Well, thats what happens when you simply don’t give a shit about your illness and never, ever, ever give up. These are really the strong people in society.
Hi!! I’m from America. And healthcare here is a mess. Our insurances don’t cover an autism assessment for adults. And it’s really hard to even find someone who will diagnose adults. I know I’m ADHD/Autism. But I haven’t been able to get the official diagnosis because it’s so expensive. I do want the validation and ability to use accommodations but it’s 2000+ USD and I don’t really have that right now. In fact I’m having a flare up of my FND and I can’t work right now. I hope I can get it eventually. But I have done so much research and these diagnosis makes so much sense and explains so much in my life. Eventually I will get it. I’m so glad you got to get your diagnosis! ❤
Same here (minus the FND 🫂). I got the official ADHD diagnosis, but it absolutely doesn't cover everything without adding that little 'u' (AuDHD). Insurance doesn't cover it AT ALL over 18 and it is far too expensive, especially when your executive function mess makes money already an issue. Thank God for the validating online community (especially voices like @Zara_Beth)!
I guess I got lucky being in California. I got diagnosed easy and quick. I didn’t realize how different insurance is in other states. Here there are so many requirements for insurance providers. One is that they all have to provide coverage for assessment and treatment of autism regardless of age or intelligence level. So many other mental health conditions are also required to be covered both in being assessed for and treated. If I didn’t live here I’d still be wondering if I was right because I wouldn’t have been able to afford it. I can’t imagine that. My diagnosis helped me get taken seriously by some people close to me that didn’t think I was correct in my self diagnosis and even made me doubt. I hope you do eventually get your diagnosis. But until then, trust your judgement and don’t let the imposter syndrome get you.
@@HyperWolf Are you positive about the insurance requirement? When I tried to get assessed, when I was living in CA, the only available assessor for my insurance only worked with children, and I was told that if I was Autistic that it would have been caught in school (I'm still furious about the last remark). I'd love to know if I should be angry about not being assessed as well
That experience you described with the doctor who understood every struggle you had and every symptom is the exact experience I had when I went to an ADHD specialist for a diagnosis. I had previously been misdiagnosed by my general healthcare provider and the difference with the specialist was night and day in comparison. It was the most validated I’ve ever felt
I got my autism and ADHD diagnosis almost a month ago and I’m very glad I got it. However, I went via the nhs and ended up waiting 2 and a half years from referral to diagnosis, which is actually quite quick via the nhs. I was also very lucky that I had specialist nurses doing my assessments and they were really nice and saw through my mask. But it meant I still had to wait to see a pediatrition for the last appointment and beware some areas still use functioning labels like my area which meant I wasn’t validated as much as I should have been because I was labelled high functioning when actually I’m just very high masking. Thank you for sharing your story and educating people as our society still needs a lot of education. 🌸
@@freyamaexo2498 Firstly congratulations on your diagnosis! Secondly, I'm currently being referred for an autism diagnosis, and by the time my referral is accepted it will have been a year and 1/2 because my school took 8 months to refer me and the processing of the referral by the NHS is estimated 9 months (increased from 3). I'm desperately hoping the 12-18 month estimated assessment period is even somewhat accurate and your story of how long it took you recently is VERY useful. Thank you. ❤️
So glad i stumbled across this video. I considered a private autusm/adhd assesment but was worried that having FND would cause problems and muddy the waters - so for you to say theres someone i can go to for an assessment that understands FND is just ....a huge relief. Thank you!
Omg hi you're my favourite UA-camr. I feel so safe and welcome on your channel because I have anxious tics and autism and knowing that you have similar things makes me feel safe and I also love your content❤️
I've got a first step appointment with the NHS for autism assessment, where they see me and send me to the assessment suits me best. This is after a year waiting list and constantly being pushed back. They haven't been great and accomodating they haven't really asked if I had any questions or things I would like in the room etc, they've also not given us much info at all which has kinda left me in the dark. I'm glad your having a good experience and have got all the things you need! I don't wish going thru the NHS route on anyone unless they can't afford it, 100% DO NOT RECOMMEND
I was diagnosed at 7 and identified as high functioning they also withdrew my support in school as they were of the opinion I was doing fine at which point without support I was screwed since I am high functioning in that my IQ is definitely over 80 however I'm by far not functional in most settings took in till I got to 18 to get support back at which point my education or as put it 7 years of wasted time since I wasn't learning anything those 7 years unless I did it at home were done at which point KNOWING I had PTSD anxiety and clinical depression which were diagnosed when I was committed to the CAMS program in my area I was offered mild financial help and I Kid you not a bus pass. An what's worse is from people iv spoken too in my city my story is a good outcome for someone diagnosed in my area basically from what iv observed the NHS is all over the place with non visible disabilities and in my city specifically they were called out on side-lining people with autism.
Same thing where I live here in Germany. No new registrations, not even a waiting list. Some centers are just for young children. I'm 40 and I think autism always was a thing in my life, I tried to fit in but it got more and more difficult over the years. Not 'fitting in', depression, introversion, messed up school life and career path, it would all make sense. But either way, I will have to deal with society for the rest of my life, diagnosed or not. Keep it up, Zara. I like your videos and your positive attitude. 😊👍
Zara you are one of my favorite youtubers! You have helped me get through the hard times in my life. Autism assessments are not very accessible where I live, but I am fortunate to figure out that I most likely have autism, and I am taking steps to get an assessment. Your videos have been an inspiration for me and many others in the community. Thank you so much
Thank you for sharing your journey, idk it feels a little better to see other people going through it. I'm 40, existentially burnt out, chronically ill and 2 years on the NHS waiting list (almost by accident), I was diagnosed ADHD a few years back but it just didn't seem to cover everything, some of the most challenging things, by my sensory sensitivities alone I know there's more to it... I wish I could afford private but more than anything, I wish I could have been "seen" when I was younger. This isn't the end of my story, it's just on hold for a little while...
i remember watching a video of you fainting in class a long time ago, and now ur helpful shorts have been getting recommended to me. really grateful that u are sharing ur journey with us, it's really helpful and educational
Thanks so much for the great info. Getting a diagnosis seems like a such a daunting experience. Its great that its given you a better understanding of yourself 🙂
I am glad you had such a positive experience getting diagnosed. When I tried to get diagnosed I didn't have a good experience and it's lead me to not attempt to seek a diagnosis again. I had a meltdown the day before the appointment due to stress about college and fighting with my parents. I slept for 12 hours after that and was feeling better. The person assessing me asked how I was doing and I was honest. He asked me to leave the room to talk to my mom who had come with me. He made her cry by saying I was in crisis and needed to drop everything in my life to go into a recovery program. He also tried to say I was bipolar and when we asked about autism. He acted like it was after thought and said probably. It was demoralizing and I was basically punished for being to honest about what I was going through. He barely asked any questions after I told him the meltdown so he never got a proper history to show that I am not always like that. I never went back and don't plan to. That was about 7 years ago. I have graduated the community College I was at with an associates degree. I went to a business college and got a bachelor's degree. I am now working in my field.
I'm currently on the adult autism diagnosis waiting list for the NHS. They sent me a letter saying the estimated wait time is 3.5 years, which is just not worth waiting. I'll probably go private, so thank you for sharing your experience.
COMMENT… Wow, that was wonderful. My daughter, now 27 has some pretty significant neurological disabilities. We live in the United States and getting accommodations, assessments and special education required a very, very expensive lawyer who specialized in early childhood education law. In the end she got to go to a private school that adapted a curriculum to her needs. To hear your journey was more than brilliant. I was encouraged and uplifted by everything you had to share, thank you for taking so much of your time to plan and share your experience. I subscribed and hit the LIKE button but I would love to know if there is any other way I can support you in your journey.
Thank you so much this was so helpful! I’m a pre teen and we had been looking at Autisum and SPD assessments for me as it disrupts my school work someth8ng but this was VERY helpful, thank you so much!
Thank you so much for this detailed video. I’ve been reading so many books, blogs and social media posts, and watching videos, about autism and finding so much new understanding about myself. Just today my mum out of nowhere told me about a podcast she listened to with someone who was diagnosed autistic as an adult and my mum talked about what she’d learned from that, then said she’d seen that I’ve been reading books about autism, and that helped to start the conversation I didn’t know how to have about me realising I’m most likely autistic. I’m not sure yet whether I’ll pursue a diagnosis, but I’m really grateful to have this video detailing the process with RTN and if I do end up wanting a diagnosis hopefully I would go with them.
I’m currently on a waiting list to be diagnosed on my school’s behalf, I also have Tourette’s and it’s a struggle during the day to work through the amount of bullying I’ve received for the way I am. Your videos keep me going and remind me that people can make it through situations like this, thank you for inspiring me for this long 🩷
I have chronic tic disorder and suspect I’m autistic, and also struggle with anxiety and depression. It’s nice to hear from someone with similar struggles.
Hi Zara! I'm so happy I found your channel. I have just started going through the process of getting diagnosed earlier this week, and it has been a ride. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I love how validating and genuine your channel is.
Currently waiting for my assessment, I used your code which really helped ❤ Your content is one of the main reasons that I realised I could be autistic and it’s really given me the confidence to go for the assessment ❤️
Two days ago i was diagnosed with bipolar, personality disorder and autism. I was so relieved because it all explained how id been feeling for years. I told this to my friends and family. 4 out of 5 people said "and?? 🙄" I feel very unvalidated..
Congrats on your diagnoses, I hope they help you to get the support you need and to make accommodations for yourself. Unfortunately you can't help how others react, but hopefully in time they start to make accommodations for you. I think sometimes people struggle with things like neurodiversity and mental health, because they can't see the struggles in our brains.
This has really helped as I have my assessment on Friday and really nervous about it. Only hard thing for me is expressing myself properly as I really struggle with it. Once again thank you so much
this is actually really interesting because i've just gone through an assessment and we got put through a seperate organisation in the NHS and it was a really similar experience to what yours sounds like and it's been so quick compared to the rest of the NHS, now i'm just waiting and stressing about whether i'll get a diagnosis or not
Thank you for sharing your experience getting an autism diagnosis! I’m currently on an NHS waiting list for an autism assessment after being referred by the mental health hospital I was inpatient at in 2022. I’ve been told it’s a 3.5year minimum wait. (Currently done 1year, 3months of that so far.) Several psychologists have hinted to me that I may be neurodivergent in the last two years. I would consider to go private but don’t know how a diagnosis would benefit me. There’s always the suspicion of are private healthcare companies going to “over diagnose” people because they’re looking for an answer. If I’m not autistic, what am I? With the NHS, I find it’s very trial and error with diagnostics. If one label doesn’t fit, they’ll try another as if it’s clothing. I also don’t understand if I am autistic, does that make my psychotic depression a misdiagnosis, or was it part of my autistic traits all along? As you can read, I’m a deep overthinker and I’m still deciding what path to take in my mental health and neurodivergent journey.
So I've had a bit of a weird experience with getting diagnosed for my neurodivergence (in a kind of good way?) ... I got officially diagnosed with ADHD around the age of 8 or 9 and then got an unofficial diagnosis for autism a couple years later. I say it was unofficial because it was done by a professional psychologist who knew what she was talking about (one thing she told my parents when she said that I might be autistic was "you've seen one autistic person, you've seen one autistic person"), but I wasn't there with the goal of getting diagnosed so it was never officially written down. Thankfully, my parents did tell me about the unofficial diagnosis soon after and asked if I wanted to get an official one, and because I didn't really know what being autistic meant back then, I said no. But as I've gotten older I've come to understand my neurodivergence more, and recently my parents have asked again if I want to get an official diagnosis. Honestly, I think I do. Less so because I need the validation that I am indeed autistic, and more so because I want the ability to have accommodations if I need them when/if I go to college. My options for getting a diagnosis will likely be different because I live in America, but hopefully it will be a little bit easier for me to get one since I'm under the age of 18 and have an official ADHD diagnosis already. But this video was still very informative of what I might need to expect from the process if I get mine! PS: I also hate survey questions where the answers are "always" "frequently" "sometimes" ect... because I never know what they mean lol. This is why I tend to prefer open ended questions where I feel like I do a better job at explaining things in detail.
Thank you making this video. I'm just starting to think about going through the process myself, for both Autism and ADHD, so this is really useful information. We've just moved, so I don't know what the NHS options are locally yet (in our old area the current waiting list is 5 years!), but I think I'm going to have to end up going privately unfortunately. My old doctor thinks that the current providers will lose the NHS contract when it's up for renewal, because they're not meeting patients' needs (to the point that doctors are being told not to refer people unless absolutely necessary).
Thank you for this! Could you do something related to your seizures? How to control them or what to do when you feel one coming on? (I got diagnosed with epilepsy, petit mal/absence seizures) or how to live your life the same knowing you have seizures? I love ur channel you have helped me a lot
heyy, I love watching this video, I'm 16 and I'm convinced I could be autistic however my parents won't get me tested because "everyone is a bit autistic" which is frustrating but i hope when I'm 18 I might get myself tested, thank you for the video though because I had no idea what to expect 🫶🏼
My private assessment was with AutismOxford and was quite a bit more expensive. But yes my diagnosis did help me become more accepting and compassionate to myself.
Hey Zara!! Thank youbfor posting this! I am from Spain and we also have very long waiting lists here so i feel like u would have done the same thing (go privately if i were you). I am happy you finally got the diagnosis that you needed :). Btw last week you said you were in a flare-up. How are you? I hope you are feeling better ❤
I live in the US and I actually got my autism diagnosis through a university, i don't remeber a lot of it (even though i only got it two years ago) except for the relief i felt after when my questions were answered.
I love your channel sm! I dont have autism, but i completely support you! Youve been through a lot and ik i always comment but i love ur vids too much i cant help but comment on them all the time ❤❤❤i can get anxious easily and you help me so much 😊😊😊
I have been on the waiting list for two years now for autism because we don’t have enough money to get a private psychologist. It’s kinda stressful because now people are saying my autism is just FND and that I’ve had FND since I was 7?!?!!!!??(not true it started on a very specific day) I hope I can just get a diagnosis quickly and not be called a liar anymore
i have both FND and i’m autistic, but these are very different conditions 😅 did they mention *why* they said that or which traits/symptoms they’re referring to?? autism is a neurodevelopmental condition causing social and sensory struggles and differences. this is who we are, it’s how we experience the world and how we communicate and interact with other people - it isn’t a disorder we suffer symptoms of that can come and go! whereas FND is a neurological disorder causing lots of symptoms such as (but not limited to) chronic fatigue, weakness, non-epileptic seizures, paralysis, tremors, dystonia, brain fog, memory loss, speech difficulties, blackouts etc fnd symptoms can come and go/change over time and usually come in flare-ups where they’re periodically worsened by triggers
Hello. This is not directly related to this video, but I just wanted to share with you a really interesting program I just heard on BBC Radio 3 with the composer Gavin Higgins, who has Tourette's Syndrome and OCD. In the program he talks about his own experiences and talks to other musicians with the same diagnosis and how they deal with it. The interesting thing is that they all say that the act of playing music helps considerably. I just wanted to share this with you so put this on the most recent video. Thank you for all that you do.
Hi Zara, if you're doing a q&a, or just answering questions, I have one that I just can't stop thinking about. My parents suspected that I was autistic and told me this about a month ago after I'd opened up to them about having panic attacks. I hated myself (still do) and I was learning that my nerves/panic attacks/self hatred was impacting others and I finally reached out for help after struggling silently for a year. The thing is that my parents, although they suspected that I was autistic and didn't have anxiety (which was what I suspected) kinda call out things that I'm pretty sure are autistic traits. It's as if my sensory issues and being very literal (and probably more that I can't think of right now) are problems even though I can't help it. But I feel like if I were to say that it would sound attention seeking or that I'm just exaggerating my problems even though I really don't think I am, I'm just trying to unmask and be me even when I'm feeling awful. Sorry for the lengthy question, I would love for any insight you have (btw I'm 14 and in the UK just coz I can't do loads as I'm still a minor) love you and your content Zara :)
I’m in a similar situation, I really suggest just talking about it to your parents. The longer you wait to seek help the more you’re going to struggle in the long run. The waiting lists for diagnosis through the NHS are well over 2 years so it’s a good idea to get your name on the list ASAP. I have been waiting 3 years for my diagnosis and the process still isn’t finalised. Please talk to your parents about it ❤ wish you the best my love
Hi Zara I was wondering what your opinion (or anyone who is reading this is) on my current situation. So I’m an AFAB 13 year old who has been diagnosed with a sensory proses disorder, anxiety and was told I had ODD as a child (between 5-10 I think) and I’m 100% sure I’m autistic and have been aware I am for years. My parents also know and we tried to get me diagnosed when I started year 1 of primary school but it was so chaotic and they refused to believe I was because I am high masking and only unmasked when I was at home so my parents pulled me put because it was having a negative impact on me. I’ve come up with my own coping mechanisms over the years but it still has such a big impact on me and I still struggle daily, I’ve recently been looking into getting a professional diagnosis but I would have to get one from the NHS as my family cannot afford the thousands of pounds that it would cost. I know it could take years to get the diagnosis but personally I think it could help me with certain aspects of my life like getting accommodations while travelling (by train and plane) but I’m not sure how else I could use this diagnosis to help me more (is there anything that it could help me with?) I’ve done so much research on autism and have covered so much but I’m just not sure if it’s worth all the time it would take to get it. I would love all your opinions and if you know of any private companies that are trustworthy and cheap. I think having the diagnosis on a piece of paper would also help others around me understand me more (for example my dad who is the type who goes ‘everyone is a little autistic’)
That's brilliant! The waiting list for ADHD in the north (NHS) is currently SEVEN years and then (apparently) two years after for meds if you need them.
@@caily.drinks.air. I just meant that it's a postcode lottery for healthcare in the U.K right now. In the north of England it's a 7 year wait. I'm guessing you're in the south?
hi i have a question about tourette’s: i’ve had motor tics for about 5 years and vocal tic on and off but (i don’t think) continuously for over a year - so i don’t know if this is tourette’s or motor tic disorder. I was wondering if you could do a video about tourette’s diagnosises and accommodations for it because i’m starting gcse courses next year and it would be nice to confirm what accommodations are out there. so - how did you get your tourette’s diagnosis and what was it like? what accommodations are there in schools? also i find your videos really educational and interesting! 😀⭐️
My GP is referring me to be tested - he says the adult waiting list on the NHS in my area is four years for adults. My daughter has been on the children's waiting list for a year. She has at least another six months to go, probably longer.
Zara... you're the real life Zelda! 💜 Ok enough crushing on you... I'm not sure if you're a NBA basketball fan or not...but there was a player named Chris Jackson who later changed his name to Mahmoud Abdul Rauf. He has tourretes. Pretty incredible story and he was ticking pretty hard throughout his career and is considered one of the best from his era. Many describe him as Steph Curry before Steph Curry. Theres an NBA film called "Below the rim" where he's featured. Just wanted to share 😊
I got my autism diagnosis when I was 13 (9 years ago now) and here in Belgium the assessment and testing process is completely different than in the UK. Autism runs in my family, my two younger brothers also got diagnosed with autism and I have some people I know from the psych ward with autism. The way they diagnose autism here is a looooongg process with HOURS of tests. I think I had about six 2-3 hours of test sessions. It wasn't just a questionnaire. Though I had to fill in a form like yours, I also had to do these weird tasks and puzzles. I had to for example say which feelings I associate with pictures of random people doing expressions and I had one where I had these pictures that I had to put in what I thought was the correct order, I had to assign animals to my family members and then explain why I assigned them these animals. And so many other random things. My two brothers had to do the exact same tests and we all got diagnosed at different ages. I was 13, my younger brother was 8 and my youngest brother was 16. Weird. I guess every country has its own way of testing for autism. Thought I'd share this in case someone has a different experience than yours too :)
I went to get an assessment and the doctor took one look at me and went on about me (barely) making eye contact and me being able to write down my symptoms meaning I can communicate. That was very unfair but I can't do anything about it. I wish they would actually take young women who are not 5 year olds more seriously
Boys tend to be diagnosed between ages of 4-5 because they're more tantrumy and explosive. Girls with autism are better at knowing how to fit in or "mask" however as they get older and social groups beckme more complicated thats when some girls tend to be spotted around their teenage years. But there are so many undiagnosed women out there. For example, im autistic and i personally think my mum is autistic as well even though she isnt diagnosed
The emotional experience of discovering autism and getting an adult diagnosis is interestingly different for a low-masking vs a high-masking individual. There's definitely some emotional impact at least to the discovery part, particularly when you've got not just your childhood but another 19 years of adult life behind you, but without heavy masking you have a much better sense of who you are even if you don't have the words to describe it or a clue how to live life in light of it, so much of it has already been processed by the time you go in for your diagnosis, and a lot of it even before you discover your autism.
this! being highly masked means when i discovered my "true" self being autistic and started to step away from masking and morphing myself to other people, i had NO idea who i truly was or what i liked - it's a really confusing existential crisis to go through for sure 😅😂
Thank you for this video ! I am older but am looking for the testing . Seems impossible to find adult testing here in the USA . I have ADHD , and other things . Autism only makes sense now . My anxiety counselor is also sure I have autism . She has tried giving me all the sources she has . One nice person did call me back and say she found a website for all ages of ADHD and autism testing. But its over $900 just for the autism testing . It says have to pay up front and see if insurance pays "me" back . I don't trust it. So my counselor is gonna look into that further . And she gave me another resource to try calling . I am thinking this website is similar to the one you showed . 🙂
Your colourful wheelchair is amazing! Who did you get it from as I have Cerebral Palsy and I have access to a wheelchair and wants it to be colourful! My partner and his sister is autistic and I love autistic people and I completely understand getting an official diagnosis is so important! Love your work! ❤️ I also completely understand routines and structure! We love it! ❤️ amazing work!
I'm in the waiting period between my assessment and results right now (which even though it's private is about 14 weeks) and it's torture. I did feel validated but doubts about the results start to creep in with so much time to think about it...
I did like an assessment that was on zoom. It was horrible since I was there mostly since I have trouble talking in front of people. They told me "you have to talk now" and I just stared back, like, what do I say? I'm never doing that again. I did an other assessment (not for autisme) half online and half in person (two 3 hour appointments) and it was much better and the person was much nicer.
Hi, I’m 24 yes old and have been trying to figure out it to get diagnosed because I’m in a pretty conservative town that half the population doesn’t really believe in mental health concerns unless you’re actually just fully disabled. I have adhd, depression, possible no polar and autism, but I just need some advice on how to get the process rolling
It's worse in the US. There is only 2 people in my entire area that diagnose and we don't get health care unless we pay for it. If you can't work, you can't live. And you can't get help to get a job unless you have the money.
Hey Zara, Good that you had a nice experience getting your diagnosis! I was around 4/5 years old when i got diagnosed with beiing on the autism spectrum. I am now 22 and i'm still learning about my brain. Just a question(maybe for the q&a, if you want to answer); What are the things from your past as a little kid that seems 'logic' now that you have your diagnosis with autism? Greetings from The Nederlands!!❤🧡💛💚💙💜
Last year my mom had helped me in making a.. request(?) for an autism diagnosis, due to the fact that our family shows clear and visible symptoms of being neurodivergent (at least to my mom and I). If I got my diagnosis, then it would explain a LOT to why our family is the way it is. The wait list was around 8 months and when my mom signed me up for it, we were under my dad’s insurance. 1 year later, my mom gets an email telling us that they don’t accept that insurance anymore. My question is.. why did we have to wait an entire year to get little email like that? That entire year, we could’ve gotten another insurance, look for another doctor, more research. All that time waiting, for nothing.
uh...experience? I've known I had aspergers, but all the old documents got lost a long time ago so when I went to see a psychologist to get the fresh AD(H)D diagnosis they just happened to notice that I have aspergers too. now I'm finally taking adderall again I'm pretty certain now that quitting adderall was the worst mistake in my life
Hi Zara, Nice video! Do you have any advice for growing a Discord community? I started one a few days ago but need help getting members. Your server looks so good. 😊 What did you do to get more members?
Hello! This is unrelated to the video yet I need some other's opinions on this! I saw a tiktok video in which someone was showing screenshots of her friend being ' bipolar ' . However, I felt like her friend wasn’t bipolar and the person who made the video was using it as a "quirky" term. I left a comment asking if her friend actually was bipolar and she replied with no. I then informed her that she shouldn't be using it as a quirky tiktok term since it is a real thing people have and are affected by. This person then got mad at me and it sparked an argument over this. I have now deleted the comment, but am I in the wrong or not? Edit: I should probably add that I am not bipolar, I just felt like it was the right thing to do
I think what you did was right. And that other person seems quite ignorant. I hope you don't feel too bad about their behaviour towards you. Have a nice end of the week! ^_^
I personally wouldn't have deleted the comment, even if it did cause a disagreement, as you were spreading factual information and the owner/commenter of the account wasn't
Hi! I'm a 17 year old female and currently undergoing my acceptance journey for adhd and autism. I got my referral rejected as I wasn't at risk or suicidal and I don't have the support from my parents. I have put my referral in again but even if I go through the NHS it will take more than 3 years which will be when I'm out of education. Without the diagnosis I dont feel like I can request the help I need to do well in my alevels. I wish I could get diagnosed because it scares me that I'm going crazy and sometimes I think I'm making it up in my head lmao.
I self-diagnosed at age 14, it took 8 months for my school to gather the correct evidence and refer me, then the NHS are processing the referral for an estimated 9 months (they originally told us 3 months maximum) - I am still in this period of time but it'll be a year and a half before I even get accepted onto the umbrella pathway. I am now 15 and desperately hoping that the 12-18 month estimated assessment period isn't massively wrong. Why is it so hard...?
What is the success rate of diagnosis? If I am going to pay all that money I need to know the diagnosis is guaranteed. Otherwise it is just a waste of money.
this is a very vague question, but usually if people are paying that amount of money then they’ve done enough research to ‘know’ that they are autistic already ❤ it’s not something we do on a whim or just for curiosity (i don’t think there’s an actual success rate, but i’ve not heard of anybody -not- getting diagnosed because only people who ARE undiagnosed autistic actually suspect/research/think that they might be and go for a diagnosis! 😂)
somebody said this to me when i was doubting this same thing, so i’ll repeat it here in case it’s helpful to you! if you weren’t autistic, you wouldn’t be spending all your time researching autistic traits, assessments, processes, the stories of other autistic people and how they got diagnosed… etc! ❤
I believe I am autistic. However I also have severe anxiety and overthink things way too much. I'd love to get an autism assessment but I'm afraid with my anxiety that doctors do not like it when you self-diagnose and are most likely to argue with you that you do not have what you think you have. This keeps me from even asking a doctor for an autism assessment because of the fear of being told I'm wrong doctors don't listen to how you feel. Can anybody help me can anybody explain the real way to talk to a doctor. In order for them to listen to you and actually get an assessment done. Please anyone help.
i felt uncomfortable with the idea before researching and speaking with the company! if you’d like to know more about anything i am an open book, i do genuinely think they did a great job with my assessment (and friends’) so it seemed a good way to collaborate and share to more people the discount is only 5% as of course healthcare needs to pay for itself (the company needs to keep afloat) but they seemed really genuine and offered to give the money off so i thought it may help people 💕
Zara, Your brain has it out for you. FND, Tourette's, and autism? So it's gets to mess with you randomly (FND), physically (Tourette's), and mentally (autism). I'd ask for a trade-in if I were you. 😅
I've seen, on a number of channels right here on UA-cam, girls that are autistic and have the, 'more usual,' visual of possibly being autism. If the company you chose works with kids as young as six then they do work with young kids. "Self diagnosis" is not "reliable" diagnosis.
I don't understand how it's possible for you to glow like that through all your hardships. What a precious person you are!
Well, thats what happens when you simply don’t give a shit about your illness and never, ever, ever give up. These are really the strong people in society.
@Terrytibbs357 Oh please!! For goodness sake do not speak if you don't know the full story !!!
are you stupid?! you can shine on the outside while being completely chaotic on the inside. that's called MASKING
@@allesandra22 she is faking stfu
Hi!! I’m from America. And healthcare here is a mess. Our insurances don’t cover an autism assessment for adults. And it’s really hard to even find someone who will diagnose adults. I know I’m ADHD/Autism. But I haven’t been able to get the official diagnosis because it’s so expensive. I do want the validation and ability to use accommodations but it’s 2000+ USD and I don’t really have that right now. In fact I’m having a flare up of my FND and I can’t work right now. I hope I can get it eventually. But I have done so much research and these diagnosis makes so much sense and explains so much in my life. Eventually I will get it. I’m so glad you got to get your diagnosis! ❤
I hope you are able to get that diagnosis as soon as possible, and remember you ARE valid, even before you get the diagnosis. ❤
Same here (minus the FND 🫂). I got the official ADHD diagnosis, but it absolutely doesn't cover everything without adding that little 'u' (AuDHD). Insurance doesn't cover it AT ALL over 18 and it is far too expensive, especially when your executive function mess makes money already an issue. Thank God for the validating online community (especially voices like @Zara_Beth)!
Yikes!
I guess I got lucky being in California. I got diagnosed easy and quick. I didn’t realize how different insurance is in other states. Here there are so many requirements for insurance providers. One is that they all have to provide coverage for assessment and treatment of autism regardless of age or intelligence level. So many other mental health conditions are also required to be covered both in being assessed for and treated.
If I didn’t live here I’d still be wondering if I was right because I wouldn’t have been able to afford it. I can’t imagine that. My diagnosis helped me get taken seriously by some people close to me that didn’t think I was correct in my self diagnosis and even made me doubt.
I hope you do eventually get your diagnosis. But until then, trust your judgement and don’t let the imposter syndrome get you.
@@HyperWolf Are you positive about the insurance requirement? When I tried to get assessed, when I was living in CA, the only available assessor for my insurance only worked with children, and I was told that if I was Autistic that it would have been caught in school (I'm still furious about the last remark).
I'd love to know if I should be angry about not being assessed as well
That experience you described with the doctor who understood every struggle you had and every symptom is the exact experience I had when I went to an ADHD specialist for a diagnosis. I had previously been misdiagnosed by my general healthcare provider and the difference with the specialist was night and day in comparison. It was the most validated I’ve ever felt
My assessment is Tuesday and I'm terrified, so thank you very much for this ^_^
good luck
good luck!!
Good luck.
Remember to go look up all the symptoms on google so you can definitely get diagnosed then you can tell everyone you’re an auttizim
I hope that it worked out for you
I got my autism and ADHD diagnosis almost a month ago and I’m very glad I got it. However, I went via the nhs and ended up waiting 2 and a half years from referral to diagnosis, which is actually quite quick via the nhs. I was also very lucky that I had specialist nurses doing my assessments and they were really nice and saw through my mask. But it meant I still had to wait to see a pediatrition for the last appointment and beware some areas still use functioning labels like my area which meant I wasn’t validated as much as I should have been because I was labelled high functioning when actually I’m just very high masking.
Thank you for sharing your story and educating people as our society still needs a lot of education. 🌸
@@freyamaexo2498 Firstly congratulations on your diagnosis! Secondly, I'm currently being referred for an autism diagnosis, and by the time my referral is accepted it will have been a year and 1/2 because my school took 8 months to refer me and the processing of the referral by the NHS is estimated 9 months (increased from 3). I'm desperately hoping the 12-18 month estimated assessment period is even somewhat accurate and your story of how long it took you recently is VERY useful. Thank you. ❤️
So glad i stumbled across this video. I considered a private autusm/adhd assesment but was worried that having FND would cause problems and muddy the waters - so for you to say theres someone i can go to for an assessment that understands FND is just ....a huge relief. Thank you!
Omg hi you're my favourite UA-camr. I feel so safe and welcome on your channel because I have anxious tics and autism and knowing that you have similar things makes me feel safe and I also love your content❤️
stsf
Do you get the hiccups some times
@@patrickmcfarland2610 alot
@@patrickmcfarland2610 yeah why do you ask?
I've got a first step appointment with the NHS for autism assessment, where they see me and send me to the assessment suits me best. This is after a year waiting list and constantly being pushed back. They haven't been great and accomodating they haven't really asked if I had any questions or things I would like in the room etc, they've also not given us much info at all which has kinda left me in the dark. I'm glad your having a good experience and have got all the things you need! I don't wish going thru the NHS route on anyone unless they can't afford it, 100% DO NOT RECOMMEND
I was diagnosed at 7 and identified as high functioning they also withdrew my support in school as they were of the opinion I was doing fine at which point without support I was screwed since I am high functioning in that my IQ is definitely over 80 however I'm by far not functional in most settings took in till I got to 18 to get support back at which point my education or as put it 7 years of wasted time since I wasn't learning anything those 7 years unless I did it at home were done at which point KNOWING I had PTSD anxiety and clinical depression which were diagnosed when I was committed to the CAMS program in my area I was offered mild financial help and I Kid you not a bus pass.
An what's worse is from people iv spoken too in my city my story is a good outcome for someone diagnosed in my area basically from what iv observed the NHS is all over the place with non visible disabilities and in my city specifically they were called out on side-lining people with autism.
Same thing where I live here in Germany. No new registrations, not even a waiting list. Some centers are just for young children. I'm 40 and I think autism always was a thing in my life, I tried to fit in but it got more and more difficult over the years. Not 'fitting in', depression, introversion, messed up school life and career path, it would all make sense. But either way, I will have to deal with society for the rest of my life, diagnosed or not. Keep it up, Zara. I like your videos and your positive attitude. 😊👍
Zara you are one of my favorite youtubers! You have helped me get through the hard times in my life. Autism assessments are not very accessible where I live, but I am fortunate to figure out that I most likely have autism, and I am taking steps to get an assessment. Your videos have been an inspiration for me and many others in the community. Thank you so much
Thank you for sharing your journey, idk it feels a little better to see other people going through it. I'm 40, existentially burnt out, chronically ill and 2 years on the NHS waiting list (almost by accident), I was diagnosed ADHD a few years back but it just didn't seem to cover everything, some of the most challenging things, by my sensory sensitivities alone I know there's more to it... I wish I could afford private but more than anything, I wish I could have been "seen" when I was younger. This isn't the end of my story, it's just on hold for a little while...
i remember watching a video of you fainting in class a long time ago, and now ur helpful shorts have been getting recommended to me. really grateful that u are sharing ur journey with us, it's really helpful and educational
I have just started my diagnostic process. I am so nerveous, so afraid that they won’t believe me… but I have to do it. 😫
I am in the same position. We will get through this and hopefully it will change our lives for the better :)
Thanks so much for the great info. Getting a diagnosis seems like a such a daunting experience. Its great that its given you a better understanding of yourself 🙂
I am glad you had such a positive experience getting diagnosed.
When I tried to get diagnosed I didn't have a good experience and it's lead me to not attempt to seek a diagnosis again.
I had a meltdown the day before the appointment due to stress about college and fighting with my parents. I slept for 12 hours after that and was feeling better.
The person assessing me asked how I was doing and I was honest.
He asked me to leave the room to talk to my mom who had come with me.
He made her cry by saying I was in crisis and needed to drop everything in my life to go into a recovery program. He also tried to say I was bipolar and when we asked about autism. He acted like it was after thought and said probably.
It was demoralizing and I was basically punished for being to honest about what I was going through. He barely asked any questions after I told him the meltdown so he never got a proper history to show that I am not always like that.
I never went back and don't plan to.
That was about 7 years ago.
I have graduated the community College I was at with an associates degree. I went to a business college and got a bachelor's degree.
I am now working in my field.
I'm currently on the adult autism diagnosis waiting list for the NHS. They sent me a letter saying the estimated wait time is 3.5 years, which is just not worth waiting. I'll probably go private, so thank you for sharing your experience.
Thank you so much,truly. I needed this. Take care of you,and don't forget we *adore* you
Zara har such an aesthetic room and style
COMMENT… Wow, that was wonderful. My daughter, now 27 has some pretty significant neurological disabilities. We live in the United States and getting accommodations, assessments and special education required a very, very expensive lawyer who specialized in early childhood education law. In the end she got to go to a private school that adapted a curriculum to her needs. To hear your journey was more than brilliant. I was encouraged and uplifted by everything you had to share, thank you for taking so much of your time to plan and share your experience. I subscribed and hit the LIKE button but I would love to know if there is any other way I can support you in your journey.
thank you for the support!! ☺💕 i'm so glad my story/experiences resonated!
Thank you so much this was so helpful! I’m a pre teen and we had been looking at Autisum and SPD assessments for me as it disrupts my school work someth8ng but this was VERY helpful, thank you so much!
Thank you so much for this detailed video. I’ve been reading so many books, blogs and social media posts, and watching videos, about autism and finding so much new understanding about myself. Just today my mum out of nowhere told me about a podcast she listened to with someone who was diagnosed autistic as an adult and my mum talked about what she’d learned from that, then said she’d seen that I’ve been reading books about autism, and that helped to start the conversation I didn’t know how to have about me realising I’m most likely autistic. I’m not sure yet whether I’ll pursue a diagnosis, but I’m really grateful to have this video detailing the process with RTN and if I do end up wanting a diagnosis hopefully I would go with them.
I’m currently on a waiting list to be diagnosed on my school’s behalf, I also have Tourette’s and it’s a struggle during the day to work through the amount of bullying I’ve received for the way I am. Your videos keep me going and remind me that people can make it through situations like this, thank you for inspiring me for this long 🩷
I have chronic tic disorder and suspect I’m autistic, and also struggle with anxiety and depression. It’s nice to hear from someone with similar struggles.
Ahhh omg in my youth group today we were talking about Nerodivergents in social media and I talked about you and how you are a great role model😭💗
aww this means so much to me!! 🥹💕
Hi Zara!
I'm so happy I found your channel. I have just started going through the process of getting diagnosed earlier this week, and it has been a ride. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I love how validating and genuine your channel is.
Currently waiting for my assessment, I used your code which really helped ❤
Your content is one of the main reasons that I realised I could be autistic and it’s really given me the confidence to go for the assessment ❤️
i hope it all goes well!! i’m so happy you’re feeling confident in yourself ❤
Two days ago i was diagnosed with bipolar, personality disorder and autism. I was so relieved because it all explained how id been feeling for years. I told this to my friends and family. 4 out of 5 people said "and?? 🙄"
I feel very unvalidated..
Congrats on your diagnoses, I hope they help you to get the support you need and to make accommodations for yourself. Unfortunately you can't help how others react, but hopefully in time they start to make accommodations for you.
I think sometimes people struggle with things like neurodiversity and mental health, because they can't see the struggles in our brains.
BPD. *spits*
Me too!
@@hannahk1306 thank you so much. You're such a nice person and ur comment lift my mood :)
This has really helped as I have my assessment on Friday and really nervous about it. Only hard thing for me is expressing myself properly as I really struggle with it. Once again thank you so much
this is actually really interesting because i've just gone through an assessment and we got put through a seperate organisation in the NHS and it was a really similar experience to what yours sounds like and it's been so quick compared to the rest of the NHS, now i'm just waiting and stressing about whether i'll get a diagnosis or not
Which organisation did you go with? I've been researching myself and just trying to be patient and accept how long its going to take
Thank you for sharing your experience getting an autism diagnosis! I’m currently on an NHS waiting list for an autism assessment after being referred by the mental health hospital I was inpatient at in 2022. I’ve been told it’s a 3.5year minimum wait. (Currently done 1year, 3months of that so far.) Several psychologists have hinted to me that I may be neurodivergent in the last two years. I would consider to go private but don’t know how a diagnosis would benefit me. There’s always the suspicion of are private healthcare companies going to “over diagnose” people because they’re looking for an answer. If I’m not autistic, what am I? With the NHS, I find it’s very trial and error with diagnostics. If one label doesn’t fit, they’ll try another as if it’s clothing.
I also don’t understand if I am autistic, does that make my psychotic depression a misdiagnosis, or was it part of my autistic traits all along? As you can read, I’m a deep overthinker and I’m still deciding what path to take in my mental health and neurodivergent journey.
So I've had a bit of a weird experience with getting diagnosed for my neurodivergence (in a kind of good way?) ... I got officially diagnosed with ADHD around the age of 8 or 9 and then got an unofficial diagnosis for autism a couple years later. I say it was unofficial because it was done by a professional psychologist who knew what she was talking about (one thing she told my parents when she said that I might be autistic was "you've seen one autistic person, you've seen one autistic person"), but I wasn't there with the goal of getting diagnosed so it was never officially written down. Thankfully, my parents did tell me about the unofficial diagnosis soon after and asked if I wanted to get an official one, and because I didn't really know what being autistic meant back then, I said no. But as I've gotten older I've come to understand my neurodivergence more, and recently my parents have asked again if I want to get an official diagnosis. Honestly, I think I do. Less so because I need the validation that I am indeed autistic, and more so because I want the ability to have accommodations if I need them when/if I go to college. My options for getting a diagnosis will likely be different because I live in America, but hopefully it will be a little bit easier for me to get one since I'm under the age of 18 and have an official ADHD diagnosis already. But this video was still very informative of what I might need to expect from the process if I get mine!
PS: I also hate survey questions where the answers are "always" "frequently" "sometimes" ect... because I never know what they mean lol. This is why I tend to prefer open ended questions where I feel like I do a better job at explaining things in detail.
Thank you making this video. I'm just starting to think about going through the process myself, for both Autism and ADHD, so this is really useful information.
We've just moved, so I don't know what the NHS options are locally yet (in our old area the current waiting list is 5 years!), but I think I'm going to have to end up going privately unfortunately. My old doctor thinks that the current providers will lose the NHS contract when it's up for renewal, because they're not meeting patients' needs (to the point that doctors are being told not to refer people unless absolutely necessary).
Thank you for this! Could you do something related to your seizures? How to control them or what to do when you feel one coming on? (I got diagnosed with epilepsy, petit mal/absence seizures) or how to live your life the same knowing you have seizures?
I love ur channel you have helped me a lot
heyy, I love watching this video, I'm 16 and I'm convinced I could be autistic however my parents won't get me tested because "everyone is a bit autistic" which is frustrating but i hope when I'm 18 I might get myself tested, thank you for the video though because I had no idea what to expect 🫶🏼
In the end, it seems it may not be much better than the US system. Glad you were able to navigate the system. ❤
You help my feel more comfortable about my disability thank you ❤
My private assessment was with AutismOxford and was quite a bit more expensive. But yes my diagnosis did help me become more accepting and compassionate to myself.
Hey Zara!! Thank youbfor posting this! I am from Spain and we also have very long waiting lists here so i feel like u would have done the same thing (go privately if i were you). I am happy you finally got the diagnosis that you needed :). Btw last week you said you were in a flare-up. How are you? I hope you are feeling better ❤
Happy for you!!! I have tism traits, not sure if I have the tism tho? Idk. Wish I had someone I could continuously ask questions about my brain to.
Happy 3 years anniversary 🎉🎊🎂🥳
I live in the US and I actually got my autism diagnosis through a university, i don't remeber a lot of it (even though i only got it two years ago) except for the relief i felt after when my questions were answered.
Thanks for sharing this, I’m feeling very nervous for my own upcoming assessment this summer
good luck!! i hope it goes well and you get all the confirmation and support you need
I love your channel sm! I dont have autism, but i completely support you! Youve been through a lot and ik i always comment but i love ur vids too much i cant help but comment on them all the time ❤❤❤i can get anxious easily and you help me so much 😊😊😊
I have been on the waiting list for two years now for autism because we don’t have enough money to get a private psychologist. It’s kinda stressful because now people are saying my autism is just FND and that I’ve had FND since I was 7?!?!!!!??(not true it started on a very specific day) I hope I can just get a diagnosis quickly and not be called a liar anymore
i have both FND and i’m autistic, but these are very different conditions 😅
did they mention *why* they said that or which traits/symptoms they’re referring to??
autism is a neurodevelopmental condition causing social and sensory struggles and differences. this is who we are, it’s how we experience the world and how we communicate and interact with other people - it isn’t a disorder we suffer symptoms of that can come and go!
whereas FND is a neurological disorder causing lots of symptoms such as (but not limited to) chronic fatigue, weakness, non-epileptic seizures, paralysis, tremors, dystonia, brain fog, memory loss, speech difficulties, blackouts etc
fnd symptoms can come and go/change over time and usually come in flare-ups where they’re periodically worsened by triggers
Ive been on a 3 year list from the NHS now and it's just exhausting waiting 😂
Hello. This is not directly related to this video, but I just wanted to share with you a really interesting program I just heard on BBC Radio 3 with the composer Gavin Higgins, who has Tourette's Syndrome and OCD. In the program he talks about his own experiences and talks to other musicians with the same diagnosis and how they deal with it. The interesting thing is that they all say that the act of playing music helps considerably. I just wanted to share this with you so put this on the most recent video. Thank you for all that you do.
I have an NHS diagnosis but only in as much as my NHS outsourced their referrals to private practitioners.
Thank you for this video. I definitely needed it ❤
Hi Zara, if you're doing a q&a, or just answering questions, I have one that I just can't stop thinking about. My parents suspected that I was autistic and told me this about a month ago after I'd opened up to them about having panic attacks. I hated myself (still do) and I was learning that my nerves/panic attacks/self hatred was impacting others and I finally reached out for help after struggling silently for a year. The thing is that my parents, although they suspected that I was autistic and didn't have anxiety (which was what I suspected) kinda call out things that I'm pretty sure are autistic traits. It's as if my sensory issues and being very literal (and probably more that I can't think of right now) are problems even though I can't help it. But I feel like if I were to say that it would sound attention seeking or that I'm just exaggerating my problems even though I really don't think I am, I'm just trying to unmask and be me even when I'm feeling awful. Sorry for the lengthy question, I would love for any insight you have (btw I'm 14 and in the UK just coz I can't do loads as I'm still a minor) love you and your content Zara :)
I’m in a similar situation, I really suggest just talking about it to your parents. The longer you wait to seek help the more you’re going to struggle in the long run. The waiting lists for diagnosis through the NHS are well over 2 years so it’s a good idea to get your name on the list ASAP. I have been waiting 3 years for my diagnosis and the process still isn’t finalised. Please talk to your parents about it ❤ wish you the best my love
Hi Zara I was wondering what your opinion (or anyone who is reading this is) on my current situation. So I’m an AFAB 13 year old who has been diagnosed with a sensory proses disorder, anxiety and was told I had ODD as a child (between 5-10 I think) and I’m 100% sure I’m autistic and have been aware I am for years. My parents also know and we tried to get me diagnosed when I started year 1 of primary school but it was so chaotic and they refused to believe I was because I am high masking and only unmasked when I was at home so my parents pulled me put because it was having a negative impact on me. I’ve come up with my own coping mechanisms over the years but it still has such a big impact on me and I still struggle daily, I’ve recently been looking into getting a professional diagnosis but I would have to get one from the NHS as my family cannot afford the thousands of pounds that it would cost. I know it could take years to get the diagnosis but personally I think it could help me with certain aspects of my life like getting accommodations while travelling (by train and plane) but I’m not sure how else I could use this diagnosis to help me more (is there anything that it could help me with?) I’ve done so much research on autism and have covered so much but I’m just not sure if it’s worth all the time it would take to get it. I would love all your opinions and if you know of any private companies that are trustworthy and cheap. I think having the diagnosis on a piece of paper would also help others around me understand me more (for example my dad who is the type who goes ‘everyone is a little autistic’)
I’m on the waiting list for an adhd diagnosis, I’m on the free nhs and it’s gunna take over a year 😬
That's brilliant! The waiting list for ADHD in the north (NHS) is currently SEVEN years and then (apparently) two years after for meds if you need them.
@@AutumnsFlameDanceslike North America?
@@caily.drinks.air. I just meant that it's a postcode lottery for healthcare in the U.K right now. In the north of England it's a 7 year wait. I'm guessing you're in the south?
@@AutumnsFlameDances ohhh ok srry I was confused lol
hi i have a question about tourette’s:
i’ve had motor tics for about 5 years and vocal tic on and off but (i don’t think) continuously for over a year - so i don’t know if this is tourette’s or motor tic disorder. I was wondering if you could do a video about tourette’s diagnosises and accommodations for it because i’m starting gcse courses next year and it would be nice to confirm what accommodations are out there.
so - how did you get your tourette’s diagnosis and what was it like?
what accommodations are there in schools?
also i find your videos really educational and interesting! 😀⭐️
My GP is referring me to be tested - he says the adult waiting list on the NHS in my area is four years for adults. My daughter has been on the children's waiting list for a year. She has at least another six months to go, probably longer.
As a fellow autistic person I know exactly how that feels lol
Zara... you're the real life Zelda! 💜 Ok enough crushing on you...
I'm not sure if you're a NBA basketball fan or not...but there was a player named Chris Jackson who later changed his name to Mahmoud Abdul Rauf. He has tourretes. Pretty incredible story and he was ticking pretty hard throughout his career and is considered one of the best from his era. Many describe him as Steph Curry before Steph Curry. Theres an NBA film called "Below the rim" where he's featured. Just wanted to share 😊
I got my autism diagnosis when I was 13 (9 years ago now) and here in Belgium the assessment and testing process is completely different than in the UK. Autism runs in my family, my two younger brothers also got diagnosed with autism and I have some people I know from the psych ward with autism. The way they diagnose autism here is a looooongg process with HOURS of tests. I think I had about six 2-3 hours of test sessions. It wasn't just a questionnaire. Though I had to fill in a form like yours, I also had to do these weird tasks and puzzles. I had to for example say which feelings I associate with pictures of random people doing expressions and I had one where I had these pictures that I had to put in what I thought was the correct order, I had to assign animals to my family members and then explain why I assigned them these animals. And so many other random things. My two brothers had to do the exact same tests and we all got diagnosed at different ages. I was 13, my younger brother was 8 and my youngest brother was 16. Weird. I guess every country has its own way of testing for autism. Thought I'd share this in case someone has a different experience than yours too :)
Yesss! Great video.
I went to get an assessment and the doctor took one look at me and went on about me (barely) making eye contact and me being able to write down my symptoms meaning I can communicate. That was very unfair but I can't do anything about it. I wish they would actually take young women who are not 5 year olds more seriously
Boys tend to be diagnosed between ages of 4-5 because they're more tantrumy and explosive. Girls with autism are better at knowing how to fit in or "mask" however as they get older and social groups beckme more complicated thats when some girls tend to be spotted around their teenage years. But there are so many undiagnosed women out there. For example, im autistic and i personally think my mum is autistic as well even though she isnt diagnosed
Could u make a tourettes diagnosis vid pls??😊
The emotional experience of discovering autism and getting an adult diagnosis is interestingly different for a low-masking vs a high-masking individual. There's definitely some emotional impact at least to the discovery part, particularly when you've got not just your childhood but another 19 years of adult life behind you, but without heavy masking you have a much better sense of who you are even if you don't have the words to describe it or a clue how to live life in light of it, so much of it has already been processed by the time you go in for your diagnosis, and a lot of it even before you discover your autism.
Hey I wrote 3 PARAGRAPHS
(Comments) And they all DISAPPEARED for some reason and I am really sad about it
@@Challengedominator Yeah, UA-cam is weird like that.
Oh ok thanks
I commented two more and one of them wroked
this! being highly masked means when i discovered my "true" self being autistic and started to step away from masking and morphing myself to other people, i had NO idea who i truly was or what i liked - it's a really confusing existential crisis to go through for sure 😅😂
I just want to let you know that I’m autistic and seeing you have the same struggles
25 seconds ago! I love your vids
Thank you for this video ! I am older but am looking for the testing . Seems impossible to find adult testing here in the USA . I have ADHD , and other things . Autism only makes sense now . My anxiety counselor is also sure I have autism . She has tried giving me all the sources she has . One nice person did call me back and say she found a website for all ages of ADHD and autism testing. But its over $900 just for the autism testing . It says have to pay up front and see if insurance pays "me" back . I don't trust it. So my counselor is gonna look into that further . And she gave me another resource to try calling . I am thinking this website is similar to the one you showed . 🙂
i hope you can find a place which will suit your needs and be covered by insurance!! you deserve answers and better support :)
Your colourful wheelchair is amazing! Who did you get it from as I have Cerebral Palsy and I have access to a wheelchair and wants it to be colourful!
My partner and his sister is autistic and I love autistic people and I completely understand getting an official diagnosis is so important! Love your work! ❤️ I also completely understand routines and structure! We love it! ❤️ amazing work!
Zara I've got news for you I have autism too but I learn to live with it plus I'm handling it slowly but surely
Hi :D, today I’m trying a sensory friendly day, idk I just felt like it :]
I'm in the waiting period between my assessment and results right now (which even though it's private is about 14 weeks) and it's torture. I did feel validated but doubts about the results start to creep in with so much time to think about it...
My assessment was very similar to yours which is validating!
OMG TYSMMMMMM I NEEDED THIS CUZ I GOTTA GET TESTED FOR IT AND I WANTED TO KNOW THESE THINGS
I did like an assessment that was on zoom. It was horrible since I was there mostly since I have trouble talking in front of people. They told me "you have to talk now" and I just stared back, like, what do I say? I'm never doing that again. I did an other assessment (not for autisme) half online and half in person (two 3 hour appointments) and it was much better and the person was much nicer.
Hi, I’m 24 yes old and have been trying to figure out it to get diagnosed because I’m in a pretty conservative town that half the population doesn’t really believe in mental health concerns unless you’re actually just fully disabled. I have adhd, depression, possible no polar and autism, but I just need some advice on how to get the process rolling
It's worse in the US. There is only 2 people in my entire area that diagnose and we don't get health care unless we pay for it. If you can't work, you can't live. And you can't get help to get a job unless you have the money.
Hey Zara,
Good that you had a nice experience getting your diagnosis!
I was around 4/5 years old when i got diagnosed with beiing on the autism spectrum. I am now 22 and i'm still learning about my brain.
Just a question(maybe for the q&a, if you want to answer); What are the things from your past as a little kid that seems 'logic' now that you have your diagnosis with autism?
Greetings from The Nederlands!!❤🧡💛💚💙💜
TY
Your words are wisdom. How do you do everything lol 😆
Ok hear me out, what if I'm too terrified to talk to anyone 😅
in the US you got insurance no NHS LOL we're just thrown into the deepend and be told "good luck!" im not even and adult and US people got screwed
Last year my mom had helped me in making a.. request(?) for an autism diagnosis, due to the fact that our family shows clear and visible symptoms of being neurodivergent (at least to my mom and I). If I got my diagnosis, then it would explain a LOT to why our family is the way it is. The wait list was around 8 months and when my mom signed me up for it, we were under my dad’s insurance. 1 year later, my mom gets an email telling us that they don’t accept that insurance anymore. My question is.. why did we have to wait an entire year to get little email like that? That entire year, we could’ve gotten another insurance, look for another doctor, more research. All that time waiting, for nothing.
uh...experience?
I've known I had aspergers, but all the old documents got lost a long time ago
so when I went to see a psychologist to get the fresh AD(H)D diagnosis they just happened to notice that I have aspergers too.
now I'm finally taking adderall again
I'm pretty certain now that quitting adderall was the worst mistake in my life
Hi
Hi Zara, Nice video! Do you have any advice for growing a Discord community? I started one a few days ago but need help getting members. Your server looks so good. 😊 What did you do to get more members?
Hello! This is unrelated to the video yet I need some other's opinions on this!
I saw a tiktok video in which someone was showing screenshots of her friend being ' bipolar ' . However, I felt like her friend wasn’t bipolar and the person who made the video was using it as a "quirky" term. I left a comment asking if her friend actually was bipolar and she replied with no. I then informed her that she shouldn't be using it as a quirky tiktok term since it is a real thing people have and are affected by. This person then got mad at me and it sparked an argument over this.
I have now deleted the comment, but am I in the wrong or not?
Edit: I should probably add that I am not bipolar, I just felt like it was the right thing to do
I think what you did was right. And that other person seems quite ignorant. I hope you don't feel too bad about their behaviour towards you. Have a nice end of the week! ^_^
@Limonene809 Thanks! I Hope you have a nice end if the week aswell :)
@@TheMain__Character Thank you! ^^
I personally wouldn't have deleted the comment, even if it did cause a disagreement, as you were spreading factual information and the owner/commenter of the account wasn't
Hi! I'm a 17 year old female and currently undergoing my acceptance journey for adhd and autism. I got my referral rejected as I wasn't at risk or suicidal and I don't have the support from my parents. I have put my referral in again but even if I go through the NHS it will take more than 3 years which will be when I'm out of education. Without the diagnosis I dont feel like I can request the help I need to do well in my alevels. I wish I could get diagnosed because it scares me that I'm going crazy and sometimes I think I'm making it up in my head lmao.
Can you please tell me where you got your wheelchair please I’ve been searching forever to find one like that ❤❤❤
it’s an @rgkwheelchairs Tiga Sub 4!
I self-diagnosed at age 14, it took 8 months for my school to gather the correct evidence and refer me, then the NHS are processing the referral for an estimated 9 months (they originally told us 3 months maximum) - I am still in this period of time but it'll be a year and a half before I even get accepted onto the umbrella pathway. I am now 15 and desperately hoping that the 12-18 month estimated assessment period isn't massively wrong. Why is it so hard...?
What pricing was it for you?
What is the success rate of diagnosis? If I am going to pay all that money I need to know the diagnosis is guaranteed. Otherwise it is just a waste of money.
this is a very vague question, but usually if people are paying that amount of money then they’ve done enough research to ‘know’ that they are autistic already ❤
it’s not something we do on a whim or just for curiosity
(i don’t think there’s an actual success rate, but i’ve not heard of anybody -not- getting diagnosed because only people who ARE undiagnosed autistic actually suspect/research/think that they might be and go for a diagnosis! 😂)
somebody said this to me when i was doubting this same thing, so i’ll repeat it here in case it’s helpful to you!
if you weren’t autistic, you wouldn’t be spending all your time researching autistic traits, assessments, processes, the stories of other autistic people and how they got diagnosed… etc! ❤
❤️🔥💎ZARA💎BETH💎❤️🔥
Loki high key I js want a diagnosis so My teachers will allow me to wear headphones
First! I already know this vid is gonna be good and helpful!! 🫶🏻
HIII:):):
I believe I am autistic. However I also have severe anxiety and overthink things way too much. I'd love to get an autism assessment but I'm afraid with my anxiety that doctors do not like it when you self-diagnose and are most likely to argue with you that you do not have what you think you have. This keeps me from even asking a doctor for an autism assessment because of the fear of being told I'm wrong doctors don't listen to how you feel. Can anybody help me can anybody explain the real way to talk to a doctor. In order for them to listen to you and actually get an assessment done. Please anyone help.
Im sorry
When you choose your assessor did it state that she was a FND speclist or was it just a coincidence when the assessment came along? Xx
i told them my medical history and they paired me with her as it was relevant!❤
@Zara_Beth Thank you for replying 🙏 and thank you for this information , that's really good 💗 xxx
What would you have done if they told you, you don’t have autism even though you feel like you are autistic?
i would have probably gone for a second opinion because i'd done so much research i knew the facts did genuinely match up with my experiences! :)
but i probably would've cried and felt like am imposter first 🤣
@@Zara_Beth okay thank you for your answer ❤️🌸
First like
cheeseburgers oooooooooooo
Discount codes for diagnosis websites sounds a bit weird
i felt uncomfortable with the idea before researching and speaking with the company! if you’d like to know more about anything i am an open book, i do genuinely think they did a great job with my assessment (and friends’) so it seemed a good way to collaborate and share to more people
the discount is only 5% as of course healthcare needs to pay for itself (the company needs to keep afloat) but they seemed really genuine and offered to give the money off so i thought it may help people 💕
@@Zara_Beth ok fair enough. I didn’t mean it in a rude way btw. But if they were useful to you then it’s a good thing
@@micellaragua that’s okay! yes, i would of course never promote any diagnoses or companies i haven’t personally had experience with 🫶🏻
Zara,
Your brain has it out for you. FND, Tourette's, and autism? So it's gets to mess with you randomly (FND), physically (Tourette's), and mentally (autism). I'd ask for a trade-in if I were you. 😅
I've seen, on a number of channels right here on UA-cam, girls that are autistic and have the, 'more usual,' visual of possibly being autism.
If the company you chose works with kids as young as six then they do work with young kids.
"Self diagnosis" is not "reliable" diagnosis.