Is autism over diagnosed? BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION 💥

How has your life changed since learning you were autistic?

[@theladyoftheforest6287]

I cannot afford an autism diagnosis but have an adhd diagnosis. That diagnosis helped me feel so free and understood. With suspected autism, the more I learn the more I understand myself. I feel like I’m peeling back the layers that surrounded me as a protection. I can be kinder toward myself. I can understand that my so called failings are actually just differences. I love myself for them. I’m healing myself.

[@rachelk2457]

If you find your local autism society or ABA therapy organization, they might help you find a place where it is affordable to get diagnosed 😊

[@theladyoftheforest6287]

@@rachelk2457 Thank you 🙏 I am in Australia and looking around at options

[@rachelk2457]

@@theladyoftheforest6287 oh where the original Love on the Spectrum show started. However, I think Cian does stigmatize autism in that show, because most of the ASD peeps are stereotypical displays of autism 😅 my therapist said that can discredit us that mask really well and so people dismiss us as even being impacted by it.

[@theladyoftheforest6287]

@@rachelk2457 I’d have to agree with you there. I am high masking and fairly smart. I constantly get “you couldn’t be autistic”, “you don’t look autistic to me” or “I don’t think you’re autistic”. As if their brief interactions with me have a better gauge on my personal experience then I do.

[@ComplicatedSimplicite]

This is so beautifully said

[@cda6590]

To the writer referenced in the video: I too am a part of this "new wave" of autism diagnoses, having received my diagnosis at the age of 31--despite being a stereotypical white male. Since discovering my diagnosis I have decided to reorient my life towards becoming a mental health professional who does specialize in adult autistics. I do not plan to help individuals with their autism, though. My therapies will focus instead on trauma--something that is highly prevalent amongst the adult autistic population, particularly for the women. Please do not characterize every single newly-diagnosed or self-diagnosed autistic individual as a "clueless teenager" diagnosing themselves solely through tiktok. Honestly, because of the genetic factor of autism, I've met and spoken with sisters and daughters who were teenage autistic girls and even their level of insight into what makes them different was staggering. The plain fact is that the history of autism specifically has prevented a large segment of the population from being considered for a diagnosis and clinicians are collectively starting to wake up to this fact. To the poster of the video: I'm not sure how I stumbled upon your channel (the algorithm, I guess), but I am pleasantly surprised by this video. Good on you for going this route. People like you make me proud to be autistic.

[@neurodivergentme]

Thank you friend 💕

[@kikijewell2967]

Thank you for embracing this new life's purpose. As for white male, a mother at our old school was trying to get an autism diagnosis for her son, and the doctor said he couldn't be autistic because he was black. She said maybe it was his white half. Which is absolutely horrible that a mother would ever have to say such a thing. I can only imagine black children and adults are under diagnosed because their behavior is attributed to...everything else. I'm still shaken by this extreme injustice.

[@gigahorse1475]

@@kikijewell2967 That’s appalling on the doctor’s part too. Yikes… I don’t even know what to say about that level of stupid!

[@kikijewell2967]

My therapist said, "don't worry! You don't have autism!" I was furious, "no, you cannot diagnose me like that. The questions you should be asking are, 'in what ways do you relate to autism symptoms?' or 'what tools to autistic people use that feel helpful to you also?'" I also asked, "were you hoping to reassure me because you were worried tbat I was _scared_ I was autistic? Because it had the opposite effect. The idea I could be autistic was a _relief._ Finally everything made sense. But telling me I'm not autistic actually pulled the rug from under me and I felt I was in freefall." It's not whether someone has a diagnosis, but how a person fits into the context of autism, and how that understanding can help people make sense of themselves and the world.

[@c0dead]

word salad

[@ZhovtoBlakytniy]

Discovering the reason that I am the way I am is because I'm autistic and not an awful human made a big difference in everything. A weight was lifted off my shoulders. I don't feel like writing everything right now in detail, that's just the big summary. By the way, I'm not doing anything that would make me an awful person, it's just I received so much criticism about the way I do things differently than most people I know. "You walk weird" "Why do you always insist on having the light off, are you a cave creature?" "Look me in the eyes when I'm talking to you!" "You can't be tired/stressed all the time, you have nothing to make you feel that way!" "You're no fun to be around!". That's the criticism. I'm not weird, I'm not lazy, I'm not antisocial, I'm not a liar or shifty or flaky or rude. Plenty of people love me and find me a good friend, and those are the people who also happen to not mind my idiosyncrasies... They don't mind that I choose comfort over style, or that I might be a 30 something years old woman who loves dinosaurs, or that if they want to hug me, just ask first so I don't get goosebumps and an instant stomach ache. I'd do anything like that for them, too, if they asked or needed it. I hope that makes sense.

[@tracirex]

I like dinosaurs too - I'm 60🦖

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

@@tracirex TBH, anybody that doesn't like dinosaurs is probably dead inside anyways.

[@babybirdhome]

I can relate so much to the internalized criticisms over the course of my life. If I just took everyone at their word, I’d believe I’m a lazy person, and for most of my life, I believed I was. Then one night after watching some autistic creator content on KZbin, I thought back and realized that laziness can’t possibly describe me, because my favorite job that I ever had was one that I held for 5 years, was known all over my state for being great at, and even known somewhat in a few neighboring states despite my having no idea how or why that would happen. A job that I held for 5 years in which I worked “full time” 7 days a week, with my busiest week being one in which I worked for nearly 138 hours. Now, I know a lot of business people who work 70-80 hour weeks, and even some people in medical and first responder fields who sometimes work 90+ hours per week, but I don’t know *_ANYONE_* in my life who’s worked nearly as much as I have. There are only 168 hours in a week and I held a job for 5 years where I would regularly work for over 110 to 120 hours per week. 138 hours is nearly 3.5 full time 9-5 jobs. Nobody does that, and *_CERTAINLY_* nobody who is lazy, keeps that job for 5 years, and is recognized in their industry around the whole state as one of the best in the business. And some of the people who’ve described me as being lazy *_are people who also knew me when I was working that job!!!_* It’s madness the gaslighting that people do to you when you’re on the spectrum and just trust that the people in your life must know what they’re talking about when they tell you you’re lazy. That night was when I finally started to question the things people told me about myself and treat myself with the slightest bit of compassion and understanding.

[@resourcedragon]

@@tracirex: Doesn't everyone like dinosaurs? AronRa had a series on bird evolution and for me, the idea that birds are surviving dinosaurs and some dinosaurs were/are birds just makes both birds and dinosaurs more awesome.

[@turquoiseblue228]

Please kick the people who say those things to you out of your life!

[@withyoctopus]

I had to get the diagnosis because people were actively aggressive towards me when I wanted to talk about my autism. I had researched for years at that point but nobody even asked. They just assumed I didn't know what I was talking about. I took my 16-page-essay to the GP and was talked down to for half an hour before she even signed to get me the evaluation. I was lucky to be backed by my best friend who has already organized an evaluation for me (she called *everyone* on an obscure list she found for half a day and somehow got an evaluation spot within half a year in the next country over... and she brought me there, too... I wouldn't be diagnosed without her). In the diagnosis process, they didn't ask about anything related to ADHD. I asked and they assumed I didn't have it because I could concentrate on my autism evaluation... (absurd). My friend organized another evaluation spot for me and I, again, was called a "prototype" for the neurotype. I was 37. Not being diagnosed cost me 37 years of my life.

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

It's just a good thing that you weren't autistic until you got the evaluation results back. /jk

[@AKcess_Dnied]

My wife grew up with her younger brother having ADHD so she thinks she knows everything about ADHD, and so now that my symptoms are much more obvious I still can't bring it up. It's frustrating not to be taken seriously.

[@wiewioragaming5726]

you don't have a healthcare system in the USA, you have a healthcare market.

[@neurodivergentme]

FACT

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

@@neurodivergentme Yes, although it does vary a lot in terms of what you get. Around here autism related screenings and services are required to be covered to the extent physical conditions are, and with some limitations on what specific treatment options are research based.

[@abmrose]

@@SmallSpoonBrigadewhere’s “around here”? Not my neck of the woods!

[@josephmartin1540]

“Why can’t you be normal?” Heard this almost every day of my life!

[@Optionsaregood]

I went un-diagnosed for 60 years, things were rather difficult, I now know what I'm dealing with and things are not so bad now.

[@faster55100]

What a relief just to know Im not broken

[@autisticautumn7379]

I wasn't diagnosed until I was 52 .I suffered so much bad mental health as a consequence.

[@just4craftsngiggles454]

Same here 53 and it’s been so hard to get meds along with helping family understand kinda a overload right now

[@stefanmargraf7878]

Also late diagnosed, by myself (i am a doctor, but having an insight into autism.... it was obvious), My first reaction was emotional, now there was an explanation for all the difficulties i had. But at the same time i felt mistreated, especially in school by teachers. I need no therapy, i have no disease. To help me with my ADH seldom i take Ritalin. Today, I treat myself better and I help raise awareness about autism. I tell the people i am autistic and I expect acceptance and consideration I try to use my powers more efficiently.

[@neurodivergentme]

I love sacred geometry 😍

[@stefanmargraf7878]

@@neurodivergentme Like Leonardo da Vinci? Of course, we do. Gives us peace.

[@barbaracale1015]

I'm 51, with a fresh, brand-new AuDHD diagnosis. I'm very fortunate that I got an appointment with the doctor who diagnosed a close family member, and that surprisingly, my insurance covered all but $10. 😮 I have spent the last 3 years studying it on my own, and learning about autism has made me a much better teacher, mom, and human. I lean into giving support to the kids who are like I was.

[@JasonReedAZ]

My late in life diagnosis helped explain many of the struggles I have had throughout my entire life. I am fortunate to not only be able to obtain a diagnosis, but to also have found a therapist that works with me to unpack what it means to be autistic and helps me learn how to unmask and be more myself.

[@kristinbond]

I’m 43 and was diagnosed this year. I had a moment when I was sharing a childhood memory with someone and I suddenly realized I was not a typical child. It was the first time everything came together and made sense….struggles in relationships and communication, high sensitivity to my environment, always feeling overstimulated and drained, etc. I did a deep dive and basically self-diagnosed, but felt I needed a professional diagnosis otherwise I would never know for sure and continue to gaslight myself. I got a professional diagnosis and like mentioned in the video, my life hasn’t changed much, but on the inside, everything has changed. I understand myself so much more and I can now be a self-advocate. Instead of constantly apologizing for being the way I am, I can embrace who I am with acceptance and understanding. I now understand why my current job has been extremely difficult for me the past 5 years and was able to accept that it is just a job that is not conducive to people on the spectrum. So, I was able to make the decision to change jobs rather than continue trying to make it work and be miserable. From here on out I’ll be able to make better life decisions because I now have a context for my struggles. Things that I hated about myself I’m now able to accept and even embrace as being a part of my complex and unique autistic self.

[@RenaissanceX2]

Our daughter was diagnosed 2 years ago with autism. As I’ve been learning more about autism in general and in her specifically so we can best support her, I had moments of… “Hmmm, that seems a bit like me.” but that felt uncomfortable and I quickly dismissed it(denial) because I’m 51 and how could I make it this far(not wanting to admit how much I’ve struggled over the 51 years) and it not have been discovered. Two months ago I was spending time with my daughter and she said… “I’m so glad I have you Dad and that you are just like me” I thought she meant that we are both creatives/artists and enjoy many of the same things. When I said as much she said “No, I mean the way you think, the way you are. I think you are autistic just like me and it helps me feel not so alone in our family because I feel like you understand me.” Hearing that broke me and I couldn’t be in denial anymore. I dove in head first to try and understand autism in adults who were never diagnosed when they were young and while I have a lot left to learn and a lot to process it is clear to me now that I’m autistic. I contacted the psychiatrist who worked on the diagnosis for our daughter and asked if there was any value in getting an official diagnosis and she said that It’s hard to find places that have a solid protocol for accurately diagnosing adults with autism due to many factors including the autistic individuals lifelong masking (which I’d have to say I’m a pro level masker who struggles with even knowing how to unmask) she went on to say that it can be pretty expensive and the truth is there aren’t really any services you can receive as a high functioning autistic adult, that there wasn’t much point of getting the diagnosis unless I was unconvinced and needed that confirmation to accept the autism but that I seemed to have done a lot of research and I was accepting of my conclusions. Still wondering if there is any value in going through all the trouble to get an official diagnosis.🤷🏻‍♂️

[@slingshot6297]

I'm in my mid 40s and just at the start of my Autism journey. It's the best and worst experience simultaneously. I've been high functioning most of my life and therefore learned to mask at a very young age. When lockdown hit it was the first time I could remember that I didn't have to wake up and get my masks ready for the day. I don't think I ever realised this was my function until I didn't have to do it. I spent best part of two years home working and with the permanent excuse to not have to socialise. It was bliss. I'd always known I was introverted but pushed through it so that the people around me could have a 'normal' experience. I' didn't ever want my wife or kids to feel they were missing out because I struggled with intense anxiety at the most basic of social gatherings. I'd manage to get out of some things but as I said, I learned to mask my internal state and function very well. To this day I think most of the people who think they know me would totally disregard the suggestion that I was autistic. Following lockdown ending I struggled to get back to this high functioning state. It started to really hit home to me just how exhausting and damaging it was to do this and how it had impacted me for decades now. Even worse, I realised that I was not being my true self at all - completely building a character(s) that would hide how much of a mess I am and fitting the agenda what it took to be liked and accepted in the various circles my life moved in. At this point I was looking for decent sources of self help - thinking this was just a blip and never assuming Autism was at the heart of it. The more I searched for anxiety and introversion the more material about Autism kept coming up. I ignored it, never considering it applied to me for a minute. If I'm honest my idea of what Autism was, was very thin and surface level. Books, online therapy, all followed and all seemed to point at Autism. That's when I decided to really look at what it was. Everything just unlocked in that moment. So many parts of my life story were just right there. From hightened senses (hearing and to an even greater degree my often overpowering sense of smell), to all the very difficult relationships I've had. I read one of the other comments below where someone wrote that until their diagnose they just thought they were an awful human being. That rings through massively with me. I feel like where ever I go I leave a trail of unhappiness and anger in the people I've met. I've lived what should have been the happiest time of my life, with my wife and children, fearing that one day they will see me as damaged and no good as most people do. It has always felt like it was just a matter of time before I reach that point and my life gets wiped out again. Understanding myself through what I'm now leaning about Autism has literally been lifesaving. I've been in a really bad place at times. That said, there is a limit to how much it can help me as I'm scared to make it official or share it with people I know. Where I'm from you can get diagnosed for free but it goes on your medical records and will be seen by employers. On a number of occasions my employer has been in financial difficulty and each time this happens I've been identified as the first person in my team who'll lose his job. So far it hasn't happened but it hangs over me. I don't know why I was identified as the first to go. My productivity and contributions have been solid. I sense deeply that it's that I'm odd. Like many it's been commented on by lots of people consistently throughout my life. I have a poor relationship with my parents and couldn't possibly tell them. They've spoken very badly about people who we've known who've had mental health problems or breakdowns and they have an attitude following this of disregarding those peoples opinions or needs because 'they're not right'. I vaguely remember a teacher when I was may 7-8 years old talking to my mother about having me tested for something and insisting it would help me. I would get more school support and extra time to finish tasks or test as my education went on but my mother said no and that I would be labelled for life. I get that concern. I found two private healthcare providers that offered a basic screening for free to gauge the likelihood of Autism before taking the financial commitment (2500k) of getting full screening. Both of those test had me in the highest category - only a few points from maxing out the score. I also found some of the most researched tests on the website embrace autism selected by Dr. Natalie Engelbrecht ND RP. Similarly, I found myself in the 'no doubt' categories of all of them. I know in my heart it's true also but feel like I don't have the right to claim it without official screening. I've talked to my wife now who is some kind of Angel. She's told me that see it too and she's with me 100% no matter what but also recognises my concerns about 'coming out'. Her family for instance were not fully appoving of our relationship - for example her father even told me once that he wouldn't support us getting married and I wasn't what they wanted for her, despite no conflict or incident of concern ever cropping up. He has since been very critical of the life we've built together and put a lot of pressure on us over our life choices.We are very content with the life we've built but he feels his daughter hasn't followed his 'go getter' way and I've influenced that with my weird outlook on life. We both believe if he knew about this it would just add fuel to the fire. He has a strong influence over the rest of her family and so that seems like a massive no go. My wife also understands that I don't want to talk to our children about it as I don't want them to lose confidence in me as their father. I also don't wan't to lean on my wife too hard or too fast so I try to hold some stuff back. So there's no safe place inside the family or the workplace. That would leave friends, but as I'm sure many people reading this with Autism will attest, they can be few and far between. I have a litter of broken relationships from people who couldn't understand or were even offended by my inability to socialise in the same ways they could. I have people I would say I'm on a friendly basis with but no one I could trust or who would even want to know about any of this. I've learned from previous mistakes not to speak up about personal issues as it brings to light that many people I wanted to think I was close to didn't see it that way and were uncomfortable to hear about anything on the personal level. That's super hard as it takes a lot for me to open up but when I have, it's made people run for the hills and it makes you even more careful. I think a lot of people have good family bonds and don't need as much from friendships as I might. They probably feel I've leaned in too hard and overshot the boundary. So it's an incredibly lonely place. I'm ready to stop masking now and be myself. Ironically, that's the person I was when my wife first met my wife at 11 years old. I was odd, I vocalised my different views of the world and my experiences with almost no filter and that's who she fell in love with. I try to remember that all the time and see that I put that away to try and fit in. In order to break out I know that I'm going to either lose people or choose to distance myself from some people to do this. I don't fully understand why this has to be the case. My behaviour was never extreme or unacceptable in my opinion but that's the point - Autism often includes an inability to fully understand the logic of others or see their boundaries fully. There's still massive stigma about it and lot's of very wrong assumptions and labels attached to it. The biggest for me being that our emotional intelligence is defective or that we don't have empathy. I know most of my anxiety (and I'm going to even say trauma) comes from feeling like I'm hurting the people around me, or disappointing them, or letting them down. Most of my making has been built to counter that - trying to please others and show them they can trust me and depend on me. The problem with that is that one slip and those people never look at you the same - assuming you were being disingenuous or manipulating them. Losing someones trust or friendship that way is literally the opposite of what I work hard for. This is where a lot of the social anxiety and burnout come from. Not to mention the shame and low self worth. I'm grateful that people are taking the time to share their experiences - it makes a huge difference when you feel very alone. Thank you to anyone who read this very long comment... sorry - it's the first time I've let it all out. I probably won't check back to see if anyone replies to this. If there were comments by people saying I'm not Autistic or I'm just being a victim it would really hit hard. I wouldn't know those people but that doesn't seem to matter to me, it would just feel invalidating. I'm used to feeling like I've said or done the wrong thing and it makes me feel like the world is a very hostile place. Saying all of this out loud so to speak doesn't make me feel good or self-validate me. I didn't add this comment in the hope that it would. It's also not attention seeking when clearly I'm scared to tell anyone. It's for anyone else out there who is in the same or similar position. I hope you feel a little bit less alone. I can't say it's all going to work out because I'm just at the start. But I've got a positive outlook and will continue to learn and hopefully grow. Hope that applies to you also.

[@Schizm65]

I have been diagnosed "properly" at age 48, and had a misdiagnose despite sumptions of autism at early childhood. That resulted in a long time of neglecting all the signs of actually being autistic. Now 10 years on the biggest impact is losing the paradigm of self-blame and learning to become more accepting and assertive. In my experience the more I tried to adapt and participate, the more it was assumed and expected I could and should adapt. So eventually I struggled with making a choice between either masking and neglecting myself _or_ being more up front about my autism. I chose more of the latter and I've been lucky to find friends and a partner who don't expect me to act unnaturally to my standards.

[@s.KatjaB]

I'm only self-diagnosed (I went for the assessment, but they said I'm definitely not autistic, but shizoid instead, which makes absolutely no sense at all) and discovery of autism was one of the best things in my life. It explains my experience, it gives me the right "instructions for use", it makes my life way more logical, understandable, predictable and easier to manage. I finally feel "at home" and whole and integrated.

[@rachelk2457]

Local autism specific resources might have people who are better at diagnosing autism for example local autism society for your state or ABA therapy organizations sometimes offer diagnosing services.😊

[@s.KatjaB]

@@rachelk2457 I did that, but unfortunately it didn't help. I had so much formation and also therapy in my life, that I eventually learned a lot of skills, which hide my struggles. People who live with me, notice them a lot and when I'm fortunate, they also support and accommodate me. But for someone who just sees me for two hours, I know it's hard to pick it up, because I somehow make an impression of functioning well. And I know it's also hard to believe that in my childhood and youth I didn't function that well at all, if you see me only now. But that seems to be my life: I've extremely often been not understood or misunderstood. At least I understand myself now, which makes a HUGE difference. It was not the case before and honestly it caused not only struggles but also a lot of suffering.

[@natgrant1364]

I'm also diagnosed with Schizoid or Schizotypal personality disorder. It *only* addresses one of my symptoms, completely ignores several others and suggests many more that are absolutely nothing like me. The more I watch this kind of content, the more sure I am that I'm neuro-divergent. I found it interesting to see someone else who's been diagnosed as schizoid.

[@Ayverie4]

Oh but Katja, you're a woman! Don't you know that you CAN'T be autistic?!

[@TDDrum]

I was diagnosed when I was 29. Like you I always knew I was different, yet had no idea exactly why. I always knew there was the “real” me that I mustn’t let anyone ever see. That’s why I always liked being alone, because I didn’t have to hide anything. I was struggling and looking for answers, and one day I met with a psych who just came out and said it “have you ever been evaluated for autism?” I had already been doing research into my symptoms and was beginning to suspect autism, so when I heard this it really drove me to start looking into getting an official diagnosis, which I eventually did. For me it was about validation and finally knowing that these traits are part of who I am and nothing to be ashamed of. It was the first step in rebuilding my self worth and confidence, and now I know I’m not alone in my experience.

[@Nikki.H]

It was actually my younger brother who came upon an article about Asperger's syndrome back when i was 20 years old. I'd never heard about autism before that, but reading the article was almost uncanny in how it described my behavior and general thought process. That sparked my wild search for more information on the topic. I only sought an official diagnosis because i was told that i could get help in planning with college work if i had an official diagnosis. It was a relief to get official recognition, though the psychologist that diagnosed me seemed to assume i would be upset after confirmation. It was honestly a big relief for me as i thought i was a broken failing human before that. My diagnosis only gave me answers where I'd had none before. Sadly the planning help wasn't actually much help at all, it was me checking in with a teacher every week on how my assignments and planning were going, but i wasn't taught how to plan or manage my time at all, just told to make a planning/keep an agenda. I was utterly bad at it, there weren't any other accommodations. I was just told my diagnosis, got an odd sort of "my condolences", and send off on my way. Stress and failing in classes made me put looking more into my diagnosis on hold for 10 years, as i thought there was nothing in the form of help or support for me. But years of doubts, trauma and internalized blame build up without you noticing something's not right. My partner found a very helpful psychologist when he was dealing with a loss in the family some 2 years ago. His mental health improved so drastically that it made me want to give it a chance as well. Best decision i could've made, I'm working through past trauma and bettering my self image that was staggeringly low before. I remember how surprised i was at the start that someone was actually helping me instead of just making me regurgitate my life story a million times 😅 i wasn't used to getting actual help.. I'm still going at it to this day, finding out I'm also very likely to be ADHD inattentive type, though without an official diagnosis so far. Imposter syndrome is a real menace. So, has my autism diagnosis changed my life? Yes, it definitely helped me to be kinder to myself and start the process of finding support. Did my autism diagnosis provide me support at 21 years of age? No, sadly it was severely lacking if anything at all 😅 no one told me what to do next, help with planning wasn't actually helping, more like monitoring how i was failing at it. There wasn't much understanding or support. I wish they spread more awareness about both autism and ADHD as it would've helped people to recognize my very obvious signs at a much younger age, even as a girl 😅 I can only be grateful that my own kid doesn't need to go through childhood feeling like he's failing at life and receive only impatience and irritation from those around him. Simply because he's just like me growing up, and there's more information these days. Thanks for reading my long and somehow still shortened story ❤

[@johnnyBrwn]

This is a powerful message. I was diagnosed at 26. This was somewhat helpful. It did help given how large the difference was between myself and others. I think it would have been very difficult to not internalize the many negative affirmations I've been given by my neurotypical peers.

[@kerryharrell8821]

I was originally diagnosed in early 1988 but I was never told. I rediscovered my autism diagnosis at 47 during time in which 2 things happened. The first was a period of bad autistic burnout that caused significant regression in skills an ability to cope with sensory issues. It required me to take time off from work. The second was my youngest daughter getting diagnosed. How can you be diagnosed and not know it? Well, back then there were no resources for autism in rural America. I was diagnosed with high functioning autism and ADD. My mother was counseled not to tell me. I do remember all the diagnostic, psychological, and intelligence testing as well as sessions with a psychologist for an extended period of time. I was 12 to 13 years old then. My mother passed away in the mid 90's from cancer, my dad had died in 81. By this time my sister, who had been very protective of me, had married and moved far away. She knew of my diagnosis as well. Anyway, I was a young adult who was living at home when my mom passed, who was now forced to sink or swim. Thankfully I had a job and was able to swim. Fast forward almost 30 years, my sister finally tells me of my diagnosis after my teenage daughter is diagnosed. I had suspected that I was autistic when my daughter was diagnosed, at that time I was struggling with autistic burnout and sensory issues. Thanks to the magic of the internet and KZbin, I have now learned things that would have made a huge difference in my life and well being if I had learned them before starting a family. I would not have pushed myself in areas that I shouldn't have and suffered repeated episodes if burnout. I would have understood how badly I needed to remove sensory triggers from my environment. I didn't even know about sensory triggers, aside from knowing that certain things would literally incapacitate me. Thankfully my life and well being has gotten better, the more I have come to understand and accommodate for my specific needs

[@nealeburgess6756]

Your story, and the stories of the people that have commented are very moving. I am so sorry that so many feel unsupported. I wish I could help. I guess one thing I can do is to be kind and patient with any friends that may behave "differently". Life can be hard. We all need to help and care for each other.

[@mikelennon577]

Great video! I am self diagnosed. I have spent the last half a year learning extensively about autism and it explains me to a tee, but I won't be able to pay for that for well over a year. So it's this difficult position where I have this new insight that explains all of my past experiences, but I've learned that talking about it can be unpredictable without a diagnosis. Other than that, finding out has been great. It's like I found a guide to how I work, and tips to help with all my problems from videos like yours. Nothing was working prior to discovering I'm AuDHD. So thank you for your vdeos.

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

I'd point out that it's unlikely to be overdiagnosed, there's even an entire group of autistic people that gets completely ignored by basically everybody. Those of us that are, as I like to say, semi-diagnosed. As in, we know we are, the neuropsychologist knows we almost certainly are, but they're not allowed to make the diagnosis on purely technical grounds and nothing else fits. The one and only reason why I did not get an AS diagnosis 15ish years ago was that I had an ADHD diagnosis, nearly all the schizophrenia spectrum diagnoses and previous treatment for bipolar. Having other pervasive developmental disorders or a schizophrenia spectrum disorder was a disqualifier in the same way that it took ages for me to get my ADHD diagnosis because I already had an OCD diagnosis and for a long time it was believed that you couldn't have both, even though about a third of ADDers qualify for an OCD diagnosis. Unfortunately, what I did not know at the time was that I had to act before the next DSM came out when they completely gutted the diagnosis. They had to grandfather people in in order to avoid being held accountable for kicking people off the spectrum, but as a practical sense there were a bunch of people that were on the spectrum that aren't on the spectrum as currently defined because they were so concerned about the overdiagnosis problem. So, folks like me with higher IQs and vastly upgraded memory got kicked off, despite there being no research into the problem and those at the low end that couldn't fully participate in the diagnostic process., I'll be giving it another try, but at this point, I'll be 44 and I've just spent so much time struggling because jackwagons are concerned about overdiagnosis and overtreatment. What overtreatment? Unless you're higher support needs, you probably don't get any treatment that the community doesn't just give out to any that ask. I'm feeling better than I have in years and it's entirely the result of knowing what's going on, even if it's currently a self-diagnosis for purely technical reasons. Even the second attempt psychologist that "didn't see it" saw a condition that is almost impossible to separate from ASD without a lot of records that don't exist for those of us in our 30s and up due to nobody knowing that these diagnoses would be created in the future.

[@cda6590]

Sounds like you saw a bunch of bullshit clinicians. Find one who is also on the spectrum. That's what I did and it was the simplest and smoothest process I could have asked for.

[@lisa_wistfulone7957]

I was also finally diagnosed, at 51, by a psychiatrist who is also autistic. It was simple with her. But the wrong diagnoses I’d received before seeing her didn’t conflict with an autism diagnosis. I suspect though, that an actually autistic clinician could help sort it all out. The exclusion is for people who genuinely have those diagnoses- I suspect some of yours are likely incorrect, misinterpretations of the meltdowns and burnouts and other autistic symptoms they wouldn’t recognize.

[@cda6590]

@@lisa_wistfulone7957 In my official psychiatric records they have written in the margins in pen "Cluster B?" presumably referring to the possibility of the presence of borderline personality disorder. I like to say that I have borderline borderline personality disorder, as I relate to many of its symptoms, but fall short of a full-blown manifestation of it. Were I a woman, I imagine the story would have played out differently and my previous psychiatric in-patient stays would have eventually resulted in a BPD diagnosis instead of realizing I was in an environment that was throwing me around from meltdown to semi-functioning to meltdown to burnout and repeat.

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

@@cda6590 I'm at the stage of collecting more information. It's fundamentally harder for me because I didn't start showing overt signs until I was a bit older due to being a bit older when demands exceeded capacity. I will be finding somebody that's got more experience dealing with undiagnosed adults, and preferably one that's ND as well. But, given the way that OCD+ADHD can look an awful lot like ASD, it can be rather complicated and throw in any schizophrenia spectrum disorder and it gets to be a mess. It will improve as there's active research to figure out how to separate them, but this all takes time.

[@amandab7101]

Thank you for your advocacy. You were one of the KZbinrs that helped me realize that I'm autistic in my forties, and it's good to see you back at it. And also, what a clever way to respond to this person! We can often be duped more easily than others, and you handled this in the best way. You get to own your words, and they can still write the story based on this video and also get to see some validation from others in the comments. It's actually a win-win (even though we know that those with an agenda will do everything they can to uphold it). Autism is definitely under diagnosed especially if one is not a young white boy who loves trains. The messed up thing is when I was little I was pretty stereotypically autistic even though I was a girl. My pediatrician thought I was deaf and was concerned, because I didn't talk. My mom told him that I could hear her and understand her, and that was the end of that (even though I worked my Donald Duck puzzle over and over all the time, and I loved trains--not that any of that is diagnostic criteria). Finally understanding the real reason I have felt different my entire life gives me validation and acceptance for why certain every day things are so extremely difficult for me even though I'm proven to be very intelligent. Just knowing, though, that I absolutely can't help the things that are challenging for me has been so incredibly helpful. Prior to figuring out that I had been misdiagnosed, I absolutely hated myself. Thoroughly! Nothing I could tell myself, no therapy I tried, made me feel like I was a decent person or even doing the best that I could. My whole life I was told to try harder, to not be so sensitive, to calm down, and I was really doing all I could to fit in! And it still wasn't enough!! Yes, that is absolutely enough to turn it on yourself. Actually, because we overshare, here I go...(tw: suicide), I never actually knew my brother, sadly (wasn't my choice), but he ended his own life. Knowing what I know now about "high functioning" autism and how much this is simply a genetic difference that can heavily run in families, I wonder whether this may have been at play for him. If this reporter is any good at all, they can look up these research papers easily on pubmed about how we kill ourselves when we don't know what's going on or don't have support (low support needs does not equal no support needs). That alone is worth more acknowledgement in the media.

[@neurodivergentme]

Thank you so much for sharing your story and kind words. I really hope that writer takes the time to read this!

[@gigahorse1475]

I wasn’t diagnosed earlier for a variety of reasons. I was homeschooled by my parents who have strong ND traits. They didn’t recognize I was different in a diagnosable way. My homeschool environment allowed me to stay safe. Still, I had meltdowns which were so extreme people at my church thought my parents were abusing me, and they told them to take me to a psychologist or psychiatrist. But my parents didn’t want me on medicine, and they thought they could help me themselves. When I entered public middle and high school the meltdowns got worse. I thankfully received test taking accommodations through false diagnoses. High school didn’t screen for autism even though all my teachers said I had social issues. When I was 16 I was finally taken to a psychiatrist due to psychosis. Looking back I can see how being undiagnosed autistic contributed to delusions. By that time, any differences I had could be attributed to psychosis. Once I went to college, the meltdowns got even worse. I had been despairing my whole life, wondering why nobody else had meltdowns like me. My psychosis was doing well, though. During college, I started to realize I couldn’t blame psychosis for everything. My closest friends all found out they were autistic. Then I started to consider it for myself. I’ve been told by a couple MH professionals that it’s so obvious that they could tell I’m autistic within the first few minutes of meeting me.

[@faster55100]

I have suffered for decades with depression and anxiety. I do have CPTSD from childhood trauma and have done hard work and have had profound healing over 3 decades. Still I felt that I didnt fit in this world, I felt like I needed to be fixed for it to all make sense. I didnt know "what" it was, I thought everyone felt and thought the way I do, I was just defective. I never felt I knew who I really was. Just keep working harder at it and you will be normal one day I thought. My wife, a career educator had suggested I might be on the spectrum for years before I would accept the truth. As my diagnosis has unfolded I have had a dramatic relief in my anxiety and critic dialoge and was able to take a deep breath and relax It is like the pieces fell into place, it suddenly makes sense and the pressure is off. Im not broken or defective or worthless or hopeless. I think differently and experience the world differently and that is okay. I can wake up and face the day with a new perspective based on loving myself, mindfulness and self care, something I struggled to do in my trauma work. There isnt anything to "fix". I am a unique human being with specific needs and I dont have to fit into the world to be right or normal. My self diagnosis has brought me so much relief and dare I say joy. I feel like the diverse community of fellow Aspies get me and I can finally start to be authentic. I am in the "process" of a formal diagnosis at this time but the healing has already begun. That first good cry when I made the connection......so healing......."I'm not hopelessly broken".......

[@diannalynnYT]

I'm 50. Just found out. My mom tried and tried to get me help when I was a kid. Was told I was a brat. In my 20's got all kinds of diagnoses and all kinds of meds pushed on me. I got worse and worse. Finally stopped all meds and lost trust in mental health doctors. I am lucky. I have a supportive husband who has always been accommodating as my family is. Just never knew what it was. I even thought someone who is autistic is a genius, like trains and is a boy. We don't hear about other traits. I feel like so many questions have been answered

[@AKcess_Dnied]

A few months ago my ability to focus went out the window, so I started looking around to see what it might be. I identify specifically with people with both ADHD and autism, mainly because I don't have the stronger, more life affecting symptoms, but have had many signs of it my entire life. I used to have a different personality depending on who I was around (which only stopped because I stopped having friends). There's lots of little things that have always been there that point to both autism and ADHD, but now I can't focus through the thoughts running non stop. It all presents just as me being awkward and forgetful, but inwardly it's a huge change. Some days I'm less forgetful than others, some days I really can call a business on the phone and sit through the automated service without swearing at it. Those are the days I think I'm making it all up. And then there's the facial tics. They've been around off and on in one way or another for over a decade. Now it's more consistent. The more I have to focus and the more complex the topic, the more my face twitches. Just thinking about the tics trigger them. And when I feel like I'm causing the tics because I want to be "special*, then I remember what it's like to go grocery shopping, because that's probably the most complex thing I have to focus on, according to my face The doctors think I've just had a sleep deficit for too long, so that must be the problem. I talked to a psychologist twice and even with insurance I owe $1000 for just that. I don't know how I'm ever going to get even tested for either if it's going to be like this. I just want to have the official diagnosis so I can actually talk to my wife about it without her thinking I'm overreacting.

[@krystenc2486]

Realising I was autistic was life-changing for me as far as beginning to understand and forgive myself. I was formally diagnosed last year at age 35. I’m not broken, I’m different. Over the last year or so I have started talking about my autism with my colleagues, some of whom are also ND or likely are but are undiagnosed - the realisation that they share many of the same autistic traits has been eye opening for them. I know not everyone has such positive experiences discussing their diagnosis with others though. Two of my children have ASD diagnoses. I can think of 7 members of my immediate family who are also very likely on the spectrum but are undiagnosed. Autism isn’t over-diagnosed, we’re just getting better at recognising and acknowledging it. By ‘we’ I mean medical professionals - I think autistics have always been quite adept at recognising their fellow ND people 😊

[@leilap2495]

It’s being under-diagnosed. We are a lost generation that could barely get by. We were not given the information that we so very much would have benefited from, to build our lives really knowing what is best for us and our families. My family deserved better. I was not prepared for my kids being born neurodivergent. I could barely tell anything was different because I was supposedly “normal.” I am starting to rebuild my life now 3 years post diagnosis. It’s really hard, but better late than never.

[@rstar7183]

1:24 actually that is a good question. Because some things are underdiagnosed and we have an industry that would love to label us.

[@thefarmgirlfelter489]

Loved this video! I subbed! Please do a video for those of us who cannot afford evaluation / diagnosis. Especially when neurodivergence is what causes a financial strain in the first place preventing us from being able to afford evaluation.❤

[@Autistic-Older-Adult]

Beautifully said!! Thank you. I am on the journey between self identification and formal diagnosis, currently half way through the diagnostic sessions. My experience of imposter syndrome is similar and likewise I have a desire to be able to talk about this with others with the security of a formal diagnosis although my family already know and are all supportive. At 56 I have lived all of my life not understanding who I really am. Not being quite there yet with the formality of a diagnosis I can’t say how that will change my life but from the perspective of self identification it has been such a relief to understand where so many things have gone wrong. There is both a joy of understanding and self acceptance but also grief. Maybe if there had been an opportunity to understand myself better earlier in life there would be less to grieve over now. As far as over diagnosis goes, the statistics are pretty clear and they show that there are so many more adults in my age group who don’t know why they are different and where their struggles come from. From where I stand there is a chronic under diagnosis of Autism in adults. With the advocacy of awesome people like you we might just move this forward. Who knows, maybe when the dust settles on my own diagnosis journey, I might add my voice to the conversation. Thanks again. Keep up the great work.

[@neurodivergentme]

Thank you and good luck with the rest of your evaluation 💕

[@TheEdgejoe]

I am currently self diagnosed but I am in the middle of the assessment process. I am getting this assessment because I will always feel like an impostor if it is not official. I do believe that autism may be a self-diagnosis bandwagon. I think a proper diagnosis should be available to everyone. It is sad that some cannot get the answers they deserve. I also wish there was more resourses for adults. Maybe that is something we need to work towards. There are a lot of great advice out there and maybe we should gather them up into a single place to send folks to.

[@natgrant1364]

3:12 I always heard that I wasn't trying hard enough and just needed to apply myself. I eventually dropped out of high-school because I simply couldn't stand being there. I'm a 52 year old widower on disability. I am diagnosed with Schizoid / Schizotypal personality disorder. I've read the descriptions for those and they don't make any sense to me. They only address the fact that I am extremely socially awkward. I'm also supposed to be prone to magical thinking and paranoia, which doesn't apply at all. I'm also supposed to not care about anyone else and that couldn't be farther from accurate if it tried. I was married for 27 years and my late wife and I were very close and I cared a great deal for her. I care about lots of people. Many of my other issues are completely ignored because people evaluating me just don't seem like they can be bothered to listen to what I'm actually saying. The more content about neuro-divergence I watch, the more I realize how easy it is to relate to people with ADHD and autism. I don't know if I can do anything about my diagnosis but I want to thank you anyway for making this video. It is helping me understand what's going on.

[@katherinehealy6534]

I have not been formally diagnosed but resonate with many of the traits of someone who is on the spectrum. I’m almost 73 and probably won’t seek a diagnosis at this point, partly because after not feeling validated for most of my life, I worry I wouldn’t be validated by a diagnostician either. So I’ll just keep watching videos such as this to help gain some insight.

[@dus10dnd]

I really struggle with how my diagnosis has changed my life. I have recently moved from the “now what?” stage to the “so what?” stage. I have always been autistic… it has always been a challenge… now I simply understand why. I was hopeful that it would help my relationship (married 25 years… to a nurse), and it seems worse.

[@michaelfreydberg4619]

I’m 56. When I was a kid I think I was diagnosed. But it was different in the early 70’s. Not so expensive then. But the conventional wisdom among some circles was you could outgrow it. That’s what I told myself until I was maybe 50. Closest thing I can come to a diagnosis by today’s standards is to watch these videos. And once I added up 260 questions/traits from several videos and the statistic was always the same. I could answer yes to 84% of them. That’ll probably have to do for me😂

[@maiyapercy]

I don‘t think autism is over diagnosed. In women it is rather under diagnosed. It took me 47 years of my life to get my diagnosis, and I had to find out myself first. I had to find out where I could go to get a diagnosis and I had to pay for it myself. I am happy that I have my diagnosis now.

[@resourcedragon]

I have not been diagnosed but strongly suspect that I may be on the autism spectrum. As someone who has not been diagnosed I think one of the big frustrations is "Why am I no good at the things other people find easy?" Like, it takes me twice as long to do dishes as it does them. They can get in and out of cars faster than I've ever been able to. Why do I have so many difficulties getting jobs? Why am I employed at a level that is way below my ability level? I _can_ do things that other people can't, like coding and I've even done a bit of original research in mathematical physics. (My work is unpublished as two other people published the exact same results I got about 6 months before I was due to do so. They were top guys in the field, so I consider it a moral victory, even if I don't have the proof that I did it on my own.) So an autism diagnosis would explain that. It would also give me some ammunition to get to work from home virtually all the time - working in a barn of a building with the noise of everyone else battering their keyboards is pretty much a form of torture for me. It would give me a one line reason why I should be excused from jury duty. As to "is autism over-diagnosed?" I cannot say. I was in an office about 10 years ago where I'd guess a number of the occupants were on the spectrum. They/we brought in our special interests and enjoyed sharing them. There were a few meltdowns when things got a bit much - deadlines combined with slow computer systems/computer system failures were a big contributor. At that stage none of us was diagnosed, so I'd say that was an example of autism being under diagnosed. (Even some of the neurotypicals in that office were a bit, shall we say, interesting in their own ways.) In part, I think the increase in autism diagnoses is down to changes between the various editions of the DSM. If the condition is defined differently, the diagnosis rate is going to change. It's also fair to point out that there are people who would say that even the DSM V criteria are overly exclusive. I would like neuro-divergent conditions to be tested for with things like blood tests, or DNA tests or measurements of height or weight or whatever, in other words, things where we can all agree on what the measurement is. If I'm asked something like, "I feel like an outsider, rank this on a scale of Never, Occasionally, Sometimes, Often and Always", my answer could vary, depending upon a variety of factors. Now the variation may not be a lot on one question but multiply that by the total number of questions in the test and that could be the difference between being diagnosed as autistic and being sent away with a flea in my ear.

[@Am-graphix]

At 62 I had that lightbulb moment of OMG this explains so much. The cost to get a diagnosis is out of reach and at this stage is it worth it? That said, knowing myself has allowed me to find tools to help and to allow myself grace when I need a break.

[@SigMaQuint]

A music teacher suggested that I might be autistic, but I guess I am just sensitive. Anyhow, I must have learned some autistic type responses somewhere. In a type characterization of schizophrenia, they talk about Bleuler's four A's in Schizophrenia: Alogia, Autism, Ambivalence, and Affect blunting. I know I have had pretty close relations to people with schizophrenia, so that may be the explanation for those autism-like ways of being. Most autistic people do not suffer from schizophrenia, as far as I can understand. I am also in a theater group with someone who is autistic. We don’t talk about diagnoses, but he has those typical quirks, avoiding eye-contact, being reliable, stimming at times, etc. Very accurate. There is little messing about with autistic people.

[@markdigitalmarketer]

I have had a late assessment of both ADHD & Autism, am still waiting for the diagnosis, all i get from family, friends, even my family doctor, is that i am label hunting, and using it as an excuse for not being able to do anything. I hate it, and all those who shoot me down about it. As it is i am suffering terrible anxiety and depression, which has left me open to being bullied all my life, im nearly 63 now.

[@amberbariaktari]

I’m on social security disability and DSHS food and cash and I am 47 and late diagnosed autistic and ADHD and in Washington State my therapist office has given me a 12 week adult autistic and adhd strategies course that meets weekly and its been life changing and my state insurance is paying for my therapy plus my autistic ADHD strategies group 12 week class. The two therapists who run it are also neurodivergent. This strategies class may be like a newer thing but hoping other states follow.

[@EllaChinois]

Not much has changed since I received my diagnosis. I have always been different and not quote on quote normal. That is okay. Now I have every reason to say no to things that I don't feel comfortable about, first of all, saying no to people-pleasing. I have had a hard time fitting in, which led me to burnout again and again in my life. So...a diagnosis has given me the permission to stop acting "normal" and to walk away from people who refuse to understand me.

[@scarecrowprowler]

The easy part is accepting the diagnosis. The hard part is to change the view of myself because of how I had not understood that I was autistic, and because of the rigid thoughts. It is ironic in itself. I am much kinder to myself now.

[@damescholar]

Our public healthcare here in Finland does not diagnose adults. The official reason is that 1. Adults have coped thus far so diagnosis does not change anything. 2. There is no cure so why diagnosis. The real reason; they cut costs. I had to go to a private clinic and was diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder and ADSD. It made a great difference. I was validated. I had suffered whole my life from alienation, depression, anxiety and eating disorders. Now I know why and can stop blaming myself and know also what to do to make my life easier - even wuthout support. And there is the autistic community! Finslly I belong somewhere.

[@damescholar]

ADHD, sorry. typo.

[@kikijewell2967]

To the journalist: NO ONE HERE CONSENTS TO BEING USED IN YOUR ARTICLE. Let's just make that perfectly clear. If you have a bias or agenda that could harm us, we do not consent to being used to reinforce that bias or to aid that agenda.

[@turquoiseblue228]

To be fair it's the vlogger herself who suggested this.

[@josephmartin1540]

Yes! Yes! 67 years and can’t get a formal diagnosis! Thank you!

[@quiptheip]

I find myself in a strange place with autism. I am not “self-diagnosed” but “peer-diagnosed” by those close to me, as I lack the emotional understanding to feel as though I’m divergent. I intellectually understand some of the characteristics that make me autistic but without the emotional understanding, I experience imposter syndrome without even having a diagnosis.

[@faster55100]

You are saying everything I feel

[@lucysam07]

I don't have anything new to add to the discussion except one more identical story of an older adult that has been struggling through life trying to figure out why "I'm so weird." I can't afford an autism diagnosis, yet the insurance will cover the adhd diagnosis, the depression diagnosis, the anxiety diagnosis, the eating disorder diagnosis, the high blood pressure diagnosis, the morbidly obese diagnosis, the chemical dependency diagnosis, decades of medical treatment, decades of mental health therapy including a long stay in an alcohol and drug treatment center, and all the medications that go with it. Go figure!

[@Radix_P]

The system in canada is garbage as well, but omg was it life changing in terms of coping. Growing up i was always told that the things i was thinking, feeling, etc, was wrong and that i was lying or something. Of course no one ever believed me, so i believed them. that being said i went years in a dysregulated state to the point of hospitalization which where they also said the things dysregulating me weren't true. I eventually found the ASD community and found that my internal world is extremely similar to theirs. Spent another 1-2 years wrestling with the idea, making changes accordingly, went to a specialist, and yep...ASD. Also ADHD and giftedness. Im an extremely high masker and something ive noticed is how may people think ASD is an intellectual disorder.

[@danieladanner9588]

It is not over diagnosed. It is actually under diagnosed. Why ? Because people have wrong perceptions about how a person with autism should look like. So if you are intelligent, have little support needs and are good with masking, you can't possibly be "autistic". This type of view, reflects how little people ( including many professionals ) know about autism. So videos like that help to educate people who are willing to listen. And try not to be bothered with those who are not willing to listen. Maybe they just need more time.

[@rachelk2457]

Arg I hate people who do Not want to Admit that Yes there are That many of us, ASD peeps out there 😩 there's even a psychiatrists in Portland at OHSU who seems to intentionally try to rule out autism because of his personal views that his opinion is that it's overdiagnosed when it Simply is Not 😠 Females mask better than males that's why so many late diagnosis in females. The diagnostic criteria was only 50% correct. Only recently has it started to include female symptoms 😊

[@neurodivergentme]

Helpful hint... If you're in Portland OR, look for clinics over the bridge in Vancouver. That's where I was diagnosed 😘

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

On the whole that's the case. There's been a wave of women being diagnosed. But I think there's going to be another, albeit smaller, wave of high masking men that get diagnosed in coming years as there isn't as much focus on identifying men that are masking things because conventional wisdom suggests that women do it and men not so much. In some ways, it's easier for men to mask because there is a long running trope of geeky, socially awkward men, not all men are depicted as being giga-Chads afterall. Simply going into fields like the arts or the tech industry can pretty effectively mask without actually masking as it's pretty much accepted that if you're in one of those fields you're a bit different to begin with.

[@rachelk2457]

@@SmallSpoonBrigade well some males who have been diagnosed with ADHD they are also being late diagnosed because when they were a child the DSM only saw it as a nonverbal condition until 1994. When Asperger's was added. But now that Hans Asperger was found to be a Nazi then they remove that as a specific autism diagnosis.

[@rachelk2457]

@@neurodivergentme oh I was diagnosed in Grand Rapids MI where I went to college because my college therapist saw my autistic traits. Especially since I was trying to be extroverted to find friends but in the process didn't filter enough ehehe. So it was more obvious then. And Oregon has a Society of Autism that actually has more support groups for adults than Vancouver. I only know about OHSU psychiatrist from a former client of mine. I am a social worker. Surprised right but we are in all fields of work. 😊 I really love my current job because I can work from home mainly so less masking stress. It's surprising how many KZbinrs are in Portland. 😊

[@turquoiseblue228]

Please enlighten me as I am new in this field. What are the therapies and services offered to autistic adults? Thanks.

[@TheMusingsOfMyAuDHDBrain]

I love this. Thank you so much - amazing video!! I will share more, but the short answer is the same as yours. Finding this out literally saved my life.

[@user-nm3ug3zq1y]

In my 40ies, undiagnosed but suspicious. In fact, when I, wondering what's up with me, looked into autism in the past, I always quickly came to the conclusion: "Nope, that can't be me." I mean, social deficits? Restricted interests? No empathy? What the heck, dude? I do have friends! I'm deeply interested in things - deep things! And when I'm talking to another person, I can get them quite well, thank you very much! Only by listening to actual diagnosed autists here on KZbin, my perspective changed. Suddenly it was more like: "Well, if you put it like that, I *do* get it. Omg, I get *most* of it. Eff, that's *absolutely* me!" Yeah, I have friends. But it's never been many, and mostly they're sort of outsiders. Like me, if we're honest, feeling like a complete stranger in many situations. Yeah, I do have interests, but if you actually count them, it's not *that* many either - and it's a common occurrence that people's eyes glaze over, when I talk to them about those topics for a ... reasonably long while. I never liked being around more than three or four people at a time, max. If it's more, I can't follow, I get silent, I disappear. I'm sensitive to light and sound and some tactile things, I have trouble accepting big changes others would be happy and excited about (like moving to another flat), I sometimes "boil over" unexpectedly, my brain basically never ever takes a break etc. etc. ... Yeah well, now all of that got me thinking. Actually, the diagnosis doesn't seem to come easy - I mean it's a procedure of many hours, involving all sorts of tests. Will there occasionally be a false positive? Sure. However, I find it plausible that there are many hidden autists. The condition is just hard to identify, for yourself and others. It's also somewhat absurd to suspect massive wrong diagnoses, isn't it? The medical system *invented* the concept of autism! *They* can decide best if you fit the profile or not. However, they should rethink the framing. Because if you describe a condition, give countless of people a positive, but the people themselves don't see themselves at all in the description... Well, then something seems to be a little off. Right?

[@keithbarbaro7590]

Male, 53 years old. I have not been diagnosed. I get therapy and it helps. I constantly think about conversations and interactions from decades ago, and how there was no eye contact. How my mother had to observe and did nothing. Also, I think no eye contact is observed by narcissists and we attract them. I always had poor social skills. Was very immature for my age. Poor posture too.

[@torrentialrage]

It's almost as if widening the definition into a spectrum disorder had some sort of, increasing effect on autism diagnosis. But that just can't be. There has to be a conspiracy of doctors telling children they are autistic.

[@Catlily5]

I don't think that people over 30 are being overdiagnosed. Because we were missed as children. I don't know much about younger people.

[@Catlily5]

I don't think that younger people are being over diagnosed though.

[@Catlily5]

I am more forgiving of myself after being diagnosed with autism at age 47.

[@Dancestar1981]

No it isn’t over diagnosed it’s actually under diagnosed in women and so is adhd

[@BipolarCourage]

If you "already knew", why bother forking out a fortune when nothing done about it anyway?

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

That's a valid question. Having a formal diagnosis brings the right to accommodations that self-diagnosis doesn't. It's stronger protection if you are discriminated against, it's some reassurance if you're not sure if you're doing autism right and it means that you're then included in the stats when politicians are looking at whether to provide funding or not, having more numbers means that it's easier to pressure politicians into providing resources.

[@BipolarCourage]

​@@SmallSpoonBrigade can you give a practical example how protected if discriminated against & how would prove it? I think more numbers by including those who actually have little to no impairments (can work fulltime while having relationships, children etc), does the opposite. There limited resources so funding gets cut. What do you nean by "not sure if you're doing autism right"?

[@quiptheip]

Disbelief of diagnosis can be severe and having an official diagnosis can be validating for people to accept you for who you are. I’ve had family members refuse to believe someone had a disease until it was “official”.

[@BipolarCourage]

@@quiptheip some people won't believe a diagnosis even if from a clinician. So what then?

[@quiptheip]

@@BipolarCourage In my experience, not much. Now, more than ever, we live in a world where people refuse to trust facts, no matter the source. Also, the sources of facts being often mistrusted doesn't help the issue.

[@highlandermccloud3594]

I'm going through diagnoses now and am having to pay for it all myself. It's going to cost about $2000 AUD. The main reason I'm getting it is 1. for validation 2. because I'm sick of hearing this when I tell someone I've got AuDHD. Oh, so you have been diagnosed? It's like if you have not had a diagnoses your just full of it. I was diagnosed with ADHD as a child, but a few years ago I started to look into what that means having had difficulty all my life. Yes I could relate to some of the ADHD I was hearing about form ADHDers on KZbin, but not all. Then it occurred to me to look at Autism. Yes I could relate to some of that too. Then I found my people, AuDHD. The world made sense now. So I'm really paying a lot of money just so people will believe me. BTW, My two friends are ADHD and AuDHD and they both kept telling me I was Autistic too. I was asked if I was upset about finding out I was AuDHD and I said, why? It changes nothing really. Oh my Psychologist has confirmed I'm AuDHD but is going through the process of working out where I fit on the Spectrum. I would rather just call myself Neurodivergent, but that just confuses people.