My husband said, “You don’t need a diagnosis to get sympathy.” SYMPATHY??? I don’t want people boo-hooing for me, I want them understanding and **not shaming** me.
I self-diagnosed about a month ago, and I find it kindof terrifying. I don't particularly *want* sympathy; in fact, I kindof want to stay out of the spotlight! But here I am, learning about things like autistic burnout, social anxiety, and autistic inertia, and thinking "If I knew about these things twenty years ago, I could have had a completely different employment experience!" On the other hand, I'm terrified to pursue Vocational Rehab. I'm *deeply* afraid it's going to be "Here's some soft skills! Here's how to present yourself in an interview!" when what I *really* need is "Here's how to prevent burnout. Here's how to handle PDA (which I'm not yet convinced I have .... but then again, I cannot for the life of me impose a schedule on myself!). Here's how to get yourself moving when you feel stuck! Here's some stims you could try, after a lifetime of masking!" I do not consider it a good sign when "text" communication isn't an option on the application form, and about the only way it seems I can get these questions answered is via phone or in-person interview. While I *can* do these things, I'd rather not! What's worse, I'm also terrified it will take a couple of months of waiting just to start Voc Rehab ... and it might take *several* *months* if I require a diagnosis (which has *huge* wait lists!). While it helps to know what I'm dealing with, the notion that there isn't all that much help for autistic adults resonates greatly with me!
I want to be able to say this is not OK. I can't handle this. Without being told no one else complains about this. Just suck it up and deal with it. Your just being...insert gaslighting statement here. If you grew up ND, especially undiagnosed, you have probably heard them all.
@@seraphinasanilI keep hearing the one about "nobody else complains about this" at work. Yet many of our locations are a revolving door, it's just the low self esteem ones like me stay so we complain. The neurotypicals just leave.
I can't say I am completely self-diagnosed. I live in an RV in a friend's driveway. I am 79 years young. Not long ago the mother mentioned that her daughter was autistic. I have known them for about 6 years and Grace and I connected very quickly, she is 18 now. I started researching autism in women but saw nothing that rang any bells for me. One day Grace said, "you are autistic also". Suddenly my whole life made sense. Since with my problems in school, in my marriage (married for 45 years, three kids, I never seemed to make my wife happy), problems at work (I was an optician and became one of 360 Master Opticians, but was frequently at odds with my bosses). I spent 21 years in the Naval Reserve, 15 years as a boy scout leader and earned a BS degree. I don't mean to brag, but I had no reason to think I could be autistic until she said that and 79 years of questions and not really fitting in were answered, I guess I became and expert masker. I said, "yes I am, but I manifest differently than you." A few days later I was in the house with the family and mentioned what had happened and they all looked at me and said, "you didn't know you were autistic? We figured that out a long time ago. We thought you knew." so I was diagnosed by an autistic girl and her family. Would that count as being self-diagnosed? I see no value in a professional diagnosis as I am retired and somewhat independent, my kids live 300 miles away. I am delighted to find out I am autistic as my chaotic life makes better sense now. Thank you for this post. BTW I have taken several on-line tests which have verified, in my mind, that I am autistic.
Twenty years ago, I asked my psychiatrist if I was autistic. He told me I couldn't be, because I was "too intelligent". Five years ago, I asked another psychiatrist the same question, and my suspicions were confirmed.
I'm 71 and have always been odd without knowing why...my daughter suggested I'm autistic and everything I explore online backs her up. I don't think it will change much knowing, except for a huge sense of relief. In naming comes knowing. Peace to all.
My son and I are the only ones with an official diagnosis in our family, but there are many family members now who self identify as autistic. It's definitely valid in my book. 💞
Not only is it valid, in many cases, even if you do go to the trouble of being evaluated and the evaluator agrees, there's not necessarily much that you get out of it that you don't get from self-diagnosing. (At least not if you're an adult and considering being evaluated)
I do not know how to thank you enough. I just saw one more thing. The hand wave thing. We do that 🙂 Sometimes (I’m not kidding) I want to cry with relief watching your videos. The anxiety, masking, and (now unconscious) camouflaging finally make sense.
My son is 8 with ASD/ADHD. I'd just like to say, this woman is absolutely disgusting. I pray to God not too many people are stupid enough to believe this crap. You can't identify as being Autistic. This is extremely offensive. These are the weirdos snapping their fingers instead of clapping? This pisses me off so much.
Better to self-diagnose than to be misdiagnosed. I was diagnosed at a very young age with OCD + generalized anxiety disorder, and my psychiatrist at the time told me she also considered I could have autism, but eventually discarded the option. On which basis? No idea, I was never told why. 20 years later (just a week ago), I found out I do have autism, and all thanks to this and many other internet resources. Never underestimate the research capacity of a person in the spectrum.
For me at almost 65 I see no gain whatsoever in battling doctors to get an official diagnosis. I know it does good for some people here in Germany...and I am happy for those of you with that experience. To me that feels like saying: yay, another serving of gaslighting please...nope...I am fine with my self-diagnosis. By now I more and more say "I'm autistic" and not "probably autistic". Thanks for this video, Taylor...reassures me.
I understand about not seeing any gain in battling doctors for an official diagnosis. 63 here and first suspected I was autistic at age 60. I've been gaslighted by the medical profession so many times it isn't funny. There is also the fact that it costs thousands of dollars here in the states to get an official diagnosis and having one may cause problems we might not foresee (like being unable to immigrate to some other countries). So... I will probably not get an official one. Highly introverted as well, and happy with my life. My husband and friends believe me, even if some family members don't. I know the truth and have compiled enough evidence from old school report cards, teachers' notes, etc, so that if I ever change my mind, I have something to show, but for now, I am content.
Fellow German here and I have decided to not seek formal dx either. I'm "only" 35, so there could as well come a point in my future when I might change my mind. But for now I don't see any benefits an official dx could give to me. I feel healthy, I am truly happy with my wonderful supporting partner, have a harmonious family life, some great friendships, live in my absolute dream house, worked myself out of financial problems some years ago, I maintain a fulfilling job and I have figured out how to provide for my autistic special needs myself. And btw @MomontheSpectrum and this community helped a great deal on that. So huge thanks to y'all! ❤❤❤ Back to topic: There's nothing that I can imagine to gain from an official diagnosis at this moment bc I already have everything that I ever dreamed of and even more. Yeah, I know how cheesy that sounds and sometimes I wonder if all this luck is real, too. 😄 But it just is and I'm praying for all of you who are still currently struggling to get to those achievements! Don't give up! It is possible! And maybe the psychologist's seat which I save for another one will be just the right stepstone for them to reach their goals and also become as happy with their autistic life as I am.
THANK YOU FOR SAYING THIS!!!❤ You’re the realest for standing up for self diagnosed autistics even though you yourself have a formal diagnosis. THX FOR SHARING YOUR LIGHT WITH THIS WORLD💛✨
For someone like myself, being officially diagnosed at 47 isn’t going to change anything for me. What self diagnosis has done for me is give me answers to the all of the things my adhd and gad diagnoses don’t cover. I’m able to understand myself better and know how to move forward with the rest of my life with a less self destructive path than I was on. Thank you for putting this out there!
THANK YOU ❤ I'm a 52 y.o. female who has been misdiagnosed countless times. I have come to the realization in the last 1+ years that I am autistic. I love feeling like I fit somewhere. I've done a lot of research and self-reflection as you put it and have suffered all my life wondering what was "wrong" with me. Now I know nothing is wrong. I'm just running on a different operating system. It's so freeing to be self-discovered.
Have I found out why I’m the odd man out. I have felt so ashamed because I don’t understand what’s going on around me, like I’m socially ignorant . I had dyslexia and had to leave class for special education. But I kept telling everyone that I can be with the regular class. Not until the school was forced to reevaluate me did they finally believe me in the 8th grade. I was invited to hang out after school but it was not fun for me because it was so much work and a lot of self gaslighting. I loved riding my bike to the beach and sit for hours by myself in High School. Wow! How life changing this been. After learning the female side of this has helped me understand me. Thank you.
I've spent around 6 months now, binge researching autism, hearing from youtubers like you share their stories. Telling my sisters and friends about it and I feel like Autism with low-support needs just resonates so well with how I have felt and explained my social issues throughout my life. I'm now 30 seemingly unable to do the things that most humans are expected to do with their careers, jobs etc and I just can't seem to do it. Every day that I scroll through the autism subreddit groups (multiple different ones) I constantly laugh along and see posts where other people are perfectly understanding how I feel on the inside. They seem to understand and it feels like I am scrolling through my own posts as if they were written by me. It feels good. At the moment I can't afford a diagnosis and from my understanding for adults it can be hard. But at least for now it feels like I found a label that helps me at least feel not alone in the world. Even if I don't really have friends.
Newly diagnosed by a professional. Its been such a liberation, yet so heartbreaking too as I have been left thinking only if I had received the diagnosis sooner, I would not have struggled so much in life. But I am embracing it. Thanks for all your brilliant work, its is really helping
congrats on the official dx! I know that's a big thing to receive. I'm sure there are lots of emotions to process. Let them come as they will. YOU are there for yourself now, and you're gonna support yourself through this.
There were/are days that I do feel awkward with a self-diagnosis and question the validity of it but all I know is the moment my therapist brought it to my attention, my life has completely changed. I've never felt like I've understood myself more and feel so free, and that's all that matters.
This whole video caused a bout of happy stims because i JUST got done telling my mom that im 100% sure on being autistic and she understood and validated me and now my favorite autistic creator (you) uploads this just minutes later. Im so grateful for you and my mom and my husband. Thanks for everything Taylor!
Thank you so much, Taylor! In '02, I was misdiagnosed with Bi-polar Disorder. After extensive research, I tried telling my Psychiatrist I did not have Bi-polar but was humiliated by this "professional" and just told to stay on the meds. I weaned myself off the meds. It took me 12 years to have a compassionate, attentive doc to hear me. During these years, I was being treated for depression, anxiety, PTSD, agoraphobia, and panic attacks. I was also doing research because I felt deeply we were missing something. After my therapist encouraged me to research HSPs, I knew I was getting closer. And when I met a young autistic woman, I saw myself so clearly. After another year of intensive research on autism, I asked my doc for an autism evaluation. She agreed wholeheartedly. Long story short, I received a diagnosis of bi-lateral neurocognitive disorder. Though it may be (I still doubt it) correct on some level, it does not account for many of my life experiences. The Psychologist was emphatic with his diagnosis so I never bothered to defend myself. My doc was willing to try and find someone else but I refused. After a month of grieving, I resumed my research. I'm sorry for such a lengthy comment but I've doubted myself for too long. I am a 62 yo female and I know I'm autistic! You've given me permission to say it...again because I watched your vid series on unmasking. I just needed to tell my story. I am a member of your MOTS community but I've been so hesitant to speak up and truly become an active member. Thank you again.
Hi. I have been declared bipolar but I feel like I might be autistic but not having the intensity of symptoms some autistic persons have. I recently found more about hsp and so many said that they discovered they were autistic instead of being just hsp. I am on meds for I am exausted so much after years of battling with diseases, conflicte, traumas and so much sadness and suffering. I hâd suicidal thoughts and came quite near of ending it a few occasions. All this suffering brought something good for it allowed me to forgive what others have done to me. Now, its a bit hard forgiving what I have done to others, for we all make mistakes/sins. But I was interested to know more about your experiences ( if you want to share) and see how they might connect with mine. I dont know if IM autistic or have had ptsd for almost my entire life. They seem to overlap alot as I have seen în a video from Autism from inside. But some of my symptoms seem not to correspond to ptsd but asd. I hope you will have a great time ahead. All the best wishes to you.
I always knew I was different. I was nonverbal with strangers until I was 5. I was reading and writing early and preferred books over human companionship (I often still do). I've always had a pure, intense love of nature and can sense what animals and plants need. I can often sense what people need, too, though I'm much more reserved in sharing. I've always had one or two special interests at a time and have difficulty with small talk. I was fortunate to be athletically adept and learned many social skills and to not take everything so literally playing on teams. I was physically very active which helped express the excess energy that builds up in my body. It was very hard for me to have more than one close friend at a time. College was unbearable with small dorm room, too much noise and people in my space. I did finally graduate, after dropping out twice, by attending a non-traditional college. I've had many jobs after my "career" didn't work out. I'm currently a writer, cartoonist, and tree farmer and mostly happy doing these things. Alcohol was my best friend for many years because it helped me be social (I no longer use alcohol). I had a nervous breakdown in '02 which precipitated the bi-polar mis-diagnosis. That's where my prior post picks up. This is just a few of my life experiences that have caused me to look for answers beyond what the "experts" were telling me. The plus side of all my work, research, and introspection is learning to better trust, accept, connect to, and love myself. Of course, I still have rough, fearful, doubting days. If even a small bit, perhaps snippets of my own story can help you with what you need.
@@gracenosbod8964 Hi. That was really kind of you. I am grateful for your taking the time and sharing it. I feel like giving hugs to everyone who has suffered în this life and as I am writing I am feeling like giving one to you. I really appreciate it. There are a few traits that connect with my way of being. I am a bit reluctant taking the test at my psychiatrist for she has already diagnosed me with bipolar disorder. But I would appreciate if that way I could learn stuff to help me with my traits. Thank you once again for sharing this with us and I hope you will have beautiful moments ahead and have strenght to overcome anything that might come on your way. And you always have our Lord to help you, so you'll never be alone. Peaceful holidays to you and everyone else.
Hello! I just turned 63. I cannot figure out if I am autistic or just depressed? Could you tell me what your symptoms are? I know it’s different for everyone! Thanks
@@Contessa998 all my life I felt like I was different. I didn't fit in. Specifically: Someone made a remark. I thought they were serious but the spouse didn't approve. I thought about it for 2 years and realized they were being sarcastic. They meant the opposite of what they said. Social difficulties. I've always had stims. Biting my nails, my lips, fiddling with my hair, squeezing bits of paper, coins, clothing etc. I've always had intense special interests. I attach to animals more than humans, generally speaking. I can lose a best friend and be sad for a little while, if my cat dies I'm sad for years. I make plans. I hate surprises. I like knowing what route I'm going to take and I get upset when I have to change plans or change route. This is getting better now that I know I'm autistic. I plan to be flexible when I'm with another person lol. I'm sensitive to smells, loud noises, bright lights. I've been cutting the tags off my clothes for a very long time. Certain textures I just won't wear. I've learned to set limits on how much I do in a day, especially in crowds or noisy places. Meltdowns. I used to have meltdowns and shutdowns pretty regularly before I knew I was autistic. People close to me suffered. Occasionally I get selective mutism/aphasia where I find it difficult or impossible to speak, or can't find the right words. I used to have depression and anxiety (co-morbidities). I took a lot of online tests. I recommend embrace autism dot com, no spaces. They have free online testing. I started a strict carnivore diet, no spices, high fat. It's been incredibly helpful with anxiety, depression and sensory overstimulation. My stamina is much better and I haven't had a meltdown in a while. 🙂
Self diagnosed auti here:) so happy with this video, even under your videos there were people who dared to question my experience. I’ve been following you pretty much much since the day I realized and rediscovered myself as an autistic person. So grateful for you sharing your knowledge 😅
The way I see it is this: before getting a late diagnosis, you basically have to self diagnose first. Otherwise, how would you know to seek a professional evaluation? I know this doesn't ring true to everyone, but it is why I have quickly come to realize that self diagnosis is 100% valid. Of course, all your points are completely valid, especially considering the issues with professionals who may not be up to date on their knowledge. So yes, self diagnosis is VALID!
My son is 8 with ASD/ADHD. I'd just like to say, this woman is absolutely disgusting. I pray to God not too many people are stupid enough to believe this crap. You can't identify as being Autistic. This is extremely offensive. These are the weirdos snapping their fingers instead of clapping? This pisses me off so much.
I was diagnosed as AuDHD in Sept 2022 at the age of 52. I had been self-identifing as AuDHD for a year or two before that. Here in Calgary, Alberta, Canada my assessment was free at point of service. I don't remember how long the process took from me asking my family doctor for a referral, but I think it was less than a year. Self diagnosis is valid. The UA-cam neurodiverse community helped me understand what it is like to be on the autistic spectrum more than reading an article. I am truly grateful for channels like this one to help me along my journey. I had suspected that I was on the autistic spectrum from my son's diagnosis with Asperger's around the early 2000's. Thank you Taylor.
I am 77, considering I am probably autistic these past few months. No point in an official diagnosis at this point in my life, but it explains earlier chaotic life (but that could be from childhood neglect/abuse). I was lucky to find career of computer systems at 21 (yep, started in the days of punched cards). I was lucky to find in my forties a therapist who helped me process childhood and resultant issues, and who convinced me that the world needed “odd” people. What a blessing! I pass that blessing along to everyone reading this.
After many emotional meltdowns, i know I am autistic. I cannot cope well with clutter, change, sounds, temp changes, showering. So many things & y'know what, i am going to be more loving to myself going forward and aware, even if no one around me understands me. Its upsetting when I meldown & crash, i know it effects my family and that upsets me too but all I can do is help myself the best I can. A couple of weeks ago I actually told a family member that I only think black or white, no grey area. That was before I even began to research myself. I am 50 years old. I did a few of your recommended quizzes and scored high on the both i did.
Thank you... I've suspected I was autistic since I was a teen, but my parents refused to have me evaluated as a child because I was their "perfect" child and couldn't possibly have anything "wrong" with me. I have three kids now. I don't have the time or resources to pursue an official diagnosis and I've often felt like a total fraud because I'm so high masking. So thank you for this.
This is me. Thank you. 🥰 I'm 56 in the UK and started to research during lockdown when one video prompted me to go down the autism rabbit hole and quickly answered a whole bunch of questions I had about myself, including the odd exhaustion illness I seemed to battle with on a regular basis and my intense sound sensitivities. The main reason I didn't persue it at the time was the fact that just guessing what it might be made me feel better and allowed me to explore my reaction to things and self-reflect.
I'm still researching and so hesitant to self-diagnose, but recently I feel like soooo many things line up that I just can't ignore. Videos like this feel like encouragement to keep exploring, rather than to run away because I'm scared of facing further rejection. ❤
Thank you for this. I was unsure about my own self diagnosis but then had a massive meltdown and realized it's been happening my whole life. So yup, I think we're a go. 😅😔
I just got diagnosed with autism at the age of 32 a couple of days ago. It feels surreal because I’m a behavior analyst and I work with children who have autism and they have always reminded me of myself. However, when I was told I had autism I don’t know it’s been, I guess a shock. I’ve had random moments of crying but I’m not necessarily sad. It’s overwhelming. My family has always joked that I have autism, so it’s shocking that I’m reacting this way.
Thank you for this one. I am self diagnosed. My youngest son was diagnosed by his school during the IEP process. His diagnosis just reaffirmed everything that I suspected about myself. We are so much alike. I did YEARS of research before self diagnosing. I could probably teach a class about autism and ADHD by this point.
Sometimes I feel like I SHOULD teach a class to the entire staff and faculty of the school that my son is in. They seem to be under educated on neurodivergence. @@MomontheSpectrum
I thank you greatly for putting the official document of UW Autism Center. I cryed tears of joy when you read that inaccurate Self Diagnosis of Autisim is uncommon. I am so over joed right now, I can't evem describe this feeling complitely. I've been suspecting fir a while now that I'm AuDHD. I've been desdarching the topic for a really long period of time and I relate to a lot (probably like 80%-90%) of the sympthoms. In my household, my mom, the closest to me says that I'm normal and do not need to be so overdramatic about it. It made me so sad that she didn't even listen to me and did not consider this a possibility. I am not yet of age and can't get an official diagnosis (kinda scared of getting one...) and your video made me feel seen and understood. Thank you. Thank you so much❤
I’m evidence of this. Discovered last year through reading that I was likely autistic. Was referred for an assessment through the NHS, but the waiting times are crazy. Ended up having to pay a lot of money to go private. Got my diagnosis a few weeks ago. I was right all along and the psychologists had no doubt. One of them has a masters degree from Oxford University.
I was sitting here watching the video with tears running down my face as I felt this heaviness in my chest slightly decrease. I finally feel like I have some answers!
I don't know where I would be with out you Taylor. I found you the month before the Coldplay concert we both attended at the Cottonbowl last year or maybe it was 2 years ago by now, can't recall, but you literally have helped me get on the path to giving myself grace and stop beating myself up for being like the people I was surrounded by and tried to emulate always falling short ofc - it's been a hard journey and I have lost a lot of my family bc of it all for some reason but despite it all, I have never felt more in touch with true self since after finding your channel
I love it! The most important thing you said was, "I SEE YOU!" Autism comes with invisibility. Am I really here? Do I matter to anyone? Why will no one let me be me?
I hope you don't mind, but your words reminded me of a poem by Emily Dickinson, who is believed to have been autistic. I’m Nobody! Who are you? Emily Dickinson I’m Nobody! Who are you? Are you - Nobody - too? Then there’s a pair of us! Don't tell! they'd advertise - you know! How dreary - to be - Somebody! How public - like a Frog - To tell one’s name - the livelong June - To an admiring Bog!
Usually I tell people that I have sound sensitives or issues with strong scents, etc., because I don't really feel comfortable risking getting judged or gaslit. I only say enough that is pertinent to the situation - especially if I need to remove myself or set a boundary. I love your content btw. :)
Hi! Yes this is a great strategy for navigating situations/relationships where you don't feel comfortable sharing the word autism. It's ok to talk about it in other terms like you mentioned - sound sensitivities, also delayed processing, social differences, executive functioning differences, etc.
@@MomontheSpectrum I definitely struggle with executive function issues - I didn't know until this year that I was dealing with adhd. It's such a relief to realize this and no longer believe that I'm a failure at life. Just different.
I’ve only been considering my own autism since my eldest child did a screening and told me I’d probably get the same result. Since then, things have started making sense in this new context, and I’m taking better care of myself with this in mind - acknowledging when I need my own space, putting my AirPods in when it’s too noisy, that sort of thing. I’m not planning to get an official diagnosis; at the ripe old age of 50 I don’t think it will make much difference. But seeing myself as part of this community, and understanding that I’m not broken, just different, is really helping. Your videos are part of that for me, so thank you.
I’m currently in the phase where I’m just exploring the possibility that I might be autistic, and I’m currently going back and forth on whether an official diagnosis would be helpful at this time. I feel like I would mostly be getting one for other people, not me, just to prove I was “legit.” And since quotes for assessments in my area are in the $1000 range…idk. I think it would probably be better to spend $1000 on several sessions with a therapist who’s knowledgeable and understanding to ND folks and learn strategies that would actually improve my life. In a world where an official dx is behind a giant paywall, people have got to see that it’s not always possible for people…certainly not practical.
definitely agree that sometimes it's better to invest that money in finding someone who will help you develop support strategies and VALIDATE your experiences.
I self-diagnosed around 5 years ago. I would suggest firstly spending time looking at the experiences of others online, such as Taylor of course but there are many others. It can be very useful if you have others to share that experience with you such as a partner, family or close friends as one the most valuable strategies is to operate in an environment where the key people around you are aware of your particular issues and can assist where needed. For me having my wife realise why I was not good at some things made a world of difference as she can cover me most of the time. Life has become so much easier just through the realisation of what's happening. If you then have particular needs to be met seek specific help to address those needs. Good luck.
I completely agree. It's more for me and my understanding of how I process things and techniques to help myself than anyone else. My friends and family don't think it's a right fit but when they talk about autism symptoms or tendencies they reference the very stereotypical parts and not fully understanding, which I myself have been guilty of for years.
Hi Taylor, just want to say a ginormous thank you for doing this work!! I just had the lightbulb moment that I might be autistic after spending most of my Christmas holidays alone because people are hard, and this video made me cry because it makes me feel really seen and understood, even from the otherside of the world (Perth, Australia)! ❤ Thanks again 🌻
Thanks for "seeing" me and for the validation that it's ok to self-diagnose 😊 I just realized a few months ago that I am very likely on the Spectrum. I had been wondering if I should get an official diagnosis, but then asked myself, "why?? 🤔" I'm now 59, retired, and as an independent introverted person, I live alone. So what would a diagnosis from a professional do for me? 🤔 Right now, I'm just tickled pink that I can create and fill a category with things I just previously called "quirks" 😉😇
@@MomontheSpectrum - was there supposed to be a link to an article or just the one-page document? I was actually hoping it would be more robust, but the one thing I did take away from it was that unless you have needs for services or accommodations that can't be fulfilled through other diagnoses, then an official Dx is likely not terribly useful unless you can afford to spend the money for the validation. I was Dxed with ADHD 1.5 yrs ago at 60 (immensely helpful!!) and started to suspect I might be autistic after working backstage for an autistic friend's play about 2 autistic teens. (It's here on YT if you're interested in checking it out!) So thanks for the info on self-diagnosis and the support. I'm a new subscriber as of a couple of days ago.
Thank you , thank you. 😭I just want to hug you right now. Every single word you said in this video was right on and it lifted me up and it’s going to make my day. I researched asd for 10 yrs and I still do as it’s my special interest lol. I’m autistic! Self diagnosed because I want to be with others like myself and help myself figure out a better way to live as an autistic verses thinking there’s something wrong with me and finally knowing it’s ok to be meee!🥳
thank you so much for this. I've been in autistic burnout lately and being able to give a word to what I'm feeling without guilt about being self diagnosed means a lot.
I have had people in the autistic community ask me if I have been tested for autism. I have requested testing and been turned down becaue it's not done for adults in my state. Also my mom informed me shortly before she passed that my schools and doctors suggested she get me tested for autism. I think that may be enough for me to honestly say I am autistic. I did grow up knowing I was dyslexic and I always though my differences were because of that. Now that I'm starting to learn so much more I realize that they just stopped testing to early because that's what they did back then. It really hit home when my grandson tested as autistic.
Im self dx however i mentioned it to a counselor a few years back that i suspected im autistic she said "i can see that". I was dealing with 2 very ill grandparents so i was unable to explore more. A few months back i remembered that conversation and started exploring it more. Im 9000% sure now.
Exactly. People are walking around trying to understand wth is going on w/ themselves. And how to make their lives better through understanding wth it is.
you're welcome!!! I totally support you and your self diagnosis. Also the content you make is incredibly telling - you are for sure describing autistic experiences!!
Yes, and some combinations of diagnosis are particularly hard to figure out. I'm definitely ADHD, formally diagnosed, I was OCD but am now subclinical, formerly diagnosed. The problem though is that I'm also a savant and likely have SDAM and it makes it incredibly hard to get a proper diagnosis as the only people that have known me long enough to be of much help have thier own autistic traits and I've got a massive catalog of scripts to choose from and don't generally realize that I'm doing it. Even something as simple as reading a menu is something that I do oddly, but not in a way that people generally notice. I completely skip most of the menu, but unlike NTs that skip parts based on what sort of food they like, I mostly skip the same portions of the menu every time and won't order anything off of certain portions of the menu at all. But, because of how rare that constellation of conditions is, I may never have a proper diagnosis, even though I'm definitely somewhere on the spectrum, probably near what used to be AS.
Indeed. An evaluation in the USA can cost $2000 or more. And finding qualified professionals may require immense travel compared to where they live. Which can be intensely impractical if job security or finances are an issue. Self diagnosing *has* to be valid in this day and age. It shows that there is a great lack of resources for those on the spectrum. And it also shows how little regard society gives us when it comes to our needs and accommodations.
Invalid. My late brother had severe autism. I was very involved in his school and had the honor of meeting probably hundreds of children, teens, and adults who were all very different from their personal to their place on the spectrum. If you've lived in that sort of environment your whole life, you also see similar patterns regardless of their level of function. Some of those patterns were obvious like eye contact and some were much more subtle that you could only observe while having a conversation. The spectrum stopped growing on the low functioning end and once you start observing those on that end you quite often see other disorders like epilepsy, severe food allergies, genetic disorders, and other physical and mental syndromes. On the other hand, the higher functioning end of the spectrum keeps growing, particularly in the last 10 years or so, to the point where anybody with social awkwardness, attention issues, and/or slight obsessive compulsiveness can get diagnosed with autism. I've seen it with my own eyes, perfectly healthy children whose parent seeks multiple doctors and specialists till they get a diagnosis. The benefits include a monthly SSI check, an IEP, a van or bus to take them to school so the parent doesn't have to, parents can even get paid to homeschool even though they have no idea what they're doing. It's truly sickening. It's also common for parents in my area to open credit cards in their kids name or put their name on a utility bill because they've been sent to collections (yes that's a completely different subject but its an example of how some parents take advantage of their kids) So when I see videos like this where young people can watch these "self diag" videos and get it in their head that they have autism when really they're just introverts with a nervous tick, it completely invalidates the struggles that, not just autistics have struggled with. Not just autistics either, the patents, caretakers, teachers, teacher's aids, etc who work their asses off to teach them to live their best life. In many of those cases, we grew up or went home after work every day with bruises, cuts, scrapes, bite marks, and even missing patches of hair in the process. There are so many "stemming" videos on YT and TikTok that flat out look like the acts of schoolyard bullies toward an autistic person. I hope you find it in your heart to dedicate your channel to helping those who actually have it instead of contributing to the watering down of the spectrum.
Thank you. I will reply from a laptop, after looking 3 replies as a type. I self identify after 9 months of research and resonating with so much of what I have read and seen. Over 50 years of gaslighting from medics and invalidation at every turn, I'm so thankful for this online community. You have taught me so much and helped me discover my true self 🙏
After two years of deep-diving into autism and the autistic community... Do I have a large percentage of autistic traits? Yes. Do I have a lot of common comorbid conditions? Also yes. Am I autistic? I can't say for sure, but probably. What I have discovered is the one support I need that makes all the difference - myself. If I work on accepting and accommodating myself, whether it be for "quirks" or for actual autism, my life becomes exponentially less bleak. I hope that others can do the same thing for themselves, regardless of their diagnoses.
I learned adult autism exists just a few months ago. It just hit me like a fish in the face, just a few days ago. That I am autistic.I am 49 as of yesterday. I’ve been so ashamed of being different. I mold myself to every situation. I hate the phone because I can’t see their facial expressions and respond to them. It’s too much for my system to deal with one on one interactions. I need my support animal or person. I become so tired mentally when I’m done. It scares me to feel that way because I don’t have enough spoons to help myself through my own Psychological distresses that I deal with daily. This causes self gaslighting, over eating, loss of control, total panic, ect. Growing up I threw up during emotional situations, Christmas, birthdays, family visiting. I had to clean and make everything perfect before a big happy event. So, on and so on. I have always felt like I never get the joke..if that makes sense.
You are so incredibly sweet & kind. Im so grateful to have found your channel. Congratulations on your sub plaque!! Your content and the care you put into it that plaque is so well deserved
Thanks for another great video!!! Self diagnosis is the one of the few ways that a "normal" autistic person can get diagnosed the first time. Because we need to adapt ourselves much more to other people than the other way around, we have some adept to masking the symptoms. This is what we had to do so that we could succeed in life. It was so with my own journey. My self-diagnosis was validated by a medical expert. I do encourage someone that self-diagnose them to seek medical advice, because many symptoms overlap with other disorders like OCD and ADHD.
I just wanted to say that I found you scrolling thru UA-cam and your experiences really made me stop in my tracks. The topic has come up in conversations with family about a year or so ago. But you’ve really given me the confidence to speak with my doctor. After going over my reasons of why I think I might be she is putting in a referral for testing. Whether or not anything comes of it, this has helped me to start exploring my world in a different light. Thank you so much ♥️.
I have two children with an autism diagnosis and just two months ago someone asked my husband, "Oh, who is autistic you or your wife?" As soon as I heard that question, my brain just "clicked." I knew it was me. I started watching so many of your videos and they have been so helpful. It is not cost effective for me to pursue a formal diagnosis and will stick with self-diagnosis for now. Thank you for validating that for me! You are a gem!
It was so expensive to get my now, soon to be 12-year-old daughter diagnosed. The psychologist who did my daughters evaluation told me that if I found all of my research relatable then I needed to come back and get diagnosed as well. She said there was no way I could relate that strongly with another autistic person if I wasn't autistic myself. So I'll take that and go with it. I'm not going to get an expensive evaluation to tell me what I already know. I'm autistic and have ADHD. I finally understand how my brain works and why I'm so different from everyone else everyone else. Thank you for this❤
I self diagnosed after reading a random romance novel (The Kiss Quotient), freaked out a little, but was basically 99% sure, it felt so right. Then I got official medical diagnosis, just to be 100% and have proof in case I needed it. It was a life changing experience. I'm still adapting, but it's been great :)
I hope someday I can help you with a donation . ❤ Lol I'm one of those people who won't say I'm an adult with ASD until I get a real assessment. But I'm afraid I'll do it and then it won't be true. It could be something else. Even though my teen told me the other day, "oh I already thought that". I was like wow. A site I've been using a lot for research is "embrace autism" it's out of Canada but it's run by people with ASD and it's really welcoming.
Thank you for all of your hard work creating these videos, resources, and community. You are making a direct, positive impact on the lives of thousands of people, the long-term effects of which will ripple through society forever. I recently learned I am autistic and it has been a rollercoaster of emotions. Your channel has been extremely helpful as I try to integrate this into my life.
Thank you for the validation, and helping me discover a new resource in the University of Washington! They actually have materials for/on self-diagnosis, making it more available, which is amazing!
I have very little hope of getting a formal diagnosis for multiple reasons, so thank you so much for sharing this. It’s really difficult for me to reach out to new people, but your videos (and all of the comments people leave on them) have made me feel less alone ❤.
Taylor - you are an absolute blessing to so many of us - and this video proves that once again! As such, I have decided to refer to you as our validation faery godmother - because I SO needed this validation today - and will likely continue to need it as I travel along this exciting road of self-discovery as a late SELF-diagnosed autistic person. THANKS!!! 🦋🧚♂️🦋
Thanks for helping us find our way through our grandson, and maybe our daughter’s, diagnosis. We have struggled with the medical profession, finding that part of the problem we were having is that my daughter (the mom) struggles herself. All the questions and demands from the psychiatrist put my daughter in shutdown mode. We are hoping for better in round two. I will be there to support her needs, while she try’s to give her son’s evaluators the information they want.😊❤
I have been journaling my entire experience of being on the spectrum. I had self-realization leading up to Christmas in 2024. And having a good friend and another friend who were both medically diagnosed. They see me, hear me, and accept me for who I am. I finally even get regular hugs from them every time I see them. There's no masking when I am with them. And that is also helping me to learn how to accept my real self. . . again.
Hilarious in a sad way, since all they'll do is ask you to fill out a questionnaire and then they'll use the scoring sheet that's on the last page of the questionnaire. But sure, that's totally $1000 of work. 🙄
Thank you so much for your videos! You’ve inspired me so much! I’ve been struggling with Asperger syndrome my whole life and I have been misdiagnosed so many times! Last year with a lot of research and with your videos I was able to self diagnosed and I was finally able to understand what I’ve been going through since I was born! Thank you so much! I am proud to say that I am part of this beautiful community!
I started crying watching this. Thank you so much!❤️ I've known for quite a while that I'm autistic, but I don't have the finances to get an official diagnosis. I have a therapist who specializes on autism and she says I'm quite clearly autistic. However, I feel like no one will hear me until I pay crazy amount of money and get officially diagnosed. I'm myself only around my husband
This was so incredibly validating! After 50 years of being gaslit about knowing I am different or have mental health struggles, I really can't argue or shut out the words of those who just "don't see" my autism. I was proud of myself when I told a close friend that they didn't have to, them not seeing my autism didn't make it any less present.
Congratulations on your plaque! I'm very happy to get to watch your well planned videos. I appreciate the information you share with us! I think I would have the most difficulty maintaining a UA-cam channel because my words come out slower than my brain thinks them. It's really great to get to hear your every word and not combination words that most situations understand logically but not audibly.... I talk over myself and over explain. I'm grateful for you
Thank you for welcoming me and my family 😭 ❤. Our son was recently diagnosed and I came upon your channel seeking information. Then I realised I grew up with a father who was deeply autistic and unique ❤. He sadly passed away. Now I am in the realisation phase that I too have many traits that are partly autism. I’ve always pushed on, been courageous, brave and pushed myself to do more than others. Now I am a professor and mother of four, processing what to make of this new realisation and how it affects me, my beautiful kids and the great students I supervise. I think your channel really resonates with me because you communicate like me and look kind of similar (but younger!)
Thank you for this video! I spent years thinking I had ADHD but wouldn't accommodate myself b/c of all the awful junk against self diagnosis. "Oh, I can't act like I have ADHD because *I* can't diagnose it... " 🙄 I suppose being Autistic and literal thinking played into that. Fortunately, I found a therapist who happened to be AuDHD and she validated my suspicion on ADHD and opened my eyes to the possibility of being Autistic. Down the research rabbit hole I went. I self diagnosed AuDHD before an "official" diagnosis. It's really tough to hear some of the terrible things people say about self diagnosis. It's obvious that they are just extremely ignorant. I've definitely fought back when I've seen those people attack self diagnosis and I appreciate videos like this. 👍☺️
Since I came to my realization, I have been non-stop deep diving everything on this subject. I end up with tears of joy when I hear you validate my thoughts time and time again. Thank you for all that you do. You have helped me find the words I've needed for 46 years but never knew it.
I research since around 20 years now. Although there's so much proof, i'm never 100% sure. I always try to let it be as i'm already 41 but i always come back to it and keep researching. I'm in and out at psychologists but they don't seem to notice. But i got a bunch of other diagnoses and i'm also very good at masking and can't let my mask down, so it doesn't mean much. I'm thinking about a professional diagnosis to ease my mind but it won't work if i can't unmask for them. Also i'm in Germany so it won't be easy if i try.
Im moving towards getting an official diagnosis because if my employer tries to mess with me the Labour Court judges dont like when companies mess with disability and other health issues. But yeah self diagnosis already provides some relief and self validation. I love your bow, its super cute. ❤
The exact same paper found its way into my research during the last nearly year and a half of trying to figure out whether I am autistic. Surely, it’s already clear to many reading this (between the amount of time spent on this research and the odd tone to my writing). This paper gave me permission to accept that I am autistic and do not need to further investigate (though I will, because learning about autism has become a special interest). Thank you for your channel! Your DAS pass video was something I came across a few months before I first realized who I am. It helped so much to see an autistic person I could identify with (instead of Hollywood tropes).
Wow. Just wow. 😮 Just trying it on. I have a couple of family members with recent diagnoses and after taking and retaking the online “quizzes” have started to lean into it myself. Not worth an official diagnosis, but useful to put a few things into perspective. ✅✅✅
My husband said, “You don’t need a diagnosis to get sympathy.”
SYMPATHY??? I don’t want people boo-hooing for me, I want them understanding and **not shaming** me.
Yes and fight my own imposter syndrome
I self-diagnosed about a month ago, and I find it kindof terrifying. I don't particularly *want* sympathy; in fact, I kindof want to stay out of the spotlight! But here I am, learning about things like autistic burnout, social anxiety, and autistic inertia, and thinking "If I knew about these things twenty years ago, I could have had a completely different employment experience!"
On the other hand, I'm terrified to pursue Vocational Rehab. I'm *deeply* afraid it's going to be "Here's some soft skills! Here's how to present yourself in an interview!" when what I *really* need is "Here's how to prevent burnout. Here's how to handle PDA (which I'm not yet convinced I have .... but then again, I cannot for the life of me impose a schedule on myself!). Here's how to get yourself moving when you feel stuck! Here's some stims you could try, after a lifetime of masking!" I do not consider it a good sign when "text" communication isn't an option on the application form, and about the only way it seems I can get these questions answered is via phone or in-person interview. While I *can* do these things, I'd rather not!
What's worse, I'm also terrified it will take a couple of months of waiting just to start Voc Rehab ... and it might take *several* *months* if I require a diagnosis (which has *huge* wait lists!).
While it helps to know what I'm dealing with, the notion that there isn't all that much help for autistic adults resonates greatly with me!
I want to be able to say this is not OK. I can't handle this. Without being told no one else complains about this. Just suck it up and deal with it. Your just being...insert gaslighting statement here. If you grew up ND, especially undiagnosed, you have probably heard them all.
They probably still wont understand, but at the least you will.
@@seraphinasanilI keep hearing the one about "nobody else complains about this" at work. Yet many of our locations are a revolving door, it's just the low self esteem ones like me stay so we complain. The neurotypicals just leave.
I can't say I am completely self-diagnosed. I live in an RV in a friend's driveway. I am 79 years young. Not long ago the mother mentioned that her daughter was autistic. I have known them for about 6 years and Grace and I connected very quickly, she is 18 now. I started researching autism in women but saw nothing that rang any bells for me. One day Grace said, "you are autistic also". Suddenly my whole life made sense. Since with my problems in school, in my marriage (married for 45 years, three kids, I never seemed to make my wife happy), problems at work (I was an optician and became one of 360 Master Opticians, but was frequently at odds with my bosses). I spent 21 years in the Naval Reserve, 15 years as a boy scout leader and earned a BS degree. I don't mean to brag, but I had no reason to think I could be autistic until she said that and 79 years of questions and not really fitting in were answered, I guess I became and expert masker. I said, "yes I am, but I manifest differently than you." A few days later I was in the house with the family and mentioned what had happened and they all looked at me and said, "you didn't know you were autistic? We figured that out a long time ago. We thought you knew." so I was diagnosed by an autistic girl and her family. Would that count as being self-diagnosed? I see no value in a professional diagnosis as I am retired and somewhat independent, my kids live 300 miles away. I am delighted to find out I am autistic as my chaotic life makes better sense now. Thank you for this post. BTW I have taken several on-line tests which have verified, in my mind, that I am autistic.
Your friends sound amazing!
@@faeriesmak They truly are.
Of course that counts!
I'd say you weren't diagnosed by a professional, but you were diagnosed by an expert!
This is a fabulous story. Your friends sound amazing and you should be proud of what you achieved
Twenty years ago, I asked my psychiatrist if I was autistic. He told me I couldn't be, because I was "too intelligent".
Five years ago, I asked another psychiatrist the same question, and my suspicions were confirmed.
There is so much misinformation out there!
Your first psychiatrist was "not intelligent enough." 😏
@@kikijewell2967 nahh bro got fried or should I say fired
I'm 71 and have always been odd without knowing why...my daughter suggested I'm autistic and everything I explore online backs her up. I don't think it will change much knowing, except for a huge sense of relief. In naming comes knowing. Peace to all.
It is exactly that: relief. Trying so hard to be “normal” is exhausting.
My son and I are the only ones with an official diagnosis in our family, but there are many family members now who self identify as autistic. It's definitely valid in my book. 💞
It’s a beautiful thing!
Not only is it valid, in many cases, even if you do go to the trouble of being evaluated and the evaluator agrees, there's not necessarily much that you get out of it that you don't get from self-diagnosing. (At least not if you're an adult and considering being evaluated)
I agree with this. I would just be about $3000 poorer than I already am!
I do not know how to thank you enough.
I just saw one more thing.
The hand wave thing.
We do that 🙂
Sometimes (I’m not kidding) I want to cry with relief watching your videos.
The anxiety, masking, and (now unconscious) camouflaging finally make sense.
My son is 8 with ASD/ADHD. I'd just like to say, this woman is absolutely disgusting. I pray to God not too many people are stupid enough to believe this crap.
You can't identify as being Autistic. This is extremely offensive. These are the weirdos snapping their fingers instead of clapping?
This pisses me off so much.
Better to self-diagnose than to be misdiagnosed.
I was diagnosed at a very young age with OCD + generalized anxiety disorder, and my psychiatrist at the time told me she also considered I could have autism, but eventually discarded the option. On which basis? No idea, I was never told why.
20 years later (just a week ago), I found out I do have autism, and all thanks to this and many other internet resources.
Never underestimate the research capacity of a person in the spectrum.
For me at almost 65 I see no gain whatsoever in battling doctors to get an official diagnosis. I know it does good for some people here in Germany...and I am happy for those of you with that experience. To me that feels like saying: yay, another serving of gaslighting please...nope...I am fine with my self-diagnosis. By now I more and more say "I'm autistic" and not "probably autistic". Thanks for this video, Taylor...reassures me.
you're welcome!! and yes so glad you're finding more confidence in saying "I'm autistic"!
I understand about not seeing any gain in battling doctors for an official diagnosis. 63 here and first suspected I was autistic at age 60. I've been gaslighted by the medical profession so many times it isn't funny. There is also the fact that it costs thousands of dollars here in the states to get an official diagnosis and having one may cause problems we might not foresee (like being unable to immigrate to some other countries). So... I will probably not get an official one. Highly introverted as well, and happy with my life. My husband and friends believe me, even if some family members don't. I know the truth and have compiled enough evidence from old school report cards, teachers' notes, etc, so that if I ever change my mind, I have something to show, but for now, I am content.
Much the same for me at 56 here in the UK.
Fellow German here and I have decided to not seek formal dx either. I'm "only" 35, so there could as well come a point in my future when I might change my mind. But for now I don't see any benefits an official dx could give to me.
I feel healthy, I am truly happy with my wonderful supporting partner, have a harmonious family life, some great friendships, live in my absolute dream house, worked myself out of financial problems some years ago, I maintain a fulfilling job and I have figured out how to provide for my autistic special needs myself. And btw @MomontheSpectrum and this community helped a great deal on that. So huge thanks to y'all! ❤❤❤
Back to topic: There's nothing that I can imagine to gain from an official diagnosis at this moment bc I already have everything that I ever dreamed of and even more. Yeah, I know how cheesy that sounds and sometimes I wonder if all this luck is real, too. 😄 But it just is and I'm praying for all of you who are still currently struggling to get to those achievements! Don't give up! It is possible!
And maybe the psychologist's seat which I save for another one will be just the right stepstone for them to reach their goals and also become as happy with their autistic life as I am.
59 here and I agree!
THANK YOU FOR SAYING THIS!!!❤ You’re the realest for standing up for self diagnosed autistics even though you yourself have a formal diagnosis. THX FOR SHARING YOUR LIGHT WITH THIS WORLD💛✨
YOURE WELCOME!!!! Honored to be able to do so. 💓
For someone like myself, being officially diagnosed at 47 isn’t going to change anything for me. What self diagnosis has done for me is give me answers to the all of the things my adhd and gad diagnoses don’t cover. I’m able to understand myself better and know how to move forward with the rest of my life with a less self destructive path than I was on. Thank you for putting this out there!
Self diagnosed at age 50 and it made EVERYTHING make sense. I found my island of misfit toys ❤
Exactly this!!!
I always tell my husband that I belong on the island of misfit toys!
When you said "I acknowledge your experience", I felt like crying coz nobody does. Thank you so much🙏
You’re not alone and I support you! Trust your intuition.
@@MomontheSpectrum I will 🙏 and you 'll be a source of inspiration 🤗
THANK YOU ❤ I'm a 52 y.o. female who has been misdiagnosed countless times. I have come to the realization in the last 1+ years that I am autistic. I love feeling like I fit somewhere. I've done a lot of research and self-reflection as you put it and have suffered all my life wondering what was "wrong" with me. Now I know nothing is wrong. I'm just running on a different operating system. It's so freeing to be self-discovered.
❤❤❤ You are not alone Sister ❤❤❤
im so happy to hear this!! glad you're here. Thanks for sharing!
Bless you ❤ I feel exactly the same way . And I am 49.
Running on a different operating system!! I love that! I’m using that in the future. It makes sense.
Have I found out why I’m the odd man out. I have felt so ashamed because I don’t understand what’s going on around me, like I’m socially ignorant . I had dyslexia and had to leave class for special education. But I kept telling everyone that I can be with the regular class. Not until the school was forced to reevaluate me did they finally believe me in the 8th grade. I was invited to hang out after school but it was not fun for me because it was so much work and a lot of self gaslighting. I loved riding my bike to the beach and sit for hours by myself in High School. Wow! How life changing this been. After learning the female side of this has helped me understand me. Thank you.
I've spent around 6 months now, binge researching autism, hearing from youtubers like you share their stories. Telling my sisters and friends about it and I feel like Autism with low-support needs just resonates so well with how I have felt and explained my social issues throughout my life. I'm now 30 seemingly unable to do the things that most humans are expected to do with their careers, jobs etc and I just can't seem to do it. Every day that I scroll through the autism subreddit groups (multiple different ones) I constantly laugh along and see posts where other people are perfectly understanding how I feel on the inside. They seem to understand and it feels like I am scrolling through my own posts as if they were written by me. It feels good. At the moment I can't afford a diagnosis and from my understanding for adults it can be hard. But at least for now it feels like I found a label that helps me at least feel not alone in the world. Even if I don't really have friends.
Spot on.
Newly diagnosed by a professional. Its been such a liberation, yet so heartbreaking too as I have been left thinking only if I had received the diagnosis sooner, I would not have struggled so much in life. But I am embracing it. Thanks for all your brilliant work, its is really helping
congrats on the official dx! I know that's a big thing to receive. I'm sure there are lots of emotions to process. Let them come as they will. YOU are there for yourself now, and you're gonna support yourself through this.
There were/are days that I do feel awkward with a self-diagnosis and question the validity of it but all I know is the moment my therapist brought it to my attention, my life has completely changed. I've never felt like I've understood myself more and feel so free, and that's all that matters.
Absolutely!! You said it so well.
This whole video caused a bout of happy stims because i JUST got done telling my mom that im 100% sure on being autistic and she understood and validated me and now my favorite autistic creator (you) uploads this just minutes later. Im so grateful for you and my mom and my husband. Thanks for everything Taylor!
YAY!!!!!!!! 🎉 HAPPY AUTISTIC STIMS EVERYWHERE
Stick a fork in this one y’all
Thank you so much, Taylor! In '02, I was misdiagnosed with Bi-polar Disorder. After extensive research, I tried telling my Psychiatrist I did not have Bi-polar but was humiliated by this "professional" and just told to stay on the meds. I weaned myself off the meds. It took me 12 years to have a compassionate, attentive doc to hear me. During these years, I was being treated for depression, anxiety, PTSD, agoraphobia, and panic attacks. I was also doing research because I felt deeply we were missing something. After my therapist encouraged me to research HSPs, I knew I was getting closer. And when I met a young autistic woman, I saw myself so clearly. After another year of intensive research on autism, I asked my doc for an autism evaluation. She agreed wholeheartedly. Long story short, I received a diagnosis of bi-lateral neurocognitive disorder. Though it may be (I still doubt it) correct on some level, it does not account for many of my life experiences. The Psychologist was emphatic with his diagnosis so I never bothered to defend myself. My doc was willing to try and find someone else but I refused. After a month of grieving, I resumed my research. I'm sorry for such a lengthy comment but I've doubted myself for too long. I am a 62 yo female and I know I'm autistic! You've given me permission to say it...again because I watched your vid series on unmasking. I just needed to tell my story. I am a member of your MOTS community but I've been so hesitant to speak up and truly become an active member. Thank you again.
Hi. I have been declared bipolar but I feel like I might be autistic but not having the intensity of symptoms some autistic persons have. I recently found more about hsp and so many said that they discovered they were autistic instead of being just hsp. I am on meds for I am exausted so much after years of battling with diseases, conflicte, traumas and so much sadness and suffering. I hâd suicidal thoughts and came quite near of ending it a few occasions. All this suffering brought something good for it allowed me to forgive what others have done to me. Now, its a bit hard forgiving what I have done to others, for we all make mistakes/sins. But I was interested to know more about your experiences ( if you want to share) and see how they might connect with mine. I dont know if IM autistic or have had ptsd for almost my entire life. They seem to overlap alot as I have seen în a video from Autism from inside. But some of my symptoms seem not to correspond to ptsd but asd. I hope you will have a great time ahead. All the best wishes to you.
I always knew I was different. I was nonverbal with strangers until I was 5. I was reading and writing early and preferred books over human companionship (I often still do). I've always had a pure, intense love of nature and can sense what animals and plants need. I can often sense what people need, too, though I'm much more reserved in sharing. I've always had one or two special interests at a time and have difficulty with small talk. I was fortunate to be athletically adept and learned many social skills and to not take everything so literally playing on teams. I was physically very active which helped express the excess energy that builds up in my body. It was very hard for me to have more than one close friend at a time. College was unbearable with small dorm room, too much noise and people in my space. I did finally graduate, after dropping out twice, by attending a non-traditional college. I've had many jobs after my "career" didn't work out. I'm currently a writer, cartoonist, and tree farmer and mostly happy doing these things. Alcohol was my best friend for many years because it helped me be social (I no longer use alcohol). I had a nervous breakdown in '02 which precipitated the bi-polar mis-diagnosis. That's where my prior post picks up. This is just a few of my life experiences that have caused me to look for answers beyond what the "experts" were telling me. The plus side of all my work, research, and introspection is learning to better trust, accept, connect to, and love myself. Of course, I still have rough, fearful, doubting days. If even a small bit, perhaps snippets of my own story can help you with what you need.
@@gracenosbod8964 Hi. That was really kind of you. I am grateful for your taking the time and sharing it. I feel like giving hugs to everyone who has suffered în this life and as I am writing I am feeling like giving one to you. I really appreciate it. There are a few traits that connect with my way of being. I am a bit reluctant taking the test at my psychiatrist for she has already diagnosed me with bipolar disorder. But I would appreciate if that way I could learn stuff to help me with my traits. Thank you once again for sharing this with us and I hope you will have beautiful moments ahead and have strenght to overcome anything that might come on your way. And you always have our Lord to help you, so you'll never be alone. Peaceful holidays to you and everyone else.
Self diagnosed 4 years ago at 61 years old. Nothing else ever made sense re me and my life.
Thanks for this video. Very much appreciated. ❤
You're very welcome
Hello! I just turned 63. I cannot figure out if I am autistic or just depressed? Could you tell me what your symptoms are? I know it’s different for everyone! Thanks
@@Contessa998 all my life I felt like I was different. I didn't fit in.
Specifically:
Someone made a remark. I thought they were serious but the spouse didn't approve. I thought about it for 2 years and realized they were being sarcastic. They meant the opposite of what they said. Social difficulties.
I've always had stims. Biting my nails, my lips, fiddling with my hair, squeezing bits of paper, coins, clothing etc.
I've always had intense special interests.
I attach to animals more than humans, generally speaking. I can lose a best friend and be sad for a little while, if my cat dies I'm sad for years.
I make plans. I hate surprises. I like knowing what route I'm going to take and I get upset when I have to change plans or change route. This is getting better now that I know I'm autistic. I plan to be flexible when I'm with another person lol.
I'm sensitive to smells, loud noises, bright lights. I've been cutting the tags off my clothes for a very long time. Certain textures I just won't wear. I've learned to set limits on how much I do in a day, especially in crowds or noisy places.
Meltdowns. I used to have meltdowns and shutdowns pretty regularly before I knew I was autistic. People close to me suffered.
Occasionally I get selective mutism/aphasia where I find it difficult or impossible to speak, or can't find the right words.
I used to have depression and anxiety (co-morbidities).
I took a lot of online tests. I recommend embrace autism dot com, no spaces. They have free online testing.
I started a strict carnivore diet, no spices, high fat. It's been incredibly helpful with anxiety, depression and sensory overstimulation. My stamina is much better and I haven't had a meltdown in a while. 🙂
@@shoshanafox727 incredibly helpful. Thank you very much. I do have some similarities, but not all.
@@Contessa998 research is helpful. We are all unique. 🙂👍👍
Self diagnosed auti here:) so happy with this video, even under your videos there were people who dared to question my experience. I’ve been following you pretty much much since the day I realized and rediscovered myself as an autistic person. So grateful for you sharing your knowledge 😅
Yay!! So glad you’re here. Thanks for your comment.
The way I see it is this: before getting a late diagnosis, you basically have to self diagnose first. Otherwise, how would you know to seek a professional evaluation? I know this doesn't ring true to everyone, but it is why I have quickly come to realize that self diagnosis is 100% valid. Of course, all your points are completely valid, especially considering the issues with professionals who may not be up to date on their knowledge.
So yes, self diagnosis is VALID!
With Ring true, I mean cover all situations. Felt like a poor choice of words, and I can't edit my comment from my phone.
I understand what you mean!! It was well said.@@ItsDrMcQuack
You just contradicted yourself there, buddy.
My son is 8 with ASD/ADHD. I'd just like to say, this woman is absolutely disgusting. I pray to God not too many people are stupid enough to believe this crap.
You can't identify as being Autistic. This is extremely offensive. These are the weirdos snapping their fingers instead of clapping?
This pisses me off so much.
@@MomontheSpectrum No it ain't. And it never will be.
I appreciate you for being persistent in letting us know and believe in autism self diagnosing.
I was diagnosed as AuDHD in Sept 2022 at the age of 52. I had been self-identifing as AuDHD for a year or two before that. Here in Calgary, Alberta, Canada my assessment was free at point of service. I don't remember how long the process took from me asking my family doctor for a referral, but I think it was less than a year.
Self diagnosis is valid. The UA-cam neurodiverse community helped me understand what it is like to be on the autistic spectrum more than reading an article. I am truly grateful for channels like this one to help me along my journey. I had suspected that I was on the autistic spectrum from my son's diagnosis with Asperger's around the early 2000's.
Thank you Taylor.
You’re welcome! Thanks so much for your comment.
I am 77, considering I am probably autistic these past few months. No point in an official diagnosis at this point in my life, but it explains earlier chaotic life (but that could be from childhood neglect/abuse). I was lucky to find career of computer systems at 21 (yep, started in the days of punched cards). I was lucky to find in my forties a therapist who helped me process childhood and resultant issues, and who convinced me that the world needed “odd” people. What a blessing! I pass that blessing along to everyone reading this.
After many emotional meltdowns, i know I am autistic. I cannot cope well with clutter, change, sounds, temp changes, showering. So many things & y'know what, i am going to be more loving to myself going forward and aware, even if no one around me understands me. Its upsetting when I meldown & crash, i know it effects my family and that upsets me too but all I can do is help myself the best I can. A couple of weeks ago I actually told a family member that I only think black or white, no grey area. That was before I even began to research myself. I am 50 years old. I did a few of your recommended quizzes and scored high on the both i did.
Thank you... I've suspected I was autistic since I was a teen, but my parents refused to have me evaluated as a child because I was their "perfect" child and couldn't possibly have anything "wrong" with me. I have three kids now. I don't have the time or resources to pursue an official diagnosis and I've often felt like a total fraud because I'm so high masking. So thank you for this.
This is me. Thank you. 🥰 I'm 56 in the UK and started to research during lockdown when one video prompted me to go down the autism rabbit hole and quickly answered a whole bunch of questions I had about myself, including the odd exhaustion illness I seemed to battle with on a regular basis and my intense sound sensitivities. The main reason I didn't persue it at the time was the fact that just guessing what it might be made me feel better and allowed me to explore my reaction to things and self-reflect.
I love this!! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much for the validation!!!
Self-diagnosed for less than a year now at 23. What a trip lol
I'm still researching and so hesitant to self-diagnose, but recently I feel like soooo many things line up that I just can't ignore. Videos like this feel like encouragement to keep exploring, rather than to run away because I'm scared of facing further rejection. ❤
Just got my diagnosis. Autism confirmed.
Welcome to the club!! 🎉
@@MomontheSpectrum , Thank you!
Thank you for this. I was unsure about my own self diagnosis but then had a massive meltdown and realized it's been happening my whole life. So yup, I think we're a go. 😅😔
You're welcome here!!
I just got diagnosed with autism at the age of 32 a couple of days ago. It feels surreal because I’m a behavior analyst and I work with children who have autism and they have always reminded me of myself. However, when I was told I had autism I don’t know it’s been, I guess a shock. I’ve had random moments of crying but I’m not necessarily sad. It’s overwhelming. My family has always joked that I have autism, so it’s shocking that I’m reacting this way.
Thank you for this one. I am self diagnosed. My youngest son was diagnosed by his school during the IEP process. His diagnosis just reaffirmed everything that I suspected about myself. We are so much alike. I did YEARS of research before self diagnosing. I could probably teach a class about autism and ADHD by this point.
the research phase can be so intense!
Sometimes I feel like I SHOULD teach a class to the entire staff and faculty of the school that my son is in. They seem to be under educated on neurodivergence. @@MomontheSpectrum
I thank you greatly for putting the official document of UW Autism Center. I cryed tears of joy when you read that inaccurate Self Diagnosis of Autisim is uncommon. I am so over joed right now, I can't evem describe this feeling complitely.
I've been suspecting fir a while now that I'm AuDHD. I've been desdarching the topic for a really long period of time and I relate to a lot (probably like 80%-90%) of the sympthoms. In my household, my mom, the closest to me says that I'm normal and do not need to be so overdramatic about it. It made me so sad that she didn't even listen to me and did not consider this a possibility. I am not yet of age and can't get an official diagnosis (kinda scared of getting one...) and your video made me feel seen and understood. Thank you. Thank you so much❤
I’m evidence of this. Discovered last year through reading that I was likely autistic. Was referred for an assessment through the NHS, but the waiting times are crazy. Ended up having to pay a lot of money to go private. Got my diagnosis a few weeks ago. I was right all along and the psychologists had no doubt. One of them has a masters degree from Oxford University.
I self diagnosed I was autistic. Then I went to get an official diagnosis doing the ADOS and ADIR. Turns out I'm not autistic
Yea, no shit. You can't identify as autistic. These people are morons. It's offensive
I self diagnosed myself with the help of my therapist and it’s significantly changed my life for the better
You just made me cry, in a good way. Thank you for saying this. ❤
I was sitting here watching the video with tears running down my face as I felt this heaviness in my chest slightly decrease. I finally feel like I have some answers!
Me too 🥲 It is so liberating. It is a real blessing ❤
I don't know where I would be with out you Taylor. I found you the month before the Coldplay concert we both attended at the Cottonbowl last year or maybe it was 2 years ago by now, can't recall, but you literally have helped me get on the path to giving myself grace and stop beating myself up for being like the people I was surrounded by and tried to emulate always falling short ofc - it's been a hard journey and I have lost a lot of my family bc of it all for some reason but despite it all, I have never felt more in touch with true self since after finding your channel
Thank you for sharing this beautiful sentiment with me!! I'm so grateful to be connected with you.
I love it! The most important thing you said was, "I SEE YOU!" Autism comes with invisibility. Am I really here? Do I matter to anyone? Why will no one let me be me?
I do! I see you!! 👀💕
I hope you don't mind, but your words reminded me of a poem by Emily Dickinson, who is believed to have been autistic.
I’m Nobody! Who are you?
Emily Dickinson
I’m Nobody! Who are you?
Are you - Nobody - too?
Then there’s a pair of us!
Don't tell! they'd advertise - you know!
How dreary - to be - Somebody!
How public - like a Frog -
To tell one’s name - the livelong June -
To an admiring Bog!
Usually I tell people that I have sound sensitives or issues with strong scents, etc., because I don't really feel comfortable risking getting judged or gaslit. I only say enough that is pertinent to the situation - especially if I need to remove myself or set a boundary. I love your content btw. :)
Hi! Yes this is a great strategy for navigating situations/relationships where you don't feel comfortable sharing the word autism. It's ok to talk about it in other terms like you mentioned - sound sensitivities, also delayed processing, social differences, executive functioning differences, etc.
@@MomontheSpectrum I definitely struggle with executive function issues - I didn't know until this year that I was dealing with adhd. It's such a relief to realize this and no longer believe that I'm a failure at life. Just different.
I’ve only been considering my own autism since my eldest child did a screening and told me I’d probably get the same result. Since then, things have started making sense in this new context, and I’m taking better care of myself with this in mind - acknowledging when I need my own space, putting my AirPods in when it’s too noisy, that sort of thing. I’m not planning to get an official diagnosis; at the ripe old age of 50 I don’t think it will make much difference. But seeing myself as part of this community, and understanding that I’m not broken, just different, is really helping.
Your videos are part of that for me, so thank you.
I’m currently in the phase where I’m just exploring the possibility that I might be autistic, and I’m currently going back and forth on whether an official diagnosis would be helpful at this time. I feel like I would mostly be getting one for other people, not me, just to prove I was “legit.” And since quotes for assessments in my area are in the $1000 range…idk. I think it would probably be better to spend $1000 on several sessions with a therapist who’s knowledgeable and understanding to ND folks and learn strategies that would actually improve my life. In a world where an official dx is behind a giant paywall, people have got to see that it’s not always possible for people…certainly not practical.
definitely agree that sometimes it's better to invest that money in finding someone who will help you develop support strategies and VALIDATE your experiences.
I self-diagnosed around 5 years ago. I would suggest firstly spending time looking at the experiences of others online, such as Taylor of course but there are many others. It can be very useful if you have others to share that experience with you such as a partner, family or close friends as one the most valuable strategies is to operate in an environment where the key people around you are aware of your particular issues and can assist where needed. For me having my wife realise why I was not good at some things made a world of difference as she can cover me most of the time. Life has become so much easier just through the realisation of what's happening. If you then have particular needs to be met seek specific help to address those needs. Good luck.
I completely agree. It's more for me and my understanding of how I process things and techniques to help myself than anyone else. My friends and family don't think it's a right fit but when they talk about autism symptoms or tendencies they reference the very stereotypical parts and not fully understanding, which I myself have been guilty of for years.
Hi Taylor, just want to say a ginormous thank you for doing this work!! I just had the lightbulb moment that I might be autistic after spending most of my Christmas holidays alone because people are hard, and this video made me cry because it makes me feel really seen and understood, even from the otherside of the world (Perth, Australia)! ❤ Thanks again 🌻
I'm so glad this video was helpful to you! Thanks for your comment.
Thank you for the validation. I am waiting for a full assessment and have doubted myself many times. ❤
Thanks for "seeing" me and for the validation that it's ok to self-diagnose 😊 I just realized a few months ago that I am very likely on the Spectrum. I had been wondering if I should get an official diagnosis, but then asked myself, "why?? 🤔" I'm now 59, retired, and as an independent introverted person, I live alone. So what would a diagnosis from a professional do for me? 🤔 Right now, I'm just tickled pink that I can create and fill a category with things I just previously called "quirks" 😉😇
So glad you’re here! The article I linked in the description from UW has some more info that might be helpful to you.
@@MomontheSpectrum - was there supposed to be a link to an article or just the one-page document? I was actually hoping it would be more robust, but the one thing I did take away from it was that unless you have needs for services or accommodations that can't be fulfilled through other diagnoses, then an official Dx is likely not terribly useful unless you can afford to spend the money for the validation.
I was Dxed with ADHD 1.5 yrs ago at 60 (immensely helpful!!) and started to suspect I might be autistic after working backstage for an autistic friend's play about 2 autistic teens. (It's here on YT if you're interested in checking it out!)
So thanks for the info on self-diagnosis and the support. I'm a new subscriber as of a couple of days ago.
Thank you , thank you. 😭I just want to hug you right now. Every single word you said in this video was right on and it lifted me up and it’s going to make my day. I researched asd for 10 yrs and I still do as it’s my special interest lol. I’m autistic! Self diagnosed because I want to be with others like myself and help myself figure out a better way to live as an autistic verses thinking there’s something wrong with me and finally knowing it’s ok to be meee!🥳
Yesssss!!!! Sending you a virtual hug. Thanks for sharing this!
It is a blessing to have people like you to share inspirational insight on autism. You have been chosen by God to shed that particular light 🕯️
thank you so much for this. I've been in autistic burnout lately and being able to give a word to what I'm feeling without guilt about being self diagnosed means a lot.
I have had people in the autistic community ask me if I have been tested for autism. I have requested testing and been turned down becaue it's not done for adults in my state. Also my mom informed me shortly before she passed that my schools and doctors suggested she get me tested for autism. I think that may be enough for me to honestly say I am autistic. I did grow up knowing I was dyslexic and I always though my differences were because of that. Now that I'm starting to learn so much more I realize that they just stopped testing to early because that's what they did back then. It really hit home when my grandson tested as autistic.
Im self dx however i mentioned it to a counselor a few years back that i suspected im autistic she said "i can see that". I was dealing with 2 very ill grandparents so i was unable to explore more. A few months back i remembered that conversation and started exploring it more. Im 9000% sure now.
Exactly. People are walking around trying to understand wth is going on w/ themselves. And how to make their lives better through understanding wth it is.
thank you thank you thank you A MILLION TIMES thank you for this video
you're welcome!!! I totally support you and your self diagnosis. Also the content you make is incredibly telling - you are for sure describing autistic experiences!!
Self-diagnosis is totally valid, especially when it's impossible to have a proper diagnosis.
Yes, and some combinations of diagnosis are particularly hard to figure out. I'm definitely ADHD, formally diagnosed, I was OCD but am now subclinical, formerly diagnosed. The problem though is that I'm also a savant and likely have SDAM and it makes it incredibly hard to get a proper diagnosis as the only people that have known me long enough to be of much help have thier own autistic traits and I've got a massive catalog of scripts to choose from and don't generally realize that I'm doing it.
Even something as simple as reading a menu is something that I do oddly, but not in a way that people generally notice. I completely skip most of the menu, but unlike NTs that skip parts based on what sort of food they like, I mostly skip the same portions of the menu every time and won't order anything off of certain portions of the menu at all.
But, because of how rare that constellation of conditions is, I may never have a proper diagnosis, even though I'm definitely somewhere on the spectrum, probably near what used to be AS.
Yeah I live in Mexico and it's more then impossible to get diagnosed im 41 and I just found out I'm in the spectrum 😌😌😌
Indeed. An evaluation in the USA can cost $2000 or more. And finding qualified professionals may require immense travel compared to where they live. Which can be intensely impractical if job security or finances are an issue.
Self diagnosing *has* to be valid in this day and age. It shows that there is a great lack of resources for those on the spectrum. And it also shows how little regard society gives us when it comes to our needs and accommodations.
@@Magus_Union At least here it's for free.
Invalid. My late brother had severe autism. I was very involved in his school and had the honor of meeting probably hundreds of children, teens, and adults who were all very different from their personal to their place on the spectrum. If you've lived in that sort of environment your whole life, you also see similar patterns regardless of their level of function. Some of those patterns were obvious like eye contact and some were much more subtle that you could only observe while having a conversation.
The spectrum stopped growing on the low functioning end and once you start observing those on that end you quite often see other disorders like epilepsy, severe food allergies, genetic disorders, and other physical and mental syndromes.
On the other hand, the higher functioning end of the spectrum keeps growing, particularly in the last 10 years or so, to the point where anybody with social awkwardness, attention issues, and/or slight obsessive compulsiveness can get diagnosed with autism.
I've seen it with my own eyes, perfectly healthy children whose parent seeks multiple doctors and specialists till they get a diagnosis. The benefits include a monthly SSI check, an IEP, a van or bus to take them to school so the parent doesn't have to, parents can even get paid to homeschool even though they have no idea what they're doing. It's truly sickening. It's also common for parents in my area to open credit cards in their kids name or put their name on a utility bill because they've been sent to collections (yes that's a completely different subject but its an example of how some parents take advantage of their kids)
So when I see videos like this where young people can watch these "self diag" videos and get it in their head that they have autism when really they're just introverts with a nervous tick, it completely invalidates the struggles that, not just autistics have struggled with. Not just autistics either, the patents, caretakers, teachers, teacher's aids, etc who work their asses off to teach them to live their best life. In many of those cases, we grew up or went home after work every day with bruises, cuts, scrapes, bite marks, and even missing patches of hair in the process.
There are so many "stemming" videos on YT and TikTok that flat out look like the acts of schoolyard bullies toward an autistic person.
I hope you find it in your heart to dedicate your channel to helping those who actually have it instead of contributing to the watering down of the spectrum.
My daughter is on the spectrum and I find your videos very helpful, thank you!!!!
This means SO MUCH to me. I've spent literal decades trying to figure out what the hell was going on with me, why I am the way I am.
Thank you. I will reply from a laptop, after looking 3 replies as a type. I self identify after 9 months of research and resonating with so much of what I have read and seen. Over 50 years of gaslighting from medics and invalidation at every turn, I'm so thankful for this online community. You have taught me so much and helped me discover my true self 🙏
I'm so glad to hear this! Thank you for your comment.
After two years of deep-diving into autism and the autistic community...
Do I have a large percentage of autistic traits? Yes.
Do I have a lot of common comorbid conditions? Also yes.
Am I autistic? I can't say for sure, but probably.
What I have discovered is the one support I need that makes all the difference - myself. If I work on accepting and accommodating myself, whether it be for "quirks" or for actual autism, my life becomes exponentially less bleak. I hope that others can do the same thing for themselves, regardless of their diagnoses.
The self support makes such a huge difference!
yes!! self support is crucial and life changing.
I learned adult autism exists just a few months ago. It just hit me like a fish in the face, just a few days ago. That I am autistic.I am 49 as of yesterday. I’ve been so ashamed of being different. I mold myself to every situation. I hate the phone because I can’t see their facial expressions and respond to them. It’s too much for my system to deal with one on one interactions. I need my support animal or person. I become so tired mentally when I’m done. It scares me to feel that way because I don’t have enough spoons to help myself through my own Psychological distresses that I deal with daily. This causes self gaslighting, over eating, loss of control, total panic, ect. Growing up I threw up during emotional situations, Christmas, birthdays, family visiting. I had to clean and make everything perfect before a big happy event. So, on and so on. I have always felt like I never get the joke..if that makes sense.
You are so incredibly sweet & kind. Im so grateful to have found your channel. Congratulations on your sub plaque!! Your content and the care you put into it that plaque is so well deserved
As a 42yo woman who will probably never get a diagnosis, I appreciate you and this channel so much.
I can’t believe I found you yesterday and …. You don’t know how my eyes are opening and how I feel inside
Thanks for another great video!!!
Self diagnosis is the one of the few ways that a "normal" autistic person can get diagnosed the first time. Because we need to adapt ourselves much more to other people than the other way around, we have some adept to masking the symptoms.
This is what we had to do so that we could succeed in life. It was so with my own journey. My self-diagnosis was validated by a medical expert. I do encourage someone that self-diagnose them to seek medical advice, because many symptoms overlap with other disorders like OCD and ADHD.
I just wanted to say that I found you scrolling thru UA-cam and your experiences really made me stop in my tracks. The topic has come up in conversations with family about a year or so ago. But you’ve really given me the confidence to speak with my doctor. After going over my reasons of why I think I might be she is putting in a referral for testing. Whether or not anything comes of it, this has helped me to start exploring my world in a different light. Thank you so much ♥️.
You’re very welcome! So glad it was helpful to you. Thanks for your comment.
I have two children with an autism diagnosis and just two months ago someone asked my husband, "Oh, who is autistic you or your wife?" As soon as I heard that question, my brain just "clicked." I knew it was me. I started watching so many of your videos and they have been so helpful. It is not cost effective for me to pursue a formal diagnosis and will stick with self-diagnosis for now. Thank you for validating that for me! You are a gem!
I support you!! Glad you're here.
It was so expensive to get my now, soon to be 12-year-old daughter diagnosed. The psychologist who did my daughters evaluation told me that if I found all of my research relatable then I needed to come back and get diagnosed as well. She said there was no way I could relate that strongly with another autistic person if I wasn't autistic myself. So I'll take that and go with it. I'm not going to get an expensive evaluation to tell me what I already know. I'm autistic and have ADHD. I finally understand how my brain works and why I'm so different from everyone else everyone else. Thank you for this❤
You’re welcome! Thanks for sharing your experience here.
I self diagnosed after reading a random romance novel (The Kiss Quotient), freaked out a little, but was basically 99% sure, it felt so right. Then I got official medical diagnosis, just to be 100% and have proof in case I needed it. It was a life changing experience. I'm still adapting, but it's been great :)
So glad to hear this! Thanks for sharing.
I needed to see this. Thank you so much. 💛
I hope someday I can help you with a donation . ❤
Lol I'm one of those people who won't say I'm an adult with ASD until I get a real assessment. But I'm afraid I'll do it and then it won't be true. It could be something else. Even though my teen told me the other day, "oh I already thought that". I was like wow.
A site I've been using a lot for research is "embrace autism" it's out of Canada but it's run by people with ASD and it's really welcoming.
This video helped me accepting who I am a little further and all I feel is LOVE
Thanks a lot
Thank you for all of your hard work creating these videos, resources, and community. You are making a direct, positive impact on the lives of thousands of people, the long-term effects of which will ripple through society forever. I recently learned I am autistic and it has been a rollercoaster of emotions. Your channel has been extremely helpful as I try to integrate this into my life.
Thank you for the validation, and helping me discover a new resource in the University of Washington! They actually have materials for/on self-diagnosis, making it more available, which is amazing!
Yes I was so glad to learn about them too! Glad it is helpful to you as well.
Thank you so much for the resources !! 🙏🙏🙏
I have very little hope of getting a formal diagnosis for multiple reasons, so thank you so much for sharing this. It’s really difficult for me to reach out to new people, but your videos (and all of the comments people leave on them) have made me feel less alone ❤.
Taylor - you are an absolute blessing to so many of us - and this video proves that once again! As such, I have decided to refer to you as our validation faery godmother - because I SO needed this validation today - and will likely continue to need it as I travel along this exciting road of self-discovery as a late SELF-diagnosed autistic person. THANKS!!! 🦋🧚♂️🦋
you're so welcome!! Thank you for your comment. 💓
Thanks for helping us find our way through our grandson, and maybe our daughter’s, diagnosis. We have struggled with the medical profession, finding that part of the problem we were having is that my daughter (the mom) struggles herself. All the questions and demands from the psychiatrist put my daughter in shutdown mode. We are hoping for better in round two. I will be there to support her needs, while she try’s to give her son’s evaluators the information they want.😊❤
I have been journaling my entire experience of being on the spectrum. I had self-realization leading up to Christmas in 2024. And having a good friend and another friend who were both medically diagnosed. They see me, hear me, and accept me for who I am. I finally even get regular hugs from them every time I see them. There's no masking when I am with them. And that is also helping me to learn how to accept my real self. . . again.
I called a testing specialist this week and the test was over $1000 and would not be covered by insurance. I guess I will forever be self-diagnosed.
Keep in mind that even if you did pay for the testing, there's no guarantee that the evaluation would be accurate anyways.
Hilarious in a sad way, since all they'll do is ask you to fill out a questionnaire and then they'll use the scoring sheet that's on the last page of the questionnaire. But sure, that's totally $1000 of work. 🙄
Thank you so much for saying this! Not all of us live in places where obtaining formal diagnosis is possible or financially feasible.
Thank you so much for your videos! You’ve inspired me so much! I’ve been struggling with Asperger syndrome my whole life and I have been misdiagnosed so many times! Last year with a lot of research and with your videos I was able to self diagnosed and I was finally able to understand what I’ve been going through since I was born! Thank you so much! I am proud to say that I am part of this beautiful community!
Ok so I cried . Your supportive words hit hard for me
OMG, this helps so much, thanks for validating us 😊
I know this is unrelated but your eye color is so amazing. It causes one to really pay attention.
I started crying watching this. Thank you so much!❤️ I've known for quite a while that I'm autistic, but I don't have the finances to get an official diagnosis. I have a therapist who specializes on autism and she says I'm quite clearly autistic. However, I feel like no one will hear me until I pay crazy amount of money and get officially diagnosed. I'm myself only around my husband
This was so incredibly validating! After 50 years of being gaslit about knowing I am different or have mental health struggles, I really can't argue or shut out the words of those who just "don't see" my autism. I was proud of myself when I told a close friend that they didn't have to, them not seeing my autism didn't make it any less present.
When you've been making your whole life, it's hard for others to believe you!!
❤ Thank you ❤ God bless you ❤🥰 And thank you, University of Washington Autism Center ❤
My brother was ready to disagree on self-diagnosis, but agreed once I explained it.
Congratulations on your plaque!
I'm very happy to get to watch your well planned videos. I appreciate the information you share with us! I think I would have the most difficulty maintaining a UA-cam channel because my words come out slower than my brain thinks them. It's really great to get to hear your every word and not combination words that most situations understand logically but not audibly.... I talk over myself and over explain. I'm grateful for you
Thank you!
Thank you for welcoming me and my family 😭 ❤. Our son was recently diagnosed and I came upon your channel seeking information. Then I realised I grew up with a father who was deeply autistic and unique ❤. He sadly passed away. Now I am in the realisation phase that I too have many traits that are partly autism. I’ve always pushed on, been courageous, brave and pushed myself to do more than others. Now I am a professor and mother of four, processing what to make of this new realisation and how it affects me, my beautiful kids and the great students I supervise.
I think your channel really resonates with me because you communicate like me and look kind of similar (but younger!)
Thanks. Your videos are truly helpful. 🇦🇺🕊👋
Thank you so much for this quote! I NEEDED to hear this today. ❤
You are so welcome!
Thank you for this video! I spent years thinking I had ADHD but wouldn't accommodate myself b/c of all the awful junk against self diagnosis. "Oh, I can't act like I have ADHD because *I* can't diagnose it... " 🙄 I suppose being Autistic and literal thinking played into that. Fortunately, I found a therapist who happened to be AuDHD and she validated my suspicion on ADHD and opened my eyes to the possibility of being Autistic. Down the research rabbit hole I went. I self diagnosed AuDHD before an "official" diagnosis. It's really tough to hear some of the terrible things people say about self diagnosis. It's obvious that they are just extremely ignorant. I've definitely fought back when I've seen those people attack self diagnosis and I appreciate videos like this. 👍☺️
So glad the video was helpful to you. Thanks for your comment!
Since I came to my realization, I have been non-stop deep diving everything on this subject. I end up with tears of joy when I hear you validate my thoughts time and time again. Thank you for all that you do. You have helped me find the words I've needed for 46 years but never knew it.
I research since around 20 years now. Although there's so much proof, i'm never 100% sure. I always try to let it be as i'm already 41 but i always come back to it and keep researching. I'm in and out at psychologists but they don't seem to notice. But i got a bunch of other diagnoses and i'm also very good at masking and can't let my mask down, so it doesn't mean much. I'm thinking about a professional diagnosis to ease my mind but it won't work if i can't unmask for them. Also i'm in Germany so it won't be easy if i try.
You are wonderful and wise and I thank you for stating something that at first seemed crazy to me and now I am grateful, very, very grateful.
Im moving towards getting an official diagnosis because if my employer tries to mess with me the Labour Court judges dont like when companies mess with disability and other health issues. But yeah self diagnosis already provides some relief and self validation. I love your bow, its super cute. ❤
Thank you!
The exact same paper found its way into my research during the last nearly year and a half of trying to figure out whether I am autistic. Surely, it’s already clear to many reading this (between the amount of time spent on this research and the odd tone to my writing).
This paper gave me permission to accept that I am autistic and do not need to further investigate (though I will, because learning about autism has become a special interest).
Thank you for your channel! Your DAS pass video was something I came across a few months before I first realized who I am. It helped so much to see an autistic person I could identify with (instead of Hollywood tropes).
Wow. Just wow. 😮
Just trying it on. I have a couple of family members with recent diagnoses and after taking and retaking the online “quizzes” have started to lean into it myself. Not worth an official diagnosis, but useful to put a few things into perspective. ✅✅✅
Thank you for this 💜