#i would tag this with autism but i dont think its worth the hassle

[aw-tysm]

Negative Autism Post -

There's a relatively big push from some people in the online autism community towards autism being solely an identity and pushing towards only the social model of disability (but not really in the correct way). And some of these "advocates" have BIG voices in the autism community. Influential voices.

I was only just starting to understand how some people view autism as not only a disorder but also as an identity. And that was fine. I don't relate or truly understand but whatever.

But I just am so frustrated.

They are changing terms and words. They are pushing away from medical model of disability when both is important. They are pushing away from disorder. They are trying to say identity only like being lgbt.

These things matter. These things affect ALL OF US.

They get upset at "person with autism". They get upset with "disorder". They get upset at medical model. They get angry at professionals. They say professionals, medical side of things is wrong.

So they fight to change it all.

And in doing so they do harm us. They say it doesn't harm us but it does. They take it all the way to the other end of extremes. They use terms and words that other people WILL and DO think means there is nothing 'wrong' with us. That we don't need support because it's "just a difference". There is a reason it is diagnosed as a disorder.

They talk about how words harm us and then do the same thing to us.

If you think Autism is solely an identity and should be taken away from the medical model. That anyone can identify with it. Then this is not the blog for you.

What they are doing makes me feel like complete shit.

It makes me feel broken. It makes me feel like I'm right back at the start. It makes me feel like there is something still so incredibly wrong with me.

If that is the point of view society wants to take with autism, then they should create a new diagnosis for those of us who truly struggly, who truly need help.

Upon diagnosis, I starting accepting myself. I started learning about who I was and why I did the things I do. I was getting support that I needed. I was doing better. I was in a better place.

Because that kind of push these "advocates" are making, make me depressed. Make me feel useless. Make me feel worthless. Make me just want to hide in a hole and never come out or worse.