How many autistic people do you know?

[Crossbreed]

1. My dad, likely ASD1
2. Son, ASD2
   
3. Daughter, likely ASD1
4. Daughter, ASD3
5. Son, ASD1

 

[Tony Ramirez]

My sister who has full autism and my second cousin who when I meet has Asperger was like talking to a younger version of myself. I feel sorry for him he is being taught right in school unlike me so he got great grades but when he goes to college or what I call invisablellege he might end up dropping out with the social pressures.

 

[LadyBird84]

Two friends, both are women.
Quite a few kids at work (and some of their parents).

There's also quite a few people that I assume are but haven't told me or have never been diagnosed. (Like my dad.)

There's this autism meet up thing for women that I went to a few times, but I dunno.. I didn't really feel like I could relate to anyone there. Not sure if it's worth trying again.

 

[Gracey]

None. (I think)

Non with a diagnosis.
I’ve stopped looking though.

When I first suspected myself,
I thought I saw autistic traits in everyone I came into contact with.

It became overwhelming.
I stopped observing.

 

[Nervous Rex]

None. (I think)

Non with a diagnosis.
I’ve stopped looking though.

When I first suspected myself,
I thought I saw autistic traits in everyone I came into contact with.

It became overwhelming.
I stopped observing.

That's what I'm struggling with right now. It's been over a year since I was diagnosed and I figured it would have calmed down by now. But I think someone else is autistic so often that it's become a joke between my wife and me. We do keep our armchair diagnoses to ourselves. Still, that's why I think I'm experiencing frequency illusion.

 

[Gracey]

That's what I'm struggling with right now.

Wait ‘til you start including fragile x syndrome too...
... it’s like ‘arrrgh, no more ! Make it stop !’

I’m trying not to notice much about anyone anymore.
They are who they are ...
... And I have fewer headaches

 

[tducey]

1-5 for me.

 

[Thinx]

Yes I notice the autistic traits a lot now. High autistic traits I often say to myself, rather than a diagnostic term, as who knows who with high autistic traits would or wouldn't get a diagnosis or why. I think that level of autism is relatively common, and maybe that it implies a slightly different brain structure that leads to some different processes especially around social norms and communication. I think a lot of high autistic traits people would fall into the Myers Briggs personality types of INTP or ISTJ or similar too, probably. I'm INTP and my sister is ISTJ. I think she and I and my dad all have high autistic traits or Aspergers. Also I know several people at work who seem to be on the spectrum and some acquaintances.

 

[Fridgemagnetman]

It's a bit like when someone dies.

You keep seeing everywhere.

Only different.


(I read an article years ago, when other people remind you so strongly of the person that died, you briefly think it's them.)

 

[Stardust Parade]

Unfortunately I don't know any.

 

[paloftoon]

This was difficult-ish for me to vote on. I have 11 coworkers who are part of a program. So, I see them in a routine. I have a few friends outside of this who I may hang out with once in awhile, but not regularly even on a friendship basis (so I did not include to the count). Then, there are many acquaintances who are in support groups of an autistic nature of which I am not able to make a regular basis of attending unfortunately. Then, there are many other groups I don't want to be a part of because many people in those groups don't know how to respect me as a person or my time, energy, and thoughts.

 

[Anarkitty]

My son, my neighbor's nephew, and possibly my aunt--I have suspicions though I haven't actually talked to her about it. She's in her mid-70s; I'm not sure that mentioning this would be a positive for her at this point. It's weird.

My neighbor's nephew is intellectually disabled as well--verbal, somewhat, mostly echolalia though he will answer some questions. He's in his 40s, but he considers himself a kid, which may be best since his safety depends on following other people's rules.

My son and I were talking about this earlier today. We relate to one another differently than we relate to most other people. We have a shorthand way of speaking that doesn't necessarily rely on meaningless phrases that people say just for the sake of politeness. If we're waiting in a store, we're both in almost constant motion--he paces while I tend to bounce, rock back and forth on my feet, or turn back and forth sideways (I like the way it bounces my purse off my hip). Most NTs are more still. So what I mentioned to him was this: Since we are mostly unaccustomed to seeing autistic behavior, and in fact, autistic behavior is heavily discouraged what with ABA being the "preferred" autism therapy, if we ran into other autistic people in the world, would we connect with each other, or would we tend to view one another as weird as per our own training in what's socially acceptable?

 

[joe2006]

I have known about three or four autistic people in my lifetime. Currently I see two of these every week working in the grocery store. I talk to one just about every week and he always insists on taking my groceries out to the car with me. He is probably one of the best employees in that store. I do not think I have ever met a person who was completely autistic. They were all just partially autistic.