I concur. With the old DSM my diagnosis its also high function aspergers. I have lived a relatively "normal" life thus far. But with the new DSM I fall in ASD2 because of certain ticks, stims, anxieties and so forth. Though most people have the misconception that someone who has ASD2 has a limiting functions. (My CAT-Q score is also well above average especially for a female making it nearly impossible to tell I am autistic at first "take" in person)
With the new DSMs terminologies there is a different stigma.
Just for clarity here:
AI Overview
ASD Levels 1, 2, and 3 are primarily categorized
by the
level of support needed rather than just the severity of symptoms. Defined by the DSM-5, these levels—requiring support, substantial support, or very substantial support—help determine necessary interventions across social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors, rather than acting as strict labels for ability.
- Level 1 (Requiring Support): Generally deemed "high-functioning" or mild. Individuals need some support for social communication challenges and organization/planning, but can often navigate daily life with minimal assistance.
- Level 2 (Requiring Substantial Support): Involves moderate, more obvious challenges in verbal/nonverbal communication and behavioral inflexibility that interfere with daily functioning, requiring more structured intervention.
- Level 3 (Requiring Very Substantial Support): Represents severe, high-level needs. These individuals have significant deficits in verbal and nonverbal social communication, with severe behavioral inflexibility that profoundly impacts daily life.
These levels can change over time based on development, therapy, and support availability
Having said that...
this is why most people have the "misconception" that an ASD2 has some degree of disability... because it is primarily categorized by the level of support needed... not severity of symptoms. In other words,... by the above definition, it's
not a misconception.
Which begs the questions,
"Who needs more support around activities of daily living and why?" Now, these levels can change... they can even be misdiagnosed... which from your description above... at least from an autism perspective... leans towards a misdiagnosis. If combined with a traumatic brain injury (TBI)... it
may be the TBI more than the autism component that "pushed" you into the ASD2 category. Speculating.
On the other hand, I wasn't aware of my disabilities until I had gone through a comprehensive testing session in the cognitive performance lab at the mental health hospital. There were specific things that my brain literally locked up... like some cruel Jedi mind trick. There were others where my reaction times were so slow I couldn't even participate in the exercises. Now... I had gone 50 years... very "high functioning"... above average IQ... self-taught myself all sorts of skills... I work in an intense environment... there's nothing I can't do. So, imagine the humiliation and confusion I had when I literally couldn't do something... in 3 different tests! I scored very high on other tests, but the point remains that it is possible to go through life leaning on our strengths... and that may be enough to overcome the weaknesses. We might go through life simply avoiding... or adapting and overcoming certain things seemingly without conscious effort.
As far as "stigma"... this is quite literally in your own mind. That's your ego talking to you. Most people outside the autism community have zero idea of what autism is let alone how it may be categorized. Frankly, most people don't care or give any thought to it... unless
you bring attention to it.
