Is everyone a little bit autistic?
Written on 11th May 2020 by Alex Lowery
There is this fairly common belief that everyone is a little bit autistic. This comes from the fact that many neurotypicals will have a few autistic traits they can identify with but this theory is simply false. Having traits you can identify with is not the same as being a ‘little bit’ autistic because if the traits aren’t interfering with your day to day life, it can’t really be classed as autism at all. Similarly, some people may believe that any child that misbehaves is a little bit ADHD, or anyone who likes to keep the house clean is a little bit OCD or anyone who feels sad sometimes is a little bit clinically depressed or even anyone who feels hungry is a little bit diabetic.
Here is a video from the YouTuber called ‘Aspergers from the Inside’. The man in the video explains extremely well how the theory is false. He hits the nail right on the head with the points he makes. I even got some ideas from him with my paragraph above. It’s particularly funny when he says, “Having a few autistic traits does not make you a little bit autistic anymore than having swollen ankles and indigestion makes you a little bit pregnant”. He honestly nails why the theory is so flawed far better than I ever could.
Some people have even gone so far as to say autism doesn’t really exist because of this theory. If you think about it logically, if everyone was autistic then no one would be because autism would be the norm. This, however, is simply not true. Autism is a big part of a person’s life that has positives but also has a big impact on someone’s life so it definitely isn’t something to be minimised. You can see a comment from someone on YouTube about the subject below. The comment definitely shows a lack of understanding of the autism spectrum.
Unless otherwise indicated, all materials on this page are © Alex Lowery Speaks About Autism. Please do not reproduce, modify or use for any purpose without the prior, written consent of the author. If you are interested in using an article on your blog or in your magazine, please contact us.
i could not agree more with this article. i am autistic. i found an autisitc “specialist”, who was very kind to me at first, but once i trusted them, started telling me everyone is autistic, you have to fit in otherwise you won’t be hapy, stop stiming, even went as far as to say he knew someone who became “more” autisitic and has been locked up for three years ( i hope this isnt true but am not sure!). he said i could either have written on my gravestone i flapped my hands, or i lived a hapy and fuffiling life. he said he’s concerned i might find other autistic people to socialise with (despite it not existing apparently) and leave the wonders of “society” and “normality”. your only going after autism as an identity, its an identity crisis. “we all have to mold to society” he says. “if i would live in a different country, i would be a different human! autism is learned! you can’t say your autistic because you’ve only have your experiences to go on, so how can you tell you are different! your manic and need a phychaitrist! you are bi polar! it’s all your imagination! “you are gullible and belive anything you read stop reading about autism, your fixating on it”. my past “therapist” was also horrible ,was clueless at first, but decided to make me “normal” through cbt, i got really really ill emotionally after that (that was two years ago). i’m so trusting i believed him as well for a day. unsuprisingly i felt deeply oppressed, suppressed, depressed and suicidal. and started masking again after that, but it seems to be passing. its been almost a week now since i last saw him. i’ve masked my whole life up until a few weeks ago, and feel like i need to have a meltdown or shutdonw, but haven’t had one for so long and am not in a safe enviroment so can’t do it (my family are telling me to move out cause i’m getting too noisy 🙁 im 21). even my gp, who said im autistic, said “dont go into autism too much” cause autistic people get “obssesed over things”.
i wish i could say this never happened, but it did, and i’ll never forget it. i’ve been doing a lot of stimmy things (tho consouly stimming after this is very hard, i feel i might get locked up for it, tho rationally that’s not going to happen ever,) and crying to process it and thats helping. any love would be wonderful at the moment, i know it’s only a comments section so can’t expect much though! i just feel utterly devalidated and worthless!!!!!!!!! watching this video made me feel a little hapier. i think the best way to proces all this is by a lot of nice stimi things and reading more about autism and reaching out for help in autistic communites. he is against all autistic communities, they are “going off by themselves”. he is jewish and ultra orthodox, even spoke of the dangers of the internet! i live in the UK, can’t believe someone could be qaulified and behave like that. the worst is that if i make a complaint they wont beleive me cause im “autistic”. i only get labelled autistic when it suits everyone around me!