10 Traits of Autism in Women you might not know

I'd love to post more frequently on this channel because I have WAY too many ideas! To make the possible, I've started a Patreon. If you join, you'll get get 2 exclusive videos a month and access to the Discord server, even on the lowest tier:
/ imautisticnowwhat
🐌 If you want to learn more about the Patreon & Discord community, I have a video tour! 🐌: • Introducing... THE ANT...
This is the second part of my three-part series about signs of autism (I say women in the title, but these could apply to any individual of any gender!) This one is about sensory differences you MAY experience as an autistic individual such as noticing small sounds everyone around you seems oblivious or indifferent to and struggles with your fine motor skills.
Part 1 about social differences:
• Are you just Socially ...
Part 3 about emotional experiences & interests:
• 10 Traits of Autism yo...
I really hope this is helpful/useful to you in some way. Thank you so much for taking to the time to watch! Feel free to make requests for future videos in the comments below.
DISCLAIMER: I am a second-year psychology student and a late-diagnosed #actuallyautistic individual. I am not a qualified healthcare professional.
Sources:
Finding the True Number of Females with Autistic Spectrum Disorder by Estimating the Biases in Initial Recognition and Clinical Diagnosis (2022):
www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/9/2/27...
A Qualitative Exploration of the Female Experience of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (2019): www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
The art of camouflage: Gender differences in the social behaviors of girls and boys with autism spectrum disorder:
journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/...
Is food refusal in autistic children related to TAS2R38 genotype?: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/f...
AQ10:
embrace-autism.com/aq-10/
The Greenwood Institute Video on Managing Sensory Problems:
• Alex - Managing sensor...
The National Autistic Society on Sensory Differences:
www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-...
Autistic traits, emotion regulation, and sensory sensitivities in children and adults with Misophonia (2022):
link.springer.com/article/10....
A behavioral comparison of male and female adults with high functioning autism spectrum conditions (2011):
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21695...
Sensory Integration in Autism Spectrum Disorders By Cindy Hatch-Rasmussen:
www.autism.org/sensory-integr...
Visual Snow on EyeWiki:
eyewiki.aao.org/Visual_Snow
KZbin channels mentioned:
Olivia Hops:
/ @oliviahops
Woodshed Theory:
/ @woodshedtheory
Paige Layle:
/ @realpaigelayle
*Books I'd Recommend about Autism:
Different not Less by Chloe Hayden (read if you want to cry):
amzn.to/40fKx2m
Aspergirls by Rudy Simone:
amzn.to/3xSZ6Mg
*Links with a star are affiliate links. The channel will receive a small commission if you buy anything on Amazon after clicking through with this link. There's no extra cost to you and any money will go towards putting out more content. I'd love to post twice a week and put more time into research for these videos. Thank you so much - I really appreciate every like and comment!
*Links with a star are affiliate links. The channel will receive a small commission if you buy anything on Amazon after clicking through with this link. There's no extra cost to you and any money will go towards putting out more content. I'd love to post twice a week and put more time into research for these videos. Thank you so much - I really appreciate everyone sharing their stories in the comments.

[@imautisticnowwhat]

I've posted my video about what autistic masking feels like from the inside (from my perspective, a few studies and articles, and the many other anecdotes I've read from the autistic community online): kzbin.info/www/bejne/fmXZlICNd5yZq7M

[@iupiter.161]

As a trans person I'm so happy you didn't just say women! Thank you!!!

[@janalu4067]

Polaroid glasses or clip-on for existing glasses. Best thing for glare, hands down. Also, you mention symptoms that sound like anxiety, a lot. It sounds like anxiety is affecting dyspraxia? Maybe a misunderstanding on my part, but please consider doing a video on anxiety in autism. How much of autism is really anxiety, and are there ways to treat/shrink anxiety?

[@mistylee717]

What did you say at 5:05.

[@lyndeecebulla5616]

The main difference between sudden loud noises and listening to loud music to unwind is your control over the noise.

[@Alexandra9001]

Exactly! The main thing - your EXPECTATION on sound! Ps, love your surname (I guess?), since it means "onion" in my language 😅.

[@lyndeecebulla5616]

@Alexandra9001 Thank you 🤣 it means onion in at least 2 languages according to my research, lol (Spanish, Polish, and probably a couple other romantic and slavic based languages as well)

[@hayati6374]

I literally prefer a dance bar with heavy music over a gastronomic bar or restaurant because you’ll ONLY hear music and not the ceramic and glass kling and so many sounds I can’t prepare well enough

[@gelenamurena]

also, music pieces are structured and much easier for our brain to analyze and predict the next sound. it's not like every instrument part is played randomly at the same time.

[@lorrainemontalvo9436]

I always wondered. Mynkandlord has asked me why I keep my music blaring throughout the day when my son's at school. Ibhonestly told her because I cannot stand tonearm the noise outside. She looked at me so weird lol hut couldn't help b UT understand the dichotomy

[@malena59265]

Don't mind me just marking this for later 1:12 - Food aversions 5:13 - You notice small noises 7:47 - Strong dislike for loud noises 9:09 - Music makes you feel a lot 11:28 - Strong sense of smell 13:03 - Tactile defensiveness 15:28 - Propioception differences 17:18 - Sensitivity to light 19:11 - Visual snow 20:41 - An appreciation for the natural world

[@britty23]

Thank you for this!!

[@FlamingCockatiel]

Thank you for this.

[@ally939]

Thanks!!!

[@Bunny-ft9dy]

I really think I'm developing visual snow and that scares me. Especially as someone who has light and other visual sensitivities. Any tips on how to deal with this?

[@alisalebedeva7097]

bless you

[@user-kz4eb5ku1n]

i am autistic but my parents still seem to think that i "choose" to be this way and say that "i could simply stop" or "choose to not let these things effect me" if i really wanted. for years i felt like i was a brat and ungrateful and horrible but i realize now that i dont have to apologize or feel that way. im autistic. this is how i am. im not a brat, im not ungrateful, im simply different. if your parents treat you the same then please know that they are just ignorant!!!

[@clairejohnson6522]

❤

[@wintermatherne2524]

I get that a lot from the “positive thinking” crowd.They are so ignorant AND annoying. Not to mention insensitive. So toxic.

[@izziek86]

I’m 37 and still unpacking that feeling that I’m a brat and being deliberately difficult that was projected on me by those around me! Often I’ll just lean into it because nothing I do or say will convince anyone that I’m not a brat, so I just go ham! In certain contexts I just consider myself a brat, but that’s very specific contexts that aren’t polite to discuss 😂

[@ananousous]

That's just not true, and the irony is that your parents could choose to not let their prejudice (and arguably bigotry) not get in the way of them seeking to understand, accept, and love

[@user-dc2pj8rp2y]

Ughhh what about driving with ANYTING ON THE DASH of the car! I just CANT 😂

[@Harley24986]

The light touching! I always say, if you are going to touch me then really touch me. Light touches make my skin crawl.

[@barbarasunday3514]

My daughter was assessed as autistic at 21. I can't believe all the things I , her mother..am only now learning about her. We were at church recently and she made a list of 20 + noises she heard clearly during the sermon...I only heard one or two besides the speaker. And I saw the food reactions so many times!

[@ananousous]

Would you be willing to ask her if she actually wants to go to church? Sometimes there's unfair pressure for that and unintentional coercion

[@gatocalcetin1271]

I can't go to church or closed spaces without airbuds because I'll be hearing many things or noises that will hurt my head, maybe you could buy her ones if she does want to go to church. I'm an atheist so I only go to church when someone in my family is like getting married or being baptized and stuff, sometimes my parents don't get that I need my airbuds and think I'm being disrespectful, it's not that I hate religion so much that I don't even want to hear it, I wear them too at restaurants, I need them the same (if not more), and if I hated religion I would not go to church for their events and I would be very physically angry (I'm not good at hiding that I'm angry, even if I think I am, or even if I don't know I'm angry), I think going to church is a sacrifice because it's not only overstimulating for me, but also weird because I don't know what to do there, but it's not that I hate it or disrespect religion. What I'm trying to say (I'm bad at synthesizing, and I kind of just say anything inside my mind sorry) is that you could ask her if there's something that your daughter does that you think is weird you could ask her the reason and you'll both notice many things, there are things I discover about myself even now, and if you need something cheap to not hear things so loud are earbuds from a pharmacy, they're not for everyone but the soft ones can be cleaned and it's cool

[@AlwaysLime]

When I am at church and I hear an unexpected noise (kids being loud, instrument playing loudly during a talking portion, someone worshiping louder than the music, I plug my ears at best and run out of the room at worst.

[@mikeuk1927]

​@@ananousousI knew there would be one of those comments. If she talked about anything else than a church, nobody would care. Can yoi imagine writing such a comment if the activity was for example: going to a pool, icerink, shopping, paperwork in a DMV, having a walk in a park, literally anything else. I don't think you have a problem with the compulsion part, but with the church part. And no, I'm not a religious person and I've been to church a handful of times. I don't care if anyone goes to church or not, but I care for honesty and not manipulating people.

[@ananousous]

@@mikeuk1927 No, I only care for the compulsion part. It's less common for children (or even adults making their own decisions) to be coerced, forced, or compelled to going to/doing those other activities you listed. But going to church?... Yea, if you're the type of person who truly cared about honesty, I doubt you'd have needed this explained to you. Hope you have a good day though

[@Nami-dq3ox]

My sensory issues are not that bad, but I've been comparing myself to people who can't use public transport without having a meltdown rather than to most people. Absolutely pre-emptively covered my ears around balloons as a kid. I thought hearing all the little sounds in exam conditions was normal. The sounds that are most agitating to me are when a car is just sitting with the engine revving, or audio coming from a phone/tablet/laptop. Even when I'm alone I listen to my own audio using headphones rather than the laptop speakers. But I most commonly get sensory overload from multiple sounds happening at once.

[@emeraldstar373]

me too, I don’t have bad sensory issues. if people touch me without warning me I really don’t like it, I am sensitive to bitterness, spices and sour foods and I hate hand dryer’s, hoovers, hairdryers, the sound of cars or motorbikes revving. but that’s it, I don’t get sensory meltdowns, I only ever feel the strong need to cover my ears. Oh and I hate people raising their voice slightly at me, when my mum does I cover my ears and she thinks I’m rude but it really just hurts my ears and heart (does that sound weird?). I also hate fireworks but that’s all of it. I don’t think I have bad sensory issues.

[@emeraldstar373]

oh yeah and multiple sounds happening at once or loud laughing or loud talking (even tho I talk loudly) makes me feel really anxious and my ears hurt

[@emeraldstar373]

oh and loud music in cars, that I hate.

[@Nami-dq3ox]

@@emeraldstar373 Ah, yes, the loud laughing too, and it's really hard to explain to people! I get a strong urge to cover my ears too, but I can't because I'm an adult so I have to just retreat into my own head to block everything out. Makes it difficult in group conversations because people assume I must be upset.

[@emeraldstar373]

@@Nami-dq3ox apart from that I’m 15 in school, exactly the same here!

[@lizzywilliams2152]

I struggled with sensory issues as a child and even now as an adult in my 30s. I thought everyone could hear the lights in the classroom, hear every sound. Small motors, like those in blenders, electric hand dryers, remote control cars. I covered my ears, or dried my hands on my pants. Fire alarms would make me physically ill and like I might pass out because the sound was so overwhelming.

[@Rey-it3sg]

God the fire alarms. Between the screeching alarm and flashing lights I would feel overwhelmed first then physical pain surging through my head down my neck leaving a hot burning feeling on my skin. I felt physical pain from the light and noise.

[@angelagregoire6811]

Same

[@lizzywilliams2152]

@@Rey-it3sg It was like being stabbed with an ice pick made of light and sound. I seriously thought the first time I heard it that I was going to pass out. And most times after that, honestly.

[@lizstokes9091]

I don't think I would enjoy a neurotypical brain swap experience. I'm so lucky that my entire childhood was spent on a farm, it was such a relief from all the noise at school, etc. Moved to a small city at 17 for college, stayed for 20 yrs and hated every single sound and smell about it (ironic when I realize the smells and sounds related to farm animals, somehow they didn't bother me). I went back to country living 7 yrs ago and I LOVE IT!!! Everything I love about it, is exactly what all my neurotypical visitors dislike and (negatively) comment on. "You're so far away from everything and everyone" "It's dead quiet" "It's so dark at night" All of those comments would end with them saying, "idk how you can live alone way out here" And I'm over here, bouncing around, singing and dancing in pure bliss because I'm so far away from everything that's over stimulating. I can choose my own noise (such as loud music 🤘 without bothering anyone else) instead of constant sirens, dogs barking, people screaming, cars honking, noise, noise, noise, so much noise!!! 🤣 If I swapped brains, I would miss the unique sound each bird makes and the wind in the trees and the way the light dances through the woods on a sunny day and so much more. None of my NT peeps notice these things 😥 I've been told by many that they think I have super sonic hearing, I think they're just not listening 😁🤣

[@faeriesmak]

I love this! I live rurally and am surrounded by farms and feel exactly the same.

[@leahtheanimationfan40]

I live in a small city (in the suburban outskirts) but it's the area where I grew up so I'm used to it. I love being close to everything but I definitely understand the overestimulation which is exactly why I would never live in a BIG city or in the middle of the city. Thankfully I live in a quiet apartment complex where there's lots of trees and I live near the mountains so there's lots of hiking trails withing 10 miles of where I live 😊

[@faeriesmak]

@@leahtheanimationfan40 That sounds really nice. I would love to live where I could see mountains! I am in WI..so no mountains!

[@leahtheanimationfan40]

@@faeriesmak I live in northern Utah. There's always mountains near you 😄

[@heedmydemands]

Yeah it sounds beautiful, I live away from the city too, not country compared to the actual country but it's not the city either. You can see the stars well at night. One thing that bothered me living in the city was how it felt like a whole thing to just go outside from my apartment, we did have a balcony which makes it a bit better but still, living in a house is so great for just being able to step out and be chilling outside. I grew up in the sticks and I like to have space from your neighbors too

[@kraziecatclady]

You have described a lot of things that my daughter struggles with. She's 11 and still refuses to tie shoes. She cannot use a key to open the door and hates being touched. She is on the spectrum. The most confusing thing to me is that they identified her as autistic based off all the sensory issues she has. I have ADHD, my son has both ADHD and is on the spectrum but was diagnosed because he struggles with social cues. When they said my daughter is autistic as well, and talked about the sensory stuff, I was like, "But isn't that part of ADHD?" They said, "No." I left feeling very confused because I also have sensory issues but have always thought of it as part of my ADHD because it can be very distracting. I had more than a few teachers in school stick me out in the hallway during tests because all the erasing other students would do would drive me crazy and make it hard to pay attention to the test. I would get really aggravated by the noise of the writing and erasing. You also described a lot of things that also bother me or bothered me as a child. As an adult, I don't really care about the balloon thing, but as a child, I was absolutely terrified of balloons. I like dogs, but I can't stand the smell, and I don't like how demanding they can be when it comes to attention. I also don't have the patience to work on things like housebreaking. Smells are a big issue for me. I can smell people smoking cigarettes from blocks away. We have an air fryer and when it is plugged in, it makes this very high-pitched noise that I find incredibly annoying. I could hear it from the other side of the house. I remember one day; I went into the kitchen and unplugged it once I figured out where it was coming from. My son came down the stairs and said, "The sound is gone." I was like, "Yeah, I thought it was the microwave, but it turned out to be the air fryer." He looked at me all confused and was like, "You can hear it too?" "I thought maybe I was going crazy." I can also hear those annoying tones that were once some kind of stupid trend that kids were doing because apparently adults aren't supposed to be able to hear it. My son thought it was funny to annoy me with those for a bit after getting annoyed that I can hear it even though supposedly, I shouldn't be able to hear it. I can hear noises just fine, but sometimes words themselves get scrambled in my brain like someone is speaking a different language which has caused me to have way more hearing tests that should be considered normal because people have accused me of being hard of hearing. My mom used to joke that I had selective hearing. I thought it was a real illness/problem and got in some trouble once for telling an adult, "I'm sorry, I didn't understand you, I have selective hearing." Thanks mom. lol

[@AlexShiro]

Urghh the sounds yes! Just like you wrote! Dogs barking bring me tears, electrical noises send me around the bend…

[@karenholmes6565]

My oldest brother is completely like an Asperger's kid. He is literal, has trouble with humor, doesn't display a lot of emotion, was reading the newspaper in 1st grade, and was in a mentally gifted program. My next eldest brother was put on Ritalin in the 1960s because he was massively ADHD. My sister is neurotypical. Both of my parents had traits that I would consider on the spectrum. Now that they've changed the diagnosis criteria I am positive I would have been assessed as autistic were I in school today. My son has been diagnosed with 3 different anxiety disorders. We are both considering getting evaluated for autism. I think my family tree is riddled with it. Edited to add the reason I responded initially is because I had a lot of trouble with keys up until I was a young adult. I graduated from high school early. I was reading at a college level in junior high school, but I couldn't use a key and had trouble telling my right from my left. So just because your daughter has trouble with keys doesn't mean she won't do amazing things. I went to graduate school eventually.

[@ruthhorowitz7625]

You can have adhd and be autistic

[@sixbirdsinatrenchcoat]

I have left shops because their lamps were too loud 😂 I once spent nearly two hours of a work day climbing up and down desks, unscrewing one bulb at a time to find out which one was screaming. First, a young woman who could hear it too but wasn’t that bothered by it started climbing around with me. Then a man in his mid 40s walked in and just … stopped and looked super puzzled, like, “why are you … what are you doing?” So I told him. He couldn’t hear the noise at all, but not for a split second did he doubt that it was there. So often I feel we as autistics - and as women - are not taken seriously, or we’re told that we’re overreacting or being “hysterical” - especially by neurotypical, middle-aged men - but this guy was just Oh, okay. I guess I’ll climb up here too and start unscrewing bulbs so you can have a listen. Then my boss walked in, and I can just imagine what must have gone through his mind 😂 Three people on top of desks, hands to the ceiling, going “Is it this one?” So I explained again. He just made a “Hmm”-type sound and left. But then a few minutes later, he returned with a box of new lightbulbs. He couldn’t hear the noise either. He was in his mid 60’s and not about to start climbing desks, but he spent the next half hour or so handling us bulbs. I loved working there. Oh, and we did find the problem. There were two screaming bulbs. ALSO, have you tried teaching your daughter to tie her shoes by creating two loops and tying them in a knot? That’s how my grandmother finally taught me to do it at age 10. I was so proud I could finally do it. I’m 40 years old and I still use that method. It’s a bonafide autistic life hack imo - and it reminds me of my grandmother every time.

[@AlexShiro]

@@sixbirdsinatrenchcoat yes! Screaming lightbulbs, noisy parts on standby, radios with noisy transistors, electrical appliances with dirty noise; the office I was tested in had a dirty fire alarm speaker in the ceiling that was a horrible high pitch that apparently all the ASD people comment on… I drive a 20plus yo car to avoid so much electronic noise too, and I can pick any suspect mechanical noises, vibrations or things not being right. I’m considering sound engineering as a career change sometimes.. lol

[@sadrainy]

I only recently realized that having my hair down when I am tired and more prone to sensory overload can be huge contributing factor to just not being able to think and cope. I think it was so ingrained in me that oh having hair down is pretty and nice, and that no one has strong feelings about their hair being down or up other than if they're hot, that it didn't occur to me. So, seeing this video commenting on that thing specifically really made me feel understood and known. Also tight clothes around neck and armpits!! I suddenly can gain such oversensitivity to them, like the dial is turned from 5 to 10 suddenly when I'm already in poor state. Thank you for this video! Even though not all of these apply to me or such extremes, it's good to feel heard and seen and acknowledged. I love your videos, thank you for sharing your voice and stories.

[@HeatherAnnDavis]

I never wear my hair down because I feel rage when it touches me!! 😹 Most people seem to think I’m being funny when I tell them that, but boy do I mean it! I had been chopping it off for years but started growing it out again because that’s “pretty” and…it lives in a bun!

[@Jolinda11]

Lovely share, thank you. I'm unclear, are you saying you're also autistic in addition to the adhd or noting overlaps or? In anycase, thanks for sharing & for being an involved parent validating & advocating for your kids.

[@sadrainy]

@@Jolinda11 I suspect I am both ADHD and Autistic and some of them overlap and was part of why I realized I might be autistic much later.

[@lindac6919]

I had wear a boned top once for a formal dress. All evening, I could feel every stay poking into me. I was certain that when I took it off, I would be bleeding under my armpit! But there was just a pink mark. Clothes tightness, fabric feels, how the skirt hit my legs when I'm wearing it - those are all so acute! Or when my blouse loosely brushes my torso as I stand up or turn. It's so acute!

[@MelissaThompson432]

I keep my hair cut short. I haven't cut it lately and it's getting on my nerves. I get the clothing thing, I hate "feeling" my clothes. I wear a lot of tee shirts and pajama/yoga/athletic pants. I wear my socks inside out because the toe seams make me crazy. I cut out all my tags. I can't wear high necklines.

[@RisaPlays]

Our old TV used to make this small buzzing noise when it was on and my mom never noticed it. Usually when there was other sound, it could drown it out, but my mom often turned off the cable but forgot to turn off the TV. That buzz then was incessant and annoying. I had to keep letting her know that she forgot to turn off the TV because I was the only one who could hear that buzz.

[@magdalenabozyk1798]

Those usually have to do with age. Grown ups usually (I say usually) start to loose hearing some frequencies, especially the high-pitch ones. Me and my partner never did.... So I get to hear squeeky bikes, squeeky baby carriages (must be driving the toddlers insane) and those mysterious buzzzing things that nobody else seems to notice. I have a similar story about a TV. When I was teenager our TV broke, and what we had was an old one that we were to use in our summer-place. It had this high-pitch that drove me insane. Nobody else heard it. It was a period I stopped watching tv and just locked myself in my room.

[@lulumoon3636]

This is a thing I remember getting really upset about when I was younger. I could hear the high pitched sounds coming from the TV and it hurt. I couldn't stay in the same room. I still have the issue with being able to hear high pitched sounds. Some electronic devices I can still hear, like WiFi etc. It's awful. I was diagnosed age 23 & I'm 32 now. I look back and have no idea how it was missed, it is so obvious looking back

[@nicojbobse]

I'm on the spectrum and live in a relatively snowy part of Canada - there's no season that isn't sunglasses season for me. As you mentioned, sometimes in the fall those overcast days are especially bad for my eyes. No one else is wearing sunglasses, but I've just accepted that I'm different. Thanks for the content! Really enjoying your videos.

[@nicojbobse]

Also, polarized glasses for glare. Also, the picture you chose to demonstrate driving at night is similar to how people with astigmatism see things, apparently (myself included).

[@heedmydemands]

I'm in Canada too, yeah the snow is brutal for the brightness, beautiful but just too bright sometimes, I feel like it's a counter attack

[@Wheatley_Allana]

I also wear sunglasses all the time....even when its raining. I also can't stand socks or shoes suffocating my feet so i mostly wear open toe shoes all year lol. Yes it may seem weird but its good for me and i love my quirks!

[@FlamingCockatiel]

Overcast days can somehow have a glare. My former boyfriend, who is autistic himself, commented on how frequently I wore them. It takes so little sun for me to pull them out.

[@juanitahardy8583]

😊I often have to wear sunglasses while shopping. LED lights really affect me. I won't have them in my home, only incandescent light. Interestingly LED light has been linked to cancer in Europe and some countries ban them in schools.

[@orth82]

I tick all the boxes. Autistic people I've encountered have always been drawn to me and I to them. And yet it wasn't until literally yesterday that everything clicked into place and it finally dawned on me at 41 that I am (obviously) on the spectrum

[@darlinqtoni]

I love that little emoji you used at the end. I agree btw I’ve always drawn nd people my whole life but dident even know until now.

[@JackandJill2017]

Also, the whole noise thing- I am super sensitive to noise- but sometimes I blast the music so so loud I think because of the craving for that sensory immersion…. and definitely when I do it has everything to do with how the song is touching deep inside my self! And then other times, I can’t stand to have even the background noise of the fridge & dehumidifier & radon fan running all at once, or even just one of them. (Speaking of which…time to turn off the dehumidifier!!)

[@TurtleluvsNarwhal]

A lot of these spoke to me but I was floored when I saw the visual snow. It feels really good hearing something about it and not just something I've dealt with and people thought I was crazy. Finally met one other girl who had the issue and felt less alone. Thank you for making these videos

[@coffeekat5066]

Well more than one technically haha I was a bit surprised to hear it tends to start happening later in life though cause I found I experienced it more as a child, and a bit less now I'm in my twenties. I vividly remember all the strange looks I got when I tried to explain to people I "was seeing TV static everywhere"

[@svetlanazwetkof9979]

I also have visual snow and have been experiencing it since I was a child! I was so shocked to hear it even mentioned in this video!

[@kysq384]

I have a lot of these, but sunglasses, the succession of pain from wearing them more often was its own reward. I suggest finding a style you like and then get 3 pair and just get used to wearing them in small doses, maybe start in the back yard, or during a walk round the block. They are great for the white light cloudy days.

[@imautisticnowwhat]

Thank you for this!! I will do! I think it would make such a difference ❤

[@annaleefuerstenau4286]

Thank you SO much for including "visual snow" on this list!! I have been thinking about this quite a bit lately and wondering if it had to do with autism, but I did not have the words to describe my experience. I figured I'd get odd looks if I tried asking others if they've experienced it as well, so I am very happy and relieved to not only have the words to describe it but also the explanation.

[@Emily_M81]

I've been called "bat ears" and "super nose" because I hear and smell things no one else can >_> I go through a lot of napkins if I absolutely have to eat "finger foods" (my aunt is the same way about stuff on her hands). I have LED RGB lights set warm and to about 35% - bright lights bother me... I've been diagnosed with ADHD and my therapist has suggested I get tested for ASD as I score highly in the DSM

[@GogiRegion]

The visual snow one makes so much sense now! I brought it up to my psychiatrist, but they had no idea what could cause it and whether it was neurological or physical. I guess it was caused by my autism.

[@tigristhelynx7224]

I brought it up with my optometrist when being examined for a new glasses prescription. I told him that I wear my glasses when on the computer because it helps me see through my blurred vision and the visual snow and he looked at me like I was nuts. He had no idea of what I was talking about. There doesn't seem to be a lot of studies about VS, it seems very new to the research community.

[@resourceress7]

Yeah, it's very new among researchers who have finally named it, and most professionals were never trained about it, and visual snow syndrome is not yet in diagnostic manuals, except for as a footnote in the International Classification of Headache Disorders, because some people with migraines have symptoms that are similar but not exactly the same, and doctors need to know to differentiate them. Visual snow is a neurological symptom where you see basically moving pixels or blobs of brightness and darkness moving in your vision at all times, 24 hours a day, even when the external world is pitch dark. The brain is making this visual noise, kind of like the brain makes the auditory noise of tinnitus. Now I know it has the name visual snow, but used to tell people it looks like I can see air molecules moving in the air or that I'm constantly having to see things with a full aquarium in my way - that has constantly moving detritis in it like fish food and fish scales and fish poop and plants and pebbles and fish. And the further away something is, the more crap is in my way and it's very hard to filter out to process what I'm seeing on the other side of the aquarium from where I'm standing. Vision is a lot of work. Visual snow syndrome means that one symptom of visual snow, plus a variety of other neurological symptoms that apparently happen together not just in me, but in lots of other people! Mine include poor night vision (dim is too dark), painful light sensitivity (light is too bright), being unable to filter out things in my vision related to the physical eyeball that apparently other people's brains filter out (floaters, tiny lens scar, etc.), a feature that's kind of like a constant afterimage/bright shadow around the edges of things, especially noticeable on written text I'm trying to read. Several other traits are possible. A syndrome means there's a menu of traits you may or not have that tend to occur together. I used to work at a school for the blind, and I always felt such relief anytime staff development training involved learning to do things while wearing a blindfold. My brain was just so relieved not to have to use vision. Like, imagine your sensory annoyances that bombard you (even if other people can't even perceive them) just switched off and you could still just go about your business.

[@JonBrase]

​@@resourceress7Intense visual snow over a broad range of conditions probably originates in the brain, but in very dark conditions some amount of visual snow is unavoidable: the human retina actually has to be structured to limit this, because we're warm blooded, so retinal cells misfire more often due to molecules jiggling around harder. Frogs, which are cold blooded, can get away with less filtering due to lower body temperatures, and can actually detect single photons (but will get more visual snow than us on a hot night).

[@EightyFourThousands84000s]

This is the first time I've been made aware that others experience this too! Until now, I've always referred to the "visual snow" as just a byproduct of "these old wizard eyes". There was an adventure time episode where we see through the eyes of Ice King and all of the crazy things he sees - I related to that due to my VN until all these years later I've finally found a word for it.

[@anneuhmeyer9257]

I SO relate to having a sensitivity to brightness! I feel silly often when I'm wearing sunglasses in fall and winter or on cloudy days, and sunny summer days can be too much even with sunglasses on. Honestly, how in the world do people walk around on sunny snowy winter days with the light reflecting off the snow WITHOUT sunglasses?? I never connected this before, but it may contribute to why my favorite type of weather is windy and cloudy or thunderstorms rather than what my NT friends prefer, which is almost always hot, super sunny summer days. I also get really frustrated and anxious driving at night because headlights of other cars are so painful. I'm also ridiculously sensitive to sound; the ambient sounds like refrigerators running, etc. are really irritating, and I get overwhelmed if I'm in an area where the noise is too complex - like multiple machines running, conversation, background music... when I was working in a cafe I actually went to get my hearing checked because I couldn't understand what anyone was saying and I thought I had hearing trouble, but I responded to all the smallest sounds in the test and they were basically like "WHY are you HERE?" It took me a while to learn that overwhelm from the noise and audio processing difficulties from my ADHD (diagnosed) were the actual cause. But I will also use Familiar Sounds (like a favorites playlist) at loud volumes to basically drown out anything else and let my brain relax :) Thank you SO MUCH for making these videos; they are REALLY helpful! Especially in helping me stave off imposter syndrome as I pursue a diagnosis in the American healthcare system (read: Not a Healthcare system). I have so many indicators, and basically one whole side of my family is autistic, but I'm female and appear socially adept, so I get a lot of 'you don't SEEM autistic' even from well-meaning friends and actual therapists.

[@AlexanderJTurner]

Oh my goodness - visual snow! I thought everyone's vision was like that. I guess you lean a new thing every day! Thanks 🙏

[@faeriesmak]

I thought the same thing. I didn’t realize that it was not normal. 😮

[@annaclairemahaffey7325]

My theory for the hyper/hypo sensitivity contradiction is maybe the sense organs in your ears themselves are hypo sensitive but the part of my brain that processes sounds is very well-developed in order to compensate. Or perhaps vice versa. That could explain why one sound that you can hear clearly can be overwhelming while many sounds that drown each other out can be soothing.

[@ruthhenderson9205]

Hi, I’ve just discovered your channel and I’m so grateful! You are giving me so many smiles and helping me feel less alone (I’m 47 and feel very young experientially. Only just got diagnosed after a lifetime of struggle, isolation and trauma from autism in girls not being understood.) I love everything about your style of relating on KZbin. Love the humour and video clips of you as a child. Thank you! I relate to absolutely everything here. May I suggest anyone struggling with light issues to try different colour sunglasses. I wear them all year round, indoors and out. I have 3 different pairs of pink ones, one yellow, one purple and several shades of grey through to traditional black. My vision feels different daily and they make the most enormous difference to me, especially in the car. It’s worth experimenting with what colour glasses suit your vision…and it’s also fun! (And if you’ve got a tiny face like me you can wear children’s ones too!) 😊

[@valentinaateljevic2531]

I'm so glad I came across your video! Although I'm not on the spectrum I just wanted to thank you for teaching me something new. Your video is very informative and your explanations so vivid and charming! I strongly believe we should all embrace and celebrate our differences❤

[@ABC-jq7ve]

The black hair and dark colored top looks AMAZING on you!! I am so satisfied to have seen some who so perfectly matches the pallete.

[@ladymagveg]

anyone else afraid of dogs barking because it is so sudden and loud? also fireworks and thunders

[@timfleischer6857]

My grand daughter is 19. She's been what we've called "quirky" her whole life. she's a wonderful girl but she has struggled with many things in life. She has never been diagnosed with autism. After watching your video it's very apparent that she is somewhere on the spectrum. She clearly has 8 of the 10 traits you outlined. Her parents don't seem that interested in helping her or believing that she is autistic but I am compelled to do what I can to help her. Where would you suggest I start to help her cope with this condition?

[@HeatherAnnDavis]

I had to stop listening to music like over a decade ago because it made me feel too many feelings and most of them were dangerously depressive. It used to feel euphoric and like when listening, I was inside of the song, surrounded by all its parts, and sometimes I would forget my surroundings because I was so far inside of that other world. But then *a bad thing* happened and it just flipped on me. Been mostly talk radio (and then podcasts! I was so thankful when those were created!) ever since. I really, deeply relate to everything you shared. I have to study in louder places or along in my house because quiet places seem too loud with all of the eating, drinking, sniffling, coughing, whispering, writing and typing. Certain breathing and eating sounds have always triggered rage in me. There are many vegetables I don’t eat because the texture makes me gag. My sense of smell is crazy sensitive…and on and on and on!

[@jewels3846]

Not gonna lie. This might be why i love electroswing so much. Its always so upbeat in the rhythm that it cant ruin my mood. I legit have songs saved to a playlist of songs I like but cant listen to by surprise or i will get super upset 😭

[@emiliebailly3139]

omg finally someone that brings up how its SO bright when it's cloudy. I squint so so much and it sometimes makes my eyes water. damn that and most of these points for me feel so validating

[@davidvonjanowski9828]

I have probably watched about 100 videos on the subject of being on the autistic spectrum. I am over 60 and I'm not a deer - (photo is not a likeness). Your videos have helped me immensely in confirming that - even without a formal diagnosis - there is an explanation for why nearly everyone else seems to be different to me ( apart from those I could consider to be on the autistic spectrum) and male and why my wife thinks I am 'strange' 🖒😀 Thank you.

[@LittlePotatoeSky]

You don't need to lie about your existence. You are a deer, please be proud of that. Not everyone can say they are secretly a deer. (this is a joke hehe, love sent)

[@jaesynn2015]

So today I learned the term Visual Snow. When I was a kid, I had a period of thinking reality was made up of whatever the TV was made up of because real life, to me, seemed to be made up of little dots (like a pointillism painting), which looked like the same dots-- or pixels-- that made up the TV shows that I watched. I still see this way, but of course I don't think life is TV anymore. It's cool to know it's an actual thing that others experience, too!

[@faeriesmak]

We have so many things in common. I have to have black out curtains or I can’t sleep. I cannot see when it is raining and there is glare either. I am also cannot stand to eat peas or peppers. Thanks for these videos. They make me feel less alien.

[@imautisticnowwhat]

Thank you so much for watching and for your comment! It's nice to hear I'm not the only one. You made me feel less alien too 🙂

[@autidiscovery]

This video was so insightful and informative. It's great to see more people talking about this important topic.

[@brandysingleton21]

I love your passion and message! I suffer from CPTSD and depression. We will get tru this!

[@singerstorm29]

I have both as well as adhd supposedly, but the older I get and more I learn the more I think I’m actually autistic. My last therapist told me not to get assessed because she said my cptsd would affect the outcome and it may not be accurate :( What was your experience?

[@Misuzu4213]

As an adult I feel like my food choices are more diverse as a child but thinking on it it's just because I make my own meals and food choices and they just all fit into my little safe food bubble

[@imautisticnowwhat]

Totally relate!!

[@bjelfin]

I was finally diagnosed with ADD (w/out hyperactivity) at age 40 and it has really made my life a struggle. However since learning about women and autism spectrum disorder, I realize I may have this as well. I could relate to most everything mentioned here. Hate green peppers and can barely look at other people's runny eggs (disgusting). Hate loud noise, rap music, annoying sounds people make (even their chewing and throat clearing), and I live in the country because I need nature, privacy and quiet. I cut the tags out of my clothes and I see what she calls visual snow, but it looks like seeing energy to me. I'm going to bring this up with my doctor next visit. Maybe this is why my ADD is worse than most peoples.

[@tieragibbs3045]

There is a lot more to autism then these random traits. Not saying not to look into it, but these things alone are not anywhere near the extent autism is, just 10 random possible traits

[@claudiaj7605]

I’m intrigued. What does rap music have to do with your diagnosis?

[@kaylins5323]

@@claudiaj7605 It's a sensory sensitivity. Listening to rap music is painful/uncomfortable for me. I have the same reaction to it as strong smells and certain tastes or textures. It makes me want to claw my ears off. I don't know exactly how to explain, but something about the sound of the voice just talking instead of singing, aggravates me. It takes me out of what is normally a calming experience. I'm not diagnosed as autistic yet, but I have been doing research for 2 years now and am pretty sure I am.

[@AshleyWilliams-xq7lj]

​​​​​​​​@@kaylins5323 this might sound silly, but I have a sensory issue with indie-pop music with singers that go "woah-oh-woah-oh-woah!" It's nails on a chalkboard for me. It's not just that I don't like it. It's painful in a way that's difficult to describe. You know action movies where someone is tied to a chair and the bad guy slowly drags a knife across their cheek, cutting their face for a few seconds? It's like that but to my soul. Sorry to fans of 21 pilots, but I was so happy when they disbanded. Still waiting for Imagine Dragons to knock it off 😂.

[@kaylins5323]

@@AshleyWilliams-xq7lj I understand what you are saying and I don't think it's silly. I'm not mad at you or trying to be rude, but I love imagine dragons. I listen to their music on repeat (minus the ones with screaming vocals and raps). Dan's voice is really calming to me and many of their songs are about anxiety and depression and have helped me keep living. Some songs are very strange and take a while to get used to, but songs that I used to hate by them I now love. You picked the wrong person to reply to with that lol. Everyone has their own preferences though and I respect that.

[@ashmac87]

You are so funny and relatable! Your videos make me feel less alone. Thank you. ❤

[@JaneFrieman]

Thank you for sharing research and what it is like to be autistic. When my daughter was a young child, she was diagnosed with autistic like tendencies, gross motor and fine motor skill problems. There were people in my life who blamed me for her problems. I thank you for helping me to feel better about my parenting skills and myself.

[@dominic.h.3363]

Your mention of point 4. is the closest I've heard anyone even come close to describe my experience with music. If I'm listening to music I actually like, it completely overtakes my mind and the entire world just ceases to exist. The music becomes my universe and my entire being becomes thoughtless emotion that just surfs this wave of music. Unfortunately none of this carries over to when the music stops, so in 10-15 minutes, I'm back to whatever state of mind I started listening the music with.

[@clayjug4893]

I agree so much with what you said about how we autistic people might be naturally good at what is taught as meditation techniques ! (if I am autistic which I strongly suppose even though I don't have an official diagnosis..) I see all the people around me always needing entertainment, looking at their phones, while I just like to be there doing nothing, just being in the moment, thinking, observing what's around me. Every time I have tried meditation, I honestly hated it, how they tell us to be more aware of sensations, but I am already too aware !! And to be living in the moment, but I feel like I already do that all the time ! I also hate hearing people's breath, and listening to my own breath is just annoying !

[@nessablank1752]

hey I know this is an older video for you, but I came across one of your videos not long ago and I am hooked. everything you say I'm like "oh wow somebody gets me" I just wanted to say thank you

[@LotusCarly]

Thank you so much for making this video. I’m in shock to see how many traits i reconise. I’m not diagnosed but i’m pretty sure i fit in the autistic spectrum. Your video’s confirm this for me. Thank you!

[@nadinerichings4259]

I relate to almost every trait here. Initially I didn't think I had light sensitivity. It's weird how we can think that EVERYONE must have similar responses to us and think our response is not unusual. I live in Australia and I never leave the house without sunglasses; bright sunny days are obvious, but cloudy days are glary and rainy days are glary. I have great sunglasses (Serengeti) that are photochromatic and have other filters - just brilliant in all weather. Yes, I wear sunglasses in the rain! Especially when driving - much better contrast. I have a huge appreciation of the natural world - I'm a biologist. On walks I see things others don't; textures patterns, etc. When I point it out some people are amazed I noticed, others are just disinterested. It's a relief to listen to posts like this - I relate so strongly to the descriptions of traits by other autistic women.

[@zethany9485]

The loud noises thing for me was always a bit polarized cuz as a kid I adored fireworks and the cinema and concerts... But I couldn't STAND if, say, someone was blaring their music in their headphones in class or even at home if someone was being unnecessarily loud with music or they were shouting across the house... I actually went to the store recently and the music in there was so loud I became extremely overstimulated and couldn't even function while inside the store. Someone else in the comments said it best that the control (and also expectation) of the sound is the major difference.

[@ViviCaligo]

I have a similar issue, I find overlapping sounds out of my control are the worst but I can have music playing whilst playing a game with it's own audio and be completely fine because I'm in control of it all.

[@tamiwatchesstuff]

Unexpected fireworks bother me, but if I’m watching a show I’m good. But other sudden loud noises or someone playing music or videos too loud truly annoy and make me anxious. But if I’m controlling the volume of music or videos I seem to be fine unless a loud commercial comes on that blares the volume unexpectedly. The unexpected fireworks come from an irrational fear I have that someone is shooting a gun off because it sounds so similar.

[@algepaca]

Watching videos like these is so helpful when it comes to remembering symptoms that have improved over the years. For the longest time I legitimately could not wear my hair up or anything. Even for PE class or swimming lessons and it was a big point of anxiety for me that I might be required to put it in a bun or ponytail. Even when I was 16 there was an upcoming event that just scared me so much, because I assumed that wearing your hair up might be expected.

[@eggday9079]

Dude! Visual snow! Honestly thought thats how everyone saw and it's just the eyes adjusting to light but like, all the time. Mindblown!

[@gerrypearson8958]

OH MY GOODNESS! I've always been terrified of balloons! And the sight of them being blown up fills me with an irrational terror I can't describe. I think I'm at the start of my journey (aged 38) of discovering I have autism, and your videos are really helping put the pieces together. Thank you :)

[@Lady_Eleven]

I didn't think I was particularly sound sensitive but I went through a really really stressful situation and while it was happening I developed misophonia. And I felt so bad about it because I didn't want the people around me to feel bad about chewing! I wanted to keep eating dinner with my bf because I loved that but the sound of chewing was really exacerbating my anxiety. I ended up moving my home office from a shared space to an isolated space and started wearing noise-cancelling headphones a lot, and now the misophonia is almost gone unless I get really stressed again. I love my headphones. I didn't realize before how much I hated the sound of cars outside, or people's footsteps in my house, or the sound of people breathing, or birds that make repetitive sounds until suddenly I didn't have to hear them anymore. It's been delightful and now I feel like when I do choose to take my headphones off those things don't bother me nearly as much because I know I can escape from them if I need to.

[@thisworldiswonka]

Watching you enjoy and embrace the music as a child was very relatable to me.

[@gentlygrace]

This was super helpful! Thank you, Meg!

[@gillb9222]

I wore noise cancelling headphones when I went out for the first time the other day. I was amazed by how much less anxiety inducing it was. I hadnt realised how much noise affects me until I went out without it. I absolutely relate to the driving issues..i hate driving necause I struggle with knowing how close I am to cars to the side of me and also I get the glare when driving at night. It causes me so much anxiety driving at night because my brain cant quite process the lights. I always drive more slowly than most people, which Im sure annoys other drivers, but I need extra processing time and to do things in the way that makes me feel safe

[@archiecook55]

1. I was definitely a picky eater when I was younger, less so now but I think I'm still a bit more picky than the average adult. 2. I feel like I can kinda notice small noises better than most people especially in quiet settings but I'm usually not really bothered by it. 3. I definitely relate to this one. While I can generally tolerate it better now as an adult, I still hate sudden loud noises, like balloons popping or fire alarms. 4. Same even though I hate sudden loud noises, I love loud music, going to concerts and whatnot. 5. Yeah I'm pretty sensitive to smells too, although not as much as you based on what you said. Food and coffee smells are usually fine, what bothers me is stuff like perfumes and whatnot and smoke from like cigarettes or something burning. 6. Yeah I think for me this only applies to certain kinds of touch sensations. Like you I also love hugs (as long as it's from people I know.) 7. Yeah I can definitely relate to this one too I learned how to tie my shoes later than most people and I still don't really know how to do much with my hair other than like basic brushing and washing. I can generally figure out how to unlock doors but it does take me a bit longer with unfamiliar doors too. And yeah with the art and sports stuff I was never all that great at most of it but art and PE were still some of my favorite classes in school, I just think the activities were generally fun to do and my teachers for those subjects weren't very harsh, they'd basically give you high grades just for trying stuff. I still sometimes like to doodle for fun even though I'm not very good at drawing. 8. I like letting natural light in during the day, but yeah I need darkness at night to sleep well. 9. Never had that. 10. Yeah I love nature.

[@xladyfayre]

I definitely have misophonia but I do LOVE loud music and get completely lost in a song and enter my own world. I often use it as a coping mechanism. As a kid, if someone was arguing or if I was having a fit then I'd turn my music on to calm down. Weirdly, if I have a migraine- to some degree it helps. I think it's the distraction. However, it makes it worse if it's already progressed to a hell migraine.

[@maksun66883]

wow. first time in my life I've ever heard of someone else that has visual snow! thanks for the great video!

[@gracecarter8734]

I had never heard of visual snow! Wow, what an informative and well researched video! Love your channel! Don't stress wearing sunglasses when or where others aren't. I wear them inside often and ALWAYS outside. They even help me drive at night as they dim the oncoming headlights. I'm super sensitive to light and it can cause meltdowns if I don't limit it. Self care is so much more important than what someone else thinks - which you don't know what they're thinking anyway - AND you might give another autistic person permission to wear their sunglasses too. Now I enjoy seeing others wear their sunglasses inside.

[@Helga-fe5xl]

It's illegal to wear sunglasses while driving after 7pm

[@eledeog]

Among many other things I also have light sensitivity and I learned not to care about what other people might think when they see me wearing sunglasses on days most people wouldn’t because I tend to get headaches when I get to much light input. So yes I prefer wearing my sunglasses and getting weird looks from strangers (or even from people who do know me) over having headaches all the time. It’s not because you can’t see the sun that the light can’t still be too much for me and hurt me, so yes sunglasses just help me. (And yes, I wear sunglasses inside too, sometimes I even forget I’m still wearing them)

[@jubbelidiot]

I realate to most of the things in this video. I'm male and was diagnosed as autistic when I was 23. Specifically about sound sensitivity, I'm hyper sensitive to sound, yet I love listening to melodic/symphonic death and power metal. I will listen to and discover new songs when I am in the right headspace to do so, learning the song in and out. At that point, when I commute to work, I can put on my noise canceling headphones and play the metal songs at a, to me, very loud volume (about 30% of max), and drown out all the sounds that would cause me stress, knowing excatly which sounds will be the next I hear, which song is the next on my playlist and so on.

[@strawberryfueled]

Oh, Dear! To hear you telling about your issues with peas and vegetables in general, is like listening to someone who has been living my life. I just wanted to give you some hope: chances are that it may become better. While realizing the importance of eating veggies since beeing a child, i've never been able to make myself to eat a sufficient number of them. Health conscious as I am, I begun to train myself to like them in my early twenties. One at the time, very small amounts to begin with, gradually expanding amount and variety of dishes i used them in. It was as difficult as you discribe it. Now, beeing in my mid fifties, I realize it might be a lifelong project. There are still things i couldn't even think about putting into my mouth. BUT: For the last couple of years I've managed to maintain the whole food plant based style of living. I now eat a pretty big range of beans, peas, fruits and veggies, an even if I know that some of them (like f.ex. green peas, lol) can be perceived a little bit unpleasant on a bad day, they don't make me gag anymore, and I still find myself craving them. The most of it tastes now delicious and I can enjoy the great health benefits from this way of eating. So for me it was absolutely worth the pain of baby steps. I would lovingly encourage everyone struggling with food sensory issues to take up the fight for a better diet, because it probably may work out for many of us. Just do it on your own premisses, and be patient. Our brain is pretty amazingly plastic after all. Meg, thanks so much to you, and other beautiful souls like you, for putting yourself out there and helping us others living for a while to realize that we are neither crazy, nor bad persons, we just might be autistic... God luck, best wishes and love to everyone:⁠-⁠)

[@sunshinebookstarot]

I relate to everything you said, especially the snow vision thing is interesting, I didn't know there is a word for this or that other people have that too. Thank you ❤

[@user-gb7wf5vp4k]

I was wondering if anyone else has or has ever had trouble swallowing. I have only just recently started to realise that I might be on the spectrum and not known it, it is all a little overwhelming to be honest the amount of stuff I can relate to. I have struggled to take tablets all my life, especially as a child but it seems that over the last 3 or 4 years it has been almost impossible to even try so I had to either squash them or just take the powder which was incredibly bitter and I kept gagging even when using honey to cancel the taste. Yeah, I can’t really do bitter but swallowing is worse, even certain foods textures make me gag, sometimes is worse than others though. Picky eater all my life, I could not come close to mushrooms, I would gag just by seeing them, however I have started to feel drawn to them a few years back and I tolerate them better now. Loud noises or sounds can be very disturbing and I also find background noise very tiring, so my TV is off most of the time and even when I start watching something I have to take regular breaks as it can become too much. I don’t like being touched but I crave hugs sometimes tbh. I have to have baths or showers at least once a day otherwise I feel mucky and unclean. I don’t like synthetic or rough fabrics against my skin, it’s a true pet hate. I am better at wearing my hair down but when I’m at home I wear it tied loosely at the back and I don’t even brush it at times because I don’t like how it feels. High sensitivity to light and I occasionally get migraines that last for days. I love the sun and sunshine (I like feeling warm) as long as I can avoid the glares. I struggle with depth perception like my eyes can’t really differentiate or process it properly which is how I came to explain my fear of heights. Gosh, this is a long list, I’m not even sure what else was mentioned in the video, thank you very much for helping people understand autism better by the way 🙂

[@Bongthroat]

Everything here is incredibly relatable. I started wearing sunglasses to gigs last year because of the bright, often flashing lights. They also help a lot with eye contact aversion. I didn't realise the visual snow was related, but it all makes sense now. Thank you so much for these videos. I thought I already knew everything about my autism but I've learnt so many things from watching your videos 😊

[@aenithharper2417]

I too wear sunglasses on white overcast days! I have found that if you are confident enough people don't question it. If they do I simply tell them that I get photosensitive migraines. Which is true on occasion since sensory overload can lead to migraine symptoms for me. I have recently started wearing sunglasses indoors around fluorescent lights. I got cute lightly tinted ones for indoors so people can still see my eyes (since apparently that is important to some people).

[@NightMystique13]

So glad I found you. I have recently got my ADHD dx but I truly think I also am autistic. I have masked so well that people doubt it. I have kids and grandkids who are autistic and I vibe very well with them especially. I have been dx with BPD but I am not afraid of people leaving me or being alone, so it seems a bad fit. At 57, I would love to get this figured out before any mental deterioration, as we are more likely to suffer mild cognitive impairment and even Alzheimers has been connected to ADHD.

[@DTrainsWife01]

This is sooooo freaking relatable. I have insanely sensitive hearing and smelling! Part of my trouble I had when I was a teacher was the smells 😂😂😂😂 But weirdly I have trouble hearing make voices. But music is life to me. I “experience” music for sure!!!. This video is blowing my mind!!! I’m going to make my husband watch this. He lovingly makes fun of these traits in me almost daily. I LOOOVE THE SUN and natural light but must have sunglasses available at all times. I have two prescription pairs. I remember noticing visual snow as a small child. Finally yes, yes I love nature. I try to work on my social anxiety so I can enjoy it more!!! Thank you so much for this!

[@adams509]

Oh my gosh the section about the door locks just gave me so many memories For one, I still tie my shoes the "wrong" way or the "child" way, with the two bunny ears and such. I've never been able to understand how to tie a shoe without both "bunny ears" its like magic to me, and I always got made fun of by my siblings for tying my laces off to the side too. Unless I put significant time into it, it's not centered at all haha But I also remember now a sleepover in middle school where I woke up early and I was freezing, we'd run out of blankets and the sensory of being so cold mixed with the anxiety of not wanting to wake anyone for a blanket and deal with that interaction made me decide the most logical solution was to text my gram to pick me up so i could leave. When she got there, I snuck upstairs and tried to unlock the door to leave but I couldn't figure it out for the life of me even from the inside, and I remember feeling such intense shame when her dad came and had to unlock it for me, I wish I could remember what I said about leaving haha. I still struggle with locks, I kind of get it, but I'll always get it wrong the first time at the least Edit: I didn't relate to a handful of these, like I do have sensory issues but they aren't so intense unless there's a combination of things. I can handle a strong smell on its own, a loud noise on its own, etc. But if there's many loud noises and a strong smell or temperature or something then i get sensory overload, or if im already experiencing high stress then I'm more prone to sensory overload. But then everything toward the end was a bullseye, I have the issues with light sensitivity ESPECIALLY night and rain driving, visual snow runs in the family. And I've always had a fixation for water, it's hypnotizing to me and nature in general is what I love most in life. I had no idea the car lights, visual snow, and nature appreciation were all linked to autism. I'm AFAB, hence why I'm here, and have been questioning having autism for 3 years now after realizing how many things I related to with an ex of mine on the spectrum alongside a bunch of childhood symptoms I didn't know about. Thank you for how well put together this is, this is going to help many people!

[@enig99]

I have serious issues with sound. Definitely misophonia. I work from home now, which helps immensely. When I was in an office, one of my coworkers cleared his throat constantly, and it would send me spiralling. I remember sitting at my desk and crying because I couldn't get away from the sound. I lived in headphones and/or earplugs. I still have misophonia - I can't eat in the same room as my husband, and feel panicky whenever I see him getting something to eat, especially if it's crunchy. Misophonia has also caused me to self-harm. I don't know if I'm Autistic, but the sensory issues I've dealt with align with what you're saying. I also have tactile issues - touching certain textures makes me physically shudder. I don't like to be touched lightly - I need pressure like a hug, but not a brush on the arm... that hurts. Showers are challenging - sometimes the water hurts, and the transition from fully clothed and comfortable, to naked and wet, is an issue. I don't feel like I fit everything, but so much makes sense. I can see fluorescent lights flickering. Also, when CRT monitors were commonplace, I would always have to adjust the refresh rate .. 60hz looks like a strobe light. Anyway, sorry for the word vomit :)

[@patriciajacques7653]

Every single one of these is hitting home, all of these sensory things for sure! Sometimes I drive people crazy because I don’t like some smells, sounds, and touch. They all kind of ask me like “why are you like this?” 😅 I suspect ASD very strongly but I am not comfortable talking to the doc about it yet. Your hair story resonated so much! I cant stand wet hair so much that I actually cut my hair just so I didn’t have as much of it on me when it’s wet! I also have to clip it up immediately. Omg and the driving! I can’t see when it’s glaring like that too!

[@stephaniehoffman6239]

Thank you so much for sharing! I had not heard of Visual Snow until whatching this and I think one of my clients experiences this.

[@pipwhitefeather5768]

I can so relate to all this. Why am I finding it so difficult to believe myself?

[@aliceinwonderland8314]

I like my hair down but have issues with ponytails. One of the rules in my primary school was that any hair longer than shoulder had to be tied back, so I exclusively wore my hair in a single plait down the back. I'm somewhat okay with low ponytails now(especially if I use a scrunchie), but my go to hairstyle is still plaits.

[@Jabodie]

That childhood video of you in the sports day... unlocked some memories for me that I haven't thought about in a long time haha.

[@tamiam484]

This is so helpful, thank you!!

[@renatajansen3872]

This is funny and very informative! Thank you!❤️

[@teresawelcome8354]

I was so proud of myself last week. For the first time in years I willingly tried peppers again. (I've ALWAYS hated them. The smell of them cooking even was awful.) I know they're really good for you so I wanted to try again. I've been able to eat green peppers, very cooked and mixed with other things, but I still didn't care for them. So I chose what I thought what would be more mild, orange and yellow peppers. I tried one cooked in a dish and the other raw. I actually really like the yellow pepper raw, the orange has a tad more of that flavor I hate but with ranch it's okay. But I'm happy I tried them because I am in love with the perfect crunch they have. Them and the young celery (the inside stalks) are the best veggies to eat for a good crunch. 😁

[@imautisticnowwhat]

That's awesome!!! 😀 Braver than me 😅

[@cucamongaphilips]

I used to hate peppers and onions and cumin. But my husband and I were planning to move to Bangladesh, so that was clearly going to be a problem. lol So I spent months putting just a little bit in food that I cooked to try to train myself to like them and it worked! I still can't abide raw onions, but I actually like the other things. Black licorice, on the other hand, I won't even try to like. That makes me literally throw up when I try to swallow it.

[@resourceress7]

I love all of your videos. ❤ May I make a suggestion for this video? It would make more sense if you mentioned something about sensory sensitivity/issues/traits in the title. That's the majority of the content of this video, and people might specifically be searching for it.

[@juliak.9390]

I love that I recognize you all over YT by your pictures as a child ❤

[@tris5602]

My experience of music is almost physical. Certain sounds seem to resonate with different parts of my body, which can be incredibly enjoyable. It's not music, but my brother has this wooden frog that you can stroke with a wooden rod to make a sound similar to a real frog, and I swear I can feel it traveling down my spine, just the rod on the back of the frog. I really like the sound. On the other hand, I don't listen to a lot of music because consistent audio input makes my ears ache. It's not a volume thing either, though that can also cause problems. Instead, it's like my ears are tired of processing sounds, and I just need quiet.

[@JadeyChi]

So my son has autism and I'm pretty sure my brother was on the spectrum looking back at a lot of his childhood. A lot of these sensory things resonate with me as well. I definitely have some sort of neurodivergence. At this point the diagnosis doesn't matter quite as much to me personally but I do appreciate videos like this still.

[@user-uw9dj5tu1t]

this helped me figure out whats been annoying me with my eyes, for years now ive described my vision as grainy and how it looked at the world but there was static on 10% opacity right ontop of it THANK YOU

[@LittleHerdaz]

I'm having so many realisations about myself, thank you for this ❤

[@zoluz]

This video is insane! Makes me feel so much more normal

[@natassiatavares4568]

Visual snow! I've had this all my life and I've sometimes wondered if other people also have that! Never knew there was a name

[@sleekoduck]

This is the first time I've seen someone delve into HSP in depth. Thank you.

[@clayjug4893]

OMG. O_O ''Visual snow'', now I can put a word on it !! Thank you so much for that. I remember saying to my family, when I was a kid, that I could ''see molecules'' and they told me it was impossible. I thought everyone could see them but they just didn't realise. I can't even imagine what vision would look like without those dots !!

[@PrettyTranslatorSarahMoon]

Soooo much of this list reminds me of my brother. He wears sunglasses all the time, even indoors 😅 The only sensitivity issues I have are tactile and light--I'm not at all bothered by sounds or smells, though my husband is. My husband also HATES bell peppers, but we recently discovered that he doesn't mind other peppers like those mini sweet peppers, or poblanos.

[@moon_xwasntavailable]

I’ve never considered it majorly before but I have noticed recently that on days when I feel on the brink of being very overstimulated, I gravitate towards ‘safe foods’ like plain bread. Things that only have one taste. When I was a kid, I didn’t like combined tastes at all, no sandwiches, nothing. If I could separate it I would lol

[@XaltaTarot-qs2hc]

10/10 ❤ Your videos are so helpful.

[@pie9597]

About the music point: I'm still looking into autism as a possibility for myself, but this resonated with me. I have a very unique experience with music, especially when it comes to live music, that I'm now starting to think might be....weird LOL. Like, I really, really, REALLY love music. It's been a huge life-long interest. Whenever anything happens, I listen to music. I specifically will often use music as a kind of 'controlled' noise. I get really overwhelmed by too much noise or too much talking, but music is like a noise that I have complete control over. I don't get like full on meltdowns, really, but I can just feel myself getting really anxious or annoyed by 'uncontrolled' noise. I'm also realizing more and more now that I use music as a method of social avoidance. Like, if I'm in the corner with earbuds in, people are unlikely to talk to me or bother me at all. I also HATE being interrupted when listening to music. If I put music on, out loud or just for myself, I generally don't want anyone speaking. However, live music can be hard because, even when I'm way in the back (even at the lawn of a show or at small shows), it's too loud. Like regardless of what show I'm at or where I am, I NEED earplugs. And I know it's not just a good hearing thing, cause my peers without a noise sensitivity and good hearing don't need earplugs as often as I do. Plus, there's the whole thing of clapping and cheering, especially when someone is cheering right next to me. But I tend to suck it up because I LOVE the music LOL But I'd like to know if anyone else experiences this!! I hope I'm not alone with this kind of contradictory experience.

[@Angel_Kittichik]

God I can relate to not being able to tolerate jeans when I was younger. I wore sweatpants for most of my school years because the material felt like burlap. I especially couldn't wear _skinny_ jeans because I hated the feeling of fabric hugging my legs. Now-a-days I can wear them both, but leggings that are form fitting I can't wear for too long or my legs will feel itchy.

[@megannason3649]

Seriously yes, I HATE onions and peppers. I always used to blame my mom for using onions all the time but that is definitely my food aversion. I also do notice little sounds, I remember starting to eat lunch in the main cafeteria instead of the break room because one of my coworkers chewed with her mouth open and the awkwardness of it being silent in the room and all I could hear was chewing. At least in the main cafeteria there was background noise.

[@marisa5359]

Yup. All very relatable, but especially struck by the things said about sound. Music moves me. I mean, really moves me. When I love a song, I must experience every note uninterrupted and love love the volume cranked up. I move to it in my own way and much prefer to listen completely alone as it is like too much soul exposure to share with others ( much the same reason for my eye contact struggle). Now, as to different sorts of loud noises? Yikes. I think the thing is noises invade my senses so much that I can feel surrounded and overtaken by them. Like they will snatch me up and carry me away. Hmmm.... so... I guess, if it is a sound or especially a song I love, it is the same sensation, but I do not mind the carried away feeling in that case. If it is something that feels like it is an assault on my ears, however, I am doing whatever I can to get away. And, when I absolutely can't? Well, I have learned to draw tight into myself by reciting comforting thoughts or even subbing a song from the radio in my head. Also know about that visual snow and bright light thing so well. Thanks for this. Most helpful.

[@Mercurio-Morat-Goes-Bughunting]

Butter pasta? Have you tried Pasta Bianca? Just plain pasta slightly undercooked, drained then sauteed in olive oil with choice of herbs: oregano, fresh tender straight off the plant rosemary - or !!!food handling warning!!! for fresh off the plant parsly or basil (chopped) you can't allow them more than very little time in the pot - just enough to mix them through - or they lose their flavour and aroma. The idea, though, is to flavour it the way you like it because I think we have evolved to recognise the flavour of what is good for as and, importantly, what we need and won't react badly to - so really liking flavour of something is always a good sign that it is something we, as individuals, need in our diet. Glare: I often use a peaked cap when it's bothering me. Sometimes I forget and find myself wondering why my eyes are aching and stinging and leaking like a busted pipe. Though, maybe not taking care of business then wondering why business has come around to bite one on the backside is more of a male thing.

[@CyAnideSiikNness]

My head is shaved now recently but before I had super long and very thick wavy/curly hair. I noticed the least painful way to tie it up was using a really soft scrunchy. My scalp is also and has always been soo very sensitive. And I can relate to the gross feeling of having it down all through out my schooling. Also a way for me to feel comfy anywhere at home or in public is by only wearing soft leggings made out of natural fibers like cotton or bamboo or viscose etc. 💖 I prefer leggings because for some reason pj pants make me feel like I am trapped inside of my house or I am not prepared and it just a personal torturous feeling to me? If that makes sense at all. Lol.

[@massiahgrom]

I have the hair issue . Just one hair going in tbe wrong direction or pulled too tightly can cause a massive migraine. Just combine NY hair hurts and my scalp is so tender it can throb and hurt

[@ClaLu]

So the light sensitivity is a tricky one in my case because my body needs sunlight a lot because of my hormonal issues and depression, being treated for a lot of years now... Nevertheless I absolutely have light sensitivity...I tolerated because it alleviates my other discomforts caused by the lack of 😊

[@Mauveink]

Blue light blocking glasses might make a good alternative to full on sunglasses in glaring light. Your videos are wonderful by the way.

[@archeewaters]

oh dear. you've described the aversion to some foods that now clearly seem to belong a bigger issue than just being a picky eater. so much to learn here.

[@thegracklepeck]

OMG VISUAL SNOW!!! That's exactly what I remember finding I had around age 11 or so and the Drs all thought I was nuts!

[@Thi-Nguyen]

It’s crazy that I was able to relate to almost every single one of those things. I’m also a migraineur, so that’s probably complicating the situation. But I’ve had these issues for so long, I just never realized that they weren’t “normal” per se.

[@consuelonavarrohidalgo5334]

Thank you for your videos. You are making a great work and helping a lot. 😘😘😘.

[@CandleLitASMRx]

Visual snow!!!!! The anxiety this has caused me since I can remember….. I used to try telling my mum about it and then having to explain it to my opticians, nobody could understand what I was talking about and i was so scared 😢