Professor Tony Attwood Interview Autism Anxiety Sensory Epilepsy

Interview with Professor Tony Attwood around the topics of sensory sensitivities, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), anxiety, quality of life, diagnosis, parents' fears and the link between ASD & Epilepsy. Conducted and edited by Jenna Schade (Owner - Sensory Super Heroes)

[@raven4090]

Does he realize HE'S a hero? That's how I see him. I love his videos. They're so comforting after over 50 years with no support.

[@williamoarlock8634]

He's a villain like all these shysters that say autism is a 'gift'.

[@kristinelawrie]

I thanked my lucky stars when I stumbled on this gentleman explaining autism in females. Still need to listen to him regularly to believe it to be true.

[@beckacheckaenterprises7294]

Adults are autistic too, we were autistic kids. We still exist when we pass 17 😏 - next, .. is the fact that many times I have shut down from being in conversation with people and had absolutely zero anxiety; it was just an overwhelm from audio and social processing which as you would know is a lot harder for us since we take in so much other stuff around us and have other thoughts going on all the time.. like seeing things that aren’t aligning and being bothered by it not being patterned perfectly!

[@Petertwohig1948]

Thanks for this . I'm 75 and autistic, as is my so and his son, and we are all epileptics. But I really wish I''d been autistic diagnosed as a child. My mother used to say I was the most courageous person she knew, but I never understood. For me, if you're not surging, you might as well be dead.

[@cristinaroe2166]

Dear Dr. Atwood. Thank you for your great work. Despite being a woman and none diagnosed, I believe I may be somewhere on the spectrum. My meltdowns have been described as childish temper tantrums and I'm constantly being put down by family and neurotypical men who enjoy mocking me. I have been lonely and suicidal for much of my life. When I tell the idiots that how they are behaving is hurting me, they don't care. I feel really angry with them. So many years, I've been a loner with NOONE to connect to. I've been told that I'm weak because I'm so sensitive and bullies always get away with it. It's like a nightmare. I joined a group of neurodivergents and it was such a relief. We put on loads of conferences to TRY to raise awareness and understanding in the neurotypical community. I see NO improvement in society. It's WORSE

[@tracyerskine7573]

You are not alone, Cristina. You have just described my life too. I don't have any magic words to offer you as an often hollow answer but just know you are not alone. Please don't give up, foe you, your life are precious. Make sure you leave as much time as possible for your 'special interests and move away from those who hurt you. You neither deserve nor need them in your life. Lots of love and cyber hugs from the beautiful Isle of Man 🇮🇲

[@jonmars9559]

Terrific video with great information. I'm self diagnosing in my fifties and what I'm learning from Dr. Attwood puts so many confusing pieces of my life together. I wish I had had a better understanding of this growing up.

[@coreycox2345]

Same here, Jon Mars. Except I'm in my sixties. I agree on the video.

[@recoveringsoul755]

Have been wondering for some time, only recently learned of the connection with Epilepsy. I do have that and wonder if the meds I take made it possible to function at all for all these decades. Does anyone else feel like coloring the back of his chair? Just me?

[@jonmars9559]

@@HearthTales As someone once put it to me, "welcome to the tribe". If you've always felt like an alien on a foreign planet, you're not alone. If you have superpowers and vast mental focus in some areas and bizarre, unexplainable deficits in others , that's normal enough. One of the first benefits from diagnosis for me was just understanding that I didn't have to be so hard on myself. Take joy in your superpowers, improve areas of deficit the best you can.

[@JoanneMaher76]

Professor Tony Attwood has an excellent appreciation for the ASD experience, and the challenges it can bring. Physically, life has raised countless physical discomforts, so it can seem like life is simply addressing or chasing down issues. Dr Artwood brings a new kind of awareness, which I think will be a gift for so many. Its a pleasure to find this content available in the public domain

[@JamieLees-gd8cs]

Tony said to share his videos so i shared eith all family who present need the support with tony attwood help x ❤

[@xjenechii]

I’m crying I just… so much in my life makes so much more sense now. I had epilepsy as a child starting at 2 years old, then grew out of it as i got older. As an adult in my 30s I’m just now recognizing all the signs of autism I’ve had since i was a child, now that we have so much more information. It feels… so unfair… and I don’t know how to find help or resources. And I feel like even if i tried, i’ve been so “high functioning” all my life… how would anyone believe me?

[@emrsngs]

Yes, It is SO painful which is why I constantly look for alone time.

[@dr.aditibandyopadhyay8407]

This video has been immensely helpful for me to understand my fourteen year old undergoing a terrible time with acute anxiety attacks with aggression and rage which I am sure now are perhaps subclinical seizures that couldn't be traced in his recent EEGs even a month ago. I am a physician from India and a dance & movement therapist working with adults and children with Autism for last eight years. I had attended your training in New Delhi in 2016 and had been immensely benefitted. Your videos with explanations are really helpful. My research area as a Medical physiologist is also Neurophysiology of Autism.

[@catherinedesrochers]

More people have to watch this!

[@recoveringsoul755]

only 103 subscribers. They did show a website early on though. Share with friends if you have any. He has books

[@Bonnie6731]

Fascinated by the insight he is giving us , late diagnosis, brings greater understanding of simply being me , yet equally how to become more insightful for self , and others around me ❤

[@maxamiumoverdrive78]

This is fantastic. I learned so much. Thank you for doing this video. You are my hero!

[@ThePathOfLeastResistanc]

I appreciate this man so much

[@DevonExplorer]

That was really interesting as my Aspie son was diagnosed with petit mal seizures when a child. I didn't know that I'm on the spectrum too until a few years ago but I did wonder about having had the petit mal due to having the same symptoms when young. A pity that I didn't realise I was also aspie, but I had absolutely no sense of self-awareness, and it was a long time before much was known about the condition and/or the amount of information was available either.

[@recoveringsoul755]

Wow. I was diagnosed with Epilepsy at 14 years old, grand mal. Just now beginning to wonder if I'm an aspie. Each time it happens I lose hours of time until my brain... comes back online. The only way I can describe it. I hate losing time, waking up in a hospital and not knowing how I got there or who undressed me. Did I hurt anyone (if I Was driving)? It's awful, luckily has been controlled for many years now. I hate driving. I tried to find out what causes seizures and they told me maybe puberty, but it didn't go away in my 20's. I have the brain waves of an Epileptic is what they say after my EEG's. I now think my mother had Asperger's and all my siblings as well. It would explain so much. I wish my parents were still alive so I could ask them questions

[@DevonExplorer]

@@recoveringsoul755 I know exactly what you mean. There are so many questions I would love to be able to ask my late parents. I don't think Asperger's was much known about at all when we were children, even among psychologists. I do remember seeing a documentary programme on tv about children with autism when young. A lot of them rocked backwards and forwards and it was used by my family to shame me, as I loved to rock in the same way to music for hours, but even that didn't click with anyone as there was no general knowledge available about a spectrum of differences. I'm sorry about the epilepsy you have to contend with and wish you all the best. :)

[@recoveringsoul755]

@@DevonExplorer the parent I suspect had stimming behaviors. We were only allowed one friend on our birthday parties. Either because they couldn't handle a bunch of kids, or thought we kids couldn't. I saw a channel of an aspie go through their childhood photos, they looked bored, or looking away most of the time. I'll need to check mine

[@lunarnodes728]

It's so great to listen to him. ✨

[@scoutylugs]

I’m currently diagnosed with Bp2 and adhd (inattentive) but my daughter feels like I’m autistic as well (she is very high functioning autistic). I see so many aspect of myself here (and my brother and father) but I’ve always been really high functioning with very good interpersonal communication skills… which I don’t think fits?? I really really resonate with the build and meltdown cycle and when I’m ‘hypomanic’ I cry every day and go through rapid emotional cycles. I really don’t know whether my diagnosis is complete or whether it matters. It’s very frustrating and exhausting. 😞

[@gonnfishy2987]

im lost for words how important true and insightful.

[@andrewmorton395]

I have Asperger's AD HD OCD realy bad anxiety and depression, I dont have a job, and no friends, not much family

[@andrewmorton395]

@@KD-wn9cm Not good really

[@andrewmorton395]

@@KD-wn9cm Thank you

[@salmayasser8406]

I am sad to know that this is more likely to be my future as I even tried to work for a month and kind of got fired for an unknown reason... I wish both of you find a good job. this is such a horrible neurotyipcal 🌎 world.

[@ThePathOfLeastResistanc]

Same here :(

[@lezbyanke777]

Same here :-/

[@ScarlettRose7221]

The constant “mmmmm” by the interviewer(?) is pushing my sensory button.

[@JamieLees-gd8cs]

Bless tony is hero I agree

[@JamieLees-gd8cs]

He understands you because his son has autisum he not just text book dr he's genuine so listen man

[@grumpylesley]

I wonder if visual sensitivity can lead to the person learning not to notice things as a self-protective mechanism? The person has a degree of functional blindness which is not usually dangerous but very frustrating.

[@coreycox2345]

If so, not in every case, Lesley Fahey. If I had been able to shut off my aversion to the flourescent lights in my high school, I might have attended high school. It had a significant impact on me.

[@daisyfruity3040]

I have the same question to noises too. I grew up in a family who shout towards each other everyday. It is very stressing, causes me physical sensation most of the time. But sometime I am able to mute everything, not pay attention on anything at all like nothing exist around me but me

[@grumpylesley]

Yes I can relate to this as well, although my own family wasn't particularly noisy. I can be engrosed in an activity and look up to see someone's mouth moving for a second or too before I actually hear anything

[@marievoldbjergarent8653]

Great video, but I had big difficulties reading the text, because of all the changes in colour and light. I am an autist myself. Why not just write the text normally?

[@lunarnodes728]

Yup. . Me too

[@AlysterGynn]

Thank You.

[@zazo6620]

Could heat be a sensory sensitivity ?

[@gusbellamy1490]

Yes! So can the cold. Im personally over sensitive to the cold and need extra blankets, warm clothes and hot water bottles during winter/autumn/spring. But im under sensitive to the heat so i dont get bothered by that.

[@zazo6620]

@@gusbellamy1490 thanks for the answer , that explain a lot , I am quite the opposite ... i feel like I am dying in heat , I get really kranky, agitated , and super uncomfortable ... other times I heel hot when people around me feel ok ....

[@naddyn685]

I can feel heat / cold suddenly and find it hard to manage the discomfort. Haven’t been diagnosed but my partner has Asperger’s

[@howardosborne8647]

The ambient volume level is set so low I can't hear what he is saying..... Never mind.

[@johanaloha]

He's my new favorite psy ever

[@zacmorrison4314]

I do all that. Terrorism word was used. Wrong word. We are not terrorists.

[@ThePathOfLeastResistanc]

It was a joke

[@tloudah]

This man is very helpful and i understand myself so much better because of him. But that shirt and chair is very distracting.

[@bloodhound9638]

please do not call me a sensory super hero, its pretty cringe

[@JoanneMaher76]

I think Professor Attwood's comment is for parents of little children, to show that their struggles growing can be a gift. Also, I reckon it's preferable to be on the spectrum, than be someone who struggles to feel

[@sydneybristow5588]

I thought he was Sting!!

[@nicolasuribestanko]

For those of us with impaired hearing, a lapel microphone would be much appreciated.

[@llewellynjones1115]

Or even an auditory processing disorder which seems to be common in people with, err, autism.

[@nicolasuribestanko]

@@llewellynjones1115 Llewellyn..... I had never even heard of APD. Now, after researching the topic, I believe I may have it. My IQ is OK with regard to written instructions, written math problems, etc., but plummets when confronted with verbal problems or instructions. Similarly, I can understand only one speaker at a time, with no background noise or distractions. I always thought I was just plain dumb - now I know there may be a physiological explanation, even though in practical terms it all boils down to the same thing. Thank you! (PS. - I am 73 years old.)

[@llewellynjones1115]

@@nicolasuribestanko Like so much of autism, it seems to be on a spectrum - like hearing things in one environment and not in another. I struggle to be sociable in noisy environments - would rather go home and have a cup of tea. It got worse when I got hearing aids - too much input requiring too much processing.

[@JamieLees-gd8cs]

Doby you ferl he on the same wavelengths as us petsonally i did ❤

[@anjachan2]

Epilepsy is really the worst thing I got!

[@JamieLees-gd8cs]

Omg my sister started to get epilepsy and so intelligent I said she defo aspergers but no one wood listen

[@JamieLees-gd8cs]

Do you use filters to help with triggers to strobe lighting I were vista mesh to help with my changed axis X they good for these problems hope it helps you ❤❤❤❤❤

[@alinebaruchi1936]

Muh kidz