Autistic needs are human needs—how this contributes to one of the most common misconceptions about autism

I think I know why so many people think "everyone is a little autistic"

It's because autistic needs are human needs. 

Because our needs are not a different category of need. They're the same as everyone else's. 

But what most people don't understand is that what's different for us is our threshold of tolerance for unmet needs... physical, mental, emotional, sensory, social... which is much lower. 

Most people don't devolve into a state of overwhelming panic and debilitating anxiety when a need is unmet. Not until that unmet need reaches an objectively extreme level.

But autistic people get there easily. And often. And when this happens, we're not just overwhelmed. We're paralyzed. We literally can't function. 

And if everyone was autistic, the world would be set up VERY differently. Because tolerance levels would be universally low. So infrastructure would be built to support that.

Stores would be dimmer and quieter. 

Products would be made with how noisy they are being a top focus. 

There would be no clothes with seams or tags. 

Food texture preferences would be an option on every food menu. 

There would be a LOT more noise canceling products. 

(And that's just the sensory list.)

But that's not the case because most people don't need those supports.

And I wish more people understood this. Because being autistic is more than just a different way of being. 

It's extremely disabling for most of us.

And saying "everyone is a little autistic" doesn't create acceptance. It erases our disability.