Difference between having autistic traits and being autistic

[Matthias]

I have a couple questions:

1. Does every autistic person have autistic traits? (I assume yes. I just want to make sure.)

2. If yes to #1 - What else besides autistic traits do autistic people have that isn't found in people with autistic traits who aren't autistic?

 

[Kevin1968]

Your questions are at the root of the problem of getting a diagnosis of autism.


As far as I know and I am not a professional.

the answer to 1 is yes.

the answer to 2 is there is nothing common to ALL people with autism (once you have met one person with autism...you have met one person with autism)

 

[menander]

It seems to be the traits would make us have differences. For instance, stimming may make social issues harder. I think the traits come first and then the differences? Good question to think over !

 

[tree]

TLDR

"...it seems reasonable to assume that ASDs and ALTs differ from each other in means of severity and/or degrees of functional impairment."(ASD/autism spectrum disorder; ALT/autisticlike traits)

"...the findings call for reconsideration of the value of categorical diagnoses"

Autism Spectrum Disorders and Autisticlike Traits

 

[Matthias]

TLDR

"...it seems reasonable to assume that ASDs and ALTs differ from each other in means of severity and/or degrees of functional impairment."(ASD/autism spectrum disorder; ALT/autisticlike traits)

"...the findings call for reconsideration of the value of categorical diagnoses"

Autism Spectrum Disorders and Autisticlike Traits

If I understood correctly, every trait, characteristic, etc. that autistic people have is also found in people with autistic-like traits who aren't considered autistic according to current diagnostic criteria.

I think that would mean there is no fine line between autistic and neurotypical. There's just one continuous line with people with ALT being in the middle of it (not autistic or neurotypical) and a mostly meaningless line separating ASD from ALT.

 

[Fino]

If I understood correctly, every trait, characteristic, etc. that autistic people have is also found in people with autistic-like traits who aren't considered autistic according to current diagnostic criteria.

I think that would mean there is no fine line between autistic and neurotypical. There's just one continuous line with people with ALT being in the middle of it (not autistic or neurotypical) and a mostly meaningless line separating ASD from ALT.

Exactly! No one has ever argued there's an objective line. It's up to the diagnostician's discretion. This is part of why there's often argument over the topic of, "Should I seek a diagnosis?" A common reply to this is, "If you're not seeking to receive benefits then there's no reason to other than personal affirmation."

This is also how you were able to declare yourself "formerly autistic."

 

[Matthias]

Exactly! No one has ever argued there's an objective line.

I believed for as long as I can remember until recently that everyone was either normal or weird. I saw myself as weird/autistic and other people as normal/neurotypical. I've seen several posts about NTs that made it seem like many people here group everyone as either ND or NT with autistic people having a different neural structure or a brain that is wired differently than NT people. Saying autistic people have a different brain structure than NTs sounds like a rigid line between the two groups.

It's up to the diagnostician's discretion. This is part of why there's often argument over the topic of, "Should I seek a diagnosis?" A common reply to this is, "If you're not seeking to receive benefits then there's no receive to other than personal affirmation."

This is also how you were able to declare yourself "formerly autistic."

The main point I was trying to make was that not every problem associated with autism is 100% genetic (which is what I used to think and often read online). Treating those secondary problems made a big difference in my life and I'm glad someone told me how to overcome them.

 

[Fino]

Dude, nobody here thinks you can't treat anxiety and depression and that you just have to live with it as a genetic inevitability.

That's how far this has gone: I used the word 'dude'.

 

[NothingToSeeHere]

What do you consider "autistic traits" in this question?

I'm not a psychologist/psyciatrist so I don't know how they differentiate between autistic and NT with autistic traits. Under the DSM-5 I assume I wouldn't be diagnosed autistic as I don't require support. I was diagnosed under the ICD-10. I can say that having previously suffered from depression and severe social anxiety and been treated I still have the fundamental traits which the team which assessed me considered key to my diagnosis:
Extremely obsessive interests which I will have for months and then suddenly lose all interest in.
Sensory issues
Low EQ and alexythemia
Stimming
A certain level of social awkwardness not caused by social anxiety (not enough to stop me having a fulfilling social life)
A history of stammering and echolalia
Limited facial expression

 

[Progster]

I think that would mean there is no fine line between autistic and neurotypical. There's just one continuous line with people with ALT being in the middle of it (not autistic or neurotypical) and a mostly meaningless line separating ASD from ALT.

More like a pie chart than a line, I would say. Like the one you get if you take the Aspie Quiz - with NTs being mainly on the left side, and ASD people being mainly on the right.

It's necesarily not the number of traits that determines a diagnosis (though thare are certain traits that MUST be present), but the intensity of them and how much they affect your functioning in daily life.

 

[Sarah S]

Bacilky (and this statement is from one of Swedens BEST and HIGHLY regarded experts on NP diagnosis) which is in this case ASD.) We all share some mutural criterias (bacikly those required to get a diagnose ) BUT other than that NO person is the same as the next as its highly individual . + As i also said numerus times you also have to add in Gender, Level or Severety or level , and also possible Co morbid diagnosis and then also which ones and there severety grade.

 

[Thinx]

I think we may find when neural imaging extends it's depth of complexity, that aspects of the brain and how it functions can be understood to be different. There is some interesting current research around this, and on developmental processes in the brain that it appears may be different in autism. This would likely produce a wide range of different internal functioning that would be experienced differently by different people.

One of the keys to thinking about how and where therapy can be most effective and what else may be useful where some types of psychological therapy is not the answer, is the cause of the issue. For example, relating issues caused through brain difference require different approaches to those caused through insecure attachment styles developed in early childhood.

While I am here, I would like to say to the OP, that he needs to do more than ask us here on a website for information, before he posts advice to others. I am concerned about the postings of the OP considering his very early stage of study and research in this area, and I would ask him to desist from advising others and defending views that appear to be built on very little knowledge or research.

I also would ask him to consider my points and those of others at length and over time, rather than immediately posting a response, or posting disagreement and an insistence of being somehow right. You have said you don't know anything much about any of this, that in itself should make you pause and consider whether it's appropriate for you to be posting strong views.

 

[Kevin1968]

I believed for as long as I can remember until recently that everyone was either normal or weird.

I used to think that everyone had similar problems but were better at hiding/overcoming them.

But I grew up before the internet, when information was only available in books (and you would have had to read a lot of psychology books before even finding out anything about autism, even if you knew it existed).

I also realised early that people are different and have different skills. A person who I would consider highly intelligent apparently has no innate mechanical ability and when hanging some theatre lights on a tripod hung all the heavy ones on one side and all the lighter ones on the other making no attempt to balance the loads.
This same person, at the time a school teacher, but now a university lecturer also once told me that he believed all children could be taught anything, now I am not certain of course but I suspect he thinks we are all have the same basic brain and once it is "programmed" correctly we can all achieve similar results (not sure how he accounts for genius, perhaps hard-work and dedication).

I think my viewpoint now is that I am the only normal one...EVERYONE else is weird (joking, well sort of)

 

[Crossbreed]

@FormerlyAutistic , intellectually gifted people that are not diagnosed autistic* usually have autistic traits. I think the difference is that they also significantly retain their social instincts, while ASD proper does not.

*That is still a form of neuro-diversity.

 

[Sarah S]

But I grew up before the internet, when information was only available in books (and you would have had to read a lot of psychology books before even finding out anything about autism, even if you knew it existed).

Same here and as you so accurately states. Back in our time they dident know diddly about any of this NP diagnosis I can and have actually found ALL of my current diagnosis Criterias under MBD . Everything was lumped together back then = Minimal brain damage = ALL diagnose criterias we can find Under MBD there was 100 co morbid diagnosis (or as it was known then criterias ) to that alone

 

[Kevin1968]

In an ideal world it would be like eyesight there were accurate tests, some have 20/20 vision and need no assistance, some need spectacles but once that help is provided then can function just as well as those who naturally have 20/20 vision.
Some have such poor eyesight that even with glasses they still have difficulty negotiating the world around, but yet can remain independent but some are so blind that even that is impossible.
When I was younger I didn't realise my sight was poor, probably it was noticed that I couldn't see the blackboard properly (I was 10 before I got glasses) but at least there is a way of testing.

With autism you could have the equivalent of just needing glasses...but it isn't as easy to spot or diagnose and the solutions aren't as easy either even if diagnosed.

It is much better that more people get diagnosed and are given appropriate assistance now.

 

[SDRSpark]

I used to think that everyone had similar problems but were better at hiding/overcoming them.

Same. I was in my early to mid 20s before I learned that not everyone experiences sensory stimulation the same way I do. I wondered why I got overwhelmed easily and no one else seemed to - when I realized that it's because they are actually not experiencing the same thing that I do, that the light bulb first started to flicker on.

I just thought I had some weakness or character failing that I couldn't deal with the same thing everyone else handled with ease. Once I learned that I was not in fact experiencing the same thing they were, it made a lot more sense (and the more I understand this, the better I feel about myself.)

@FormerlyAutistic , intellectually gifted people that are not diagnosed autistic* usually have autistic traits. I think the difference is that they also significantly retain their social instincts, while ASD proper does not.

*That is still a form of neuro-diversity.

I was considered "intellectually gifted" and I would say I definitely have social deficits. Maybe not the particular deficits that they're looking for, but they're there (though the social deficits may have had a lot to do with the way I was treated due to my other deficits, I still have issues as an adult in many areas.)

 

[Sarah S]

I was considered "intellectually gifted" and I would say I definitely have social deficits. Maybe not the particular deficits that they're looking for, but they're there (though the social deficits may have had a lot to do with the way I was treated due to my other deficits, I still have issues as an adult in many areas.)

Me on the other hand was concidered a retard and treated and regarded as one by pretty much everyone (exluded my mom )

 

[Crossbreed]

I was considered "intellectually gifted" and I would say I definitely have social deficits.

A person can be both gifted & autistic. That is called "twice exceptional" or 2e. The gifted without autism can turn their social instincts on or off, at will, but they still have them. 2e's cannot/do not.

 

[Matthias]

It seems to be the traits would make us have differences. For instance, stimming may make social issues harder. I think the traits come first and then the differences? Good question to think over !

Everyone stims. It's a natural response to anxiety and other emotions. A couple reasons some people consider it a problem in autism is that some autistic people experience more emotions and stim in less socially acceptable ways (many autistic people can and have found more socially acceptable ways to stim).