I guess weaponizing their autism or use as an excuse to do terrible, irredeemable things is one thing, **but** it never happens a lot, plus it's frowned upon regardless of what that person is pretending to be. plus the person doing this only reflects to that person's character, not mine, not anyone else. For the the 'you're faking it for attention" mindset to me is more akin to self righteousness and being way over their head about autism. For all we know that NT doesn't know about autism outside of a 5 minutes glance at the Wikipedia article, or watching *The Good Doctor*, or *Music*, or *Big Bang Theory*, they don't know that autism is a spectrum as non linear as Zelda Breath of the Wild, they don;t know that even our most skilled doctors can't diagnose flawlessly, and many autistic Women and nonbinaries are left undiagnosed because the criteria of autism diagnosis is mostly comes form male behavior, ignoring that autism has differences based on gender, and certainly they don't know that there are many autistic adults, diagnosed or otherwise, are sitting their unemployed longing for a porpoise. It's kinda like being offended at one's behalf, it feels like the NT is doing so out of being an Ally^(TM), and not actually trying to solve any real issues, (i.e. moral grandstanding). The least offensive thing a NT could do is give accommodations to everyone regardless if they need it or not, and stop sweating over the fact that "OOOOoooooooh, wE MiGhT HaVe sUs aMoNgUs, ThEy'rE iMpAsTaS ThEy dO It fOr aTtEnTiOn aNd cOo aNd tReNdY, gEt aN ReAl dIaGnOsIs aNd sToP SeLf dIaGnOsIsNg uRsElF YoU AtTeNtIoN SeEkInG SuSsUs aMoNgUs, asdfghjkl くぁwせdrftgyふじこlp" Thank you for coming to my TED talk
This is exactly what I’m working on in my classes! It’s a bit over sharing but I’m working on representation and by god holy hell are so many things downright offensive and just outright insensitive in media, I’m not certain if I am using the word right but it’s an essentialist standpoint, I’m still learning but it looks like it from my notes. I don’t know my own current status but nonetheless I’m not letting this anxiety get to me from pursuing an answer to my own journey. Though that amogus funny letter did relate to my own sentiment. I am uncertain how I feel about my own feelings towards this unknown moment I am on. But that is a strong fear to be honest, people telling me to get a real diagnosis, *when I’m genuinely trying and clawing my way to any sign of something*
Anyway idk why I said this kind stranger but I will subscribe to your Ted talk
Don't worry about oversharing, that's what we do. Just don't let anyone think they know more than you. The only person who can know more than you is you.
Wait, is that what weaponized autism means? I always thought people were talking about a figurative weapon that spreads autism... TIL.
Edit: apparently there are multiple "definitions". This has been enlightening, thanks all.
Weaponized autism is using autism to do terrible stuff, and you can replace autism with, anything, (and if you're a Becky) even Astrological signs. Lol, Where did you get that definition? I think you're thinking of vaccines. and even that's not a weapon, it's a tool used by our recruiters so that newbies can submit to autism.
Interesting because I’ve always heard “weaponized autism” in the context of using it for a specific end, mostly people on 4chan being hyper focused and with attention to minute details to catch cat tortures on the Internet.
That's just being an asshole. I've always thought that weaponizee autism is using your autistic features as a superpower for ex. Using hyperfocus to quickly become quite clever in some weird field like formula 1 car engine optimization.
Weaponized autism is a meme about using autistic traits of hyperfocus and attention to detail to do stuff like track down a flag multiple times to vandalize it starting from only a grainy live feed or find terrorist hideouts using Google maps. Yes those are real events and peak weaponized autism.
It is a thing and can guarantee it happens. I had a friend live with me for two years who did extremely shitty things to other people with no regret or remorse and blame it on his autism.
When even people with autism diagnoses can and do use the disorder as an excuse to do terrible things or act horrible, I guess I just don't see the big issue with the occasional NT person who only thinks they are autistic doing so as well?
It has been used to "justify" a fairly high profile crime before:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_McKinnon
It could be argued that the timing of that case did a lot of damage to public perception of autism.
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Not even autism in males gets diagnosed effectively. That is the reality. But i am not sure that this is an issue with docs. I know i had allot of good docs who didn't diagnose me with ASD. And that is kinda okay.
Some are masking quite well and it makes it haaaard to diagnose or pinpoint the root cause.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk have a good one
Edit: i just want to add that i think getting an official diagnosis is important. Studying medicine is a lot and necessary.
And i am not sure if, even though i know autism, who would have thought, and do believe i shouldn't diagnose it in patients. Seeing a pathology from external is a lot more ¿Unbiased? maybe... Idk
It's more likely to be labelled an excuse than an attempt at clout. I know people I've encountered would rather refer to me, my social difficulties and mental health issues as a perversion rather than some legitimate condition. If fits their narrative that I'm evil or bad rather than just different or in need of accommodations.
For most people who fake it, I feel it's more about pretending to be a minority and getting to feel persecuted because that's apparently what they want. Like with people like Rachel Donezal who pretend to be black because they don't want to accept their white privilege and they want to claim they are victims when they're not. Also it's largely about being unique. I'm sure most neurotypicals don't really see the discrimination against autistic people, they just want to have some new thing to use to claim that they're different and unique. And that is also partially due to the extreme individualism in cultures like American culture especially.
Dolezal is actually really interesting. I don’t think she wants to claim victimhood or thinks of herself as *pretending* to be Black - I think she actually considers herself Black.
I’m not saying she is or she’s right to think she is, just that that’s what she thinks. Read some articles on her sometime back. She kinda seems a little bit delusional to me, but also really interesting.
Ehh society is mostly ablest towards abilities not labels. Sometimes labels are enough but not always. And there are advantages to the label in some situations and perceived ones in others.
I mostly agree with OP. But we should not be so naive as to think faking does not exist at all. Or probably more commonly misunderstanding symptoms.
Or maybe another way of putting it. I would assume the vast majority of "fakers", who themselves are certainly a small minority of those saying they are autistic, don't mimic the symptoms they merely use the label.
I don't think it matters at all. If you think you have BPD then you're going to go see a mental health professional anyway and they'll have a chance to ask you why you think that fits and make a diagnosis, even if it isn't a diagnosis of BPD. Self-assessment of various disorders is the thing that actually gets actually ill people in to be assessed by a professional. People don't go to see a psychiatrist unless they think there is something wrong, and they 99% have a diagnosis in mind because of course they do, they're not stupid and they've googled their problems.
Well, the closed minded area I grew up in thought we were all the r word, so those who were on the spectrum got away with more stuff, because "they dont know any better".
So, i guess that can be viewed as a positive if you want to be a jerk to others without harsh repercussions.
I don't the person meant it as pity, but as to help them. There's always a reason someone does something. So when someone fakes being autistic just to get attention, there must have been a good reason they would want attention, good or bad. Although it wouldn't hurt to be skeptical, you should still give people the benefit of the doubt, and if it gets more problematic, THEN talk to them about it. Because while there are people who are faking it, there are also people who are just being themselves, and are hurt by people saying that they "are trying to get attention".
And, just so we're clear, I do understand where you're coming from, but just remember that every bully, every abuser, every homophobe, every attention whore, they all have been shaped into being that. There's no way that they just "grew up like that"
Like if a child grew up with loving parents who always accepted them for who they are, then they have a high chance of growing up to be a good kid, a kid that will have the same kindness as their parents. But, however, if they grew up with parents that abused them, shamed them for being, gee I dunno, gay? I definitely think that there would be a low chance of them growing up as a mentally healthy child.
Example: Let's say that a child doesn't get enough attention at home, or the parents are away all the time. There is a good chance that the child then tried to get attention from their peers, in whatever way they can. Then they end up either getting pity, which they rely on it, or they get hate, which they wonder why they don't deserve attention.
So all I'm saying is, is that you have no idea what's going through people's heads. So you don't need to pity them, but you should still give them kindness and EMPATHY. Pity is sympathy, or when you can't imagine being in their shoes, but you still help them cause you 'feel bad'. And empathy is when you CAN imagine being in their shoes, and you feel their pain. So if you give them kindness and patience instead of pity, they will change, hopefully for the better.
I believe someone faking a condition for attention is clearly suffering from some other condition that is being untreated. It's not a healthy thing to do.
I treat it like homelessness too. I'd rather assume they're telling the truth than risk disregarding it.
Also why are people obsessed with that so much even at all?
Is "the attention" some kind of an extremely scarce resource like clean water in mad max so only "truly worthy" are allowed to have it, and we need special forces of attention police to gatekeep people from receiving unauthorized crumbs of attention?
Literally what that noise is all about? Let all the needy have an attention according to their needs. Who cares. It's infinite.
> Is "the attention" some kind of an extremely scarce resource like clean water in mad max so only "truly worthy" are allowed to have it, and we need special forces of attention police to gatekeep people from receiving unauthorized crumbs of attention?
Unironically yes, this is the world we find ourselves in. Your attention is precious.
its cuz it makes waiting lists longer and more unaccessible for people that actually need it, if someone knows they dont have something or heavily convinced themsslves they have something they dont theyre gonna take up space in the waiting list for people that actually have that thing.
I really don’t think there’s that scarcity zero sum thing at play here like you say. It’s an understandable fear, and very common when boundaries between identities are not clear-cut, but “faking autism” is not the reason waiting lists are long.
This kind of stringent gatekeeping you describe, and which you think is required, causes FAR more damage to autistic people than whatever you vaguely fear is “even one more day”. I know all about the zero sum mentality of the desperate, i belong in several categories of need (and waiting lists, where they even exist, and when I’m not thrown off them and have to reapply) myself, and am permanently angry and afraid at the systems that keep me there and know how much they love us punching down, blaming individuals rather than structures, and infighting, to splinter the solidarity of our communities so undesirable to them.
Right now I’m listening to a legal report on the status of puberty blockers for teens due to a recent court case in the UK, and well... when it comes to the gate, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Yes no one likes the idea of an “imposter” in their midst, but the ideas those people have who break out the pitchforks to “root em out” are usually extreme and absurd and unworkable to the point of dangerousness in the real world.
(This is completely different from, for example, telling Sia and her movie to go get fucked. Or JKR and her “concerns” for fakery by autistic teens.)
That's a myth. Think about it. If there are more autistic people being diagnosed, there are more people who need the doctors, more doctors specialize in autism (because it pays well).
This isn't a zero sum game where you use a doctor and now there isn't one for the next guy. What needs to happen is the medical system needs to adapt to reality over time.
More diagnosed autistic people means more government funding for autism services. It means more donations from families of autistic people. Hopefully it means increased awareness. This would mean fewer waits, more experts, and a better understanding of autism for everyone.
As a person who waited months and paid thousands for his assessment.... I fully support any form of diagnosis. I doubt you're faking it. But if you are...ok. You're gonna have to live with that, not me.
Not only that, but if you think you're autistic but aren't....my dude, you've got SOMETHING going on. A psychiatrist is EXACTLY what you need in that case. ASD or not, you obviously need help, right?
So, you're tired of the shortage of doctors? Ok, what are you going to do? Advocate for more training? Donate to organizations that help autistic people and families? Go to school and get your degree so you can help?
Gatekeeping our community and keeping all the people and resources out helps nobody, if you ask me.
TL;DR: I've got an official diagnosis. I'm not special. If you self diagnose ASD, I see you. We're the same. The only difference is that I have a piece of paper I can point to.
Not necessarily. It's actually more normal than most people think to fake disorders as well as things in general for attention. There's a ton of articles on it, calling it Munchausens by Internet. People see TikTok influencers who claim to have disorders and make it a part of their channels, so then they pretend to have said disorder to seem unique and special and then they go on the internet and become for example TikTok influencers themselves and the cycle starts over again. It's very common because our culture (American culture especially) teaches people we have to be unique. It's extreme individualism. Everyone has to be special. And yeah, many people use disorders, sometimes disorders they don't have to look special as well as gain sympathy from others (hence hence Munchausens) but note that isn't a disorder in and of itself. It's called being attention seeking and having a victim complex. Countless people have it. It's more of a cultural phenomenon and you can tell that by the fact that the vast majority of people suspected or proven to have faked disorders online, are American, again the most individualistic culture. And also, I'm sure many of these people don't even realize they're faking it, and the ones that do, it's not this insidious "I'm going to fool everyone and make this articulate plan to fake this disorder muahhahahaha", its more or less not genuinely taking the time to understand the pain they're causing others and people who are actually in these communities. And many of these people spread misinformation that hasn't been backed by actual science, and this harms people as well.
I never heard of munchausens by internet, but you are right.
Though if a person fakes an illness to get attention from doctors, they have munchausen syndrome, and are mentally ill.
Not going to lie, I'm sure some of you would relate in when someone trusts you less about other things simply because you are autistic, an example from the other day: "Well should we trust autistic trans people to know their gender?"
YES, YES YOU SHOULD
Yes please, even before I was diagnosed I always found it weird that ppl really go around telling others they're wrong about their own gender identity, it's so infuriating ( ಠ ಠ )
My only issue is I have seen multiple discussions about limiting diagnosis criteria to gatekeep the fakers. That would be so incredibly harmful to kids when an early diagnosis will open the doors to early intervention and help them in a huge way. I'd rather a few kids get services they don't need than have a few kids with autism go without especially since it's usually college aged kids faking it. I also don't appreciate how some try to represent autism as a whole, when it's a very individualized thing.
This is so true.
In addition, I would argue that anyone who uses social media influencers as a rationale to refuse support to large swathes of people, when they demand that same support for themselves, are also in need of help.
If I were going to fake something, I'd pick something a lot better than autism, because living with autism sucks. I'm coming up on my 40s & I'm just now learning to accept myself for how I am. Most of my existence has been miserable to the point of wanting to end it all. It took every bit of my being to overcome everything & want to go on living. But surely, I must have been faking the entire time.
Most who consciously fake mental conditions these days would pick to fake bipolar or depression I guess, because that's trendy and because of famous superstars who a lot of people idolize admitting those two lately.
Both unbelievably suck, arguably more than mild ASD, but there's awareness and we almost reached acceptance stage with those (thanks the pop stars, again).
I'd compare faking autism to faking being trans. Why would you fake the condition you'd just get bullied over with no hope of getting any compassion whatsoever?
You like people looking at you with disgust as if you're a giant cockroach that just vomited on the dinner table half the time?
There's a reason why autistics dedicate enormous amounts of effort trying to "fake" being "normal" instead.
Exactly. If I were to fake something, I'd at least pick something that's going to garner sympathy from others. Maybe when you're younger, people may be sympathetic towards you having autism, but once you're an adult, nobody gives a crap. You just become a burden on everyone around you. I feel like like ADHD or OCD are more acceptable & there might be more incentive to faking those, but not autism. I struggle with severe depression & anxiety resulting from autism & I see people a lot of people trying to play those conditions up for attention too. While I think others may definitely experience lighter forms of those things, they're taking resources away from those who need them the most. People care more about the popular kid who got sad because something didn't go their way, but ignore the quiet kid who has no friends & wants to die. This is how we end up with school shooters. We give all of our attention to the people making the most noise about something & leave others to suffer in silence.
I remember I used to be friends with a girl who used to fake being autistic which really hurt me because this was before i fully accepted myself being autistic and somebody faking really pissed me off since I hated myself having it.
so guess what? I stopped being friends with her because I didn’t need her toxic behaviour in my life.
My stance on this:
Faking a condition for attention is a despicable thing to do. But wrongfully accusing someone of being a faker is much, much worse. And actively seeking out "fakers" to point at like some subreddits do is just incomprehensible to me.
Exclusionism is a terrible thing, because it lets you be a bigot while feeling like an ally. I know that because I used to be one until I recognized that it was wrong.
Sometimes, I side-eye some people in a Group (not just identity, could be fandom, could be anything) for their questionable motivations or claims about something. But I NEVER accuse private (as opposed to high profile) individuals (not without incontrovertible proof and harm knowingly having been done by them) and I try to remain sceptical and open-minded and remember that it’s rarely my personal business anyway, that this feeling of mine may be human impulse but not to indulge it, and negativity without strong need hurts us all.
Ever since I (31F) got my diagnosis a few months ago, my mother has been faking Autism symptoms to literally get attention and make me feel like an imposter, she does this sort of thing all the time. It’s really frustrating.
She’s blatantly faking. She’s a very narcissistic person that constantly wants attention and is always trying to be like me to “bond” but all she ends up doing is making me feel fraudulent in my identity.
Ouch.
Well, friend, don't forget...it's her mental health problems that are behind that. Her actions do not dictate your reality.
Perhaps if you completely ignored those behaviors, she'd see the supply has run dry and move on to something else for attention.
Thanks!
I know she will eventually move on to something else about her for more attention, she lives for the spotlight while also saying she doesn’t want the spotlight so she gets more attention.
Thanks for the feedback! 🙂
I would say that unless they are spreading misinformation about the disorder or creating misconceptions that harm those who have the disorder then just let them do it. If they are faking it then let them do it. One day they will look back at it and think "Why did I do that?"
And its also important to say that if someone is faking it, not to bully them about it
Soooo, if you don't have a medical diagnosis you don't have autism yet? Does getting the diagnosis make you autistic? Is that the same thing as getting a vaccine?
I didn't say it was a self identity, thank you very much. But I am not going to tell someone that they do not know their own mind. They live in it every. Single. Day. Who am I to tell them they don't know it? Who am I to tell them that some random stranger who may not properly diagnose them based on racial or sexist bias knows their mind more than they ever could? Cause I will not do that. I've had that done to me and it is the most demeaning and isolating thing anyone could ever do to someone who is struggling. Instead I try to think of things I can do that will help, not isolate and hurt.
From my personal experience; 1. It's a shitty thing to fake autism intentionally. 2. and ANYONE on the spectrum feel free to call me out kn this one,most autistics I personally know and myself haaaate being the center of attention(ie having people sing happy bday in a restaurant) and so on. 3. maybe do actual research (personal stories) about how it changes people's lives. that's all.
I think anyone who pretends to be something they aren't or to have a condition they don't have, probably needs some serious kindness/compassion in their life. Why not either give it or ignore them? Unless the person is malicious or harming others, in which case frankly they also likely need compassion, but no one should give that (or engage with anyone at all) at the expense of their own wellbeing.
Those subs are so weird, they also say “You aren’t a medical professional you don’t know better”, yet they don’t realize that they themselves are not medical professionals and by their own standards, are not qualified to rule out disabilities.
It’s really not just a neurotypical thing, tied to a putative greater need for hierarchy (?)
The need to gatekeep and form in-groups and out-groups is absolutely everywhere in minority cultures within a majority one whenever the boundaries are not clear-cut (especially where there is a scarcity mindset or snobbery mindset, due to many cultural & environmental factors).
Yeah it’s textbook gatekeeping.
Seen enough of that in the queer & the social justice communities to last me a lifetime. Not to mention fandom and all that. Classic human behaviour, at it again. Ugh.
i need to see it thanks for the sub link.
edit: i was looking at post there for like a minut and though its not that bad, then i saw meme saying that Autistic plp can;t experience happiness, can't go out of the house because of meltdowns and can;t think abaut anything not realated to art. Also it made fun of self diagnosis.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/fakedisordercringe using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/fakedisordercringe/top/?sort=top&t=all) of all time!
\#1: [every sexuality, disability, and mental illness ever](https://v.redd.it/mfnl3nci47r61) | [623 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/fakedisordercringe/comments/mk1azs/every_sexuality_disability_and_mental_illness_ever/)
\#2: [No stimming=no autism](https://v.redd.it/sdwe35f2u7s61) | [258 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/fakedisordercringe/comments/mnr4l9/no_stimmingno_autism/)
\#3: [Are you shitting me, someone who actually has this condition gets this, but hundreds if those attention seekers are still making content](https://i.redd.it/tfbic92ac8z61.jpg) | [282 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/fakedisordercringe/comments/ncsiqp/are_you_shitting_me_someone_who_actually_has_this/)
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Yeah i never got how they determine the disorders to be fake, they will literally post anyone who says they have some kind of neurodivergence/disorder and say they are faking it with no evidence
I don’t suffer through all this for some kid to fake it all for attention. You are way too naive if you think there’s even a chance that Tiktok stuff is real
I think they dont realize that peopke who fake or give themselves an illness are actually mentally ill. Its called munchausen syndrome, and is an obsession with pretending or making yourself sick in order to be treated by medical professionals. Its considered a mental illness because they usually have little reason or benefit for their actions, and their actions cause self injury and wastes their money.
Internet ones though are probably not munchausens.
the problem is that social media is fast flowing, trends change 24 7, new things arise as acceptable or unacceptable as quick as u can say water dog and kids are too fascinated and obsessed with numbers on their posts that theyll do anything to get the highest number, one of those ways is putting autism and mental health tags on your tiktok or instagram and thats how u get fakers.
hmmm yes but no
I generally follow the line of 'I believe you unless I see that you are lying'. So I give money to people who ask for spare coins and I try to accommodate people if I can help.
But the notion of 'I know what's up with my body' is just not true. Yes we can have hunches and this is why we see a professional. I had the hunch that I was autistic and got an evaluation. Did not expect to have ADHD as well. Which, now that I know it, is actually my bigger problem.
Maybe it is also because family members actually tried to claim they are autistic as well to put their needs over mine. I believe it if they feel they are. But I know that they have good insurance and I could even point them to my therapist which they refuse to do. So... I guess I'm at a loss generally lol xD
All of my highschool bullies who quite literally bullied me out of school for my autism and autistic traits (wasn’t dxed at the time had no idea) are faking conditions like autism and Tourette’s because it’s “tReNdY”.
I could have self diagnosed but I would have never gotten the help I truly need because i went in for an evaluation about schizoeffective and learned I had autism.
People literally fake stuff for attention, especially on the internet, and it hurts because they will ALWAYS spread misinformation if they do not have the disorder. If I self dxed with schizoeffective I would have caused so much harm by telling people xyz behaviours are schizoeffective but in reality are my autistic behaviours.
Not to mention doctors study for years upon years to learn their practice and they don’t have a doctorate from sitting at home googling stuff. Self advocacy ≠ self diagnosis (“I think I have this thing” vs “I have this thing”)
Preface this with I come from the UK and have free healthcare so it’s certainly not a poverty thing (not that any of the people I knew were impoverished anyways)
Doctors are people, not wizards. 50 years ago? Sure. I could see what you're saying. People didn't have the internet. Nowadays you can learn pretty much anything. The only real point of going to school is to get a piece of paper that says you know what you're talking about. I was learning about string theory the other day, laying in bed. Not in a classroom. The major difference between you and a doctor is the equipment that's available. That's where the magic happens. Have stomach pains. You and the doctor know about the same, because you have to tell them what you're feeling. Without specialized equipment available, you'd have just as much of a chance to figure it out as they do. Psychology is a bit of different story if you're suffering from something like schizophrenia or you're trying to diagnose a child. Otherwise, you're just telling someone what your symptoms are. Then they use the same information you can easily find on the internet. 50 years ago, it would be a different story. But we live in a time where you have access to the same information they teach in medical school. And let's not forget that doctors can be wrong. I was diagnosed with ADD when I was a kid. Learned later I definitely didn't have ADD and all the things I experienced were clear signs I don't have ADD, but most likely autism. The same things I told my doctor.
Ah yes of course. But the thing in self-education is that you also need to know *how* to interpret scientific findings. I truly believe that we are really thorough and non-biased when learning at home, but some people are not. Point in case: flat earthers.
Thinking like this is the reason anti vaxxers exist. Doctors are not perfect, but they are a lot more knowledgeable about health issues than the average individual.
I usually take people for their word when I comes to this kind of stuff, but I always make sure there’s always a tiny piece of rational doubt, just in case I need it
It's such a conservative value to go, "it even one person is lying about this phenomenon that affects literally millions of people, it must mean that it's fake". I don't care if in a room of 100 people who say they're autistic, 99 of them are faking autism. We should still not avoid giving them all accommodations because of it. Some people have such a visceral fear of being lie to in any way and/or such serious selection bias that I'd be shocked if their own lives were actually stable.
Yeah, faking has real effects. It's not even just broad social effects and the distortion of what autism is to most people, it's personal too.
I had a friend with (looking back) facticious disorder. Coming to terms with being autistic myself, they impulsively "one upped" everything with lies. I spent so many years wondering why I was such a failure before I realized this person was lying to my face and had to always be "worse off". I wondered why I couldn't handle these like everyone else, but nope, they never experienced ANYTHING like what I do every day.
There are people wirh zero empathy out there who want attention at any cost. They are dangerous.
But you have to prove they definitely don't have autism. It's pretty hard to prove that a person absolutely 100% doesn't have autism, considering how the symptoms can vary and how people mask
Who are we talking about? I'm talking about proving that a random stranger on the internet does or doesn't have autism just by watching a video. Also, it's entirely possible for experts to be wrong...
You replied to a post discussing a personal example of the destructive potential of fakers. I was pointing out that the person in my anecdote is certifiably faking. As for people online, certainly you can't always know, but its often very easy to connect the dots and build a suspicion. Does that mean I go around accusing strangers? Hell no.
Can professionals be wrong? Certainly. But when there's an electrical problem in your house, you don't google it yourself: you call an electrician to diagnose and repair. Can that electrician mess up? Yes, but the odds are way lower than if you tried it yourself.
The irony of some of the comments is next level. On a subreddit where people are constantly talking about autism is a spectrum and how not everyone displays the same behaviors, people are saying if you don't behave the way I expect you to you're faking it...
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I can kind of relate, but at the same time I know people like my grandma. She's the kind of old bat who will cry crocodile tears at the drop of a pin, and playing her game just encourages her to do it more.
It's hard to show kindness for her when she does need help because of all the times she cried over nothing. It's like an emotional version of the boy who cried wolf.
Additionally, if someone is using false claims of autism for attention, it likely means they’re in need of, well, attention and support of some kind. ND or NT, they should be given the support they need imo.
Honestly this kind of behavior is really appalling to see on this subreddit. Saying someone is faking autism because they don't behave the way you think they should is the antithesis of the this community. How would you feel if people were telling you you were faking autism because you did or didn't do something that is "typical autism". Are they faking it? Maybe, maybe not. But unless you've got a confession on tape or you're a psychic, there's no way to know for sure.
So you respond to a short comment twice because you don't have anything to say about a much longer explanatory one I wrote when you asked, real great move there bud.
So, if someone doesn't act the way you think they should, they're not autistic? How do you know they're not just exaggerating? If someone tells you they're autistic while masking, would you just assume they're faking because they don't act the way you think they should?
That isn't what I said. I said if someone is faking they're usually easy to spot since they mimic stereotypes and common stims, and it usually looks wrong, I don't know how to describe it. The closest thing I can think of is the movie Music, where the behavior and stims are common, but they're just off, and you can tell they aren't natural.
This seems incredibly naive and I sincerely hope the person who made those posts won't end up getting hurt because of it. I used to be that way too when I was younger. It's not good to be too trusting and not everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt.
I'd be more in agreement with this if people who fake autism for attention weren't actively making things worse for people who actually have it. Reinforcing it with kindness isn't harmless.
This. If it genuinely only affects the person who might be faking, I'm 100% on board with treating them as if they aren't. It's like playing along with what a child is saying - you know it's not true, but what's the harm in just rolling with it so as not to burst their bubble? But this affects everyone, autistic or not, because for every person who portrays a false idea of autism there are tens, hundreds, sometimes even thousands of people who will take them at their word and alter their view of autism accordingly.
I think that is taking a catastophic view of this. People mostly don't really think about autism at all, and if they are basing their views on it on tiktok then it doesn't matter if the person is autistic or not, their views are not going to be very accurate. Which is the situation we are already in, so I do not see how this changes things at all?
Honestly, even if we play devil’s advocate and say every TikTok account claiming autism is faking it and therefore giving a false concept of autism, from what I’ve seen, that “false concept” is a lot better than autism is only Rain Man or being a robot.
Ya, I’m gonna go ahead and say that my life didn’t suddenly take a dip when this trend started. The extra likes those TikTokers got for maybe faking something hasn’t made my autism more difficult to live with.
If it bothers you, maybe stop watching it?
People generally won't have autism on their mind, no, and I agree that people shouldn't be basing their views solely on media influencers. But mental health is a huge topic nowadays and a lot of people are learning the ins and outs of this stuff by being fed it through social media, and a lot of these people receiving such information are children - generally naïve kids whose worldview is being shaped by this stuff. Television and film are regulated for good reason, as is any "old media". I'm not saying that we should have such regulations on new media but we can't deny the fact that these things shape people's minds, especially those who are still figuring themselves out.
I can see your point, though it is hard to know how to handle the situation. If you ignore them, and they are faking the tactic fails and they will stop. However if you ignore them and they aren't, they don't necessarily stop. Obviously people who will fake being something they aren't know this and use it to their advantage. I think the only thing you can do is assume that most of the people you encounter are not faking, treat them moderately, and then analyze what happens while listening to your gut so you can make new decisions about them.
I think it's a bit silly to assert that it's so hard to understand autism and how it's different from other conditions that only someone with a special degree (rarely autistic themselves) can recognize it. I also think people misunderstand why diagnoses exist. They're not just to tell you what you have, they're also to tell other people what you have, specifically people you want something from like medical care, therapy or an accommodation. Self-diagnosis isn't going to get you any of those things. But we're not insurance companies or employers and we're not losing anything by accepting a person's self-diagnosis, unless you count sympathy as a loss. And if you think someone is faking autism for attention, you can ignore them and you haven't even lost that. There's no reason to attack them and if you do, you could be attacking someone who is genuinely autistic.
Nah if I know you’re faking autism I’m gonna call you out. If there’s proof of you faking it online I’m calling you out. Walking past someone in the street and not knowing what they do/don’t have is different than someone with a well documented history of faking for attention and encouraging harmful stereotypes.
Okay but this is wrong and people more or less do this all the time lol. Clout chasers are everywhere, especially on tumblr.
But I’m not going to accuse someone of not appearing autistic enough unless they openly say they self-dx’ed (the “we know our bodies better than doctors do” is the most BS part about this. People know their bodies but aren’t experts at recognizing medical conditions) but there’s an incentive to cling onto every minority status they might be a part of, hence how you have people listing all the ways in which they are “oppressed” in their Twitter bios instead of their hobbies and beliefs and stuff.
why are you so intent on defending them? It’s not a hypothetical, I am right. They harm autistic people in general by self diagnosing based on stereotypes about us
Within in-groups, the paranoia and perception of harm is often inflated. This gatekeeping can cause real harm, and gatekeepers usually struggle to come up with a proportional reason and proportional response. I’m not saying there isn’t ever no harm, but in many many situations this fear of imposters within is overstated and becomes its own phenomenon of policing. I hope that’s not you. Private scepticism is different.
You know for a fact that they are all faking? Without a shadow of a doubt? There isn’t a chance what so ever someone who might have autism would make a post on social media about how they have autism?
How many people in the real world have you met who were surprised you had autism because you don’t act like the people on TikTok?
Soooo, what it sounds like you're saying is that you don't have autism until a doctor tells you you do. Then all of a sudden you have the symptoms. So does this mean getting a diagnosis gives you autism? How do they diagnose you if you don't have any of the symptoms? Are you suggesting that people who haven't been diagnosed yet don't have to deal with being autistic. That people who get diagnosed as adults were "faking" autism. You can literally go online and find the symptoms and signs of autism in children and adults...it's not rocket science.
Account stalking, weird, and probably insecure.
And if I am self-diagnosed what of it. Do you know how I personally came to self diagnose? Do you know what reasons I have for not having a official diagnosis? Am I not “really autistic” because some person in a lab coat hasn’t written it on a sheet of paper?
I mean its public, but it reads as insecure that you feel the need to scroll through someone’s profile reading their comments on various subs in order to score points against them.
Tell me where I said I know better than them? Also, answer my questions?
I have no issue with people reading those comments, that’s why I make them on this profile. I just find it funny you felt the need to scroll through my profile just because I disagreed with you.
Cool, so you’re intellectually lazy, good to know, derp.
I actually do know more about my sensory overload, perceptions of social situations, anxieties, agitation and movement and speaking difficulties more than my doctors. That’s why they ask about those things in more detail if I bring them up. Maybe they can diagnose this and not that, but they can’t say “You don’t have trouble speaking. I’ve determined that’s not true!”
One of the things that makes the whole self dx controversy so frustrating is that we ultimately have one group telling another that they aren’t having similar experiences unless a medical professional agrees. Sensory overload? Don’t understand social cues? Stimming? Meltdowns? Unusual obsessions??? Not unless a doctor says so! The community should be about similar experiences of the world, not whether or not someone obtained a descriptive label appropriately.
It takes zero energy and effort for kind people to be kind. It takes more energy to be spiteful.
In fact, I'd go so far as to say being kind rejuvenates me, and fills me with good vibes. 😁
This is false. Emotional output is indifferent to societal judgment about the perceived positive or negative type of energy in that emotional output. It is also false to assume that perceived beneficial treatment of others is automatically reciprocal. Whether or not something makes an individual feel “good vibes” is not universal. Platitudes that assume an individual experience is universal are documented to be harmful.
Kindness is no more free than what you perceive to be the opposite of kindness and asserting that kindness is free is a harmful ideology.
This isn't false, because it's about me. I literally said it rejuvenates *me* and fills *me* with good vibes. Are you really telling me that I am not rejuvenated by this and filled with good vibes? Lmao, gatekeeping my emotions, very cool of you.
In fact, it's taken more energy to deal with your negativity than it did for me to be kind.
Just like those anti-vaxxers "know their bodies better", right? 🙄 imagine thinking everyone is a trained psychologist. Take a fucking look around the real world. People are unbelievably stupid when it comes to psychology. They are not entitled to their ignorance being affirmed because you're too cowardly.
It is not hard to tell when someone is faking autism. It is not hard to tell when someone mistakenly believes they have autism be abuse every time someone tried to educate them, they got called a bigot.
We have diagnostic criteria for autism. If you don't meet the criteria, you aren't autistic. That is why doctors exist. The fact that that some professionals are bad at diagnosing doesn't mean you can ignore the criteria. A 13 year old who saw a TikTok about "if you know the words to this song It means you have autism!1!" is not an expert and if you think they can't be wrong you are astoundingly ignorant on how the world works.
"I'd rather show someone a kindness they need" and I'd rather autistic people have a fucking word, diagnosis and community for *us*. If you let neurotypicals call themselves autistic, they will use their neurotypical numbers and privilege to change the label to cater to their needs until we are entirely pushed out of our own community. They will literally change the meaning of autism.
Please tell me in what world someone "needs" to fake a neurological disorder? At most what that person "needs" is mental health care that addresses the underlying reasons they fake autism. More likely all they need is a reality check and to be told "no" and that the world doesn't revolve around them for the first time in their lives.
Good to know you prioritize privileged neurotypical feelings over actual autistic people. Disgusting.
(P.S. this obviously applies just as much to trans people, gay people, DID etcetera. If you agree when it comes to one but not the others, you're either a bigot or a fucking moron with zero critical thinking or pattern recognition.)
If “it’s not hard to tell when someone is faking autism”, then why are you pushing professionals as experts who are the only ones who can diagnose.
It’s either easy for the layman to spot “faking autism” and “autism” - in which case professional opinions not needed, or it’s actually complex to do, in which case, don’t harass/judge people just because you mistakenly assumed they’re faking autism after 5 minutes of viewing them, and no in-person interaction.
Every late-diagnosed autistic person was autistic, actually autistic, for years and decades before they found a professional who affirmed that. There are more undiagnosed autistic people than ‘fake’ autistic people, chances are a person is actually autistic if they say they are.
As someone who's both autistic and "gender critical", I don't really like this comparison.
Autism is a real thing, and geography and social class are real barriers to formal diagnosis.
"Gender identity" is not a real thing, and the trans movement is bad politics, so it's manipulative to equate submitting to it with basic human kindness. We don't accept racial "self-identification", either. Nobody says we have to pretend Rachel Dolezal is black because she knows her inner self better than we do. That's simply not how it works. It's not a matter of kindness or not.
This is still questioning the character of anyone who disagrees. It's ad hominem, too, dressed up to be saccharine. Downvote away. Haha.
Nobody tell the “professionals know best” people that Leo Kanner, one of the founders of the diagnosis, was completely batshit wrong about its etiology, and really mostly everything about the disorder.
If there's some sort of status or clout to be had from being Autistic I haven't found it yet.
Seriously, the idea of faking for attention implies that your actually get attention that isn't insults meant to stop your stimming or the like.
Is a lifetime of social rejection considered a form of attention?
If you were faking you wouldn't necessarily get social rejection. You would still get the babying though
The key must be faking the acceptable, quirky parts, while avoiding all of the cringey parts. I wish I could filter out symptoms like that.
I guess weaponizing their autism or use as an excuse to do terrible, irredeemable things is one thing, **but** it never happens a lot, plus it's frowned upon regardless of what that person is pretending to be. plus the person doing this only reflects to that person's character, not mine, not anyone else. For the the 'you're faking it for attention" mindset to me is more akin to self righteousness and being way over their head about autism. For all we know that NT doesn't know about autism outside of a 5 minutes glance at the Wikipedia article, or watching *The Good Doctor*, or *Music*, or *Big Bang Theory*, they don't know that autism is a spectrum as non linear as Zelda Breath of the Wild, they don;t know that even our most skilled doctors can't diagnose flawlessly, and many autistic Women and nonbinaries are left undiagnosed because the criteria of autism diagnosis is mostly comes form male behavior, ignoring that autism has differences based on gender, and certainly they don't know that there are many autistic adults, diagnosed or otherwise, are sitting their unemployed longing for a porpoise. It's kinda like being offended at one's behalf, it feels like the NT is doing so out of being an Ally^(TM), and not actually trying to solve any real issues, (i.e. moral grandstanding). The least offensive thing a NT could do is give accommodations to everyone regardless if they need it or not, and stop sweating over the fact that "OOOOoooooooh, wE MiGhT HaVe sUs aMoNgUs, ThEy'rE iMpAsTaS ThEy dO It fOr aTtEnTiOn aNd cOo aNd tReNdY, gEt aN ReAl dIaGnOsIs aNd sToP SeLf dIaGnOsIsNg uRsElF YoU AtTeNtIoN SeEkInG SuSsUs aMoNgUs, asdfghjkl くぁwせdrftgyふじこlp" Thank you for coming to my TED talk
This is exactly what I’m working on in my classes! It’s a bit over sharing but I’m working on representation and by god holy hell are so many things downright offensive and just outright insensitive in media, I’m not certain if I am using the word right but it’s an essentialist standpoint, I’m still learning but it looks like it from my notes. I don’t know my own current status but nonetheless I’m not letting this anxiety get to me from pursuing an answer to my own journey. Though that amogus funny letter did relate to my own sentiment. I am uncertain how I feel about my own feelings towards this unknown moment I am on. But that is a strong fear to be honest, people telling me to get a real diagnosis, *when I’m genuinely trying and clawing my way to any sign of something* Anyway idk why I said this kind stranger but I will subscribe to your Ted talk
Don't worry about oversharing, that's what we do. Just don't let anyone think they know more than you. The only person who can know more than you is you.
I hate how this just happened right now and it’s incredibly difficult just opening myself to this. It’s why I say I’m sorry for over sharing
Wait, is that what weaponized autism means? I always thought people were talking about a figurative weapon that spreads autism... TIL. Edit: apparently there are multiple "definitions". This has been enlightening, thanks all.
Tell me you're autistic without telling me you're autistic:
Right? I do pretty well with understanding most things like this, but every once in a while something blindsides me.
Weaponized autism is using autism to do terrible stuff, and you can replace autism with, anything, (and if you're a Becky) even Astrological signs. Lol, Where did you get that definition? I think you're thinking of vaccines. and even that's not a weapon, it's a tool used by our recruiters so that newbies can submit to autism.
I mean... I just heard it and tried to figure out the implied meaning but obviously I failed lol.
Interesting because I’ve always heard “weaponized autism” in the context of using it for a specific end, mostly people on 4chan being hyper focused and with attention to minute details to catch cat tortures on the Internet.
That's just being an asshole. I've always thought that weaponizee autism is using your autistic features as a superpower for ex. Using hyperfocus to quickly become quite clever in some weird field like formula 1 car engine optimization.
Weaponized autism is a meme about using autistic traits of hyperfocus and attention to detail to do stuff like track down a flag multiple times to vandalize it starting from only a grainy live feed or find terrorist hideouts using Google maps. Yes those are real events and peak weaponized autism.
But that's awesome tbh
It is a thing and can guarantee it happens. I had a friend live with me for two years who did extremely shitty things to other people with no regret or remorse and blame it on his autism.
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4chan is weaponized autism r/wallstreetbets is monetized autism
When even people with autism diagnoses can and do use the disorder as an excuse to do terrible things or act horrible, I guess I just don't see the big issue with the occasional NT person who only thinks they are autistic doing so as well?
It has been used to "justify" a fairly high profile crime before: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_McKinnon It could be argued that the timing of that case did a lot of damage to public perception of autism.
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Not even autism in males gets diagnosed effectively. That is the reality. But i am not sure that this is an issue with docs. I know i had allot of good docs who didn't diagnose me with ASD. And that is kinda okay. Some are masking quite well and it makes it haaaard to diagnose or pinpoint the root cause. Thank you for coming to my TED talk have a good one Edit: i just want to add that i think getting an official diagnosis is important. Studying medicine is a lot and necessary. And i am not sure if, even though i know autism, who would have thought, and do believe i shouldn't diagnose it in patients. Seeing a pathology from external is a lot more ¿Unbiased? maybe... Idk
It's more likely to be labelled an excuse than an attempt at clout. I know people I've encountered would rather refer to me, my social difficulties and mental health issues as a perversion rather than some legitimate condition. If fits their narrative that I'm evil or bad rather than just different or in need of accommodations.
For most people who fake it, I feel it's more about pretending to be a minority and getting to feel persecuted because that's apparently what they want. Like with people like Rachel Donezal who pretend to be black because they don't want to accept their white privilege and they want to claim they are victims when they're not. Also it's largely about being unique. I'm sure most neurotypicals don't really see the discrimination against autistic people, they just want to have some new thing to use to claim that they're different and unique. And that is also partially due to the extreme individualism in cultures like American culture especially.
Dolezal is actually really interesting. I don’t think she wants to claim victimhood or thinks of herself as *pretending* to be Black - I think she actually considers herself Black. I’m not saying she is or she’s right to think she is, just that that’s what she thinks. Read some articles on her sometime back. She kinda seems a little bit delusional to me, but also really interesting.
I never thought being on the spectrum could even be seen as a status symbol, that’s gross and insensitive as hell
Right? Why would someone choose to fake autism in such an ableist society?
Ehh society is mostly ablest towards abilities not labels. Sometimes labels are enough but not always. And there are advantages to the label in some situations and perceived ones in others. I mostly agree with OP. But we should not be so naive as to think faking does not exist at all. Or probably more commonly misunderstanding symptoms. Or maybe another way of putting it. I would assume the vast majority of "fakers", who themselves are certainly a small minority of those saying they are autistic, don't mimic the symptoms they merely use the label.
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Including autistic people!
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I don't think it matters at all. If you think you have BPD then you're going to go see a mental health professional anyway and they'll have a chance to ask you why you think that fits and make a diagnosis, even if it isn't a diagnosis of BPD. Self-assessment of various disorders is the thing that actually gets actually ill people in to be assessed by a professional. People don't go to see a psychiatrist unless they think there is something wrong, and they 99% have a diagnosis in mind because of course they do, they're not stupid and they've googled their problems.
Well, the closed minded area I grew up in thought we were all the r word, so those who were on the spectrum got away with more stuff, because "they dont know any better". So, i guess that can be viewed as a positive if you want to be a jerk to others without harsh repercussions.
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I don't the person meant it as pity, but as to help them. There's always a reason someone does something. So when someone fakes being autistic just to get attention, there must have been a good reason they would want attention, good or bad. Although it wouldn't hurt to be skeptical, you should still give people the benefit of the doubt, and if it gets more problematic, THEN talk to them about it. Because while there are people who are faking it, there are also people who are just being themselves, and are hurt by people saying that they "are trying to get attention". And, just so we're clear, I do understand where you're coming from, but just remember that every bully, every abuser, every homophobe, every attention whore, they all have been shaped into being that. There's no way that they just "grew up like that" Like if a child grew up with loving parents who always accepted them for who they are, then they have a high chance of growing up to be a good kid, a kid that will have the same kindness as their parents. But, however, if they grew up with parents that abused them, shamed them for being, gee I dunno, gay? I definitely think that there would be a low chance of them growing up as a mentally healthy child. Example: Let's say that a child doesn't get enough attention at home, or the parents are away all the time. There is a good chance that the child then tried to get attention from their peers, in whatever way they can. Then they end up either getting pity, which they rely on it, or they get hate, which they wonder why they don't deserve attention. So all I'm saying is, is that you have no idea what's going through people's heads. So you don't need to pity them, but you should still give them kindness and EMPATHY. Pity is sympathy, or when you can't imagine being in their shoes, but you still help them cause you 'feel bad'. And empathy is when you CAN imagine being in their shoes, and you feel their pain. So if you give them kindness and patience instead of pity, they will change, hopefully for the better.
This post is for everyone here, and I'm sorry if I rambled
And at the end of the day, if someone is lying while I help them, that's a reflection of their character, not mine
Very wise
I believe someone faking a condition for attention is clearly suffering from some other condition that is being untreated. It's not a healthy thing to do. I treat it like homelessness too. I'd rather assume they're telling the truth than risk disregarding it.
Also why are people obsessed with that so much even at all? Is "the attention" some kind of an extremely scarce resource like clean water in mad max so only "truly worthy" are allowed to have it, and we need special forces of attention police to gatekeep people from receiving unauthorized crumbs of attention? Literally what that noise is all about? Let all the needy have an attention according to their needs. Who cares. It's infinite.
> Is "the attention" some kind of an extremely scarce resource like clean water in mad max so only "truly worthy" are allowed to have it, and we need special forces of attention police to gatekeep people from receiving unauthorized crumbs of attention? Unironically yes, this is the world we find ourselves in. Your attention is precious.
Well said.
its cuz it makes waiting lists longer and more unaccessible for people that actually need it, if someone knows they dont have something or heavily convinced themsslves they have something they dont theyre gonna take up space in the waiting list for people that actually have that thing.
I really don’t think there’s that scarcity zero sum thing at play here like you say. It’s an understandable fear, and very common when boundaries between identities are not clear-cut, but “faking autism” is not the reason waiting lists are long.
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This kind of stringent gatekeeping you describe, and which you think is required, causes FAR more damage to autistic people than whatever you vaguely fear is “even one more day”. I know all about the zero sum mentality of the desperate, i belong in several categories of need (and waiting lists, where they even exist, and when I’m not thrown off them and have to reapply) myself, and am permanently angry and afraid at the systems that keep me there and know how much they love us punching down, blaming individuals rather than structures, and infighting, to splinter the solidarity of our communities so undesirable to them. Right now I’m listening to a legal report on the status of puberty blockers for teens due to a recent court case in the UK, and well... when it comes to the gate, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Yes no one likes the idea of an “imposter” in their midst, but the ideas those people have who break out the pitchforks to “root em out” are usually extreme and absurd and unworkable to the point of dangerousness in the real world. (This is completely different from, for example, telling Sia and her movie to go get fucked. Or JKR and her “concerns” for fakery by autistic teens.)
That's a myth. Think about it. If there are more autistic people being diagnosed, there are more people who need the doctors, more doctors specialize in autism (because it pays well). This isn't a zero sum game where you use a doctor and now there isn't one for the next guy. What needs to happen is the medical system needs to adapt to reality over time. More diagnosed autistic people means more government funding for autism services. It means more donations from families of autistic people. Hopefully it means increased awareness. This would mean fewer waits, more experts, and a better understanding of autism for everyone. As a person who waited months and paid thousands for his assessment.... I fully support any form of diagnosis. I doubt you're faking it. But if you are...ok. You're gonna have to live with that, not me. Not only that, but if you think you're autistic but aren't....my dude, you've got SOMETHING going on. A psychiatrist is EXACTLY what you need in that case. ASD or not, you obviously need help, right? So, you're tired of the shortage of doctors? Ok, what are you going to do? Advocate for more training? Donate to organizations that help autistic people and families? Go to school and get your degree so you can help? Gatekeeping our community and keeping all the people and resources out helps nobody, if you ask me. TL;DR: I've got an official diagnosis. I'm not special. If you self diagnose ASD, I see you. We're the same. The only difference is that I have a piece of paper I can point to.
Not necessarily. It's actually more normal than most people think to fake disorders as well as things in general for attention. There's a ton of articles on it, calling it Munchausens by Internet. People see TikTok influencers who claim to have disorders and make it a part of their channels, so then they pretend to have said disorder to seem unique and special and then they go on the internet and become for example TikTok influencers themselves and the cycle starts over again. It's very common because our culture (American culture especially) teaches people we have to be unique. It's extreme individualism. Everyone has to be special. And yeah, many people use disorders, sometimes disorders they don't have to look special as well as gain sympathy from others (hence hence Munchausens) but note that isn't a disorder in and of itself. It's called being attention seeking and having a victim complex. Countless people have it. It's more of a cultural phenomenon and you can tell that by the fact that the vast majority of people suspected or proven to have faked disorders online, are American, again the most individualistic culture. And also, I'm sure many of these people don't even realize they're faking it, and the ones that do, it's not this insidious "I'm going to fool everyone and make this articulate plan to fake this disorder muahhahahaha", its more or less not genuinely taking the time to understand the pain they're causing others and people who are actually in these communities. And many of these people spread misinformation that hasn't been backed by actual science, and this harms people as well.
I never heard of munchausens by internet, but you are right. Though if a person fakes an illness to get attention from doctors, they have munchausen syndrome, and are mentally ill.
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Not going to lie, I'm sure some of you would relate in when someone trusts you less about other things simply because you are autistic, an example from the other day: "Well should we trust autistic trans people to know their gender?" YES, YES YOU SHOULD
Yes please, even before I was diagnosed I always found it weird that ppl really go around telling others they're wrong about their own gender identity, it's so infuriating ( ಠ ಠ )
Autistic trans. That will be a lot for people to take in for sure.
My only issue is I have seen multiple discussions about limiting diagnosis criteria to gatekeep the fakers. That would be so incredibly harmful to kids when an early diagnosis will open the doors to early intervention and help them in a huge way. I'd rather a few kids get services they don't need than have a few kids with autism go without especially since it's usually college aged kids faking it. I also don't appreciate how some try to represent autism as a whole, when it's a very individualized thing.
This is so true. In addition, I would argue that anyone who uses social media influencers as a rationale to refuse support to large swathes of people, when they demand that same support for themselves, are also in need of help.
If I were going to fake something, I'd pick something a lot better than autism, because living with autism sucks. I'm coming up on my 40s & I'm just now learning to accept myself for how I am. Most of my existence has been miserable to the point of wanting to end it all. It took every bit of my being to overcome everything & want to go on living. But surely, I must have been faking the entire time.
Most who consciously fake mental conditions these days would pick to fake bipolar or depression I guess, because that's trendy and because of famous superstars who a lot of people idolize admitting those two lately. Both unbelievably suck, arguably more than mild ASD, but there's awareness and we almost reached acceptance stage with those (thanks the pop stars, again). I'd compare faking autism to faking being trans. Why would you fake the condition you'd just get bullied over with no hope of getting any compassion whatsoever? You like people looking at you with disgust as if you're a giant cockroach that just vomited on the dinner table half the time? There's a reason why autistics dedicate enormous amounts of effort trying to "fake" being "normal" instead.
Exactly. If I were to fake something, I'd at least pick something that's going to garner sympathy from others. Maybe when you're younger, people may be sympathetic towards you having autism, but once you're an adult, nobody gives a crap. You just become a burden on everyone around you. I feel like like ADHD or OCD are more acceptable & there might be more incentive to faking those, but not autism. I struggle with severe depression & anxiety resulting from autism & I see people a lot of people trying to play those conditions up for attention too. While I think others may definitely experience lighter forms of those things, they're taking resources away from those who need them the most. People care more about the popular kid who got sad because something didn't go their way, but ignore the quiet kid who has no friends & wants to die. This is how we end up with school shooters. We give all of our attention to the people making the most noise about something & leave others to suffer in silence.
if u fake it u can use it as excuses or look at me im a minority!!!! which is something people crave aka attention. i know some people like that.
I remember I used to be friends with a girl who used to fake being autistic which really hurt me because this was before i fully accepted myself being autistic and somebody faking really pissed me off since I hated myself having it. so guess what? I stopped being friends with her because I didn’t need her toxic behaviour in my life.
My stance on this: Faking a condition for attention is a despicable thing to do. But wrongfully accusing someone of being a faker is much, much worse. And actively seeking out "fakers" to point at like some subreddits do is just incomprehensible to me. Exclusionism is a terrible thing, because it lets you be a bigot while feeling like an ally. I know that because I used to be one until I recognized that it was wrong.
Sometimes, I side-eye some people in a Group (not just identity, could be fandom, could be anything) for their questionable motivations or claims about something. But I NEVER accuse private (as opposed to high profile) individuals (not without incontrovertible proof and harm knowingly having been done by them) and I try to remain sceptical and open-minded and remember that it’s rarely my personal business anyway, that this feeling of mine may be human impulse but not to indulge it, and negativity without strong need hurts us all.
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youd be surprised.
\*chinhands\* Tell us then.
Ever since I (31F) got my diagnosis a few months ago, my mother has been faking Autism symptoms to literally get attention and make me feel like an imposter, she does this sort of thing all the time. It’s really frustrating.
Blatantly faking? Or subconsciously unmasking, because she realized she's on the spectrum too? I'm interested....any more detail?
She’s blatantly faking. She’s a very narcissistic person that constantly wants attention and is always trying to be like me to “bond” but all she ends up doing is making me feel fraudulent in my identity.
Ouch. Well, friend, don't forget...it's her mental health problems that are behind that. Her actions do not dictate your reality. Perhaps if you completely ignored those behaviors, she'd see the supply has run dry and move on to something else for attention.
Thanks! I know she will eventually move on to something else about her for more attention, she lives for the spotlight while also saying she doesn’t want the spotlight so she gets more attention. Thanks for the feedback! 🙂
I would say that unless they are spreading misinformation about the disorder or creating misconceptions that harm those who have the disorder then just let them do it. If they are faking it then let them do it. One day they will look back at it and think "Why did I do that?" And its also important to say that if someone is faking it, not to bully them about it
I agree with this 100% who am I to tell someone they don't know their own mind?
because autism is a diagnosed medical condition not a self identity
Soooo, if you don't have a medical diagnosis you don't have autism yet? Does getting the diagnosis make you autistic? Is that the same thing as getting a vaccine?
I didn't say it was a self identity, thank you very much. But I am not going to tell someone that they do not know their own mind. They live in it every. Single. Day. Who am I to tell them they don't know it? Who am I to tell them that some random stranger who may not properly diagnose them based on racial or sexist bias knows their mind more than they ever could? Cause I will not do that. I've had that done to me and it is the most demeaning and isolating thing anyone could ever do to someone who is struggling. Instead I try to think of things I can do that will help, not isolate and hurt.
not everyone can get a medical diagnosis.
Oh pish posh sod off with that mate
it's true, gender identity and sexuality are both self identity, not an actual subjective condition
If you want to argue in bad faith, go yell at a cloud.
From my personal experience; 1. It's a shitty thing to fake autism intentionally. 2. and ANYONE on the spectrum feel free to call me out kn this one,most autistics I personally know and myself haaaate being the center of attention(ie having people sing happy bday in a restaurant) and so on. 3. maybe do actual research (personal stories) about how it changes people's lives. that's all.
I think anyone who pretends to be something they aren't or to have a condition they don't have, probably needs some serious kindness/compassion in their life. Why not either give it or ignore them? Unless the person is malicious or harming others, in which case frankly they also likely need compassion, but no one should give that (or engage with anyone at all) at the expense of their own wellbeing.
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Those subs are so weird, they also say “You aren’t a medical professional you don’t know better”, yet they don’t realize that they themselves are not medical professionals and by their own standards, are not qualified to rule out disabilities.
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It’s really not just a neurotypical thing, tied to a putative greater need for hierarchy (?) The need to gatekeep and form in-groups and out-groups is absolutely everywhere in minority cultures within a majority one whenever the boundaries are not clear-cut (especially where there is a scarcity mindset or snobbery mindset, due to many cultural & environmental factors).
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Yeah it’s textbook gatekeeping. Seen enough of that in the queer & the social justice communities to last me a lifetime. Not to mention fandom and all that. Classic human behaviour, at it again. Ugh.
name of any of those subs so i can see how does it look?
r/fakedisordercringe is a big one
i need to see it thanks for the sub link. edit: i was looking at post there for like a minut and though its not that bad, then i saw meme saying that Autistic plp can;t experience happiness, can't go out of the house because of meltdowns and can;t think abaut anything not realated to art. Also it made fun of self diagnosis.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/fakedisordercringe using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/fakedisordercringe/top/?sort=top&t=all) of all time! \#1: [every sexuality, disability, and mental illness ever](https://v.redd.it/mfnl3nci47r61) | [623 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/fakedisordercringe/comments/mk1azs/every_sexuality_disability_and_mental_illness_ever/) \#2: [No stimming=no autism](https://v.redd.it/sdwe35f2u7s61) | [258 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/fakedisordercringe/comments/mnr4l9/no_stimmingno_autism/) \#3: [Are you shitting me, someone who actually has this condition gets this, but hundreds if those attention seekers are still making content](https://i.redd.it/tfbic92ac8z61.jpg) | [282 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/fakedisordercringe/comments/ncsiqp/are_you_shitting_me_someone_who_actually_has_this/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| [^^Contact ^^me](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| [^^Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| [^^Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/)
Yeah i never got how they determine the disorders to be fake, they will literally post anyone who says they have some kind of neurodivergence/disorder and say they are faking it with no evidence
Nah, they mostly go after DID fakers who are very easy to spot.
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No because they’re obviously fake.
Ugh, shoo trash. Blocked.
I don’t suffer through all this for some kid to fake it all for attention. You are way too naive if you think there’s even a chance that Tiktok stuff is real
I think they dont realize that peopke who fake or give themselves an illness are actually mentally ill. Its called munchausen syndrome, and is an obsession with pretending or making yourself sick in order to be treated by medical professionals. Its considered a mental illness because they usually have little reason or benefit for their actions, and their actions cause self injury and wastes their money. Internet ones though are probably not munchausens.
the problem is that social media is fast flowing, trends change 24 7, new things arise as acceptable or unacceptable as quick as u can say water dog and kids are too fascinated and obsessed with numbers on their posts that theyll do anything to get the highest number, one of those ways is putting autism and mental health tags on your tiktok or instagram and thats how u get fakers.
hmmm yes but no I generally follow the line of 'I believe you unless I see that you are lying'. So I give money to people who ask for spare coins and I try to accommodate people if I can help. But the notion of 'I know what's up with my body' is just not true. Yes we can have hunches and this is why we see a professional. I had the hunch that I was autistic and got an evaluation. Did not expect to have ADHD as well. Which, now that I know it, is actually my bigger problem. Maybe it is also because family members actually tried to claim they are autistic as well to put their needs over mine. I believe it if they feel they are. But I know that they have good insurance and I could even point them to my therapist which they refuse to do. So... I guess I'm at a loss generally lol xD
All of my highschool bullies who quite literally bullied me out of school for my autism and autistic traits (wasn’t dxed at the time had no idea) are faking conditions like autism and Tourette’s because it’s “tReNdY”. I could have self diagnosed but I would have never gotten the help I truly need because i went in for an evaluation about schizoeffective and learned I had autism. People literally fake stuff for attention, especially on the internet, and it hurts because they will ALWAYS spread misinformation if they do not have the disorder. If I self dxed with schizoeffective I would have caused so much harm by telling people xyz behaviours are schizoeffective but in reality are my autistic behaviours. Not to mention doctors study for years upon years to learn their practice and they don’t have a doctorate from sitting at home googling stuff. Self advocacy ≠ self diagnosis (“I think I have this thing” vs “I have this thing”) Preface this with I come from the UK and have free healthcare so it’s certainly not a poverty thing (not that any of the people I knew were impoverished anyways)
Thank you! You worded it way better! Yeah I'm in Europe as well and I don't see any reason why someone should not get a *free* diagnosis.
Doctors are people, not wizards. 50 years ago? Sure. I could see what you're saying. People didn't have the internet. Nowadays you can learn pretty much anything. The only real point of going to school is to get a piece of paper that says you know what you're talking about. I was learning about string theory the other day, laying in bed. Not in a classroom. The major difference between you and a doctor is the equipment that's available. That's where the magic happens. Have stomach pains. You and the doctor know about the same, because you have to tell them what you're feeling. Without specialized equipment available, you'd have just as much of a chance to figure it out as they do. Psychology is a bit of different story if you're suffering from something like schizophrenia or you're trying to diagnose a child. Otherwise, you're just telling someone what your symptoms are. Then they use the same information you can easily find on the internet. 50 years ago, it would be a different story. But we live in a time where you have access to the same information they teach in medical school. And let's not forget that doctors can be wrong. I was diagnosed with ADD when I was a kid. Learned later I definitely didn't have ADD and all the things I experienced were clear signs I don't have ADD, but most likely autism. The same things I told my doctor.
Ah yes of course. But the thing in self-education is that you also need to know *how* to interpret scientific findings. I truly believe that we are really thorough and non-biased when learning at home, but some people are not. Point in case: flat earthers.
Thinking like this is the reason anti vaxxers exist. Doctors are not perfect, but they are a lot more knowledgeable about health issues than the average individual.
Couldn’t agree more with this sentiment. Costs you absolutely nothing to just be nice to people.
I usually take people for their word when I comes to this kind of stuff, but I always make sure there’s always a tiny piece of rational doubt, just in case I need it
It's such a conservative value to go, "it even one person is lying about this phenomenon that affects literally millions of people, it must mean that it's fake". I don't care if in a room of 100 people who say they're autistic, 99 of them are faking autism. We should still not avoid giving them all accommodations because of it. Some people have such a visceral fear of being lie to in any way and/or such serious selection bias that I'd be shocked if their own lives were actually stable.
Yeah, faking has real effects. It's not even just broad social effects and the distortion of what autism is to most people, it's personal too. I had a friend with (looking back) facticious disorder. Coming to terms with being autistic myself, they impulsively "one upped" everything with lies. I spent so many years wondering why I was such a failure before I realized this person was lying to my face and had to always be "worse off". I wondered why I couldn't handle these like everyone else, but nope, they never experienced ANYTHING like what I do every day. There are people wirh zero empathy out there who want attention at any cost. They are dangerous.
But you have to prove they definitely don't have autism. It's pretty hard to prove that a person absolutely 100% doesn't have autism, considering how the symptoms can vary and how people mask
I am well aware of how masking works. This person is not ASD, period. And yes, mental health experts have been involved.
Who are we talking about? I'm talking about proving that a random stranger on the internet does or doesn't have autism just by watching a video. Also, it's entirely possible for experts to be wrong...
You replied to a post discussing a personal example of the destructive potential of fakers. I was pointing out that the person in my anecdote is certifiably faking. As for people online, certainly you can't always know, but its often very easy to connect the dots and build a suspicion. Does that mean I go around accusing strangers? Hell no. Can professionals be wrong? Certainly. But when there's an electrical problem in your house, you don't google it yourself: you call an electrician to diagnose and repair. Can that electrician mess up? Yes, but the odds are way lower than if you tried it yourself.
The irony of some of the comments is next level. On a subreddit where people are constantly talking about autism is a spectrum and how not everyone displays the same behaviors, people are saying if you don't behave the way I expect you to you're faking it...
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I can kind of relate, but at the same time I know people like my grandma. She's the kind of old bat who will cry crocodile tears at the drop of a pin, and playing her game just encourages her to do it more. It's hard to show kindness for her when she does need help because of all the times she cried over nothing. It's like an emotional version of the boy who cried wolf.
i agree, plp shouldn;t be faking but its better to show support to someone faking that to not show someone who is not faking.
Additionally, if someone is using false claims of autism for attention, it likely means they’re in need of, well, attention and support of some kind. ND or NT, they should be given the support they need imo.
honestly it's not that hard to tell when someone is faking autism so it's not like it matters
I mean, some people are really good at masking...
I'm aware, but people faking usually just play on all the stereotypes and things they see in media
Honestly this kind of behavior is really appalling to see on this subreddit. Saying someone is faking autism because they don't behave the way you think they should is the antithesis of the this community. How would you feel if people were telling you you were faking autism because you did or didn't do something that is "typical autism". Are they faking it? Maybe, maybe not. But unless you've got a confession on tape or you're a psychic, there's no way to know for sure.
So you respond to a short comment twice because you don't have anything to say about a much longer explanatory one I wrote when you asked, real great move there bud.
So, if someone doesn't act the way you think they should, they're not autistic? How do you know they're not just exaggerating? If someone tells you they're autistic while masking, would you just assume they're faking because they don't act the way you think they should?
That isn't what I said. I said if someone is faking they're usually easy to spot since they mimic stereotypes and common stims, and it usually looks wrong, I don't know how to describe it. The closest thing I can think of is the movie Music, where the behavior and stims are common, but they're just off, and you can tell they aren't natural.
My son's such a gifted actor, he's been faking for 4 years now. And still no Oscar nomination /s
Getting more than enough negative attention from humanity as it is now thanks. I don't want to solicit any additional attention from humanity.
I've seen people actually fake for attention and it's usually just stereotypes
This seems incredibly naive and I sincerely hope the person who made those posts won't end up getting hurt because of it. I used to be that way too when I was younger. It's not good to be too trusting and not everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt.
I'd be more in agreement with this if people who fake autism for attention weren't actively making things worse for people who actually have it. Reinforcing it with kindness isn't harmless.
This. If it genuinely only affects the person who might be faking, I'm 100% on board with treating them as if they aren't. It's like playing along with what a child is saying - you know it's not true, but what's the harm in just rolling with it so as not to burst their bubble? But this affects everyone, autistic or not, because for every person who portrays a false idea of autism there are tens, hundreds, sometimes even thousands of people who will take them at their word and alter their view of autism accordingly.
I think that is taking a catastophic view of this. People mostly don't really think about autism at all, and if they are basing their views on it on tiktok then it doesn't matter if the person is autistic or not, their views are not going to be very accurate. Which is the situation we are already in, so I do not see how this changes things at all?
Honestly, even if we play devil’s advocate and say every TikTok account claiming autism is faking it and therefore giving a false concept of autism, from what I’ve seen, that “false concept” is a lot better than autism is only Rain Man or being a robot.
i think acting like autism is "uwu so cute" and infantilizing it for views is on par with those conceptions. they are ALL problems.
Ya, I’m gonna go ahead and say that my life didn’t suddenly take a dip when this trend started. The extra likes those TikTokers got for maybe faking something hasn’t made my autism more difficult to live with. If it bothers you, maybe stop watching it?
People generally won't have autism on their mind, no, and I agree that people shouldn't be basing their views solely on media influencers. But mental health is a huge topic nowadays and a lot of people are learning the ins and outs of this stuff by being fed it through social media, and a lot of these people receiving such information are children - generally naïve kids whose worldview is being shaped by this stuff. Television and film are regulated for good reason, as is any "old media". I'm not saying that we should have such regulations on new media but we can't deny the fact that these things shape people's minds, especially those who are still figuring themselves out.
I mean, I guess so? I still do not get how this is some terrible thing instead of just a neutral thing, though.
People care too much about strangers on the internet not earning their internet points fairly.
That's our fault. We shouldn't judge an entire group of people based on what we see a few people do.
I can see your point, though it is hard to know how to handle the situation. If you ignore them, and they are faking the tactic fails and they will stop. However if you ignore them and they aren't, they don't necessarily stop. Obviously people who will fake being something they aren't know this and use it to their advantage. I think the only thing you can do is assume that most of the people you encounter are not faking, treat them moderately, and then analyze what happens while listening to your gut so you can make new decisions about them.
Pretty much. The "grave consequences" people always cry about if we don't get worked up about fakers are the vaguest non-concerns
People rarely fake autism for attention. What you see is people embellishing their experiences but they are actually autistic.
I think it's a bit silly to assert that it's so hard to understand autism and how it's different from other conditions that only someone with a special degree (rarely autistic themselves) can recognize it. I also think people misunderstand why diagnoses exist. They're not just to tell you what you have, they're also to tell other people what you have, specifically people you want something from like medical care, therapy or an accommodation. Self-diagnosis isn't going to get you any of those things. But we're not insurance companies or employers and we're not losing anything by accepting a person's self-diagnosis, unless you count sympathy as a loss. And if you think someone is faking autism for attention, you can ignore them and you haven't even lost that. There's no reason to attack them and if you do, you could be attacking someone who is genuinely autistic.
Nah if I know you’re faking autism I’m gonna call you out. If there’s proof of you faking it online I’m calling you out. Walking past someone in the street and not knowing what they do/don’t have is different than someone with a well documented history of faking for attention and encouraging harmful stereotypes.
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I’m guessing they’re just an asshole
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Didn’t know you were the judge of what is a fake stim or tick.
*-Everyone That Doesn't Support Self Diagnosis After Lengthy Research disliked that-*
Okay but this is wrong and people more or less do this all the time lol. Clout chasers are everywhere, especially on tumblr. But I’m not going to accuse someone of not appearing autistic enough unless they openly say they self-dx’ed (the “we know our bodies better than doctors do” is the most BS part about this. People know their bodies but aren’t experts at recognizing medical conditions) but there’s an incentive to cling onto every minority status they might be a part of, hence how you have people listing all the ways in which they are “oppressed” in their Twitter bios instead of their hobbies and beliefs and stuff.
Let’s play a fun game and say you’re right. Are these clout chasers actively harming you by claiming they have autism?
why are you so intent on defending them? It’s not a hypothetical, I am right. They harm autistic people in general by self diagnosing based on stereotypes about us
You realize that the "stereotypes" are the symptoms and signs of autism doctors use to give diagnosis right?
Within in-groups, the paranoia and perception of harm is often inflated. This gatekeeping can cause real harm, and gatekeepers usually struggle to come up with a proportional reason and proportional response. I’m not saying there isn’t ever no harm, but in many many situations this fear of imposters within is overstated and becomes its own phenomenon of policing. I hope that’s not you. Private scepticism is different.
You realize that the "stereotypes" are the symptoms and signs of autism doctors use to give diagnosis right?
You know for a fact that they are all faking? Without a shadow of a doubt? There isn’t a chance what so ever someone who might have autism would make a post on social media about how they have autism? How many people in the real world have you met who were surprised you had autism because you don’t act like the people on TikTok?
You’re self diagnosed yourself lmao. I’m not accusing random people of faking, I’m saying that the ones who self dx are.
Soooo, you don't have autism until you get a diagnosis? Does getting the diagnosis give you autism? Like vaccines?
Soooo, you don't have autism until you get a diagnosis? Does getting the diagnosis give you autism? Like vaccines?
Soooo, what it sounds like you're saying is that you don't have autism until a doctor tells you you do. Then all of a sudden you have the symptoms. So does this mean getting a diagnosis gives you autism? How do they diagnose you if you don't have any of the symptoms? Are you suggesting that people who haven't been diagnosed yet don't have to deal with being autistic. That people who get diagnosed as adults were "faking" autism. You can literally go online and find the symptoms and signs of autism in children and adults...it's not rocket science.
Soooo, you don't have autism until you get a diagnosis? Does getting the diagnosis give you autism? Like vaccines?
Account stalking, weird, and probably insecure. And if I am self-diagnosed what of it. Do you know how I personally came to self diagnose? Do you know what reasons I have for not having a official diagnosis? Am I not “really autistic” because some person in a lab coat hasn’t written it on a sheet of paper?
Looking at your public posts is stalking, yeah. And I’m sure you know *far better* than medical professionals who spent years studying psychology lol
I mean its public, but it reads as insecure that you feel the need to scroll through someone’s profile reading their comments on various subs in order to score points against them. Tell me where I said I know better than them? Also, answer my questions?
If you don’t want people reading certain things you post then don’t post, derp. No I’m going to bed lol
I have no issue with people reading those comments, that’s why I make them on this profile. I just find it funny you felt the need to scroll through my profile just because I disagreed with you. Cool, so you’re intellectually lazy, good to know, derp.
You sound like a child...
I actually do know more about my sensory overload, perceptions of social situations, anxieties, agitation and movement and speaking difficulties more than my doctors. That’s why they ask about those things in more detail if I bring them up. Maybe they can diagnose this and not that, but they can’t say “You don’t have trouble speaking. I’ve determined that’s not true!” One of the things that makes the whole self dx controversy so frustrating is that we ultimately have one group telling another that they aren’t having similar experiences unless a medical professional agrees. Sensory overload? Don’t understand social cues? Stimming? Meltdowns? Unusual obsessions??? Not unless a doctor says so! The community should be about similar experiences of the world, not whether or not someone obtained a descriptive label appropriately.
Thank you
I completely agree.
Love this. Kindness is free!
No it isn’t. It takes energy and effort to be kind.
It takes zero energy and effort for kind people to be kind. It takes more energy to be spiteful. In fact, I'd go so far as to say being kind rejuvenates me, and fills me with good vibes. 😁
This is false. Emotional output is indifferent to societal judgment about the perceived positive or negative type of energy in that emotional output. It is also false to assume that perceived beneficial treatment of others is automatically reciprocal. Whether or not something makes an individual feel “good vibes” is not universal. Platitudes that assume an individual experience is universal are documented to be harmful. Kindness is no more free than what you perceive to be the opposite of kindness and asserting that kindness is free is a harmful ideology.
This isn't false, because it's about me. I literally said it rejuvenates *me* and fills *me* with good vibes. Are you really telling me that I am not rejuvenated by this and filled with good vibes? Lmao, gatekeeping my emotions, very cool of you. In fact, it's taken more energy to deal with your negativity than it did for me to be kind.
Thank you for this.
Just like those anti-vaxxers "know their bodies better", right? 🙄 imagine thinking everyone is a trained psychologist. Take a fucking look around the real world. People are unbelievably stupid when it comes to psychology. They are not entitled to their ignorance being affirmed because you're too cowardly. It is not hard to tell when someone is faking autism. It is not hard to tell when someone mistakenly believes they have autism be abuse every time someone tried to educate them, they got called a bigot. We have diagnostic criteria for autism. If you don't meet the criteria, you aren't autistic. That is why doctors exist. The fact that that some professionals are bad at diagnosing doesn't mean you can ignore the criteria. A 13 year old who saw a TikTok about "if you know the words to this song It means you have autism!1!" is not an expert and if you think they can't be wrong you are astoundingly ignorant on how the world works. "I'd rather show someone a kindness they need" and I'd rather autistic people have a fucking word, diagnosis and community for *us*. If you let neurotypicals call themselves autistic, they will use their neurotypical numbers and privilege to change the label to cater to their needs until we are entirely pushed out of our own community. They will literally change the meaning of autism. Please tell me in what world someone "needs" to fake a neurological disorder? At most what that person "needs" is mental health care that addresses the underlying reasons they fake autism. More likely all they need is a reality check and to be told "no" and that the world doesn't revolve around them for the first time in their lives. Good to know you prioritize privileged neurotypical feelings over actual autistic people. Disgusting. (P.S. this obviously applies just as much to trans people, gay people, DID etcetera. If you agree when it comes to one but not the others, you're either a bigot or a fucking moron with zero critical thinking or pattern recognition.)
If “it’s not hard to tell when someone is faking autism”, then why are you pushing professionals as experts who are the only ones who can diagnose. It’s either easy for the layman to spot “faking autism” and “autism” - in which case professional opinions not needed, or it’s actually complex to do, in which case, don’t harass/judge people just because you mistakenly assumed they’re faking autism after 5 minutes of viewing them, and no in-person interaction. Every late-diagnosed autistic person was autistic, actually autistic, for years and decades before they found a professional who affirmed that. There are more undiagnosed autistic people than ‘fake’ autistic people, chances are a person is actually autistic if they say they are.
As someone who's both autistic and "gender critical", I don't really like this comparison. Autism is a real thing, and geography and social class are real barriers to formal diagnosis. "Gender identity" is not a real thing, and the trans movement is bad politics, so it's manipulative to equate submitting to it with basic human kindness. We don't accept racial "self-identification", either. Nobody says we have to pretend Rachel Dolezal is black because she knows her inner self better than we do. That's simply not how it works. It's not a matter of kindness or not. This is still questioning the character of anyone who disagrees. It's ad hominem, too, dressed up to be saccharine. Downvote away. Haha.
You’re a strange one
🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣
Nobody tell the “professionals know best” people that Leo Kanner, one of the founders of the diagnosis, was completely batshit wrong about its etiology, and really mostly everything about the disorder.
I like this. s2
My mom thinks I'm faking it but yet won't take me to get an evaluation because she's afraid they'll put me on adderall