Twin Myths: Giftedness & "Profound Autism" (Episode 120)

An episode that dives deep on the myths of giftedness and “profound autism” two tropes that lead to bad outcomes for Autistic people. We look at conservatorship, lack of autonomy, and substance abuse and their connections to these terms.

Here’s what’s in store for today’s episode:

* In today's episode, Matt and Angela dive into the controversial discussion surrounding "profound autism."

* It turns out that "profound autism" isn’t a clinical term, but rather a label used by the ABA industry to restrict the number of autistic advocates who can speak for themselves.

* Calling it "profound autism" is more profitable than saying "level 3 autism" because it creates a sense of urgency, making it easier for the ABA industry to secure funding and promote more intervention-based services.

* In this episode, we explore the connection between giftedness and autism, and how gifted individuals face higher rates of addiction and substance abuse.

* The autism levels are directly tied to capitalism—how much money you can make often depends on how well you can mask your symptoms.

* Our hosts also discuss how terms like "indigo children" and "highly sensitive persons (HSPs)" are often just euphemisms for being autistic.

* Then, we dive into the ABA industry, the issues with Autism Speaks, and the impact of helicopter autism parents who prevent their children from learning and growing.

* We also talk about autistic pattern recognition and how it can sometimes feel like we're psychic, picking up on details others might miss.

* Matt and Angela discuss how pattern recognition can also serve as a survival skill, and how burnout manifests in everyone who is autistic.

* We elaborate on how autistic individuals can be more prone to substance abuse, often as a way to cope with sensory overload, social challenges, or unmet needs.

* Then, we dive into the concept of being a functional alcoholic and explore the connection between substance abuse and giftedness.

* We discuss Dan Harmon, creator of Rick and Morty, and how his autistic burnout led to struggles with alcoholism and missed deadlines.

* Finally, we explore reframing autism in terms of "masking levels" rather than outdated "functioning" labels.

“What people don’t understand is that, when it comes to the autism, we just have the autism. It might have some comorbid characteristics with other stuff - for instance, ‘profound autism’ might have some intellectual disability. But it doesn’t change the nature of the autism, it just changes the operating system that you’re working with. It changes the hardware that you’re working with.” - Matt

“The autism is the autism. It is the hyper-connected brain. It is the hyper-connected brain. It is the genetic underpinning that changes everything about us.” - Matt

“You could be gifted, but God forbid the word ‘autistic’ with no qualifiers just comes out of your mouth. I don’t know what happens. I think God throws Zeus a bolt of lightning. Something must happen.” - Angela

“I have had periods in my life where I actually thought I must be psychic because these things would happen. I’d be like, ‘my god, I think I’m psychic. And then I realized, ‘shit, I’m just pattern matching.” - Angela

Did you enjoy this episode? We explored the controversial label of "profound autism" and how it's used to limit autistic self-advocacy. We also dove into the connection between giftedness and substance abuse, the role of pattern recognition as a survival skill, and the cycle of burnout and underemployment in the autistic community. Plus, we break down the issues with Autism Speaks, the ABA industry, and helicopter autism parents. Tune in and share your thoughts using #AutisticCultureCatch!

Show Notes:

Harmontown Movie -

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