“Autism spectrum disorder spiked 175% among people in the U.S. from 2.3 per 1,000 in 2011 to 6.3 per 1,000 in 2022, researchers found. Diagnosis rates climbed at a faster rate among adults in their mid-20s to mid-30s in that period, according to a study published Wednesday in JAMA Network Open.”
That’s what I’m trying to get at. How many people are borderline enough that if they had to figure things out on their own wouldn’t get diagnosed as an adult. Like I’m high functioning, but still too far in. But I’ve met a good number of people older than me that probably are autistic, but have learned to work with it.
Again, that’s not how that works. ASD diagnosis is a lengthy process involving multiple days of interviewing. When someone goes undiagnosed until adulthood, but has figured out their own coping mechanisms and strategies, that doesn’t mean they aren’t on the spectrum anymore. As above, ASD and behavior are two different things.
Have you been diagnosed? If you had, I’d have to think you would already know the above.
Yes, see below.
I’m not arguing that they’re not autistic, I don’t understand where you’re getting. Just that they’ve learned to “mask” and they think it’s normal, and they’ve gotten to the point that it’s not something they’re consciously doing. IE I had a speech impediment, I had a counselor work with me to fix it, I spent months consciously thinking about pronouncing it correct, and eventually it became the “normal” thing to do and required no thought. Eye contact has never been something I’m good at, but it no longer burns my soul to look into someones eyes. And if I need to be a good boy it takes almost 0 thought to maintain eye contact. It’s now the “normal” thing to do.