Non-derogatory DSM-5 diagnosis criteria for Autism
Here it the link to this @Twitter thread🧵
You might be Autistic if you meet the DSM-5 criteria for Autism, presented here in a non-deficient manner.
Category A: Intuitive Autistic Empathy
You have Intuitive Autistic Empathy instead of Intuitive Allistic Empathy
You intuitively communicate and interact using Autistic Empathy rather than Allistic Empathy, but you may have learned to mask, mimic, or emulate Allistic Empathy.
Three Requirments:
- 1. You do not naturally reciprocate social-emotional Allistic norms.
Example: you Infodump.
- 2. You do not demonstrate natural proficiency or acceptance of non-verbal Allistic communication.
Example: people ask why you always look mad because you are not smiling all the time.
- 3. You do not demonstrate that relationships dependent soley upon Allistic empathy are fullfilling.
Example: You don't want to hang out with people you don't like "just to socialize."
Category B: The Four Identifying Autistic Traits
Beyond Autistic Empathy there are four primary Autistic Trait.
Note again that masking, ABA,, emulation, etc may have eliminated outward manifestations of some or all of these traits so when assessing consider your entire life experiences (see Category C.
At some point in your life you must have demonstrated 2 out of 4 of the following:
1. Stimming or Self-Stimulatory Behavior
Basically, does it feel "good" to repeat actions, physical, vocal, or otherwise? Do you have a natural impulse to move your body or state things in a systematic fassion that Allistics do not demonstrate?
- Note that it is very common to suppress this behavior to fit into Allistic norms and one may need to practice with stimming to re-access their ability to stim.
- Note that Stimming might only manifest during moments of extreme stress such as rocking your hips or intense pacing.
- Note that feeling overwhelming muscle pain over your entire body may be a sign of years of suppressed stimming.
Vocal simming takes many forms:
- Making animal noises (meowing, etc...)
- Random sounds
- Repeating what was stated by another
- Repeating phrases Even more random sounds.
Stimming is rooted in an Autistic person's need to relieve Autistic stress.
The desire to stim rises with Autistic stress and Autistic stress is relieved by stimming.
2. Demonstrating a Strong Preference for Predictable Outcomes
- Strong desire for expectations to be set and met
- Able to excel in static environment that Allistic people could not handle.
- Resistance to illogical changes
3. Special Interests
- Deriving joy and or personal fullfillment from exceptional exploration of a topic of interest.
- Note that this may take many unexpected forms. Example, one might develop an interest in learning a broad spectrum of interests i.e. "collecting hobbies"
4. Hyper and/or Hypo Senses
An Autistic person may have any of their senses in whole or in part be more or less sensitive than the Allistic standard. Note that as this is related to perception it may go unnoticed until a thorough assessment is made.
Note that the Hyper/Hypo Sensory aspect of Autism is the definitive proof that Autism is a Neorlogical condition. Many people misunderstand Autism to be Behavioral or Psychological but it is based on a different wiring of the brain.
This Hyper/Hypo Sensitivity to the enviroment can take on a vast spectrum of phenominon and can be extremely broad or specific.
Category C: Confirm You Where Born Autistic
This is a nuanced category and is a bit of a "cover your ass" scenario with two major points:
- People are born Autistic BUT Autistic traits might not show up until late in life AND can be masked
- Aquired Neurodivergencies can mimimic Autistic traits, and that would not be Autism.
People are born Autistic
You cannot aquire Autism. It is present in early development but may .
The nuance here is that many Autistic traits are linked to Autistic stress.
If an Autistic person is in a conducive environment, then the traits may not raise to observable levels until Autistic stress exceeds the limited capacity of the person to manage them without accomodations and supports. To be extremely clear, people can become aware that they are Autistic at any stage of life. People in their 70's learn that they are Autistic without seriously suspecting it earlier in life.
Aquired Neurotypes Can Mimic Autistic Traits
The most relevant aspect of Category C is that Autism-like traits may be aquired though ptsd, tbi, and other aquired Neurotypes.
For an official DX it is important for the diagnostician to make an effort to elliminate the possiblity that presented Autistic traits where not aquired from a non-Autistic origin.
Category D: Medical Diagnosis Qualifier
Category D is of no relevance to a Self Diagnosis.
Even if a person is Autistic, due to the limits upon which society is willing to accomodate the disabled, a society based functional limited is mandated on those who may be medically diagnosed as Autistic.
At the time of assessment an Autistic person, even if meeting all qualifications of Category a, b, and c, must convince a licensed practicioner that, at the time of the assessment, the net effect of their Autisic traits and their current level of ability requires support.
If an Autistic person manages to convince a practicioner that they need accomodations during any assessement, then that Autistic person is protected for life, at that level of assessed need, independent of changing circumstances.
What this means is that an Autistic person who is recieving all necessary accomodations going into assessment may fail Category d and not be eligible for a diagnosis of Autism.
Category D is, by definition a social construct applied to limit the number of people who can be diagnosed as Autistic and as long as Category D remains part of the DSM, the diagnosis of Autism will not 100% match the number of people assessed to BE Autistic.
Many older individuals are identified by their diagnosticians as Autistic but are not given a DX, on the basis that the diagnotician decides that they "don't need it."
Category D is inherently flawed in that an Autistic person's support needs are linked to their environment and other dynamic factors that can change at any time.
Category E: No "Better" Explanation
Category E is extremley similar to Category C.
The nuanced difference is that Category C is about aquired Neurotypes but Category E applies to other Neurotypes that arrise in early development.
Category E boils down to "make sure another neurotype does not make more sense for explaining the displayed behaviors.
Summary
To summarize and simplify, If you have:
- Intuitive Autistic Empathy instead of Intuitive Allistic Empathy
And 2 or more of the following:
- Stimming
- Desire for Predictable Outcomes
- Special Interests
- Hyper/Hypo Senses
And
- There is not a reasonable explanation for it other than Autism
Then you are VERY LIKELY Autistic.
Video Explanation
Yo Samdy Sam has an excellent video that goes over this as well
Special Note on Stimming
If you are suppressing stimming, it should become obvious pretty quickly.
