For anyone who still thinks autism is a high-to-low linear spectrum, this morning I wrote several thousand words of a huge work project, now I’m on the verge of a horrific meltdown and can’t form any words because my new vitamins are different to the old ones

Just to follow up on this - I’m not at all mad at people who think in terms of severe or mild autism. I did before I really understood it. A lot of us who are verbal & don’t have any comorbid learning difficulties or other disabilities have had to mask when we struggle.

But I do hope people will take the opportunity to be more curious about autism and why some people present to the outside world as severe, while others fly under the radar, and the vast number of different traits & issues we can have even if we look “high functioning”

I try not to think in terms of functioning. It’s insulting & limiting to those perceived to be “low functioning” & writes people off & it means that people who are perceived to be “high functioning” are dismissed as dramatic or difficult when we ask for help or accommodations

Instead I try to think in terms of support needs. For example, for multiple reasons, despite being highly verbal much of the time (and I mean REALLY highly verbal) I also have very high support needs & can’t live independently. My husband is also my carer.

My support needs weren’t always this high in this many ways - other health conditions have contributed, but I have always struggled incredibly hard with basic life stuff and worked even harder to hide how much I was struggling out of shame.

Anyway, I hope this little thread makes some people rethink how they think of a spectrum. It’s not a linear thing from high to low. It’s more like a spiky ball of strengths & weaknesses, sensitivities & issues, which vary from person to person & within that can change over time