Autism Acceptance: The Diverse Autism Spectrum

[@spencerwalker4502]

I haven't been professionally diagnosed yet, but I am positive I have autism. Although I always had some doubts on whether I actually did have it because my symptoms were somewhat different and less severe from the textbook symptoms. But after watching this video it made me feel very validated and got rid of that doubt. Thank you so much!!

[@user-ti5hk4go9m]

Sometimes I question if I really can be autistic cuz I never had meltdowns but I honestly believe it is because of childhood trauma. I don’t feel comfortable around my family or foster care workers to have meltdowns so I just isolate myself and push that frustration inside of myself. My foster care workers would open curtains even tho it hurts.

[@UbeFlavoured]

You should maybe look into autistic shutdown. That's what I experience when I gotta keep my meltdowns internal

[@Kasiarzynka]

@@UbeFlavoured Exactly what I was thinking. I usually keep to myself, don't share my emotions and stuff like that. And although I did have a meltdown or three, when I'm at like 110% of my coping capacity, I believe I usually shut down before getting there. At least one of my meltdowns happened after I was unable to shut down due to the place and situation, a very draining one, I was in. And what @INFJ life writes about, it definitely sounds like a shutdown.

[@nryane]

Thank you all. Jake, your advocacy is working! Your answers on the telephone gave me the courage to phone one of the assessment people in my area. I suspect that I’m autistic and would like to know for sure. My grandchild was recently diagnosed as autistic and our FaceTime discussions of how she advocated for her own assessment - her symptoms, for example - resonated with me. At almost 79, I have developed many coping skills, yet believe I may do even better, especially socially, with moral support from autistic people. Thanks for being there. Blessings!

[@leilap2495]

This is wonderful. Thank you! I see a little of myself in all of the participants. I was diagnosed a month ago at the age of 39.

[@T.T.M.60]

Same!,I was diagnosed at 60 and am now 63.

[@jasonclarke7422]

I was diagnosed at 5 years ago at the age of 42 and found a great sense of relief after the diagnosis,being able to know why I always felt different to others and finding it harder to fit in like a square peg in a round hole.

[@jeanneallie1826]

This is great. I love seeing the people who were interviewed to make this video great. And I love seeing the conversation continue here, so I'll jump in and share, too. I identify as either autistic, neurodiverse, or on the spectrum. I was diagnosed at the age of 58. I enjoy biking, gardening, spending time with my family. I think some of my strengths are always being on time (Thanks to the person in the video that said that! It made me smile!), creativity, connecting with others who feel different. I'm a teacher, musician, composer and love my cats!

[@AutismBC]

Thank you for sharing :)

[@emmawood1232]

Got diagnosed just over a month ago at the age of 28 with autism and adhd. I like this video 🙂

[@rebeccam9762]

I wasn't diagnosed until earlier this year, I was 29 at the time, it's taken time to adjust, but my understanding of the world made sense after diagnosis.

[@KatharineOsborne]

I was diagnosed at 34 though I had suspected it for a while. Everything just sort of made sense after the diagnosis about why I was so different from other people. And yes, it’s a very wide spectrum, though one thing I’ve found common is that we tend to be very honest and straightforward in how we approach life, and in many ways that makes it much easier/less exhausting to have a conversation with an autistic person over an NT.

[@eyecatcher1509]

being on time all the time. Thats one I have lived by so much so that I had a story written about me in the newspapers because I had a 100% school attendance from the age of 4 to 18 then 3 mores years at Uni. Mum told me recently that I refused to go to a family funeral once as I considered my attendance tick more important. but yes, I am always computing times of arrival by foot, by car autoamtically to arrive on the dot at the latest.

[@Tee-xt1cv]

Would love to see a video titled “diverse” with POC!

[@ThatFlamingFroggo]

Currently 30, and looking to get assessed. If I've had autism, it be atypical, and last time I went in for a cognitive test, I think my ability to look them in the eyes, for the most part, and speak well, made the old white doctor, assume its unlikely. That it was a low likelihood. There were many things that I meant to say, that I forgot to say because I'm often easily led, when it comes to conversations. I was diagnosed with ADHD around my early twenties, but, for the past few years I've suspected that its more than that. I definitely look to the woman who was diagnosed at 39, because I'm fairly good at masking, and guessing the lines of certain types of small talk, and interactions. But, once it goes off the script in my head, I often find myself thinking, how should I respond to this? How should I word this, that won't come off as either too much, or too little in relation to the situation. As someone who was assigned female at birth, I also know that its an issue for folks like me, whether a cis woman, or non-binary, or trans male, etc. I think there is that extra pressure to behave, that boys tend not to get as much. Or assumptions that you are just quirky, or its just a personality trait.

[@teflonpan115]

Was diagnosed in my mid 20s. That was about a decade ago today. Being on the spectrum is kinda crappy tbh.

[@fashionqen]

What about POC with autism

[@VM-yd6zq]

I identify as human

[@bernardflint9338]

Interesting video.

[@jamilaumarahmed8273]

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[@otheremail123]

:)

[@Catlily5]

The doctors told me that I have Autistic traits.

[@JD-zh5nv]

I identify as wealthy