#medium support needs autistic

[fa3r1e-f4ngz]

Hey, it’s ok to not be a “productive member of society.”

Some people are housebound. Bed bound. Some people physically can’t eat, shower, or use the toilet without the assistance of a caretaker. Some people don’t have the spoons to get out of bed in the morning, let alone work a 9-5 job in this capitalist hellhole.

You’re not lazy. You’re not less than.

And this is coming from a disabled person with chronic pain who can leave the house and walk (with some pain) without mobility aids.

You deserve to take up space. You deserve to cost money. You deserve to be here without feeling guilty just because you can’t give back in the traditional way.

You’re worth it, hun. 🫶🏼

[azaleasautism]

I am angry right now.

“Autism isn’t a disability!” Fuck you. Actually genuinely fuck you. Yes it fucking is.

Even for lsn people, the autism criteria included it being significantly disabling.

Even if it’s easier for some than others, it’s a fucking disability.

Don’t anyone fucking tell me to my face that autism isn’t a disability when I can’t even function alone. Fuck all the way off.

[antlerkitty]

Spoiler warning for Agatha All Along and Wandavision

I’m watching Wandavision and Agnes has the locket with Nicky’s hair and it makes me so happy to see it. I’m not sure why, but it ties together so smoothly with Agatha All Along and I love that.

[flirts-with-dragons]

Words kinda hard rn but I found out. Holy shit. I DO have meltdowns.

I always wrote them off as panic attacks/spirals but they're not. They are autism. Related to deviation from routine always!

Change from routine or plan and I start emotional spiraling. Catastrophe thinking. I end up crying from stress and panic. It's meltdowns. It is meltdowns. Ever since I was a little kid.

(Disclaimer this is just about me. Not saying this is how everyone else is. Every autistic experience is different, some are the same, but not all.)

[2003-playground]

Can we stop using "still lives with their parents" or "unemployed" or "doesn't have a drivers license" or "didn't graduate high school" as an insult or evidence that someone is a bad person? Struggling with independence or meeting milestones is not a moral failing.

[azaleasautism]

I’d like asks if people want to send asks

Autism ask game!!

1. What does your ability to speak look like?

2. What does your overall issues with communication look like?

3. What type of therapies do you do if any? Or are trying to get?

4. What did your education look like?

5. What is your safe food if you have any?

6. Do you have any comorbid disabilities?

7. What are your support needs?

8. What did your support needs look like growing up?

9. What is your story of how you got diagnosed?

10. Do you have a carer?

11. What support are you hoping to get?

12. Are you able to work?

13. What is an unpopular opinion about something discuses in the autism community you have?

14. Is there anything you would do if you were not autistic/did not have all of your support needs?

15. How did your development look like growing up? Did you have developmental delays?

[zebulontheplanet]

Things that should be accepted in the autism community that isn’t currently acceptable or talked about enough or talked about as gross.

Being nonverbal (as in can’t talk at all permanently)

Having caretakers

Having other people do ADLs for you. Especially bathing and toileting.

Being talked to in simplified language

Being dirty

Drooling

Chewing on things

Stimming violently and loudly

Hitting yourself

Vocal stimming loudly

Being higher support needs

Being higher support needs and a POC

Being intellectually disabled with autism

And so much more. I shout-out anyone who are these things or do these things. You are amazing.

[lightning-system]

As a medium/lower support needs autistic who works with young higher support needs autistic:

We all matter. We all have the same diagnosis. We all deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.

But we are not the same.

I can mask and might be seen as 'odd' or 'weird' in public. The students I work with are seen as 'dangerous' and 'practically little kids'.

I can go to university and work with accommodations. The students I work with likely will never live independently and a few might find jobs that support them but still pay them less than an abled worker.

I have full control of my finances. The students I work with aren't allowed to make independent financial decisions, even if capable.

If I say 'no,' I'm making a choice. The students I work with can't say 'no' without being labeled as defiant and difficult.

I can feed myself, bathe myself, and take care of myself with extreme challenges. The students I work with are unable to take care of themselves without high levels of support/one on one support.

I had an IEP in high school but was mainstreamed in classes. The students I work with take separate classes and some rarely get to interact with their abled peers.

Our experiences are fundamentally different. Higher support needs autistics will experience a specific type of ableism I never will, and can never fully understand.

Lower support needs autistics need to stop saying we understand what higher support needs autistics are going through and then present autism as only being disabling because of society/lack of acceptance because that is dangerous. We need to stop saying every autistic person is capable of everything if given the right support because that leaves out huge parts of our community who will never be able to do certain things, regardless of support.

We are worthy of existence regardless of our abilities.

Autism is a spectrum. It is not the same for every autistic person. Autism acceptance and advocacy has to come with accepting, acknowledging, and listening to our higher support needs peers.

[fa3r1e-f4ngz]

Since autism acceptance month is coming up in April (I know I’m very early), shout out to all autistics and disabled people in general who:

Can’t get out of bed, leave the house, feed themselves, use the toilet, or perform other ADLs without assistance. I see you and you are not gross or weird or lazy or broken. You deserve a good caretaker.

Cannot communicate in any way. Like even AAC doesn’t work for you effectively, so someone else might have to speak on your behalf.

Can’t hold down a job, stay in school, or live independently.

Isn’t a savant, isn’t skilled with their special interests, or can’t do anything without immediate access to their special interests.

Has an intellectual or learning disability.

Has level 2 or level 3 autism that can’t be masked away so that you’re pretty much visibly autistic.

Has disturbing intrusive thoughts. They don’t define who you are, your actions do. You’re not a bad person for having intrusive thoughts; you can’t control them.

Experience delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking, or any other psychotic traits. You’re not crazy or scary, and you’re welcome into this space.

Dissociate, have amnesia from trauma, have gaps in your memory, have an identity or personality disorder, etc.

You’re worth it, hun. 🫶🏻

[spooksforsammy]

Geniuenly like. So many people claim support disability. But then say something completely untrue

Y’all support autism? So what about when the person has intellectual disability or need help walk talk eat bath use bathroom? Does your support end when you see someone with higher needs?? Someone who actually genuinely won’t survive without support from others n that support is sometimes having other people do everything for them.

Y’all support depression? What about when the person can’t bring themself to get out of bed for days on end? What about when that person goes days weeks months without cleaning self because can’t get up even though need to?

Yall support schizo-spec disorders & psychosis? What about what the person get violent because of their delusions n hallucinations? The ones know are fake but still can’t help but believe in? The ones genuinely believe in their delusions/ hallucinations? What about the ones don’t don’t get violent to self n other because of the disorder? Those that just sit scared about the hallucinations n delusions. The ones that won’t leave their room/ house out of fear of their delusions/ hallucinations?

Y’all support those with physical disabilities? What about the housebound bedbound ones? The ones need gait trainers walkers wheelchairs? What about the ones who full time users? Or the ones that need power chairs to independently move around? What about the ones crying screaming throwing up from their pain?

What about the disabled that always have a horrible attitude because tired of the disrespect? Tired of having to explain everything about them to everyone even if personal? Tired being told get over it n just educate others?

The disabled ones tired telling people not use certain terms. Tired of being spoken over n for without being thought about or asked. Tired of hearing their communication isn’t valid for ‘xyz’

Y’all support but act very picky about who deserves support and who’s not worthy of it. It’s not support if you pickin n choosing

[azaleasautism]

I wish that I could find more people like me

I want to talk to other autism people, especially msn people, no one else is like me around me

It’s hard and it feels lonely to only really find community online

[antlerkitty]

Gonna write some stuff on how I deal with extreme fears and paranoia (accompanied by distortions) without therapy or meds sometime, but right now is 3 things!

3 things:

Got through shopping trip for ski stuff with more minor issues than often happen, everyone was very nice and apparently goggles exist for people with wider nose bridges so my nostrils don’t get smushed anymore yay!

Lots of yummy foods today but also lots of not overeating which is huge accomplishment.

Just so grateful for partner, every day am reminded how amazing she is and how helpful and kind and silly.

[gayaest]

🩷🌼🧿 Ari — “Lion”, an artsy gamer who enjoys anime, cartoons, and an eclectic music taste 📒🌀

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[2003-playground]

It really really frustrates me when some people, disabled or not, say "well I can do [x thing] because I was forced to" in response to someone saying they can't do something.

"Well I had to eat whatever was for dinner or else I would have starved."

Me too! And I became severely malnourished because I could not eat what was put in front of me.

"My parents hit me if I didn't get good grades so I had to."

Mine too! Except I could not get good grades in a mainstream class no matter how hard I tried or what was at stake.

"I have to mask because I need to keep my job."

Me too! Except I can't even pass an interview because of my limited ability to mask.

"I can't have meltdowns around other people or else I'll be bullied/abused/mocked."

Same here! But I can't hold in my meltdowns.

You need to understand that some people will never be able to do the things you can, no matter how hard they're pushed or what the consequences are for not doing it. I'm really sorry that you were forced to talk, but someone else being unable to speak does not mean that they could if there was enough pressure. Stop assuming that everyone who doesn't mask/speak/etc. grew up in a safe and supportive environment. There are people who would (and do!) die because they're neglected and can't learn to just do things themselves.

I really don't want to be the "other people have it worse" guy or come across like I don't think people are allowed to complain about something just because it's less extreme than someone else's situation, but some of you need to have more compassion for people who are not like you. Just be kind. And if someone says they can't do something, don't assume that it's because they were coddled or whatever.

[boughkeeper-dainsleif]

thinking about the time i said to a couple people that i can't drive due to my autism, and one of them said something like "i don't have a choice bc my parents made me drive". that bothered me for a while, and continues to bother me. i don't have a choice either. if my life depended on me driving, i would die.

it feels to me like whenever i say "i can't do this because of my autism", allistics (or often times lower support needs autistics) assume that i have actually just decided not to do something, instead of understanding that i am physically incapable of doing it, even if my life depended on it, even if i desperately wanted to.

i wish allistics understood that an autistic person's limitations cannot be changed with motivation or different choices. sometimes it feels like other people have a harder time accepting my needs and limits. than i do myself.