Is Autism A Disorder Or A Difference To Be Celebrated?

Is Autism A Disorder Or A Difference to Be Celebrated?

What If You Take ADHD Drugs But You Don’t Have ADHD?

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**What is autism?**
If you look up the definition of autism, you’ll get something like this: autism is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain that can affect how people behave, communicate, interact, and learn. The OFFICIAL diagnosis goes by ASD – Autism Spectrum Disorder. But, there’s no one look or symptom you can point to and decree – this person has autism! It exists on a spectrum, meaning it shows up differently depending on the person.

**What is neurodiversity?**
The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that everyone’s brain develops in a unique way. That’s how we get the concept of neurodiversity, which is the idea that there is no one, universally accepted definition of what a “normal” brain is. It basically focuses on how the kinds of behaviors we consider “normal” vary depending on the culture we live in. When someone behaves as expected by their society, they can be considered neurotypical. Most of society is built around how neurotypicals go about their day. But as I’m sure you know, there are tons of people who don’t fit in with how society expects them to be. This includes many people with brain-base disabilities like autism, ADHD, Tourette’s – the list goes on. Many of them consider themselves neurodivergent.

**What is the difference between the medical model of disability and the social model?**
Most disabilities have historically been viewed through the lens of the medical model. Using this view, a disability is something that needs to be fixed or cured. Like, if someone needs to get into a building, but that person is in a wheelchair, they need to adapt in order to get up the stairs to get through the door. The social model, on the other hand, focuses more on how the environment can be adapted to better fit the person. Using this model, you would build a ramp, so the person in a wheelchair could get into the building.

SOURCES
Autism spectrum disorder

The Myth of the Normal Brain: Embracing Neurodiversity

Why the focus of autism research is shifting away from searching for a 'cure'

Clearing Up Some Misconceptions about Neurodiversity

History of autism. The beginnings. Collusions or serendipity

It’s time we dispelled these myths about autism

The Vaccine-Autism Myth Started 20 Years Ago.

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CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
0:59 The Concept of Neurodiversity
2:12 Neurodivergent vs Neurotypical
5:33 History of Autism
7:12 Medical Model vs Social Model

#autism

[AboveTheNoise]

What do you think - does U.S. society and our medical system need to shift our perception of autism? Let us know in the comments below!

[ForumArcade]

I am autistic. I think it's mainly that there are a whole bunch of different behavioural and cognitive disorders that are all lumped under the umbrella of "autism". Some people can't communicate or take care of themselves. Others appear pretty normal. My own experience has been that I'm weird, and I think about things in ways that most people around me don't. I like that. I like myself. I'm happy to be the way I am.

[Bitsmap]

Just like you said, it's both neurodiverse and a disability, we don't need to be fixed, we need accessibility.

[straberryshinigamig]

We do not want to be celebrated. We just want to be treated equally. Having movies like Rainman, that show autistic people as geniuses, are problematic because it paints being autistic using wrong, harmful stereotypes that miss the mark on what its like being autistic. Most of us aren't "geniuses", we're average people with different skills and needs. However, the autistic community CELEBRATES autism because we are so demonized in society. Also most autistic people prefer identity based language "autistic person", instead of "person with autism".

[thomasr.jackson]

Not only is Autism a spectrum, but the constellation of various traits that make up the diagnostic criteria are, taken individually, pretty common in the world: awkward conversation, missing social queues, hard to read emotional states, catch phrases, strong focussed interests, strong responses to smells, or loud noises, or pain…. my gosh these are story points in every teen movie or tv show.

[Shadowshifter]

I was diagnosed with adhd at 6 years old, and rediagnosed at 18 years old. I have tried and failed at quite a lot of things. I have been bullied and harassed because I'm different. I think we need a more neural-divergant friendly environment from schools and work to everyday. Educating people about it would go a long way to helping out everyone mindset.

[sarahlamoureux]

Thank you for making this video! I had a few thoughts:

1. I think how we should approach chronic disability is to understand that it can be very difficult to experience without assigning a moral value to it. Autism, schizophrenia, diabetes, limb differences, etc. do not make someone "bad", but they are often challenging to live with.

2. As a society, I'd like to see us move away from trying to "cure" autism and towards helping autistic folks live the lives we want, accepting others rather than trying to change them against their will. That being said, it's up to each individual autist how we relate to our autism. If an autistic person wants to be rid of their autism, that's their feeling about their experience, and that's valid.

3. While autism and schizophrenia are not necessarily related, it's important to note that they do have similarities. Things like diminished affect and having limited social relationships are common in both. I've also read stories of autistic folks who were misdiagnosed with schizophrenia in part because they answered "yes" to questions like: "Do you ever hear things that no one else does?" An autistic person -- who's also more likely to take the question literally -- may simply be more sensitive to sound than most others.

[johngreally]

If you are looking for a quality basic introduction to autism for your relatives, colleagues, friends, and newcomers, this is it right here. Excellent PBS video on autism by Myles Bess, featuring Sebastian Joseph - autistic journalist, and Lina Fang - autistic therapist and creator. GREAT!

[Mcwollybob]

Some topics I really hope you guys will make videos about are fatphobia, OCD, and phobias (as in real phobias and not bigotry)

[lucastoftgaard]

I have an autism diagnosis. The full diagnosis is high functioning a-typical asbergers. This means that I can function in society, but this diagnosis was put forth by a doctor that is paid by the government. Where I’m from these sorts of diagnoses are not necessarily uncommon because they can be used to get you out of the healthcare system and all follow up help would be something private.

I don’t feel like anything is necessary wrong with me, but with the way society has progressively become a more and more hostile environment for people with sensory overload issues something does need to change.

I saw a guy on the internet that said he saw how neurodivergent people was needed for historical repetitive tasks like churning butter for hours where for him that task and not being bombarded with constant inputs sounds pleasant.

In my opinion scaling back flashy images and a more widespread understanding of common symptoms for autistic people would help a lot. A willingness to learn and create a structure where individuals don’t have to just excise but can also thrive is what we need to focus on instead of fixing problems that aren’t there

[DanJonesHypnosis]

I'm a diagnosed autistic psychological therapist and content creator and try to increase understanding of autism and neurodiversity generally.
Specifically in relation to the title I would disagree with both. I don't think of it as a disorder, which implies something is wrong with my brain, but that doesn't mean that autistic people don't have difficulties and there can be comorbidities like learning difficulties. But I also don't think if it as being something to be celebrated any more than I think all diversity should be celebrated - our uniqueness, our talents and different ways of thinking about things and different skills and strengths and physicality etc... That celebration should be the state of equality.
Most of my life I've been told by managers that I shouldn't be doing the job I've been hired to do (working therapeutically with people), because I 'don't think right', yet to me, it is the way I think about things, the way I've had to consciously learn about nonverbal behaviour etc, it is the way my brain identifies patterns and things out of place in what otherwise would be a neat pattern, the way my brain compartmentalises so that I can hear traumatic things in work and not give it a second thought out of work, the way I can be told traumatic and disturbing things and not emotionally respond in a way that makes the person talking shut up and feel uncomfortable with seeing an emotional reaction.
It is being autistic I feel makes me a better therapist, and being a therapist helps give me insights and ways to learn how to understand myself that help me explain my experience of being autistic from a place of deeper understanding about the process etc and has helped me to learn required skills for better understanding others and holding down relationships etc.
I would definitely like more of a social model focus on things and would love significantly more autism understanding. I think over the last decade or so there has been a lot of autism awareness, but it seems to rarely translate to better understanding and changes...

[LilChuunosuke]

I identify with the social model of disability. To me, autism and ADHD are part of who I am. My problems associated with my disabilities are directly caused by society not accepting or accomodating me.
And I'd just like to clarify something about the social model of disability that I feel is often misunderstood: creating an accepting society does not mean people like me will no longer require accomodations. I still have chronic fatigue, insomnia, etc that will never go away. The point of the social model of disability is that I would not be grouped into a category of people defined as lesser. My struggles would just be seen as how I was born and accomodating my needs would be treated as no big deal by my loved ones, employers, government, etc.
I have seen people argue against the social model of disability by saying things like "I still don't have the ability to feed myself every day!" The social model is not saying you won't need a caretaker anymore. It's simply saying you will not be seen as deficient and needing to be cured. It would be EASIER to recieve proper care in an accepting society. THAT is what we mean.

[shammyh]

I'd also point out... There's a lot of talk/discussion/visibility of so-called higher functioning autism/aspergers, but more severe autism is not "Mac vs PC" it's "Mainframe vs PC". Completely different systems that, other than both being computers, are pretty much incomparable and need to be understood as such. There's also a lot of "armchair psychology" at the moment, especially on TikTok. And modern psychology is not as caught up in the "medical model" as it's often perceived/thought to be. A bit more precision of description and breadth of discussion would have gone a long way here...

[PunkHerr]

Was excited because this topic can be risky to talk about. Wasn't disappointed.
Excellent. Very smooth and neutral.

[aprildawnsunshine]

Love this topic choice! Whenever I think about the nuerodivergent, including other forms as well as autism, I think of Saru on Star Trek Discovery. He was brave and curious, both things considered extremely out of the norm and pressured to change. Then we got to see his curiosity is what led to a better life for his entire planet. Idk if we're just more aware now but it does feel like there's more being born every day and I can't wait to see how we all change our world for the better. 💖

[HomoSapien-zq]

My autism does not mean I am sick, worse or a burden.
The world expects us all to be a certain way, and we built our society after that. I am capable of living a meaningful life. I just need to go about it in a slightly different way.
Me not fitting someone's image of normal does not mean I am the problem. But a world of ignorant people made me beleive I was for a very long time

[timwinfield]

Considering what the "normals" have done with this world, it might be a good idea to give the neuroalterntives a try. The hardest thing that we face as different is the social enforcement of normal behavior. I find that most normals do not question their own take on reality whereas we of the "other perception" are critcal of perceptions all the time. I find it strange when a normal is critical of my behaviour when they have never anylized their own.

[lighters]

King Myles with another great informative and inspiring video shedding light on those who rarely get exposure or concern. Neurodiversity is such a complex issue because on one hand it's considered a disability, but so many neurodivergent people have specialized intellectual properties that exceed the normalized function of information bearing.

[AcousticCoffeeJunk]

As an autistic person, I just deeply appreciate your approach in creating this video!! There are TOO many content creators who will take a condescending approach, perceivably so at least, and that lends itself too soo much misinformation. As for the information you did share... much applauds as well. It was all absolutely contextually correct! Don't really have anything to add, and even if so, I'm sure other Auties already added. You earned your donut!

[AutisticBrain]

I think viewing autism through the social model of disability could be amazing in the way that it is portrayed in TV