this idea that I have a certain level of capability and then I’m tired or stressed and my capability will be totally different from what they expected
Totally valid! Me and my partner understand this (I handle words for them when they can't handle the mental load, and they help me process emotions when I can't handle my mental load).
@@insertnamehere9309 my best friend helps me. The words start coming out slowly and my thoughts start getting scrambled when I try to speak. If it gets bad enough they won’t come at all but I can still think normally and write out my thoughts eloquently even as my speech level plummets
Similar thing with me. I'm most articulate when writing in any state, but with spoken word I have a sliding scale from pretty good when I'm comfortable, to being stuck with a very limited set of phrases or words (eg "stop", "off", gesturing frantically in place of words) if I'm seriously overwhelmed. You can pretty much tell how overwhelmed I am at any given moment by how wordy I'm being. So many people take it as passive aggression or giving them the silent treatment (even including a family member who I've tried explaining this to), and it sucks because I don't have good ways to communicate that I'm not being an ass in the moment when it happens.
@@thatboringone7851 I speak like a 5 year old when I’m stressed and sometimes I just make sounds and my whole life people thought I was making it up or doing it for attention. I’ve tried to write to adults as a kid and have them refuse to read it because “you can talk you just won’t”
@gothmogfrog “Expensive” and “good value” are not mutually exclusive. These range from $40-80 right now on Amazon based on the color. Black is the cheapest. I have those.
I thought they were Cowin E7 headphones. Are they the same thing? They look like it because I have those in yellow. I’m autistic too and I really like the headphones
Dude I love Winnie the Pooh. He has a great memory, too. I completely forgot about the squirrels in the tigger movie, they’re only on for a couple seconds
There's also a fish on a tree in one of the movies (don't remember which one tho), it's kinda hidden but Pooh sees it before they show it briefly in another scene and says "is that a fish in a tree?" and his friends think he's making it up lol 😂 I always found that part funny.
@@StarryKitsuKat😂😂😂I relaly need to rewatch these. I LOVED Winnie the pooh, but I stopped watching it when I was like 5. The last time I saw it (even briefly on screen) was probably like, when I was 8 or something. Or like 10. IDK.
sometimes when I've interacted with other autistic people who have a higher level than me, I'd feel like a fraud or like I'm faking it. this is really nice to see, thank you :)
that happens to me too but then I spend a little bit more time and realize that I relate far more than I think I do. And it’s just my ability to mask better that truly separates me as much as I think it does. Being around other autistic people for an extended period of time makes me feel more autistic, but like in a good way. Where that’s all I have to be.
@@mckennadevore8692 Sorry, I am a middle level 2 autistic. I was just trying to say that level 1's are valid too in my first comment. I heard that people who mask less have more trouble with executive functioning. That is what I was referring to in my second comment. But I should have worded it differently.
There's this guy that goes to art school and hangs out in my college of music lounge. Everyone thought he was nonverbal. He 100% is not. Everyone acted so surprised when we had a full conversation. He has the same stutters and occasional issues with words, but it's crazy to me that people push people with autism away without giving them a chance.
I understand your intent here but just a gentle reminder to anyone reading that non speaking autistic people deserve just as much "of a chance" and non speaking doesn't always mean incapable of communicating!!
@@joyontheleft yeah! I would have communicated and included him regardless, I'm just saying that, as someone with autism, the disparity between the way people treat people who appear to be nonverbal and people who are verbal is wild.
@@joyontheleft Exactly. And, just because an autist is non-verbal, that doesn't necessarily mean that they aren't at the high-functioning(AKA Level 1) end of the autism spectrum.
@@OptimegatrongodzillaNope. I'm pretty sure high functioning requires the ability to speak (or at least, it did when it was more commonly used to describe ASD).
I'm 43. I was raised in foster care. And most of my existing records are so redacted with black boxes, that I have to rely solely on my memory. Recently I opened a journal from my time in therapy. And it concreted what I already figured out. Besides the ptsd that I experienced from being abandoned, I had clear problems. Sensory issues, toe walking hand flapping. But as I got older, no one told me. I've been struggling through life, thinking I was just a failure at certain things, but I'm almost a savant in other things. I thought it was just family therapy, but this was more than that. One of the exercises was clearly showing me how to recognize emotions through other's facial expressions. I even drew the smile, the frown, in the most basic stick figure way. There is relief in knowing #1 I had early intervention. Even if my foster parents didn't know what it was, because it didn't quite fit adhd, they knew I needed coping skills. I just wish I would have known. And btw it's so genetic
I also have PTSD (the complex kind) and I definitely relate to feeling like a failure at certain things, despite having a really high IQ. I'm not autistic though. My father physically and emotionally abused me, and most people at school bullied me, including teachers, because I wasn't taught the proper social skills at home. I don't have sensory issues, but I do get overwhelmed in certain situations. Things that are normal for most people are really hard for me. My brain associates certain stimuli with feelings of fear or anger. Mundane things can trigger a fight or flight response. My neurotypical brain can't simulate how it feels like to be autistic, but I understand that it can be very difficult. I try to make connections with my own experiences when possible, otherwise I rely on theory. When I'm at school or an environment reminiscent of it for example, I feel oppressed and unsafe. I can easily deal with it in small doses, going as far as successfully masking my discomfort, but eventually the stress becomes too much and I go into meltdown. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? I also remember having to describe emotions based on drawings of kids in a variety of situations. I think my therapist was interested in knowing my interpretation and thought process. I have no idea what she thought of my performance, but I remember what I said about a boy looking at ants through a magnifying glass. He wasn't observing and studying them, he was torturing them to death by burning them alive. I was around 8 years old. Anyway, I'm glad you were able to figure yourself out, even if you would have preferred to know much earlier. It also took me a lot of introspection and studying psychology to be where I am now. But I shouldn't have went through that. My father is an asshole. I'll make sure my kids won't have to go through this.
@@Accrovideogames interestingly i have read theories that cPTSD is a type of neurodivergence because experiences trauma like that physically changes the brain and its pathways. so it makes sense that there is an overlap between cPTSD and ASD struggles. i have both, and i am very slowly getting better at figuring out which kind of discomfort I might be feeling so that I can navigate everyday life with minimal meltdowns. once i was told i was very emotionally dysregulated by a psychiatrist and offered inpatient treatment, which i declined because not only was it expensive but also it would have been a nightmare for my (then undiagnosed) ASD. to me, you and people like you are welcome in the neurodiverse community. you have struggled enough! it is hard to learn to trust again when your body remembers so much pain. here’s to being a better person than our parents were 💚
That happens w my autistic sister all the time where she says something that everyone thinks is completely unrelated but I’ll usually see the connection
I have autism. Ik there aren’t actual ‘levels’ and autistic people just have different abilities and struggles, but i’m classified as ‘level 1’ or ‘high functioning’. I can speak. I seem ‘normal’. I struggle with communicating my thoughts and feelings and things like reading instructions and learning new things are hard for me. My specialties are art, reading, music and writing. You could ask me about my favourite singer and i could recite their whole life for you.
me too! (mine is undiagnosed, however, but both my parents have it and my mom is very confident that i do too 😅) except for me, reading is really tough. it’s not that i can’t read, it’s how i process it. i have to read the same line 5 times in order to get it in my brain. it’s really annoying.
@@pebbles_of_fruithave you ever seen those like blackout line things that you can slide down the page as you read and it blocks the line above and below the line you’re reading? it really helps me be able to focus on the one line i’m reading and not jump around which causes me to be confused
Same boat. What I’ve noticed as well as who I work with is when I’m around kids and young students, my behavior is not that obvious. It’s when I’m interacting with other adults my age or older that it becomes apparent
adhd here! same, i may not be able to summarize a book or do calculus, but i can name a shit ton of rock bands and name the entire discographies of some lmao
I (29) was recently diagnosed with autism level 2, my sister (21) the same a few years before me, and pur brother (13) was diagnosed around 5 years ago also autism level 2 But we are all really different. I was always really motivated to get a zoology degree, and actually moved out of home when I was 16 so that I could keep going to my preferred college. I now have said degree and am a spatial data analyst, living with my partner, about to move to another state for work. I prefer to wear tight, soft shirts and I like my food to have ALL the flavour. Doing the dishes makes me cry. I have to be in the right mood for hugs. My sisters special interest is planes and she's been able to discuss aeroengineering at levels way over my head since she was 14. But she struggles with school academics so did a diploma instead of a degree, and is now slowly paying her way through flight school. She has never moved out, and is very happy spending most of her time with the family. She prefers to wear loose, rough shirts and cannot eat anything with a spice level of "contains onion" or greater. She cant stand a mess and always volunteers to do the dishes. She does not like hugs at all. My little brother went from being the last in his class who couldnt read to reading novels in the space of 2 months, but his fine motor skills makr writing hard so he has accomodations to dictate his assignments. I'm not aware of any fabric sensitivities he might have? But he hates the smell and taste of tomato sauce so bad that he can't even be in the same room if someone is eating it. He's very good at disappearing at chore time, and i think he would spend 24/7 hugging if he could. Edit: I also have ADHD
i thought level 2 was easy to diagnose, i had a partner with level 2 and it was very very very obvious that he had autism, unlike me that am level 1, he cannot mask anything.
@@mrcodpwns In my case my autistic symptoms were hidden by mental illness. And they mistook my autism traits as signs of mental illness. I was misdiagnosed with many mental illnesses. This is more common in autistic women than men.
My daughter was finally diagnosed a couple of months ago, she has autism level 1 and your videos have helped me so much to understand her over the past year while she was still waiting for her assessment and diagnosis. Your videos helped me to stand back and think before I spoke, how best to help her, how to talk to her. Don’t get me wrong, I still make mistakes and apologise when I do. But since diagnosis it is like another person, she is so more settled, content and brighter looking. The spark she lost years ago has come back again and she is embracing everything once more.
Thank you so much for caring for her so gently and for helping support & celebrate her in understanding herself/her diagnosis. A genuinely loving and supportive adult can save lives, and at the very least will likely change them for the better. Keep learning and doing your best to see her, be led by her, etc etc. HUGS! also, it’s so absolutely thrilling -to even a stranger on the internet- to hear that someone’s spark is coming back. Probably feels to you like you’re seeing the sun rise for the first time in years, gAWD I could cry!! Keep at it kiddo!
I know it's been two months, but maybe you'll read this. Having someone trying to understand and help is amazing. Knowing, why one is different, is a huge help. Often enough, autists (and others with like adhd etc.) that are un-diagnosed, feel and know that something is off, that they are different. They just don't know why. And a diagnosis can help to understand, that they are not the problem, that they are in themselves normal, even if different. And a diagnosis can help to voice to others, why one is different and help others to understand even though biases may arise. As to tools to help your daughter: Try to be precise in communication. I know it's no easy for you. But it's things like "Put your plate in the dishwasher after you've eaten." instead of "Please put your plate away after dinner". Or leave out things like "could", "would", "may" so as to not give options - because decision making can be hard. As an example from my childhood: My mother asked me to peel potatoes, put them into a pot and then on the stove. So, I peeled potatoes, didn't cut them into equal sized portions though. I put them into a pot, that was way to big, with no water. And I put them on the stove, but didn't turn it on to cook the potatoes. The instructions just weren't clear enough. So, be precise in instructions. Eventually, you and your daughter will figure out ways to shorten them. Like, if you ask her to cook potatoes, she knows to peel and cut them, put them into water with salt in a pot the right size and then turn on the stove. But it's a way there,and maybe there are things that you can't shorten. But working together, you'll figure it out. And you trying to do the extra step to help her is something, not many people do. It will help her in trying to understand, because you already do the same for her. Also, many autists do love honesty, they can't really lie. So, be the same for her. And also try to explain, why things are a certain way. Also, give her space to rest. Interactions and also normal, daily things may cause greater exhaustion in her than in you. You could also come up with signs she could give you, if she needs to get out of a situation, or some time to rest. Offer her something like that, maybe.
Reminds me of someone I was close with in school. I was the only real person he was friends with, completely nonverbal but we hung out so much. I communicated fine with him- I'd do searching questions and get answers, and if he needed me to talk for him I gladly would. I just wish he had gotten the support he needed. They seperated us and he didn't get help dealing with the stress of the change and channeled it toward me. I hope he's doing better. It really makes me happy to be able to use my own abilities to help other autistic people.
I think it’s also important to mention that just because someone appears higher functioning doesn’t mean that things are easier for them. I was diagnosed high functioning but in reality i’m just really high masking so I appear higher functioning. Autism is different for everyone and everyone struggles with it. This is a beautiful video thank you for sharing
I have ADHD. It was worst in 4th grade, a straight C student. Here I am, college freshman, and it is mostly in my control. Expect for right now, wasting my time on RU-vid.
Me too, been actually braking down recently due to all the pressures of making sure I please all around me whilst knowing I will never fit in, managing my house and finances and a masters degree, but you helped me with your comment to feel understood. Thank you so much ❤
not only is autism a spectrum, but i think it could be argued that each individual trait or symptom is also a spectrum! and often it's not that one end is autistic and the other is not, but that both extremes are indicative of autism and the middle is the more neurotypical option. it's very interesting to me, because it means someone could be the total opposite to me symptom wise and yet we are both equally autistic :) for example: both hypersensitivity and hyposensitivity to sensory input can be symptoms of autism. so someone could be hypo- in all the places i'm hyper- and vice versa, but both options are indicative of autism! which makes seeing autism as a spectrum even more important because if your symptoms are the total opposite of someone else's, that gives people room to say you're not autistic and deny your right to accommodations. or to say the other person isn't autistic and deny them! so reminding people of that is very important, and i thank you for helping do just that 😊
Yep, what you described is what the autism spectrum is suppose to mean. It’s not about “high functioning” vs “low functioning” or “levels of autism,” it’s about a spectrum of traits and experiences that make up the symptoms an autistic person could potentially have.
This is absolutely true! I have identical twin children that are both level 1 autistic, but the way their individual traits manifest is different, most notably with one of them being extremely sensory seeking, while the other is mildly sensory sensitive.
you're so right. there are people who are fully non verbal or only somewhat language abled, and then there are people like me who are hyperlexic, and struggle to communicate for the opposite reason. i have too many words, and i try so hard to choose them so carefully to say EXACTLY what i mean. and it still somehow comes out wrong because i don't layer it with a hidden meaning and subtext and all this other stuff like most of society does. (i never understood that, just say what you ACTUALLY mean for the love of god) but i think autism really is just being on extreme ends of whatever the task or ability is, whereas most of the population will fall in the middle, like you said
yea! one of the fascinating conversations lately has been on hypoempathy and hyperempathy in autism. hypoempathy or low empathy doesn't mean a lack of compassion nor indicate any inherent sadism or cruelty. nor does hyperempathy mean the person is suddenly excellent with their people skills and understanding others, nor are they guaranteed to be using their powers for "good" per say lol. in either case it does mean the person struggles to imagine and envision and predict how their actions impact others, even with hyperempathy this is true. because extra empathy does not mean ACCURACY. and the hypoempathetic person may struggle to really think much about or focus on these things. it doesn't really mean cruelty but it does tend to mean OBLIVIOUS. they may casually assume if they're having a good time, everyone else probably is! causing inconsiderate or distressing conditions for others with zero malice. a hyperempathetic person may care so much and even too much about how others feel but struggle to read and predict others feelings that they over estimate, over assume and start making things up. engaging in the mind reading fallacy, overly sacrificing and detachment from sense of self, social anxiety or rejection sensitivity. all of which can still cause distress and inconsiderate conditions for others ironically enough while still having no malice. hyperempathy is the kind of thing that causes people to attach human emotions to inanimate objects which can cause crippling anxiety and compulsions. it's the reason some of us have a breakdown over the idea that a favorite toy is lonely or feel great duress over mildly sad scenes that others can handle and need to look away. tho when well balanced i think it can make for a very benevolent and people oriented person. and likely an incredible parent or teacher, or one of those people who is incredible working with animals. while well balanced hypoempathy can empower people to not be preoccupied by the petty things like fixating and worrying about what others MIGHT be thinking or feeling or judging us on and are free to match to their own drum and end up one of the coolest people in the room (even if it got them bullied picked on when they were younger 😅😢)
I'm autistic. I find myself struggling more lately with verbal communication. I have difficulty getting the words out and have to close my eyes and slow down to fully express what it is I'm trying to say. I believe stress adds a lot to it. My memory hasn't been the greatest lately either. I'm hoping some R&R will help. This video is so powerful. Autism can appear in so many ways. Many people overlook the subtle stuff. They think "high functioning" and assume our autism won't cause issues. Just because you haven't seen our triggers, doesn't mean they aren't there.
I’m autistic, and most people don’t realize it because I’m high functioning, and I’m fully capable of verbally communicating and functioning like my peers, so people will make jokes about autism and people on the autism spectrum that are honestly pretty outlandish or ignorant, and then get super quiet if I tell them that I’m on the spectrum
@@sefirunyan9838 It’s called the autism ✨SPECTRUM✨ for a reason. I may not be an extreme case, but I still experience many of the struggles faced by people with autism.
Yeah, and remember intelligence is also a spectrum; typically the more intelligent you are, the more you 'pass' as neurotypical and thus you are less likely to receive diagnosis. Even if you _do_ get diagnosed as an adult, many people will try to debunk your diagnosis, and ignore all of the obvious signs that you are. And also, as a spectrum, Autism isn't _truly_ delinated into three distinct levels, it's just much easier for clinical purposes if you can split up severity of certain symptoms into distinct categories. There are surely some people who absolutely have some spectrum tendencies who may not meet criteria for ASD lv 1, but at some level we must admit that the distinctions are necessarily arbitrary.
Yep. Autism has always been (and forever will be) a nonlinear spectrum. Therefore, if someone tells you you're "not autistic enough", just know that that phrase logically makes no sense.
Yes! This is a beautiful video. I'm sick of people who don't understand that autism is a spectrum and that if I don't fit their narrow experience of meeting one or two people with different placements on the spectrum, then I don't have autism, even if I've been medically diagnosed AND genetically tested beyond a shadow of a scientific doubt that I am autistic. I know it's cliche, but as the saying goes, if you meet one person, Dr Stephen Shore, an autism advocate who is on the spectrum, said, "If you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism." Individuals diagnosed with ASD present with unique strengths and difficulties and experience characteristics of their disability in different ways.
I don't agree. Would you call the genetic markers for breast cancer eugenics, or would you think that this genetic indicator can help save lives? Having my family genetically tested for breast cancer resultied in preventative mascectomies that saved many of my family's lives. So too can geneic markers for autism, huntington's disease, cerebral palsy and other health challengers can alert those from an early age to possible health conditions and lead them toward treatments that may improve their lives. I'm open to hearing your point of view regarding using genetic testing in order to improve and prolong lives.@asOneTrueHope
I’m also on the spectrum, so are my friends and we all have a lot in common we have our similar interest. For me when I’m out in public my stemming is squeezing my hands and when im alone I stim in my own way
I am hyperlexic, so my language skills are extremely good. I do however have trouble sometimes with processing things, but people don’t often realize this and won’t give me the extra time to process because I don’t have any other major language deficits, so to them it looks like I am just not answering, or like I don’t know the answer, when I am really just trying to make my words work inside my brain, and come out my mouth correctly. It can be frustrating. (As a side note, I think this is a really good example for arguing why we are starting to not use high vs low functioning labels anymore, as my struggles are just more invisible) Anyways I was just wondering if anybody else experiences this or something similar?
Same here, started speaking early, and had a wide vocabulary, but i take a while to process things. People slow down when speaking to me now (i got new friends that are more understanding) but in school, no one noticed i struggled cuz i played it off or masked it i guess. I was a slow reader and writing is super hard, unless its on computer. Even then, i felt everyone was so far ahead of me
Yes, all the time. I would mask it by pretending to understand when I really didn't, or by saying yes to everything people asked me to do. I'm finally trying to unlearn these bad habits.
I'm dyslexic, but have always loved reading. I will say that there are times when language just seems to stop making sense. I often have a hard time forming coherent sentences and occasionally written or verbal language literally looks/sounds like gibberish to me. It happens when I'm extremely stressed. My dyslexia is always way worse when I'm stressed. Honestly, I don't think the difference between hyperlexic or dyslexic matters. I suggest looking into something called monotropism. It explains a lot of things even though autistic people can look so vastly different from each other, yet struggle with very similar issues. It's an interesting theory about autism and ADHD in general and makes a lot of things about myself make a whole lot more sense. Edit to add: I forgot to mention processing disorders. Specifically audio processing disorder might fit what you are experiencing. Keep in mind these things (hyperlexic/dyslexic, processing disorders) are very common comorbid issues for nurodivergent people.
Absolutely! According to family, I was capable of speaking perfect english at one and a half years old, and I've always been a big reader and writer. But while my brain works very very fast internally, it often takes a while for me to process external information, reroute it through my mind and get my mouth to form the intended response. I've had so many occasions where folks thought I was just being rude and taking my "sweet time" to respond, and I never knew how to explain it to them on the spot. It's a sort of relief to know that other people understand this struggle so well.
This video is so wholesome to me, the way you understand him so well, the flow of the conversation, the topic. I have an autistic sister, I wish she had autistic friends too ❤
Ya I had to watch it several times to get it, it was worth it. Maybe this will help, the text in the white bubble is explaining while the white text with no bubble is just subtitles to what they are saying.😊
I love your channke so much! I have a luttle brother with Autism and I find it so cool to see someone else with this and seeing what it can look like for other people and the similarities that you both have
My brother has autism. Other people think he’s just stupid or spoiled. He just wants people to act in a certain way. But people always decide to confront him or bully him. That’s not how you should talk to autistic person. He starts to scream and cry because of it. And it makes me sad, how society decides to bully people who are just different.
I wouldn’t bully him, but I would prefer to avoid anyone who wanted me to act differently. You understand what it’s like for your brother, but while bullying isn’t acceptable, I can understand why he would get pushback for that. It’s all about boundaries. I’d also like others to act in certain ways, I find people distressing sometimes, but it’s not something I can control, at least not without getting even more upset and hurt, so I don’t try to fight it.
I have never been able to stay at a job long because of it , but yet when attempt to get disability as adult all the local Dr's claim I outgrew it and can't get any assistance
Him wanting people to act in a specific way is the issue. Honestly, other people with autism are the least likely to put up with that too. Thats more a cue to teach better coping mechanisms for reacting to people who do not have predictable behaviour. A student I tutored struggled in school because he wanted his answers to be the right ones. Wanting things and that thing actually happening (when youre factually wrong) is an issue. I made some headway but I was the general school tutor and didnt specifically see him again. Hoping he eventually did graduate at least.
@@Meerkat628 I agree but it’s hard when you want everything to be in order, so his brother sees in an orderly manner and when he sees someone not behaving the way he wants, it overwhelms and may cause him to faint or have dizziness. He has difficulty controlling it , so he point it out or else he’ll get angry as he cannot control himself. It’s like breathing, if a person says one to stop breathing, it’s hard , the same goes to his brother. He has a structured mind and likes order. And when he tells others to do that, this and etc, people will get furious, confused or weirded out as it is improper for a person to control another but his brother isn’t trying to control, he just wants to feel ordered.
I LOVE the amount of verbal communication that comes out in the end. He articulates his thoughts so clearly. They're not connected in a way that is only known to him, but his words helped me SEE his process.
When I was younger, my preschool teachers had a feeling I was high functioning autistic, but back then, they didn’t really have the grasp on autism that they do now, so I was never tested, but I apparently showed many signs, including not making much eye contact. So they pulled me out of that school and placed me in a preschool for special needs kids and my job was to help to teach these kids who had worse learning disabilities than what I had, and help demonstrate things to them. I was also able to easily communicate and kind of help to be the middle man between the teachers and the kids. To this day I honestly find it a little bit easier to communicate with people who are higher on the spectrum than wherever I seem to be at. It’s like I can drop my facade and be myself around them! I always find that wherever I work, the customers that we get that are on the spectrum seem to attach themselves to me a bit, it makes me so happy to see when they are able to feel comfortable in a public place. This video is awesome!!
“Autism is a spectrum” and “level 1 and level 3” is an oxymoron, everyone has varying levels of support needs in different areas, so separating us by levels is reductive
I have two autism diagnoses; one says I’m a level 1, the other says a level 2 due to going nonverbal. But the point is it exists, and it exists in a spectrum. Love the awareness here.
This is so cool! Reminds me of my childhood! I wasnt diagnosed autistic then but I went to a school for developmentally disabled kids although there were mostly non disabled kids but they had proper accommodations for disabled folks as well and I was friends with these two autistic twins who were using limited language and such and they were some of my favorite people there and their aids appreciated that I was nice to them even though I disnt understand why I wouldn't be. I hope they are doing well now!
When my mental processes shut down, due to stress, anxiety, and other yet unknown factors I present exactly like the young man in this video. On the average good day I present as neurotypical (I think). I've never been diagnosed with anything and I'm in my 30's. My husband is wonderful and patient with me, so I know I'll be ok.
I don't want to be that guy, but I wouldn't put "levels" on the spectrum. Most people use low end and high end, but that's just not good either. I feel like it's better to just say "I'm good at this but bad in this area.". Either way, this video is great and I'm glad you are being kind and spending time with this nice fellow
High and low is worse. The levels are a nice sinplified way to view the spectrum that's used by psychologists and people who work in occupational therapy like she does
It’s interesting to see the different strengths and weaknesses in action. It explains it so much better than reading about it. Thankyou for these videos
@Kaelynnism That's awesome. Reminds me of my friendship with a kid on my bus from high school. Long story short, we went to different schools and neither of us spoke much, but we got on well. In hindsight, he may or may not have been on the spectrum, but he was something. Little did I "know", I was also something - at the time it was an undiagnosed something. These days, I understand a lot better why we got on so well. I held on to a portrait he drew of me for almost a decade; only lost it when my parents house flooded and my yearbook drowned. I remember feeling so seen through his art; it was powerful, and he was so talented!
Socializing with autism is so hard. Does anyone else feel like they are in box while in conversation and you’re just trying your best to watch what everyone else around you is saying and listening and figuring out what would be the appropriate thing to say or how do I fit in in the best way possible?
I'm autistic too and to me the spectrum is not linear. There are areas where I am more disabled and others where I barely am. Like language. I'm not disabled language wise at all except for going non verbal when I am really overwhelmed, but I always have a lot of trouble with executive function and change for instance.
I first saw your channel and thought you only had 10 videos and was sad because they are so so helpful, then i saw the shorts😮 You are the GOAT for making these videos❤
I understand the point of labeling you two with “levels” as it helps neurotypicals understand the spectrum better, but at the same time it feels kinda odd like labeling one as “higher” that the other when in all reality the spectrum is a non-linear line if that makes sense. Idk maybe just a me take very sweet video overall though :) always nice to see nonverbal communication not ignored as it commonly is (at least for me) in day to day life.
I was going to say something similar, but apparently "levels" of autism are actually a thing in the DSM-V. I don't really see them as accurate either, though. It defeats the purpose of autism being a spectrum and not a linear scale, though levels are more about support needs from my limited understanding. There are definitely better ways to describe it, but at the same time, there is value in demonstrating what the terms are meant to represent.
These aren't "autism levels", these are support (needs) levels. They do have a pourpose, and it's not that of stating "how autistic" an autistic individual is but to better understand how much help and/or support they need
@@---hq9gw again its not linear how much autistic people need help depends on situation pf the person. theres no he need more help than the other. i would be considered lvl 1 at the same time i need help with getting up from bed, I can go to my my university learn, after im back home i cant even eat. How much help i need? a lot. but since i have hyperfixiation that lead me to the university, no one will care. Thats why I dont understand clean numbers
I have autism level 1 and now I see why I worked so good with other autistic levels!!! Didn’t get along with neurotypicals around me was blamed for it and unfortunately lost my job. I do a WFH job now in which I thrive!
it’s so helpful to see posts like this where i can gauge a better understanding of how to communicate efficiently with those around me. thank you and much love to you and your people
I love this, I was diagnosed with Level 2 ASD last year when I was 33, so I am in the middle! I am still learning more about myself and my life is making sense now and explains why I have been struggling so much especially with interactions/making friends and leaving the house - I have had agoraphobia for a long time and I am now understanding it is because of my sensory issues and fears that come from being autistic. I was yelled at as a kid and teen for not making eye contact and bullied a lot, so I am not used to social situations even at 34 this year so I'm trying to learn from videos like yours how to improve my life. I didn't even know what the levels were until I was considering diagnosis! Thank you for this, I think it is important for people to be mindful of things like this and I wish I could have told this to the adults who yelled at me for my autistic traits. You videos will help a lot of other autistic people be understood :)
My brother is autistic and so am I but I have aspergers while he is considered intellectually disabled so when I am around him people refuse to believe that I am autistic because I am nothing like him. This is exactly how we interact.
I’m so glad people like you exist to shed some light on autism. Many people I’ve met assume that I’m an idiot when I tell them that I have autism, yet I consistently score the highest on all of my classes. My dad has autism, and he’s one of the most funny and social people that I know. I also have a friend with autism, and she’s the single most emotionally intelligent human that I’ve ever met. Just like how you can’t generalise based on race, age, or any other factor, you can’t generalise with people who have autism.
I’m autistic and I get told by people all the time stuff like “ my cousin has autism and he acts nothing like you so you’re obviously lying” this video made me feel listened to so thank you sm! 💗💗
My brother and I are like this too. I'm level 1, I struggle to do some things but I'm still mostly independent. He's level 3, he's nonverbal and needs people to take care of him. I've seen some autistic spaces online attempt to do away with levels and insist that every autistic person has the same amount of struggles regardless of level, but personally I don't agree with doing that because it usually seems like it's used by other level 1's to talk over level 2's and 3's, who are already extremely marginalized already. I think it's better to embrace the differences in our community and try to uplift and understand those with higher support needs. ❤️
The spectrum is quite large. I once worked with an autistic client who couldn’t communicate verbally or through an assistive communication device very well. We worked on teaching him how to use it, how to ask for help or for a break. We praised him for things like walking continuously for two minutes (to prevent him from sitting in unsafe places like parking lots), using the toilet, and asking for things instead of grabbing them. Then you have my sister who is also on the spectrum. She moved to manhattan and runs her own business.
This reminds me of me with my little brother. I tested one point away from autism when I was little (more due to trauma and ADHD than actual autism), and I knew how to communicate with my brother better than his dad and our mom for a time. We've been in different states for some time now, so he doesn't care to talk to me as much... I just keep letting him know I love him and I'm here for him. It's hard when there's over ten years between my siblings and me, and my parents moved to different states.
It’s not just a spectrum, it’s a whole plane that goes in all directions. there are different types of autism that can’t just be categorised into “levels”, it’s not just about severity. It’s about the differences in your sensitivities, triggers and traits as well.
This is a good reminder to cultivate patience. My son’s language is difficult for him to access in the moment and I think people believe he’s being rude and ignoring them. By the time he can answer, they’ve already turned away.
This (watching some fun crafts) takes me back to my teens when I'd babysit for some extra money. Quite often I'd find myself looking after autistic kids of varying "degrees" and their parents really struggled to find babysitters. Funnily enough the parents would warn me about how hard to deal with their kids can be but they turned out to be some of the sweetest. All I had to do was ask what they want to do and actually show an interest in what they do/ what their interests are. I'm not saying kids (neurotypical or not) can't have meltdowns or just be in a bad mood but quite honestly, whenever I was there it was just a fun hangout and if they did struggle with something I was there for them and happy to help as best as I could. I'm also not neurotypical but I have noticed that a lot of the time those who are seem to have this invisible wall that holds them back from trying to understand/empathise and that's just sad. We're all humans, no matter what diagnosis we may or may not have.
I truly believe Autistic people have the potential to be even greater and more gifted than normal people if they are able to find their true calling and gift. I have seen proof of this before and it is beautiful!
im autistic and while i have my passions and hobbies im also no more special than neurotypicals. the idea that autism is a sort of superpower or savant trait is actually harmful, it promotes the expectation that autistic people must have significant talents in order to justify their autism and also doesnt allow autistic people to fail at things. the idea that autistics are also somehow more advanced or evolved than neurotypicals was started by eugenisists. edit: also dont refer to non-autistic people as "normal", it implies that autism is the opposite of normal.
This video is not the best tbh. It gives the impression that the spectrum is linear, which it isn't, and doesn’t clarify what levels are. Levels are used in some places to mean support needs, and should not be confused with the ableist notion of high/low functioning autistic people. If the video made these clearer, i would like it more, but as-is its not one of your better videos tbh
As a language able autistic person I think this looks like a total blast! I love doing crafts with people and wish I could find a craft buddy to hang out with and make stuff with. I have definitely found that I struggle finding other adults to spend time with though since other people have school and work which seems to eat up all their time leaving me really bored all the time
I mean it kinda borders that line cause it is a spectrum. I've had some struggles with my autism but it never really hindered me in any way. No one really knows about it, I don't count it as a disability cause I don't feel disabled by it, I just feel different. But some people are geniuenly disabled by it. It is definitely a disablity but not everyone with autism necesarily disabled
@@thatpandaz6094 It’s a disability, and you’re legally considered disabled, but of course labels don’t really matter. You are who you are, autism or not.
Ive also hated the term high and low functioning for autism as how well someone can function is going to fluctuate. And someone could be "low functioning" in one particular area such as speaking but still understand a wide and complex vocabulary. Im not sure how effective using the word level is as its similar to high and low and still implies one is superior to the other but it made me smile to see people are experimenting with different terms to find one that better fits and easily communicates how much help one might need. Also the word level made me think of levels in a videogame which made me giggle.
I thought we were pushing back against the “scale” of autism, like, nonverbal or less emotionally regulated autistic people aren’t “more autistic” imo, they just express their autism differently? Maybe I’m misunderstanding your use of “levels” in the captions
@@Kaelynnism thank you for answering! The last time I saw someone draw any sort of diagram for it they described it more as a web than levels, im trying to get insurance and into therapy this year, unsure if im autistic or ADHD or maybe just PTSD inducing symptoms similar to those, but I obviously still have a lot to learn before I really feel comfortable using any of those labels
@@Gibbypastrami Autism is a web, it’s just that the diagnostic levels are used as “level of support” rather than “level of autism,” if that makes sense
I think it’s great how she understands him and what he’s talking about the whole time and how she understands how his mind works compared to other people do not have autism with her. Also having autism, I believe that this was a great time for probably both of them
Can you give an example? What terms should we use? Level 1, 2, 3, etc. can be very helpful and concise, when someone knows what the levels mean. I'm nuerodivergent myself but not autistic. I tend to have quite a kinship with autistic folks so please instruct me as to what is the kindest most concise terms to use.
@@jessicaharris1608 yeah sure! So masking labels are often used in reference to how much someone masks (high masking would be masking to the point you barely know who you are underneath where as low masking is you barely mask, if at all), and support needs focuses on how much assistance someone needs in day to day life! Low support needs would be having the ability to brush your teeth, go to work, pay your taxes, etc by yourself with little to no help, where as high support needs would require some sort of assistance/caregiver to get those tasks done (someone can be both/medium support needs) Think of it this way, turn “levels” into “support needs”, but flip them! So what we think of as a “level one” autistic person would be a low support needs autistic person (same with “level three” being high support needs, and level two being medium) It’s important to remember that someone can be any level of support needs and any level of masking. Ie someone could be medium support needs but be high masking, or low support needs and low masking, etc! The reason for this change is because level and functioning labels focus more on how much of an inconvenience the autistic person is to allistic people, rather than the help they need to live their best life
@@goblinguy3103 Wow! Thank you for taking the time to explain this. I have autism and I have always hated the levels. I am high masking and medium support needs. I cannot live alone and a struggle a lot with so many tasks of daily living but people will look at me and tell me they had no idea I was autistic so I must be “high functioning.” It really just means that I haven’t been an inconvenience to them yet. I will take a picture of your comment so I can show people to explain this to them when I can’t get my words to make sense.
@solidsolid111 I never said support OR masking needs are just for autistic people. “Level” labels insinuate that someone can be “less” autistic (level one) or “more” autistic (level three) which isn’t true. Autism isn’t like a physical disability, you can be “more” autistic than another. Level labels are ableist as they suggest that someone can be both “more” autistic than another autistic person, and that autistic peoples value is on how allistic people value us. It’s much better to use masking and support needs labels :)
Thank you for sharing! I'm low support asd and I feel like people won't believe me because I don't look like people with higher support needs. This is a great example of how different everyone is!
Autistic people supporting each other is so important. We appreciate our allies, but there is just something about being with people who vibe with you on a deep level, even if we're on different levels of the Autistic spectrum. ❤
Remember autism is on a spectrum and doesn't have LEVELS! The spectrum isn't a line back and forth. It means everyone experiences it differently. Everyone has unique capabilities.
My friend doesn't know wtf spectrum means. I remember she got mad at me for saying that in some cases autism can be horrible and scary and I explained it depends which side of the spectrum you're on. To quote "There are no sides, it's a spectrum." Not making fun of her or anything it just bothers me.
Ew. No it is not horrible and scary, of course she got mad at you for saying that. There are no levels, every autistic person is equally autistic. Some people may need support in different areas, but there's no need to compare and there's certainly no need to dehumanize autistic people by saying our disability is horrible and scary!!
@@tmelinoe No, I mean it can be horrible and scary in a lot of cases. I understand it has significant severity scales and some people have it better but it's can generally be a very terrifying thing.
@@LemonadeStand618 still no. Are you autistic? Then you can't say that it's terrifying lol. It is to YOU but autistic people are quite happy and fulfilled when accepted, loved, and accommodated, just like other people. And that's despite how it may look "horrible" or "terrifying" from the outside. Your perspective is not relevant in the discussion, even if you are autistic yourself and talking about "the other side" you are speaking out of ignorance without experiencing it. My child and I are both autistic and it's so gross how people keep the stigma alive with these kinds of statements.
@@LemonadeStand618are you autistic? Bc if not don't think you should be talking about autism. Or maybe I misunderstood. But. Calling the way a person's brain works "horrible and scary" is kinda shitty. Please look up the social model of disability and don't assume the spectrum is linear
But this is sooo sweet and lovely. I want all of us to be like this, a little autistic, to make the world this welcoming ❤ one who narrates their thought process for others to understand it is one of the most considerate thing a person can do
Yes. You can farm EXP by staying close to a 5G tower. Getting a vaccine shot also gives you a temporary boost. Combining the two makes grinding levels a lot faster. In case someone reading this is dumb enough to not get the joke: I'm only joking. In case someone doesn't get how levels work, I'll explain. We separate autism into three levels based on the level of support needed. Making jokes about levels and insane conspiracy theories is popular within the autism community.
ASD Autism Spectrum Disorder is the official diagnosis as described in the DSM-V, and it includes three levels: Autism Level 1 (requiring support) Autism Level 2 (requiring substantial support) Autism Level 3 (requiring very substantial support) As the person before me said, these clasifications are used to help determine how much support a person needs.
@@vi3050this! although i don't think autism should really be boxed into "levels", that's how it's officially diagonosed, as far as where I live in Australia. I'm level 2 despite being able to mask well as looking "normal". i do very well academically but i have lots of other struggles
Actually, the autism spectrum isn't linear. There are non-verbal autistic people with above average intelligence, and there are autistic people who are verbal and who are classed as intellectually disabled. This is probably the main reason why terms such as Asperger Syndrome and PDD-NOS are no longer used as official diagnoses.
All this makes me think of is that mobile game shite like "Autism noob level 1 vs autism boss lvl 1000" lol. Seriously though, I'm interested in how you determine your "level" (if that wasn't a joke). I'd like to learn more, but at the same time, I feel as though this just makes the spectrum seem extremely narrow to neurotypicals watching and may give them the wrong idea of how autism works. It's not an on/off switch, and it's not a slider, either. The spectrum that looks like a pie chart is what I find to be the best way to identify my specific needs.
