Part 1 is here. Part 2 is here.
Trigger warning for ableism, specifically against people on the autism spectrum.
The article this is critquing can be found here.
On the other hand, some adults decide they are highly sensitive when they actually do have an ASD. They want to find a normal explanation for something that is not normal.
High sensitivity is as normal as the autism spectrum. I, personally, think this means both are normal. But you can think that they’re both abnormal, if you have to, but you probably shouldn’t.
This is why this article is so messed up- it’s entirely designed to say We’re normal- You aren’t.
The rest after this is suggestions that are actually sensible- you know yourself best, get multiple opinions from multiple therapists if you can (she didn’t say this, but especially if the first diagnosis/lack thereof feels wrong) because you want the definite truth.
However, this bit is still incredibly problematic.
High sensitivity can be a disorder.
The autistic spectrum are not always disorders. Even when they are, saying they aren’t “normal” is also not true.
Insisting highly sensitive people are “normal’ and can’t possibly be disordered does a disservice both to people with other disorders and to highly sensitive people who are disordered. Insisting people on the autism spectrum aren’t “normal”? Disgusting.
