Highly Sensitive Person or Autism?
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- Опубліковано 20 лип 2022
- Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) or Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) has a lot of descriptive overlap with autism, more prominently in traits noted in plain-language autism (especially female) checklists. So, I thought we would go over what Highly Sensitive Person is and bring some understanding as to the differences.
References:
Aron, E., Allen-Williams, B., & Strickland, J. (n.d.). FAQ: Is Sensory Processing (or Integration) Disorder (SPD) the same as Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS)? Retrieved January 12, 2022, from hsperson.com/faq/spd-vs-sps/
FAQ: How does sensitivity differ from Autistic spectrum disorders (Asperger’s Syndrome, etc.)? - The Highly Sensitive Person. (n.d.). Retrieved January 12, 2022, from hsperson.com/faq/hs-or-asd/
joshua3620. (2020, June 30). What Is the Difference Between Personality and Temperament? Http://Alvigor.Com. www.alvigor.com/post/what-is-...
Karaca Dinç, P., Oktay, S., & Durak Batıgün, A. (2021). Mediation role of alexithymia, sensory processing sensitivity and emotional-mental processes between childhood trauma and adult psychopathology: A self-report study. BMC Psychiatry, 21(1), 1-10. doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03...
Liss, M., Mailloux, J., & Erchull, M. J. (2008). The relationships between sensory processing sensitivity, alexithymia, autism, depression, and anxiety. Personality and Individual Differences, 45(3), 255-259. doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2008.0...
Rinn, A. N., Mullet, D. R., Jett, N., & Nyikos, T. (2018). Sensory Processing Sensitivity Among High-Ability Individuals: A Psychometric Evaluation of the Highly Sensitive Person Scale. Roeper Review, 40(3), 166-175. doi.org/10.1080/02783193.2018...
Scott, E. (2020, September 18). Highly Sensitive Person Traits That Create More Stress. Verywell Mind. www.verywellmind.com/highly-s...
Smith, H. L., Sriken, J., & Erford, B. T. (2019). Clinical and Research Utility of the Highly Sensitive Person Scale. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 41(3), 221-241. doi.org/10.17744/mehc.41.3.03
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I used to think I was a HSP. Turns out I was just a traumatized autistic who was trying really, really hard not to rock the boat with everyone all the time. 🤷🏼♀️ Being a people pleaser that grew up in a dysfunctional family while being an undiagnosed autistic female during the 90's, it's not that surprising that I was constantly on edge trying to "read" people and not upset them. I also care very deeply about people and animals so naturally, I thought it made sense. And I got easily upset about people or animals being hurt, especially if I thought that I was to blame in some way.
I was wondering about that. Especially that both autistic and hsp person will develope some coping mechanisms in that situation. So how did you realized you are autustic not hsp?
I definitely have the same issue as you, I wish I knew people that understand and help each other. Thank you
@@Nashleyism I sought out an adult autism diagnosis and thankfully found someone who specialized in doing those assessments. A whole new world that made much more sense opened up for me
@@thegracklepeck Thank you for your reply. I am happy for you :)
your story is too relatable and similar.
I think a lot of my "core masking personality" was formed around being a "HSP", entirely by accident long before the language was really available to me. I grew up in the 1990s, being a girl there was basically no chance for an ASD diagnosis - I was just "weird and emotional, but wise and intuitive." My early special interests were things like basic psychology, sociology, the reasons for folk lore and fairy tales and myths. This made my undiagnosed struggling autistic mask gravitate towards knowing people {often too deeply, which was a whole other issue to navigate} and figuring out how to fawn appropriately {people pleasing} so they wouldn't outright attack me. If I was a good listener, if I could offer the right words and get on their good side, I would be less of a target for being weird. When I'm walking around all in black it was all "oh, evil Satanist!" but whip out the tarot cards and get them through a little adolescent struggle with some "wise advice" and it's suddenly "She's kind of a freak, but she's doesn't seem evil." But it was just really basic psychology, pop psychology like body language and speech patterns mixed with my special interests in the supernatural and moral stories/fables/myths/lore. Add my growing social anxiety and hypervigilance from being constantly bullied, being what someone most needed me to be became my specialty.
Now that I finally realize {at 43 years old} that ASD is why I've never seemed to be able to "make my life work right" I'm realizing how much of the HSP aspect of doing for others and giving to others was just my own masking as self defense. I didn't feel for people, I was afraid of people; all I was doing was commiserating with people so they'd be less likely to view me as a punching bag because they'd been vulnerable with me. You take away the social aspects of HSP as a highly masked person and all the rest of it was just my Autism really.
THIS
I am weird and emotional while being wise and intuitive (about some things).
WOW you just said everything I needed to hear.
I feel this 100%
llp
not all rectangles are squares, but all squares are rectangles. Not all hsp are autistic, but a greater amount of autistic people may be hsp.
The thing is that there are people that are pushing the HSP=Autism, and they don't care that there are HSPs that aren't autistic. They just disregard them.
For people that believe in Neurodiversity, they sure want to put everybody that has a certain neurological processing into a box that they don't fit.
As a HSP that is neurodivergent with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD, I have a serious problem with that.
Throughout my life, I fought against labels and misdiagnoses.
@Raymond Nolan Scott I also had the same Thought process.
Even thought I was skeptical about Arons HSP theory, it makes more sense then people realize.
Lots of ppl sya that HSPs are just girls or women who are displaying female autism and that they are not hsps at all, but to me there is one problem with this assessment.
If HSPs are just people (women and girsl) who are undiagnosed autistics, then why do some men also identify with he HSP trait??
Are we going to say that they are also autistic?? Because autism in males is very different form autism displayed by females, so to me, I fo believe that HSP has a decent amount of truth to it.
But that's just my opinion :)
because some men have gone undiagnosed as well. Plenty of men. HSP is based on Aron's family members who were later diagnosed autistic. It is literally autism@@user-awqzx10jdopz
@@fomalhauto well said. As a HSP who isn’t autistic, it’s frustrating to see those types of people keep pushing the idea that I have autism even when I don’t or don’t have traits of it. This black or white thinking needs to stop and I hope these autistics stop trying to diagnose everyone as autistic.
I found out I was HSP about a year ago. I’ve worked with autistic folks for about 5 years now. I knew I wasn’t autistic due to being very familiar with autistic traits. I do think being an HSP helps me connect more to autistic friends though from our similarities which i think is cool!
@@maeganrobinson7065 Thank you for sharing. I think it speaks to my HSP nature that your comment brought me to tears, really. I feel very similarity in regard to being able to pick up in subtle cues in the environment and knowing how to make others, especially my clients, comfortable or at ease in a traumatic situation. I think intuition and empathy are two powerful parts of being an HSP but can also be so taxing to always be feeling others emotions and understanding them deeply. I try to see it as a gift though. Knowing there are others that carry this pleasure and pain makes me feel not so alone with dealing with complex emotions all the time. Love and light to you ❤️
I heard about HSP when researching autism. Most of the site seemed very close to autism. But it said HSP were very sensitive and extra good at reading other people's feelings. So that sounded different.
autism in women shows up* as sensitive and empathic, that's why they work with kids or animals or caretaking etc.
edit: *as a sign, not in full
Yes there’s a whole emotional element and struggle, for example, over empathising
Yeah....Elaine Aron even wrote that in her books.
In her book, The Highly Sensitive Child, she differentiated HSP from ADHD and Aspergers Syndrome.
I took issue with it.
I got the impression that she was implying that neurodivergents cannot be highly sensitive people even though many actually are whether they have autism or not.
Many neurodivergents have sensory processing issues, but many of them are not autistic. We cannot lump all neurodivergents with sensory processing issues as being autistic. We cannot lump all highly sensitive people as being autistic. This could lead damaging misdiagnosis. I was misidentified as being intellectually disabled in early childhood. I was misdiagnosed as having bipolar disorder with schizoaffective disorder in adulthood.
I am both HSP and neurodivergent with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD.
I am not autistic though. I don't have problems perceiving/understanding emotional/social cues which is the hallmark of autism. I am actually perceptive and understanding of them since I was a baby.
Veteran Affairs neurologists noted that I wasn't autistic. They also told me that I wasn't suffering from any schizophrenia nor bipolar but have neurological problems.
A lot of what was written in The Highly Sensitive Child is similar to what is written in New Age books about The Indigo Children and The Crystal Children. I have Doreen Virtue's books, 'The Care and Feeding of the Indigo Children' and 'The Crystal Children'.
I got and read all of Elaine Aron's books starting in 1999.
I even went to The Highly Sensitive Person seminar class at The Learning Exchange in 1999.
I never got the impression that HSP and autism are one and the same.
I do understand that many neurodivergents are highly sensitive.
I created The Highly Sensitive People MSN group in 1999, and then I created Developmental Neurodiversity Assocation facebook group in 2010.
I know a lot of highly sensitive people that are in metaphysical fields and the healing arts, and none of them are autistic.
Many of them relate to Indigo, Crystal, Starseed, Earth Angel, Lightworker.
I am into Astrology. I also like Numerology, oracle cards, tarot cards.
My main religious/spiritual beliefs are Pantheism, Reincarnation, and The Golden Rule.
I have problems trusting Psychiatry and Religion.
@@fomalhauto I agree that not all people with sensory processing disorders are autistic.
Including my sister.
Personally I think psychiatry is not really a science but I still trust it more than New Age religious stuff. But that is just me. If it helps you that is good.
Neurodivergenomics is going to be a facebook group for neurodivergents discussing the genomic indicators of neurodivergence. They can feel free to share information about their own genomic indicators which can help not only themselves but others. It will help raise awareness of the polygenic nature of neurodivergent conditions as well as showing the need to do neurological testing and neuropsychological testing to avoid psychiatric misdiagnoses and intellectual disability misdiagnoses.
What I have noticed and take much issue with is that there are lots of genomic research studies on Dyslexia, ADHD, and Autism that total into the hundreds, but there is only 2 genomic research papers on Dyspraxia/coordination difficulties. One of them was a genomic research study on ADHDers with motor skills/coordination deficits. The other was a genomic study on people with motor skills/coordination deficits. The thing is that Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD, and Autism have a high degree of overlap and co-morbidity, and that's been shown in many non-genomic research studies. There is no argument of coordination/motor skill deficits in many people with reading, language disabilities.
Let's just use Dyslexia as an example.
If you have Dyslexia, the chance of having:
Dyspraxia is around 52 to 85%
ADHD is around 40%.
Autism is around 6 to 30%.
The co-morbidity of Dyslexia and Dyspraxia is what got Dr. Harold N. Levinson to come to the conclusion that Dyslexia and its co-morbid neurodivergent conditions stem from Cerebellar Vestibular Dysfunction, and he has been talking about that since the 1980s. I bought and read a couple of his books (Smart But Feeling Dumb, The Discovery of Cerebellar-Vestibular Syndromes and Therapies: A Solution to the Riddle Dyslexia), and I flew to New York to get examined by him and was diagnosed as having Cerebellar Vestibular Dysfunction in 2005. There is a youtube video of Dr. Levinson being interviewed on Phil Donahue show in early 1980s. Even though Dr. Levinson clinic's posturography showed vestibular abnormalities, it also showed borderline abnormalities of both the cerebellar system and motor cortex which showed that my Dyslexia and Dyspraxia were connected to not just vestibular dysfunction. 2006 Veteran Affairs testing noted that I have abnormal cerebellar system and confirmed my Dyslexia and Dyspraxia which was said to genetic and not acquired as I didn't have any progression of symptoms. Brain damage and heavy metal toxicity were ruled out. Genetic testing was negative for Wilson's Disease and Huntington's Disease. My Dyslexic and Dyspraxic symptoms actually regressed from combination of early intervention therapies. If I was tested in early childhood without having any type of therapy by Dr. Harold N. Levinson and Veteran Affairs neurologists, I would have shown to have severe neurological abnormalities. My problems with speech, balance, and coordination were so bad in early childhood that I had to undergo neurological testing which concluded that I had no brain damage. Even after that, I was identified as being intellectually disabled and got put into a special education classroom with intellectually disabled children in 1st grade after being in a regular classroom in kindergarten. Then by the end of the 1st grade, I was identified as having above average intelligence through IQ testing after I developed language skills from speech therapy and showed visual spatial strengths. I was put into a more appropriate special education classroom in 2nd grade. Then started getting mainstreamed by the end of 2nd grade.
There is no reason to have large amounts of genomic studies on Dyslexia, ADHD, and Autism with almost nothing about Dyspraxia. I have been making comments about the co-morbidity of Dyslexia and Dyspraxia on youtube videos. I want to advocate for a lot more genomic research studies on Dyspraxia/Developmental Coordination Disorder.
There seems to be no single gene in connection to Dyslexia, ADHD, and Autism. Dyslexia, ADHD, and Autism seem to be polygenic for the most part. This is highly apparent in the case of Temple Gradin who is a scientist that has autism. Her genome testing reveals mutations involving genes in connection to both autism and schizophrenia. I am seeing it in my case after finding out numerous mutations involving genes associated with Dyslexia, Autism, ADHD, and schizophrenia, and all of them are linked to problems with coordination/motor skills.
HSP was the first thing I identified with, many years ago, and then later discovered I'm autistic. Mainly because ASD is usually described from the outside only (and how it presents in males). You have to read through quite a few pages of my diagnosis before you get to sensory perception, even though that's the main thing I struggle with.
Same. ❤️
Ah yes, I've struggled between the two for at least a couple of years in terms of how I identify. It's always been obvious to me that I'm very sensitive in a way that is different from the average person (depth of processing). I've read Elaine's research and her books, as well as books on autism in females, and I've worked with students on the spectrum. For me the differences are highly nuanced, especially when we consider how autism is a spectrum, and so not each autistic "trait" is expressed in every individual. It gets even more complicated when we take a look at how autism is expressed in women. A special interest can (and commonly is) the study of humans and their behaviors, which is why a large proportion of autistic women go off the radar. Then we have the impacts of trauma and how they affect the nervous system, which may exacerbate/alter characteristics. Needless to say, for myself, I haven't come to a conclusion. While I am aware of the differences that are visible between the documented asd and hsp traits, it's difficult when we acknowledge just how different two autistic people can be. An autistic can present the same exact way as an hsp individual, which is why many are claiming that the two either overlap or are synonymous. I ask myself, am I solely an hsp, or have I adapted so well to my environment by studying humans (for as long as I can remember) as an autistic person? OR is there overlap? Very good questions, but without answers. :)
Thank you, you just described 100% my own thought processes I've been having for 10 years.
This is exactly how I feel.
Yeah. Add to that being 'different' as a kid for any other reason and masking because of that. I read that out of NT people of different genders, NT nonbinary people mask the most, and there is effectively no difference between how much bonbinary NT and nonbinary autistic people mask. Basically nonbinary people struggle to fit in so much that it makes no difference whether they're autistic or not.
So how much of my feeling different and making effort to fit in comes from being gender-nonconforming as a kid, and not from being ND, or alternatively, does being ND cause my gender-nonconformity because it's a form of being 'eccentric' and seeking uniqueness instead of sameness? Does my despising both feminine and masculine things come from a sort of disconnect from normativity, or just my individual personality?
In a way I take issue with trying to diagnose weirdness away. I have never felt impaired by my own qualities, but many times by other people's discrimination and other types of social violence. If I am autistic, then this doesn't tell me anything about myself. I'm not disabled in that way - only disadvantaged in society because of other people's lack of empathy. I would feel disgust towards the idea of trying to assimilate me for my own good. I'd rather change the society with my influence from existing. So this is why I haven't taken it up with doctors that I score in aspie quizzes.
Basically where I am landing rn. Could be one could be the other no real telling all I know is I function ok and I survive(though humans are EXHAUSTING). I'm really not sure where to draw the line between hsp or autistic because they read so similarly. I have empathy so does that make me hso and not autistic? I care about living things, humans included so does that make me hsp? But in the flip side I struggle to understand humans. I have specific interests that I learn everything about and never stop studying intensely. I learn people's patterns and predict their next move in order to determine the best way to react. I guess I just end up wondering where it leaves me of these two don't overlap? The bigger question is should I even care where it leaves be because it doesn't seem that it would really change a whole lot other than possibly putting a label on me. Anyone else confused lol
@@jasandraholmes3459 I think you may have autism. Autists can be empaths too and care a lot, but HSP don't struggle to understand humans and doesn't really need to intensely study them, they just kind of sense it. At least that's what I understood, but is still very confusing
I happen to be all 3 and have cPTSD so it's been so hard to get recognition that having one or more of these don't cancel out the reality of having the others. We learn more and more about the ways people are experiencing "humanhood" with each time questions are asked and everyone is listened to. I think advancements in how personality and neurology and behavioral aspects of humans are investigated is fascinating and so vital. I remember when drs discovered all the things that could come out of tracking the genome and how much medical stuff has been discovered since then. I'm hoping we are on the edge of an explosion in the awareness of how complex the whole behaviour, personality, neurology, experience balances are that make up how a person experiences life.
I'd be really interested to see how you separate these 3? Because I also identify with all 3 (+ ADHD) and I also find it challenging that for example my therapist doubts the autism (don't have formal diagnosis yet) because of my cPTSD, but she does recognise me as an HSP. To me personally, autism and HSP feel like they have so much in common that the remaining 20% potential difference doesnt validate the establishment of two separate neurotypes (cause at the end of the day, HSP is supposed to be another neurotype).
Back to my question, I'd be interested to hear how you conceptualise the separation or the differences of these 3, if you feel like sharing.
the more i learn about my own traits, the more angered i get by childhood trauma and averse experiences (and i use trauma in the psych sense)
just like how vulnerable i’ve been from the get and how exacerbated my struggles in this world are
i am hyper aware of people’s comfort levels when they are over it’s exhausting but i don’t want them to think i’m rude. i don’t watch any news or violence. i’m definitely hsp and bought a book on it years ago and was comforted i wasnt the only one!
A lot of the same symptoms can also be related to complex PTSD.
There’s a lot of overlap between ptsd and autistic people so that makes sense
How would you make a distinction between the two?
Have you always felt this way or is it a recent change in your demeanor? To me PTSD feels like extreme anxiety and fear of something terrible happening at any moment. If it's the latter I definitely seek professional advice.
That's true. For example people with cptsd can become very repetitive.
Makes it hard when you think you might have autism but got a work based cptsd diagnosis. I am pretty bad at social cues and relate to Sai from Naruto waaay too much. 😂
I was recently diagnosed as an adult, at 32, and for some reason “I will literally flail about…. I want to help you, I just don’t know how.” was one of the most validating statements I’ve heard about it.
People also say I’m “too articulate to be autistic” too, so your videos are throwing their theories right down the chute and I appreciate you.
This is indeed one of the things that keeps for ever confusing me. I keep regularly wondering if I am just an anxious HSP or autistic or both...
They're not the same thing. I am a HSP, but I am not autistic.
I am also a neurodivergent with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD
To meet the diagnostic criteria for Autistic Spectrum Disorder according to the DSM-5, a person must have persistent deficits in each of the criterial areas:
Social communication and interaction (in each of the three areas)
Restricted, repetitive behaviors (at least two of four types)
I don't have issues in any of those areas, and so I am definitely not autistic.
@@fomalhauto I am totally aware of the differences...but some anxiety and HSP issues can mask as autistic traits and vice versa... I am likely all three, but I will likely never know, as my anxiety prevents me from even trying to get an autism assessment (I do score as autistic in all the online tests available though).
@@valdkynddo you mind if I ask how does anxiety effect you from getting assessed exactly?
@@Mindsetolympics I don't dare to call for an appointment, I don't dare to go there and I can't advocate for myself if somebody doubts that I even need to be assessed. I have not been to any sort of doctor for a decade or more. It's anxiety to interact with people who have power over me...
Super informative, well researched and well spoken! Well done. I am an HSP and this video is super clear on the nuances. Thank you for knowing yourself so deeply and sharing - your personal experience is so valuable. 💓
I recently took an online Asperger's test, as my dad apparently had it. I was like 2-3 point off of the max score. I didn't "feel" like I had it though. Recently my therapist said she believes I have sensory processing issues and asked me to set up some tests. I also have avoidant personality disorder and soul crushing, life ruining anxiety/panic/depression. Maybe it is just a mix of these things? Hopefully I will find out, I wanna start living someday...
Side note, she sent me an email saying "sensory processing" in it, than this video shows up in my recommended. Thanks for monitoring me google, never alone when I have you.
Half way through this video, but seems really nice, thanks!
90% of the common Aspergers/ASD "tests" will show EVERYONE is on the spectrum. It may seem a nice start, but do not waste your time on them. There are versions of actual diagnostics used by clinicians doing an assessment. However, taking one by yourself, it too is not accurate. One avenue is to have several people who have known you over large portions of your life, they complete the same test with you in mind. If you have enough people (and preferably parents, if alive) covering as much as your life (history) as possible, this will give you a stronger and more objective assessment.
@@davef2975 really? Why do they do that? Is it just a faulty test, or intentional. I took it because my therapist recommended it (the one I took specifically), my father had it, and because of some comments my inner circle have made over the course of my life. Again, I don't think I do have it, I think it is a combination of my other, verified disorders. I am not like my father when it comes to people, I think... But maybe don't fully understand masking, because I am usually acting when talking with others, and definitely expressing more emotion to make them feel more comfortable (not that I am not experiencing emotions)
Anyway, thanks or letting me know, appreciate you taking the time to let me know
@@tommyrotts It is extremely difficult for an individual to be fully objective. People have a natural memory filter that distorts the past. That is why it is very important to have many people who have known you answer the test/survey. Autism is lifelong. Far too many base their (perception) on their most recent memories and behaviors. There are traits that may not be present (noticeable) currently, but, given the right environment, presented strongly in the past.
Personally, I attribute a lot of the major jump in ASD "Self Diagnosis" to people looking only at today, not a lifetime. Using only their own biased perceptions, many jump to conclusions. Many of the of the advertised ASD self tests play on emotion and ignorance. The vast majority of "Diagnostic You Tube Channels" (like The Aspie World) count on people buying into those looking for a quick label.
Nailing down an honest diagnosis takes time and a lot of work. A Clinician may conclude you meet enough of the clinical requirements for a diagnosis, but an honest one will identify the details. NO ONE meets 100% of all of the diagnostic potentials. That is why it is important for a professional assessment. Places like The Aspie World declare you have ASD simply by "Five things you must know that says you are AUTISTIC!"
If your therapist is trained to identify and diagnose ASD, then work with them. If they are only voicing an opinion, take it as that, and decide if you want to pursue an honest diagnosis. Keep in mind, Schizophrenia, ADHD, Bipolar Disorder and ASD, all have strong overlap. If you meet a certain amount of diagnostic criteria for one, you may also meet the same percentage of criteria for some of the others. That is why many times, an ASD diagnosis come with a comorbid diagnosis of one of the others. So which is the correct diagnosis? That is why it takes time to sort out, and even then, it may be wrong.
Good luck
I heard somewhere that the tendency to make a huge deal out of small things, but not others was a sign of anxiety. Like that you would get so worked up about what’s going on around you that by the time a huge issue comes up, you can’t even feel much at that point.
Thank you so much for those references Stephanie! Some of them I know, some are new to me, so great - more reading material for me! I'm also one of those who have been thinking they are a HSP for years but the whole concept always seemed so unclear to me. Then I learned about female autism (especially in undiagnosed adults) and boom! so much made sense suddenly. But since the waiting time for an assessment in my area is currently 5 (yes, five) years I really want to learn as much as I can about everything related to my conditions because I don't want to be in limbo for five years...
Thought I was HSP, until I realized I’m just a traumatized autistic person who learned how to mask as a coping mechanism and survival skill.
I firmly believe because the autism description in the DSM V is so vague and doesn’t offer proper differential context, the HSP/SPS came about as a diagnosis for type 1 autism, or what I believe is considered “low needs”.
Yet I’m in my 30s, gone undiagnosed my whole life, and I need more supports now than I ever have. 🤷🏻♀️
I also have ADHD. I pick up on other people’s signals bc I grew up in a tense household and my ND wasn’t recognized. It wasn’t considered possible for women/girls to be autistic when I was growing up, nor ADHD, and definitely not both. I encourage anyone who identifies as and HSP to follow autistic adults (especially women) who were diagnosed late in life.
I think it's the same thing or just extremely similar. I was diegnosed with autism at 3 I have struggles with it. But I'm also seem to be highly intune with other people most the time unless I've shut down. I can pick up people's emotions just by being around them. I can't really pick up facial expressions or body language as well so I literally rely on what energy the person is putting off. I also tend to notice small things. Like I can pick up when someone is in destress sooner then most people. Most people seem to just ignore it. Tho I don't always know how to help since I don't know where that person's boundaries are so Im afraid of accendetntly asking an invasive question or something.
They're not the same thing. I am an HSP, but I am not autistic.
I am also a neurodivergent with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD
To meet the diagnostic criteria for Autistic Spectrum Disorder according to the DSM-5, a person must have persistent deficits in each of the criterial areas:
Social communication and interaction (in each of the three areas)
Restricted, repetitive behaviors (at least two of four types)
I don't have issues in any of those areas, and so I am definitely not autistic.
Perhaps you’re both an HSP and autistic. They can overlap and people can have both. But not everyone who is an HSP is autistic, and not everyone who has autism is an HSP
I thought I was the only person who went solely off of ‘vibes’ or someone’s ‘energy’ to dictate how they feel. I relate to everything you say here, and it’s good to know since I’m looking to potentially get evaluated for autism.
Excellent research and documentation! Well done!
Thank you so much for doing this video, it has been eye opening.
Thanks for making this video, Stephanie!
i identified with autism first and then HSP. *because* autism in women isn't talked about how to handle it, out traits, so i feel like videos about HSP are very helpful for me. Literally changed my life, i started to put myself first bc i realized my terrible symptoms of headaches, stomach aches, depression, attention seeking, was because i was internalizing so much negativity from others and doing things that made me feel bad just for others. HSP content has helped me learn how to take care of myself (especially bc my autism made me completely overlook everything, like drinking water lol), and that how i felt wasnt normal, im so grateful. I didnt realize i needed 10 hours of sleep every night, so much alone time, to not watch scary movies (
Your comment is fine and I totally identify. 🤗
I read it all because it was quality points made🎉
So long since your videos have showed up in my feed, finally!!! :)
I really liked this video, I understood everything you said and found it really relatable! Love you girl :)
Thank you for this video! I have individuals with ADHD and autism in my family and I have several traits or symptoms of both but not enough of either to meet their criteria. This has led me to be very confused and feel isolated at times because I just didn't have a group of people to identify with that felt the way I felt. Luckily, when I met my supervisor he commented that he was an HSP and he thought I was as well. But this video provided more clarity on that so thank you
THIS VIDEO CAME AT THE PERFECT TIME. A couple years ago a therapist told me that I’m an HSP and I have identified with that temperament for a while now…but lately I’ve been seeing videos and information like this and I think I may have high functioning undiagnosed autism.
When talking to a friend diagnosed with autism, I have similar behaviors, and I tested as being on the spectrum when I took the Raads-r
So glad to hear a cogent comparison of the HSP concept and SPD! 💜💜💜
Thank u for this video, it helped me clear things up
Great commentary. I identify as a 'huspie' (my slang for HSP) and have also noticed the overlapping aspects with autism. Thank you for helping me better understand the differences between the two and kudos for pointing out that a person can be autistic AND be an HSP.
huspie and aspie XD
@Stephanie Bethany thank you, so much, for compiling an informative and incredibly interesting discussion. I've been seeing a therapist who outlined my traits as being HSP, as opposed to my needing to undergo a formal assessment for ASD.
It appears that the difference in diagnosis depends on whether the traits one displays affects ones experience of living a healthy and fulfilling life. It's an interesting development, and one which could change ones perspective of themselves and the world around them. If anyone is open to discussing this further, I'm here to talk :)
Thank you for this. I have known I am an HSP (and then some) for some time, yet it has also crossed my awareness regarding the potentiality regarding being somewhere on the scale of autism to boot.
Thanks for making this video!
I'm an HSP and have questioned whether or not I was autistic but I am not. I can't help but put myself in everyone else's shoes alllll the time. It's just too much. I can empathise with everyone, even horrible people. It's just always come naturally to me, I can't turn it off even though sometimes I would love to. Other peoples moods and emotions have a big impact on my own.
I find I can relate with autistic people when it comes to sensory things like bright lights, rough clothing, loud noises and other things like having a deep inner world. I appreciate the video as not many people are aware of HSPs :)
I consider autism my core state of being, and HSP, introversion, etc., are manifestations of that state. I identify as an HSP, but that is just one window into my soul. The unpleasant side-effects of autism like anxiety, are a consequence of being a minority in a noisy world. I'm just a Mac in a PC world - different, but way cooler.
Thanks for having a look at this topic! I think every person should identify as they see fit, especially if they've done a lot of introspection combined with sufficient reserach. That said, I find it very hard to differentiate between (certain presentations of) autism and HSP. While I know that there are a lot of autists who aren't consistently empathetic, there are many of us who are in fact hyperempathetic. Those autists (or autists who've maksed their way well into adulthood) meet all the criteria for HSP as far as I can see, but perhaps I'm oversimplifying things.
I think a lot of autistic people have HSP temperaments!
@@StephanieBethany No Stephanie, they just both have Sensual Overexcitability, which for the autistic goes much further (LLI).
@@StephanieBethany
a lot of neurodivergents have HSP temperaments
I am an HSP, but I am a neurodivergent with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD which are neurodivergent conditions that have high overlap and co-morbidity with Autism
Many neurodivergents have sensory processing issues without being autistic.
Your video is incredibly educational and informative as no other videos I’ve watched. Thank you so much for taking the time to research all this information and clearly explaining what it all means. You’ve really given me information I needed and have been seeking in understanding abilities I have, why my brain is wired differently, why it functions higher levels, etc…
I’ve had C-PTSD from early childhood and have dealt with it my whole life. When I finally went to a PTSD therapist for years and finally regained control over the PTSD.
I then understood many of my abilities were connected to being an Empath or HSP.
By random happenstance I recently stumbled into an autism video, I knew I did not have autism but have always educated my self on it. After the video I shared many characteristics but no that’s ridiculous. But I took a test online for neurodivergence, autism was one of the tests and I scored high on the spectrum.
Now I’m really confused - am I an Empath because of the C-PTSD OR am I autistic with C-PTSD, and which one is responsible for my ability to watch my husband, at the time, actually having sex with another female when he was in West Virginia and I was in Florida? And other non-earthly abilities?
What the heck am I, where do these abilities come from and what are they connected to?????????? 😒🤔
Thank you so much for making this! This is my first time hearing about HSP. It has some overlap with ADHD (I have inattentive ADHD) and there were things within that overlap I completely attributed to ADHD- like needing more time to make decisions.
I'm terrible with decisions. I am very aware of the mood of those around me and tend to internalize it when someone is upset thinking that maybe I caused it. I notice when subtle things in my environment change, and I tend to be very detail oriented at work as a result (I am a school custodian, so if I miss a little bit of debris with the broom I noticed).
I have always been alarmed by yelling, ever since I was a little kid, and I would hide myself whenever my babysitter was scolding her child. It's very difficult for me to be around emotionally intense situations.
I cry. Over. Everything.
Once I was at my friend's daughters bday party and the kids grandpa kept flicking the lights on and off and for the first time in my 30's, I suddenly couldn't listen to anything because the lights kept flickering and I had to close my eyes and like burry my head in my fiance's shoulder.
I had a full on emotional breakdown for like 30 minutes because I went to a concert and everything was fine until the first band came on and they started jumping.
So...yeah.
Thank you. This has helped me so much.
Your comment is exactly me!
Thank you as always very interesting very clear and helpful also glad for your input cuz the book... always seems little off
Hi Stephannie! 👋🙂 This was new for me; I didn't know HPS or SPS existed before this presentation. 😯
(I had heard of SPSS, which looks similar, but it's a statistics software and not a medical condition. 😂)
A bunch of doctors got together & voted on the researched characteristics of each title of Alpha, Delta & Sigma. That your talking about.
There have been No experiments on any personally trait titles, only observation from doctors.
It's exactly the same with narcissist personality disorders & ofcause with empaths.
Excellent video.
Enjoyed your take on your own research. Thankyou.
Hi there! Just wanted to share my story and recent findings because they match the purpose of this video.
Almost exactly a year ago i had a lightbulb moment watching a youtuber explain about asperger. I vibed so much with it i went on an obsessed exploration spree. I was about 80-90% convinced i am on the autism spectrum. It answered so much about my life and how i perceived it.
About 2 months ago i bought a professional job assessment course to help me choose in my career. Part of the course was an hour long session with a psychologist. To be as complete as possible to the psychologist i mentioned my asd suspicions. He was kind of quick to redirect me towards high sensitivity. One of the key factors he mentioned was my "capability" of being shy rather than insecure. It wasn't the only factor he was basing his views on, but this is the one that stood out in that moment. The session quickly drained most of my energy so i wish i could remember every detail. Long story short..... i'm both a bit confused and intrigued same time.
You mentioned that it can coexist which makes it even trickier. But at least there is a good explanation as to why i grapple with these things so much. The test and session showed i'm both analytic as well as a critic. So it might take a while before i figure it all out in a way that satisfies my need to understand it. :)
Thank you for your video
This is helpful! I definitely relate to a lot of things here, especially needing downtime and not being able to handle as much as others-- which annoys me to no end because I want to always be just as productive as my dad (who is a workaholic workhorse, so not an easy standard even for a normal person). With his energy I could write 5 books a year, instead of 1 in 4 years! XD
Yes these things kinda dovetail together sometimes. My brother was diagnosed with Aspergers in '98. Then years later after high school we both were in an SPD study where they measure your reactivity to various stimuli. (This was shortly after I dropped out of college) There is where they talked to us about our SPD issues and I learned about my sensory stressors. Then later on I was tested for ASD and I am NOT on the spectrum. I have misophonia, but NOT the social/communicative issues my brother deals with- but socially I definitely relate to being an "HSP" as well. What a mess lol
Just found your channel ☺️ love your video!
Your audio sounds good :)
I'm on Spectrum and definitely a hsp.
Thank you for this clarification. I am an HSP and have friends on the autism spectrum. I often feel like a translator between neurotypicals and neuro-atypicals. I am affected by many of the same environmental stimuli as my autistic friends, only unlike them, my brain allows me to slow down and pinpoint the cause of the overstimulation/distress/anxiety a bit more often. Not always, though, as I also have ADHD. On a related note, I need to listen to most videos speeded up in order to not get bored, but you actually speak at the speed I think, which I appreciate. Thanks for the nod to intersectionality as well. Gender, temperament, and multiple diagnoses do affect how ASD presents, as well as how HSP reveals itself.
I definitely relate to this & feeling like a translator! I'm ADHD and also a HSP, but not autistic and have gotten some backlash/invalidation on tiktok as a ADHD/HSP creator from the autistic ADHD'ers. I love that I can relate to my auDHD friends in some ways, but there's certain aspects (social/emotional/repetitive/fixed) that I do not at all-- in fact I feel the opposite! Some people project that I'm trying to distance myself from the autistic community, but that's not the case at all, I just dont have the same experience. ND is complex, it's layered, it has overlap and I think we need to be open minded about the potential for similarities without pigeon holeing.
It feels good to know I'm not alone in my feelings, thank you for sharing! & thank you Stephanie for describing the nuances so well!
@@presley.on.purpose I’m curious what are the social and emotional issues you don’t resonate with?
I’ve taken a number of autism assessment and I usually score just below “possibly borderline”. So I seem to share some traits and can resonate, specifically around social things, but I’ve also had 2 mild tBI’s and a lot of trauma, so I’ve tried to figure out where I fit. I resonate with the concept of HSP. Your comment resonated because like you I seem to have had a lot of autistic and ADHD friends but I don’t entirely resonate with them sometimes.
@@samanthabronson59 firstly, my therapist has told me that BPD is something to look at after everything else and definitely should not be the first thing to consider, so be weary with online testing because it's not always taking everything else into account (like you mentioned with your complexity).
in terms of the aspects of autism that I really dont relate to: not understanding social cues, or intention behind what someone says, no problem with eye contact, and never have as a child, no problem with initiating conversations/holding conversations, no problem with rigidness or repetitive behaviours, not really fixated on certain interests (I have SO many different interests bc of ADHD though), and understanding & intuitively responding to my/other's emotions.
I havent had that many autistic friends growing up, but recently I have made some AuDHD friends and I notice I can relate on some sensory aspects, and some emotional ones (like HSP traits), and executive dysfunction/emotional regulation w ADHD, but the social & emotional portion of communicating can sometimes get lost in translation between us because they don't understand what I mean and get confused (this might be sarcasm, inferring, alluding, joking) but I can always understand why they were confused.. and intuitively can know how I can explain it to them or comfort them with their expression of emotions. I also find that expressing my own emotions & how they affect me to my autistic friends... they can't really understand me/what I mean and bring things back to logical reasoning/rigid thinking or don't fully grasp the complexity of why I feel the way I feel (not sure if this makes sense haha but it makes sense in my head).
I also find it easy to make friends and deeply connect and understand others and do naturally know what to say/do to comfort them (understanding emotions of others). I find social interaction very rewarding and meaningful to me! I generally enjoy being around people (in the right environment) and don't typically like/need time alone unless I am overstimulated (HSP & ADHD symptoms). Another thing is that I am very aware of what overwhelms me and can identify and know what to do to feel better (environment, changing my thought patterns, expressing my feelings). I also dont feel like it's challenging for me to interpret how other people feel or respond in a way that's "appropriate" most of the time (again, overstimulation can also cause me to have act "inappropriately" but the reason is different than with autistic folks).
WHEW that was long. This is my personal experience & reflection on the differences in ND between autism & HSP + ADHD and I believe that everyone's different and we don't all fit into one box just because we share overlap in symptoms :)
I do more content on this on my IG + tiktok @presley.on.purpose :) you're welcome to connect with others that can relate there!
So you're sensitive because of the ADHD, not HSP. This is the problem with HSP, it's not properly researched to the point it can be separated from neurodivergence in general, and I'm extremely sure that HSP just describes various types of neurodivergence.
@@Kamishi845Why are people so quick to pathologize EVERYTHING?? There is little overlap between ADHD and HSP lol why on earth would you make the assumption that the sensitivity is due to ADHD? Also, there is definitely a few differences between HSP and autism. She literally listed a few different examples, notibly that HSPs get moved and emotional at more "conventional" situations. We can relate to neurotypicals' emotions and react in similar situations to them - it's just way more intense for us. We may also get overstimulated easily, but can actually emotionally "override" that in some instances. For example, I will go to loud metal concerts and almost "get high" on all the stimulation. I used to do this multiple times a month. I doubt an autistic person would survive so much stimulation. I also got myself used to watching horror movies and playing horror games because I wanted to de-sensitize myself. For us HSPs, if there is enough emotion behind the motive, we can find a way. I thrive off of emotions. I struggle with jobs that are mindless and meaningless. I need to recharge a lot but can't actually stand isolation from others for a long time. The motive behind connecting with others also isn't for validation or to mask, it's the genuine love and passion for seeing a better world. We are just highly emotional creatures. Another thing is I'm great for actually deciphering chaos so long as Im not rushed and get to step back a little. So my spaces are almost always pretty chaotic, which is probably a nightmare to autistic people who are often neat freaks.
I read Elaine Aron’s books-I now believe that Aron was 85% mistaken, that she had inadvertently based her understanding upon undiagnosed Autistics. Her books have been taken so seriously that people treat Highly Sensitive Person as if it were a diagnosis.
(That is what I believe after spending decades studying both HSP and adult autism. Not everyone agrees, it’s usually not fun to share my opinions because those who believe in Aron’s work are passionate. I understand that because I once believed in her work as well.)
When you study, theory will never be enough if you don't do real life research as well. A ton of things seem to make sense on paper / screen but crumble once one searches to prove them irl.
I've not yet read Aron (nor am I intending to in the near future) but I do and did know actual HSPs. To deny their unique nature is like denying autism exists (yeah I came across such folks as well). Btw two of those HSP briefly wondered if they were autistic but ultimately learned they were not, so the confusion can at times be warranted.
@@timefortee … I also have a lot of lived experience with people close to me and myself. Those are the reasons I dedicated so much time studying both.
@@catherinelevison3310 Then something essential is missing in your observations, perhaps no actual HSPs in close proximity, or only unhealthy ones.
@@timefortee … it’s okay if we have differing opinions. I stated my opinion. If you don’t agree that’s okay, I’m not trying to change your mind. I have a lot of respect for this particular UA-cam channel so I answered her questions as true to my own experience, study, observations, and as a person who read (and underlined) all of Aron’s books. I also purchased a huge stack of books, by other authors, that were written because she wrote her first book on the topic.
I used to believe in HSP and it is very popular. I no longer believe in it. My opinion is not popular and as I said in my original comment; it’s not fun to share my opinion on this.
What happened was I studied autism as thoroughly as possible in the 1990’s but learned decades later that what I had learned was mistaken information. I have had to spend another 2 years studying autism from updated sources while disregarding all I had learned previously.
Adult female autism was overlooked for many years. The diagnosis wasn’t possible for many females unless perhaps they also had another condition such as intellectual disability, or maybe brain damage, or fetal alcohol syndrome. Many of the world renown autism experts never had any female autistic patients and even asked why don’t females get autism?
Now that the experts have begun to understand that trying to diagnose an adult female using materials created for male toddlers is problematic new tools and knowledge are being used.
It’s in that light, things written in the last 3 years, that I now think Elaine Aron’s work was based on female autistics and she inadvertently invented this thing called Highly Sensitive Person.
I can’t think of another example of ONE doctor writing a book that became an established and commonly held belief. Ordinarily, a lot more is required before one person can create a new condition or let’s say temperament.
@@catherinelevison3310 I can respect that.
(I don't know what exactly Aron wrote but I do know actual HSPs, they are not autistic, in some respects even the opposite.)
I'll just add that our current tools for reliably, objectively _identifying_ different neurotypes leave too much room for wishy-washy and inexact descriptions of each of them. Some are, nowadays, easier to identify than others, I'm glad autism is getting more and more talked and written about.
The problem with HSP is: other types can easily misindentify as such if they do not do enough deep research and detached real life observation.
Gifted people (ND), some autistics (ND) but also personality types such as the INFP, ENFP and INFJ (NT or ND) can ALL see themselves reflected in those descriptions to some degree (without actually being HSP).
But that doesn't mean that the actual HSP are common, or, on the contrary, a mere myth or legend, etc. Perhaps more and more clarity on the subject will emerge in the future, and NOT the kind that is prevalent now (sweet fragile rainbow marshmallow special unicorn snowflakery).
THANK YOU for this AND the way you site the studies... not boring, like other subjects would be... I have memory issues for facts and wish you could come as little sister and just put the things you know into my head! Anyway, this is SO stinking perfect. But, based on my family - all spectrum and all different - I haven't quite understood how someone not the spectrum does not have at least most of these characteristics! MAYBE ADHD - being so close even its the person isn't both??? EVERYTHING you are saying! No kidding EVERYTHING you are saying. HSP who is not autistic. Fascinating??? Hard to imagine, but not impossible to imagine... If I could imagine what is going on in them... Little daughter, had I money [or the ability to do with it what I understand is best] I'd be happy to finance your PHD. But, oh, well! God bless you, your husband [must be a hero to us!] your whole family!
Great video!
Thank you for the video, I’m diagnosed with Asperger’s, for me light and sounds is complete hell.
I have been struggling with my reactions, traits, and thoughts lately. Even debating whether I have ADHD or Autism or something but this HSP is interesting and might be yet another thing to consider…
I learned about HSP last year and identified with it immediately. Lately I've been questioning if I'm autistic because of a lot of this overlap, but I'm at least some kind of neurodivergent. I fit every single DOES thing you listed, so maybe that's all it is for me 🤷
As an HSP, I do believe that it's a separate thing due to the fact that my mother is also an HSP and that got passed down to me. This was a pretty informative video to understand the slight differences though not everyone has the same experience and I applaud you taking the time to research all of this
I've had people at times in the past suggest I might be HSP, but that never really resonated with me. Like you, I don't always even know how to take care of my own needs in certain circumstances, much less anyone else. Over the years, I have learned what works for me through a lot of trial and error, but it's not like I knew intuitively early on. I always identified as Introverted which got me along way since much of the self care has some crossover with autism, but there were things that Introversion alone never explained. Thanks for the video!
This is very interesting! Due to trauma in childhood I have C-PTSD learned the fawn response and was on hyper-alert all the time when it came to people's moods, needs, actions in order to be safe. Attending to other people's needs was second nature because I had to do it to survive the abuse going on. My wife is autistic and when I spoke about the HSP stuff she very strongly believed the 'highly sensitive' description was another version of 'indigo child' & way of denying people with ASD the appropriate help & a way for parents to justify not doing anything to help their autistic child.
I have recognized myself in HSP/SPS descriptors much easier than I do with autism but because of so much cross-over of experiences, I tend to test high on autism tests. This is distressful to me because I want to be able to suss out what is going on exactly and this causes a lot of grey areas for understanding what kinds of therapies would work better with me. I also have more than a couple learning disabilities so this all really muddies the waters as far as diagnosis goes. I found this video helpful though. It's good to hear the opinion of someone who identifies more with autism about how they see these similarities and differences. It gives me more perspective. Thanks for putting this out there.
Do you have problems perceiving/understanding emotional/social cues?
That's the hallmark of autism.
Sensory processing issues aren't.
Many neurodivergents have sensory processing issues without being autistic.
You can be highly sensitive without having any neurodivergent condition.
I've known a lot of highly sensitive people that don't have neurodivergent conditions.
Many of them are into metaphysical fields and the healing arts.
I really don't see similarities between High Sensitivity and Autism beyond highly sensitive nervous system.
I have Elaine Aron's books. I started getting them back in 1999. I even started The Highly Sensitive People MSN group in 1999.
I started Developmental Neurodiversity Association facebook group in 2010.
I am a highly sensitive person with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD which are neurodivergent conditions that have high overlap and co-morbidity with autism.
I don't have autism though. I never had problems perceiving/understanding emotional/social cues. I've been perceptive and understanding of them since infanthood. My mother told me that when I was baby that I'd do something wrong and she would give me a certain look that would make me stop dead in my tracks. She also told me that when I was 2 years old I created my own sign language when I'd get frustrated from people not understanding me when I talk. I am emotionally expressive with tone of voice, gestures, and facial expressions. I am easily affected by that of others' tones of voice, gestures, and facial expressions. I even tend to be too reactive to them at times, and so I can be hypersensitive to emotional/social cues. I was emotionally clingy in early childhood. I'd run and hug my mom as she is walking down the hallway into the living room.
I tended to be too emotional and too sensitive for my own good, and I'd overreact to my environment. My feelings got easily hurt. I cried easily. I've been called 'Cry-baby' numerous times. I had no problem with playing with others. I loved pretend play with others as a kid. It was like being an actor, and I'd get carried away in my pretend play with others. I was quick to befriend others. It was like I wanted everybody to be my friend. I was hurt if I was rejected by others. There was concerns that I was playing with girls too much. Some of the girls that I played with were girls that I had crushes on. I got picked on for not being like other boys. I never fit with male stereotypes. As a teenager, I was often mistook for being gay.I was even called the F-word. A lot of it has to do with my being having a soft, high pitch voice. I've been told numerous times that I sound like Michael Jackson. I've been told that I act like a girl or too feminine.
My receptive-expressive language issues and coordination issues were the main problem. I also had inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, but those problems were masked by my receptive-expressive language issues and coordination issues that got me mistook for being intellectually handicapped in early childhood.
I had auditory therapy, speech therapy, phonics training, and motor skills therapy to correct my Dyslexic and Dyspraxic weaknesses.
Diagnostic Criteria for 299.00 Autism Spectrum Disorder
To meet diagnostic criteria for ASD according to DSM-5, a child must have persistent deficits in each of three areas of social communication and interaction (see A.1. through A.3. below) plus at least two of four types of restricted, repetitive behaviors (see B.1. through B.4. below).
A. Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, as manifested by the following, currently or by history (examples are illustrative, not exhaustive; see text):
1. Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity, ranging, for example, from abnormal social approach and failure of normal back-and-forth conversation; to reduced sharing of interests, emotions, or affect; to failure to initiate or respond to social interactions.
2. Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction, ranging, for example, from poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication; to abnormalities in eye contact and body language or deficits in understanding and use of gestures; to a total lack of facial expressions and nonverbal communication.
3. Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understand relationships, ranging, for example, from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit various social contexts; to difficulties in sharing imaginative play or in making friends; to absence of interest in peers.
Specify current severity:
Severity is based on social communication impairments and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior.
B. Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, as manifested by at least two of the following, currently or by history (examples are illustrative, not exhaustive; see text):
1. Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or speech (e.g., simple motor stereotypes, lining up toys or flipping objects, echolalia, idiosyncratic phrases).
2. Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behavior (e.g., extreme distress at small changes, difficulties with transitions, rigid thinking patterns, greeting rituals, need to take same route or eat same food every day).
3. Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus (e.g., strong attachment to or preoccupation with unusual objects, excessively circumscribed or perseverative interests).
4. Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the environment (e.g. apparent indifference to pain/temperature, adverse response to specific sounds or textures, excessive smelling or touching of objects, visual fascination with lights or movement).
Specify current severity:
Severity is based on social communication impairments and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior.
C. Symptoms must be present in the early developmental period (but may not become fully manifest until social demands exceed limited capacities, or may be masked by learned strategies in later life).
D. Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning.
E. These disturbances are not better explained by intellectual disability (intellectual developmental disorder) or global developmental delay. Intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder frequently co-occur; to make comorbid diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability, social communication should be below that expected for general developmental level.
Note: Individuals with a well-established DSM-IV diagnosis of autistic disorder, Asperger’s disorder, or pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified should be given the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Individuals who have marked deficits in social communication, but whose symptoms do not otherwise meet criteria for autism spectrum disorder, should be evaluated for social (pragmatic) communication disorder.
Specify if:
With or without accompanying intellectual impairmentWith or without accompanying language impairment
Associated with a known medical or genetic condition or environmental factor
(Coding note: Use additional code to identify the associated medical or genetic condition.)
Associated with another neurodevelopmental, mental, or behavioral disorder
(Coding note: Use additional code[s] to identify the associated neurodevelopmental, mental, or behavioral disorder[s].
With catatonia (refer to the criteria for catatonia associated with another mental disorder)
(Coding note: Use additional code 293.89 catatonia associated with autism spectrum disorder to indicate the presence of the comorbid catatonia.)
@@fomalhauto Thank you for all that info and for breaking it down a bit so it's easy to understand. Also, thank you for sharing your personal experience of SPS with me as well. It was helpful. This is a topic I often come back to over and over to reassess where I feel I am with it. Once again, I've concluded that I don't believe I have autism. My experiences clearly still line up with having SPS. Social cues were always easy for me to recognize, I just didn't know how I should respond to them sometimes because I know I'm kind of an oddball and what is natural for me is often not what people are looking for. A lot of my confusion comes from having numerous diagnoses and an unusual childhood with lots of neglect and abuse sprinkled in. There is so much at play that I can't always suss out what it all adds up to.
@@bunnysky5560
Some people have the view that High Sensitivity is also neurodivergence.
Somebody corrected me on that in Neurodiversity Support Group facebook group.
I don't mean to exclude highly sensitive people from neurodivergence. I don't want to be a gatekeeper on Neurodivergent conditions.
What I meant by neurodivergent conditions is what Developmental Adult Neuro-Diversity Association (DANDA) focused on
The main ones that they focused on are Dyspraxia/DCD, Autistic Spectrum, Dyslexia, AD(H)D, Dyscalculia, and Tourette Syndrome.
DANDA's Neurodiversity diagram shows the following overlapping characteristics
Dyspraxia/DCD and Autistic Spectrum - over & under-sensitive to light and noise, touch, temperature, Speech & language difficulties
Dyspraxia/DCD and Dyslexia - word finding and speech problems
Dyslexia and AD(H)D - Lack of concentration, distractibility
Autistic Spectrum and AD(H)D - Oppositional Defiant Disorder
There is so much overlap and co-morbidity between neurodivergent conditions that some will say that a characteristics of a neurodivergent condition are the characteristics of another neurodivergent condition like some symptoms of Dyspraxia.
I strongly recommend people get psychological testing, neurological testing, and neuro-psychological testing to get their neurodivergent conditions figured out and diagnosed. I am really not a fan of self-diagnosing. I wouldn't just go by some internet tests which may not consider other things. I did an autistic test out curiosity, and it didn't seem to take other neurodivergent conditions and the highly sensitive personality trait into account. People with speech, auditory processing, coordination problems, and/or sensory issues may have problems interacting with others. People that don't fit gender stereotypes might be ostracized. There is also things like racial/ethnic/color prejudice to consider. There are so many things to consider. Some people might have confusion when reading the questions being asked. Some people have issues with demand language even though they might have no issues with spontaneous language.
A lot of people self-diagnose and think that they have a certain neurodivergent condition, but they turned out to be wrong.
There is a woman on youtube that told that she thought that she had Autism because she's highly sensitive and then she realized that she's highly sensitive and not autistic.
Some people claim that the concept of High Sensitivity is damaging Autistics, but they don't seem to consider that the concept of High Sensitivity as Autism can be damaging non-autistic Highly Sensitive people and lead misdiagnosis. I read non-autistic highly sensitive people report those experiences.
I suffered from misdiagnoses. I was identified as intellectually disabled in early childhood. A navy doctor labeled me as having Borderline Disorder with Avoidant Traits. Psychiatrists diagnosed me as having Bipolar Disorder with Schizoaffective Disorder in early 2000s.
I was diagnosed as having ADHD inattentive type, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Avoidant Personality Disorder, and Per History: Developmental Coordination Disorder by Psychologist in 2004.
In 2005, I was diagnosed as having Cerebellar-Vestibular Dysfunction by famous psychiatrist/neurologist Dr. Harold N. Levinson who has the view that Dyslexia and related neurodivergent conditions stem from Cerebellar-Vestibular Dysfunction.
In 2006, I had neurological testing and neuropsychological testing done at Veteran Affairs medical center which led to my Dyslexia and Dyspraxia being confirmed. They concluded that they were genetic and not acquired as I had no progression of symptoms. Of course, early intervention special education therapies led to the regression of my Dyslexic and Dyspraxic weaknesses which are mild now.
I knew that I was different after being placed in special education. I was misplaced in special education in 1st grade after being a regular kindergarten student. I was found out to above average intelligence around the end of 1st grade. I was placed in a more appropriate special education classroom in 2nd grade. I started to be mainstreamed around the end of 2nd grade. I was called the r'word by normal school children on a regular basis. My problems with speech and coordination singled me out throughout my life since early childhood. I always knew that I had abnormal neurological processing. My special education experiences were strong proof of that.
Some people (including neurodivergents) are quick to judge and diagnose me on the internet, thinking that they know more than that the neurolologists that examined me. I just experienced that from neurodivergents in Neurodiversity Support Group on facebook just yesterday. Some dismiss the concept of High Sensitivity and think everybody that are highly sensitive are autistic. In that group, there were people that reported that they are highly sensitive without being autistic in that group. They don't have the empathy and understanding about people misdiagnosed and mislabeled. They told me stuff that I already know as a 50 year old man that have been reading about neurodivergent conditions for almost 2 decades. I created Developmental Neurodiversity Association facebook group back in 2010.
My experiences with other neurodivergents make me question The Neurodiversity Movement even though I have been a strong believer in it and support it.
I am not just a neurodivergent.
I am a male that doesn't fit male stereotypes, and I have mistook for being gay because of that. Because I have apparent feminine traits, some people assume that I am gay.
I am a multiracial person that is highly multiethnic, and I had to fight against people labeling me "Black" because I have African ancestry.
All my life, I had to fight against labels.
@@fomalhauto I have autism (and I'm a girl) (and dyslexia so I didn't read your whole comment, so sorry I skipped over something important) but I don't have problems with perceiving emotions/social cues and I have an expressive face and voice so it bothers me that you are promoting those things to be the difference between autistic and non autistic
😎Thank You Stephanie, I’m not perfect but doing my Best. 🌱👍🏼
I score pretty high on an aspie quiz, and I consider myself somewhat odd, but I relate more to an hsp description mainly because I don't think I have trouble understanding nonverbal communication. In fact, I did pretty well in a summer job abroad where the people spoke a language that wasn't related to any of the ones I have studied and I could often pick up what they were talking about even though I didn't know the words. I'm not sure if this is part of learning languages quickly and sort of understanding a new language before you're conscious about it, but it sort of felt more like I was just relying on body language so much that my brain adapted to it in a few weeks and my sensitivity to it got heightened. I also get very stressed in a room full of stressed people. Sometimes it feels like I know what other people are thinking. Also I think some people I know, know what I'm thinking by my face and it can be intimidating (one of my former teachers was like this). So unless autism can also be considered to be heightened social awareness and a nervousness that comes with it, then I don't think I am autistic.
Thank you, I have been curious about this topic and appreciate your findings! Off-topic question, but what is the Outro music that you use? Very stimmy!
I went undiagnosed for 47 years. The wheels began to fall off when I stopped hospitality work to have a planned and much wanted child. I was 39 when she arrived, 2 years later my mum died, the only person who had ever been able to 'indulge' my 'peculierities'.and seen how hard I worked to fit in to human society. My dad is tough love and no help. He's always seen me as weak. First diagnosis was ADHD, I now suspect ASD and HSP.
I spent many decades compensating for symptoms that I thought were character flaws,,
Oh my goodness someone finally said it!!!!
I only had one counselor at this Religious based place I ise to go to... she used to talk about this with me all the time- way before it was ever suggested Autistic.
And her thing had to do with how much I would love to do homework on myself. I loved to dialectical therapy and mindful practices... healing through art exercises... And that was her explanation but also because I could tell when something was wrong with her even though she was masking. I also knew she was pregnant and then it tripped her out that I knew she was having a boy and I knew why. So that's a whole other thing. I guess?
She had also mentioned aspergers but said that we weren't allowed to go there. This was a long time ago before I knew that it being a religious place affected the way they diagnosed people. She doesnt work there any more. I really liked her. The clinic itself completely disregarded the dsm5 changes in 2013
Thank you very much this was highly informative. FYI the text "fade in/out" effect is making me nautious because of screen shaking
Might just be me idk
4:16 At the test of HSPS there were 27 questions. I answered yes to 22 of them!! Haha... I already knew I'm highly sensitive, I've know since I was a child. I do have some symptoms of autism, but can read people's feelings extremely well. Instead I have bipolar, ADHD and a bunch of other shit. But being highly sensitive really makes my life so much more difficult...
this is such good video
Hello, I went to see a therapist once who told me that I may be an HSP. She gave me Elaine Aaron's book "The Highly Sensitive Person" to read and after reading that book, I felt like it was describing me, my personalities and behavior. I have intense emotions, get easily overwhelmed with a high workload, do not like watching violent movies...etc. So I believe this is true for me. I think I am also an Empath. The question is how can we work with this HSP trait and overcome any challenges it may bring about. I like quiet time, journaling, gratitude journal, meditation, going for walks in the outdoors, focusing on hobbies and interests to relax and destress. Awareness helps and being proactive about doing things to calm myself downwhen feeling anxious works for me most of the time. I don't know that much about autism so I do not know how HSP would compare to autism. I do know with autism, the person has trouble relating in social situations. Sometimes I do but in my case, I think it might just be social anxiety. Social anxiety can ususally be overcome by exposure to social situations and practicing interacting with people in social situations. It can also help to examine your thoughts in social situations because your thoughts, if they are negative can keep you from interaction with people. Replacing negative thoughts with Positive affirmations or self talk can help in this case.
Do you have problems with perceiving/understanding emotional/social cues?
That's the hallmark of autism.
Some mistake sensory processing issues as autism, but they're not the same
sensory processing issues are common in neurodivergents
I am an HSP and a neurodivergent with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD
I have no autism
I don't have problems with perceiving/understanding emotional/social cues
I didn't have the social impairments that define me as autistic
neurologists that examined me noted that I wasn't autistic
they confirmed my Dyslexia and Dyspraxia
You can be an HSP and autistic
You can be an HSP and neurodivergent without autism
You can be an HSP and neurotypical
@@fomalhauto I do have autism and I have no problems with social cues whatsoever so it's not the only thing
I have long though I have autism, but still have trouble getting a diagnosis. One person, a hypnotherapist actually, told me I was a "sensitive guy", and she was the first person I remember mentioning this. I also seem to be hypersensitive to touch, especially pain, but I don't know if this is due to being autistic or some other condition.
Interesting to learn that HSP and ASD can go together.
I read Elaine Aron’s books a long time ago, way before it ever occurred to me that I might be on the ASD spectrum. I thought that I might be HSP, but since I have always had a lot of social issues, problems making friends, etc., it wasn’t a perfect fit.
I can relate mostly to the point about getting distressed over unfairness, bullying, social injustice etc and yet somehow violent entertainment doesn't tend to bother me depending on what it is (my current profile picture is from a film which was dead controversial when it came out and to a degree today due to it's violent content). It's odd because there are a fair amount of movies which tackle these themes I love but I very much doubt I would want to go back to, for instance Alan Clarke's film Scum which is about a young offenders institute. I can also see humour in over the top and fake gore, movies like Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky, Braindead (Dead Alive in the US) and even The Evil Dead come to mind (not to mention violence is often depicted in my own creative works). Also sometimes I will fixate and look up true crime cases, yeah, either I'm just weird or I might become a serial killer at some point.
I think sometimes autism can give us a dented sense for some topics. dk if you are one, but I am and I quite like violent movies as well. (but not horror films)
@@bennyton2560 Agreed, although I do like horror films, while I wouldn't call myself a genre fan (I can enjoy pretty much any genre) I do enjoy a lot of them, mainly a lot of the old school ones from the 70s to the 90s, although I should get into the classics from Universal and Hammer.
very useful
Hi Stephanie! I have really enjoyed your videos from start to finish for the last year. I have a questionI haven't been able to find the answer for on the internet. Is it possible to be autistic even if you naturally read emotions and facial expressions? Not that you have learned them over time, but that it has always come naturally to you. I know autistics can be highly empathetic, but I haven't found the words that autistics can very well read facial expressions. I meet the necessary criteria for autism but I doubt when I think of the reading facial expressions part, because I am very good at knowing what someone else is feeling since I was younger. Thanks!
Maybe I am just a "HSP" I don't know I still question if I am actually on the Autism Spectrum. As far as I know I don't stim and I don't have to stick to a schedule or routine. And I don't know that I have any special interests. I do however struggle with: processing information, communication, social anxeity, can easily get overwhelmed and shut down, am sensitive to sounds, can't tune out noise, sensitive to cold drinks and prefer simple foods without a lot of flavor or mix of flavors. I could probably keep going. But trying to figure all this out on my own in my 30's is not easy and alexithymia doesn't help. I will have to look more into this as I try to be more introspective and gain a better self understanding.
Great video, Stephanie... I think HSPs don't generally have the social issues that autistics do, or special interests, repetitive issues and so on... sorry if you already covered that...
Thanks again for the video...
I am an HSP as well as a neurodivergent with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD
I don't have autism.
many neurodivergents are highly sensitive without being autistic
sensory processing issues are very common in neurodivergent people in general
I know a lot of HSPs that aren't autistic
many are into metaphysical subjects and the healing arts
I am into metaphysical subjects myself
I am into Astrology
@@fomalhauto thanks for the reply, Raymond...
I believe I'm both...(HSP and autistic)
@@Wiz.37083
I agree that a person can be both HSP and autistic.
One of the issues that I had with Elaine Aron is that her book, The Highly Sensitive Child gave the impression that you cannot be both neurodivergent and HSP.
She was really trying to separate people with ADHD and Autism from HSPs like people with ADHD and Autism cannot be HSP.
However, I do take issue with people trying to lump all HSPs under Autism.
That's not helpful either.
High Sensitivity and Neurodivergence runs strong in my mother's side of the family, and nobody in my family is autistic.
I think that I come from a family of ADHDers on my maternal grandfather's side.
I believe that my father was on the Autistic Spectrum.
My mother immediately said "Yes" when I asked her if my father had problems with perceiving/understand emotional/social cues, and I never had that problem. My mother told me that I was understanding facial expressions as a baby.
@@fomalhauto very nice... well said...I'm low to moderate on the adhd test, but high on the autism and hsp tests.. (self diagnosed). Too late for me to get an official diagnosis...
@@Wiz.37083
It's never too late to get an official diagnosis of a neurodivergent condition.
I was diagnosed ADHD inattentive type, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Dysthymic Disorder, Avoidant Personality Disorder, and Per History: Developmental Coordination Disorder at the age of 33 in 2004.
In 2005, I was diagnosed Cerebellar Vestibular Dysfunction by Dr. Harold N. Levinson who has the view that Dyslexia and related conditions stem from Cerebellar Vestibular Dysfunction.
In 2006, my Dyslexia and Dyspraxia were confirmed by Veteran Affairs neurologists who noted that I am not autistic.
When we were a lot younger, my cousin asked me out of the blue if I have sensory issues. I think it was around the age of 8, so I didn't know exactly what that meant but it did sound like it perfectly described the things I deal with so I said yes. He told me then it means I have autism because his friend had sensory issues and autism. All I knew of autism at the was what I observed in special needs "low functioning" kids at my school so I just put it out of my head. But as I got older, learned more and am more able to put into words what I feel, I started using the term sensory issues again. There's a lot of symptoms that I relate to and there's some that I don't. I probably just have SPS and I wish I could know for sure, but I dont know where to go
Highly sensitive people don’t usually struggle as much socially as autistic people do. In fact, HSPs have excellent interpersonal skills and pick up on cues faster than the average person. HSPs also have high degrees of self awareness and are highly adaptable and flexible. People on the spectrum tend to be more rigid and inflexible in their behaviors. Also, many people on the spectrum tend to Be very impulsive, while HSPs have a strong tendency to check and pause in situations - ie, we are cautious and hyper vigilant.
Yes, thank you. Just because autistics may FEEL the same emotions, doesn't mean they PROCESS them the same! We're literally opposites in terms of interpersonal skills and self awareness. Insane to me that people here are persisting that HSP is the same as autism or is a type of autism.
@@misscrankypantss yup. And there’s now a debate that high functioning autism isn’t really autism - that a lot of people who are just quirky and shy are just different but we live in a culture we we must pathologize everything!
I have all traits of HSp, CPTSD ,and ASD except stimming. I'm a 43 year old female only diagnosed with ADD, PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Do all people with ASD stim? I only chew and pick my skin around my nails..
It's definitely a separate thing. I've been on the fence about it for quite a while if I have it or not, but autism is ruled out bij experts. I don't have it. I am a HSP though. In my family, almost all of the males have aspergers. I can completely tell the difference. They are obsessed with a subject for years, while I'm not. We all need routine, but they can't do anything different (or they'll get stuck or upset), while I can. But one of the most important things: I can make an estimation of reactions of others before I say something. The men can't. They are totally oblivious! Sometimes they make really hurtful remarks, but don't get why people get pissed. I know exactly when to stop or how something is going to land. The aspergers also watch my reactions in movies. I find them staring at me or my mom after events or a funny remark. They don't get the reaction, so they stare. So annoying. Oh and they can only take things literally. They really can't read between the lines. So that's my experience in a nutshell. Please know these are observations in MY family. Everyone is different and has different talents and things to work on. So take these observations with a grain of salt. Thank you!
I would suggest that you look into it even though you feel like it's a different thing. Autism shows up very differently in men and women, and women are better at masking. Some are so good at it that they fool the tests for autism because they seem completely in tune with social interactions. The old DSM-5 definition excludes many women from what I have learned because the symtoms are different. You don't need to obsess over things, or you may even have less obvious repetetive behaviours that you don't see as extreme enough to be autism.
When I think of how to make people comfortable, I only think of the sun shining in and shutting the curtains.
I attend a home fellowship and it wasn't until after several meetings when I sat in what was obviously an uncomfortable chair, that I even realized others are doing the same.
I often feel numb and can;t feel anything when it comes to violent movies but hearing real people upset has always been distressing to me.
A gentle environment would not make a difference to me processing things if my brain is already overwhelmed. It can take days to be able to do that again...
Sometimes I notice the emotions of others but I think it is only when that person is discussing it/ I often don't react or show emotion at all - I think if I do it is because it is expected of me - though sometimes I do show emotions
I only sometimes notice subtleties when I am not in my own world in my head
This honestly makes me wonder if HSP doctors and teachers would be better at handling autistic patients/students due to relating to them more.
I was diagnosed as a HSP with anxiety disorder. I was always alone at school and I was very lonely cos I could not make friends like all the other kids. As an adult, I have found my best friend in my partner and we both relate as non neurotypical but not as autistic. We know we are somewhere on a spectrum but not autistic or aspergers.
I have sensory sensitivity and it's quite extreme. I need things to calm me down so i can sleep at night. I have emotional burnout and I have rages when im over stimulated by my environment. I cant cope when my routine is disrupted. I just want to be in a safe garden with butterflies, soft grass, blue sunny skies and bird sounds. I need calmness all the time. I always ask my family to not speak so loud and they get annoyed at me cos they say they use normal voices.
Even though i feel all these things i know im not autistic and no doctor or psycologist ever suggested it. I think the comparison has become an internet trend. Too many people are self dianosing as autistic but there is a lot to the tests that psycologists use to diagnose it. Even though I have many similarities as a HSP with some of the autism traits I still would never be diagnosed as autistic..i dont meet the criteria and that is where the difference is. On the surface yes HSP and autism seem to be almost identical but scratch the surface and they are not.
You sound like you qualify for an autistic diagnosis though, so it seems more like you reject the idea of being autistic rather than whether it's a label that actually describes your experiences.
@@Kamishi845Why are yall so pushy? Is it also a characteristic of autism? Cause flipping hell. Stop trying to be a know it all and let people be. HSPs navigate the world through sensory information, autistics on the other hand prefer facts and theory. It's literally feeling vs thinking, that alone tells you the two are wired differently.
@@misscrankypantss No, that's not true at all, and the fact you think that people either operate based on facts vs feeling indicates a lack of understanding of how human psychology works. All humans primarily reason through emotion. Me responding to you is an emotionally driven action.
Also, I was not being pushy, unless you think expressing one's opinion must automatically mean being pushy.
Lastly, no, autistics are not "facts over feelings". There's no one way to be autistic, and sensory issues is one of the core definitions in being diagnosed. Same is true for ADHD.
I’m not diagnosed with anything yet (on that dreadful long wait list, only one more year to go). But while I suspect I’m autistic, my family has always thought of me as adhd and Hsp. I don’t think I’m hsp though, because I don’t read people very well, and it seems like hsp’s do? Also my emotions are more or less “robotic” according to my husband unless I’m having a meltdown. Seems like hsp’s have more emotional expression.
Therapist with adhd and suspected asd here! What if HSP is an aspect of the Autism spectrum?
HSP also stands for halal snack pack which is a fast food meal where I come from
I always saw myself as a HSP. know I cry over every little thing: like when I'm being corrected, critiqued, embarrassed, called out, getting yelled at, and all that. I'm not really sure tbh, as someone who is both that (not sure) and autistic.
To meet the diagnostic criteria for Autistic Spectrum Disorder according to the DSM-5, a person must have persistent deficits in each of the criterial areas:
Social communication and interaction (in each of the three areas)
Restricted, repetitive behaviors (at least two of four types)
I don't have issues in any of those areas, and so I am definitely not autistic.
I believe I am asd and also hsp AND I have a sensory processing disorder. All of them in one lol it’s so hard at age 30 to be seen for any of this
I have both
In 10th grade (before I was diagnosed ASD) one of my teachers had a private meeting with me suggesting I might have hsp. It was an extremely awkward meeting tbh😬
Hsp seems to be a less clinical reason for these symptoms and a clearer more natural pathway to coping and achieve better balance as well as understand what's going on.
I really believe that I have both
Please be careful about lumping all HSPs under Autism. Not all nor most HSPs are autistic nor having any type of neurodivergent condition.
I am a highly sensitive person, but I am not autistic.
I am a neurodivergent with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD which are neurodivergent conditions that have high co-morbidity and overlap with Autism.
I had auditory therapy, speech therapy, phonics training, and motor skills therapy to correct my Dyslexic and Dyspraxic weaknesses. Now they're mild now.
Many highly sensitive people aren't autistic.
Many neurodivergents that are highly sensitive are not autistic.
I know a lot of people that are highly sensitive people that are into metaphysical subjects and healing arts, and most of them aren't autistic. Some are neurodivergent.
I am into metaphysical subjects including especially Astrology. Many neurodivergents are into metaphysical subjects and refer to themselves as Indigos and Crystals.
Elaine Aron's book The Highly Sensitive Child seems to be very similar to books written about the Indigo Children and Crystal Children. I have a couple of books about the Indigo Children and Crystal Children by Doreen Virtue. I did an amazon review of Doreen Virtue's The Care And Feeding Of The Indigo Child, and I pointed that much of what she describes fits with neurodivergence.
The neurodivergent conditions do have significant co-morbidity with Autism.
That needs to be considered. Some people might mistake Dyspraxia for Autism because of the overlap in regards speech problems, sensory processing issues, and problems with coordination. They are not the same though. The hallmark of Dyspraxia is problems with planning and coordination.
I don't have problems perceiving/understanding emotional/social cues which is the hallmark of autism.
I was reading facial expressions as a baby.
At 2 years old, I was creating my own sign language to communicate because people had hard time understanding me.
I am quite expressive with my feelings with tone of voice, gestures, facial expressions, and I am easily affected and can be perceptive of tone of voice, gestures, and facial expressions.
I can be hypersensitive to emotional/social cues.
A person standing up close to me with a mean look on his face could easily make me feel threatened. I will have a strong 'fight or flight' response.
I always liked playing with others and was quick to befriend others.
I was very clingy with my mother as a little kid.
I liked hugging with others when I was a little kid.
I didn't have the social impairments that would define me as autistic.
Neurologists that examined me noted that I wasn't autistic
They confirmed my Dyslexia and Dyspraxia.
You can be both autistic and highly sensitive, but being highly sensitive doesn't mean being autistic.
I learned that I was an HSP back in 1999 before I learned that I was a neurodivergent with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD in 2003.
I actually created The Highly Sensitive People MSN group back in 1999 after getting Elaine Aron's book The Highly Sensitive Person and going to a Highly Sensitive Person seminar class.
In 2010, I created Developmental Neurodiversity Association (DNA) facebook group.
I answered all but two questions true.
When people are uncomfortable in a physical environment I tend to know what needs to be done to make it more comfortable (like changing the lighting or the seating).
- I can sometimes be stressed myself
I make a point to avoid violent movies and TV shows
- I have no problem with watching violent movies and TV shows..........I love action flicks....I love horror movies. Being an HSP doesn't necessarily mean that you cannot watch those things. When I do watch these movies and shows, I do tense up a lot. I will brace myself like it's being done to me.
I am a male that doesn't fit male stereotypes, and I have been mistook for being gay.
I just recently found out that I have a rare missense mutation involving Androgen Receptor (AR) gene on Chromosome X.
I have index fingers longer than ring fingers which supposedly indicate very feminine finger ratios. I do have high estrogen levels and low testosterone levels.
According to Myers Briggs Personality Test, I am an Intuitive Feeling Perceiver (INFP)
I’m an INFP too! A lot of what you said resonated with me.
To meet the diagnostic criteria for Autistic Spectrum Disorder according to the DSM-5, a person must have persistent deficits in each of the criterial areas:
Social communication and interaction (in each of the three areas)
Restricted, repetitive behaviors (at least two of four types)
I don't have issues in any of those areas, and so I am definitely not autistic.
I feel like I’m both HSP and autistic. It’s funny I’m really good ate reading people and understanding what’s going own until I’m involved in the situation and the. I’m completely clueless. So when I’m able to separate myself from a situation the HSP comes comes out more. I think it’s bc I’m not trying to figure out how I’m supposed to react and so own. But when I’m involved and trying to deal with the complexities of social interactions I’m so overwhelmed by that that it serves as a block to many of my HSP characteristics that I may not catch own to until I’m away from the situation and can process it without as much external stimuli
Do you have problems perceving/understanding emotional/social cues like tone of voice, facial expressions, body language?
That's the hallmark of autism.
I don't have those problems, and so I am not autistic.
I am a neurodivergent with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD which are neurodivergent conditions that have co-morbidity and overlap with autism.
I can totally relate to The Highly Sensitive Personality.
You can be both a neurodivergent and highly sensitive person.
You can be highly sensitive person without having a neurodivergent condition.
Neurodivergence often co-exists with sensory processing issues, and that's true for me.
I am a HSP, but I am not autistic.
I am also a neurodivergent with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD
To meet the diagnostic criteria for Autistic Spectrum Disorder according to the DSM-5, a person must have persistent deficits in each of the criterial areas:
Social communication and interaction (in each of the three areas)
Restricted, repetitive behaviors (at least two of four types)
I don't have issues in any of those areas, and so I am definitely not autistic.
I’m absolutely both. 🤷♀️
There’s a shift in the definitions of high functioning autism. How Elaine explain the difference between HSPs and autism is whether an individual can extract foreground from the background. The definition of high functioning was whether one could develop social skills, but it is now considered if one can extract the foreground from the background.
Maybe, there is a scale of “functioning.” However, for the neurodiversity thing, those on the spectrum simply differ when born.
Both for me.
I have heard that studies are being done to see if it is in fact a profile or presentation of autism and is a more common presentation in those born as female as most of the studies on autism have been done on those born as male & they have found distinct differences in the 2 sexes when it comes to autistic traits. Its still debated & not widely recognized, but I believe it could very well be as they have found that HSPs have actual neurological differences in the brain that are almost identical to many of those who are autistic. Just like with PDA, the US especially is reluctant to recognize it as a profile of autism, but they are doing studies now. I know my connective tissue disorder was once thought to have only 1 type, now they have identified 13 types with a couple more being proposed. So as time goes on, they are making more connections & learning a lot about the physical similarities in the brain & genes, rather than relying on the subjective personality differences. It is entirely possible that it is in fact different, but from what I have seen & experience myself, it seems more likely that its a different presentation of autism.
I’m autistic and I do need downtime but I also love to be alone. I’m sensitive to light and smell but not sensitive at to peoples needs or wants. Birthdays, I never know what to get people. I malfunction if someone starts to cry in front of me. I love routine. I prefer philosophical conversations over any other topic. I feel like I do relate to some HSP points but not all and some in a different way, if that makes sense.
I believe that Highly Sensitive Person diagnosis is what they gave mostly women before they finally realized that it was on the ASD Spectrum. This is during the time that women and girls had to be nonverbal and barely functioning to be able to even get the autism diagnosis. The work of Tony Atwood, is someone who basically said there is no difference between the girls and boys, and he is being proven correct more so with every passing month/week. Had I sought a diagnosis for ASD in 2010, I would probably have had HPS thrown at me instead. Would I have lived with it? No, I would still fight the system here and try for the ASD diagnosis that fits me so well. HPS cannot be diagnosed these researchers need to come to terms that these women (some men) need to be considered for ASD instead.
It is like the cultural geographers here in Denmark that refuse to see themselves as women’s/ethnic studies instead of geographers. I asked one of them what did mapping have to do with what she did. Nothing. My question was quite crude when I asked was she a geographer because she had to tell an advertiser to place a certain feminine hygiene billboard somewhere. In the US they moved on in the 70s and early 89s, after these groups that cultural geographers definitions of the “cultures” they were studying were deemed racist and viewed through a non-members eyes. There is a cultural geographer professor at my uni who read a paper to go so far that they were so muddled in the department that some even believed that where you placed your photograph in your apartment is geography, along with the veins in a human body as cultural geography (human physiology). I asked why they did not do as the rest of the world and set up studies in the humanistic studies department instead. The answer was that they were a stubborn lot.