20 AUTISM TRAITS I MISSED

[@mert828]

I'm not a fan of, when describing autism, they say we "don't understand" things, like clothing styles, social norms, gender roles, hierarchies, etc. I feel like we understand more than many and realize how ridiculous such things are and choose to do our own thing.

[@Java-D]

Exactly!!

[@theresapizza]

I know right?!😮

[@eirikln]

This might be the best comment I've seen on KZbin ever.

[@Catlily5]

For me it is some of both. I don't completely understand but I also don't much care!

[@RG60Ibanez]

You deserve a cigar, AND a Klondike Bar.

[@johnbillings5260]

One thing that I haven't heard mentioned by others is losing fine motor skills when I get overwhelmed and it continues to get worse until the stress is alleviated.

[@Heykittygirrrl]

I get this. And when I'm tired. I also suffer from bad memory. It makes sense to me as my brain is always on the go. I'm either thinking of a past social event or how I'm gonna deal with a future one for example. It's all such hard work lol

[@9crutnacker985]

This most likely dysregulation of your nervous system brought on through the stress &/or emotional dysfunction. This dysregulation can also originate from childhood trauma.

[@carinawulff1673]

Yes, I experience this too! When I'm stressed or very worn out, I lose grip strength and the ability to hold a pen properly and my writing becomes atrocious or I find that I have a hard time gripping things like the switch on a lamp. It's definitely not all the time, but I do notice it when I am stressed or overly tired.

[@snowblood74]

omg y e s o.o typing becomes so much harder when I'm stressed

[@OceanWalk7]

​@@carinawulff1673Is that an autistic thing?

[@TigaFeva]

I can relate to many of these. - I can remember as a kid having a melt down and not knowing why when I would be at a family party, where there was a lot of ppl. Or if ppl were drinking and smoking. My brain saw that as bad and I was sensitive to the smells. - I also cried during every test until the teacher would take away the paper to regulate me. - I would and still do spend most of my time drawing. - I talk about drawing, fashion, and history more than anyone cares to know. - I love to cuddle and get physical affection. Especially deep compression cuddles. As long as its in a spooning position. - I take idioms seriously and feel confused when ppl use them. I like sarcasm but, if its too sarcastic I cant tell. - I am told I say hurtful things when trying to banter and be playful with someone, not knowing how to read my audience or have a filter with a new person I'm getting to know. This has caused me to have a very limited social circle. - I don't like bright lights or loud noises or eye contact. - I have OCD and have to do things in the perfect way or or setting to do them. I've improved on this a lot but, it definitely effected romantic relationships. - I have a song repeating in my head all day long from when i wake up to when i got to sleep.its really annoying because its usually just one phrase in the lyrics. - I also have an ADHD Diagnosis and Anxiety Diagnosis. If anyone has read this, thank you. And if it sounds like you relate to some, I hope it was helpful to know your'e not alone.

[@rinkydinkron]

Wow, I so relate!❤

[@audhdhumanine]

I relate to the fact that having a song lyrics in my head Now I realise that is part of autism😂 Thanks ❤

[@IaneHowe]

I even stopped listening to music, something I loved to stop from playing in my head and keep me awake

[@theautisticpage]

OMG I discovered I was autistic about three years ago when you started this channel. Please take this with the utmost of respect. I have learned so much since then and it has been awesome to see you "Mature" with your identity. Now It is plain to see you now have a good grasps of what autism is and can be and have matured also into a confident teacher. I saw it all right here!

[@WoodshedTheory]

Thanks that’s nice

[@DarkMetaOFFICIAL]

although, in reality, i don't think we can ever grasp it, even as ourselves. lmao 😂❤

[@margilvi5890]

At the age of 35 I had my second child. a boy. Very soon, at 6 or 7 months, I realized that he was different and began to think about autism. No one around me had the same opinion as me, not even his pediatrician or my husband. At two years old they finally began to listen to me and a little later he was diagnosed with autism. His first years were very complicated when it came to the outside world. school. In my country it is not possible to educate at home and I had to endure the process as best I could and seeing him suffer a lot. until he was 14 when I decided to confront the system and fight to stay at home. I suffered a lot in the process because I didn't understand the injustice of it all and fighting the system is exhausting. Once they left me alone and my son started to really calm down we started to form another way of life and we both finally relaxed. A few months ago and thanks to a Spanish girl (like me) and a KZbinr I realized that I am probably also autistic and after consulting with a psychologist I am and here I am waiting for her written report, and today watching your video I realize That such brutal indignation against bureaucracy, etc., hurt me beyond reason and I only attributed it to the pain for my son, but I think everything was magnified by my own unknown autism. I did not understand that, for example, my husband did not want to kill (not literally) like me all the people who in that process not only did not help but put all kinds of obstacles in our way. Reviewing the past being as old as I am is taking me a long time and every day I discover something new and thanks to all of you youtubers that I follow I continue to learn something new every day and above all I benefit from your company and the people who follow you to not feel so alone. Thank you Claire.

[@Agnes_B96]

My traits was for example: stimming: nail and cuticle biting and picking. It was constant, but I do it more when overwhelmed or stressed. I did it so much in childhood that my skin around my nails are weird. I was a very shy, quiet kid in school, internalized everything, even meltdowns, that is why my mental health deteriorated and got diagnosed with several mental health conditions before I realized I am autistic

[@lindaT82]

Yes to all of these. Another big one for me is the physical and mental exhaustion, for days, after social events. Thank you so much for your videos!

[@WoodshedTheory]

thanks linda

[@OldTimer1970]

Stimming, never realised it was a thing, but now I see it, I'm like shocked and everyone else's is like, "You do that all the time."

[@WoodshedTheory]

yeahhhh you learn a lot from talking to people about your behaviors, also i learn a lot from watching myself on video

[@MrDaydreamer1584]

"... kind of that out of sight, out of mind thing..." Yup! I have to keep things visible--- right in front of me--- or I soon forget about them.

[@Catlily5]

Which means that all available surfaces are cluttered with things I don't want to forget. From bills to crafts.

[@ginadelfina5887]

Just being extremely shy and socially awkward to the point of withdrawing into myself while in middle & high school. Not the kind of masking that involves acting like a different person, more the type that involves just withdrawing and completely opting out of social interactions, except with a trusted few. At that time I mostly wore nondescript and even oversized clothes, nothing that would draw attention. Only as an adult did I gain more confidence and decide to just start developing my own personal style and wearing what I love to wear.

[@TheQueenUni]

The hugging everyone, whew. Understanding and respecting certain boundaries... felt

[@WoodshedTheory]

oh yeah - i wish i had someone to explain to me who was and wasnt ok to hug

[@MelissaThompson432]

I am _self_ diagnosed because: I was interested in autism, and, while learning about it, I would hear about things that I thought were just quirks personal to me and then find that they're common among autistic people. I had selective mutism for several months in kindergarten; I have demand avoidance. I have serial fixations. I can gain skills and knowledge in certain areas effortlessly and in others I really struggle. I understand a lot about human nature and yet at the same time fail to understand actual humans I interact with. I find both singing and creating things deeply soothing. I get slang wrong. A lot. I overanalyze; I overshare; I over-feel. I wear my socks inside out because, seams.

[@nicolewood7957]

Self diagnosis is valid

[@MelissaThompson432]

@@nicolewood7957 it definitely is for ND; because, unless your diagnostician is also ND or ND-adjacent, you are speaking two different languages during the attempt.

[@nikht0]

Doodling is stimming? Never heard that before, but of course! I spent my entire schooling head down covering my notebooks in elaborate doodles. Also, discovering I could make people laugh was the biggest evolution of my masking. It was like discovering a magic trick. Social situation getting awkward or provoking anxiety? Poof! Hit 'em with the goofball smoke bomb!

[@AlexisTwoLastNames]

well you’ve just described me.

[@nikht0]

@@AlexisTwoLastNames you're joking! ;-P

[@rushiaskinnerwallace6175]

OP - omyword, yes! about the discovering the magic trick, the masking evolution of ‘becoming the comedian’. (Really laughed at “Poof! Hit ‘em with the goofball smoke bomb!” That was briliant!) I’d do this to relieve my own inner tension, usually of feeling the focus on me in a group setting. At the same time, suddenly saying/doing something funny confused me about myself bc it would draw the focus on me for a bit which was uncomfortable in another way. I was in my 40’s before I realized what exactly I was doing, why and what I was feeling throughout and how it actually made sense. Like most humans, I was maintaining a the personality I had built and showing up in a way that others expected, that provided continuity. But beyond that, I had developed coping mechanisms for uncomfortable social moments that were not exactly a part of my persona. (Hopefully the subtle but meaningful diff I’m trying to highlight here is communicated well enough) And that coping mechanism looked like being the comedian when there would be a point I’d feel nervousness in myself, tension in the group, confusion about what was happening or simply overwhelm from sensory input or just masking.

[@nikht0]

​@@rushiaskinnerwallace6175 Oh yeah, I know too well the cruel irony that is being funny to take some pressure off yourself, only to draw even MORE attention. "You're so funny! Come to my parties! Act in my play! Be in my band!"... OH NOOoooo! haha

[@indysanders4079]

Well yep you lit up a lot of old memories with this one! Number 5, the privacy one, is one of the big ones I still struggle with most. When I think through my life about how little the people around me wished for me to share and share back (basically not at all, unless it specifically entertained them) it makes me wonder what's the point of trying so hard to fit in with people. The ones who *do* want to share are usually either just looking to dump on me with no reciprocation OR only listen to find my vulnerabilities and exploit them. It's no wonder so many of us become hermits.

[@TheCassierra908]

I see myself in a lot of these. So many. I definitely was one as a child to want to hang out with adults I knew. I always felt so much relief if I was the only kid among the familiar adults for a time. It was safe because too many times among kids it was too much. And I also had many meltdowns after being the "well behaved" student at school. School was such a big huge stressor for me. But at the time, I had no idea why or why I felt so different.

[@Jenna.g.85]

Great video Claire, I still don’t understand girls makeup/hair/ clothes. I’m liking the bright colored scarf/blanket.

[@WoodshedTheory]

Thanks Jenna

[@hverdagslykke1897]

I was a daydreamer and struggled to pay attention in school, I was also the kid who would rather sit quietly contemplating our existence and my special interests was the universe and Leonardo DaVinci (I was like 6-8 years old and knew more about space and philosophy than most adults). I also would rather talk to adults than my peers, other kids just wanted to talk about cartoons and toys, but adults had a lot of interesting information that I could learn something from, I would go up to adults in the school yard and ask questions like "how many square foot do you think the moon is?" And the adults would just look at me weird and try to get me to play with the other kids.

[@messyjessyjade]

Yes all completely hit home for me, except the weird clothes, I think I was so aware that I didn't fit in, for reasons I couldn't explain, that I didn't want to draw any attention to myself. Never worked though, I should have just been myself 😊 great video thanks Claire! X

[@ReignCockapooSpoodle]

Great to see a channel focusing on the "left behinds"

[@michaelcallahan6166]

Wow, only halfway through this and my jaw is just on the floor. I turned 59 yesterday and have come to realize my autistic traits only in the past few weeks. Thanks for the video!

[@WoodshedTheory]

Happy to have you

[@richwatson28]

Coming from a nearly 50 year old man, I still counted 17 of those 20 that have directly affected me over the years. Being aloof and lonely, nobody was around to suggest to me that I was autistic and to get a diagnosis. Officially there are 700,000 people here in the UK who have been diagnosed, about 1% of the population. But in reality I bet that number is MUCH higher. Thank you again Claire for another informative but above all, easy-to-watch upload 🎥 ❤

[@marisa5359]

So many of these...especially # 12. Age 46 and still so true. I have had some reach out but they never stay or else I am the one going first so I don't have to feel the rejection surely coming. Or, I go into arm's' length mode. Lots of folks in my world are on that setting. Also, most definitely relate to the social anxiety. Crippling at times and honestly worse in the last decade now that I am near housebound out in the sticks. When I do go out or even in phone calls, scripting is still second nature to me. Speaking is so hard. Everything gets fumbled despite my best efforts. I was just talking about this with my husband actually in relation to how we talk. Even with us both on the spectrum, it is hard to communicate effectively with one another at times. I am still often the "too much", sadly.😢Thanks for this. Though I have known many of these for quite a while, I have had some major bumps in the road lately. I needed a reminder I am not as alone as I fear.❤

[@Erik-w8h5v]

So many of these resonate and I hadn’t even thought of most of them yet coming to understand myself. I really appreciate these videos.

[@sarahleony]

For sure the special interests! Even after I started heavily researching autism, for a good while I thought that I never really had a special interest. And then I remembered my absolute obsession with different people throughout my life. Teachers, actresses, popular peers.. like if I had a mean bone in my body I could have probably turned into a creepy stalker type person; luckily as it were I was just endlessly smitten with and interested in these people.

[@TheAutisticRebel]

Every single one of these hits home Claire. This video is so on point! These videos help so much for introspection and making past connections! Life becomes a - before and after - autism if you are late diagnosed/self diagnosed. It requires such a complete shift in your veiw of yourself and how you relate to the world... and how you THOUGHT you related to the world. Its like a rebirth. So many MUST BE stuffering because they don't know!!!! Anywho... Your the BEST Claire... TY

[@highlandermccloud3594]

I've got AuDHD. I can relate to some of these, but also having ADHD I have other traits too or traits that can over ride the other. I think it depends on the situation or my emotional state which one will be dominate. Not sure about that since I'm only learning about this myself. However, I'm a male who is very emotional. I feel everything deeply apart from happiness. I have started to learn that the way I talk to people feels like I'm attacking them or something. I don't understand it at all, to me I'm just talking. :( You talked about being left out of things... I feel like I'm being left our of Life. I've realised I find life much easier to be alone. It gets lonely at times and it's not the nicest way to live, but if feels so much safer to me. It also helps with the Anxiety and stress. I really get tired of people making me feel like I'm a bad person because I have trouble articulating shit in a way they are comfortable with. The World expects me to change to their way of being and I don't even understand what I'm supposedly doing wrong. So I got to a point where I stopped caring...

[@mayasu4277]

Me too

[@Baptized_in_Fire.]

Same

[@michaelxz85]

I have always been a loner,partly because of judgemental people. The stress and anxiety of dealing with that all my life, can be to much to bare at times.

[@WoodshedTheory]

i spend a lot of time alone too

[@anjachan]

yeah, it´s frustrating. I always have the feeling I do things wrong all the time ...

[@jamesmcdougal2]

Sadly, I found the judgmental aspect of people to be prevalent in this community as well. Not this channel, but others

[@RJ-OSU]

I don't know out of how many, but I recognize 96 of the possibly autistic traits in myself. It was a video of autistic women talking about what it feels like to be autistic that got me started toward diagnosis. Particularly one woman who explained that while she might appear normal as she was speaking, she was mentally aware of what all the visible parts of her body were doing. She was monitoring & actively exerting control in order to give an acceptable presentation of herself. (me blown away)

[@SunnySunshineField]

Thank you for sharing! Also thank you for not over producing (over editing?) the vid. It was so pleasant to watch & be able to learn instead of being overwhelmed by random sound effects or visual tricks. So grateful for the style of your video 😊 Edited to add: fashion style YES! So relate to what you said. Thankfully I came across as “quirky” & that was fashionable at the time lol

[@gothboschincarnate3931]

Geeze clair...you just described my life.....get out of my head. Their is only enough room for 1.... or maybe 1.5 max.

[@WoodshedTheory]

lol

[@gothboschincarnate3931]

@@WoodshedTheory- the 0.5 would be Karra...or Donna Douglas...or heather O'Rourke.... whoever needs to fill the space. I just learned something about depression. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aWjCkKeHmth-o5o

[@RG60Ibanez]

Had to stop vid to say that wanting to hug everyone we meet is a beautiful concept. It's what humans are supposed to be doing. Everyone is unique, and in our oneness we create a magnificent tapestry of all things weaving together like voices in a fugue.

[@WoodshedTheory]

i hear what you are saying, but now i find it powerful to not have to hug everyone

[@AuditingWithAutism]

Yup. Check, check, and check. All 20. All the time.

[@NeurodiverJENNt]

While I was listening to this I thought about creating a compilation of all of us saying the same things. Different people in different videos, sharing the same traits and experiences. Because you know, we must all be making it up right? In my videos I've also talked about: 4. Getting along better with adults over my peers 6. Doodling and stimming 9. Following rules unless you disagree with them 10. OCD tendencies (what I typically refer to as "perfectionism") 11. Masking 12. Struggling to make and keep friends, and them usually being able to tell there's "something off" about you 13. Intense interests and hyper focus 14. Dressing differently, not "typical" - I still struggle with this to this day 15. Social anxiety and being anxious before, during, and after, and scripting 17. Getting left out (I talk about a specific example of this when I worked in an office and everyone was invited to a party except me) 20. Struggling to touch base with people and stay in contact with them, out of sight out of mind I also relate to #16, I too would melt down when I got home from school in my safe space but I've never actually shared this in any of my videos. I'm just touching on things I've literally documented on my channel as well. Seriously, a compilation of several of us creators saying the same things would be so epic. Too time consuming and probably something I'll never achieve but hey, it's a fun idea to have in my head... Where I'm sure it will stay forever 😂

[@WoodshedTheory]

yes I find it very reassuring that we are all so different and yet the same

[@katereed4764]

#20 is what really makes me feel like a terrible person. Just about everything else, I can find a good way to deal or communicate, but I feel like an unnatural human the way I can move and leave everyone behind. I make an intentional effort for family.

[@Civileyez]

Another great video, Ms. Claire.

[@WoodshedTheory]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@sourcehealing82]

Yes to most of these. I’ve been masking my entire life up till maybe 4 years ago. I’m figuring out my true nature and it’s nice! I don’t have to pretend anymore. 💕

[@nuni6158]

Thank you for sharing these Claire. I'm not diagnosed, but I feel deep connection with autistic community and these shared experiences help me to sort out my own peculiarities. One thing I thought didn't fit the picture of me being autistic, was the fact, that I have always been super sensitive reading the emotional state of people and the room I enter in. Just recently, from a video on Mom on the spectrum -channel, I learned, that this trait is actually pretty common with people on the spectrum.

[@peteracton2246]

Yes absolutely to the vast majority of these, in my case. Another great video Claire.

[@MacKenzie499]

Thank you for this list. All of them are oh so familiar. The Cleveland Clinic describes your #15 (social anxiety) as happening before an event. And your #17 (referred to as rejection sensitivity dysphoria [RSD]) as happening after that event. The constant mulling over the social interactions during the event leads to real or perceived rejection. The worst part of RSD is you are the only one who feels the rejection, creating loneliness, self-doubt, and lower self-worth. RSD is a trait of ADHD, which, of course, is a concomitant of autism.

[@lisa_wistfulone7957]

Ohhhh the STYLE Problem!! I actually artistically enjoy fun clothing and outfits, and volunteered as a local theatre costumer for a few years- I love period and retro clothing . But irl, I’m either dressing wildly outside the norm or trying desperately to be a chameleon by immersing myself in learning “the rules” for whatever group I’m part of!! I comfortably do my own unusual style now, but the conformity of “wedding guest dresses” is a nightmare I’ll NEVER figure out!!

[@ghill8587]

Yes, to so many of these. Regarding stims, I used to get in trouble at school for chewing on the end of my ponytail. It does sound gross to me now as an adult, but as a child, I didn’t see what the big deal was. I mean, it was my hair. It wasn’t like I was chewing on someone else’s hair. 😂. Chewing is still a huge stim for me. I go through countless pieces of gum a day.

[@Imperfect_Eric]

Another great video 😊

[@WoodshedTheory]

Thanks again!

[@unlocking_universal]

Thank you for sharing all of this, Claire. It is so affirming to know I wasn't alone. One of my traits I didn't know was an autism trait at the time was (is) my aversion to answering the phone unless I am expecting a particular call. Even once we had caller ID and I knew the person, if I wasn't expecting it, I wouldn't (won't) answer. It makes me feel bad but it's a thing.

[@Mkognito]

I just discovered that I'm probably ASD less than 6 months ago, and have been doing self-discovery ever since. The missed symptom that I'm currently coloring in on the portrait of my life is PDA. I.e., all of the things that I frequently do and say that can fall under PDA. Mind-blowing! 😮

[@Franimus]

Traits I missed: All of them. Newly diagnosed lol. Seriously though here are the bigger giveaways: Tipping/rocking my chair Chewing on pen caps, clothing, and fingers Hanging out or chatting was completely foreign to me, I never had normal friendships Overexplaining and underexplaining Rules oriented Difficulty initiating tasks (executive dysfunction), such as homework and all types of hygiene Playing the same single player computer games on repeat Refusing to wear jeans until high school

[@TigaFeva]

omgosh you just reminded me that when i was little i would suck on the color of my t-shirt as soothing thing. i got scolded enough times that trained myself not to do it.i never realized i was stimming. the pen cap chewing too.

[@grahamturner2640]

Ah, refusing to wear jeans. I still don’t wear anything denim. I don’t get the appeal, aside as work clothes.

[@WoodshedTheory]

hahah i love that - same: traits i missed... all of them

[@TigaFeva]

@@grahamturner2640 same. I will wear them if they are distressed but the texture is intense of the whole leg is covered lol. I will usually go for leggings or tights. I like the smooth compression I guess.

[@aronyro]

Interesting. I do not share that many, gender might play a role, but I am a very passive male. One issue for was I internalized everything, very quiet, easy to overlook, did not speak much as a kid. eye contact a big issue, horrible night mares around group behaviour. got extremely bullied by peers, but only in one instance, got teased a lot. prone to injuries of the head. loved climbing trees. I think the reason I got friends was that I was very loyal and quiet and that I befriended other odd people. When I was young I identified as an artist, even at age 5, which is odd ans just one letter away from autist. I had fears of peers I did not know. there are instances in which I could easily stand without anxiety in front of a group and fight my case when I felt something not right was going on, also debating with adults to the bone even as a kid. I read 1000 books as a kid, noone thought that was odd. I cannot memorize things easily and always had to work around that. doodled extremely since class rooms were very confining to me, with a group for a prolonged time sitting passively. always forgot my pencil. said many inappropriate things. also as a kid I could never sleep and had to lay awake every day for an hour for 4 years while the other kids were sleeping, was not allowed to play - I guess that is where some rumination comes from. I have OCD and intrusive thoughts, hated family gatherings. I am neurodivergent 1000 %, not 100 % sure if I meet all autistic criterea, finally started antidepressants now after a massive burnout meltdown. should have done it earlier. the reson I am not mad with my parents is, it was different times. also I think clever kids are good at masking or workarounds but it will ultimately lead to burn out, so thanks for sharing that information!! no need to comment :) edit: I hated that cheek kissing fashion, it was horror to me lol

[@WoodshedTheory]

yes two asd people can be completely different and have super different experiences, i think that it's great!

[@KatjaTheAutiArtist]

Omg, Claire, all of this resonates with me!!! 😮

[@WoodshedTheory]

i'm glad i'm not alone

[@passaggioalivello]

Hi Claire, I can definitely relate to most of these traits. Thank you.

[@gardockis.playground]

To answer your question. I would shake or bounce my legs or Chew my lips to stem. Now i know why I would feel broken inside when I was called out for shaking the car or table with my bouncy legs. Or when the sound of chewing on my lips would and should bother others and I was requested to stop. I wish could tell the young me that what I was doing was ok and if it bothered others that was their problem and not mine. 😅

[@autisticMargo]

All of this resonates, thanks Claire

[@WoodshedTheory]

You're so welcome!

[@nah5491]

I hated math speed tests I would flip out, pull out single hairs, it was so stressful. I relate to the secrets thing so much it took me into well into my 20s to “learn how to be a steel vault.” Everything is, I have compulsive or absolute honesty , I have obviously lied, mostly call into wok type thing . And very rarely Lies of omission, rarer still Blatent lies most commonly in service of protecting someone’s feelings. And like I said, it’s not that I don’t lie, I just don’t lie often. But something about that bothers people I guess, but then they also are bothered about being overly forward with their information which it was hard for me to differentiate someone else’s secret and my truth.

[@Mcmicken8]

Some of your videos feel like looking in a mirror. There are so many traits I always thought were just quirks about myself, and then you describe them to a tee. It's like therapy too... hearing you reflect on things and what you've learned. Some of it I'm like hey, I just learned that now. I always liked the idea that if life was a musical it would be normal to bring song into conversations.

[@whitneymason406]

I was considered very sensitive growing up. Anytime I would get a D or F on assignments, I would cry. I had a lot of adult friends growing up. Great video, Claire! 💞

[@heedmydemands]

My style has been described as homeless princess lol, i just wear what i like, not about it going together. I also was the only one left out of certain things. A lot of the time at school i could peacefully co-exist just in my own small group (myself and one or two friends) but some times were bad. It sucked knowing that my class had to b asked to invite me to things that were for everyone

[@MomontheSpectrum]

🫶🏻🙏🏼💖

[@delphinebez3045]

Interestingly, I never resonated with the anxiety, and emotional side many autistic people describe. I'm more on the unemotional side, which is really a thing.....I'm sure many others feel that way too. It does not make me less autistic, just different. I share all the rest, and your story how yiu would impulsively hug loved ones at the wrong moment defined struck a chord. I stopped doing that in my twenties... learned the hard way 😅

[@WoodshedTheory]

you are right, it doesn't make you less autistic - we are all different!

[@roberttravers7587]

Great video!😁😁

[@Warspite03]

16/20. and a couple of the missed ones were 'opposites' e.g. social boundaries , rather than not respect boundaries, I treated social boundaries like they were Drop bears and be hypervigilant always looking out for them lest they attack.

[@seaglasscolor]

That blanket is beautiful, Claire! I like to crochet too. I like the scalloped border in white that you put on it. Would be interested in hearing what fields of study your degrees are in, if you ever want to share.

[@WoodshedTheory]

Thanks it’s a shawl! Will be in the next Etsy drop. My degrees are in ancient languages

[@seaglasscolor]

@@WoodshedTheoryAncient Languages…cooll!

[@kiliya89]

I enjoy the new eye catching thumbnail style. I hope it helps bring attention to your content!

[@WoodshedTheory]

I hope so too!

[@fraktaalimuoto]

Not diagnosed. I can relate to all of these.

[@autisticjenny]

ooh, Claire, great topic! Looking forward to watching this one.

[@WoodshedTheory]

thanks Jenny

[@Catlily5]

I relate to being too emotional. My emotions are very strong. I had a lot of problems switching activities. I guess problems with transitions. I thought it must be due to mental health issues but it is really due to autism.

[@TheAutisticRebel]

Great videos but she needs to sing more!... I love it!... It's catchy, uplifting and just sounds fun! Thank you 😊!

[@chrismaxwell1624]

I can relate to all of these in some. Some slightly different in my solutions. Like social anxiety led me to drinking but also scripted things and would say the funniest thing but not meaning to be funny. I don't see myself as a funny guy but there are quite a few moments where I make people laugh. But if I try to tell joke can't. But if I go see a comedy routine I can reduced to tears for laughing so much. Polar bear walks in a bar Say to the bar tender "I'll a rye" ............." and coke" Bartender says "What's with the pause?" Polar bear responds "I've had them all my life" Say it out loud I didn't get it reading the first dozen times. But when I said out loud now I get it.

[@WoodshedTheory]

😂😂😂

[@cupofteawithpoetry]

🤣🤣

[@JustClaude13]

In my day autism was sub-verbal and rocking in the corner, so I was diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder in 1980. A diagnosis that fits me like tap shoes on a python. Now that autism has expanded to include people like me the therapist says I'm too old, so a proper diagnosis would be too difficult and expensive to make. But it sounds like autism, so let's go with that. Now I at least have the certainty of being officially uncertain. I really get the black and white thinking. I was always quite literal. I still sometimes have trouble with figurative language. Most of the list wasn't a problem for me since I didn't really interact much with the outside world. I never understood how other people thought and didn't give much thought to how they reacted. There was a distance between me and them that never noticed. I could read by the time I was four but had a bit of a lisp when I was ten, so I just had some speech therapy. The rest of school went well until junior high, when I lost focus and couldn't concentrate on what they wanted me to concentrate on. Again, I had my world and they had theirs. Hugging and kissing were never a problem because I didn't and still don't. I don't like physical contact with acquaintances. I allow brief hugs if they have to, but if they aren't family it has to be brief. Then step back.

[@DanS8204]

This is quite wonderful, and I really appreciate your creating and sharing it!

[@taylorceleste1006]

I was diagnosed as lvl 1 autistic April 11th, 2022. This comment isn't necessarily about traits I missed but something I will always mourn about not being diagnosed sooner.. I was one of those weird kids who ran around the playground pretending I was a wolf with my one or two weird (and also possibly autistic as well) friends. Had those Keychain tails come out when I was in gradeschool or elementary, I definitely would have worn one lol. Around 6th grade, one of the nice "popular" girls noticed me after reading some stories I wrote and I masked to a point where I pretty much abandoned my weird friends for the popular ones to escape being a target of bullying from the meaner of the girls. In late sophomore to junior year I went as far to camouflage out of fear and became a bully with one of the meanest of the girls to protect myself.. I hate who I was in my later high-school years and I will always regret leaving my true friends behind and becoming something I tried so hard to hide from..

[@WoodshedTheory]

thank you for sharing your story - i know it's hard to look back

[@humanBonsai]

It must be hard to narrow the list down to 20 Claire because once you start you can easily end up with hundreds of traits and past instances of traits. It’s crazy how much of every aspect of us is determined by Autism. I often wonder whether there a me here somewhere or is every single aspect of my personality and experience down to Autism? I guess that’s neurology for you. Claire I can’t find the join button anyway. I am on an iPhone. Any tips where it might be?

[@WoodshedTheory]

Yes I was trying to keep the video watchable lol

[@PlanckRelic]

In my app, the join button is in the same row as the channel name and the subscribe/notification button, between the bottom of the video and the top of the video description section. You should also be able to join by going to the channel page. There is a KZbin help page for the iPhone app that gives directions, findable by a google search, but I cant insert a link in a comment.

[@humanBonsai]

@@PlanckRelic thank you so much

[@shirleybain8070]

Wow..just wow. Again, so many things I relate to.will come back to this, much to think about❤

[@laura.bseyoga]

I definitely resonate with most of those! 💚

[@orionkelly]

Brilliant video. Nailed it.

[@WoodshedTheory]

Thanks dude

[@karens8633]

As a child I told everyone I loved them because “love” is more than “like”. 🤦‍♀️

[@Heykittygirrrl]

It's like you're talking about my entire life lol. Thanks for your honesty and openness. Btw I looove others who don't dress like everyone else. I hate trying to fit in fashion wise. I'm 36 and I wear pigtails and bows with band tees most of the time 🤣👌

[@julie_uk_]

Thank you for this video Claire, only just got round to watching it 😊

[@petehotoff3715]

Great videos, thank you for sharing

[@WoodshedTheory]

thanks for your support

[@9crutnacker985]

Two more ultra common comorbidities for autism are: Dyslexia, ADHD and childhood trauma/cPTSD (inc physical/emotional neglect and/or abuse, s/a). many of those traits you went through can also be symptoms from the latter category. eg. I'd say 80-90% of my general / social anxiety stemmed from my own childhood abuse.

[@WoodshedTheory]

thanks for sharing

[@krystalestrella9098]

Thank you so much for this video. I checked off so many of these .

[@stephaniesummerhill8918]

Is that a new blanket to your right? It’s beautiful! Edit: my right your left

[@RainbowUnicornPotato]

ikr?! i couldn't stop looking at it. it is so pretty 🌈🦄

[@stephaniesummerhill8918]

@@RainbowUnicornPotato gorgeous! I love all things yarn!

[@WoodshedTheory]

i think you are talking about the shawl on Maude - that is new, it will be for sale in my next drop.

[@stephaniesummerhill8918]

@@WoodshedTheory it is absolutely gorgeous!!!

[@gordoncooper2481]

I missed all my traits before 2022 because I never suspected I was autistic until my wife suggested it (even though I identified strongly with autistic characters in television shows).

[@GhostofMrsMuir1443]

Yep. So many of these traits.

[@lukeshirley8496]

The two biggest traits I find, people can be so exhausting and being unable to understand the social BS people tend to carry on with.

[@EsmereldaPea]

I check most of these boxes. Yup.

[@MelissaThompson432]

I was criticized so often for being _emotional_ that I refuse to use the word "hysterical" for any reason.

[@tdsollog]

I’m undiagnosed, and I can relate to all of these.

[@WoodshedTheory]

it may be something to look into if that is what you want to do

[@tdsollog]

@@WoodshedTheory I've thought about the the pros & cons. I know it will take a long time and a decent amount of money. I work at a Federal agency.... not sure if an official diagnosis will help.

[@johnries5593]

I wasn't counting, but it appears that around 15 of these apply to me.

[@shadeeldridge9711]

The thing with rules really clicks for me. As long as i can physically remember I was VERY insistent on being a "good kid" and could not understand why others acted out. I had a very binary view of what it meant for me to be "good" vs "bad" i rarely got in trouble and the one time i did when i was young it was basically because I was stiming and didn't notice. (I was subconsciously was ripping up a paper bingo marker) That was my first major full on meltdown when the teacher told me to move my clip. I am 20 years old and this is still a traumatic memory. I was a bit judgemental of kids who would act out. I just didnt get how someone could live there life NOT desperately trying to be a good person.

[@shadeeldridge9711]

-an add on to that meltdown: I was so distressed that the teacher had to remove me from the classroom and send me to the principals office. HOWEVER as a kid I absolutely did NOT understand that the reason she was removing me was because I was being disruptive and NOT because of the original behavior. Basically I thought I was being sent to the principal's office for ripping the bingo marker, when I was really being sent to the principal's office to calm down. I got an end of day party that was planned for the class taken away as a punishment for acting out. My mom had to come calm me down (she worked at the school). In my little kid brain my whole world was crumbling. All because I had to move my clip to yellow. When I had seen other kids get mildly in trouble in the same way and barely gave it a second thought. 🙃🙃

[@WoodshedTheory]

Thank you for sharing - I think it’s easy for us to miss sometimes what the real issue is

[@ParticleLarry]

When I was in sixth grade math class my teacher put me in a corner with two rolling cabinets so I could just see the chalkboard and not the other students in the class , I didn't question it at the time but looking back on it , it was probably because I was autistic and had trouble focusing on school work. I don't think it really help though because I wasn't really interested in school anyways .

[@WoodshedTheory]

yeah i was def that kid too

[@patryn36]

It is very similar between the definition and my nature. I do not need to be labeled as autistic just want a different group of people to interact with that are more likely not to act like the ones i am used to and those are very disappointing and aggrevating.

[@fintux]

Do others get this: feeling as if there was an identical twin somewhere or thinking about how it would be if you had an identical twin? I think that comes from the place of feeling different, so this is not directly related to autism, but I was just wondering if this is more typical for autists. A type of stimming I realized just a couple of days ago was not giving up my pacifier until the age of four. I also made up words for things that already had names, which I've learned is an autism trait.

[@DarkMetaOFFICIAL]

Hello! 😅 first new video of yours i get to see since i subbed heck yeah lol 🤘

[@WoodshedTheory]

Welcome aboard!

[@tjzambonischwartz]

Literally the only thing in this that doesn't apply to me is the OCD.

[@WoodshedTheory]

you're awesome

[@LightsandVessels]

Thank you Claire. makes so much sense

[@WoodshedTheory]

thanks!

[@anjachan]

a lot of it the same here!

[@WoodshedTheory]

hi anja!

[@anjachan]

@@WoodshedTheory 😁

[@REBEKAHJOHNSON-lh6xh]

Sheesh!! Idk if I am or not. I know I’m an HSP and I am borderline SPD, but I can rather relate to this!!

[@r.k.6872]

Woman with asperger here! I don't care about the newest trends. They're mostly dictated by celebrities or designers and most people just follow them like theyre a part of a herd even if that trend doesn't suit them. I'd say dress how you like as long as it's appropriate.

[@tattooedmomma]

Seeing patterns in everything

[@tracik1277]

I was always getting told off for my tone of voice. I had no idea what they meant and never got told what it should be. I got called insolent a lot before I had a clue what that meant. I find it such nonsense that adults took issue with things but never showed me what to do just punished me for getting things wrong. It makes me wonder if they didn’t explain on purpose so they could continue to punish because they enjoyed it.

[@ZSchrink]

If only I could have known these 10 or 15 years ago 😅

[@WoodshedTheory]

same

[@ANGELROB_YTC]

The kissing and hugging thing is interesting was that because that was a mask or you actually enjoyed it because a lot of autistic people don't like kissing and hugging can't be touched

[@WoodshedTheory]

not sure