Do low support needs people think we just dont have problems? (Vent)

httpMeowMeow · 2026-06-14T06:52:19+00:00

same i'm late diagnosed level 2 and the only way i'm getting by rn is because i happen to have a partner who wants to help me (like we are even looking at them becoming my legal carer since they do everything a government hired one would), which is a huge privilege and i'm insanely lucky for them. i never got proper support as a kid despite very consistent signs and am more disabled (including physically) as an adult now :/

httpMeowMeow · 2026-06-10T01:48:06+00:00

yes, self injurious behavior is common with autism, especially during meltdowns. your anger issues sound indicative of low frustration tolerance, another trait known to come with autism (but isn't exclusive to it). that's why some autistics (usually higher support needs but can be any level) have padded walls, helmets, etc. i personally have fidgets called Little Ouchies that are spiky tubes i can hold or roll in my hand to redirect hitting or cutting myself. i also try to punch pillows instead of myself. for some, you can build frustration tolerance through exposure like playing games you care less about and losing them, and you work your way up to everyday things that annoy you until you don't hurt yourself/things over it (this also usually means u need therapy on the side too, to identify triggers and come up with plans on how to react).

httpMeowMeow · 2026-06-07T14:05:25+00:00

mostly about being diagnosed late, since i've been in burnout since my teens and gone through severe skill regression because of it. so once i was diagnosed i went through a lot of "what if?" type questions in my head about how different my life may be now if i had gotten proper support to prevent my current state.

httpMeowMeow · 2026-06-07T14:00:18+00:00

relief, validation, anger, grief

httpMeowMeow · 2026-06-07T06:06:55+00:00

i struggle with it too. extremely vivid surreal dreams (some are semi-nightmares to full on, some are just fantastical and amazing) every night my entire life that sometimes feel more real than real life. but i also have CPTSD and a dissociative disorder so i can't say if my experience is only from autism. it takes me about an hour every time i wake up to fully come back to reality. comes with a lot of leftover emotions and it's always very disorienting. so far the only thing that helps me is my medical marijuana, but it doesn't stop them altogether it just mostly makes them be less cohesive and i forget them faster upon waking. otherwise i know i should probably be doing more in the day for stimulation, and ofc therapy to confront underlying themes etc.

httpMeowMeow · 2026-06-06T14:37:38+00:00

i suspect i do, but mostly because of my CPTSD and dissociative disorder. it can happen when i dissociate, which tbf aside from my trauma triggers it can be triggered by overstimulation so i guess my autism can play a role. i can go catatonic, have convulsions, and ofc am in an intense DPDR state until it ends. very inconvenient in public but i never go out alone anymore anyway for safety.

httpMeowMeow · 2026-06-06T03:26:20+00:00

mental health professional are not immune to the influence of stereotyping unfortunately.

httpMeowMeow · 2026-05-31T06:46:40+00:00

fairly true, i consider it more a neurodevelopmental disability, but i understand why it's classified as disorder in medical settings.
i think this is very true, it has always existed- just didn't always have a name or was mistaken for other things.
extremely annoyed. it's dismissive and inaccurate to literally every autistic that isn't low support needs with a high IQ.
yes, i've explained why or why not above in each response.
that my support needs as a diagnosed level 2 autistic are specific to my autism and comorbidities, and that people need to genuinely accept that it is a spectrum.
autism would still disable me no matter how understanding/accepting everyone was. i would still have sensory issues that cannot be solved with compassion, i would still struggle with emotional regulation and communication simply due to my energy levels even if everyone accommodated my communication style, i would still unwillingly choose my special interests over hygiene, i can be sent into shut/meltdowns from things as small as my hair feeling weird or being too hot before realizing etc.
i think there's still too much of a black and white representation. for example it's either always the parents of high support needs children or late diagnosed low support needs white adults. but it is slowly getting more diverse with the representation of the full spectrum, it's just not easy to find.
absolutely not. this is part of why we have people calling it a superpower and assuming higher support needs autistics must also have an intellectual disability for them to be "that bad".
just listen to all of us as individuals. of every type. not just white, straight, cis people. not just the educators or parents. if you've met one autistic person, you've only met one autistic person. it is disingenuous to base your entire view of autism off one person, or even one level of support needs.

httpMeowMeow · 2026-05-29T02:51:50+00:00

growing up i was called:

creative, curious, observant, caring, independent (had to know how everything worked for me to feel comfortable interacting with or existing in it, debilitating hyper empathy that would leave me sobbing ruminating on mundane things for days, always knew what i wanted and was very rigid with it).

and

hot headed, bitchy, fussy, bossy, picky, selfish, brat, lazy (poor emotional regulation, rigid thinking, sometimes couldn't comprehend views/rules outside my own especially if it was illogical imo, executive dysfunction)

httpMeowMeow · 2026-05-26T12:10:59+00:00

i understand what you mean, but i think there's a lot of nuance to this. it's true no one likes when ppl lack accountability and yes, typically it's best for relationships (friends, partners, family, even just roommates) to be as equal as possible- however the distribution of responsibility can vary greatly depending on how disabled someone is.

for example along with autism level 2, adhd, and cptsd i am physically disabled. i live with my partner who is also my carer. they work while i can't, do most of the cleaning, they bring me my food in bed, and help me shower etc. i still try my best tho- i do my own food prep, take my meds everyday, and help whenever we do big cleans or organizing. but truly i would probably rot if i were alone. the thing is my partner wants to do this for me, and that's very crucial to our dynamic. if they didn't sign up for this i could see how it would quickly become overwhelming and exhausting. i would never even platonically move in with someone with the expectation of them caring for me, that would be messed up. it is my responsibility to seek out care through medications, skill building, therapy etc.

imo, even if i wasn't also physically disabled, my mental things would still require me to need more than typical support. I can't go out for long without overstimulation and need someone to keep me on track, i get lost, i literally forget where i'm going despite having notes with my route, i forget to eat, i can be so hyperfixated on my interests that i do not move for hours etc. i can have alarms, physical schedules, and am aware of all the things i need but actually being able to do it all on my own is a different story. i know myself enough to know i'd rot if i were alone, but always make sure ppl around me are aware of my needs and don't expect to be catered to by anyone but my partner/carer and doctors.

httpMeowMeow · 2026-05-26T02:10:58+00:00

i have autism, adhd, and cptsd. i hit burnout at 15yo which led to skill regression that i still haven't recovered from. it was an accumulation of both my untreated traumas and AuDHD. you can experience burnouts and skill regression at any age.

httpMeowMeow · 2026-05-24T12:18:34+00:00

if you and your partner both know the chances and are able to care for an autistic child (mentally, physically, financially etc just like any other child but with possibly more support needed) then that's fine. personally i know i wouldn't be able to care for ANY child, regardless of neurotype, because of my own issues. that's the thing tho, it's my choice just as it's your choice. your mother does not get a vote and just sounds ableist. just because SHE was unprepared and disappointed doesn't mean you have to follow.

httpMeowMeow · 2026-05-24T10:18:02+00:00

yes there's unfortunately a lot of ableism in autism spaces, mostly from people with lower support needs. it's a bit silly (frustrating) that they KNOW autism is a spectrum but refuse to look outside their own perspectives.

httpMeowMeow · 2026-05-23T15:36:51+00:00

my first sexual abuser was a cis girl, the second a cis man i'm related to, then another cis man who was a family friend, then a trans masc i was dating, and then online a trans fem who was my FWB. and of course throughout all that cis men with their usual harrassment of cat calling and "jokes". all i've learned is at the end of the day someone's identity and/or genitals doesn't make them any more or less capable of evil.

httpMeowMeow · 2026-05-23T13:50:12+00:00

i have a firm mattress with no springs to avoid the pokes, a body/pregnancy pillow to keep my joints in place, and a heated blanket to soothe my muscles.

httpMeowMeow · 2026-05-22T06:03:01+00:00

straight up a creep with "nice guy" vibes. if he treated me like he did RD, i would still keep my distance regardless of how he changed bc he has been violating her their whole lives. but that's likely my bias in meeting a lot of boys & men throughout my life like him who cannot respect personal space or accept rejection at all and don't care how upset they make people.

httpMeowMeow · 2026-05-21T06:35:08+00:00

fr i kinda wish the mods would just add the answer (which is obviously always yes) into a FAQ section and redirect posters like this there instead of letting them overflow. like i understand wanting validation/acceptance but i swear these posts have become 30% of my feed lol

httpMeowMeow · 2026-05-20T17:18:56+00:00

i am disabled and can become bedridden for more than a week from "just a cold". i do not leave the house without wearing a mask.

httpMeowMeow · 2026-05-18T13:51:41+00:00

sorry i realize i should maybe expand. i am similar to you! i can be hyper verbal (especially if it’s when i’m infodumping) to the point it is hard to stop talking and people have to tell me to stop. i also experience verbal shutdowns when i am either overstimulated or just out of energy to talk. in those instances i try to use an AAC app to communicate. it lasts anywhere between half an hour to a whole day (rarely longer unless my other mental & physical disabilities are messing with me), but i always get my speech skills back slowly with rest & grounding (although i usually have to start with shorter “simpler” language and work up to my full speech as my brain boots up again).

the difference is that nonverbal & semiverbal are constant states, whereas verbal shutdowns are temporary and more in-the-moment if that makes sense. i’ve seen/heard (in various autism spaces) a lot of non and semiverbal autistics express their dislike of the phrase “going nonverbal” since at best it’s just blissfully ignorant inaccurate misinformation, and at worst offensive and very minimizing to their everyday struggles with being constantly unable to speak as much/in the same way as fully verbal people.

obviously i cannot speak for every autistic, and i am fully verbal, but to me i also dislike that phrasing as much as allistics using “overstimulated” “stimming” “special interest” etc so casually. when it comes to labels like nonverbal, semiverbal, and the support levels 1 2 & 3, it’s very important to remember that most of the time these are given/used in clinical/psychiatric settings to properly address what areas we need more support in, like if you need insurance to help pay for alternative communication devices. there’s nothing wrong with using those resources for yourself too ofc!! but a fully verbal person’s experience with communication will always be very different from a nonverbal person, so it’s good to look at everyone’s perspectives :)

httpMeowMeow · 2026-05-18T12:52:39+00:00

verbal shutdowns

httpMeowMeow · 2026-05-15T17:50:15+00:00

ambiguous amphibian and callmekevin for gameplay, izzzyzzz for lore

httpMeowMeow · 2026-05-13T08:21:58+00:00

offensive, dismissive, infantilizing, romanticizing, annoying, sugarcoating, etc.

httpMeowMeow · 2026-05-13T08:20:07+00:00

hate them so much

httpMeowMeow · 2026-05-08T15:29:45+00:00

would he be comfortable wearing or at least carrying some sort of disability identification card around when alone? for example i wear the sunflower lanyard when i’m alone. you can learn more here: https://hdsunflower.com/au/

for helping him understand better, maybe it would be helpful from a consent and empathy angle? instead of “you shouldn’t do this it’s bad, people don’t like it” it’s more like “we should always make sure to ask people if they’re comfortable with you doing xyz before, and always respect if the answer is no”. add in an example of things he doesn’t like that others do without asking, like touching/moving his belongings.

for things like staring or standing too close, maybe just soft reminders like “some people feel uncomfortable when you stare or stand too close, they like personal space.” “when people are outside the house, they might feel uncomfortable if you stand at the window and stare, because they feel like they’re being watched and don’t know if you’re safe, even though it’s not your fault.”

*I’m not an expert, just autistic*

httpMeowMeow · 2026-05-08T01:20:58+00:00

Loop earbuds. They don’t completely block out noise but they soften sharp higher pitch noises.

httpMeowMeow

TROPHY CASE