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Question about autism

Spirit of Light

Be who ever you want
A very easy question that might not be so easy to answer.

Is it possible to be partly autistic or autistic without knowing it as an adult?
 

Gargovic Malkav

Well-Known Member
A very easy question that might not be so easy to answer.

Is it possible to be partly autistic or autistic without knowing it as an adult?

Yes.
Though I think a term such as "partly autistic" or "mildly autistic" is outdated.
Either you are autistic, or you're not.

Do you suspect you might be on the spectrum?
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
A very easy question that might not be so easy to answer.

Is it possible to be partly autistic or autistic without knowing it as an adult?
Yes. Many are diagnosed as adults for a number of reasonings. Myself Asperger's wasn't a diagnosis in America until my later childhood, rural Indiana is slow to update things,and my mom never agreed to let me go to therapy anyways.
Sometimes it's our own ways of figuring things out that lets slip under the radar (such as logically working out what's going on ans imitating the behaviors of others as filler to mask social difficulties). Sometimes it is because a person is mildly autistic.
 

Sedim Haba

Outa here... bye-bye!
I am unsure but the team around me want to test it

If you have kids, that's a pretty sure-fire way to know.
My kids are so diagnosed, and I can see my own issues in them quite clearly.
Back in the day, there was no such spectrum diagnosis, you were either
clearly, severely Autistic.... or you were just labeled stupid.
 

oldbadger

Skanky Old Mongrel!
A very easy question that might not be so easy to answer.

Is it possible to be partly autistic or autistic without knowing it as an adult?
Yes

That's why there is a 'spectrum' of autism.
I think that I've always been autistic to some extent, and although it caused me many problems through my life I held down jobs, always worked, was particularly skilled in some areas and just managed.

My wife is very intelligent, when I met her she was 25yrs and had never had a boyfriend, was silent most of the time and had particularly high-skills. Over our time together we have benefitted so much from each other, and we tend to live quietly together, in peace, with our pets. We don't function much, socially.
 

oldbadger

Skanky Old Mongrel!
Yes.
Though I think a term such as "partly autistic" or "mildly autistic" is outdated.
Either you are autistic, or you're not.

Do you suspect you might be on the spectrum?
Low on the spectrum is 'mildly autistic', high on the spectrum is highly autistic.........

There is no 'Yes' or 'No' about it.
 

Gargovic Malkav

Well-Known Member
Low on the spectrum is 'mildly autistic', high on the spectrum is highly autistic.........

There is no 'Yes' or 'No' about it.

I thought it was more like a horizontal spectrum to tear down the walls between the pigeonholes of the old DSM, (Classical autism, high-functioning autism, Asperger's, PPD-NOS etc.) rather than say, a degree of how autistic someone is.
 

oldbadger

Skanky Old Mongrel!
I thought it was more like a horizontal spectrum to tear down the walls between the pigeonholes of the old DSM, (Classical autism, high-functioning autism, Asperger's, PPD-NOS etc.) rather than say, a degree of how autistic someone is.
Ah....well, that as well. But there is no 'yes' or 'no' about autism.

A person might have a only a very few of the conditions, for instance I never managed in groups, still cannot grasp jokes when others react outright. I just think differently and many things and never wanted the holidays, status, fashions that so many clutch to. We even live in a strange little estate with no through traffic.....very quiet.

I'm different but after 73 years I've had the opportunity to cope with most of it.
 

Gargovic Malkav

Well-Known Member
Ah....well, that as well. But there is no 'yes' or 'no' about autism.

A person might have a only a very few of the conditions, for instance I never managed in groups, still cannot grasp jokes when others react outright. I just think differently and many things and never wanted the holidays, status, fashions that so many clutch to. We even live in a strange little estate with no through traffic.....very quiet.

I'm different but after 73 years I've had the opportunity to cope with most of it.

It would make more sense to me that when it comes to diagnosis, it is a very black and white thing.
One either is diagnosed to be on the Autistic spectrum, or one is not.
If one is on the Spectrum, one is officially autistic, when not, one is not, even when such an individual may exhibit some traits that are typical for autistic people or vice versa.

I may have been a little too nitpicky on choice of words, as I do understand when someone is called "mildly autistic", and I may say myself that certain people "have got it real bad", but when it comes to professional opinion and diagnosis, I doubt it's not a yes or no thing once the conclusion has been drawn.
 

Valjean

Veteran Member
Premium Member
A very easy question that might not be so easy to answer.

Is it possible to be partly autistic or autistic without knowing it as an adult?
Of course.
Many people have been self-diagnosing recently, with later psychiatric confirmation.

Autism is a spectrum disorder. Some are non-verbal and don't seem to relate to the world at all. Others appear pretty normal.
 

Spirit of Light

Be who ever you want
If you have kids, that's a pretty sure-fire way to know.
My kids are so diagnosed, and I can see my own issues in them quite clearly.
Back in the day, there was no such spectrum diagnosis, you were either
clearly, severely Autistic.... or you were just labeled stupid.
Nope, no kids :)
 

Father Heathen

Veteran Member
A very easy question that might not be so easy to answer.

Is it possible to be partly autistic or autistic without knowing it as an adult?
Yes. In fact I suspect that I myself am on the spectrum despite not having been diagnosed as such, and it can range from mild to severe.
My 6 year old son is nonverbal autistic.
 

VoidCat

Pronouns: he/him/they/them
If you suspect you might be autistic as an adult...look up masking. Trust me. It might help you see if there's autistic traits you hide. Also autism is a lifelong disability.
 

oldbadger

Skanky Old Mongrel!
It would make more sense to me that when it comes to diagnosis, it is a very black and white thing.
One either is diagnosed to be on the Autistic spectrum, or one is not.
If one is on the Spectrum, one is officially autistic, when not, one is not, even when such an individual may exhibit some traits that are typical for autistic people or vice versa.

I may have been a little too nitpicky on choice of words, as I do understand when someone is called "mildly autistic", and I may say myself that certain people "have got it real bad", but when it comes to professional opinion and diagnosis, I doubt it's not a yes or no thing once the conclusion has been drawn.
I can see how you are thinking about pro diagnosis, but there is a problem with that. Psychology and psychiatry are very very inexact sciences, and so there is no firm line about anything. I can think of many other examples that do not have firm lines of diagnosis. When is poor sight blindness? When is a person fit or unfit? Etc etc
I don't know how the pros see it, but I will bet they disagree with each other over such issues. I don't think that autism should have any lines at all. :)
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
If you suspect you might be autistic as an adult...look up masking. Trust me. It might help you see if there's autistic traits you hide. Also autism is a lifelong disability.
Dang!
I thought being neurotypical was the disability?
 

Sedim Haba

Outa here... bye-bye!
Yes. In fact I suspect that I myself am on the spectrum despite not having been diagnosed as such, and it can range from mild to severe.
My 6 year old son is nonverbal autistic.

I was nonverbal as well for almost all of my childhood. Chances are good it'll get better.
I could communicate well enough at home, but at school? Mute as can be. Back in
those days, I was just shoved along in the school system. Grade to grade. Never did
anything more than put my name on papers and tests, and a big ZERO. Five years.
Nothing. Oh, I was listening all right, but had no clue how to interact so I didn't.
 

Sedim Haba

Outa here... bye-bye!
If you suspect you might be autistic as an adult...look up masking. Trust me. It might help you see if there's autistic traits you hide. Also autism is a lifelong disability.

Masking to me is just ... coping. Cowboy up & give it your best shot.
Hide your weaknesses; what you can't overcome or hide then avoid.
I never could give an oral report in school, that was an F for me always.

Not everything is disability, I can Hyper-focus like no normie ever could.
 
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