Question about high functioning autism

[Susanj]

I am wondering if people might not even realize that certain people are autistic if they are high- functioning? Is it something that one might only see or recognize if they live with that person or know them VERY well?

 

[Thinx]

Yes that's right, high functioning autism is mostly hard to spot and plenty in past generations went undiagnosed.

However you may be able to notice some aspects of your internal experience of the world seem different to others?

Or that communication issues occur where others regularly misunderstand you or where you feel a bit confused, while others appear to easily fit in?

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

That lack of recognition seemed very common in the 1950s through 70s when I was growing up. With my intelligence people thought I was normal and that my lack of social engagment or lack of relationships was by deliberate choice. That hurt tremendously and further crippled my delayed social development. I learned not to trust anybody and never encountered anybody who could help, even as I could not clearly articulate the help I needed.

 

[Bolletje]

Yeah, I was only diagnosed in my late 20’s because of me being high functioning (and now in my mid thirties there are still plenty of people that don’t believe the diagnose when I disclose it)

 

[PastelPetals]

Yes! For me I was disabled enough to be seen as odd or having other developmental delays but it took till 14 to get the autism diagnosis. A lot of the time I just seem a bit odd or spacy and I fulfill the manic pixie dream girl archetype well so my propensity to be a bit oblivious or childlike can be excused.

Edit to fix typo

 

[watersprite]

Yes indeed.


Welcome.

 

[Tuffsy]

I am wondering if people might not even realize that certain people are autistic if they are high- functioning? Is it something that one might only see or recognize if they live with that person or know them VERY well?

Before I was diagnosed at age 53 my wife (a doctor) didn't know I had it, she just thought I was difficult to live with. Since my divorce I have met people who are more caring and recognise my autistic traits. So it is not necessarily people you live with who understand you.

 

[Hypnalis]

In my experience, NT's aren't good at recognizing that people are High-Functioning Autistic (or HF Aspie if that's a thing).
In general though, people are very good at recognizing differences (compare it to the hyper-effectiveness of human vision at recognizing movement). NT's can see differences from their norms, but they don't see that they are linked (i.e. can be reasonably considered a related set of characteristics and behaviors).

OTOH I can usually recognize people "on the spectrum" within a few minutes, from their body language and speech patterns. OFC the difference between me and an NT is that I recognize the behavioral patterns due to similarities with my own.

This kind of shortcut isn't available to NT's, so IMO we need to unconditionally accept and allow for their "limitations".

 

[Luca]

Some people are surprised that I’m autistic, some are not. I live on my own and function pretty independently but mentally I’m pretty immature. I think I generally just come across as passionate about certain interests and “quirky” and “childish,” and most people aren’t familiar enough with HFA/Aspergers to think that I fit that diagnosis.
But I was diagnosed as a very young child and I think I definitely seemed stereotypically autistic as a child. As a young adult/adult I think I’ve grown out of a lot of symptoms but I think if someone was familiar enough with Aspergers they might know I have it. But most of the people I interact with on a daily basis don’t seem to think there’s much affecting me except for some silly childish personality traits. I also have some mental health issues but I think I do a good job of keeping those completely hidden in most social situations.
So yes, someone can be autistic and not know it, and other people around them may not know either.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

Before I was diagnosed at age 53 my wife (a doctor) didn't know I had it, she just thought I was difficult to live with. Since my divorce I have met people who are more caring and recognise my autistic traits. So it is not necessarily people you live with who understand you.

I was fortunate to have met my spouse. Only now can I see that she has autistic traits, but she has a more developed social sense than I. We were accepting of each other and for the most part learned each other's communication style.

 

[Suzette]

Most people out there will have little or zero experience with autisim. And not all autistics act alike and certainly don't look alike.

To my mother my developmentally disabled cousin seems the same as my son's friend, John, who is actually autistic and a math savant. And she doubts that I am autistic because I can write this sentance, drive a car, raise a child and get a job.

She simply does not understand autisim. Only once in my life has someone suggested I might be autistic (a friend). I didn't take her seriously because I knew nothing about it.

 

[Progster]

Yes, it's possible that one can know or even live with an autistic person and not realise that they are autistic. Partially because people are unaware of how autism can present, especially in females, and partly because as we get older, we learn to act 'normal' or to mask our traits or difficulties. Often as older adults growing up in the 60s, 70s or 80s, we aren't diagnosed until later in life, as children it might be easier to spot. But the signs are there if you know where to look, and will have been there since childhood.

 

[SusanLR]

Yes, you can definitely be high functioning without others being aware of it.
If you have no learning problems, you start masking at a young age.
Emotional and internal awareness may be evident to yourself, but, not to others.

Most are not aware of what autism really is and grew up with a mindset that anyone autistic
looked and acted in a certain manner that they thought was the way it is.
No one started suspecting of me until I was in my 50's and that was a grief counselor.
She obviously had high knowledge of Asperger's and told me I should see a specialist on the subject.

I was self aware of being different and my anxiety problems. Others only thought I was quirky.

 

[Aneka]

I am wondering if people might not even realize that certain people are autistic if they are high- functioning? Is it something that one might only see or recognize if they live with that person or know them VERY well?

I believe that your family might be blind to special characteristics of their child like autistic features. It is extremely difficult, especially with an only child or in a family where autistic features occured over several generations and went undiagnosed. Which is often the case because genetic dispositions seem to be the cause of autism in many cases. The good thing is, parents are less judging than the social enviromnent. The social environment is often not educated about autism and they might misjudge the behaviour of autistic individuals, but they tend to spot differences first.

 

[Rasputin]

I can’t add much to what others have already shared. I was aware that I was different growing up, and had nothing in common with other kids. I have always been advanced intellectually, but have hypersensitivity issues. No one ever suggested that I was autistic, even after I was evaluated by a psychologist. However, I have never had more than one close friend in my whole life.

Finally after seeking medical treatment for insomnia, I was referred to a psychiatrist and was diagnosed with high functioning ASD and general anxiety disorder when I was 61.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

I believe that your family might be blind to special characteristics of their child like autistic features. It is extremely difficult, especially with an only child or in a family where autistic features occured over several generations and went undiagnosed. Which is often the case because genetic dispositions seem to be the cause of autism in many cases. The good thing is, parents are less judging than the social enviromnent. The social environment is often not educated about autism and they might misjudge the behaviour of autistic individuals, but they tend to spot differences first.

Parents less judging than the social environment? HARDLY! I felt judged by the adults in my life growing up, whether parents or teachers. So, with no safe space to escape judgement I learned distrust and that I can only count on myself for anything. I am dealing with the aftermath of this.

 

[watersprite]

Parents less judging than the social environment? HARDLY! I felt judged by the adults in my life growing up, whether parents or teachers.

^

 

[The Elephant]

I am wondering if people might not even realize that certain people are autistic if they are high- functioning? Is it something that one might only see or recognize if they live with that person or know them VERY well?

You are right ! It took me Sixty years to have it pointed out that my father was a hf autistic and another two years to realise that i was to
I had always wondered why i had this incredible memory for details ? It was just another piece of my human jigsaw puzzle

 

[The Elephant]

In my experience, NT's aren't good at recognizing that people are High-Functioning Autistic (or HF Aspie if that's a thing).
In general though, people are very good at recognizing differences (compare it to the hyper-effectiveness of human vision at recognizing movement). NT's can see differences from their norms, but they don't see that they are linked (i.e. can be reasonably considered a related set of characteristics and behaviors).

OTOH I can usually recognize people "on the spectrum" within a few minutes, from their body language and speech patterns. OFC the difference between me and an NT is that I recognize the behavioral patterns due to similarities with my own.

This kind of shortcut isn't available to NT's, so IMO we need to unconditionally accept and allow for their "limitations".

Can we talk ???

 

[harry]

I am wondering if people might not even realize that certain people are autistic if they are high- functioning? Is it something that one might only see or recognize if they live with that person or know them VERY well?

It depends on the person. It looks like you're trying simplify something complex.