Is Autism Really a Disorder? | AUTISM IN ADULTS

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[@BluetheRaccoon]

As someone with autism who, from the outside, appears highly intelligent and mostly competent yet on the inside feels like I'm barely clinging on to any meaningful function and need help but can't specify what or understand how to obtain it...yes. Yes, autism really is a disorder.

[@OliviaHops]

That sounds exactly how I am at certain moments of my life. Right now being one of them.

[@georgiagirl1986]

Yes! It is a disorder when you can’t easily tell your husband how you are feeling because you can’t figure it out yourself. It is a disorder when you don’t do self-care you should do (yes, showering is one for sure) and others notice. It is a disorder when the issues with being autistic interfere with daily life events. So… to say it is not a disorder is to ignore these facts in my opinion. If it is weren’t a disorder, those things wouldn’t be so difficult.

[@guntera3845]

Yeah I understand that. I am not officially diagnosed but pretty certain. For me it is more being different and having cool perks in some aspects. Other than dating and sensory overload I don‘t really mind being autistic and really enjoy some aspects. However the social isolation can be tough at times and I don‘t think I would chose being autistic over NT. Although I prefer focusing on the positive things saying it is a gift is just disrespectful.

[@ricardotoussain]

I am also autistic but i think autism is only a disorder because we live in soscieties built by neuro typical people. If a neuro typical person would live in a sosciety built by autistic people then they would look like having a disorder imo

[@hispoiema]

Yes! That's where the feelings of frustration and loneliness come from.

[@DanS8204]

Olivia, your courage, compassion, perseverance, intelligence, enthusiasm, honesty, kindness, positivity, and wonderful sense of humor are all greatly appreciated!

[@julieabraham3566]

Some people struggle with the word disorder because it seems to imply that nothing good can come from a disorder. However, look at any disorder and you will find both positive and negative things that come from it. My uncle, for instance, is colorblind. It is a optical disorder. It caused him grief in his childhood because he could not understand why children laughed at him when he colored his trees purple. He was not diagnosed with colorblindness until he entered the Navy in the 1960s. There his disability was put to use because he could spot things despite their camouflage. Even though he learned to live with the disorder in useful ways it did not cease to be a disorder.

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@gigahorse1475]

@@chirstopherj I see you copy/pasting your messages all over autistic comment sections. Stop trying to scam people.

[@jonaskoelker]

> [my uncle's colorblindness] was put to use because he could spot things despite their camouflage. Does anyone know how this works? My understanding is that you make the camouflaged object resemble its environment, so your uncle must have had a greater ability to differentiate things from each other, presumably based on color differences. However, this is exactly the opposite of what I would expect from colorblindness. Does anyone know what's going on here?

[@sugarwoofle6067]

I love these videos. Still waiting on my diagnosis but my psychologist fully believes I am autistic as well. It explains so many things in my life I've never had answers for and suffer with to this day. Most people can be social butterflies... ever since I was little to this day I struggle to be social. I push through and the longest I've ever had a job was 3 years... that was only 2 different jobs that I got to that long on. Both of which were less social, until they weren't. The fact that I find it painful to even talk in the morning when I wake up because it exausts me to even say two words... or that when I am forced to socialize it can leave me so exhausted that I can LITERALLY sleep for days. How I've dealt with it? I haven't... lots of crying and lots of severe depression. To me... this is what a disorder looks like. Some days I feel proud of myself that I'm doing things with people and other days I hate myself intensely because I can't do it at all. Again, love the videos. Please keep up the great work. I may not be able to relate with everything you've experienced but 90% of it I can. It helps me put some of my thoughts and feelings in a way that I can express myself better when I do talk to my psychiatrist about what I personally experience. It's also really nice to know that at 32 I am not alone in not knowing why or how I am the way I am.

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@corbenhavener7531]

If you seamlessly accommodate, it could feel like you have it all together. I have a lot together materially but I struggle to put together a healthy social life. Naturally, I fall into productivity mode and when I get into burnout, I can feel very dysfunctional. At the end of the day, disability is not a bad thing, it’s neutral. It’s just an aspect of one’s life that should be accommodated as needed.

[@OliviaHops]

Great comment, Corben! Thanks for always watching my videos.

[@sarahleony]

I feel disabled by my (“high functioning”, Level 1) autism and if I could get rid of it, I would immediately. I feel like most people who harp on about the term “disorder” are usually in favor of the term “disability” instead. They say autism isn’t a disorder like a glitch in a typically developed brain, but rather it’s a whole differently developed brain. Not sure I’m making sense. Either way, all the militant autistics and their semantics are so tiring and oftentimes ostracizing. I get some of their points but at the end of the day I don’t care if you are autistic/have autism/ have Asperger’s etc and I don’t understand the need to police the community regarding language.

[@OliviaHops]

Sarah, I could not agree with you more on the last part of your comment!! For all those reasons you said, I don’t actually consider myself “in” the Autism community (and I don’t want to be). I don’t want to be part of a so-called community that bullies anyone who doesn’t do exactly what they say/want. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the only people I’ve ever been bullied by are other autistic people since finding out I’m autistic myself.

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@ThanksHermione]

My mom says she almost wishes that I hadn't been diagnosed with autism at 24. She claims I use it to make excuses and calls it a crutch for me. I wish she understood me better.

[@anissayancey6136]

Keep in touch with people who do understand. Meanwhile, keep communication open with your mom. Your life is, hopefully, better with her in it. I am optimistic for your relationship.

[@OliviaHops]

I’m so sorry she has this view. You aren’t using it as a crutch/excuse, you probably are like me. I just now finally have an answer to things I used to have to hide and push through, making my quality of life worse. I sure do use Autism as an “excuse” to not go to parties I used to have to mask through and go into sensory overload for. I like to say, “I’m not using autism as an excuse, it’s an explanation.” Praying she can change her view and understand soon. 🙏🏻💙

[@ThanksHermione]

@@OliviaHops Thanks. I view the diagnosis as a positive thing to help understand myself better too. I've worked hard trying to learn how to improve my social skills and been in therapy (not just in regards to the spectrum), but it's never enough. Years ago, mom asked why I still took anti-depressants. This resulted in an argument and me crying. She expected me to be cured of my depression after all these years of seeing a therapist and psychiatrist.

[@srldwg]

@@OliviaHops That quote "I'm not using autism as an excuse, it's an explanation.", helped me pinpoint what I have been trying to convey. Thank you Olivia!

[@JENTHINKSO]

I'd be depressed if my mom was that ignorant and insensitive. When people misunderstand us and judge us it's depressing af. Who is to say neurotypical people are not the ones who are disordered when they fail to fathom our perspective and routinely misjudge us?

[@sianchild]

I think the big thing it'd be worth your looking into is the social Vs medical models of disability. Disorder implies that there's something wrong with the individual, whereas another way of viewing it is that the fault lies in the way a society is set up.

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@alleykittycat]

Agreed

[@petralea]

Not even whole society, Americans tend to think thay the whole world thinks the same way, Japan or German society is set up a way different. Also in US victim mentality is very prized, eastern world tend to take suffering as part of human experince. Therefore the way one understands the word and world "autism" will difer. Also expectation will differ, in europe you expect state to take care of you way more then in US and some thibgs and easier (education for free, health insurance for free, food at school heavily subsidized and on a healthy side....) so many people in europe would not experience such societal differences as in US and therefore would not be as disregulated (also we have guite tigh familes, and a lot of it, differ3nt vaules not centered on individualism, so there is way more support available, even though it is tough at times, jusy want to illustrate that it is not the same experience)

[@sianchild]

@@petralea I'm from Europe, not the US.

[@gracegrace9567]

You're lovely, Olivia. Your videos are so helpful and your honesty and intelligence make them a real contribution. Thank you❣️

[@OliviaHops]

Aw thank you so very much, Grace!! That means so much to me! 💙

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@DavidLindes]

I'm personally a big believer in the social model of disability, so as far as it being a _disability_ -- I'd say that mostly depends on one's environment, though in our society at large, I'd probably say yes. As for it being a _disorder_ I feel like that's a bit different, and probably depends a lot on the _individual_ as well, and how they cope with the social challenges they're faced with because of it. I think for many, it creates a disordered state of being (or, in disability terminology, an impairment), and thus would qualify... but in both cases (disability and disorder), I think it largely depends on the individual person and/or circumstances. At least that's how I'm coming to think about things.

[@katerees-williams]

It's both a blessing and a curse. Some days, I hate it, and other days, I appreciate it, especially because it makes me a gifted writer and poet!

[@alleykittycat]

Me too. I am very creative and I am a poet as well 😊

[@soniabeauvais5208]

Hello Olivia! Autistic here too. This is so interesting from my point of view, because my first language is French and we say "Trouble du spectre de l'autisme". It will probably be changed to "Condition du spectre de l'autisme", which I really much prefer. First of all, "trouble" pretty much equals to: something is forever broken and/or really wrong. That part, I desagree with; even historically, we know that autism always as existed, and as it has been passed on to this day, it serves a purpose for humanity, we have been an asset, as other neurodiversities has been too. So for me, "condition" is really more appropriate, like it's not a Mother Nature error, it's not an illness, but it is really a condition that we need to deal with everyday. So that's that for the word "trouble", but then, I'm not sure if it really has the same meaning than the word "disorder", which I feel is not as harsh. All that said, I however strongly believe that IT IS a disability, those are not the same thing. A disability prevent you from functionning smoothly due to mostly social environment that lacks considerations for everything that derive from the norm. So for me, autism is a condition AND a disability. But not a broken brain, just a different brain in a world not fitted for it.

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?

[@pugs34]

Autism is not a "disorder". Autistic people are only considered "disordered" in trying to navigate a world not built for them. I liken this to the issues of race inequity in the United States. Being Black/Brown in the United States is not a "disorder", but there are struggles that they face as they try to navigate a society that is built upon systems of racism. There are "supports" like affirmative action, educational programs, etc... that help Black/Brown people but those supports would not be necessary in an equitable society. The same is true of the "support" that autistic people "need" in order to "function" in a society that is built upon the assumption that neurotypical is the only norm. So the argument that autistic people NEED "support" and "accommodations" to "function properly", is based entirely in the "neurotypical is normal" systems and ways of thinking. So, yes, if I'd had supports and accommodations that came with an earlier diagnosis (I'm fifty and only recently learned I am autistic), my life might have been "easier"; but if we lived in a society that valued ALL neurotypes, then those supports and accommodations wouldn't be needed. In the same way, if Black/Brown people lived in a society that valued everyone equitably, then affirmative action and other supports and accommodations would not be needed for them, either.

[@rahbeeuh]

This isn't a very good comparison.

[@pugs34]

@@rahbeeuh, having lived my life as an autistic person and as a Blasian person, it's a very apt comparison. Your mileage may vary.

[@leilap2495]

I believe it depends on a person's perspective. It is quite subjective. It is a condition that is different from the "norm." It is greatly pathologized by the medical community, however there are reasons for that. We can argue all day about how the DSM criteria are designed, but the way that neurological and mental health conditions are defined and criteria are quantified are in a way that is backed by scientific means. That obviously lends to pathologizing language. That being said, we are "suffering," simply by existing in a world that wasn't built for us. Relatively speaking, we are "disordered," whether we call it that or not. It is difficult to live without the diagnosis, wondering why so many things are so hard. After diagnosis, still, even loved ones and healthcare providers may not know how to best support us. We can call it ASC all day, and I have no problem with that, but it is technically ASD.

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@PixelPi]

I'm differently abled and twice exceptional so it is both for me. My abilities are all over the spectrum, you could never define me in terms of high, medium, or low functioning because I'm all three at the same time, this is why the DSM explicitly never talks about functioning levels and instead talks about support levels. Since I'm all over the map I need a lot of support to function within our present day ableist society, for instance, I can't use a telephone due to bilateral auditory processing among many other reasons. I can't manage mail or a paper filing system of any type in any way at all. But I can type using accessibility aides and keyword search through my digital files to find what I need when I need it.

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@magicalspacegiraffe]

Offtopic shower tangent - have you ever showered in one of those "shower cabins", it's like a little shower pod, relatively small enclosed space, often has cool features like rain shower or side streams. I used to have a bathtub in my apartment's bathroom with a little shower curtain to make sure nothing splashes if you just shower. I never realised how much it freaks me out that one side gets warm water while the other side of the body starts cooling down. Absolutely d-e-s-p-i-s-e-d showers. But then I was staying in a hostel that had a cabin shower, and since it's so small it all steams up and there's little temperature contrast. Since my bathroom needed renovations, I ditched the tub and got a cabin too, with a roof so all the steam stays in. It has built in radio which I thought was funny at first but honestly it makes it better too, just takes your mind off what's happening. The difference of how much I used to hate showers and now lowkey look forward to it is major. I don't think I would have realised it's the temperature contrast that freaks me out if I hadn't experienced a contrast-free shower. I don't have any kind of official diagnosis, but this experience alone illustrates to me well how someone who might need special adjustments would need help to even realise whats up instead of beating themselves down. Especially when simple changes make all the difference in the world. Oh, in regards to small differences. Due to the energy price increase, supermarkets here have decided to decrease the intensity of overhead lights and turn off fridge lights all together. It's not dark at all, but it's significantly less bright. You guys it's so nice. Once again I didn't realise the insanely bright lights were stressing me out so much, even though I barely turn on lights at my place, but now I realise I really enjoy the adjustment. If this doesn't make things harder for people with sight impairment or for workers, I hope they stick with this new level of lights....

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?

[@jeskafm2929]

I have a asd diagnosis, and yet sometimes when I am at work I even trick myself into thinking maybe I am neurotypical. I am a nurse and I can talk with my coworkers and talk with patients and I do such a good job I think oh perhaps I don't have a disorder. And then things happen like I get hit on at work and I don't realize that the person was doing that until someone else points it out to me. It makes me feel very vulnerable to predatory behavior

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@backyardonorchard9420]

I agree with you that it is a disorder/disability. I do struggle with calling it that though. I'm 41 and just found out I'm autistic. It's almost like I'm saying "hey, I wasn't disabled for 41 years, but now I am." Actually I Was disabled for 41 years, but I hid it well. At this point it's hard to know what my response should be.

[@lizstokes9091]

Same here. I never told anyone about my diagnosis. These days, I do find myself using it when someone rudely says something along the lines of "why can't you just be normal?" I find the word normal to be very offensive LOL why would anyone want to be normal??

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@brijmsn]

You must be highly functional if you went 41 years without being diagnosed. If its bad enough the doctors will know in your childhood. Trust me.

[@alleykittycat]

Same here. I am 33. Just assessed and waiting on results which I get next week. I struggle with this too.

[@alleykittycat]

@@brijmsnyes it’s likely level 1 who would have been diagnosed with Asperger’s if they are diagnosed late.

[@tammyleblanc4437]

I totally agree, couldn't have explained it better! I hope you feel better soon, sorry you are having burnout. Also, you don't ramble, I really enjoy your videos and watch from beginning to end every time, so don't worry about repeating yourself or it being too long! ❤

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@bekabell1]

I love your attitude about Autism. I am autistic, and I have autism - I can't make the differentiation either, it is both/and. I have this condition and the condition is part of who I am. As you say, we are all individually on the spectrum, some are more impacted (disabled) than others, and for those who don't seem to be disabled by it, may be impacted in unseen ways, like being unable to maintain a romantic relationship or connecting with people, even though the rest of their life looks "normal." It impacts everyone of us.

[@OliviaHops]

Fantastic comment! I couldn’t have said it better myself!!

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@gigahorse1475]

@@chirstopherj Stop asking where people live, you creep. Stop trying to prey on the autistic community. Reported.

[@beeskneesbooks]

This is my favorite Autism channel because you keep it real and I really identify with you on so much. Not diagnosed yet, but if you know, you know.

[@kencarson7310]

I agree 💯 doing daily life is a struggle for me I shower once a week and going to the store is like a chore for me that I have to force myself to do.. don't even get me started on my incapability of holding down a job .. In a nutshell autism is a disorder,/disability . but I'm not ashamed of it. It's something I have no control over and know that it's not going to go away. Merry Xmas and thank you for the video

[@powderandpaint14]

Would that not then be considered a disability rather than a disorder?

[@BornwithASD]

Ken I use to be as disabled as you are please don't loose courage 👍🏽

[@kencarson7310]

@@powderandpaint14 sorry some times I use the wrong wording 😔

[@kencarson7310]

@@BornwithASD thanks , I just recently discovered that I'm autistic, so now I'm rediscovering myself. I'm starting to understand why I was so different than others and I find it makes sense now.

[@powderandpaint14]

@@kencarson7310 I don't think it's the wrong wording! I just wondered if disability fits slightly better. But the video does explain well how it can fit.

[@Tarahhh]

I was diagnosed AuDHD this year at 33, and I absolutely experience autism as a disorder. Sure, I love some things about it like my special interests and my ability to fixate or hyperfocus. But without the ADHD, I would largely be unable to function. The ADHD is high energy and outgoing, but my autism is rigid, controlling, and causes me struggle through nearly every aspect of my life. It effects my relationships, executive functioning, my ability to work and just about everything else. Without being able to ask for accommodations, I would be an absolute mess

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@ObservingAllThereIs]

As someone with autism who never got any help or benefits, I still think it disorders my life. I can and do drive a car and live in the center of Amsterdam. Getting anywhere means traffic jams and I love them. They make traffic easier to handle. If I tell any neurotypical person the traffic jams are great, they think I'm crazy. I can hardly ever go grocery shopping. The lights, the sounds the smells and it's too crowded, so I order my groceries in. I loved the social distancing during corona. I have a great job with great colleagues but next thursday we have a Christmas dinner. I've known this for 2 months and it has made me anxious for those two months. I hope I'll go, but I find it extremely hard. And showering? What the hell is that? 🤪

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@ObservingAllThereIs]

@@chirstopherj Hey Chris. I wrote where I live in my previous message. Hope you have a lovely 2023 too!

[@chirstopherj]

@@ObservingAllThereIs Hi Simone, Happy New Year 🙃 it's my pleasure to meet you here, and am very happy. I just read your previous message now showing you're from Amsterdam Netherlands. How's Netherlands? I so much love Netherlands because it's such a beautiful country

[@chirstopherj]

@@ObservingAllThereIs I was in Netherlands two years ago at a health conference with some top doctors due to Covid and though I didn’t have enough time to move around the beautiful cities of Netherlands and I will love to visit anytime soon with my son Isaac. How long have you been living in Netherlands if you don't mind me asking?

[@ObservingAllThereIs]

@@chirstopherj A covid health conference with top doctors in 2020 or 2021? That's special. We were in lock down, Schiphol was closed and top doctors risked their life and flew in for a conference? I've lived in The Netherlands my entire life and who are you really? Your story doesn't really add up.

[@backyardonorchard9420]

I could tell immediately that you weren't quite your cheerful self. But you pulled through with your sweet spirit. Hope this next week goes better for you. Merry Christmas, Olivia!

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?

[@Prudentsnow]

Hi Olivia, I agree with your statements. I'm currently undergoing my ASD diagnosis at age 32, however my psychologist already mentioned he is sure I do have ASD and ADHD. I learned a lot about ASD and ADHD in the past year, and becoming this aware of all deficits really hit hard. My mask is already slipping, because i'm aware and I notice I have more support needs than anticipated. So it is definitely a disorder in my honest opinion. Happy holidays to you and everyone who reads this!

[@lillywonka2248]

Autism is 100% a disorder. Not only does calling it any less detract from our needs in society, but it also affect public opinion. The best part of having a diagnosis is to help explain your difficulties to others. It's already hard for "high functioning" autistic people to gain understanding, taking away the disorder label will only make it harder.

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?

[@FindingFarrahBlog]

I think for those of us with a late diagnosis and/or are self-diagnosed thus far, it can be really hard to accept that there is something “wrong” with us by the definition of “disorder”. We always knew we were different but maybe didn’t identify with people who had other more severe or outward disabilities.. so this is really an interesting topic and something worth exploring. A lot of it is our internalized ableism or even shame as well… I’ve always struggled too, but never would have thought myself as “disordered”… so it is a big mental shift for those who are early in their journey! Thanks for your discussion!

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?

[@alleykittycat]

I agree but I just feel like I am an imposter or a fraud. I went 33 years being capable or at least figuring it all out with my own life hacks to suddenly say I’m disabled?

[@logicalameetsworld]

I wasn't subscribed to the channel 7 months ago but I wanted to say you made some very good points. I think the co-opting of language has something to do with how people are being taught to think about disorders and disabilities. Telling people with disabilities they can do anything everyone else can isn't realistic. It sets them up to fail. It would be like telling me I can be the life of the party when I can't even figure out when it's my turn to speak. I used to mimic what I saw to a point of damaging my health because I was told by a therapist, you just have to get in there and do it. I had to learn that limitations weren't me being weak, they are human.

[@anklesockson8134]

I agree with you and the first comment, I have been to hell and back this year asking people at work to not change the environment (ie certain radio stations) to that which will cause my SPD to overload. After multiple sensory overloads and meltdowns I was at the point of leaving but managed to convince my HR to do something about it. It wasn't like I was asking them to work in the dark, these were things which did not alter their work at all but made mine torture. If it is not considered a disorder or disability I would have been told to put up with it.

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@DanniBby]

Autism advocates have said it could be called a conditioned & disability instead of saying a person is inherently disordered. People don’t call needing eye glass accommodations being disordered.. since it relates to stigmatizing people which relates autism as if it’s like personality disorders, which causes unfair treatment. It can still be a disability without it being a disorder. What do you think about how people say that it’s a neurotype since it’s always been around in human history?

[@hannahclara7929]

Does this not return to the idea of a social model of disability? In that yes it can be called a disorder and not be one due to the way society is set up. Just as in could not be a disability in a different society. I think it's fair to say that by itself it isn't a disorder but in the society we live in it becomes one. I think this argument is a lot of perhaps and maybes and what ifs but that's valuable to engage with given it reassigns "blame" away from the condition itself to the way in which society accommodates and operates.

[@s.b200]

I agree to an extent with this, but I think (as a phd student in biology) some aspects do not have much to do with how society is built and more with how peoples brains tend to work. Autistic people and neurotypicals tend to struggle to understand each other, due to different brain wiring and ways to percieve the world. We tend to become outcasts in all kinds of settings, in the past as well as present day. We are a minority...and In any social animal species, most large differences from the norm are intuitively unwanted. Speaking as a biologist I think there were ways in which autistics contributed to the human species ever since 10.000 years ago (otherwise we would have died out), but I dont think autistic antisocial behaviour, for example, has ever been easily accepted since we always needed to bond with others to survive. We are still the same species as we were in the Stones age and there is sadly signs that people saw weakness in differences back then too

[@chesuqi]

this

[@hannahclara7929]

@@s.b200 oh I agree! And I don't actually see a society in history where it would have made human sense to be acting entirely how autistics needed. It's not that it isn't a disability or disorder (I myself prefer those terms) but that in an autistic utopia then it would flip and have "normal" brains be the disordered ones. It's a very theoretical sort line of thinking!

[@OliviaHops]

I agree with this. People who say what you were saying in your original comment usually sound incredibly narcissistic when they blame everything on society and say society itself is “disordered.” But if society fit our brains, then NTs would become “disordered.” Just because we happen to have brains that don’t typically fit into this society does not mean society should change for us. If that’s not narcissism, I don’t know what is!

[@s.b200]

@@hannahclara7929 Wisely said. Much agree with you=)

[@tdsollog]

I’m so thankful that you made this video, because I think this is about perspective. I’m over 50 and just starting on this journey. I identify so much with a lot of these traits and have been researching, including how I was as a kid. Personally, if I get this diagnosis, it will be a relief, an “a-hah” moment. I will want to be accepted and treated with kindness and dignity. Thank you for having this be a conversation starter and a positive place of support and learning.

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@autonomic_pilot]

You use the words 'disorder' and 'disability' here pretty much interchangeably. I prefer to keep them separate. I am learning to see how disability is present in our environment as well as in individuals, as in, if you build ramps into your store, people who need mobility devices don't experience as much disability accessing it. The distinction is important to me: I don't feel that I'm disordered so much as the world isn't ordered the way it would best serve me. Because that is so, I experience a higher degree of disability.

[@Mijolite]

I think 'disorder' is also often defined as something that's 'wrong' with a person - that something bad happened and affected a person who was supposed to be 'normal', and made them different. Which is what I and I think many disagree with - because we see autism as a neurodiversity that is a natural variant in the human population, not something goig wrong with someone who was supposed to be neurotypical. But if it is defined like you mentioned, it impacting our normal function, then I agree with it being that kind of a disorder. Though I don't necessarily agree someone needing accommodations and help means it is a disorder - I don't think left-handedness is considered a disorder, yet they definitely cannot just be thrown in a right-handed world and be expected to function normally with tools made for right-handed people. And the 'accommodations' given to them are only seen as special treatment because they're in the minority - in reality, they are nothing special or extra, only the exact same thing right handed people already have, just by default. I feel the same way about us needing help, for things to be suited to us, not because we need more in life than neurotypical people, but because they already have the whole world suited to them so they have no struggles with that. Hope I made sense!

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?

[@rahbeeuh]

Autism is a neurodivergence. Not a neurodiversity. Everyone is neurodiverse. An Autistic person is neurodivergent. I know this video and comment is older but I thought I'd still respond.

[@alleykittycat]

I agree, you can apply this to people who are vision impaired as well. Glasses is an accommodation and no one considers them disabled even those who wear glasses including myself.

[@meriadocbrandybuck9833]

Thank you! Your videos were extremely helpful to me. Officially got back my diagnosis, ASD 1, on Thursday. It’s really good to have that confirmed for me especially being a lady in my 20’s. A lot of the childhood stuff I did makes sense to me in that framework as does what I chose to do in life. The evaluation helpfully pointed out some of my very strong points as well as the weaker areas to work on. I manage an entire department but it’s largely through being extremely specific, changing physical structures to support my needs and being very detail oriented. Also was asked (since I’m expecting) what I would do if I had a kid like me. To me it’s a little more simple to explain: there are a tribe of people (mostly scientists and engineers) whose brains work similarly to mine. I work extremely well with them and can fit into the group (as much or as little as I like.) For me, I don’t think that’s really so much a disorder, it’s just an entirely different way of thinking. It’s very useful in some ways and others it is not. As long as I can understand how my brain works differently than other people, I can play to my strengths and pull others in for situations I might need backup (like causal social stuff.) I also know now that my brain sees patterns glaringly in data and language but not always as well in visual formats like pictures. Knowing that I’ll have other people look over my presentations to more normal people to make sure I’ve made it easy for them to see the pattern too. I think explaining to any kid I have (should they be autistic like me,) that they have to learn their brain patterns and observe others. It’s perfectly fine for me to have a brain that works differently, as long as I can see the baseline pattern to understand how mine doesn’t.

[@s.b200]

Very good comment, as a phd student I also thrive much better in the science nerd community, mening less disability in that setting. Using my intellect I can compensate and blend in well enough on a semi-deep level in society, understanding most expectations. So..our struggles are less apparent as long as our brains cope with the extra analysing work. But now, during my burnout, I lost many of these functions... exposing and crippling me in ways I never experienced before. I feel now more than ever how disabling it can be. What are your thoughts and experiences on your limitations?=)

[@meriadocbrandybuck9833]

@Beastbombshell I’m afraid I was perhaps not clear enough: if I were to have a child who is autistic in a similar way to me, I don’t think this would be as complex for me as having a so-called “normal,” child. I’ve worked with adults and kids on lower levels of the spectrum, and for them I can see why it’s disabling. For me, my experience is rather different as an adult so far. I’ve generally been able to choose to work in situations I can control best to mitigate my sensory issues and play to my general strengths. The biggest single thing that’s helped me is realizing that my brain works significantly differently than others. I think knowing this at a younger age would have been helpful: that is what I would focus on giving a child of mine.

[@neurodivergentNat]

When you receive a formal diagnosis, it is referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). That is based on the medical model of disability. The neurodiversity community advocate for autism referred to as a brain difference, or a neurotype. It has nothing to do with personality. We require services because of the barriers that exist in society, hence we are disabled due to environment (the social model of disability). Because at large, we live in a world built for neurotypical/allistic people. For those interested, I am an autistic/adhd woman who has a psych degree and post grad autism studies 💖

[@neurodivergentNat]

Oh and I empathize with you Olivia! Remember self care. Pace yourself. ❤

[@alleykittycat]

I agree with this

[@georginashanti4605]

At the moment, I feel it is a disorder. I am getting my assessment feedback soon. My functioning has definitely been badly affected even though from the outside everything appears to be ok. I'm very sure that I've been masking for years without realising it. I masked so well that I get good jobs and then 5 weeks later resign due to most likely autistic burnout, masking and sensory overload. I'm a work in progress, I guess. Yes, it's important to remember that people who bring us this insightful content are drawing mainly on their personal experience. I'm pretty shy so will most likely not be able to present on KZbin without having panic attacks! Enough said. Thanks Olivia 💟.

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@lizstokes9091]

"Normal" is the strangest word in our vocabulary, right up there with "common sense". What's normal in one household, isn't normal in another. What's normal in one city, isn't normal in another. What's normal in one country, isn't normal in another. etc, etc. So how can anyone expect others to be normal when it's not defined? I agree that a lot of my issues are a disability, but only in the context of how others behave (such as typical 9-5 jobs). But I also think we're not the ones that aren't normal. I think neurotypical people are completely out of touch with what's important and what isn't. Do I wish I could spend endless hours gossiping about everyone else? NOPE. Do I wish I had the uncontrollable urge to shop shop shop, just so that I can show off to everyone else and destroy the environment at the same time? NOPE. Do I wish I had the ability to follow in line like ants and just "be like everyone else"? BIG FAT NOPE. Why would anyone want to be "normal", when "normal" is generally selfish, mean and destructive (both to themselves, others and the environment)? Count me out on being "normal"!! I think we're awesome and without us, this world is BORING!

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?

[@alleykittycat]

I agree. Most NT are very mean spirited people who only care about themselves and impressing others. They think it’s perfectly fine to lie to people and cheat them just to get ahead. Besides my sensory issues which is something beyond my control I don’t feel disabled or abnormal. I think the society we live in makes me feel incapable like my job dealing with customers. I realize more and more this is not suited for neurotype and I have since been looking for something that is not customer facing. My job pulled me away from the customers for a few weeks earlier this year and all I did was data entry and I excelled with this. My supervisor even told me she gave me this task because of my ability to pay attention to detail which ofc is an autistic trait. When I’m alone in my house or even in public (even in crowds) I tend to do ok as long as I’m not bothered but the moment I feel that I am no longer in control and things aren’t on my terms than I lose it.

[@donnahamilton3932]

Well done you for making this video, I can understand it must be so difficult when you're not feeling good! 😉 Love listening to you chat thankyou for all your posts.

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@relentlessrhythm2774]

The most disabling aspect for me is burnout. I'd so much better off if society would be more accommodating and didn't require me to mask so hard.

[@jeannine1739]

As a woman without autism, but with several other ways in which I'm disabled, I had to seperate in my head the false assumption that value is connected to function. Perhaps that's why so many people with autism are uncomfortable considering it a disorder? A confusion between function and value, a false belief that someone with less ability in some area simply isn't worth as much as someone more able in that particular area. I've had to, over the years, come to grips with the fact that my value comes from God - I am inherently of value. My worth does not come from how far I can walk (a few steps) nor how smart I am (good thing, that!) nor even how good I am *gasp* lol My goodness is pretty sullied by sin. But still, God valued this sinner enough to send Christ to the cross to rescue me from hell. Getting off on a tangent, me, but basically that's my reason for believing that yes, autism sounds like it makes a person's life harder in many ways, so it's a disorder, but that doesn't decrease an autistic person's value even one iota.

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@CaptainArrrgh]

Thanks for your thoughts Olivia. I’m always happy to see your videos.

[@philnelson9791]

It's not a disorder if the reason people with traits commonly categorized as consistent with ASD are having difficulty conforming their behavior to "normal" is that "normal" has been, for years, decades, centuries, maybe millennia, in most places, around the world, sliding toward a kind of madness which has repeatedly ended badly, for whole civilizations. My opinion is that, given the facts of history, even current events, it's not obvious from the bare fact that persons labeled "ASD" have unusual difficulty "fitting in", even if they suffer from multiple psychological difficulties which are a consequence of reactions to that difficulty, are in fact the disordered ones.

[@ladystardust2008]

I'm autistic. It is a disorder. I am fine with the word disorder. It doesn't make sense to say it isn't. But then I'm autistic, so I'm going to insist on being very literal and matter of fact about it 😉

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?

[@ladystardust2008]

@@chirstopherj@OliviaHops I think there is a scammer operating here calling himself Dr Christopher Johnson. Just a heads up.

[@stephanprock7559]

Hi Olivia. Thank you for your videos. I am 61 years old and just today got my official diagnosis of ASD. It's very disorienting but explains so much of my life. Having the diagnosis makes me feel better about some of my neurodivergent traits and the way people (and I) have responded to them. I really appreciate your honesty and cheerful attitude.

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?

[@stephanprock7559]

@@chirstopherj Boston. Was living in Lexington but just had a new house built down near Plymouth.

[@chirstopherj]

@@stephanprock7559 Hi Stephan, it's my pleasure to meet you here, and am very happy. How's Lexington? I so much love Lexington because it's such a beautiful city

[@chirstopherj]

@@stephanprock7559 I was in Kentucky two years ago at a health conference with some top doctors due to Covid and though I didn’t have enough time to move around the beautiful cities of Kentucky and I will love to visit anytime soon with my son Isaac. How long have you been living in Kentucky if you don't mind me asking?

[@chirstopherj]

@@stephanprock7559 Hello

[@RichardChappell1]

The challenge with a poll of the "community" is that a substantial population are impacted seriously in a way that prevents them from responding. And often, the most aggressive of the community are self diagnosed or went shopping to get the diagnosis because it is considered a social identity in many cases now. They tend to really mitigate those who are seriously impacted and deny their existence. I think you made a great point with you response to the person insisting it's not a disorder while still wanting funding/supports, etc.

[@jameegrace4918]

I don't have a problem with the term disorder but I do have a problem with many people thinking it's a mental problem when it's really a neurological one. I don't think there is enough input from adults who are autistic when it comes to determining how to help. The so called experts only look at outward behavior rather than what is going on internally. I didn't find out I was autistic until I was 49. Finally knowing it has changed my life for the better. However, had I been diagnosed in childhood I don't believe I would have received any real help because of how autism is pathologized and as a result of that marginalized.

[@vari1335]

Disorder, no. Disability, however, yes. Those two words are similar but there is a significant difference. Also, I prefer to refer to autism as just autism, or autism spectrum, that way you keep both the positives and the negatives in view. Just... autism. With all there is to it. Here's my reasoning: disorder focuses on something inborn, something fixed within the patient that affects them in a negative way. That's a very absolutist & essentialist view. Disability however, is context depended, both medically and socially. It highlights how difficulties can arise due to a multitude of factors, which I find describes the lived reality (and plurality!) of autism more. Tldr, disability as a word highlights the complexity of autism more than the word disorder does. & When I refer to autism it is just enough for me to say "autism" , as that already encompasses all.

[@marinagiardinieri]

Thank you as always, all your content helps my daughter and me to understand and share experiences!

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@Cfomodz]

Re: the supposed contradiction: I believe the distinction that you failed to appreciate was illustrated by your saying they said we need accommodation to "live an acceptable life" and they said we need accommodation to "live in the current culture/environment." To be clear - and I am not speaking for this person, but just providing my own interpretation - I believe the distinction is that someday we can hope we will live in a world where you don't have to have a legal "disorder" to receive the medical care that you need for whatever discomfort, difficulty, disability, defect, deficit, disorder, struggle; mental or physical (the brain is physical, so we should probably stop distinguishing the two as if one is something that's "only in someone's head" like fam - everything is only in your head... That's like the definition of perception... The pain of a broken leg is only in your head...). With that in mind, I believe this individual is sharing that they don't believe it is a disorder (whatever that word means to them) but that since the world is currently messed up, they do think we need to maintain that distinction from a legal perspective to receive the things that "should" be freely available as a human right without needing to "prove" a "disorder". Again, I could be wrong, but the last part of their comment makes that clear, at least to my overanalytical brain that cares way too much for my own good about words. You could even say it might be part of a disorder of how my brain thinks so much about words 😉😉 Note: I am one of the people who very, Very much cares about words, and them being used "correctly" - or in whatever way my brain thinks is correct. My brain says, "THAT'S WRONG" whenever I think I hear someone use a word that, according to its dictionary definition, isn't "right" or - in my judgment - doesn't mean what I think they are trying to say. Obviously, you are doing nothing wrong - like morally - and I am self-aware enough to know that it's silly for my brain to think there's anything wrong with being human and people making mistakes or thinking that it's silly for you to not care about language the way I do.

[@Treezp1]

Thank You Olivia! Well done! I remember how much effort was required to get anything done when my brain was not working well 😔 You are beautiful ❤ I hope your life gets easier soon & you have an at least ok holiday season🙂 ❤ T

[@OliviaHops]

Thank you SO very much!! You are so kind 🙏🏻💙💙 I appreciate it!

[@Treezp1]

@@OliviaHops 🙂❤

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@juliekong5013]

Olivia, what a great attitude. I'm thinking that most of your more overview comments could be said by someone, say, who was born without arms? They are who they are. They have valuable perspectives on what it means to be human. Just like you. Do they have a disability that affects their everyday life/ do they need special helps? Absolutely. No shame in that. I'm NT, whatever that is :) - wondering what you think of the above? I have some characteristics/sensitivities/ways of thinking that are both a gift and that can make life challenging, to a much lesser degree than autism - but don't we all have such?

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?

[@MargauxNeedler]

Omg I'm 23 and just finally understood what you cannot eat your cake & have it too means. Like, I knew what it meant pretty much... but I was always confused by the wording of that phrase for years. Wow. Now I get it that you cannot physically eat your cake and ALSO have it with you in your hands to take pictures of and smell or whatever ... ok, my brain is slow. Bye.

[@MargauxNeedler]

because in my head if I did eat my cake then I did have it, too... so i was always like wtf when I heard that phrase

[@OliviaHops]

OMG!!! I’m SO glad you wrote this comment because I was the SAME EXACT WAY!!! It wasn’t until I heard the phrase correctly, which is how I said it in the video, “you can’t eat your cake and have it too” (people say it the other way, “you can’t have your cake and eat it too” but that’s not actually how the phrase started out), that I finally understood!! Makes SO much sense now!!

[@MargauxNeedler]

@@OliviaHops omg 😲, YEAHH it's definitely the switching around of the words that made it make sense to me finally, too, WOW. 😆 so thank YOU for doing that. My brain has obtained more peace. ✅️ 😂

[@Natalie-Cornacchione]

I just learned this from your comment

[@MargauxNeedler]

@@Natalie-Cornacchione omgosh yay for you too 😂🥳

[@fionascheibel977]

I loved your explanation and your sharing. I find the high or low support needs is also a pretty inaccurate way to describe the struggle autistic people have or might have. I say I have complex support needs. Which to me basically means changes dramatically day to day and situation to situation and I often do best with support that isn't the most obvious or usual way to how someone thinks support is best offered.

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@GhostIntoTheFog]

Just as a heads up, “neurodiverse” refers to a group of people with mixed neurotypes. It isn’t a synonym for neurodivergent.

[@Starhunter1975]

I live in two phases. One is very logical, well spoken, and well informed however the other side is very emotional, emotionally unstable and emotionally young. I swing from one extreme to the other. So yes, Autism is a disorder. Sure life would be easier but I wouldn’t be me. I get to see the World in away that other people don’t but it would be nice to not have mental downs. This year has been full of them and it does make me feel so tired. Hopefully I will have a boring and non-eventful year in 2023.

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@annee4193]

Thank you for your intelligent contributions, your opinions, your openness living as an autistic woman. You have taught me so much plus encouraged my daughter to look into assessment. As a mum I couldn’t live my daughter more with her quirky perspectives and depth of understanding about all manner of topics. Whilst I think autism is a hybrid brain in a culture where average rules, I agree it is a disorder in the order of all things average and it definitely does impact many autistic people in day to day life. I really value your shared experiences and knowledge from all the way down here in Australia ❤

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@kimberly-louisesisko6694]

I Do, Couldn't Begin To Work Out How Much I've Cried About Not Being "Normal" (Neurotypical) 😭

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?

[@jvhayward]

Thank you for your insight Olivia. You are very helpful.

[@kdcraft89]

Long ago I led personal growth workshops. Usually these were day long and held in a familiar place in my own city. This was difficult/draining, but I just assumed it was supposed to be. I was asked to lead a weekend workshop at a retreat center in a different state. Apparently it went well, from the feedback I got. However, when it was over it took me two weeks to recover. I was non-functional for the first week. I never again accepted an invitation to do this. I also taught at the college level. I was dedicated and got good enough evaluations. But again, I was never able to recover fully week to week. Many other things I liked to do went undone. I could use various other examples, but to me, this sounds like a disability. I can't even begin to imagine what accommodations would have made these things otherwise. No one knew I suffered like I did. I finally understand now that I know I'm autistic. I am pretty intelligent and know a lot in my field. That doesn't mean I should teach these things. And I generally like people. These things should add up to teaching/workshops being easy for me. But they are not. Again, this sounds like a disorder to me. I'm happy that the mystery of this has been solved. All that said, I do understand the view that it is the culture that is disordered. There are many signs that the culture is disordered and doesn't work for many people, autistic or not. The question becomes what would a culture look like that would allow it to be easy for autistic people? I don't think there is an answer, but I know for me I'm happiest in the country rather than the city. I'm happiest when I do things with my hands (like woodworking and art). I'm happiest when I'm NOT looking at myself "from the outside" and judging whether I'm acting "normal". This is self-policing which is toxic. Other people will police autistic people, too, but the self-policing is the most harmful, imo. I can put my attention from the inside outward and perceive and discover what is around me. This change in perspective has something to do with what I think of as masking or not masking. Life is easier when I do this. So, the culture plays a role and my response to it plays a role, these are inseparable. But I can change how the culture affects me and have been doing this to experiment with how the culture affects me. Too many people at once is disorienting, that's a given. But if I am looking at myself from their perspective it is much worse.

[@abbyanderson3679]

Hey Olivia I am an autistic teenager and I was wondering if you had any advice on broaching the subject to my parents so I can get my diagnosis officially said by a medical professional. Tyyy

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@andrewlutes2048]

If a vehicle (like a race car) has too much horsepower to manage on the city streets or if a vehicle (like a farm tractor) can’t keep up with fast traffic is the vehicle dysfunctional because of a disorder or is it just in an incompatible environment? The problem, as I see it, is that some of us are like big powerful trucks for hauling, some of us are lightweight and speedy but can’t carry much, some of us can carry lots of people, but no cargo, some of us are loud and pointless, some are quiet and purposeful, some of us can go only short distances, some don’t want to go at all unless it’s a long drive, etc. “Society” expects all of us to be four door sedans after the few needs for tractors and race cars are filled, but that’s not a reasonable expectation. People have very little control over what abilities they excel at. To punish people for failing to meet expectations they never agreed to and are never going to be able to meet by calling them disabled or disorderly exposes the disdain “society” has for people who want to fit in but from no fault of their own cannot. That is a symptom of a dysfunctional society that wants justification for ignoring people within it, and it is not indicative of a growing number of dysfunctional individuals.

[@jallou]

Hello Olivia, thank you very much for your Videos. For me autism is like wearing glasses. You would never call someone with glasses disabled, just because they are wearing glasses. But as soon if you take the glasses away from the person, they are not able to function normally. An autistic person can come along just fine in their "normal" environment, their structure etc. But as soon as something is different everything will crash. Just as the person with the glasses is disabled w/o them

[@SpookymidnightKyanite7]

Wow I’m early you’ve helped me understand my autism so much better thanks for sharing your experiences ❤

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@chirstopherj]

@@SpookymidnightKyanite7 Yes Makayla, am talking to you. Happy New Year 🙃 it's my pleasure to meet you here, and am very happy. How's Canada? I so much love Canada because it's such a beautiful country

[@chirstopherj]

​@@SpookymidnightKyanite7 I was in Canada two years ago at a health conference with some top doctors due to Covid and though I didn’t have enough time to move around the beautiful cities of Canada and I will love to visit anytime soon with my son Isaac. How long have you been living in Canada if you don't mind me asking?

[@SpookymidnightKyanite7]

@@chirstopherj that’s too bad you weren’t able to go visit I’ve been living there since I was born but moved to another city of Canada I won’t mention the city I live at the moment it is nice talking to you 😌

[@chirstopherj]

@@SpookymidnightKyanite7 I would really love to know more about you but the nature of my job does not give me much time to come here to chat so I will appreciate it if we can chat somewhere more private and convenient so we can get to know each other better, hope you don't mind?

[@digger1989]

I feel it is a disorder, but for me, I'll never claim that I personally am disabled. I'm long time married, long time steady job (strictly back office, not customer facing), I don't believe I need special treatment or accommodations and I'd be offended if someone offered.

[@micheals1992]

I think allot of it is our enviroment that disables us. We need support because the world is made for neurotypical people. Its like the wheelchair and ramp analogy, if theres a door with a step and no ramp the door step is disabling you from being able to enter. If you built a ramp for the door the door would no longer disable people in wheelchairs, especially if you made the door automatically open. Things can change to be more enabling for people with extra needs and requirements. Like car insurance, some companies let you change your details online, others require you to call them which is extremely stressful and disabling for allot of people on the AS.

[@yulaypie]

I watched a video somewhere that said autism is only a disability because society isn't set up to accomodate us but we (autistic people) are forced to accomodate to society. Personally, I think both views are correct mainly because it IS a spectrum and it affects each one of us very differently.

[@neurodivergentNat]

The video was probably explaining the medical model vs social model of disability. The medical model names it as ASD but the social model argues we are disabled because of the environment. Hence why we struggle with our differences because the world is predominantly a NT world. We are a minority. 😢 but because autism is an invisible disability, because our behaviours are based on how we perceive and interpret the world around us, society will probably always struggle to a degree, on accepting our differences/ our neurotype.

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?

[@powderandpaint14]

I'm thinking perhaps autism goes more accurately under the umbrella of a disability rather than a disorder. But I think people have the right to identify their own condition as they choose!

[@OliviaHops]

I’d love to know what you think the difference is between a disorder and disability. I always use these terms interchangeably, but many people use them as completely different things. If you have time to explain, I’d love to know!

[@powderandpaint14]

@@OliviaHops that's a difficult one! I'm thinking disorder is something that is "wrong" compared to the norm maybe, whereas a disability is simply something that is different? Also I wonder whether a disorder is usually something that can be treated or changed, whereas a disability is just something that is......I'm no expert though so I may be totally wrong!

[@SunscreenAndVitamins]

It is a disability, but neurotypicals are so horrible that I don't ultimately think it's worse to be autistic.

[@alleykittycat]

Being “normal” is essentially being sheep, following the herd, being fake, lying and cheating to get ahead. Being materialistic, only caring about money, being selfish and self centered. Yeah being normal is great!

[@lacypierce6487]

When you say “disability” to me, the first thing I tend to think is “permanent hindrance” or “obstacle”. I think we need to get away from that kind of fixed thinking as a society. Temple Grandin will tell you not to let your labels limit you and I wholeheartedly agree! And I was taught in my Survey of Exceptionality class in college, the key is to stay focused on what you CAN do rather than on what you can’t do. I can attest to that because I have a longtime friend with ADHD who’s fully in the state disability system. For all of her life, what she CAN’T do has been what’s emphasized to her and to this day, she has A LOT of learned helplessness as a result. When I read parts of Ido in Autismland by Ido Kedar, who is nonverbal but can write thanks to the rapid prompting method. Especially after reading those bits, I can see why they would take a cure in a heartbeat. But I don’t think I would. It’s all I’ve known all my life and the way mine mainly impacts me is socially. For example, beyond “hi, how are you?” followed by a comment or two about the weather, I’m usually lost. For the most part, though, I know better than to talk on and on about my interests so I usually don’t say much at all. I care about people’s general welfare and if I can be of help to them, awesome. But I don’t have a need to be social 24/7 and it’s during my alone time that I discover the most significant things about myself and can really connect with my Higher Power. But I have a BA and can work a FT job if I want to and I don’t want to take from the government if I can help it. I don’t meltdown at the slightest change-in my case, it takes a build up of a LOT of stress over time- and I actually get bored with too much predictability. I can handle the occasional crowd, though they make me feel slightly disoriented. I can drive, I can shop-I’m actually recovering from a shopping addiction but I generally know how to manage my finances. I’m involved in a couple of political causes but my topmost priority these days is my self growth. I’m hoping to start my own business as an abuse/addiction recovery coach and am currently in the process of a spiritual coaching certification and saving to train with a kid’s coaching program.

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?

[@alleykittycat]

Same here. I am capable as long as I am in full control

[@Starwolf30]

I don't see it as a disability in myself nor in my 11 year old daughter but I can understand now why normal are so different and I never understood how to be the super friendly girl. Sorry I learnt how to fit in from books movie and TV shows so I was always odd to the normal people. I also want to add I don't get any help so have to come up with my own base on what I think fits normal functioning. So I could be way off and yes I could of used it in school. My daughter has just be put on the system to start receiving help with her life so I could learn from her how to survive day to day outside of the routine I use now on a daily basis. Editing again your the first person to talk about showering so I never knew my lack of self care was because of autism. I just hate it so I put it off I don't go as long now without a shower. Twice a week good enough for me. But there are times that I can't and that is more in the days of what i always called shut down. I got a basic job of being a cleaner on business site so I don't have to deal with people and the group I do have to deal with just think I am different extremely quiet and hard-working so they just say hello and let me work. I always blamed my head injury that some gave me when I was 10. That I now know was because he couldn't deal with me being autistic. I just didn't mask before the head injury and I did after but as I refused to be cased as disabled because of a head injury that was serious. you can understand why I don't see myself as disabled with autism. Maybe I don't adjust to the world like the help would give me but as I can't get the help I can not understand how it would help really.

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?

[@annee4193]

Firstly as a mum of a daughter currently going through assessment I couldn’t love her more and anything she is is deeply appreciated quirks and all. But I agree that autism has its limitations and challenges in a society that functions oi s 16:38 m ilnz 16:38

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?

[@valleybehaviorconsultation]

Great discussion and video!

[@sternentigerkatze]

I actually have another point to bring into this discussion. I don't object to the "disorder" part, as you said, I think if it hinders you in living a "normal" (for lack of a more fitting word) life, it is a disorder. What I don't like is the "developmental" because that sounds to me, as if "the autism" developed at some point i.e. you caught it somehow or that it got worse with time (unrelated to background stressors). (Disclaimer: Not a native speaker, so if I come across as rude I apologize.😅)

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?

[@DanTheMeek]

In my experience, as an autistic adult who very much sees autism as a disorder, most (though not necessarily all) people who push back on Autism being a disorder are attributing positive aspects of themselves to autism which, as far as I can tell, would still be the case about them whether they were autistic or not. From everything I've been able to find on autism, autism is the result of a brain which is not able to properly regulate its number of neuron and neuron connections. Post death biopsies of our brains seem to consistently show this. This, to me, seems to suggest a couple things. First, if a cure for autism was discovered at some point, and I took it, it would not change who I am, I would still be me, just me with a regulated brain, and thus with out the sensory issues and the need to stim as a coping mechanism. But everything else about me, as far as I can tell from what we know of autism, would be the same. Second, many, if not most, of the "symptoms" of autism we currently use to diagnosis it are the result of growing up during your developmental years with a disregulated brain, which means those symptoms would still likely continue even post cure. The experience of growing up with autism shapes how we see and interact with the world. Third, autism ABSOLUTELY is a disorder, our brains, like all human brains, are trying to regulate our neurons and neuron connections, they're just failing at it. Or put another way, our brains aren't doing what they want to be doing but just doing something different to neurotypical brains, rather they WANT to be regulated as well, but they are malfunctioning. Currently we as humans lack the ability to correct the malfunction, or even band aid it by providing external regulation with drugs, which means anything I do, I do with the added difficulty of navigating a disregulated brain that my neurotypical peers do not have to navigate. Fourth, and finally, autism is NOT providing me any benefit. My brain is disregulated. Anything I can achieve with a disregulated brain, I could achieve with out, and possibily easier. Now to be clear, does having a disregulated brain tend to push me toward activities and fixations which help me cope with the disregulation in such a way that I may become more knowldgeable/skilled at these highly specific things then my neurotypical peers? Probably. But the disregulation isn't making me BETTER at them, its just limiting my choices, forcing me into activities I might have, but also might not have, chosen, or at least chosen to stick with as long as I do. For me, I'd rather have the choice.

[@brijmsn]

There are definitely varying degrees to how autism disorders your life. As you have said you started working at 14 and had a "dream job" at 18 meanwhile I was living locked up in a residential treatment facility for a year when I was 18. I'm 32 now I don't give af why I'm not good enough to have friends or a relationship I just want to get by, and when this horrible life ends I will hopefully have found some peace.

[@alleykittycat]

I am 33 so we are probably the same age but yeah. I don’t care about fitting in anymore just want to not burn out from every job so easily.

[@ReineDeLaSeine14]

I think what that person is saying is that if we lived in a world made for autistic people, we wouldn’t need specialized support. My argument is that autism deviates from what is expected of a person, which makes it a disorder in the medical model and a disability/impairment in the social model of disability…and that there is NOTHING wrong with having a disorder, impairment or disability at all. The autistic community has some internalized ableism to unpack in my opinion.

[@rahbeeuh]

I completely agree. The Autistic community definitely has so much lateral ableism to unpack. I've never seen any other community treat their conditions the way many Autistic people treat Autism. If I tried to sanitize XYZ• down to make it palatable I'd be doing that community a disservice. •XYZ insert whatever disorder in its place

[@inseparablesmusicvideoscha4256]

Wow ... I been told that the community doesn't like the functioning label, I guess cause they feel it's a put down? My problem with the functioning label is that a person might be labeled high functioning and not be functioning at all. I was told by a therapist you don't have a problem if you are employed, able to socialize, have relationships and are communicating with extended family. I just answered NO, to which one ...all of the above !!! ... it maybe an ugly word but it's a disorder in a neurotypical world !!! That's interesting about focus and attention to detail, my wife also has superhuman attention to detail. She really is your twin !!!

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?

[@LimegreenSnowstorm]

There’s soooo many different experiences within autism. Even here, you used hyperfocus as the example of a favorite symptom, while for me it tends to be more of a struggle because more often than not I end up hyperfocusing on not the thing I want to be doing XD but I think it’s cool that others get to experience it as a superpower! My favorite autistic “superpower” personally is my sensitivity to detail, because it’s helped me to become a master of my craft!

[@LimegreenSnowstorm]

@Thawne1338 My guess would be because we see ourselves in Olivia, as an autistic woman. We’re a very underrepresented group, so when we see someone like Olivia who shares many aspects of our experience, we flock to her. That has at least been my experience. I tend to watch more autism channels made by women than by men, because we have more similar autistic experiences. Hope this helps!

[@BipolarCourage]

There's a big difference between traits & a disorder (which has clinically significant impairment to meet threshold for diagnosis). There are a lot of people who claim to be diagnosed yet also claim to have no impairment. Something is off there. To make things confusing, some people who qualify for a pervasive developmental disorder under DSM-IV don't qualify for autism spectrum disorder ASD under DSM-V. New Zealand uses both DSM-IV & DSM-V. Psychiatrist said I am "definitely on the autism spectrum with clinically significant features" yet I don't meet criteria for ASD despite tests supporting. He said I fit pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified PDD-NOS. Some people assume PDD-NOS & Aspergers automatically meet criteria also for ASD but apparently that is not the case. Regardless, bipolar disorder & PTSD are still considered to be by clinicians by priority diagnoses. Your point about the risk of services being removed for those who really need it if get rid of medical language like disorder is one reason I advocate.

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?

[@shahjmir]

I think people who don't realize it's a disorder have not yet been affected by it in the workplace setting. Yes, it's a disorder, it's incredibly disabling to function normally in our society.

[@BeingAutistic]

I love this! I also agree that it is a disability. I just published a video on my channel about this same exact thing the other day!

[@SteaksnEllie]

I don’t understand how people think autism = bad, calling it a disorder = bad. The thing that’s good / bad is societies neurotypical expectations and lack of education on the subject. So by living in a mostly neurotypical society we have a disorder and we have a disability. Change society and then we can talk about changing it from a disorder / disability. Though the day an employer allows you to stop in a meeting to go processes your overload of information in a dark and quiet room will never happen. Therefore it during matter how many adjustments an employer makes, there will never be enough support for our needs. It’s like trying to merge 2 different dimensions to coexist

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?

[@ProfessorBorax]

CPTSD is a disorder, and most people in the world have CPTSD. Put an autistic person in a healthy environment then they become as valuable to the community as any other. People may need to acomodate you more than others, but what you can provide in return is also highly valuable. I believe it balances out if you're surrounded by healthy loving people.

[@ProfessorBorax]

I'm on the it's not a disorder camp. The pros and cons balance out in a healthy society (tight nitt community). Autistic people are able to contribute to society and are an indispensable asset to it. The fact some communities fail to identify and provide appropriate environments for these types so they can flourish doesn't mean it's a disorder. I've always considered myself gifted and priviledged, but growing up in an insecure environment stunted me. That's the environment's fault for being repressed in its ability to connect deeply with people, not due to a deficit in me.

[@ZabavaThePower]

I think we could come up with a term for someone who needs accommodations and it not be "disorder" 🤔

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?

[@ZabavaThePower]

@@chirstopherj Vladivostok, Russia

[@chirstopherj]

@@ZabavaThePower Hi dear, Happy New Year 🙃 it's my pleasure to meet you here, and am very happy. How's Russia? I so much love Russia because it's such a beautiful country

[@chirstopherj]

@@ZabavaThePower I was in Russia two years ago at a health conference with some top doctors due to Covid and though I didn’t have enough time to move around the beautiful cities of Russia and I will love to visit anytime soon with my son Isaac. How long have you been living in Russia if you don't mind me asking?

[@chirstopherj]

@@ZabavaThePower Hello

[@grumblepus]

I think autism is not a disorder as we are not lacking in capability, but we are disabled in the sense that we are disadvantaged in a societal structure that is built for a fundamentally different type of person. If autistic people were the majority, the society we built would likely render allistic people disadvataged/disabled in virtually identical ways. It is not a situation of a lacking on the part of autistic people, but of an incompatibility with a system that is simply not designed for people like us. But since the system is unlikely to change substantially, we are disabled by it, though we are not deficient as individuals.

[@rahbeeuh]

Actually if Autistic people were the majority, allistic people wouldn't necessarily be at a disadvantage. Ableism hurts everyone even allistic people.

[@alleykittycat]

I agree

[@PLdemorygray]

Thank you for making this video. I agree that autism is a disorder. I also agree that being different doesn't have to carry any pejorative meaning. Difference is one of the things I love in life. The chance to see things from fresh perspectives and experience human interactions that are foreign to my ingrained sense of "normal" is why I love to travel, and why I love to read history. It's also why I love watching your videos. You've opened new vistas to me and have helped me to better appreciate the diversity of humanity. I appreciate what you do. It is a community service.

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?♥

[@andrewlutes2048]

Something has to have a specific order or ability in the first place before it can become disordered or disabled.

[@alleykittycat]

8:41 people already tell level 1 ASD this though. That we don’t look Autistic and minimize our experiences. I don’t think anyone who says it’s not a disorder is arguing with it being a legal/medical term classified as a disorder. We are arguing with the social model. People with glasses are considered disabled with a vision impairment but no one including those with glasses consider themselves disabled (maybe a small minority do). They aren’t treated as less than for wearing glasses. I agree with the second comment. Just like the glasses analogy. Glasses is an accommodation but nobody considers them disabled. 🤷🏾‍♀️

[@NejisMate]

Personally, I agree that autism is a disorder. It's officially classified as a disorder, and many people do need help with it. I think not wanting to use the term "disorder" can undermine many of the difficulties people with autism face. That said, I don't consider it a disorder (nor a disability) for me, in my personal situation and my own life. I have never had or required specialised services, programs or treatment, nor do I think my life would've turned out better if I'd had them. In my own case, autism often feels anecdotal. Of course I would be a different person without the autism, but I can say that about many traits about myself. That doesn't mean I generalise my own experience to the whole community. Some people really need help, and taking away the label "disorder" from autism only affects those most in need, rather than helping anyone.

[@ArtsyMegz_On_Etsy]

If the health system suddenly decides that it is not a disorder, then that means that more and more people will believe that we have control over our traits, and there would be no hope in getting any financial assistance (or accommodations in the workplace). People won't want to accommodate to our struggles, if this is the new viewpoint; which also means that people will have an even harder time understanding why we can't just go work 40+ hour work weeks, and then go home and cook dinner, do chores, and raise kids . . . the world would be that much harder to live in. The DSM Manual of Psychology states that it is a disorder, whether I agree with that or not (it is what it is). So it doesn't matter what a person's subjective opinion is. We don't have to be ashamed of saying that it's a disorder. People don't need to view Autism in a negative light, just because it is a disorder.

[@chirstopherj]

Hello, I hope you're safe over there? I hope this year brings happiness, prosperity, and love 💛all over the world, I would love us to be good friends in honesty and in trust if you don't mind. I'm Doctor Christopher Johnson from San Francisco, California, where are you from if I may ask?

[@ArtsyMegz_On_Etsy]

@@chirstopherj I am afraid not. You sound like a scammer. Are you familiar with Pierogi?

[@chirstopherj]

@@ArtsyMegz_On_Etsy Why do you say such words that I sound like a scammer 😥 it hurt me seeing this from you, is it because I ask you to be my friend is that why you call me a scammer 😥

[@chirstopherj]

@@ArtsyMegz_On_Etsy Well it's fine, have a nice day. Happy New Year

[@alleykittycat]

I honestly think it entirely depends on the persons point of view and the social model of a disability. I don’t consider it a disorder or disability in itself. It is only a disability because we live in a world that is designed for Neurotypicals. I do not feel disabled at home or even in public when I am by myself and doing things on my own terms. The moment I feel like I lose control of my environment it becomes debilitating for me. For example I have an issue flying because I have no control of being at the airport, the lines, TSA, making it to the gate in time especially if it’s a connecting flight. I actually to better driving when it comes to travel because I am in control.

[@edwardsong7628]

The argument that is not a disability is: If 98% of the people were autistic and 2% of the population allistic, then it would be the autistic people who would have the advantage in life. There are studies that support the theory that autistic people understand autistic people better than neurotypical people understand autistic people. Thus, the autistic society would create an environment more amendable to autistic people than to neurotypical people. For example, behaviors common with autistic people that annoy neurotypical people would be the norm. The sensory environment such as lighting, noise pollution, clothing etc... would be more accommodating to autistic people than to allistic people. They would argue that autistic people are disadvantaged because of the social and physical environment that neurotypical have built. This disadvantage is more similar to the disadvantages that discriminated groups such as African-Americans have faced. Being African-American does not make you disabled, but programs, such as affirmative action are needed. Thus, a valid argument would be even though autistic people may not be disabled, they still need support services. Most autistic people that argue that autism is not a disability, would still use the term disabled, but disabled would be a verb and not a noun.

[@alleykittycat]

I like that way of putting it. It would be a verb and not a noun. I have to use this. I am not disabled but I have traits than can be disabling.

[@RatsPicklesandMusic]

I personally would like to switch from the word Disorder to Condition. I do believe autism is a disability. I have no issue with the words disability and condition. But disorder... I'm autistic. I'm not disordered cause I'm Autistic. I am disabled in some ways but if I could be mostly on my own and unmasked at all times and we didn't live in such a noisy society, I probably would barely even feel disabled, let alone disordered. Autism is me. All me as a whole. I am not disordered as a person.

[@rahbeeuh]

Even if anyone switches the terms nothing changes but their feelings towards the words. When did we start prioritizing feelings over facts?

[@alleykittycat]

@@rahbeeuhthe facts are not set in stone. The facts is still being heavily researched. I mean women especially women of color weren’t even diagnosed until recently. We had to have the most severe traits to even be referred for an assessment so I don’t completely depend on these “facts” that are still being developed. I do believe in 20 years or so people will look at Autism differently. At one point introversion was considered a mental illness so yes facts can change.

[@alleykittycat]

I completely agree with this.

[@rahbeeuh]

@@alleykittycat well a fact is Autism has always been around and remains true as well as unchanged. Whether someone calls it a "condition" or "disorder" doesn't change what it is. Disability and disorder have the same (-dis) prefix which means "not". Disability from dis- + ability. Meaning "incapacity in the eyes of the law" is from 1640s. Disorder from dis- + order. Meaning "an ailment, a disturbance of the body or mind" is from 1704. You mentioned "women of color" and it reminded me of what's referred to as the "euphemism treadmill". First it was the N-word (from the Latin word for black 'nigra') which became "colored person," before it became "person of color," then it was "Negro" (Spanish for black), that later became "African American" or "Afro-American" and, now it's "Black people/person". No matter what people called us (I'm a Black woman) over the years it didn't change anything. The terms changed but the issue (racism) remained the same. Any word used to describe something towards which people are prejudiced inevitably becomes negatively loaded. If you replace that word without doing anything about the root cause of the prejudice, the cycle will continue. So we COULD change "disorder" to "condition" but nothin' will change until the root reason (stigma attached; "negative connotation, ableism) is addressed. I'm aware that women of color haven't been considered until recently. However, I was fortunate to get diagnosed earlier in life so my viewpoint may reflect that.

[@caddieohm7059]

You're a very good teacher

[@haroldgifford852]

Thank you for your honesty 👍

[@alexadellastella5247]

great video thanks! I just wanted to add that I don't see that autism as to be seen as a disorder or a personnality type, and these two are the only options. As per myself I see it as part of neurodiversity, that is to say my brain is wired differently from the norm and on some aspects I have advantages from the norm (but unfortunately the norm doesn't always value this part!) and for being a minority among a majority and having to adapt constantly to this norm who doesn't know anything about my invisible difference, it makes it a disability in this specific society. Then there are also part of my autism which are complicated even when just by myself and to get by with everyday tasks and in this aspect, it is a disorder. But I feel that there is not enough understanding of the neurotypical way of functioning (I mean their brain, how it processes information) and so it is always the neurodivergent ones who are pointed out when in reality it could be seen the other way too: neurotypicals lack paying attention to details, talk to say nothing informative and useful most of the time, have a strong capability to lie and not being impacted by it innerly etc. So I feel when we say autism is a disorder it has to be put into context too... It is important to differenciate a disorder from a disability, they are not synonymous

[@nomoore]

Most people would consider me to be "high functioning" autistic. But the day to day functioning, which barely, or doesn't even get done sometimes takes so much effort. It's such a struggle and takes so much mental energy to do anything unless it's a "special interest". And even my special interests are often hindered by a mental block about a certain aspect of it that I can't get past. I may be able to hyperfocus and learn all day long but turning knowledge into action can be so difficult due to issues with simple planning or logistics. "Honey, can you go to home depot and pick out some screws and nuts to fit this, please??? ... Yes, of course I can do it, except that I haven't been able to bring myself to do it for 6 months... Yes, really... Yes, I know how simple it is... Can you just do it for me please?" That's not a conversation that I like to have, especially with my adhd wife who has her own executive function difficulties, thus my simple ham radio wire antenna project remains stalled, because of screws. Ugh! No, autism is not a disability at all.