So, I'm autistic, level 1, and this seems to confuse people a lot. Especially those who've only ever been exposed to autistic people who have high support needs (level 3 autism)... or who have never heard anyone talk about and explain how lower support needs autism can look.

So, this results in a lot of people thinking that to have autism, you can't live independently... or you can't talk without assistive technology... or, in general, you would just look very "obviously" autistic.

But to have level 1 autism, by DSM standards, you don't need to have such high support needs that everyone would instantly know you're autistic just by looking at you. According to the DSM, level 1 autism means a person needs SOME support... so, I'm going to explain what this means.

But first, I think it's important to point out that this can mean different things for different people.

Some level 1 autistic people *need help* getting the support they need, and some are able to find ways to get support on their own.

But in all cases, to be considered level 1, needing at least some support is required for a diagnosis. 

I'm sure many of you are still very confused 😅 so I'll explain what I mean by sharing some of my personal experiences as a level 1 autistic person. 

I live independently and have managed to get most of the support I need on my own. 

Here are some examples... 

- I sought out a therapist and see her regularly (and drive myself to sessions)

- I lean on friends when in crisis 

- I set sensory boundaries and ask for accommodations when possible... 

- I have created several avenues of infodumping my special interests so as not to annoy my friends/family by incessantly talking about them (this platform being one of them). 

That last one might sound silly, but it's actually one of the main reasons I have been able to maintain meaningful relationships... including the one with my husband in our now over 13-year marriage. And I am NOT overstating this. 

This is *my version* of level 1 autism. .. and only a tiny sampling of it, at that.

But every autistic person is different and what "requires support" means will be different for every one of us.

For example, there might be a person with a level 1 diagnosis who needs help with some of the things I mentioned... like needing a parent or partner to research local therapists and book the first appointment... or even book them on a regular basis.

Or needing an autistic life coach to give guidance on what supports might be helpful/necessary and help strategize ways to access those supports. 

Long story short (ok, ok... long story long 😅)...

A person who doesn't need ANY support would not receive an autism diagnosis. But it's important to understand what needing support at level 1 means and that it does NOT mean the inability to live independently.

I hope some of you found this helpful, and follow for more.