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6 Unexpected Ways ‘High-Functioning’ Autism Affects My Life
How ‘High-Functioning’ Autism Shapes My Everday World: Beyond The Stereotypes
I dislike the terms “high-functioning” and “low-support needs” because, in my experience, autistic people can fluctuate between being high-functioning and having medium to high support needs depending on their life circumstances. Various factors, often beyond our control, can influence how we present as autistic.
As someone who was diagnosed late with both autism and ADHD, I have often appeared to have my life together, but this has come through masking and neglecting my autistic needs. I adopted a “high-functioning” facade as a means of survival, feeling I had no option but to push through my limits. Additionally, I was born with a physical disability, which led me to feel an incessant need to prove I could exceed expectations and accomplish things people thought I would never be able to achieve.
Growing up, I experienced significant disability stigma, and so I learned that my only path to success was to minimise and ignore my disabilities, which ultimately resulted in several rude awakenings. Here are some ways being considered “high-functioning” affects me — and likely affects others, too:
