Life on the Spectrum: Mental Health and Imposter Syndrome

#actuallyautistic #mentalhealthawareness
CONTENT WARNING
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
Hours: Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish.
1-800-273-8255
Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a Crisis Counselor; www.crisistextline.org/
TikTok: @kkprinsloo
Instagram: @kaylakristin

[@andrewrohde2373]

Thank you Kayla. The level of your honesty is humbling to me. My name is Andrew, I'm 60 years old, and only began seeking a diagnosis of autism several months ago. This has become a VERY trying time for me, as I begin a new analysis of my life. Decades of me suspecting something was different, yet not knowing why. And why did no one else say anything??? No, my problem is not them. It is me. Or rather, the difference is in me. But the scales have fallen from my eyes, and while this time of reflection is painful, eventually I'll have peace with my past. And maybe, someday, I will see it as my superpower. One can only hope. Thanks again, Kayla. All my best to you.

[@melissalushington9045]

Thank you for your open honesty about how you've been feeling. I'm so sorry 4 the suffering that you've been through, and I'm so glad to know that you're on better terms now with yourself, even though the fight is still there. Always remember that you're strong and that you're surrounded by a community of people who care about you!

[@kaylaprinsloo-steiner9437]

This community has meant so much to me, thank you ❤️

[@Authentistic-ism]

Despite topic - so happy to see this video and you! You're one of my favorite content creators

[@kaylaprinsloo-steiner9437]

🥺🥺❤️❤️❤️❤️🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@Ramagon98]

Thank you so much for sharing, I know that must have been hard. I was diagnosed with autism in March at age 40 and I can very much relate to the "smacked in the face with many things at first, now beginning to fine tune". My kids are older now, so I missed the "stimming with toddlers" stage, but that does sound like great company to be in while stimming! I would be interested in hearing about your ayahuasca experiences if you do decide to share about those. Thanks again!

[@kaylaprinsloo-steiner9437]

❤️ maybe I will share a few Yagé experiences, thanks for the support

[@addi2578]

Greatly appreciate your vulnerability in this. It puts words to many of my experiences as well. You're definitely not alone in these experiences, and it helps people like me to hear how they affected you too. It's not just a "everyone goes through it" thing like I/we believed for so long.

[@arnowinnertz]

wau this was a really hard but honest video. Thanks for this! It is unfortunately the sad truth that we all on the Spectrum have more or less suicidal thoughts. Thanks again and please take care!!!

[@kaylaprinsloo-steiner9437]

I appreciate this very much. I am doing so much better since those journal entries but it’s still so tough sometimes.

[@kikitauer]

Yes. Unfortunately suicide is a leading cause of death for autistic people and we are three times as likely to have suicidal ideation and attempts than other people. 💔

[@GemmasJourneyGrace]

hey Kayla ! so good to see you back, thank you so much for raising this subject it is absolutely vital to share what you went through, to help others. I can very much relate to feeling like an outsider when being diagnosed. I have bad anxiety too, so can understand about dissociating with people around you. x

[@kaylaprinsloo-steiner9437]

🙏🏼❤️

[@robynfromcanada]

Sending love from a fellow survivor 🌈

[@passaggioalivello]

I'm a level 2 autistic human with c-ptsd. Thank you for this video. Unfortunately, I can see myself in several parts of your speech.

[@kaylaprinsloo-steiner9437]

❤️

[@arnowinnertz]

It really makes me sad to see you suffer like this.

[@FirstmaninRome]

Dark i like it youre like schopenhauer but with. Toddler, keeping it real, great

[@lmpnb]

What does it feel like to realize you've been dissociating? How can you tell?

[@kaylaprinsloo-steiner9437]

That might require a lot more than I could type. Maybe I can do a video on it in the future. The biggest thing is feeling numb and when the feelings come back they hit like a truck.

[@bernardflint9338]

There is a theory that the more intelligent an individual is, the more likely the individual will be subject to depression. Ernest Hemingway and Sylvia Plath... Robert Oppenheimer and Albert Einstein... Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill...all reportedly experienced degrees of depression and mental imbalance. "Tortured Souls." Interesting video. Be Well.

[@jlewismoss]