ASD1? 2? And 3?

[Outdated]

Have you heard of "twice exceptional"? "2e"? It's where a person is "gifted" and disabled at the same time.
My IQ can be a disadvantage, particularly, as I live in a society that doesn't, necessarily, appreciate "giftedness" and higher than average intelligence.

Those two lines describe a lot of my experience. I overheard comments from people all my life, swallowed a dictionary, walking encyclopedia, etc. Yet whenever anyone ever had a serious question it was always Ask Andrew, he's pretty cluey.

 

[Neri]

Those two lines describe a lot of my experience. I overheard comments from people all my life, swallowed a dictionary, walking encyclopedia, etc. Yet whenever anyone ever had a serious question it was always Ask Andrew, he's pretty cluey.

No wonder we click.

 

[jsilver256]

I don't think support needs, necessarily, have a higher correlation to IQ, although they can.

Not a 1:1 correlation but think of it as a "masking factor" for all disabilities in general not just autism.

 

[Neri]

Not a 1:1 correlation but think of it as a "masking factor" for all disabilities in general not just autism.

Yes. I think that is very true. And it's why I got to 50 without my diagnosis. Sigh.
I have had so much trouble being overlooked that I'm sure I would have recieved an ASD1 diagnosis if I didn't have all the debilitating trauma symptoms resulting from trying to cope without knowing or getting support all those years.

 

[Outdated]

I have had so much trouble being overlooked that I'm sure I would have recieved an ASD1 diagnosis if I didn't have all the debilitating trauma symptoms resulting from trying to cope without knowing or getting support all those years.

I think that's pretty much the same for me too, before and during my burnout whenever I tried to get any help from Centrelink they basically scoffed at me and I think back then if I'd gone for a diagnosis the result would have been ASD1. Post burnout was a different story, ASD2 and they basically handed me a pension with almost no trouble.

 

[jsilver256]

There really needs to be some research on what's taking place during this age, too many members here have a similar story of burning out in their 40s-50s.

 

[Outdated]

There really needs to be some research on what's taking place during this age, too many members here have a similar story of burning out in their 40s-50s.

My personal thought is that it's mostly just emotional exhaustion from trying to fit in with others all the time. 25 to 30 years seems to be about as much as we can take.

Not sure if there's any physical differences or not but I became a lot more aware of all my sensitivities after burning out, and this was before I knew anything about autism. Things I had been sensitive to all my life but could cope with became things that I now go to great lengths to avoid. Especially sounds and smells for me.

 

[Jonn]

I had a low IQ during my test because it takes me longer to process information.

Same.
Unfortunately, speed is a factor in these tests.

 

[Jonn]

( and Aspoid at times; I'm way too playful with language).

Sister!
Where have you been?

 

[Jonn]

But, at least, the way it is now should help me, because, like you, burn out is crippling me and depreciating my functionality in some really debilitating ways.

I worked for 28 years straight.
It was torturous, and I burnt out at the end of it.
If I had to do it again I'd jump off a cliff.

 

[Jonn]

Otherwise, I'm so "mild" and "high-functioning" and "unobvious" on the spectrum that I often question whether I have it or not and feel I don't fit the autism mould like most other autistics do.

This suggests you are on the fringe of the autistic bell curve.
I am a lot more autistic than you...

Spoiler

No offence...

I just realised I was necroposting.
D'oh!

 

[Jonn]

There really needs to be some research on what's taking place during this age, too many members here have a similar story of burning out in their 40s-50s.

I burnt out at 50.
Well, before that but, I was determined to reach 50 before I retired.
I never looked back.
Life for me began at 50 + one minute.

 

[Neri]

At this stage, I am starting to live post chronic overwhelm.

I burnt out at 50.
Well, before that but, I was determined to reach 50 before I retired.
I never looked back.
Life for me began at 50 + one minute.

And I like it!
It's taken for me to completely crash and burn, and then hibernate, and have to come back from some terrible "nervous breakdown" situations.

I still have familial relationships that fry me and I have to avoid them. In some ways I would like to want to spend more time with family members, but, the truth is, it is stressful and exhausting to be in constant care giving mode and while I'm a big hearted person, my autism, and all the PTSD that's accompanied it, have really taken a toll.
My heart is a lot bigger than my autistic brain allows me to show.
I'm, hopefully, going to go into the role of mental health peer support worker, to support other socially clunky and neurally compromised people, but, only if our disability support system can support me to do that.

 

[Neri]

ASD2 was on my report card. But, strangely enough, I got a score of 39, which level 2 stops at 38 and Level 3 starts at 40. So, I consider I am hovering between 2 and 3.

I am not able to work; I am not able to associate for long; I need routine, otherwise, I get too stressed.

I do also have bad agoraphobia and the only time I can go out on my own, is very early in the morning, to go to our local bin, which is only across the road from our home.

I guess I would be considered as anti social. But, I do like people when they are nice. Just too many are not.

I'm curious about your agoraphobia, as I struggle with it too. I find I am anxious about other's, in my village, seeing me. Is that similar to yours?
I know what triggered mine. A lot of my own traumatic life experiences, and vicarious trauma brought about by living in very rough, low socio economic and troubled and violent neighborhoods. I think just the autism alone makes having to encounter any unstructured social situations anxiety invoking though.

 

[vergil96]

There really needs to be some research on what's taking place during this age, too many members here have a similar story of burning out in their 40s-50s.

Maybe increasing health problems factor in? I find that my autism symptoms get worse when I'm not feeling great physically, because it makes me feel tired. I find interacting with others at all challenging when tired.

 

[Kavigant]

There really needs to be some research on what's taking place during this age, too many members here have a similar story of burning out in their 40s-50s.

(raises hand) That's me; just fell apart in my fifties when counseling started to unravel my coping mechanisms

 

[Rachie]

I think severity levels do exist, but change can cause symptoms to flucuate. Many Austitic people may not be able to get support in the community if they do not have a learning disability. I have been able to see an OT because I was level 2 in the area they specialised in.

I haven't seen anything like 2E in any journals. Like sensory processing disorder it is not diagnosable.

I took a few days break from the forum as it seemed like people seemed to be questioning peoples diagnosis and noone can diagnose anyone online. The whole process to diagnosis is a nightmare in itself. I've not seen that before and was not that used to it. I've adjusted to it now. We shouldn't really be judging other peoples autism levels on the forum or whether they are autistic or not.

 

[Jonn]

it seemed like people seemed to be questioning peoples diagnosis

I was in a situation where ppl were actively disseminating disinformation about me not being autistic.
I am probably one of the most Sheldon-esque ppl on this website, in many areas.
Epic fail for my detractors.

 

[vergil96]

I was in a situation where ppl were actively disseminating disinformation about me not being autistic.
I am probably one of the most Sheldon-esque ppl on this website, in many areas.
Epic fail for my detractors.

I constantly heard my whole life that I have Asperger's. Based on stereotypes. Nerd? Aspergers. Introvert? Aspergers. Likes math? Aspergers. Monologue about math? Aspergers. Terrified of public speaking? Aspergers. I had people appraoch me with a "you don't get feelings!" kind of thing, but it wasn't true, I was just tired and wanted to go home and go to sleep or I was just not interested in small talk, I understand what is going on socially, but I don't necceserily want to talk about every subject and I'm somrtimes tired. But if you're passinate about math, that makes you in many people's eyes autistic *shrug*.

 

[Jonn]

I constantly heard my whole life that I have Asperger's.

But you do agree.
I am unmistakably autistic, right?