What Is The Autism Spectrum? (What Do Actually Autistic People Think?)

What is the Autism Spectrum? Last week, SciShow made an attempt to answer this question in their video of the same name. The video took an evidence-based approach to Autism and aimed to be inclusive. However, what does the Autism Spectrum mean to people who are actually autistic? The reactions are mixed. In this video, I'll share a compilation of opinions from our Autism from the Inside Community, highlighting both positive and negative perspectives.
You can watch the original SciShow video here - • What Is the Autism Spe...
If you have further thoughts, I'd love to hear them in the comments!
🎞️Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
0:57 Comments from the Original Video
3:26 The Good Things
5:18 The Bad Things
5:38 Focus on Behaviour, Symptoms, and Causes
6:28 Let’s fix the Autistic Person?
6:54 Genes and Causes
10:15 The Double Empathy Problem
11:30 The controversial and the cringeworthy
17:05 Our Message to SciShow
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👋Welcome to Autism From The Inside!!!
If you're autistic or think you or someone you love might be on the autism spectrum, this channel is for you!
I'm Paul Micallef, and I discovered my own autism at age 30.
Yes, I know, I don't look autistic. That's exactly why I started this channel in the first place because if I didn't show you, you would never know.
Autism affects many (if not all!) aspects of our lives, so on this channel, I want to show you what Autism looks like in real people and give you some insight into what's happening for us on the inside. We'll break down myths and misconceptions, discuss how to embrace autism and live well, and share what it's like to be an autistic person.
Join me as I share what I've found along my journey, so you don't have to learn it the hard way.
Make sure to subscribe so you won’t miss my new video every Friday and some bonus content thrown in mid-week too.
➡️️ / @autismfromtheinside
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➡️️ Facebook: / autismfromtheinside.co...
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➡️️ Written Blog: aspergersfromtheinside.com/
➡️️ Email: [e-mail]
Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy my channel!
Peace,
~ Paul
#autism #asd #autismawareness

[@kaitieldridge]

Your comment “it really matters what we consider improvement to be” is incredibly significant. THANK YOU.

[@christiaanterveen4633]

Yes, the critique on ABA is very good in this video and basically also adresses why the "we only use positive reinforcement now" argument doesn't really make things better.

[@thebarkingsnail]

"What do actually autistic people think?" We think that question as written should come with blood pressure medication.

[@livenotbylies]

😂 yes

[@bones642]

made me want to go watch word crimes lol but tbh I’m just as flawed. It must be difficult to make titles that are short enough, but also get the point of the video across.

[@bmiller949]

I'm opting for Gin myself...

[@terrimeakin-rosario9189]

[@makhloufifouad3496]

😄

[@adalon378]

First, the focus on symptoms has little value to me, in comparison with the fact that my brain works differently and that's what I suffer with. I expect things that people forget or don't mean, I'm made fun of if I don't understand that a mean comment was supposed to be a joke (which usually is not, but I'm expected to pretend and I can't), I'm usually ignored or completely denied to things because I asked about things that I truly want to understand and somehow this makes people avoid me... And I'm not even talking about friends, I'm talking about authorities or medical professionals, the problem is with everything around me. That's where our problem starts. Not the symptoms... In my opinion, this is where we need help and where therapies should start, with kids as well. Not addressing their behaviour, but why they do it. That's why it's so easy to grow up undiagnosed, we have the problems, but happened to be in an environment where we were taught to hide and fix ourselves, and shamed or punished if not. It also bothers me how people don't talk about the shift that happens on average (from what I see on Reddit and myself ofc) at mid age. Basically in our 20s, 30s, even 40s for some people, we are stronger and still learning/absorbing. We can heavily mask and "push" the thought that we are different from our heads, because it feels like it will eventually go away and he will become less autistic one day. For the first decades, things seem to get better for us, but that's just because we learn more masking, and thus mask more (i.e. fake more). And this is rewarded by those around, who expect "normality"... even though it's still only a shell, that cracks if the interactions are too long. The reality is that it's the opposite for autistic people: the struggles in our minds become more difficult to ignore or overcome as we get older and naturally weaker. So there seems to be a number of autistic people in their 40s, 50s, 60s,... that reach their limit to mask and be active, and consequently burnout perhaps for the rest of their lives... This is why it matters how we think, ALL THE TIME. Not what others see... I couldn't care less what others see at this point. I used to, and it got me to a burnout without end in sight, and 10 years of studies completely wasted.

[@adalon378]

I should add that when I said "addressing why autistic kids do what they do", I didn't mean changing how they think of course. It dawned on me that this may be the interpretation... I mean that this should be understood ideally prior to therapies start, because therapists need to understand that autistic people don't act to purposely bother others, these so-called symptoms that they see are just coping mechanisms... In my opinion, "specialists" can only help autistic people (as opposed to helping themselves as part of the neurotypical society) once they understand what are the causes of our struggles, that require those "unusual" forms of soothing because we also don't know any better... No one tells us how to be autistic. If experts understood, then maybe they can provide alternatives to our stimming methods, maybe even more effective. In my dream world... One other reason I don't like the autism discussions to be about symptoms, is because it makes autism sound like an illness, where the "symptoms" are something to be cured... In reality, symptoms are our "cure", and the thought of someone wanting to take them away altogether is depressing...

[@ivanaamidzic]

Yes, I too get constanly punished for asking questions because wanna truly understand things and people. By colleagues and professional field individuals because my questions unintentionally expose their ignorance. And by peers because they say I ask too many questions & it's probably to plot against them. I mean, this breaks my heart. How am I supposed to know one's soul & heart if they don't allow me? Could you define what you mean by "naturally weaker"?

[@4everpee]

I suffer because I was almost a level 3. The only that seperate from those was I was able to speak. I am a case with immune dysfounction or dysruption. My immune system is terribly weak it my skin is not in a great condition. I need to take chemotherapy in pills just to make it less likely to destroy my skin.

[@kezia8027]

Amen. This happened to me. 32 and I am BURNT OUT. And now I don't have the capacity to seek out the supports that I"ve been seeking for years, but when I was masking, and as such was not deemed important enough to help, so here we are, burnout city, population: most autistic people

[@sarahleony]

Can confirm the age thing (I’m 44)

[@Miss_Lexisaurus]

Really appreciate the measured response. I hope that the SciShow team do watch it and make a statement - and preferably a new video.

[@reed6514]

I hope scishow team reads We're Not Broken by Eric Garcia. That's the best book I've ever read. This vid here is also really good.

[@amandamarinovich6164]

​@reed6514 thanks! I'm looking for good reading material for my parents

[@reed6514]

@@amandamarinovich6164 yw! I haven't read Unmasking Autism but one of my friends loved it. And Fern Brady has a book about autism! Or herself? Idk. I haven't read it, but i love her so its probably good. I was watching her on a podcast today talking about autism.

[@SunshineSyl]

@@reed6514please share the name of that podcast - I would love to check it out 😊

[@Tilly850]

Yes. That is why I used the idea of a square peg in a round hole...the square peg is destroyed. You got this point for sure! The amount of trauma caused by being forced to fit in by masking (for me, for 64 years) cannot be underestimated. I also agree that learning the genetic cause of autism is unhelpful. Brain replacements are simply not feasible. I would much rather see programs to assist autistic people by supporting who they ARE, so they can live happy lives as autistic people. I'm not broken...I am just not neurotypical. My operating system is not flawed, it just works differently. There are so many simple ways to support autistic people, and educating about us is one step toward this. In that regard this video is excellent. Great review and response.

[@faiora]

To further the square-peg-round-hole example: efforts should really be about making that round hole just a bit more roomy. Yeah, maybe us squares can round our corners off a bit… but there’s a difference between a light sanding and a traumatic planing that ends in a squashed or broken peg.

[@misspatvandriverlady7555]

I remember the “pounding a square peg into a round hole” metaphor from when I was a child. I certainly felt like I was being pounded with such dedication I risked complete destruction! There have to be better ways! 👍

[@vinny142]

"I also agree that learning the genetic cause of autism is unhelpful. Brain replacements are simply not feasible. " I don't think we get to decide what we should and should not investigate. We are at a stage in science where we are beginning to get the ability to fiddle with DNA and if they ever find out what happens to genes to cause autism I would absolutely want them to look into it, so they can maybe prevent other people from having to live life like this. They won't be able to fix me, but that doesn't mean I get to deny the possibility for future generations.

[@mickeyiael9013]

@@faiora 👏👏👏💌

[@Tilly850]

@@misspatvandriverlady7555 absolutely. The trauma of having to fit in is very painful.

[@GillesParent-jl2zy]

I have an autistic grandson. My objective is "how do I act, or what do I do , so he has a happy life, the same as I wish to have?

[@misspatvandriverlady7555]

The most important thing ANY child can receive from family is feeling safe and supported. That will look different for every child, and moreso for children who are particularly different in functioning in some way. An autistic child is more likely to do well in dim, quiet, low-scent environments where they are permitted to wear clothing they find comfortable and interact with a person one-on-one, rather than in a crowd. Autistic children (and adults) MAY sometimes like large, loud gatherings of people, but are still likely to become overwhelmed and need a long break well before anyone else does. There is no sense in trying to force the child to have abilities or enjoy things that they simply don’t. Instead, pay attention to what THEY enjoy and are comfortable with. It’s not that anyone should never be challenged or uncomfortable, but that it is important to remember that this is a much more frequent experience in ordinary day-to-day life for autistic people, so it should be minimized whenever possible. It is wonderful that you care so much about your grandson and only want a happy life for him! ☺️

[@MsVilecat]

You try to understand how he does things (interactions, communication, problem solving, etc.) and try to meet him at his level first. You can explain how YOU do those things but you shouldn't expect him to do the same, to come to the same conclusion on taking the same steps in solving a problem. If he's able to, ask him to go through his thought process. It's really a matter of adjusting, of meeting in the middle in a reasonable way. It's also good to know in what aspects his autism manifest. Texture aversion can be one (the reason why a kid can stay "picky" through adulthood), executive dysfunction/functioning, hypersensitivity (like texture but can be about stimuli like the quantity and strength of sounds, light and color variation and/or objects). It doesn't mean they wouldn't enjoy going to crowded places like a zoo for example, but they might mentally tire much faster than your average kid. Or they might just not be interested and that's ok. It might be disappointing because you had a bunch of ideas to spend time with him, but that's not the end of the world. Maybe he'd love the library instead, or exploring nature while walking down a trail. I know from experience with ADD (or if you prefer ADHD-I) and ADHD, the brain can link thoughts together that a neurotypical person wouldn't understand. Or the brain skips a few steps in reasoning, so it comes as a surprise why someone else wouldn't think of X as common sense when doing Y (common sense is a falsehood anyway even between neurotypicals). It might be hard to figure out how his brain differs, but it's not impossible, and he's not broken or unable to enjoy life and grow to his full potential. He just has to find what works best for him to do so and you can help him figure that out with him, alongside him.

[@0206ashley]

My biggest advice is don’t take things personally. He will interact with you and the world in a way that you may find blunt/confusing/weird or whatnot, but always give him space to just relax and be himself. He may not like what you like, or interact with you the way others do, and that’s alright! Let him do his thing! That’s all we want, is to be safe and supported. I feel like our natural state makes people feel like we’re being rude or distant, but most of the time we’re just chilling. Learn how to find out what he wants, likes and needs and meet him there. And if you’re a safe person to him, you’ll see the meltdowns and that’s a great time for you to accomodate, not punish. And maybe stock up on some of his favorite foods and provide a way for him to be alone or in a quiet space when he’s with you, in case he just needs to opt out for a bit and recharge.

[@TanwenWhiteFire]

Paul I love this response - particularly the bit around genetic research and the comparison to getting your car fixed. 'What does this research tell us? - Not much" Brilliant logic. Thank you.

[@ewestner]

Agreed, that was an *excellent* metaphor.

[@kdcraft89]

That is how research always is. It's supposed to be objective, and objectifies people.

[@jimvicpas]

It would be refreshing to hear from people on the spectrum what things improved their quality of life and what did not. For other conditions that seems to be the standard, but not for autism. While undiagnosed, I went through years of cognitive therapy and I think it did more harm than good.

[@Tilly850]

Paul's videos are good, and there are others who have great ideas too. Do some looking on your social media. More and more autistic people are making helpful videos. There are several who have helped me find ways to support myself in healthier ways.

[@bosstowndynamics5488]

​@@Tilly850I think @jimvicpas might be referring to broader channels line SciShow and how neurotypicals continue to focus on externally apparent behaviours instead of truly meaningful outcomes. Paul and other autistic creators are far more likely to focus on the true mental health outcomes of autism, but they just fundamentally have less reach with neurotypicals than larger NT run channels - that reach is important for the sort of advocacy required to convince neurotypicals to stop forcing neurodiverse people to mask so much

[@jliller]

Define "quality of life" in this context.

[@ivanaamidzic]

@@jliller Yes, please.

[@ivanaamidzic]

From esoteric to less esoteric, from internal to external, some of the things that improved my quality of life (now as an adult): Intentionally setting a goal to research, understand and process as much as possible about Autism and how it is intertwined with my existence in this world. Thankfully I am a very curious person who wants to know and understand how everything and everyone works, which also includes personal introspection. As most things & NT/regular interactions in this world naturally go over or under my radar, I rose my awareness about what those things are and how they might contribute to my misunderstanding of the world around me as well as the world’s misunderstanding of me. This is an ongoing and painful project and sadly the frequency of me getting into trouble because not ‘getting the message’ and not ‘vibing’ with the common wavelengths has not decreased at all (it only grew if nothing else), but my awareness of it increased. Slowly and persistently developing emotional, intellectual, experiential and socio-cultural awareness and understanding of myself from within and then how that collides (and it almost always does) with the regular world. Yes, I am from another planet and no, there is nothing wrong with me because of that, despite what the world around me is telling me. Understanding, describing and learning how to feel and process my own emotions and feelings contributed to lowering of episodes and outbursts of rage, extreme anger, meltdowns and dysregulation every time I would get overwhelmed by the world, but had no words or ability to communicate it to myself or others. Me being extremely sensitive, introverted and intuitive but having no regular language to communicate that timely and properly to the world around me. Coming to terms with my own needs and the fact my bandwidth and capacity to engage with others is very limited and much shorter/smaller than with the average individual AND learning how to communicate that to people around me, while making sure they know I am not rejecting them as people and that my withdrawals have nothing to do with them, but with my own energetic make-up: This means not working at the types of jobs I used to work before, jobs that include frequent interaction with colleagues, public, clients, fast paced environments, constant chit chatting, messaging, and interrupting and no respite and time away from others and interactions with them. Putting a stop on forced speaking at work, social gatherings and events (I naturally don’t speak much and sometimes not at all) and settling into my natural state of being, which mostly consists of observing without engaging or simply not even that, instead of artificial social ‘herding’ as NTs really seem to enjoy; This also means intentionally and aggressively (but respectfully) cutting down my social interactions in general and reducing voluntary ‘hanging out’, going out and about for at least 40% in 2023 and in 2024. Being fully aware and proud of things and skills I have without breaking a sweat that most NTs can only dream about and pointing that out to them without hesitation. Proper routines that work for me, not for those around me for them to feel better about themselves. Healthy life style, proper nutrition, exercise/movement and sleep. Learning about nervous system, breathing and emotional and nervous system dysregulation intervention and repair.

[@sust8n]

Excellent response! I hope people who watch the SciShow video also watch this video for a more complete picture and understanding.

[@pauljsm]

We do 😉 (well... I did)

[@ewestner]

I did too. I love SciShow but I think this reaction video is excellent.

[@rjparker2414]

Thanks, Paul. Great video. I usually enjoy SciShow, and had watched their autism video previously. Had hoped that Hank would "come out" as autistic. 😆 Unfortunately, it was much lower quality/ researched than their usual fare - as Paul pointed out variously. Yes, "shock therapy" equates well with ABA conditioning; resulting in traumatized autistics and reinforced masking. I was relieved to see your (Paul's) analogy, and historical reference to "treatments." My friend's uncle was a neurodivergent indigenous "troublemaker", and doctors "remedied" it by giving him a frontal lobotomy. Family mourned the loss, as post-op he was a numb, compliant, shell of a person. Good to know history, so we don't repeat it, and grow more accepting in diverse ways.

[@JustSaralius]

Absolutely agree! Couldn't believe my eyes and ears when Hank was talking about ABA like that. Really dissapointed in that part!

[@rjparker2414]

I agree. I expected better of Hank.

[@GhostIntoTheFog]

The statement about ABA being the only scientifically validated treatment for autistic people seemed like something someone would come up with if they just did a cursory Google search or sifted through Wikipedia (which has a strong pro-ABA bias).

[@ds.laetitia]

I seriously hesitated to use the "thumb down" button in their video, and I asked myself whether that video in his globality was more helpful or more damaging regarding the general consideration towards autism. And I definitely don't know. The spirit of the video is still "exclusive" rather than "inclusive" despite good intentions. And that is very damaging.

[@solar0wind]

I don't think the video deserves a thumbs down, but I only give thumbs down on very few videos. Pretty much only on bigoted videos/videos that show something that borders animal ab**e or something, but since I don't watch videos like that if I can help it, that's rare. So with that disclaimer out of the way, my suggestion would be to simply not give it a thumb at all. If we hate on this good-intentioned video to much, it might result in people not daring to talk about the topic at all anymore, even if they are trying to spread positive awareness. Instead, constructive feedback is more helpful, so people know that they can make it right if they follow some guidelines. I don't think it's a desirable goal if no neurotypical person ever again talks about autism. That's the opposite of awareness and normalising autism.

[@ds.laetitia]

@@solar0wind I agree with your point, and I finally didn't thumb it down, but still find the spirit of the video is damaging :-/

[@theboulder942]

Oh my god thank you so much for this! I normally love SciShow but man, that episode sat brewing in my recommended for a good while. Watching through it felt like they kept barking up the wrong tree; all the emphasis on diversity was "Oh look at the breadth of people who have autism!" "Look at how many factors could play into it!", instead of, you know, the actual differences + social context that make our experiences unique to neurotypical ones. The neurodiversity. Instead those parts got framed as symptoms, and the latter half played out like a "how to potentially fix autism" segment :/

[@ayerhead07]

Thanks for this video. I've been low-key avoiding the SciShow video in my feed because I had a feeling it would feel a little...off. This is such an interesting conversation to me as a late-diagnosed ADHDer (and suspected AuDHDer) who is deeply steeped in the ND conversation online as a means to understand myself. I am a certified therapeutic horseback riding instructor, and while I am not specifically trained in working with autism, many of my riders are autistic. I sometimes have a hard time reconciling what I know about the experience of being neurodivergent with how best to work with ND kiddos. I pretty much just do my best to understand who they are and what they're interested in, and I think it works pretty well. I don't know a ton about ABA or what the more current best practices are, but I know enough to feel weird when parents ask me to force their kids to make eye contact and say "hello" and "thank you." I don't know if it's my place to say anything, so I usually end up sort of going with it but not being strict about it at all. I've also felt very weird listening to conference presentations about autism given by clearly NT presenters. It seems very similar to how the SciShow video came across, well-meaning but with underlying medicalization and reductive explanations. Not sure what my point is here, but I really appreciate the way you discuss this topic. I hope to be a better ambassador with folks like you as a role model.

[@ewestner]

I'm also a late-diagnossd ADHDer and suspected AuDHDer. I keep wondering if it's even worth it to try to get an autism diagnosis because I'm already neurodivergent so what's the point? 😅

[@AnonYmous-ow2eb]

​@@ewestner As another late-diagnosed ADHDer and self-identified Autistic (My survey scores are ridiculously high, I just need to find an educated evaluator,) I'd say it depends on your needs. I'm currently pursuing the evaluation primarily because I'm getting a late-start on college, and a diagnosis opens up more options for legal accommodations. I'm also in a "privileged-underprivileged" position where I'm currently below the poverty level so my insurance completely covers the cost of evaluation, therefore I don't have to consider any financial impact. I'm personally of the opinion that self-identification is sufficient if your intentions are just researching AuDHD coping skills and applying them to your own life, but it's also more than fair to pursue diagnosis even just for the validation. tldr It's really case-by-case, and I hope the current barriers are eliminated in the future.

[@anteshell]

Ask the parents if they would ask to shake hands with a person with amputated hands they're meeting with. If they say no, ask why wouldn't they as that is the cultural norm and accepted behaviour when meeting people. Then what ever they respond to that, ask them to apply that same reasoning to autists not looking at their eyes. The point is, even though autistic people are physically able to look, in their head the situation may not be any less distressing, condescending and overall problematic than with amputated person. Yes, I'm aware that kind of questioning comes easily out as snarky and condescending which usually does not make it helpful or productive, and I myself am unable come up with any remedy to that because politeness is not something I do well with, but with your training I'm thinking you just might be able to.

[@adalon378]

That's such a huge problem (the parents requests)... People need to understand that these are ways to cope, and if taken away, we are forced to basically mask, and have no other outlets or ways to sooth (which yes, it's done by not looking, or not touching, or stimming...).

[@ewestner]

@@AnonYmous-ow2eb thank you! Validation is really useful, I gotta say. I self-diagnosed with ADHD for over a year but once I really had the diagnosis, it was extremely validating.

[@bones642]

Framing the therapy’s effects as improvement is sort of an economic thing I suppose, getting people who would otherwise need accommodations to be completely independent and functional as a cog in the economy. It’s got some disturbing connotations. But it is part of a huge web of connected reasons for them to force as much standard behavior as possible.

[@CaptnLenox]

This is a illusion though. I am sure if there was a better understanding of autistic burnout ,the consequences of it and then a way to include this into the "calculation" the "positive economic effect" wouldnt be as big. Meaning autistic ppl having to mask eventually leads to burnout which means they are less "functional" and also generates cost because they have to use mental health resources.

[@misspatvandriverlady7555]

Thing is, we don’t NEED to be THIS “productive” as a species! Brutality in the name of efficiency just isn’t necessary! We can afford for everyone to be a bit less productive so that we can relax and enjoy life a little! Love of money truly is the root of all evil… 😔

[@CaptnLenox]

@@misspatvandriverlady7555 100% agree that is how it should be

[@SalivatingSteve]

Teaching people skills to be able to live independently isn’t always due to wanting to make them a “cog in the economy”. I do not like how Marxist ideology has permeated modern culture, not all of the world’s problems are caused by capitalism.

[@GhostIntoTheFog]

@SalivatingSteve A substantial amount of them are. Seeing basic human needs, like food, shelter, education, healthcare, etc., as luxuries rather than basic human rights is why there are so many sick, hungry and homeless people in this world. It doesn’t have to be that way.

[@ewestner]

I love SciShow and watch most of their videos. I actually don't remember much of the autism video but I will watch it again after I finish this comment. I was recently diagnosed with ADHD and keep thinking that maybe I actually have AuDHD so I've been watching a lot of your content and that by other autistic KZbinrs. Thank you for making these videos! But as I watch them I think, "What if ADHD and autism are really the same thing and it's only the varying levels that ppl are affected by their neurodivergence that makes the difference between autism, AuDHD, and ADHD?" I was happy to see the part in your video where someone seems to actually be doing some research related to this idea (because I know I can't be the first person to come up with it). And I'm quite upset that SciShow put in the whole section about applied behavioral analysis. I don't know anything about ABA (but am going to read about it now!) but wow, that's so awful. I'm glad that recently ppl have realized how terrible masking is for neurodivergents but we still have such a long way to go in this regard. Great video, really well done. I hope Hank Green sees it and issues a new autism/neurodiversity video.

[@meadowrae1491]

I'm of the sincere belief that Hank and John are autistic and/or ADHD. John is a classic example of an autistic adult, IMO. He has said he has complete aphantasia, even. Hank Green comes in second place as my mental example of a celebrity with ADHD, first place being held by Jack Black. Neither Hank nor John have ever sought formal diagnosis or treatment. I'm not sure if there is some level of shame that prevents them from doing this or what.

[@MissingRaptor]

​@@meadowrae1491 I remember from one of Hank's videos that he said that since he's been able to cope, he's never felt the need for a diagnosis.

[@SalivatingSteve]

I have ADHD and care for an autistic relative. Autism and ADHD are related in that they are both neurodevelopmental disorders. The problem is pop culture psychology has really loaded the word “masking” along with a lot of misinformation about autism on social media. So much of the content I see thats supposedly for autistic people is just cringe with stuffed animals, rainbows, overly childish presentation, they’re “self-diagnosed”, etc.

[@verosdes]

Great feedback, I hope the people from Sci Show watches your video ❤

[@susanhenderson5001]

Thank you for producing this response to the SciShow video on Autism. I hope you hear from them.

[@JoULove]

Can't wait to hear what you have to say on the video. Maybe it's because I follow a lot of autistic creators online, but for a SciShow video it felt quite out of touch and very US centric. Edit after watching your breakdown: good job on your response! Thank you for being so thorough

[@josephmartin1540]

Paul, thank you for speaking for us. I couldn’t have been so nice! Well, not very easily! You were very clear!

[@badraster7909]

Dang thank you for this, Paul! I watched the SciShow video immediately after it came out and I think I was so excited by the good first half, I kind glossed over/didn’t fully process the second half. I really appreciated the points you made and I really hope SciShow sees your video!

[@retrogradevector]

ABA therapy is not just damaging for the patient (it has been shown to cause long term PTSD in autistic people). It also just doesn't work. Let me just quote a 2021 paper (Shkedy, G., Shkedy, D. & Sandoval-Norton, A.H. Long-term ABA Therapy Is Abusive: A Response to Gorycki, Ruppel, and Zane): Furthermore, two major studies conducted by the US Department of Defense over a nationwide sample in the last two years massively call into question the efficacy of ABA for treating autism. These studies were based on real world experience and not laboratory results. In addition, the sample size for both was over 6000, making them the largest studies these authors are aware of pertaining to autism services. The first study, presented to Congress in 2019, reported that 76% of beneficiaries had little to no change over 12 months of ABA, and 9% had worsened symptoms, as measured by ABA therapists (Stewart, 2019). The second follow-up study found no statistically significant correlation between the number of ABA hours rendered and outcome measures (Donovan, 2020). Donovan (2020) also conducted population analyses for age and severity which found that, in older children, symptoms worsened over time. Therefore, as Sandoval-Norton and Shkedy (2019) noted, the longer a child receives ABA services, the worse off they are. In sum, the largest study ever conducted on Autism found that any positive changes observed were “small and may not be clinically significant,” with the vast majority of those receiving services having no change in the only thing ABA purports to treat, or even worse, regressing (Donovan, 2020, p.23).

[@GhostIntoTheFog]

Unfortunately, despite the fact that “the science” is on our side, ABA practitioners have cemented the notion (at least in the United States and South Africa) that ABA is scientifically validated and unassailable. For every critical study that’s released, ABA practitioners will churn out 100 low-quality, biased studies that say the opposite. I think the fact that we’re even having a discussion about “the science,” rather than how no human being should be physically and psychologically coerced into unconditional compliance to authority, shows how badly we’re losing to a bunch of ableist grifters. We get bogged down in scientific argument and ignore the moral one.

[@ScienceAsylum]

Now that I've had a few hours to process this video (and SciShow's video), I have a few things to say. This was a great response to the SciShow video. I appreciate and value the nuance you've added. Though, there are some nuances that _you_ gloss over too. I think the problem is that this topic can't be covered in a 20 minute video. Complexly is a good company with good people and it's obvious to me that they _tried_ to make an informative video. I'm glad you weren't particularly hard on them and I hope they see this after my comment gives it a bump. There's one major issue I have with your take at 5:53. Is autism a form of neurodivergence? Yes, but putting autism within the context of broader neurodivergence has mostly served to hurt the conversation around autism. One Example (of many): There are specific words autistic people use to describe (or at least attempt to describe) our experience to anyone who isn't autistic. Those words can get co-opted by other neurotypes and the definitions of those words get so muddled that they often become unusable for autistic people. This leaves us with fewer words to communicate with, effectively silencing us. I'm glad SciShow didn't mention it. It was a video about autism, not neurodivergence. Also, it's not just a society that makes autism a disability. While our society definitely causes unnecessary obstacles for autistics, there are obstacles I have even if I'm home by myself. It _is_ a disability and some of us need more support than others. As speaking autistics, we have to be careful not to generalize with our own experience. I agree with you on the ABA issue though, as do many other autistics, but that specific topic has _way_ too much nuance for a YT comment like this one.

[@rjparker2414]

Not sure which autistic vocabulary gets "co-opted" by other neurodivergents, better that we accept/ encourage what works best for each, and all communication isn't perceived identically by all. However, I do object to some obviously neurodiverse people stating publicly that they're autistic - when they're clearly not (sociopaths) - just because autism is more socially acceptable currently than their neurotype.

[@justmeherethereandeverywhere]

​@@rjparker2414Part of the problem is that some people are also absolutely insistent that autism and ADHD are two separate things. Honestly, I have no clue if they are or not, but I seriously think more research needs to be done, as they seem closely connected regardless. I've noticed this sort of elitism in some autistic spaces where people there see ADHD as the inferior of the two diagnoses. (I really haven't seen that attitude towards autism in ADHD-related spaces.) I suspect this plays a part in it.

[@assimilateborg]

I had several vibes of conversion therapy from the SciShow videa and was wondering if that's really what they meant.

[@brian1204]

I’m glad you brought up the paradigm of the medical model in dealing with autism. It is, in my experience, the attempt and effort of parents, peers, etc to point out and change autistic individuals’ behaviors to model “typical” individuals’ behavior to be the source of our suffering. We are different. Not deficient.

[@joshmiller887]

I had no idea what ABA was until now. This is torture. I can imagine some poor soul dying inside while appearing “improved” on the outside. It’s something out of a dystopian novel. Awful.

[@suesirett2500]

Thank you, Paul. Your points were made cĺearly, and politely. I also hope the SciShow responds in a positive way to your critique, which has been a response to the mostly positive feedback of the SciShow segment.😊

[@mauratherese4798]

So glad that (1) he used the word "autistic," (2) he explained the double communication situation, and (3) he said that autism is forever! Wonderful analysis, Paul. Thank you for your ceaseless work on behalf of the autism community.

[@ivanaamidzic]

I reckon that neurotypical (including nearly all employers) insisting on so much 'proper communication' and 'social skills' for Autistic people is due to them (NTs) not having any real social skills & being limited in communication to superficial, shallow and mostly meaningless, more often than not manipulative word utterings. I am constantly observing and analyzing their interactions between themselves only (especially at work and in meetings) and I am constantly blown away by how that communication is mostly fake, insincere, uninteresting and clumsy. A few years ago I met at work the most interesting guy ever, I enjoyed his mind so much and I was thinking this guy gotta be Autistic too, no way he is NT, he was so weird and off beat in such a nice way. So it turned out he is most likely Autistic, too but can't get diagnosis for some reason.

[@ewestner]

Man, I feel this so hard. We have a terrible coworker who is incredibly superficial (and a fraud, actually) and the NTs at my workplace seem to think she's great because she can schmooze with them and butter up the leadership team. That kind of nonsense doesn't work on me at all and while she stresses me out a TON it has been at least somewhat amusing to see her realizing that her usual schmoozy tactics don't work on me at all and to see her kind of panic when I call her out on her BS.

[@Tilly850]

@@ewestner Yeah, if a study were done I bet they would find infomercials do NOT work on autistic people! Just a random autistic thought here. I feel the same about the surface small talk...and people LISTEN to it...and LOVE it! Blows me away that they suck up and eat it up.

[@ewestner]

@Tilly850 so far I'm only diagnosed ADHD but strongly suspect AuDHD, and I haaaaaaaate commercials SO HARD. I try to avoid them at all costs and I hate talking to salespeople.

[@GuineaPig361]

@@Tilly850 I believe that study has already been done; it rings a bell.

[@nestrior7733]

@@ewestner I loved watching informercials as a teen because I knew what they were after and I categorically denied to give them anything. But some were so egregious and honestly offending that I had an almost violent reaction to them. I think it is something in the tone of voice that just sets me off. Which I can often observe when listening to people I know intend to manipulate and incite me. Especially when I also see their face on TV. That's in large part why I avoid political talk shows or watch reactions to them. Too much whiplash that needs to be broken up.

[@Beckyg1016]

This was a good response video - and overall, I agree with the main sentiment of "This is way better than most videos we get; there is a lot of great information. There were a few "not good" parts, but I would have overlooked them, if not for the ABA bit." I could not share this video with those who could have learned quite a bit because I WILL NOT share a video that promotes or justifies ABA.

[@GhostIntoTheFog]

Zero tolerance for ABA is critically important. I’ve encountered far too many complicit Autistics who don’t see it as abuse or don’t consider it a battle worth fighting (even many that go into the field themselves). We ignore and invalidate survivors’ suffering when we don’t present a united front.

[@michaelb5299]

I am 51. I know for a fact I am on the spectrum, but have never been diagnosed. My Dr. put me on lexapro for anxiety, but it is much more than that.

[@pickyyeeter]

I'm 43 and I have received so many anxiety diagnoses over the course of my life. I finally got diagnosed autistic a few weeks ago and reexamining how my life has been structured through that lens, it's no wonder I've been fighting anxiety and depression since I was young. I've been working in a system that wasn't designed for me, and every time I've inevitably failed, I've been held personally accountable by others and myself. I'm slowly making changes in my life to allow for my needs, including setting up boundaries with friends. In the past, because it's been so hard for me to make friends, I've never really said 'no' to hanging out with anyone. Lately I've been taking the alone time I need to recharge, and my friends have all been incredibly understanding. I've also communicated at work that I need to focus on finishing a project before I can direct my attention to another. I won't say I'm ready to come off my antidepressants just yet, but just making some small changes has made life in general feel less heavy on my chest. I just realized that I info-dumped on you big time. It wasn't my intention to redirect the conversation away from you. I just related to your statement and it kind of poured out from there. I wish you the best and I hope you find all the support you need to thrive, if you haven't already.

[@ABLovescrafting]

This is a fantastic breakdown. I watched it and I felt disappointed but I couldn't put my finger on were it fell down. It's so nice to a non aggressive breakdown. I really hope @scishow watches this and maybe comes out with response or better yet a new and improved video.

[@arcanethievery]

I have an official diagnosis (which was initiated by 3 independent expert opinion so it should be seen as a strongly supported one), but every time I come across such videos as the SciShow one I always feel that I am an impostor. Maybe the adamant ableism or how do you call it (not a native English speaker) I learned through my life. I realized this again when you talked about how detrimental could be to make autistic people to effectively mask their behaviour, as in this case the only benefactor is everybody except the person of concern who will suffer even more as they become invisible. Even for themselves.

[@spinthepickle1244]

Everyone, including neurotypicals, masks. What and how much is being hidden or behavior altered is different by the person and not determined by a diagnosis. Communicate your needs and practice the tolerance you hope to receive. I don't think you need to feel like an imposter because a particular viewpoint doesn't line up with your experience. You're a unique individual, afterall.

[@cc6861]

I like the analogy with the car. It doesn't drill to the specific cause of the knock (off beat sound) that is coming from my car it only tells me that it could be at least 200 other things or an additional 200 other things "wrong" with my car. That helps how? Or "how" does that help me? Also, the behavior part of your video with the focus on "look at me" behavior was so spot on. The energy that it drains from trying to "behave" and "focus" is like punishment to my psyche. This is almost like (not to this extreme) but something I have read about in the past, when students in religious schools would get the back of their hands smacked with a ruler across the knuckles by nuns if they "misbehaved." But "look" it changed the students behavior! (Heartbreaking to read) Thank you for helping me learn more from your content.

[@bobbyb9718]

“I don’t suffer from autism. I suffer from other people.” YES!!!

[@Mental_Health_Gym]

What ABA refers to as "improvement", I sometimes refer to as "con/deformity". ... To force a square peg through a round hole, they have to apply enough pressure until it "conforms" to the shape they want to see. But in the process, the pig has been forced to "deform" itself into an unnatural shape, and it will likely take significantly more time and effort to repair the damage that has been done in the process.

[@jimwilliams3816]

That was a well done critique (disclosure: of a video I have not seen). With regard to ABA, I’m going to offer one critique of what you said. Philosophically, the square peg/what is “correct” behavior arguments are on target. But I think they are vulnerable to being dismissed as mostly an argument of values and perspective. What I find appalling about ABA is that it is rooted in the modality that mental health care has traditionally utilized. For most of its history, the main objective of mental health care has been to deal with the “problems” that people with disorders cause others. It’s mostly been in my lifetime that the focus has shifted (somewhat) to trying to help an individual who is struggling live their best life. But there’s still lots of the original aim mixed in, and given that many of things that regarded as problem behaviors are more disconcerting than dangerous, it can create a horribly confusing cognitive dissonance: the patient who is faced with instructions that feel wrong, and feels that the practitioner is telling them that they are broken, yet...obviously the practitioner is there to help me! How can I be so unhappy with what they are telling me? I must in fact be a helpless, broken person. This is why so many people describe their therapeutic experiences as traumatic or gaslighting. But it’s not just a mistake in technique: it has historically been the way the “mentally ill” have been managed, and it’s essentially the same psychological technique as torture: break the person and they become submissive. ABA, in my opinion, is still steeped in this approach, and this is why people use the term “abuse.” It’s not skills acquisition, it is fundamentally teaching someone to fear doing something the “wrong way” - and autistic people already get trained to fear that. It’s learned hypervigilance. So everything you said was correct, but I think more emphasis needs to be put on the psychological damage that these techniques can inflict. Yes, the “correct behavior” model is deeply wrong, and inflicts its own judgemental damage. But we have to be careful not to make it sound like these are simply intellectual disagreements. And as it happens, I believe there is still one center in Connecticut, USA that employs electric shocks to kids. Unless they bowed to the pressure they were getting, but last I heard they hadn’t.

[@carolinejames7257]

Thank you for your comment, you make a very valid point that I have long held, but approached it from an angle that was new to me. That angle will, I think, be helpful when talking to others about this topic. 😁

[@rjparker2414]

Agree completely. Glad Paul mentioned electric shock "therapy". Frontal lobotomies, and extermination, have been used previously, too. In those historical contexts, there's improvement - but the ABA (essentially subtle shock therapy) needs to be eliminated.

[@GhostIntoTheFog]

You’re talking about the Judge Rotenberg Center in Canton, Mass. The FDA has proposed a ban on the practice and is taking public comments now.

[@towzone]

This was the first Sci-Show video which did not receive a thumbs up from me. I expected more from the channel than being othered and a checklist of weaknesses. I honestly couldn’t finish it due to not feeling seen. They still seem to be focused on how to grind the extraordinary into the bland, beige ordinary.

[@user-nk3ck4nu5f]

I really love this video and all the details. And I have a question 🙋🏻‍♀️. How do these takes relate to the level 2 or 3 ASD community? I feel like you’re perfectly outlining my experience as a verbal ASD L1. But what about those people who need full time care, who’s social traits are so severe that it can affect their everyday life to a painful degree? I don’t know what that experience is like, but sometimes I feel like our ASD low support discussions exclude them somehow.

[@spiralpython1989]

I have difficulty with the pigeon holing of autistic experience into “levels”. What might look from the outside to be someone ‘coping’, ‘succeeding’, and distinguished as “level 1” may in many ways actually experience greater impacts of their autism than someone labelled “level 3”. I find this approach is as limiting as the idea of training us into good little learners of polite behaviour. I am Audhdistic, and a mum of 3 Audhdistic YAs. Each of us could be viewed as level 1 on a good day. 2 of us have considerable communication differences that could constitute L2 or 3 on another day. 2 of us have reactions to certain experiences or sensations leading to behaviours that are well within level 2 or 3 at certain times. One of us is able to undertake paid work, but only in very specific settings and conditions. One of us has a genius IQ, but no capacity to leave the house without support, or to attend to everyday hygiene even with support. Whilst i understand the reasoning behind your comment, the problem is that the Levels approach is also extraordinarily problematic. And is another example of non-autistic people needing to categorise *us* in order to be able to feel comfortable about their own levels of non-brilliance. A better approach is to think about the individual person’s goals. What are they, and how can the individual achieve them within the framework of society and disability; regardless of their communication style/ support needs. And the levels approach begs the question, is autism a spectrum or a 3 classes category? (I actually believe it is much more complex than the whitewashing that ‘the spectrum’ suggests, but it’s better than having what is effectively a caste system applied over us by people outside of the experience.)

[@catherinethiemann9760]

Thoughtful and well balanced response. Really good job incorporating community feedback. I hope they listen!

[@raghuljayaprakash7244]

Autistics of the world, unite!

[@lumau4772]

Thanks for putting this extremely well done video together so promptly! You gave an accurate and clear summary of the most important aspects and added more context. I hope viewers of the original video will find yours and that it gives them another stepping stone for further education. Also, adding that the appropriate response would be another video specifically on neurodivergence was such a good, constructive suggestion! Hopefully they will take you on on that one and get in touch. Well done, Paul!

[@cognitionignition]

Paul, thank you for making this. I saw the SciShow video in my suggestions but initially decided not to watch it -- even though, on the whole, I love Hank and the team over there. I know their video will get a LOT of views, though, and it's great to see that a measured response to it has been produced by a respected member of the autistic community. As someone who grew up with their early childhood diagnosis hidden from them, but was "trained to be normal" using a nighmarish homebrewed version of ABA + Evangelical "tough love" approach, I cannot over-emphasize the importance of making sure reliable information about autism is made available to a young audience likely to include autistic people who have been confused or misled about their situation for their entire lives. I'm certain SciShow aimed in good faith to provide good information to that particular audience segment among their other viewers. But as you and others have pointed out, it missed the mark in some key respects. I am grateful to be able to recommend this to anybody who watched the other video and thinks they know all they need to know from SciShow.

[@ThroughTheLensOfAutism]

This reminds me of Apollo 13, fitting a square filter into a round peg. It takes a lot of work and ingenuity.

[@adalon378]

Post watching note... Therapists never seem to talk much about meldowns and autistic burnouts, which are the consequences of living with an autistic brain... The scishow video also doesn't mention any of it (symptoms that matter the most... even for society). The assumption seems to still be that autism probably gets better with age, except that it doesn't, we are just too burned out and defeated to even speak out...

[@rjparker2414]

Well, at nearly 70, I'm hyper-vocal/ noisy when I have meltdowns (which I try to avoid by removing myself, doing soothing activities, but can't always control environs)... I don't care to be "polite" or "fit in" anymore. If they think I'm an eccentric, crazy, old lady, fine. Then leave me alone, and let me be. I'm more more outspoken now - and less self-suppressed (I've thrown my NT internalized expectations/ shackles off).

[@molchmolchmolchmolch]

Thank you for the great explanations. I really appreciate that you put forward actual concrete arguments instead of just emotion and chaotic thoughts. I feel like your video is a really good example and template of how to deal with controversial views or information

[@JonBrase]

7:13 The cause of autism is a hugely important question. I'm not aware of any late-diagnosed individuals that don't wish they had known years or decades earlier. Early and accurate diagnosis is critical to our mental health and quality of life simply in terms of knowing who we are. So developing the knowledge to define autism in terms of easily measurable biological parameters instead of in terms of behavioral patterns that are harder to quantify, is something that we desperately need.

[@lisedenmark]

Well, let me introduce myself. I'm Lise. Diagnosed at 54; 5 years ago. Now you are aware of one late diagnosed individual that doesn't have a wish that they were diagnosed earlier. ;-) I think the almost total focus in research on finding the cause of autism is horribly off, and I would prefer a lot more research funds going into things that will actually help us in our real Autistic lives. I totally agree that knowing your own neurotype is important and should be known as early as possible - but not because there necessarily is a problem to be solved. As you say: Because it's good to know who we are.

[@rjparker2414]

Autism may be a naturally occurring genetic experiment, to improve the species. Hence Albert Einstein, et al. Temple Grandin's advocacy of those who "think outside the box" as primary ways society advances. Autism is a problem to those who demand societal conformity; they're the ones who make us feel "weird", hence in reality, their intolerance is the "problem", not us. Re biological research into autism origins, funds arguably wasted - in light of above argument, a larger scope (which Paul hinted at) is researching neurodiversity - not limiting it to autism. In personal observations, of my familial roots, as well as other autistics I've known, there is a history of neurodiversity (not just autism) within the genetic line. Perhaps researching causes of neurotypicalness, makes as much sense? One of my favorite videos is "do you have neurotypical disorder?", which puts the absurdity in context. Autistic community awareness, and positive self-advocacy - helps educate neurotypicals, so they can be more accepting/ tolerant/ welcoming of all variations.

[@benedixtify]

I think the SciShow folks are good people, and if they hear the message they'll be open to the feedback. I wonder if any autistic people were involved in the creation of the video?

[@GhostIntoTheFog]

It came off as very allistic-written to me. If Autistic people worked on the video, I’d imagine they’re either closeted or haven’t engaged with the larger community.

[@memejeff]

I thought some stuff was ok but too much negative downlook on the spectrum as a whole. I think you did a great job breaking down the whitepapers. Lots of good points of why correlation does not mean that it is causative.

[@linden5165]

I don't know why SciShow didn't find some actual autistic people who work in research, education or consultation to look over their script and give feedback before they rolled it out. I had quite a long list of critiques - both in terms of the quality of information they presented, but also around epistemic injustice.

[@cowsonzambonis6]

I’m SO glad you addressed this video! I saw how many views it got, and was hoping it would be good, but didn’t feel as happy with it as I had hoped. I hope they watch this video and do another video of their own in the future.

[@WillemPenn]

Thank you! I am a late diagnosed adult. One of the things that kept me from being diagnosed was I do make eye contact. I had no formal ABA as a child, but when you described it I realized that is exactly what my father did to me. He would literally hit me to make me make eye contact with people. I am nauseous just writing this. So yes, I also have cPTSD.

[@GhostIntoTheFog]

Thank you for sharing. I’m so sorry you experienced such abuse.

[@springtwigz]

I’m freshly diagnosed at the age of 30. I’ve been heavily masking my entire life And since the pandemic I’ve completely shut down and barely leave my apartment. I’m not sure how I’m going to deal with the situation from now on. I’m starting to see some troublesome things in the recommendations the clinic made.(It’s the only clinic that diagnoses autism that is covered by the Canadian health insurance in our area) but thanks for showing me this analysis of the SciShow video. I’ve loved their videos for years, I wasn’t expecting them to make one about autism, but I guess they are really just focused on the scientific aspect of it. I doubt it was their intention to make a cringe video!

[@Lutan_the_fey]

That is a very accurate summary. I would have been kinder in most points, since they really seemed to have made an effort. But regarding ABA I could not agree more. Thank you for putting this out there.

[@brightbeacon]

This was excellent. Thank you, Paul, for taking such care to craft such a well thought out response.

[@margefoyle6796]

Fantastic response! Exactly what I thought as I watched the SciShow episode earlier this week.

[@ryanjamesloyd6733]

Pretty sure there are several people on the SciShow staff who are Us. I give them some grace of having to be fair to the "official view", being the scientific consensus, which we all know is a bit lacking to put it mildly.

[@ryanjamesloyd6733]

(like I would probably ping Hank as being kindred. Maybe not, but i'm pretty sure)

[@ewestner]

​@@ryanjamesloyd6733I suspect Hank is at least ADHD, but I can't remember if I have seen confirmation of this or if my suspicion is all in my head. 🤷‍♀️

[@ryanjamesloyd6733]

@@ewestner He just sets off my "one of Us" vibes.

[@ewestner]

@ryanjamesloyd6733 haha, yup. I was only diagnosed ADHD last year (suspect AuDHD though) and I keep wondering how ok it is to armchair diagnose others with it.......but I see us alllllll over the place now.

[@ryanjamesloyd6733]

@@ewestner that is my suspicion of my own self as well. It fits far too well.

[@Joss0051]

Once again your video is very precise and comprehensive. Thanks for all the work in making this. Warm regards Joseph

[@surbs500]

Hi I’m a clinical psychologist and really appreciate how your video helped me understand what my clients may be experiencing during neuropsychological testing. I’m hoping to get a sense of what recommendations to make instead of the traditional ABA and neurology consults. Will be looking more into the social model ❤

[@daysleeper7209]

I'm glad you made this video and I hope the SciShow folks see it. I know they always strive for accurate, helpful information in their videos, so their viewers trust them and probably won't question anything in that video. I know I usually don't. The only reason I know about ABA is because when my child was very young I learned about the full autistic experience from Actually Autistic adults. Prior to that we were trying therapies that the pediatrician told us to, and we didn't know any better yet. The therapists didn't know what was good for him either; one told us to restrict him from his special interest because he was, well, too interested.

[@Dstctelt]

Thank you very much for making this video. I truly hope Sci-Show watches this.

[@borderedge6465]

Fantastic review, Paul. Thank you.

[@comettripper]

It's so wild to think you might have come across my comment in that video. I will admit, I didn't see the whole video bc I knew by the tone that it wasn't gonna get better. Hank and John were a small hyperfixation of mine for a bit and I didn't wanna risk getting really hurt. Idk if I'll watch your full video either. But I'm really happy you're speaking out and being brave and I'm sure that Hank will take this in consideration if he watches it. Well, I hope. Thanks for talking about this ♡ It makes me feel relieved when I remeber that when we're too tired and scared to keep trying to make ppl understand things (after all, communication is a struggle for us and it takes A Lot of energy), someone else can still be there and that's why it's so important that we fight together ♡

[@cathyfrancis1951]

That was an amazing response video, thank you.

[@VCJyJ2010]

Thank you Paul, always a pleasure to hear you Jeannette

[@kimthomas8535]

Looking forward to this, thank you.

[@lindaT82]

Excellent review/analysis!! Yes, we can hope...✨

[@mariocastelan6721]

Thank you for this video, and in general for all the passion you put on your channel and contents ❤

[@catfursoup]

absolutely amazing video! covered all my thoughts while watching the scishow episode, thank you for this :-)

[@NFSMAN50]

It's always good to see you Paul!! Very informative video forsure!!

[@thecat3309]

Thanks for such a clear, concise and well-structured video.

[@FreeToBeZii]

A fantastic response 💕 I really appreciate how you broke down exactly where and what they got wrong and applied real knowledge and for lack of a better word right now receipts to back it up! I love Vlog Brothers and Scishow, it's clear they wanted to do a video that was helpful, and I do hope they respond to this one!

[@intellectgrime]

Great video, with valuable insights. Thanks for making it!

[@zanetpieterse7933]

I refused from the onset to expose my autistic son to any sort of ABA therapy, for the exact reason critics of this raises. I found the "Son Rise" home-based program (which my son's school willingly integrated with Floortime and other more appropriate strategies suitable to him individually) very valuable, kind and successful. He is as unique as any individual out there and the joy of my life! Thank you to Stepping Stone Special Education School in Swakopmund, Namibia - you guys are a benchmark for autism best practice and compassion in Africa.

[@maryenthuses3088]

I think this is a really important response and thank you for it.

[@valrie1650]

I learned everything I needed to get caught up to date from this video 💕

[@Am-graphix]

Thanks as always Paul

[@dottyfulcrum]

Because of the problems with the SciShow video, I have not included in my playlist of videos about autism that I keep for my spouse to watch. I like it better when others corroborate the things I spout. Looking in the eye: eons ago, someone told me that I should look people in the eye when I talk to them. So, I did. About 10 years later, someone else said that I shouldn't look people in the eye all the time because it is unnerving for them---or, gives them the wrong impression. So, now I consciously look in the eyes, look away, look in the eyes, look away, etc. Can I follow what's being exchanged? Nope. Additionally, I have tried to explain to my spouse that looking them in the eye has as much impact emotionally for me as looking at their elbow. It's just body parts. THIS video is on my autism playlist to share with my spouse. :-)

[@gamewrit0058]

Autistic/AuDHD KZbinrs with some great vids on the subject include Ponderful, Yo Samdy Sam, I Am MindBlind, and Purple Ella. 💜♾️

[@mayaenglish5424]

Wow that sounds super annoying and unhelpful. To clarify, there is a sort of unspoken time limit with the eye contact thing, too much and it becomes too intimate or creepy or intimidating whereas not enough eye contact and you seem to not be paying attention. I'm sure that is very annoying to hear, but I figured you would at least like some sort of explanation. I've struggled with this a tiny bit as well, constantly looking out the window or doodling, paying perfect attention to the teacher yet still getting called out for not paying attention.

[@NeurodiverJENNt]

Absolutely excellent video Paul. I watched it a few hours after it was put out. Was glad to see many peoples opinions mirrored mine. Pretty decent compared to what I have seen.

[@michaeljohn7398]

Thank you for one of the most Intelligent and Articulate Dissections of our Current Health, Medical and Science Based Approach to Autism. Your Calm & Rational approach is like a breath of fresh air in a stifling room of choking, old anecdotal ideas. Your excellent contribution to this most important matter cannot be overstated. Please keep up the great work. Again, many thanks. Cheers from Michael. Australia..

[@robsand8037]

Thanks for putting words to my life experience. Great channel.

[@tubbydammer]

Excellent analysis. Thank you!

[@stefansauvageonwhat-a-twis1369]

I think they did a good job, it is a science channel so I can see them trying to give a scientific explanation of it and different perspectives like that ABA exists but is controversial, but the reserved aspect would be fine if they went deeper into it, its not a topic that can be quickly glanced over. Good points I too was surprised of the Double Empathy problem mention heh

[@MiroslavHundak]

Excellent video. I hope Sci Show people see this and make suggested improvements in future videos that talk about autism and/or neurodiversity.

[@chong2389]

We live in a society that is addicted to the 'quick fix' and the 'othering' of anything that diverges ftom the accepted social norms. In my opinion, ABA 'therapy' is equivalent to the former Soviet Union forcing its member states to only communicate in Russian. In both cases, fear was/is used to motivate the individual to change their behaviour. The overarching motive behind both cases is control of the individual. Both willfully ignore the root cause of the 'unwanted' behaviour in favour of eliminating it via brute force. Understanding 'why' is irrelevant to those in control. By another name it's aversion therapy. What's worse, living in fear of social situations or living in fear of sudden pain?

[@ZSchrink]

Excellent measured response. Not angry or pointed, but clear and as collaborative as a response video could be. I appreciate that.

[@Domineas]

Very well said, Paul!

[@KxNOxUTA]

I'm on the ADHD part of the neurodiversity spectrum. And I'd like to thank you for this video. I agree a lot with you and I really like how you explain everything.

[@trueDenakori]

Fantastic video, thank you so much!

[@falcolf]

Thank you for this video, I haven't been brave enough to watch the Scishow episode yet.❤

[@blackfrost273industries4]

Those are all valid points. It is a sight for sore eyes that they are now being said. Not the video talked about, but the comments you made. And the ideas you communicated as well as the effects. They do make a difference.

[@TheSquidworm]

Brilliant and very important response. I hope SciShow sees this and makes contact with you

[@ten-hx2xi]

ty for this video :) i had such strong feelings about that video but i didn’t wanna leave a hate comment yk? ty for speaking up for us who are too anxious to make a video, i hope they make a redo video about “what is autism?” and cover every facet as in depth as possible

[@basslinedan2]

Very good, well explained response, thanks Paul. Especially the latter part of the video re trained behaviours.

[@Prefer2Hibrn8]

i'm just waiting to watch it before i comment

[@mileschristophermorales]

Thank you for explaining what was eating inside of me after watching SciShow’s video!

[@MissMaryLu]

Yes! Thank you for this. My partner and I (both ASD) discussed ALL of these same points after watching the video. I’ve been a longtime fan of the Green brothers and want them to succeed. I wish they had consulted more autistic people on the script before publishing.

[@user-xd5cb1tg7o]

This is really really really good. Getting someone to behave a certain way, just to "fit in" to certain social standards does NOT mean you "fixed" or made them "better". We MUST look at things from all angles. It baffles me that so many of us on the autism spectrum had no other choice but to mask, or that we do so to not freak people out. But what are the rest doing to accomodate US?

[@SalivatingSteve]

I have ADHD and care for an autistic relative. I have a hard time understanding what people mean when they say masking? For me with ADHD, it can be difficult to shut up sometimes, but it’s better for me to quit talking and be quiet and try to pay attention in class. Manners are still important in any functional society. I’ve had to learn many COPING strategies, such as better time management and organizational skills, keeping a calendar, setting alarms, and various reminders in order to navigate life as an adult with ADHD. Like many autistic people, I do best with a regular schedule that has a routine. Post-modernist ideology has no place in mental health care. What kinds of accommodations do you think should be implemented?

[@user-xd5cb1tg7o]

@@SalivatingSteve Masking is when you become like someone else so that they would feel comfortable with you or so that you are safe from them acting like idiots because they're not use to a wide diversity of humans. For example we have different ways of "stemming" and it sometimes does look strange to other people. It's got nothing to do with manners at all. It's rude to say that people who has different brain "must" comply to a certain type of group of people if they are literally wired differently. The system is flawed. They want everyone to fit in the same box. Mental health system also very flawed. This is something that can be discussed for days on end. We are all learning. Yes- We can and we have all learned to act a certain way. Just like a cat will act like a dog because he grew up with one. That does not mean, you are "acting appropriately". You are still a cat. Unfortunately, we cant see each other's brains walking around and expect everyone to be the same. We shouldn't think that everyone with some extreme differences in their brains MUST act the similar. That idea itself is madness.

[@erinancientelements]

As always, well said!

[@starfoxloves]

Really well done, Paul 💛

[@ollie_acorn]

This was a great response video! Encompassed a lot of the feelings I had about the scishow video. While it was made with good intents and in a lot of ways did help progress a better mainstream understanding of autism, it failed to recognize the systems at play. I think Scishow could stand to give more attention to the truth that science is not and never has been unbiased. What questions get funding, who is studied, and who gets to do the studying will always be important, and that shows especially when it comes to science around historically and socially marginalized groups.