One of the reasons I want a professional diagnosis is because I want to further the recognition that women are going undiagnosed, it’s causing us problems later in life, and the medical community and educational institutions HAVE to change and stop letting these girls fall through the cracks simply because they aren’t “bothering” anyone the way many autistic/ADHD boys are.
I see many neurodivergent woman unrepresented. I have noticed that autistic women seem to have better commmuncation skills that are more advanced or rather they are more social than autistic men. I think being raised nuerotypyical can change some aspects of socialization. I was raised this way. I had a diagnosis in 2012 at 42 years old. This is why I think that is why I am more socialized, but certainly at the cost not knowing exactly who you are or yourself perception of yourself for 80% of my life.I still feel I am masking at times. I had edit this 3 X. Dementia has got me.
That's certainly a legitimate reason. The same applies to anybody that is neurodivergent that doesn't conform to the very narrow boundaries that are recognized. I've received just about every possible misdiagnosis for ASD other than BPD and PTSD. But, apparently, I don't seem autistic enough to get a diagnosis even though it's a far more reasonable conclusion than that I've got the better part of a dozen different conflicting mental illnesses that don't quite ever fit. The point where I personally knew that I wasn't faking it or just confused was when other people started to talk about things like small spoon preferences and these other conditions that I had no idea were related. In some cases, I didn't even know there was a word for some of it. I just thought I was kind of weird because none of my doctors ever suggested that I look for those things.
@@DavidBowman-mq1bm I'm not sure that that's really the case. There's a bunch of men that still struggle to get diagnosed for similar reasons, but at this point there's more awareness that women tend to be under diagnosed, so more UA-cam videos and awareness. Because of how IQ is distributed, there's probably a lot more men that are effectively masking than women, but we'll have to see as more are properly diagnosed to see if it's really more women, and if so by how much. The tolerance for men to just sit there and shut up about emotions probably impacts that as well. I personally seem to have a pretty massive intelligence that's mostly directed towards pattern matching what other people are doing.
This all seems dismissive. Black people are overlooked at rates only surpassed by Latinos. While the whole system is flawed, and many are missed, these responses were better as their own separate comments, IMO.
self diagnosing means you might have it. does not mean you do have it. i told my doctor i think im autistic. i did not tell her i am autistic because i did not have a diagnosis. im schizophrenic instead. just because some doctors diagnose someone with different things doesnt mean they are wrong. treating someone with one thing is just that. treatment for a symptom.
@@davinadavina1331 being actually diagnosed means you "might" have it. It's not a blood culture smh And considering an actual diagnosis would be from a dsm what would stop someone from getting a copy of the dsm5 and using that to cross reference symptoms?
I’ve read a lot about it, watched loads of videos about it and concluded I might be in the spectrum. Funny how so many doctors and psychologists (friends and family) automatically disagree with me, assuming they know me so well. There is so much that can only perceived by ourselves! Being autistic would definitely explain many troubles I’ve faced while growing up. It answers many questions I’ve since had. I feel I don’t need to be given a professional diagnosis, though!
Aspergers is no longer a recognized diagnosis, it is all just ASD. Additionally, using the term Aspergers is frowned upon by most of the ASD community. The name comes from the doctor that first wrote about autism and whom was a member of the nazi party, believed in racial hygiene, participated in child euthanasia and treated his own autistic patients extremely poor.
@@kayleigh4714 Asperger’s is still used in many other countries besides the US. You can kindly state what you were saying while also validating what this person was trying to say about themselves instead of jumping down their throat so quickly for using the wrong terms. A lot of people still don’t know this and it isn’t their fault.
I have an aunt that thinks I'm probably autistic but it was so mild it wasn't worth mentioning (shes worked with several autistic kids) my friend whose currently self diagnosed and is working towards a formal diagnosis brought it to my attention. I then started telling other people jokingly like "my fren thinks I have autism" and almost everyone I talked to said something like "yeah I thought you were" and literally no one told me until just this past year and meeting another autistic person I find myself mimicking or exhibiting similar behavior as them. I'm undiagnosed and my therapist also thinks I may have autism. I'm just looking for some sort of solid validation.
I'm a self-diagnosed Autistic. I'm. 64 years old and the last 6 weeks of my life have been the most amazing voyage of self-awareness! I'm able to reconstruct past events, viewing myself in a more accepting way. This discovery is the best thing that's happened to me since my 4 children were born! And that's saying a lot! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜 #proudtobeme, #pride
I am also 64 and self-diagnosed. I live in a country where knowledge of adult autism is minimal and biased and adults are not given dignoses by the public healthcare ”because they do not need them, having survived without through the school system so they a can cope or b. are fakes”. The GPs do not know anything about adult autism. Having a private assessment is very costly and also difficult. Then, if you get a diagnosis, you are denied all therapy and all medicine for depression etc. because ”autism cannot be cured”. In this situation self-assessment is the only option.
I am now being assessed in a private clinic. These people are specialists and I will go through a series of tests and interviews, and it is emotionally taxing and costly. But I feel that I need that diagnosis so much that I will pay for it, and during this process all kinds of things have already come into daylight after a long, long search. For example, in the first interview I was told that I seem to have ADHD as well (never thought about it but NOW it seems crystal clear) and so I am tested for both ASD and ADHD.
I'm 62 & also figured it out for myself...then I took the AQ & the raads-r & yeah although they aren't conclusive they said get tested. That's really expensive anyway. Nice to meet u.
I too am 64 and starting the self diagnosis process. Having three grandsons get professionally diagnosed and my son, their father tells me he was sure he too was autistic. My brother’s son was ptofessionslly diagnosed as autistic as well. I started to learn more and more about autism especially since my son and his family moved in with us for a period of time in order for them to access a diagnosis and treatment for their first born. I then began to put the pieces together of other family members who were no doubt on the spectrum, and my poor social skills on my kindergarten report card. Few people I call or have called friend. No desire to curate other relationships. I have always masked. I’m certain I also am on the spectrum. There seems to be a strong genetic factor in my family.
I have self-diagnosed. I found that once I had an inkling that I might be on the spectrum, it became my special interest and I couldn't stop myself from digging into it further. Which only further confirmed my belief that I was on the spectrum, of course. I would like a professional diagnosis, not only to help with my imposter syndrome, but also to "prove" myself to the non-believing family and friends.
Hello, Mirror Image! I am late self-diagnosed, my newest Special Interest is learning why my brain works differently (Aspergers/Autism), and most friends and family (those not yet familiar enough with the topic) wouldn't suspect (or accept) that I am on the spectrum. (Me: "I've been learning a lot about the broad range and variety of traits of Autism Spectrum Disorder, and I really believe that I found the answer to why I always felt like I was different-- I belive I have Autism" > Them, bluntly, and with nervous chuckle: "Naw, you don't have Austism." > Me: (silence, as I realize they aren't ready to accept this.) [Shrug]. (Change subject quickly....)
I used to insist that I was autistic and people kept telling me I wasn't. Then I found out that one of my relatives and their child who have the same characteristics that I do are diagnosed with autism and they were hiding it from me because they were some of the ones who told me I couldn't be. 🤷
I'm going through this right now. It's been difficult to get to work and do other tasks since my mind seems to be innevitably focused on my self-diagnosis and the pursue of professional diagnosis. I'm so scared to be told that I'm not autistic, though, because my childhood and many struggles I've had would remain with no explanation.
@@rebeccamay6420yeah, it really makes me hesitant to tell people after I’ve had a few of those encounters. I also really don’t feel like going into great detail to explain it either. Maybe some day I will.
I am 55. A couple of months ago I began to suspect I am one of those people that was missed because of my age when it comes to an autism diagnosis. I am having this experience of thinking about the qualities I have had since childhood and comparing them to other autistic people. I am convinced if I was starting school now I would be diagnosed. The tippy toe walking, inability to learn certain skills that were easily acquired by my peers, the clumsiness, ambidexterity, being labeled as brain damaged by my 3rd grade teacher because I disassociated, being bullied by my peers, and a million other things make me sure I am autistic. I don't know if I should bother getting a diagnosis. What I do know is that when I look at my life through the lens of autism everything makes sense, such as being able to get into graduate school focused on my special interests, but being unable to learn how to drive. Having an eating disorder as a teenager that remedied itself by early adulthood, getting married to an abuser even though my parents were lovingly married. I was diagnosed with PTSD and my shrink got impatient because of the way I intellectualized therapy. He thought I was in denial about my satisfaction with my parents, they must have done something wrong for me to be so anxious. I was constantly trying to find what they did wrong that broke me, because I have always known there was something wrong, something broken, about me. And then the realization that I am NOT broken has made such a difference in how I see my life. All of the years I hid stimming behavior. All of the imaginary conversations I would have in my head so I would know how to talk to people. All of the empathetic pain of taking on other people's agony, the gut wrenching anxiety I have had ever since I can remember. It all makes sense. And the thing that tells me I am autistic beyond a shadow of a doubt? I wouldn't be anyone else even though it has been painful . I like me
I’m devastated that I found you and then found out that you don’t post anymore 😫😭😫😭 you were the EXACT content I was looking for!! I need more scientific information!! We NEED more autistic doctors and scientists!!! I’m at least so happy that you exist in the world, even if you’re not posting on UA-cam anymore!
“The real purpose of any diagnosis’s: it’s help somebody better understand who they are. What they’re experiencing and to better help them to move forward in a healthier happier way.” Ah 🤔that’s a really good way to explain it!!!
I think the "floodgate" was a combo of tiktok and the pandemic. I know it was for me. I had free time that I'd never had in my entire adult life and, bc of tiktok, I had direct access to an infinite number of people thinking, feeling, experiencing life in ways similar to me. THOSE people had access to things I didn't. In the community, the shared knowledge is a gift. I'm 43, so I don't think a professional diagnosis will benefit me much. (and I don't have insurance, yay american capitalism) I was lucky enough to have a magic moment and felt that I finally found the key to unlock me, my brain, everything about me that didn't make sense. Self diagnosis is probably the best thing that has happened to me. I make sense. And I can be happy. That's all I need.
I also think that for those of us who were diagnosed or self-diagnosed as adults during the pandemic, we had been subconsciously putting these footholds in our lives that let us accommodate our ND traits, and then once the structure was gone, the footholds weren't there anymore either. So we were all standing there like, "What the Hell?! What's all this stuff? Why is my life falling apart?" And then TikTok was like, "Hey, do you want some information?"
My child was officially diagnosed last year and I had to hop through a ton of hoops and still pay out of pocket even with insurance. It was a pain. As I learned more about him I realized I shared a lot of traits, even if not at the same level. I won't bother getting an official diagnosis because I'm not sure it matters for me, but it does give me a better framework of how I think about myself and my son.
I was diagnosed with adhd when I was 5 or 6 years old, and I remember when I was 14 hating being on the medication for ADHD because I wasn’t sick, and so therefore I shouldn’t have to take medication simply because I don’t behave the way people wanted me to behave. I remember my momma telling me she had never seen me cry over my granddaddy’s death until years after he died. That I have always had a seemingly high pain tolerance, and constantly get mystery bruises. That I ask the same questions worded differently to get extra details because the details originally given to me don’t make sense because they are too vague. That I hate not knowing things when I feel that I deserve to know. That I can’t stand broken promises. That I chew on my fingers, fiddle with my hair, and self isolate. That I don’t like anyone being in my space without my knowledge or permission and that includes my entire house not just my room. That genealogy helps me feel close to my grandma even though she died, and theology/religion is how I feel close to my granddaddy even though he had passed. Although I have learned how to sense fake people and to keep them at a distance generally speaking.
Sounds familiar to me. I'm self-diagnosed ASD. Do you get angry when someone is being unfair, not because of who the victim is (yourself, maybe,) but because being unfair is a huge insult to humanity in general? Have you ever thought to yourself that you must be an alien, because humans don't make sense?
@@MelissaThompson432 when I get overwhelmed, I usually need social contact with specific people in my life, that talking in general helps me get rid of the negative energy, but when I feel ignored or ganged up on I shut down and self isolate until something triggers me and I start yelling and crying. I wanted to be an attorney growing up until I was about 10 years old and learned that the judicial system was not about justice, it is about what you know, who you know, and how much money you have. I have always been a big advocate on justice. I also can’t focus on doing dishes if my area is not organized and clean.
I was diagnosed over a decade ago as bipolar and I never accepted the diagnosis because it was given on the basis of family history and not individual symptoms I was experiencing. Hearing that was one of the things autism is commonly misdiagnosed as has certainly given me pause for introspection. This may be the start of a journey of self-discovery for me.
My dad was diagnosed as bipolar. Looking back now, I can see that he was in reality very autistic, and was misdiagnosed. I recently learned of my own autism, and now when I remember my dad, I realize that he was almost exactly like I am sympomologically. Man I wish I had known then what I know now; I could have helped him - I could have helped us both.
Me too. There were 2 cold and shallow interviews, a thyroid test, and a prescription I never filled. I enrolled in uni and learnt tonrepect my own pace instead. The list of traits that contributed to my bipolar diagnosis would fit on a tiny pamphlet, compared to the book I could write about Autism. I am Autistic with ADHD and forever grateful to be welcomed as self-diagnosed by this community. Thank you from a punished, now encouraged, 59 year old woman.
I think the main reason I'm considering professional diagnosis is the people around me who don't "see it" or believe it. It can be a very lonely and frustrating place to be when you feel that others don't believe it. If I hear one more person say "oh, I feel like that sometimes too though", I'll explode. If they could live inside my head for 5 minutes, I think thats all it would take. I wish I could find a way to not care what others think. (working on that).
I'm going through something similar, but I'm realizing that I shouldn't wait for others to validate how I feel about myself. I find that the whole point of diagnosis is for things to make sense and for acceptance of certain aspects about ourselves that frustrate us. Idk, at the end of the day no one will truly understand our struggles, it's up for us to be understanding and compassionate towards ourselves. Yes, life is about sharing, but some things can only be validated by ourselves.
If I asked my Mother and family about traits and behaviors that I had as a child I wouldn’t get very far as I am pretty sure that they are also all autistic!😅
This is beautiful, as is most of your content. I wish that you didn't stop posting. I understand, but I also think your voice continues to help people. At least you have left your content up and we appreciate that! Best wishes and big hugs to you for all you do and have done! 🤗💛💛💛🩷
Neurodivergent radar is a very real phenomenon. I see others like myself and you everyday. When you become more educated about any subject, but especially a subject like this it helps the with your personal course of navigation very immmensly in your life. Your life of former confusion can be illuminated or reduced greatly with the knowledge of what autism is or rather more respectfully what expansively just nuerodivergence is.
I'm self diagnosed and happy with that - don't forget - professionals have a say, run the world and are well off, at the expense of those that are told how it is and pay for it all.
My biggest fear was that I looked into adult autism diagnosis, I was taking what I learned and projecting my past traits onto the autistic traits. It wasn't on my radar until my therapist suggested the possibility. I kind of self diagnosed while going through the professional diagnosis. it didn't help that the first professional told me, after two interview visits, he would not diagnose me as autistic but he couldn't say I wasn't autistic. A second diagnosis with a neurologist got the diagnosis confirmed. Now having been aware of numerous meltdowns and a few losses of cognitive function when things got too much, I'm glad to understand why it happens to me.
@@RestorativeWaves123 We all act when we mask. We assume the role of someone who'd be more normal. If you weren't diagnosed until adulthood, that just shows you were acting very well.
I'm personally pushing aggressively for a proper diagnosis because I have so many wrong diagnoses being held against me already. I've received nearly all the common misdiagnoses and I wind doing a bunch of my own medical treatment because I got tired of coming in, having the doctor look at my record and then deciding that I don't really know what I'm talking about. I do think that misdiagnoses ought to be on both sides of this as having a proper ASD diagnosis should allow the doctors to stop pretending like those old diagnoses are relevant and that maybe I do know what's going on with me, even if it can be hard to express.
Thank you so much for this lifesaving content. Realizing I may be Autistic gave me the Self care tools to now try and prevent/better manage Autistic Burnouts/Regression. I am a self diagnosed POC gainfully employed as a Licensed Social Worker in behavioral health.I have no desire to be gaslighted for the sake of a diagnosis for pretty much all the reasons u talked about😂 My main concern is the loss of skill each time I experience an autistic burnout/regression? The burnouts seem to be progressing as I get older (48yrs) and the mask is slipping. 2x now I've been psych hospitalized (pretty sure Bipolar is a misdiagnose) and was diagnosed with Post Partum Depression in which I also now believe was also a misdiagnose. I carry the diagnoses of ADHD, MDD, Anxiety and now during most recent burnout at age 45 in 2020... Bipolar Disorder!!! As a Licensed Social Worker I know those diagnoses alone never fully explained the skill loss/regression episodes. I've experienced losing the ability to drive, walk down stairs, put things in order, follow simple instruction, type etc . But any of those dxs alone with Autistic and it totally makes sense. I believe I have Autism and ADHD. It's elementary too me. But I know a professional diagnosis will be too traumatizing for me. I'm so fearful that eventually skills lost during the burnout/regression period may be gone for good. It terrifies me. Each time I burn out its like I experienced a stroke. My biggest fear is losing the ability to work and care for myself.
I've had to self diagnose because literally no one in the state I'm currently in (that say on their specialties that they specialize in helping autistic patients) is willing to diagnose an adult. I was missed as a kid because I was raised when it was still thought that only boys had autism. Mom knew I was weird, different from other kids I went to school with, but she thought it was a normal kind of weird because she's the same way. I got a little stepbrother at about 16, and by the time he had gotten into kindergarten, the school gave him an unofficial diagnosis so he could get the help he needs through an IEP. The whole time he was growing up before school age, Mom often commented "wow, you did that a lot at your age!" Most of my friends through middle and high school were some type of neurodivergent because they understood me better. My current partner, diagnosed as a child, shared a lot of similar traits growing up. I told my friends when I started seeking a diagnosis, and there's been at least three that had the response of "Diagnosis? You mean you didn't know?" ;--; Wasn't able to get a professional diagnosis, but I did take the RAAD-S test on my own and my score hit 163. Yeeeeah, that score tracks. .--.
I went through a thing where I made autism my special interest. Complete with notes, lists, binders, and collated tabs… After all that, I brought up with my therapist (who’s second job is as a diagnostician) and she said “oh! I thought you were already diagnosed! It’s so obvious just from talking to you that I assumed you had the diagnosis since childhood” We ended up not going the official route, since right now I need to have as few diagnoses on my record in order to not be discriminated against for what I’m currently trying to get done for me and my family
Seen a number of your videos and they are really resonating with me. I had to look at other simpler videos first before I really understood yours. But it a journey. I have a strange visualization where I wear the last person face I met. I actually feel like them. It exhausting and in Crowds I get tired easily. The journey learning about ND has created a nearly sane person that is kinder to himself.
I asked my GP how I start an Autism assessment. They ignored my request for 6 months. I then asked for a depression consultation. I had one in 3 days. During that first meeting with a psychiatrist I asked about Autism or ADHD and she said I was not either. I make eye contact and I can focus for hours on something I am interested in, lol. I live in a small town and had to drive over an hour for the appointments. I kept going because she did diagnosis depression and working with her did help. I was hoping that I just needed to meet with her and she would see it. She didn't. She couldn't tell how well I can mask. I stopped trusting her ability to work with me. I stopped going.
Please read on as it’s not all about me! I feel really annoyed for you and sorry for how despondent you must feel. I want to get an assessment but the thought of asking a GP to refer me is a massive block. I saw several psychiatrists and psychologists 11 years ago because I was diagnosed with severe anorexia (aged 44) I did not fit the loosing weight to look thin criteria but I now find I identify very well with autistic traits and the experts didn’t see it despite the known link. Could you ask to be referred to another psychiatrist? Then take a concise shortlist of why you think you are autistic, choose the most compelling reasons from your childhood and adult life and just hand it over as soon as you walk through the door? I find it easier to write what I feel than articulate it, I’m guessing you might find that an easier way too as you relied on your psychiatrist having the skill to see it. After all a trait of autism is an inability to express yourself verbally. Hope you eventually get a positive diagnosis - when you’re looking to explain so many difficulties and anomalies in your life it can help you move on, at least that’s how I feel x
I had the same experience with my insurance! I asked to get an autism diagnosis, and was told it's not covered for adults. But if I have depression and anxiety (which I do), it will be covered immediately! The problem is that I have grown weary of "therapy" for depression and anxiety that never addresses the real problem: autism. I gave up on traditional therapy years ago, as it never erally helped, and a lot of times I left a session feeling worse than when I walked in. I don't understand why getting an adult autism diagnosis is so difficult, and expensive! I ended up paying for my own assessment, and I'm about 1/2 way through now. It is a big expense that I shouldn't have to pay, when I have insurance that is supposed to cover my medical needs!
Same, I've been through countless therapists, psychiatrists and nothing really helps. I don't feel "depressed" and having "general anxiety disorder" doesn't really fit either. Then I stumbled upon autism and everything makes sense. However I am already jaded and have no confidence in any behavioral health provider to understand what is going on inside my head. I've been prescribed at least 10 different SSRIs and none of them work on me. Right now I am just trying to accommodate myself and unmask and see if that helps my issues. Other than that I take CBD oil to calm my nerves.
These videos give me answers to questions I never knew I had. I've suspected I was possibly on the spectrum due to statements a therapist said to me in prison. I always assumed I was normal, just in an abnormal way. I was well into adulthood when I found out others didn't have experiences I thought were common. I wasn't seeking a diagnosis or even desiring to be autistic. I knew internally I was different. Externally, people know I'm different in ways they interpret, proves I'm neural typical. My ability to literally learn any skill, am verbal, have friends, and the fact that i was never professionally diagnosed in my childhood is often considered proof I am neural typical. These last 5 years of discovery have really helped me leave suicidal ideations behind.
I'm a black male w/ late diagnosed adhd at age 50. I now know high masking + low support needs contributed to under-recognized ASD traits and therapist concluding that I am not. At first I denied my adhd diagnosis but after self assessment testing & 3 independent clinical evals, I acknowledged it described my life. The introspection + ASD clinically accepted info + admitting self-ableism is what helped me acknowledge ASD & ADHD as life-long experiences. I'm now age 55, and self-diagnosed auDhd. Looking back, I've been unconsciously masking since childhood and doing so has been helpful and simultaneously/ personally detrimental. Finding this channel & the ASD community are among the most authentic/ informative experiences of my life!
According to a JAMA study, US physician diagnostic accuracy generally ranges from 5.8-55% depending on case difficulty. So you might need to see like 17 different doctors to get an accurate diagnosis. For me, I was diagnosed with something completely different at almost all of them, until one who actually cared finally figured it out and everything just started to finally make sense
I'm 33 and I started exploring my neurodiversity about a year ago, and even though i'm not formally diagonsed, I love learning about the neurodiversity and seeing how I've used different traits of mine through my life has been so self affirming. Freeing yourself from standards and taking a look at what you personally are like, and defining your own values is deeply meaningful.
I’ve been recently diagnosed but the process to get there was very painful and I know I needed it because of imposter syndrome and the amount of people telling me “but you seem normal like anyone else”.
12:20 I researched ADHD and Fibromyalgia for years before getting an official diagnosis, and only pursued (had to fight the system for months) official dx because I needed it for access to medications and treatments that I can't afford without insurance. UA-camrs like you, Purple Ella, and I Am MindBlind (Amanda) have been great resources during my self-discovery and identifying my Autistic traits, but I don't plan to seek a formal assessment unless it becomes necessary to access accommodations. Ella (they/them) and Amanda (she/her) are two AuDHD moms around my age who discovered some of their neurodivergencies while their children were getting assessments. Apparently, women in their thirties and forties in the US and UK who were refused assessments or overlooked as kids are now being diagnosed with ASD and ADHD, because medical professionals are realizing it's not just little white boys being obsessed by trains when their wealthy parents want them to act like an adult CEO.
Honestly, the closest people to me have all had Asperger’s, when I go to restaurants I usually order the same thing every time, if they don’t have it, I usually just leave the restaurant as a whole. I am self diagnosed, but every autistic person that I have ever met has said that I do show strong symptoms of it. That’s good enough for me.
En you say asking rhe right questions is i.portant, you speak truth. I never thought i was autistic because sound never bothered me. But smell does. Since the question was specific to sound, i always answered no, what with being literal and all. It wasn't until I read a children's book about girls with aspergers and they mentioned smell that i realized that the diagnosis fits.
I did multiple online tests and I am autistic person. Can't seek professional help yet, so finding about behaviour therapy etc. Not a soul in the world knows it. I look, talk, walk pretty normal. Most private therapist seems very expensive sanke oil salesmen to me. Government doctors thinks only children have it😢. Online help it only option for me. Channel like this really gave me hope and courage to continue figuring myself out. Thank you so much. You gave me boost to continue having good hope.
It's also worth noting that Neurologists ought to be the ones responsible for making these diagnoses anyways. They're the ones with the equipment to verify things like a brain that's free of damage causing the apparent autism. They're also the ones that are in the best position to try and untangle autism into a reasonable set of subtypes that can more effectively be studied. Behavioral neurology in particular has come a long ways in the last few decades.
I started wondering (more of an intuition which the same intuition said adhd and dyslexia which both was right) years ago, but over the last 2 years the intuition has gotten so strong from learning more about me and doing so much research that now I can say with confidence that I am. I just want the formal diagnosis so I can get the accommodations that will help me more.
Really needed to watch this. Your words have really helped me tonight. Have been gaslit from medics my whole life. My own research on autism adhd and more explains so much of my life. Yet I have been refuse the opportunity of being put on the waiting list for assessment. Over 50 and female but referee to a pre assessment place whose website states they specialise in children and young adults. Told me I didn't have enough evidence to support being put forward for assessment. If it in the UK and are older,seeking assessment,I wish you luck. Unless you have a ton of visual and documented traits from childhood, and living relatives who can back up your experiences. I was told without those people, then unlikely to get an assessment of even if you did the findings would at best be inconclusive. So many barriers to accessing even the tests.
Went to 3 libraries, 1 local public, 1 main metropolitan and 1 University library, got myself about 30 books on the topic, mostly medical books for professionals and several Biographies. Wrote my shrink a 5 page letter with my traits and references to those books. He welcomed me writing, thought it was plausible thinking on my side, but still didn't think it was the case. Its maddening. I have a private diagnosis scheduled though, one other psychiatrist, this time with experience in ADHD and autism, confirmed my suspicion, but was not offering diagnosis. It's maddening. I've been suffering from anxiety and depression for 25 years. Done several long Therapies but nothing helped. Now I'm 100% certain I'm autistic, it had very bad influence on work, relationships and social life, on my physical and mental health, my finances and my sence of self. It's ridiculous how tedious this process is, I feel for anyone that has or is experiencing the same insanity in not getting the help they need.
I received my diagnose 2 weeks ago, autism + adhd. 41, burned out and stress is now causing physical issues. I will and want to get healthy again, it's just a shame I had to go through such lengths.
When i was 5 years old i can remember sitting by myself in kjndergarden. I still remember exactly how i felt intellectually not wanting to be next to the other kids. The teachers were concerned so they made my parents take me in for a brain scan. When they put the wires in my scalp the sensation freaked me out so badly that several people had to hold me down. They didnt find anything. This was in 1972. I was also a bed wetter until my early teens. I had imaginary friends. The one friend i did make when i entered adolescence was a 6 year old girl who lived across the street. When i reached puberty this added another layer of problems. I didnt understsnd sexuality. I didnt and still dont understand why people choose to have sex with people they dont have a strong bond with. I have always had a hard time expressing my emotions orally. I remember having to write letters to people to explain my emotions. When I get fixated on an interest I can spend hours learning about it. I love non fiction movies and books more than fictional ones. I dont care about physical possessions much but I used to have close emotional connections to certain objects when I was young. Not so much any more. I see a material things value solely based on the experience it can provide. I e I'm not keen on decorative items that have no function. I tend to be a straight shooter with my opinions but am learning that sometimes it's best to not be so blunt. I love and feel empathy so deeply but it feels trapped inside of me. I have a hard time expressing it outwardly, so I come off as distant and cold sometimes. I feel like I'm just playing a role when I try and socialize. I'm getting better at it though. So I don't know if I'm autistic but I highly suspect it.
I was diagnosed at the third grade. With all the erasure prevalent out there, sometimes I even doubt whether I'm autistic. Like I stopped being so at 18. This raising consciousness about autism has been beneficial to me. I find that I'm more able to be self-aware of how autism affects my life. I talk more about my neurodivergence to the admitted annoyance of my brother. n.n;;
I got diagnosed with BPD 10 years ago and have been seeing a professional weekly, going to a mental health day service daily ever since. Now, after 10 years I’m saying everything I learned about my own mind over all this time is that I need help concentrating. Not to be productive or get a job or whatever, just to be able to watch a tv show or just being able to pass the time in some way that isn’t desperately seeking some kind of entertainment that I can digest. However, at the same time, the professionals have come to the conclusion I should have an autism assessment. Which is like… okay 🤷🏼♀️ because if there is no different type of service for autistic people, no different treatment, nothing would change, then it’s just an assessment to satisfy curiosity. So I had a screening test to see if I could have an proper ADHD assessment and it was with a stranger who asked bizarre questions I couldn’t wrap my head around and I wasn’t allowed to see the questions. I apparently scored only on the threshold for assessment so I’m not going to be assessed. Although I’m being sent for an autism assessment. Of the two, the issue that is actually pressing is my inability to concentrate on anything. Because that majorly effects every aspect of my life. Plus that’s the one with a potential solution or treatment. So I’m just… despairing. There’s an NHS gatekeeper who I can’t communicate with in a useful way and there’s also the NHS ‘NICE guidelines’ that basically dictate to professionals how to save money (ie the ADHD assessment is expensive so you need to be severe… the autism assessment I think is because the professionals are somewhat at a loss with me still being on their books all this time).
34 biracial woman. A couple years ago I saw a video or two about the matter and kind of wrote it off. But in recent (past 6 months) times, I also believe I have ADHD. So I am a very atypical, high functioning, so it’s really not going to be easy, but thankfully I have my assessment coming up next week. I only had to wait a month for it, but it is 200 for consult and evaluation. And that’s with insurance. I plan to write down my symptoms to hopefully help the evaluator.
Asking my family about past events or early traits immediately devolves to a vanity-affirming trip down memory lane for them and re-traumatization for me. Autism or not, the past is real, and revisiting it is NOT a walk in the park for many of us.
17:20 Most of the (mainstream, pop culture) resources I'm finding in 2023 categorize Autism as a Neurotype, referring to Autistic and Allistic neurotype. And my favorite non-fiction book of the year so far is Unmasking Autism by Devon Price, PhD.
I think that part of the lack of understanding could very well stem from the simple fact that neuro-typicals are unable to understand the inner workings of the autistic mind. True learning, or maybe true understanding, I believe, comes from experience. Only autistic people have been able to describe in words the emotions and experiences I have lived for 52 years.
6:04 ...here i am... o.O ... already messaged my therapist... kind of searching for things that hint that i´m not autistic... but i dont know how long i can stand all the things it just by the way like are getting explained to me in every video i watched untill now... i do not self diagnose anything... but i know the diagnoses i have are not fitting... some years ago some of those personality disorder things could explain some things.... but... i dont know.... if its actually no bullshit that i feel... just the knowing that everything i feel and experience isnt bullshit like everyone told me since i can remember.... ...need to talk about this... and i´m afraid that (like almost always) i´ll not be able to explain what i mean and i´ll get a subscribtion with "you just think you feel like this because you search for excuses and you just want "Aufmerksamkeit" and sowiso you just psychosomatic, you need to go therapy and then go work like normal humans...) but i trust my Frau Doctor... ...enough to think she will at least let me explain what i mean for 3/4 of a sentence.... i´ll shutupp now.... cause this is all just brain karusell... 🤔german undiagnosed stressed out crazy woman with confusing thoughts says thanks and bye😮💨🥦🧂
I just started looking into autism by chance, though the thought has crossed my mind. And my gut reaction at first was disruptions to my routine don't bother me, I don't have a routine. Then I remembered that just last week I had a full-blown meltdown cause my sister woke up late and didn't feed her dogs, so I had to do it (mind you, I was literally feeding my dogs when I got this info)... it felt dumb and overblown, but I just lost it
Wonderful job explaining .. a couple of years ago my wife took a DNA test for a different ailment, and included on the report they had found a mutation that was a predisposition to ASD. At first we disregarded, but a few months later decided to give it a look. After reaching the conclusion that she is indeed autistic and got approved for but unable to find testing we decided best to settle on the self diagnosis. We live in such a backward area we also had concerns they would test her the same way they test young males, and get a false negative. After matching her on 63 points, I really began studying common facial features of genetic autism. She had them but also a couple other oddities (don't me wrong she's gorgeous). Those ended up pointing to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, we were able to confirm that, and that FAS is often a trigger for ASD in those with a genetic predisposition. It seems pointless to pay 3k for testing that might not be accurate. At least right now there is no financial intensive for getting an official diagnosis at this point.
I am 41 female and I guess atm I am self-diagnosed tho that is a stretch since I have no idea with what. Autism, ADHD and C-PTSD all fit in some areas. I describe myself that I am sure I am an alien but I have no idea about my planet of origin. I coined that after looking for a formal diagnosis. The person who did my assesment did not have any tools specific for ASD but I've done some other more general tests. I came out as highly neurotic and prone to depression. When it comes to recognizing emotions: I am over the average when it comes to their description, within the average when it comes to recognizing them in others and below average when it comes to recognizing them within myself. The diagnostitian concluded that they really lack the tools to diagnose me specifically. She said that it's highly likely my brain is not neurotypical. At the same time I do not fit enough into DSM-5 criteria since I am too good with emotions. This is funny since my current overview of emotions was not born before I've seen the movie Inside Out on which I have build my understanding of emotions as it was the first things that really connected the concept for me into a working concept. I am also big into psychology (my special interest) so I have all professional language to speak about emotions. And yet, it is extremely difficult to catch the niuanced emotions within myself and most of my life I've felt cought off guard with some emotional outburst out of nowhere. When they are intence it is pretty clear what it is. But it's hard to take guidance from own emotions if there is either little to nothing or all floodgates are open. I can say I am getting better but it has taken me almost 20 years of therapy and concious training and trying out things like meditation and yoga. At the same time I am taking advice from the neurodivergent community that I see myself more similar to than neurotypical people. All those concepts and practical tips really are making my existance more comfortable. So some would say that I could just stay at that. But my brain is not satisfied. I want to know. I don't care what planet I am from. I just want to know which one. I guess there is the case dealing with self-doubt but also I want to concept I can communicate to others. I am so often being misundestood or accused about motivations that could not be further from the truth. I don't want a diagnosis as an excuse. I want it as a clarification to all the miscommunications that plague my life. I want to give people a concept that might explain why their experience with me is what it is. I want a simple manual how to interface with me. I know some people will never understand because they don't want to be bothered to understand. But I don't need everyone to understand. I need enough people to understand so I have a functional enough social network. Unlike my brother (who actually was suspected to have Aspergers in his teens and that what gave me the hints about me) I am drawn to people. I am curious about people. I just seem have to harder time than average dealing with people. For now I feel guilty to just call myself autistic or ADHD. Or I am not even sure it's guilt. It just doesn't feel right. I would connect it to my beliefs. I am very scientifically minded. I just feel frustrated that science seems to be failing me in giving me the answers I am seeking. I don't even blame the science because it makes sense to me that given how young mind oriented branches of science are (compare to the old ones) and the tools we have at our disposal, we are simply scratching the surface. At this point I am on a waiting list for an autism diagnosis at a place that specializes in that. It should happen mid next year (after 4 years wait). Maybe one day I will know my planet of origin. And for now I am trying to the best with whatever I have at my disposal.
I ran through all the well substantiated tests. My biggest problem was not having someone to tell me what some of the less clear questions meant. I'm sure regular people would understand the questions, but I wasn't sure. I made my best guess. Most of them ran from good chance to strongly indicated. The RAADS-R test, at 206, was, "Holey moley, can you walk without an attendant?" That one counts as an outlier. I'd put the odds of autism at 85-90%. The therapist I talked to said a proper diagnosis would cost to much and be too difficult to be worthwhile. I'm 64. If I were looking for an official diagnosis I'd want to find an autistic doctor. Someone who knows what it is from the inside.
I have been doing in depth and continued research for the last 3-4 years and have been stern and confident in my conclusion that I am Autistic (self DX)... I am also ADHD (professionally dx) AuDHD ✊
Yeah my psychiatrist told me I can’t be because I’m charming and talkative, which is not … i brought up pda but they are set on bpd, which can be comorbid. I’ve been gaslit so hard by medical professionals that I no longer trust myself
I hear you. I've never been diagnosed w/ either but some ppl in my life at one point tried to point me toward bpd. I suspect ASD way more. The thing is I worked through a lot of things "on my own" when it comes to regulating my own emotions, (with help of books/other people who went through things and shared online, in podcasts etc.), and lots of solitude/quiet time etc. Taking care of myself incl. diet and hydration and sleep helps so much. This is only an idea, but if you don't want to approach certain treatments/meds for BPD (whether you do or don't have it), there's a DBT Skills Workbook by Matthew McKay PhD, Jeffrey C. Wood PsyD, Jeffrey Brantley MD and I've been slooowly going through it myself. I decided to order it on my own. I mostly really want it for the "interpersonal communication" part, the last part. Just food for thought, and know you're not alone
My college wanted a professional diagnosis when I finally brought myself to asking for help from student services. I couldn’t find any professionals in my area willing to assess me at 56! I was also told I would be stigmatized by needing accommodation irregardless of what my diagnosis ended up as. So I quit college for the third time, but I really wanted to get a degree.
This is sooo spot on! I am a female psychometrist with 25 yrs of experience, with expertise in autism since 2008 for ages 18 mos thru 21 yrs at an autism clinic. Here’s the caveat, I’m thinking I’m autistic but I know the major measures and worry about bias. I have a family history and I have adhd, anxiety and depression with signs from youth. I really need an expert as I’m high masking too, ahhhhh can you advise? I’m open to whatever found though it makes sense.
My therapist (who said to me that she was autistic) asked me why I’d want an autism diagnosis and I answered that it would be validating to me, it would prove what I suspected and I’d get the proper help. I’ve been dismissed etc…eg, a friend of mine said to me “everyone’s a little autistic”. See what I mean? Talking of walking on tippy toes…I did that as a child and I still do, lol Edit: I took your autism quotient and I scored 34/50. Going by your site I’m significantly autistic
This video is very validating to me. I was denied a diagnosis and I'm convinced the evaluation was mishandled. Many people in my life agree with me including my therapist, my autistic mom (also self-dx'd) and my autistic sibling (pro-dx'd). I think I'm just so high-masking that I don't even know how to not mask. I don't match all the symptoms that they test for because I'm not an 8 year old boy obsessed with trains. I'm a 32 year old woman who matches the descriptions of autistic adult women quite well. I do wonder if I should or should not try it again. I don't know if insurance would even cover another assessment, or if it would be any different than the first time. I also fear discrimination if I do get diagnosed like I have heard I might not be able to adopt children which is something I have thought about doing one day, if I'm ever independent enough to do it. But I do feel mad that I wasn't recognized. I have imposter syndrome about it and I'm afraid of self-idenifying as autistic and being called a liar.
I can relate! I am in the process of getting a professional diagnosis (I've had 3 out of 5 sessions already). I'm worried she's going to end up saying I'm not autistic. But I know in my heart and in my mind that I AM! It's hard to put into words the way that my brains works, and the mental gymnastics I have to perform just to get through everyday situations (especially any kind of social interaction). Everything is always (and has always been) so difficult for me. And I mean EVERYTHING! I'm 60 years old, and I fear that since I have been masking for so long, she won't be able to see beyond the mask. But I've been honest with her about how things are for me, and I've shared things I haven't ever shared with anyone else. And, she specializes in diagnosing autism in adults! So I probably shouldn't be worried, but I am. I hope you are able to get a 2nd opinion assessment, and that you can find a real professional who knows what to look for in adult autistic women!
@@christinelamb1167 I hope you get the dx! In either case though, I believe you even if no one else does. I also have a hard time putting things into words, there oftentimes aren't any words that explain how my brain works so I scrape by with clumsy metaphors that no one gets. I also have the feeling you described of everything being hard! I barely have any kind of social life anymore because it never seems to get easier.
There is a lot of reverb in this video. If you want to reduce reverb in your filming room you can add stuff to the floors and walls. You don't have to add that "egg carton" foam, just hanging some stuff and adding a rug can help a lot with reducing reverb like this. EDIT: I looked at one of your more recent videos and it seems like you got it figured out.
My diagnosis was like 45 minutes and it was done with the ados test made for males, i showed sings but they said Social Anxiety is the thing that’s the bigger problem. They were no specialists in that area so I will seek specialist out. They did not even take into account the questionnaires that were given to us and what I wrote additionally only the ados test
I don’t think you mentioned any online tests. I have tested autistic on several tests. I plan to move to the Tulsa area which has the only adult autistic diagnosis specialists. I am 61 and I believe it will help my grandchildren.
The reason is like to have a professional diagnosis is because I am multiply disabled, use a power Wheelchair and have a caregiver. Having Autism diagnosed by a professional will allow me to access services from the caregiver, but not if I'm only self - diagnosed.
Without telling him- was suspecting, I had another autistic man ask me if I had the TISM Confirmation, takes one to know, and had the most amazing conversations as we shared a mutual interest
I found the autism quotient test on your page, but I can't find the list you said you'd have on your page, for people doing self assessment. I was hoping to find that, since I can't afford a professional assessment at the moment. I've been approved to get a professional assessment, but Idk when it'll happen b/c of current restrictions, and the long wait times, and I'm hoping that if I can have better questions for my parents to answer, and for me, then I'll be able to get a more accurate assessment, both on my own, and from a medical professional, since they so commonly misdiagnose adults, especially women, and queer people.
In FL, there really is no one available to diagnose Autistic adults, according to Miami Autism CARD Center. My Hubby is self-diagnosed Autistic. A very dishonest Florida Bar prosecutor disbarred him by the intentional fraud of hiding and not disclosing 1. that FL has no adult Autism diagnostic doctors pretty much; 2. people self-diagnosing Autistic is a very real thing; and 3. all he had to do to show Hubby is Autistic or not right in the trial was to point at something, and observe that Hubby lacks joint attention to follow a pointing gesture, a key diagnostic red flag for Autism in young children. The dishonest FL Bar prosecutor also ignored Hubby's NY State BOCES records. What a tragedy the prosecutor was so dishonest !
I'm a a Full-blown Empath. I have many Sensory difficulties. Autism symptoms are seen in Empaths for we are so sensitive to the environment. A great book: The Empaths Survival Guide (Life Strategies for Sensitive People) by Dr. Judith Orloff, MD You can download this book. You may be an Empath, not Autistic.
"Your score was 21 out of a possible 50" so many of the questions were vague especially due to lack of defined context i think it's probably "best" for those with extreme behaviours, or maybe i'm just looking through the lens of cognitive bias. i think my score was skewed to "non autistic" due to my love and fascination of people, and an ability to see them. needs to be an updated version of the test, i guess it was only ever expected to be a prompt rather than an overall guide.
I was misdiagnosed with schzoid personality disorder but its not relatable to me. My life experiences relate to the word autism. Years ago when I heard the word in a movie but didn't know about it i felt something inside me. Im in the process of getting evaluated again. Im worried though and am discouraged and traumatized. I can't keep failing at work without the support and understanding i need. I get bullied at every job i had and I don't communicate with the employees but i do sometimes try.
I considered getting evaluation for spelling dyslexia , but it would have been mutually exclusive with the honor's roal .... I had the first version of dragon dictate to cope, on a computer in my trunk talking to my computer in the parking lot in the late 80's , that was still sci-fi to most back then so that got me more weird looks then anything!!!!
On the topic of there not being enough clinicians for diagnosis, my therapist and one other person are responsible for testing in the ENTIRE state of Maryland, not simply the county i live in Let that sink in for a second. Imagine how long me and other undiagnosed neurodivergent young adults are going to be waiting on a list. Slowy and silently suffering...
I was diagnosed with BPD. I don’t see it, at all. Most people in my life don’t see it either, but once I learned about autism… through a friend who sat me down and talked with me about possibly being autistic because they work with autistic adults at a university in their autism clinic… I’m actually convinced I’m autistic. I’ve done lots of tests online and had a therapist agree I may have autism. But no one diagnoses autism in adults for some reason.
I live in an African country where there isn’t much awareness of autism, neither are there much access to autism diagnosis or help.. The best I’ve gotten so far is a nuero-psychiatric hospital is a completely different state that only offer diagnoses for children basically. So there isn’t much there I suspect though that I may have HF autism or Aspergers and also schizoid PD along with a probable above average IQ levels. It was only through this lens that I can actually explain my childhood and current experiences. I knew what depression and anxiety was but I couldn’t even tell when I was having an episode, especially with the anxiety until I implode. I’d say it’s either that or I’m just downright weird for no reason lol It was only through obsessively researching on this topic going from one rabbit hole to another was I finally able to put words and a name to the emotions and struggles I’ve had for as long as I can remember I’m still learning everyday though there are days that I doubt I am actually this and just think to myself “maybe I’m just overthinking things and I’m probably not autistic or schizoid but simply just weird”. I used to confuse Learning disabilities and other mental disorders with autism which made me skeptical about if I was actually autistic but that was because I didn’t know what autism was in the first place. I don’t have a learning disability neither was I cognitively behind my peers especially in my early childhood. I started schooling when I was 2 years old and before I even attended my first class in school at that age I knew the entire English alphabets A-Z, I could count 1-20, and rhyme basic words…knowing this information made me doubt my diagnosis at first but until I actually started learning about what autism was and how it could show up in different people and how it showed up in my life
I'm in the process of getting assessed and I'm still worried about confirmation bias- what if my thinking got influenced after the months of deep-diving into learning as much as I could about autism? I hope my dad and my school reports gave the psychologist good information because I don't know if I can trust my own self-reporting.
If someone has dived deep enough to wonder if they can even trust themselves then I instantly trust them more. Obviously we can delude ourselves but if your asking that question! I think you should trust your gut feelings, you know more about you than anyone else.
I've been diagnosed as ADHD (inattentive type) ever since I was in 2nd grade. I match some of the traits of Autism, I am sensitive to certain stimuli, smells especially. I like to eat a lot of the same food over and over, easy to prepare, with a texture that doesn't bother me. I'm not someone that likes trying new things on the menu unless I'm in a rare mood. I also have the hyper focus/obsession on topics I enjoy. I will drill at something until I'm satisfied. As you said, there are lots of overlapping traits between autism and ADHD. So what I'm wondering is, do you think it's a possibility to have symptoms of both Autism and ADHD? I feel like I heavily relate to a lot of the autistic experience, yet the ADHD traits run counter to that. It makes me wonder if it's possible or if it's just not often mentioned due to being difficult to pin down. I don't relate to the hyper, short attention span ADHD model.
Everything you have described can be explained by ADHD. ADHD also comes with sensory processing problems, cognitive rigidity (not wanting to deviate from the familiar ways), and hyper focus. A better understanding of ADHD is actually that we have a hard time regulating our attention rather than that we don’t have enough of it. So, while some tasks we have a hard time attending to, others we have a hard time pulling our attention away. That said… yes, you absolutely can have both ADHD and autism. I couldn’t say if that’s you but it might be! 🤷♀️
It costs thousands here and isn’t covered. I don’t earn enough to be confident spending that, I also fear being misdiagnosed and spending money I don’t have for nothing. I am not confident enough of a person to state I am without a professional diagnostic, even though I definitely check a lot of the female checkmarks. It is discouraging because of that, I tend to just keep quiet and say nothing. I would like to have one.
Me too, and I feel embarrassed about seeking a diagnosis but it seems to explain just about everything good and bad about me. I feel it’s really important to get a professional diagnosis to validate it or you’ll never know for sure.
I have been diagnosed as borderline personality disorder, ADHD and c-ptsd. After my son was diagnosed as autistic, I started realizing I might be as well. But I'm having a hard time discussing this with anyone in my life or attempting to get a medical diagnosis.
Thanks for all the work you've done - and for all of the information. I went to your website to find that list that categorizes some autistic features that you mentioned around the 18:20 mark but can't seem to find it. Might you be able to point me to it? Thanks again! This is so helpful. 🙏🏾
I went looking aswell but couldnt find anything either, would really like access to that list because Im fighting with my doctors about assessment but they come with all sort of excuses and i need something concrete to show them but have a hard time putting everything on paper or speaking with my doctor about it!
Chances are, you aren't going to be taken seriously either way in any way that really matters- the only difference I see is that an "official brand" from a psychiatrist might allow a benefit claim for what that's worth, if you're willing and able to pay the front-end costs. It seems to my way of thinking that the benefits of identifying autism or any other condition mostly exist in self-understanding, learning helpful strategies, and potentially making connections with others more compatible with your own way of being.
I never wondered, it was obvious, plus so many other close family and relatives are diagnosed it's not like it's a surprise or unexpected, eg both my children and their double first cousins children (my mum's sister married my dads brother, therefore double first cousins)
Though I was diagnosed 4 times first at age 9 I really think unless you get diagnosed by a doctor you will really never know if you are autistic or not. Because you could be ADHD or mentally ill Bipolar or just a depressed person. I know many can't afford to go to a doctor but still I feel better if I was diagnosed by a doctor like I was.
One of the reasons I want a professional diagnosis is because I want to further the recognition that women are going undiagnosed, it’s causing us problems later in life, and the medical community and educational institutions HAVE to change and stop letting these girls fall through the cracks simply because they aren’t “bothering” anyone the way many autistic/ADHD boys are.
This is the very same thought I keep having as I consider whether to pursue a professional dx.
yes same
I see many neurodivergent woman unrepresented. I have noticed that autistic women seem to have better commmuncation skills that are more advanced or rather they are more social than autistic men. I think being raised nuerotypyical can change some aspects of socialization. I was raised this way. I had a diagnosis in 2012 at 42 years old. This is why I think that is why I am more socialized, but certainly at the cost not knowing exactly who you are or yourself perception of yourself for 80% of my life.I still feel I am masking at times. I had edit this 3 X. Dementia has got me.
That's certainly a legitimate reason. The same applies to anybody that is neurodivergent that doesn't conform to the very narrow boundaries that are recognized. I've received just about every possible misdiagnosis for ASD other than BPD and PTSD. But, apparently, I don't seem autistic enough to get a diagnosis even though it's a far more reasonable conclusion than that I've got the better part of a dozen different conflicting mental illnesses that don't quite ever fit.
The point where I personally knew that I wasn't faking it or just confused was when other people started to talk about things like small spoon preferences and these other conditions that I had no idea were related. In some cases, I didn't even know there was a word for some of it. I just thought I was kind of weird because none of my doctors ever suggested that I look for those things.
@@DavidBowman-mq1bm I'm not sure that that's really the case. There's a bunch of men that still struggle to get diagnosed for similar reasons, but at this point there's more awareness that women tend to be under diagnosed, so more UA-cam videos and awareness.
Because of how IQ is distributed, there's probably a lot more men that are effectively masking than women, but we'll have to see as more are properly diagnosed to see if it's really more women, and if so by how much. The tolerance for men to just sit there and shut up about emotions probably impacts that as well.
I personally seem to have a pretty massive intelligence that's mostly directed towards pattern matching what other people are doing.
As a self diagnosed adult black male who was misdiagnosed several times by several doctors. It’s refreshing to find your content.
As a self diagnosed adult white female who was completely overlooked because I didn’t act like an autistic boy.
I'd like to say I'm a self diagnosed adult white male but it was the world who told me that I'm all 3.
This all seems dismissive. Black people are overlooked at rates only surpassed by Latinos. While the whole system is flawed, and many are missed, these responses were better as their own separate comments, IMO.
self diagnosing means you might have it. does not mean you do have it. i told my doctor i think im autistic. i did not tell her i am autistic because i did not have a diagnosis. im schizophrenic instead. just because some doctors diagnose someone with different things doesnt mean they are wrong. treating someone with one thing is just that. treatment for a symptom.
@@davinadavina1331 being actually diagnosed means you "might" have it. It's not a blood culture smh
And considering an actual diagnosis would be from a dsm what would stop someone from getting a copy of the dsm5 and using that to cross reference symptoms?
I’ve read a lot about it, watched loads of videos about it and concluded I might be in the spectrum. Funny how so many doctors and psychologists (friends and family) automatically disagree with me, assuming they know me so well. There is so much that can only perceived by ourselves! Being autistic would definitely explain many troubles I’ve faced while growing up. It answers many questions I’ve since had. I feel I don’t need to be given a professional diagnosis, though!
Aspergers is no longer a recognized diagnosis, it is all just ASD. Additionally, using the term Aspergers is frowned upon by most of the ASD community. The name comes from the doctor that first wrote about autism and whom was a member of the nazi party, believed in racial hygiene, participated in child euthanasia and treated his own autistic patients extremely poor.
@@kayleigh4714 Asperger’s is still used in many other countries besides the US. You can kindly state what you were saying while also validating what this person was trying to say about themselves instead of jumping down their throat so quickly for using the wrong terms. A lot of people still don’t know this and it isn’t their fault.
@@kayleigh4714 while it’s no longer recognized, if someone identifies as an aspie, that’s okay
I have an aunt that thinks I'm probably autistic but it was so mild it wasn't worth mentioning (shes worked with several autistic kids)
my friend whose currently self diagnosed and is working towards a formal diagnosis brought it to my attention. I then started telling other people jokingly like "my fren thinks I have autism" and almost everyone I talked to said something like "yeah I thought you were"
and
literally no one told me until just this past year
and meeting another autistic person I find myself mimicking or exhibiting similar behavior as them.
I'm undiagnosed and my therapist also thinks I may have autism. I'm just looking for some sort of solid validation.
I agree with this
I'm a self-diagnosed Autistic. I'm. 64 years old and the last 6 weeks of my life have been the most amazing voyage of self-awareness! I'm able to reconstruct past events, viewing myself in a more accepting way. This discovery is the best thing that's happened to me since my 4 children were born! And that's saying a lot! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜 #proudtobeme, #pride
I am also 64 and self-diagnosed. I live in a country where knowledge of adult autism is minimal and biased and adults are not given dignoses by the public healthcare ”because they do not need them, having survived without through the school system so they a can cope or b. are fakes”. The GPs do not know anything about adult autism. Having a private assessment is very costly and also difficult. Then, if you get a diagnosis, you are denied all therapy and all medicine for depression etc. because ”autism cannot be cured”. In this situation self-assessment is the only option.
I am now being assessed in a private clinic. These people are specialists and I will go through a series of tests and interviews, and it is emotionally taxing and costly. But I feel that I need that diagnosis so much that I will pay for it, and during this process all kinds of things have already come into daylight after a long, long search. For example, in the first interview I was told that I seem to have ADHD as well (never thought about it but NOW it seems crystal clear) and so I am tested for both ASD and ADHD.
I'm 62 & also figured it out for myself...then I took the AQ & the raads-r & yeah although they aren't conclusive they said get tested.
That's really expensive anyway.
Nice to meet u.
♥️
I too am 64 and starting the self diagnosis process. Having three grandsons get professionally diagnosed and my son, their father tells me he was sure he too was autistic. My brother’s son was ptofessionslly diagnosed as autistic as well. I started to learn more and more about autism especially since my son and his family moved in with us for a period of time in order for them to access a diagnosis and treatment for
their first born. I then began to put the pieces together of other family members who were no doubt on the spectrum, and my poor social skills on my kindergarten report card. Few people I call or have called friend. No desire to curate other relationships. I have always masked. I’m certain I also am on the spectrum. There seems to be a strong genetic factor in my family.
I have self-diagnosed. I found that once I had an inkling that I might be on the spectrum, it became my special interest and I couldn't stop myself from digging into it further. Which only further confirmed my belief that I was on the spectrum, of course. I would like a professional diagnosis, not only to help with my imposter syndrome, but also to "prove" myself to the non-believing family and friends.
Hello, Mirror Image! I am late self-diagnosed, my newest Special Interest is learning why my brain works differently (Aspergers/Autism), and most friends and family (those not yet familiar enough with the topic) wouldn't suspect (or accept) that I am on the spectrum.
(Me: "I've been learning a lot about the broad range and variety of traits of Autism Spectrum Disorder, and I really believe that I found the answer to why I always felt like I was different-- I belive I have Autism" > Them, bluntly, and with nervous chuckle: "Naw, you don't have Austism." > Me: (silence, as I realize they aren't ready to accept this.) [Shrug]. (Change subject quickly....)
I used to insist that I was autistic and people kept telling me I wasn't. Then I found out that one of my relatives and their child who have the same characteristics that I do are diagnosed with autism and they were hiding it from me because they were some of the ones who told me I couldn't be. 🤷
I'm going through this right now. It's been difficult to get to work and do other tasks since my mind seems to be innevitably focused on my self-diagnosis and the pursue of professional diagnosis. I'm so scared to be told that I'm not autistic, though, because my childhood and many struggles I've had would remain with no explanation.
@@anasofiamendoza339 tbh, I think if you get a no for the first answer you should keep trying. If your gut tells you this is it, trust your gut.
@@rebeccamay6420yeah, it really makes me hesitant to tell people after I’ve had a few of those encounters. I also really don’t feel like going into great detail to explain it either. Maybe some day I will.
I am 55. A couple of months ago I began to suspect I am one of those people that was missed because of my age when it comes to an autism diagnosis. I am having this experience of thinking about the qualities I have had since childhood and comparing them to other autistic people. I am convinced if I was starting school now I would be diagnosed. The tippy toe walking, inability to learn certain skills that were easily acquired by my peers, the clumsiness, ambidexterity, being labeled as brain damaged by my 3rd grade teacher because I disassociated, being bullied by my peers, and a million other things make me sure I am autistic. I don't know if I should bother getting a diagnosis.
What I do know is that when I look at my life through the lens of autism everything makes sense, such as being able to get into graduate school focused on my special interests, but being unable to learn how to drive. Having an eating disorder as a teenager that remedied itself by early adulthood, getting married to an abuser even though my parents were lovingly married. I was diagnosed with PTSD and my shrink got impatient because of the way I intellectualized therapy. He thought I was in denial about my satisfaction with my parents, they must have done something wrong for me to be so anxious. I was constantly trying to find what they did wrong that broke me, because I have always known there was something wrong, something broken, about me. And then the realization that I am NOT broken has made such a difference in how I see my life. All of the years I hid stimming behavior. All of the imaginary conversations I would have in my head so I would know how to talk to people. All of the empathetic pain of taking on other people's agony, the gut wrenching anxiety I have had ever since I can remember. It all makes sense. And the thing that tells me I am autistic beyond a shadow of a doubt? I wouldn't be anyone else even though it has been painful . I like me
Wow, that’s beautifully written, and made me happy to read! I have a very similar situation and experiences. Same!
Very well explained and a pleasure to read. Thank you.
I’m devastated that I found you and then found out that you don’t post anymore 😫😭😫😭 you were the EXACT content I was looking for!! I need more scientific information!! We NEED more autistic doctors and scientists!!! I’m at least so happy that you exist in the world, even if you’re not posting on UA-cam anymore!
Me too! I just found him this morning, and I've already watched about 5 videos.
As of August 2024 he just posted a video.
Thanks for discussing this. Obtaining an official diagnosis is a privilege.
It is and even just getting to seek one can be. In some places adults can't even get the diagnosis even if they are willing to go to a clinic for one.
It will cost thousands of euros
“The real purpose of any diagnosis’s: it’s help somebody better understand who they are. What they’re experiencing and to better help them to move forward in a healthier happier way.” Ah 🤔that’s a really good way to explain it!!!
Absolutely yes 💯😁 well said!👍💜
I think the "floodgate" was a combo of tiktok and the pandemic. I know it was for me. I had free time that I'd never had in my entire adult life and, bc of tiktok, I had direct access to an infinite number of people thinking, feeling, experiencing life in ways similar to me. THOSE people had access to things I didn't. In the community, the shared knowledge is a gift. I'm 43, so I don't think a professional diagnosis will benefit me much. (and I don't have insurance, yay american capitalism) I was lucky enough to have a magic moment and felt that I finally found the key to unlock me, my brain, everything about me that didn't make sense. Self diagnosis is probably the best thing that has happened to me. I make sense. And I can be happy. That's all I need.
I also think that for those of us who were diagnosed or self-diagnosed as adults during the pandemic, we had been subconsciously putting these footholds in our lives that let us accommodate our ND traits, and then once the structure was gone, the footholds weren't there anymore either. So we were all standing there like, "What the Hell?! What's all this stuff? Why is my life falling apart?" And then TikTok was like, "Hey, do you want some information?"
My child was officially diagnosed last year and I had to hop through a ton of hoops and still pay out of pocket even with insurance. It was a pain. As I learned more about him I realized I shared a lot of traits, even if not at the same level. I won't bother getting an official diagnosis because I'm not sure it matters for me, but it does give me a better framework of how I think about myself and my son.
I was diagnosed with adhd when I was 5 or 6 years old, and I remember when I was 14 hating being on the medication for ADHD because I wasn’t sick, and so therefore I shouldn’t have to take medication simply because I don’t behave the way people wanted me to behave. I remember my momma telling me she had never seen me cry over my granddaddy’s death until years after he died. That I have always had a seemingly high pain tolerance, and constantly get mystery bruises. That I ask the same questions worded differently to get extra details because the details originally given to me don’t make sense because they are too vague. That I hate not knowing things when I feel that I deserve to know. That I can’t stand broken promises. That I chew on my fingers, fiddle with my hair, and self isolate. That I don’t like anyone being in my space without my knowledge or permission and that includes my entire house not just my room. That genealogy helps me feel close to my grandma even though she died, and theology/religion is how I feel close to my granddaddy even though he had passed. Although I have learned how to sense fake people and to keep them at a distance generally speaking.
Sounds familiar to me. I'm self-diagnosed ASD.
Do you get angry when someone is being unfair, not because of who the victim is (yourself, maybe,) but because being unfair is a huge insult to humanity in general?
Have you ever thought to yourself that you must be an alien, because humans don't make sense?
@@MelissaThompson432 when I get overwhelmed, I usually need social contact with specific people in my life, that talking in general helps me get rid of the negative energy, but when I feel ignored or ganged up on I shut down and self isolate until something triggers me and I start yelling and crying. I wanted to be an attorney growing up until I was about 10 years old and learned that the judicial system was not about justice, it is about what you know, who you know, and how much money you have. I have always been a big advocate on justice. I also can’t focus on doing dishes if my area is not organized and clean.
@@MelissaThompson432 A huge yes, and yes!
Omg.....yes yes yes
Yup especially the having to ask the question, reworded, to gain actual comprehension and further detail
I was diagnosed over a decade ago as bipolar and I never accepted the diagnosis because it was given on the basis of family history and not individual symptoms I was experiencing. Hearing that was one of the things autism is commonly misdiagnosed as has certainly given me pause for introspection. This may be the start of a journey of self-discovery for me.
My dad was diagnosed as bipolar. Looking back now, I can see that he was in reality very autistic, and was misdiagnosed. I recently learned of my own autism, and now when I remember my dad, I realize that he was almost exactly like I am sympomologically.
Man I wish I had known then what I know now; I could have helped him - I could have helped us both.
Me too. There were 2 cold and shallow interviews, a thyroid test, and a prescription I never filled. I enrolled in uni and learnt tonrepect my own pace instead. The list of traits that contributed to my bipolar diagnosis would fit on a tiny pamphlet, compared to the book I could write about Autism. I am Autistic with ADHD and forever grateful to be welcomed as self-diagnosed by this community. Thank you from a punished, now encouraged, 59 year old woman.
I think the main reason I'm considering professional diagnosis is the people around me who don't "see it" or believe it. It can be a very lonely and frustrating place to be when you feel that others don't believe it. If I hear one more person say "oh, I feel like that sometimes too though", I'll explode. If they could live inside my head for 5 minutes, I think thats all it would take. I wish I could find a way to not care what others think. (working on that).
They may choose not to believe an official diagnosis either. Do what's best for you.
I'm going through something similar, but I'm realizing that I shouldn't wait for others to validate how I feel about myself. I find that the whole point of diagnosis is for things to make sense and for acceptance of certain aspects about ourselves that frustrate us. Idk, at the end of the day no one will truly understand our struggles, it's up for us to be understanding and compassionate towards ourselves. Yes, life is about sharing, but some things can only be validated by ourselves.
If I asked my Mother and family about traits and behaviors that I had as a child I wouldn’t get very far as I am pretty sure that they are also all autistic!😅
Me too! I asked my mum but it was hopeless 😂
This is beautiful, as is most of your content. I wish that you didn't stop posting. I understand, but I also think your voice continues to help people. At least you have left your content up and we appreciate that! Best wishes and big hugs to you for all you do and have done! 🤗💛💛💛🩷
Neurodivergent radar is a very real phenomenon. I see others like myself and you everyday. When you become more educated about any subject, but especially a subject like this it helps the with your personal course of navigation very immmensly in your life. Your life of former confusion can be illuminated or reduced greatly with the knowledge of what autism is or rather more respectfully what expansively just nuerodivergence is.
I'm self diagnosed and happy with that - don't forget - professionals have a say, run the world and are well off, at the expense of those that are told how it is and pay for it all.
My biggest fear was that I looked into adult autism diagnosis, I was taking what I learned and projecting my past traits onto the autistic traits. It wasn't on my radar until my therapist suggested the possibility. I kind of self diagnosed while going through the professional diagnosis. it didn't help that the first professional told me, after two interview visits, he would not diagnose me as autistic but he couldn't say I wasn't autistic. A second diagnosis with a neurologist got the diagnosis confirmed. Now having been aware of numerous meltdowns and a few losses of cognitive function when things got too much, I'm glad to understand why it happens to me.
Dismissing the likelihood of a person having autism because they can act. That "professional" obviously never heard of Anthony Hopkins...
Also, Orion Kelly on YT at one point did some acting and radio. He and his son are diagnosed autistic!
@@RestorativeWaves123 We all act when we mask. We assume the role of someone who'd be more normal. If you weren't diagnosed until adulthood, that just shows you were acting very well.
@@dominic.h.3363 So very true!
@@dominic.h.3363well said, ty
I'm personally pushing aggressively for a proper diagnosis because I have so many wrong diagnoses being held against me already. I've received nearly all the common misdiagnoses and I wind doing a bunch of my own medical treatment because I got tired of coming in, having the doctor look at my record and then deciding that I don't really know what I'm talking about.
I do think that misdiagnoses ought to be on both sides of this as having a proper ASD diagnosis should allow the doctors to stop pretending like those old diagnoses are relevant and that maybe I do know what's going on with me, even if it can be hard to express.
Thank you so much for this lifesaving content. Realizing I may be Autistic gave me the Self care tools to now try and prevent/better manage Autistic Burnouts/Regression.
I am a self diagnosed POC gainfully employed as a Licensed Social Worker in behavioral health.I have no desire to be gaslighted for the sake of a diagnosis for pretty much all the reasons u talked about😂
My main concern is the loss of skill each time I experience an autistic burnout/regression?
The burnouts seem to be progressing as I get older (48yrs) and the mask is slipping.
2x now I've been psych hospitalized (pretty sure Bipolar is a misdiagnose) and was diagnosed with Post Partum Depression in which I also now believe was also a misdiagnose. I carry the diagnoses of ADHD, MDD, Anxiety and now during most recent burnout at age 45 in 2020... Bipolar Disorder!!!
As a Licensed Social Worker I know those diagnoses alone never fully explained the skill loss/regression episodes. I've experienced losing the ability to drive, walk down stairs, put things in order, follow simple instruction, type etc . But any of those dxs alone with Autistic and it totally makes sense. I believe I have Autism and ADHD. It's elementary too me. But I know a professional diagnosis will be too traumatizing for me.
I'm so fearful that eventually skills lost during the burnout/regression period may be gone for good. It terrifies me. Each time I burn out its like I experienced a stroke. My biggest fear is losing the ability to work and care for myself.
I've had to self diagnose because literally no one in the state I'm currently in (that say on their specialties that they specialize in helping autistic patients) is willing to diagnose an adult. I was missed as a kid because I was raised when it was still thought that only boys had autism. Mom knew I was weird, different from other kids I went to school with, but she thought it was a normal kind of weird because she's the same way.
I got a little stepbrother at about 16, and by the time he had gotten into kindergarten, the school gave him an unofficial diagnosis so he could get the help he needs through an IEP. The whole time he was growing up before school age, Mom often commented "wow, you did that a lot at your age!" Most of my friends through middle and high school were some type of neurodivergent because they understood me better. My current partner, diagnosed as a child, shared a lot of similar traits growing up.
I told my friends when I started seeking a diagnosis, and there's been at least three that had the response of "Diagnosis? You mean you didn't know?" ;--;
Wasn't able to get a professional diagnosis, but I did take the RAAD-S test on my own and my score hit 163. Yeeeeah, that score tracks. .--.
I went through a thing where I made autism my special interest. Complete with notes, lists, binders, and collated tabs…
After all that, I brought up with my therapist (who’s second job is as a diagnostician) and she said “oh! I thought you were already diagnosed! It’s so obvious just from talking to you that I assumed you had the diagnosis since childhood”
We ended up not going the official route, since right now I need to have as few diagnoses on my record in order to not be discriminated against for what I’m currently trying to get done for me and my family
Seen a number of your videos and they are really resonating with me. I had to look at other simpler videos first before I really understood yours. But it a journey. I have a strange visualization where I wear the last person face I met. I actually feel like them. It exhausting and in Crowds I get tired easily. The journey learning about ND has created a nearly sane person that is kinder to himself.
I asked my GP how I start an Autism assessment. They ignored my request for 6 months. I then asked for a depression consultation. I had one in 3 days. During that first meeting with a psychiatrist I asked about Autism or ADHD and she said I was not either. I make eye contact and I can focus for hours on something I am interested in, lol. I live in a small town and had to drive over an hour for the appointments. I kept going because she did diagnosis depression and working with her did help. I was hoping that I just needed to meet with her and she would see it. She didn't. She couldn't tell how well I can mask. I stopped trusting her ability to work with me. I stopped going.
Please read on as it’s not all about me! I feel really annoyed for you and sorry for how despondent you must feel. I want to get an assessment but the thought of asking a GP to refer me is a massive block. I saw several psychiatrists and psychologists 11 years ago because I was diagnosed with severe anorexia (aged 44) I did not fit the loosing weight to look thin criteria but I now find I identify very well with autistic traits and the experts didn’t see it despite the known link.
Could you ask to be referred to another psychiatrist? Then take a concise shortlist of why you think you are autistic, choose the most compelling reasons from your childhood and adult life and just hand it over as soon as you walk through the door? I find it easier to write what I feel than articulate it, I’m guessing you might find that an easier way too as you relied on your psychiatrist having the skill to see it. After all a trait of autism is an inability to express yourself verbally.
Hope you eventually get a positive diagnosis - when you’re looking to explain so many difficulties and anomalies in your life it can help you move on, at least that’s how I feel x
I had the same experience with my insurance! I asked to get an autism diagnosis, and was told it's not covered for adults. But if I have depression and anxiety (which I do), it will be covered immediately!
The problem is that I have grown weary of "therapy" for depression and anxiety that never addresses the real problem: autism. I gave up on traditional therapy years ago, as it never erally helped, and a lot of times I left a session feeling worse than when I walked in.
I don't understand why getting an adult autism diagnosis is so difficult, and expensive! I ended up paying for my own assessment, and I'm about 1/2 way through now. It is a big expense that I shouldn't have to pay, when I have insurance that is supposed to cover my medical needs!
Same, I've been through countless therapists, psychiatrists and nothing really helps. I don't feel "depressed" and having "general anxiety disorder" doesn't really fit either. Then I stumbled upon autism and everything makes sense. However I am already jaded and have no confidence in any behavioral health provider to understand what is going on inside my head. I've been prescribed at least 10 different SSRIs and none of them work on me. Right now I am just trying to accommodate myself and unmask and see if that helps my issues. Other than that I take CBD oil to calm my nerves.
These videos give me answers to questions I never knew I had. I've suspected I was possibly on the spectrum due to statements a therapist said to me in prison.
I always assumed I was normal, just in an abnormal way. I was well into adulthood when I found out others didn't have experiences I thought were common.
I wasn't seeking a diagnosis or even desiring to be autistic. I knew internally I was different. Externally, people know I'm different in ways they interpret, proves I'm neural typical. My ability to literally learn any skill, am verbal, have friends, and the fact that i was never professionally diagnosed in my childhood is often considered proof I am neural typical.
These last 5 years of discovery have really helped me leave suicidal ideations behind.
I'm a black male w/ late diagnosed adhd at age 50. I now know high masking + low support needs contributed to under-recognized ASD traits and therapist concluding that I am not. At first I denied my adhd diagnosis but after self assessment testing & 3 independent clinical evals, I acknowledged it described my life. The introspection + ASD clinically accepted info + admitting self-ableism is what helped me acknowledge ASD & ADHD as life-long experiences. I'm now age 55, and self-diagnosed auDhd. Looking back, I've been unconsciously masking since childhood and doing so has been helpful and simultaneously/ personally detrimental. Finding this channel & the ASD community are among the most authentic/ informative experiences of my life!
According to a JAMA study, US physician diagnostic accuracy generally ranges from 5.8-55% depending on case difficulty. So you might need to see like 17 different doctors to get an accurate diagnosis. For me, I was diagnosed with something completely different at almost all of them, until one who actually cared finally figured it out and everything just started to finally make sense
I'm 33 and I started exploring my neurodiversity about a year ago, and even though i'm not formally diagonsed, I love learning about the neurodiversity and seeing how I've used different traits of mine through my life has been so self affirming. Freeing yourself from standards and taking a look at what you personally are like, and defining your own values is deeply meaningful.
Hands down, best autism channel on youtube bar none.
I’ve been recently diagnosed but the process to get there was very painful and I know I needed it because of imposter syndrome and the amount of people telling me “but you seem normal like anyone else”.
12:20 I researched ADHD and Fibromyalgia for years before getting an official diagnosis, and only pursued (had to fight the system for months) official dx because I needed it for access to medications and treatments that I can't afford without insurance.
UA-camrs like you, Purple Ella, and I Am MindBlind (Amanda) have been great resources during my self-discovery and identifying my Autistic traits, but I don't plan to seek a formal assessment unless it becomes necessary to access accommodations.
Ella (they/them) and Amanda (she/her) are two AuDHD moms around my age who discovered some of their neurodivergencies while their children were getting assessments. Apparently, women in their thirties and forties in the US and UK who were refused assessments or overlooked as kids are now being diagnosed with ASD and ADHD, because medical professionals are realizing it's not just little white boys being obsessed by trains when their wealthy parents want them to act like an adult CEO.
Honestly, the closest people to me have all had Asperger’s, when I go to restaurants I usually order the same thing every time, if they don’t have it, I usually just leave the restaurant as a whole. I am self diagnosed, but every autistic person that I have ever met has said that I do show strong symptoms of it. That’s good enough for me.
En you say asking rhe right questions is i.portant, you speak truth. I never thought i was autistic because sound never bothered me. But smell does. Since the question was specific to sound, i always answered no, what with being literal and all. It wasn't until I read a children's book about girls with aspergers and they mentioned smell that i realized that the diagnosis fits.
I did multiple online tests and I am autistic person. Can't seek professional help yet, so finding about behaviour therapy etc. Not a soul in the world knows it. I look, talk, walk pretty normal. Most private therapist seems very expensive sanke oil salesmen to me. Government doctors thinks only children have it😢. Online help it only option for me. Channel like this really gave me hope and courage to continue figuring myself out. Thank you so much. You gave me boost to continue having good hope.
It's also worth noting that Neurologists ought to be the ones responsible for making these diagnoses anyways. They're the ones with the equipment to verify things like a brain that's free of damage causing the apparent autism. They're also the ones that are in the best position to try and untangle autism into a reasonable set of subtypes that can more effectively be studied. Behavioral neurology in particular has come a long ways in the last few decades.
I agree.
Our brains are not the damaged one's.
@@MysteryGrey😂😂😂 true
I started wondering (more of an intuition which the same intuition said adhd and dyslexia which both was right) years ago, but over the last 2 years the intuition has gotten so strong from learning more about me and doing so much research that now I can say with confidence that I am. I just want the formal diagnosis so I can get the accommodations that will help me more.
Really needed to watch this. Your words have really helped me tonight. Have been gaslit from medics my whole life. My own research on autism adhd and more explains so much of my life. Yet I have been refuse the opportunity of being put on the waiting list for assessment. Over 50 and female but referee to a pre assessment place whose website states they specialise in children and young adults. Told me I didn't have enough evidence to support being put forward for assessment. If it in the UK and are older,seeking assessment,I wish you luck. Unless you have a ton of visual and documented traits from childhood, and living relatives who can back up your experiences. I was told without those people, then unlikely to get an assessment of even if you did the findings would at best be inconclusive. So many barriers to accessing even the tests.
Went to 3 libraries, 1 local public, 1 main metropolitan and 1 University library, got myself about 30 books on the topic, mostly medical books for professionals and several Biographies. Wrote my shrink a 5 page letter with my traits and references to those books. He welcomed me writing, thought it was plausible thinking on my side, but still didn't think it was the case. Its maddening. I have a private diagnosis scheduled though, one other psychiatrist, this time with experience in ADHD and autism, confirmed my suspicion, but was not offering diagnosis. It's maddening. I've been suffering from anxiety and depression for 25 years. Done several long Therapies but nothing helped. Now I'm 100% certain I'm autistic, it had very bad influence on work, relationships and social life, on my physical and mental health, my finances and my sence of self. It's ridiculous how tedious this process is, I feel for anyone that has or is experiencing the same insanity in not getting the help they need.
I received my diagnose 2 weeks ago, autism + adhd. 41, burned out and stress is now causing physical issues. I will and want to get healthy again, it's just a shame I had to go through such lengths.
When i was 5 years old i can remember sitting by myself in kjndergarden. I still remember exactly how i felt intellectually not wanting to be next to the other kids. The teachers were concerned so they made my parents take me in for a brain scan. When they put the wires in my scalp the sensation freaked me out so badly that several people had to hold me down. They didnt find anything. This was in 1972. I was also a bed wetter until my early teens. I had imaginary friends. The one friend i did make when i entered adolescence was a 6 year old girl who lived across the street. When i reached puberty this added another layer of problems. I didnt understsnd sexuality. I didnt and still dont understand why people choose to have sex with people they dont have a strong bond with. I have always had a hard time expressing my emotions orally. I remember having to write letters to people to explain my emotions. When I get fixated on an interest I can spend hours learning about it. I love non fiction movies and books more than fictional ones. I dont care about physical possessions much but I used to have close emotional connections to certain objects when I was young. Not so much any more. I see a material things value solely based on the experience it can provide. I e I'm not keen on decorative items that have no function. I tend to be a straight shooter with my opinions but am learning that sometimes it's best to not be so blunt. I love and feel empathy so deeply but it feels trapped inside of me. I have a hard time expressing it outwardly, so I come off as distant and cold sometimes. I feel like I'm just playing a role when I try and socialize. I'm getting better at it though. So I don't know if I'm autistic but I highly suspect it.
Thank you so much for this, I love your honesty and holistic approach, accepting all possibilities.
I was diagnosed at the third grade. With all the erasure prevalent out there, sometimes I even doubt whether I'm autistic. Like I stopped being so at 18. This raising consciousness about autism has been beneficial to me. I find that I'm more able to be self-aware of how autism affects my life. I talk more about my neurodivergence to the admitted annoyance of my brother. n.n;;
This information is, itself, a "Service"!
I got diagnosed with BPD 10 years ago and have been seeing a professional weekly, going to a mental health day service daily ever since. Now, after 10 years I’m saying everything I learned about my own mind over all this time is that I need help concentrating. Not to be productive or get a job or whatever, just to be able to watch a tv show or just being able to pass the time in some way that isn’t desperately seeking some kind of entertainment that I can digest. However, at the same time, the professionals have come to the conclusion I should have an autism assessment. Which is like… okay 🤷🏼♀️ because if there is no different type of service for autistic people, no different treatment, nothing would change, then it’s just an assessment to satisfy curiosity.
So I had a screening test to see if I could have an proper ADHD assessment and it was with a stranger who asked bizarre questions I couldn’t wrap my head around and I wasn’t allowed to see the questions. I apparently scored only on the threshold for assessment so I’m not going to be assessed. Although I’m being sent for an autism assessment. Of the two, the issue that is actually pressing is my inability to concentrate on anything. Because that majorly effects every aspect of my life. Plus that’s the one with a potential solution or treatment.
So I’m just… despairing. There’s an NHS gatekeeper who I can’t communicate with in a useful way and there’s also the NHS ‘NICE guidelines’ that basically dictate to professionals how to save money (ie the ADHD assessment is expensive so you need to be severe… the autism assessment I think is because the professionals are somewhat at a loss with me still being on their books all this time).
34 biracial woman. A couple years ago I saw a video or two about the matter and kind of wrote it off. But in recent (past 6 months) times, I also believe I have ADHD. So I am a very atypical, high functioning, so it’s really not going to be easy, but thankfully I have my assessment coming up next week. I only had to wait a month for it, but it is 200 for consult and evaluation. And that’s with insurance. I plan to write down my symptoms to hopefully help the evaluator.
Asking my family about past events or early traits immediately devolves to a vanity-affirming trip down memory lane for them and re-traumatization for me. Autism or not, the past is real, and revisiting it is NOT a walk in the park for many of us.
I self-diagnosed at 57 years old. I always knew i was different.
17:20 Most of the (mainstream, pop culture) resources I'm finding in 2023 categorize Autism as a Neurotype, referring to Autistic and Allistic neurotype. And my favorite non-fiction book of the year so far is Unmasking Autism by Devon Price, PhD.
I think what qualifies someone to be able to diagnose another, is someone like yourself who has first hand experience!
I think that part of the lack of understanding could very well stem from the simple fact that neuro-typicals are unable to understand the inner workings of the autistic mind. True learning, or maybe true understanding, I believe, comes from experience.
Only autistic people have been able to describe in words the emotions and experiences I have lived for 52 years.
Thank you for this! This is super helpful and reassuring.
Thank you for watching
6:04 ...here i am... o.O ... already messaged my therapist... kind of searching for things that hint that i´m not autistic... but i dont know how long i can stand all the things it just by the way like are getting explained to me in every video i watched untill now... i do not self diagnose anything... but i know the diagnoses i have are not fitting... some years ago some of those personality disorder things could explain some things.... but... i dont know.... if its actually no bullshit that i feel... just the knowing that everything i feel and experience isnt bullshit like everyone told me since i can remember....
...need to talk about this... and i´m afraid that (like almost always) i´ll not be able to explain what i mean and i´ll get a subscribtion with "you just think you feel like this because you search for excuses and you just want "Aufmerksamkeit" and sowiso you just psychosomatic, you need to go therapy and then go work like normal humans...)
but i trust my Frau Doctor... ...enough to think she will at least let me explain what i mean for 3/4 of a sentence....
i´ll shutupp now.... cause this is all just brain karusell...
🤔german undiagnosed stressed out crazy woman with confusing thoughts says thanks and bye😮💨🥦🧂
I just started looking into autism by chance, though the thought has crossed my mind. And my gut reaction at first was disruptions to my routine don't bother me, I don't have a routine. Then I remembered that just last week I had a full-blown meltdown cause my sister woke up late and didn't feed her dogs, so I had to do it (mind you, I was literally feeding my dogs when I got this info)... it felt dumb and overblown, but I just lost it
Wonderful job explaining .. a couple of years ago my wife took a DNA test for a different ailment, and included on the report they had found a mutation that was a predisposition to ASD. At first we disregarded, but a few months later decided to give it a look. After reaching the conclusion that she is indeed autistic and got approved for but unable to find testing we decided best to settle on the self diagnosis. We live in such a backward area we also had concerns they would test her the same way they test young males, and get a false negative. After matching her on 63 points, I really began studying common facial features of genetic autism. She had them but also a couple other oddities (don't me wrong she's gorgeous). Those ended up pointing to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, we were able to confirm that, and that FAS is often a trigger for ASD in those with a genetic predisposition. It seems pointless to pay 3k for testing that might not be accurate. At least right now there is no financial intensive for getting an official diagnosis at this point.
I am 41 female and I guess atm I am self-diagnosed tho that is a stretch since I have no idea with what. Autism, ADHD and C-PTSD all fit in some areas. I describe myself that I am sure I am an alien but I have no idea about my planet of origin. I coined that after looking for a formal diagnosis. The person who did my assesment did not have any tools specific for ASD but I've done some other more general tests. I came out as highly neurotic and prone to depression. When it comes to recognizing emotions: I am over the average when it comes to their description, within the average when it comes to recognizing them in others and below average when it comes to recognizing them within myself. The diagnostitian concluded that they really lack the tools to diagnose me specifically. She said that it's highly likely my brain is not neurotypical. At the same time I do not fit enough into DSM-5 criteria since I am too good with emotions. This is funny since my current overview of emotions was not born before I've seen the movie Inside Out on which I have build my understanding of emotions as it was the first things that really connected the concept for me into a working concept. I am also big into psychology (my special interest) so I have all professional language to speak about emotions. And yet, it is extremely difficult to catch the niuanced emotions within myself and most of my life I've felt cought off guard with some emotional outburst out of nowhere. When they are intence it is pretty clear what it is. But it's hard to take guidance from own emotions if there is either little to nothing or all floodgates are open. I can say I am getting better but it has taken me almost 20 years of therapy and concious training and trying out things like meditation and yoga.
At the same time I am taking advice from the neurodivergent community that I see myself more similar to than neurotypical people. All those concepts and practical tips really are making my existance more comfortable. So some would say that I could just stay at that. But my brain is not satisfied. I want to know. I don't care what planet I am from. I just want to know which one. I guess there is the case dealing with self-doubt but also I want to concept I can communicate to others. I am so often being misundestood or accused about motivations that could not be further from the truth. I don't want a diagnosis as an excuse. I want it as a clarification to all the miscommunications that plague my life. I want to give people a concept that might explain why their experience with me is what it is. I want a simple manual how to interface with me. I know some people will never understand because they don't want to be bothered to understand. But I don't need everyone to understand. I need enough people to understand so I have a functional enough social network. Unlike my brother (who actually was suspected to have Aspergers in his teens and that what gave me the hints about me) I am drawn to people. I am curious about people. I just seem have to harder time than average dealing with people.
For now I feel guilty to just call myself autistic or ADHD. Or I am not even sure it's guilt. It just doesn't feel right. I would connect it to my beliefs. I am very scientifically minded. I just feel frustrated that science seems to be failing me in giving me the answers I am seeking. I don't even blame the science because it makes sense to me that given how young mind oriented branches of science are (compare to the old ones) and the tools we have at our disposal, we are simply scratching the surface. At this point I am on a waiting list for an autism diagnosis at a place that specializes in that. It should happen mid next year (after 4 years wait). Maybe one day I will know my planet of origin. And for now I am trying to the best with whatever I have at my disposal.
You are so helpful. So informative. Thank You!!
I ran through all the well substantiated tests. My biggest problem was not having someone to tell me what some of the less clear questions meant. I'm sure regular people would understand the questions, but I wasn't sure. I made my best guess.
Most of them ran from good chance to strongly indicated. The RAADS-R test, at 206, was, "Holey moley, can you walk without an attendant?"
That one counts as an outlier. I'd put the odds of autism at 85-90%.
The therapist I talked to said a proper diagnosis would cost to much and be too difficult to be worthwhile. I'm 64.
If I were looking for an official diagnosis I'd want to find an autistic doctor. Someone who knows what it is from the inside.
@0:02 I made a new folder for your channel. 🎧
I’m taking a break, I am going to love this one!
🇺🇸🇺🇦✌️
I have been doing in depth and continued research for the last 3-4 years and have been stern and confident in my conclusion that I am Autistic (self DX)... I am also ADHD (professionally dx) AuDHD ✊
Thank you for the video. If you can’t function normally and can’t afford a diagnosis it’s really hard. Especially when you add autistic children.
One persons disability, is another persons Genius.
Yeah my psychiatrist told me I can’t be because I’m charming and talkative, which is not … i brought up pda but they are set on bpd, which can be comorbid. I’ve been gaslit so hard by medical professionals that I no longer trust myself
I hear you. I've never been diagnosed w/ either but some ppl in my life at one point tried to point me toward bpd. I suspect ASD way more.
The thing is I worked through a lot of things "on my own" when it comes to regulating my own emotions, (with help of books/other people who went through things and shared online, in podcasts etc.), and lots of solitude/quiet time etc. Taking care of myself incl. diet and hydration and sleep helps so much.
This is only an idea, but if you don't want to approach certain treatments/meds for BPD (whether you do or don't have it), there's a DBT Skills Workbook by Matthew McKay PhD, Jeffrey C. Wood PsyD, Jeffrey Brantley MD and I've been slooowly going through it myself. I decided to order it on my own. I mostly really want it for the "interpersonal communication" part, the last part.
Just food for thought, and know you're not alone
My college wanted a professional diagnosis when I finally brought myself to asking for help from student services. I couldn’t find any professionals in my area willing to assess me at 56! I was also told I would be stigmatized by needing accommodation irregardless of what my diagnosis ended up as. So I quit college for the third time, but I really wanted to get a degree.
This is sooo spot on! I am a female psychometrist with 25 yrs of experience, with expertise in autism since 2008 for ages 18 mos thru 21 yrs at an autism clinic. Here’s the caveat, I’m thinking I’m autistic but I know the major measures and worry about bias. I have a family history and I have adhd, anxiety and depression with signs from youth. I really need an expert as I’m high masking too, ahhhhh can you advise? I’m open to whatever found though it makes sense.
The fact that one IQ test put me at 136, and another one put me at 80, shows that something unusual is happening in my brain.
Yes, and look into Dabrowski in the theory of positive disintegration, that has been helpful for me
IQ tests are garbage
My therapist (who said to me that she was autistic) asked me why I’d want an autism diagnosis and I answered that it would be validating to me, it would prove what I suspected and I’d get the proper help. I’ve been dismissed etc…eg, a friend of mine said to me “everyone’s a little autistic”. See what I mean?
Talking of walking on tippy toes…I did that as a child and I still do, lol
Edit: I took your autism quotient and I scored 34/50. Going by your site I’m significantly autistic
I really appreciate your videos.
This video is very validating to me. I was denied a diagnosis and I'm convinced the evaluation was mishandled. Many people in my life agree with me including my therapist, my autistic mom (also self-dx'd) and my autistic sibling (pro-dx'd). I think I'm just so high-masking that I don't even know how to not mask. I don't match all the symptoms that they test for because I'm not an 8 year old boy obsessed with trains. I'm a 32 year old woman who matches the descriptions of autistic adult women quite well. I do wonder if I should or should not try it again. I don't know if insurance would even cover another assessment, or if it would be any different than the first time. I also fear discrimination if I do get diagnosed like I have heard I might not be able to adopt children which is something I have thought about doing one day, if I'm ever independent enough to do it. But I do feel mad that I wasn't recognized. I have imposter syndrome about it and I'm afraid of self-idenifying as autistic and being called a liar.
I can relate! I am in the process of getting a professional diagnosis (I've had 3 out of 5 sessions already). I'm worried she's going to end up saying I'm not autistic. But I know in my heart and in my mind that I AM! It's hard to put into words the way that my brains works, and the mental gymnastics I have to perform just to get through everyday situations (especially any kind of social interaction). Everything is always (and has always been) so difficult for me. And I mean EVERYTHING!
I'm 60 years old, and I fear that since I have been masking for so long, she won't be able to see beyond the mask. But I've been honest with her about how things are for me, and I've shared things I haven't ever shared with anyone else. And, she specializes in diagnosing autism in adults! So I probably shouldn't be worried, but I am.
I hope you are able to get a 2nd opinion assessment, and that you can find a real professional who knows what to look for in adult autistic women!
@@christinelamb1167 I hope you get the dx! In either case though, I believe you even if no one else does. I also have a hard time putting things into words, there oftentimes aren't any words that explain how my brain works so I scrape by with clumsy metaphors that no one gets. I also have the feeling you described of everything being hard! I barely have any kind of social life anymore because it never seems to get easier.
There is a lot of reverb in this video. If you want to reduce reverb in your filming room you can add stuff to the floors and walls. You don't have to add that "egg carton" foam, just hanging some stuff and adding a rug can help a lot with reducing reverb like this. EDIT: I looked at one of your more recent videos and it seems like you got it figured out.
My diagnosis was like 45 minutes and it was done with the ados test made for males, i showed sings but they said Social Anxiety is the thing that’s the bigger problem.
They were no specialists in that area so I will
seek specialist out.
They did not even take into account the questionnaires that were given to us and what I wrote additionally only the ados test
I don’t think you mentioned any online tests. I have tested autistic on several tests. I plan to move to the Tulsa area which has the only adult autistic diagnosis specialists. I am 61 and I believe it will help my grandchildren.
The reason is like to have a professional diagnosis is because I am multiply disabled, use a power Wheelchair and have a caregiver. Having Autism diagnosed by a professional will allow me to access services from the caregiver, but not if I'm only self - diagnosed.
Surely the vast majority of people diagnosed as an adult first self-diagnosed.
Without telling him- was suspecting, I had another autistic man ask me if I had the TISM
Confirmation, takes one to know, and had the most amazing conversations as we shared a mutual interest
I found the autism quotient test on your page, but I can't find the list you said you'd have on your page, for people doing self assessment.
I was hoping to find that, since I can't afford a professional assessment at the moment. I've been approved to get a professional assessment, but Idk when it'll happen b/c of current restrictions, and the long wait times, and I'm hoping that if I can have better questions for my parents to answer, and for me, then I'll be able to get a more accurate assessment, both on my own, and from a medical professional, since they so commonly misdiagnose adults, especially women, and queer people.
email me at neurodivergentdoctor@yahoo.com and I will email you some tools.
In FL, there really is no one available to diagnose Autistic adults, according to Miami Autism CARD Center. My Hubby is self-diagnosed Autistic. A very dishonest Florida Bar prosecutor disbarred him by the intentional fraud of hiding and not disclosing 1. that FL has no adult Autism diagnostic doctors pretty much; 2. people self-diagnosing Autistic is a very real thing; and 3. all he had to do to show Hubby is Autistic or not right in the trial was to point at something, and observe that Hubby lacks joint attention to follow a pointing gesture, a key diagnostic red flag for Autism in young children. The dishonest FL Bar prosecutor also ignored Hubby's NY State BOCES records. What a tragedy the prosecutor was so dishonest !
I'm a a Full-blown Empath. I have many Sensory difficulties. Autism symptoms are seen in Empaths for we are so sensitive to the environment. A great book: The Empaths Survival Guide (Life Strategies for Sensitive People) by Dr. Judith Orloff, MD You can download this book. You may be an Empath, not Autistic.
Thank you ❤️
Everyone else has diagnosed me, apparently Sheldon from big bang is my nickname. I'm now doing research because I can't afford a real diagnoses.
"Your score was 21 out of a possible 50" so many of the questions were vague especially due to lack of defined context i think it's probably "best" for those with extreme behaviours, or maybe i'm just looking through the lens of cognitive bias. i think my score was skewed to "non autistic" due to my love and fascination of people, and an ability to see them. needs to be an updated version of the test, i guess it was only ever expected to be a prompt rather than an overall guide.
I was misdiagnosed with schzoid personality disorder but its not relatable to me. My life experiences relate to the word autism. Years ago when I heard the word in a movie but didn't know about it i felt something inside me. Im in the process of getting evaluated again. Im worried though and am discouraged and traumatized. I can't keep failing at work without the support and understanding i need. I get bullied at every job i had and I don't communicate with the employees but i do sometimes try.
I considered getting evaluation for spelling dyslexia , but it would have been mutually exclusive with the honor's roal ....
I had the first version of dragon dictate to cope, on a computer in my trunk talking to my computer in the parking lot in the late 80's , that was still sci-fi to most back then so that got me more weird looks then anything!!!!
Thank you
Thank YOU!
Thank you!!🙏🙂
On the topic of there not being enough clinicians for diagnosis, my therapist and one other person are responsible for testing in the ENTIRE state of Maryland, not simply the county i live in
Let that sink in for a second. Imagine how long me and other undiagnosed neurodivergent young adults are going to be waiting on a list. Slowy and silently suffering...
I was diagnosed with BPD. I don’t see it, at all. Most people in my life don’t see it either, but once I learned about autism… through a friend who sat me down and talked with me about possibly being autistic because they work with autistic adults at a university in their autism clinic… I’m actually convinced I’m autistic. I’ve done lots of tests online and had a therapist agree I may have autism. But no one diagnoses autism in adults for some reason.
I live in an African country where there isn’t much awareness of autism, neither are there much access to autism diagnosis or help..
The best I’ve gotten so far is a nuero-psychiatric hospital is a completely different state that only offer diagnoses for children basically. So there isn’t much there
I suspect though that I may have HF autism or Aspergers and also schizoid PD along with a probable above average IQ levels. It was only through this lens that I can actually explain my childhood and current experiences.
I knew what depression and anxiety was but I couldn’t even tell when I was having an episode, especially with the anxiety until I implode.
I’d say it’s either that or I’m just downright weird for no reason lol
It was only through obsessively researching on this topic going from one rabbit hole to another was I finally able to put words and a name to the emotions and struggles I’ve had for as long as I can remember
I’m still learning everyday though there are days that I doubt I am actually this and just think to myself “maybe I’m just overthinking things and I’m probably not autistic or schizoid but simply just weird”.
I used to confuse Learning disabilities and other mental disorders with autism which made me skeptical about if I was actually autistic but that was because I didn’t know what autism was in the first place. I don’t have a learning disability neither was I cognitively behind my peers especially in my early childhood. I started schooling when I was 2 years old and before I even attended my first class in school at that age I knew the entire English alphabets A-Z, I could count 1-20, and rhyme basic words…knowing this information made me doubt my diagnosis at first but until I actually started learning about what autism was and how it could show up in different people and how it showed up in my life
I'm in the process of getting assessed and I'm still worried about confirmation bias- what if my thinking got influenced after the months of deep-diving into learning as much as I could about autism? I hope my dad and my school reports gave the psychologist good information because I don't know if I can trust my own self-reporting.
If someone has dived deep enough to wonder if they can even trust themselves then I instantly trust them more. Obviously we can delude ourselves but if your asking that question! I think you should trust your gut feelings, you know more about you than anyone else.
@@steben3318 I agree!
I've been diagnosed as ADHD (inattentive type) ever since I was in 2nd grade. I match some of the traits of Autism, I am sensitive to certain stimuli, smells especially. I like to eat a lot of the same food over and over, easy to prepare, with a texture that doesn't bother me. I'm not someone that likes trying new things on the menu unless I'm in a rare mood.
I also have the hyper focus/obsession on topics I enjoy. I will drill at something until I'm satisfied. As you said, there are lots of overlapping traits between autism and ADHD. So what I'm wondering is, do you think it's a possibility to have symptoms of both Autism and ADHD?
I feel like I heavily relate to a lot of the autistic experience, yet the ADHD traits run counter to that. It makes me wonder if it's possible or if it's just not often mentioned due to being difficult to pin down. I don't relate to the hyper, short attention span ADHD model.
Everything you have described can be explained by ADHD. ADHD also comes with sensory processing problems, cognitive rigidity (not wanting to deviate from the familiar ways), and hyper focus. A better understanding of ADHD is actually that we have a hard time regulating our attention rather than that we don’t have enough of it. So, while some tasks we have a hard time attending to, others we have a hard time pulling our attention away.
That said… yes, you absolutely can have both ADHD and autism. I couldn’t say if that’s you but it might be! 🤷♀️
It costs thousands here and isn’t covered. I don’t earn enough to be confident spending that, I also fear being misdiagnosed and spending money I don’t have for nothing. I am not confident enough of a person to state I am without a professional diagnostic, even though I definitely check a lot of the female checkmarks. It is discouraging because of that, I tend to just keep quiet and say nothing. I would like to have one.
Me too, and I feel embarrassed about seeking a diagnosis but it seems to explain just about everything good and bad about me. I feel it’s really important to get a professional diagnosis to validate it or you’ll never know for sure.
18:19 - is this list still up? I failed to find it on your website just now, finding a link to the AQ test in the place I most expected to find it…
Omg I love that idea of people having to solve a riddle as part of becoming a therapist lol
I have been diagnosed as borderline personality disorder, ADHD and c-ptsd. After my son was diagnosed as autistic, I started realizing I might be as well. But I'm having a hard time discussing this with anyone in my life or attempting to get a medical diagnosis.
I’m rizzin with the tism.
Thank you so much for this!!
Thanks for all the work you've done - and for all of the information. I went to your website to find that list that categorizes some autistic features that you mentioned around the 18:20 mark but can't seem to find it. Might you be able to point me to it? Thanks again! This is so helpful. 🙏🏾
I went looking aswell but couldnt find anything either, would really like access to that list because Im fighting with my doctors about assessment but they come with all sort of excuses and i need something concrete to show them but have a hard time putting everything on paper or speaking with my doctor about it!
Same here I can't find the list. 😭
Chances are, you aren't going to be taken seriously either way in any way that really matters- the only difference I see is that an "official brand" from a psychiatrist might allow a benefit claim for what that's worth, if you're willing and able to pay the front-end costs.
It seems to my way of thinking that the benefits of identifying autism or any other condition mostly exist in self-understanding, learning helpful strategies, and potentially making connections with others more compatible with your own way of being.
I never wondered, it was obvious, plus so many other close family and relatives are diagnosed it's not like it's a surprise or unexpected, eg both my children and their double first cousins children (my mum's sister married my dads brother, therefore double first cousins)
Though I was diagnosed 4 times first at age 9 I really think unless you get diagnosed by a doctor you will really never know if you are autistic or not. Because you could be ADHD or mentally ill Bipolar or just a depressed person. I know many can't afford to go to a doctor but still I feel better if I was diagnosed by a doctor like I was.