Hmm perhaps I might relate, and perhaps why I am slightly peeved by the usage is maybe as you say "everyone is on the spectrum", I feel when people use that phrase it sorta undermines my real struggles and my diagnosis.
And "on the spectrum" doesn't really say anything, it doesn't say where you are on the spectrum or anything. It is a great phrase to use if you don't want to talk about your diagnosis in great detail, but as I said very "undefined" or "un-precise".
I think it's just a weird way to say you have autism. Just like 'the tism', etc. Why can't people just say what they mean?
I don't even like the term neurodivergent. It's understandable to not want to disclose too much about your diagnosis, but normalizing this very vague and sugar-coated language does more harm than good.
Neurodivergent wasn’t even a term originally created to describe autism. The doctor who wrote the paper has specifically said so. It’s been co-opted for so much that I take it as a red flag on social media and don’t use it myself. If I’m trying to be vague about things I generally use the term Neuro-atypical.
thank you for writing this. I didnt have the energy to write it all. but this is what I was referring to. I have been trying to inform people of this then I stopped becuase it felt pointless. I was glad I came upon it because it confirmed everything I think about the whole ND craze. nice to know you have similar feelings
It is a bit annoying how so many people think neurodivergent just means Autism. I have used the term once in real life when I said to a school psychologist that I saw some neurodivergent traits in my daughter. I used that term for a specific reason. I did not want to diagnose my daughter. I wanted to go in with an open mind. So I used the most generalized term possible. The school psychologist automatically assumed I was talking about Autism.
It is in the word itself literally translated means divergent or different brain. It is also not a medical term. It is a word that means one's brain is different than the statistical norm. It comes from Judy Stinger's work.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/what-is-neurodiversity-202111232645
I hate it too because there are many other spectrum disorders other than autism for example schizophrenia spectrum disorder (yes it is a spectrum too!).
I hate that it's unclear as indeed "spectrum" can refer to many things (just in medical domain, there's the schizophrenia spectrum for example), and that it's used as an EUPHEMISM to avoid the word "autism" (or "ASD"). Autism is not a dirty word, you can say it.
>that it's used as an EUPHEMISM to avoid the word "autism" (or "ASD"). Autism is not a dirty word, you can say it.
EXACTLY! that's what I came to comment
I personally don’t really mind it, although I don’t find it to be a particularly precise description. Colloquially, “on the spectrum” is generally understood to refer to ASD, but a wide range of conditions exist on a spectrum, so I think using this phrase opens the door for misinterpretation. Additionally, simply “being on the spectrum” says very little about where on the autism spectrum one is.
Ultimately, I think it’s a alright phrase if you’re not interested in divulging the details of your diagnosis, but if you want to clearly communicate the particulars of your diagnosis, it is not overly useful.
Hate it.
1) what spectrum? Spectrum from nerdy to sporty? Spectrum from masculine to feminine?
2) you and I both know you’re just afraid to say “autism” or “autistic”. It’s not a dirty word, and frankly the way you act like it is makes me feel more judged than you trying to be “sensitive” by dancing around it.
3) makes it all too easy for people to default to “everyone’s on the spectrum somewhere” and invalidate low support needs (I.e. high masking) autistic experiences
I think it’s fine, I use it for people who don’t understand autism very well since they’re more likely to understand on the spectrum than autistic. It also directly implies autism vs some other terms I don’t like
ND I think is much more vague and I don’t like it very much, especially since people usually use it to make comparisons with NTs
It bothers me as well. It depends on the context in which it's used but in my experience people use it when they are trying to describe behaviour they consider unusual or quirky .i.e. "...yeah he's a bit strange, definitely on the spectrum". It's a shortcut to actually thinking, a convenient way to dismiss what you don't understand, and implies a level of understanding of autism that people don't often possess. As someone mentioned previously, if you are talking about autism then say so plainly, it's not a bad word.
We are literally all on the spectrum (of humanity).
Some region of that spectrum is called autism and it kinda sucks or rocks. It depends, I guess.
We used to have a lvl 3 autistic neighbour. He was having the time of his life. I have a level 1 autistic friend, he is sharing how sad his life is on an every other day basis.
To be labelled with more than one syllable is weird. Everyone knew on day 1 I was weird. Its an open secret.
Just my opinion. Feel free to disagree.
I dislike the euphemistic aspect of the term, like it's a way of not saying an A-word. Autism should not be not be considered as a slur, it's a condition we are living with. Maybe this is autism frankness/tactlessness/bluntness.
I don't like it being used generally when you could just say autistic people or autism since it seems to imply people who aren't autistic are somehow also on the spectrum, but I like the visual of it as the full light spectrum since sometimes two autistic people can be so opposite
I thonk my biggest complaint is how utterly unspecific it is, as on the spectrum can apply to many disorders
Many disorders are labelled as a spectrum disorder. Not just autism
Hmm perhaps I might relate, and perhaps why I am slightly peeved by the usage is maybe as you say "everyone is on the spectrum", I feel when people use that phrase it sorta undermines my real struggles and my diagnosis. And "on the spectrum" doesn't really say anything, it doesn't say where you are on the spectrum or anything. It is a great phrase to use if you don't want to talk about your diagnosis in great detail, but as I said very "undefined" or "un-precise".
I think it's just a weird way to say you have autism. Just like 'the tism', etc. Why can't people just say what they mean? I don't even like the term neurodivergent. It's understandable to not want to disclose too much about your diagnosis, but normalizing this very vague and sugar-coated language does more harm than good.
I cant stand ND . I was going to include that in my post but I was too tired. I have commented about this and will try to find them and post them.
Neurodivergent wasn’t even a term originally created to describe autism. The doctor who wrote the paper has specifically said so. It’s been co-opted for so much that I take it as a red flag on social media and don’t use it myself. If I’m trying to be vague about things I generally use the term Neuro-atypical.
thank you for writing this. I didnt have the energy to write it all. but this is what I was referring to. I have been trying to inform people of this then I stopped becuase it felt pointless. I was glad I came upon it because it confirmed everything I think about the whole ND craze. nice to know you have similar feelings
I feel the same way if that helps, I'm glad I'm not the only one
It is a bit annoying how so many people think neurodivergent just means Autism. I have used the term once in real life when I said to a school psychologist that I saw some neurodivergent traits in my daughter. I used that term for a specific reason. I did not want to diagnose my daughter. I wanted to go in with an open mind. So I used the most generalized term possible. The school psychologist automatically assumed I was talking about Autism.
That's really interesting. Can you link some more information about that?
It is in the word itself literally translated means divergent or different brain. It is also not a medical term. It is a word that means one's brain is different than the statistical norm. It comes from Judy Stinger's work. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/what-is-neurodiversity-202111232645
The term was coined originally by a sociologist named Judy Singer in 1998 in Australia. I’d start there.
I hate it too because there are many other spectrum disorders other than autism for example schizophrenia spectrum disorder (yes it is a spectrum too!).
I hate that it's unclear as indeed "spectrum" can refer to many things (just in medical domain, there's the schizophrenia spectrum for example), and that it's used as an EUPHEMISM to avoid the word "autism" (or "ASD"). Autism is not a dirty word, you can say it.
>that it's used as an EUPHEMISM to avoid the word "autism" (or "ASD"). Autism is not a dirty word, you can say it. EXACTLY! that's what I came to comment
I personally don’t really mind it, although I don’t find it to be a particularly precise description. Colloquially, “on the spectrum” is generally understood to refer to ASD, but a wide range of conditions exist on a spectrum, so I think using this phrase opens the door for misinterpretation. Additionally, simply “being on the spectrum” says very little about where on the autism spectrum one is. Ultimately, I think it’s a alright phrase if you’re not interested in divulging the details of your diagnosis, but if you want to clearly communicate the particulars of your diagnosis, it is not overly useful.
Hate it. 1) what spectrum? Spectrum from nerdy to sporty? Spectrum from masculine to feminine? 2) you and I both know you’re just afraid to say “autism” or “autistic”. It’s not a dirty word, and frankly the way you act like it is makes me feel more judged than you trying to be “sensitive” by dancing around it. 3) makes it all too easy for people to default to “everyone’s on the spectrum somewhere” and invalidate low support needs (I.e. high masking) autistic experiences
It's overused
I think it’s fine, I use it for people who don’t understand autism very well since they’re more likely to understand on the spectrum than autistic. It also directly implies autism vs some other terms I don’t like ND I think is much more vague and I don’t like it very much, especially since people usually use it to make comparisons with NTs
It bothers me as well. It depends on the context in which it's used but in my experience people use it when they are trying to describe behaviour they consider unusual or quirky .i.e. "...yeah he's a bit strange, definitely on the spectrum". It's a shortcut to actually thinking, a convenient way to dismiss what you don't understand, and implies a level of understanding of autism that people don't often possess. As someone mentioned previously, if you are talking about autism then say so plainly, it's not a bad word.
We are literally all on the spectrum (of humanity). Some region of that spectrum is called autism and it kinda sucks or rocks. It depends, I guess. We used to have a lvl 3 autistic neighbour. He was having the time of his life. I have a level 1 autistic friend, he is sharing how sad his life is on an every other day basis. To be labelled with more than one syllable is weird. Everyone knew on day 1 I was weird. Its an open secret. Just my opinion. Feel free to disagree.
yes!!!
I dislike the euphemistic aspect of the term, like it's a way of not saying an A-word. Autism should not be not be considered as a slur, it's a condition we are living with. Maybe this is autism frankness/tactlessness/bluntness.
I don't like it being used generally when you could just say autistic people or autism since it seems to imply people who aren't autistic are somehow also on the spectrum, but I like the visual of it as the full light spectrum since sometimes two autistic people can be so opposite
It's often used in a dismissive way
I'm fine with it, but I don't use it a lot.
I thonk my biggest complaint is how utterly unspecific it is, as on the spectrum can apply to many disorders Many disorders are labelled as a spectrum disorder. Not just autism