Functioning Labels

You’ve probably heard people described as “high-functioning” or “low-functioning” — especially when talking about autism or other forms of neurodivergence. On the surface, these labels might seem helpful, but honestly? They’re pretty problematic.

Here’s why these labels don’t work:

Someone labelled “high-functioning” might be:

• Masking so hard they’re heading for burnout
• Struggling desperately but getting no support because they “look fine”
• Barely holding it together but forced to keep up appearances
• Having real challenges that get dismissed because they can “function”

Someone labelled “low-functioning” might be:

• Incredibly insightful but struggling to communicate in expected ways
• Having wisdom and creativity that others can’t see
• Perfectly capable in some areas while needing more support in others
• Being underestimated and having their autonomy taken away

These labels basically judge people by how well they perform “normal” and how much support they appear to need. But human beings are way more complex than that.

Think about it — you probably function differently depending on the day, the environment, your stress levels, your energy. Some days you’re on top of everything, other days you can barely manage basic tasks. That’s normal human variation, not a fixed level of “functioning.”

Instead of these unhelpful labels, many people prefer talking about support needs — which recognises that:

• Support needs can change over time
• Someone might need lots of support in one area but none in another
• Needing support doesn’t make someone less valuable or capable
• The goal is understanding what helps, not ranking people

You’re not “high” or “low” anything. You’re a whole person with your own unique strengths, challenges, and needs. And that’s exactly as it should be.