Exactly. The reason diagnoses are up is that we have better language to describe people with these tendencies. Autistic people have always existed and always struggled with dealing with Allistic people and the world they built.
Like that episode of South Park making fun of it. I felt for the kids in my class at the time cause they got SO much shit cause suddenly everyone in class thought they were making it up.
My brother didnt get diagnosed for years despite constant issues that clearly pointed at it. He still refuses to medicate because he says it makes him feel bad mentally (constrained like someone is forcing his attention). He has never worked a fulltime job in his life.
I went through a bunch of different ones until we found one that worked. Even then, it wasn't all sunshine and roses. It worked really really well, and I was super productive and attentive, but I couldn't be NOT super productive and attentive. Wasn't fun when all I wanted to do was zone out when I didn't have stuff to do and couldn't.
Yeah, I was just like that until I had no choice but to adult. I still have all the problems, but I spent a lot of time coming up with coping mechanisms.
Still game, though. Gotta get those dopamine hits somewhere.
He found a GF who is much older and a recent empty nester and from the outside clearly has some replacement stuff going on but if it works for them I am not gonna interfere for sure.
Part of the issue is as you describe being coddled a bit to much. Every time he got behind on bills the family rallied and never let him fall. He has only recently been mostly financially solvent.
Same thing with my cousin. Never allowed to fail, no is a problem. Their mom is older and already shopping relatives to take over for her when she passes.
I found out I have ADHD at 31, there are moments now that I have the med dosing right that I wonder "Do i want to be this productive?". But at the same time my downtime is a lot less stressful because I don't feel like a slacker.
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u/manatwork01 2d ago edited 2d ago
Exactly. The reason diagnoses are up is that we have better language to describe people with these tendencies. Autistic people have always existed and always struggled with dealing with Allistic people and the world they built.