A short one today but I was wondering when people say "we're all a little bit autistic" do they also say we’re all a bit bipolar to explain that everyone has felt the ‘highs’ and ‘lows’ of life? Maybe.
But the diagnosis of bipolar - incidentally a neurodivergent condition, formerly known as manic-depression - is the extent to which someone has the ‘highs’ or ‘lows’ and extreme moods, such that they interfere with a person’s life or functioning. It’s similar when someone says ‘we’re all a little bit autistic’ in a way that might be meant to be reassuring but is more often than not perceived as minimising or invalidating.
https://youtu.be/4D4cihiKYtA?si=I53edVYR_9Nl-jK4
As with bipolar, it is the extent or intensity of the autistic traits which would edge a person over the threshold for a diagnosis of autism - and not the fact that they have certain traits. Plenty of neurotypes have autistic traits, certainly, but they wouldn’t get a diagnosis of autism if failing to meet the high bar in the various criteria.
Well, that's all for now. Please do leave comments below.
In the meantime, wishing you all a peaceful festive season and a happy and healthy 2026 😊
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