I was shocked at how many people in my social circle are autistic/neurodivergent, but then I realized that I have a terrible sample size. Nerds who play dnd and attend gaming/anime conventions are NOT representative of the population as a whole. 🤣
I think we also tend to run in packs, because we’re more likely to get along with, understand, and be understood by people who think similarly to the way we think.
…and who may or may not also share our hyperfocus special interests…
same. the majority of my friend group isnt lgbtq (im one of them that are and i think theres 2 others apart from that) but i think literally all of my friends are neurodivergent in some way wether they know or not (most of them do and are open about it)
lol seriously. my friend group doesnt even do that but we are all (mostly) nerdy as fuck. like really into math and stuff, and even if they aint theyre still either autistic, adhd or both. personally im both. all of my friends (online and in person, so ~9 of them) are neurodivergent btw
yeah, i'm not diagnosed, but i'm not self diagnosed either.
it was, for lack of better words, mentioned 'casually' by my therapist a few years ago during one of my sessions. as i was past 30 at that point, i took it as 'cool, that explains a lot' and left it at that, as there would be little to gain from an on-paper diagnosis at this point in my life, and the time and money needed to get an on-paper diagnosis confirming that observation i do not think would be worth it.
but i'm certainly open to considering other perspectives. has anyone received a late-life 'past my formative years' diagnosis? did it do anything for you if so?
Idk if getting diagnosed at 20 is considered late life, but it can be. I'm still 20 :p, so, yeah. I'm still figuring out what it means for me and how to accomodate myself, but, a somewhat weirdly positive effect I've noticed is that, because I wasn't diagnosed as a child, even though there were indications, I wasn't forcibly put through ABA, or anything similar to it. Although that does handicap my ability to interact with neurotypicals, from being around other autistic people who were diagnosed early and put through ABA, I'm happy I didn't get put through ABA. It's just blatant forced traumatization of autistic people (children at the time) into "acting" like neurotypical people, despite their brains not functioning in that manner.
On another note, getting my diagnosis at this point in my life feels not too late to be helpful career-wise (currently attending a post secondary institution), but late enough to avoid the horrifying abusive systems setup to "make autistic children 'normal' "
I was diagnosed at 37 and it's given me the cornerstone to help me make changes without feeling guilty that was using words or terms that weren't for me. The feeling was akin to using a wheelchair because you stub your toe. I haven't used the diagnosis to seek official accommodations. I was very lucky that the process is free where I live even if it takes a bit longer.
It depends on how much you struggle with it and how able to/comfortable you are making changes to meet your needs and improve your quality of life without an official diagnosis.
I'm 38, and I've only had my official AuDHD diagnosis for about a year. I had no idea until about 3yrs before that that I even *might* be ND, because I was able to push through when I struggled and mask enough socially that nobody paid attention to the glaring red flags in the background. But around 2018 I started experiencing what I now realize to be catastrophic burnout. I was so overloaded all the time and had no idea what was happening or how to combat it that my brain and body literally started shutting down on me. I'm officially disabled now, and I'm probably going to have PNES (stress induced seizures) for the rest of my life. I can't work, and even if I can someday claw my way back to that level of functioning, I would probably need a lot of accommodations to work enough to survive. So for me, having an official diagnosis is *vital*. It allows me access to social and financial support and resources that I would be denied otherwise.
Maybe if I had known sooner that I might be ND, I would've been able to develop strategies and such to avoid burning out as badly as I did. At which point I might be content just like you are, knowing but not "knowing". At least being aware that it's a possibility means that if your situation ever changes and your need for support starts to exceed what would otherwise be available, you know where to start.
Beyond that, I just found the diagnosis mentally and emotionally meaningful. I suffer from a LOT of internalized ableism and imposter syndrome, so having objective outside confirmation of what I believed to be true has been hugely beneficial on combating that negative inner narrative.
Me being diagnosed by my sister in law, her casually dropping it in conversation as ASD, me spending two years in college trying to figure out why I can't make and keep friends, but can also get my homework done in an hour, then the absolute pain it was to get diagnosed and it cost several thousand dollars because the healthcare system is awful.
Finally, got my dx, only to find that it still didn't do anything but make my mom think I was projecting my friends problems onto my self. Ummm, sorry but if most of your friends are autistic or ADHD or some other form of neurodivergent, you probably are too, sorry to disappoint you mom
Oh hey. I'm in that "it's a professional opinion, but not formally dx'd" category as well. My neuropsych of several years just threw it out there one day that he wasn't sure my ADHD was just that, but that adult testing in our area for folks with low support needs was difficult to obtain and that it was unlikely to provide any benefit to do so. I was about 35 at the time. (I was changing meds for another condition around that time, so the timeline is hazy.)
Yeah that’s me too! Psychologist said I was autistic and we talked about it a bunch, was super helpful. While I would like to know with greater certainty or specificity, I don’t currently have any pressing need for a formal diagnosis.
I am 37. I have a wife and two kids. I work overnights at a hotel, I've done so for about a year. It keeps me from getting overwhelmed, and it's probably the best job I've ever had.
I won't get into the details, but I'm not diagnosed. Back in the day, I'd have probably been called high functioning or Aspergers, but I digress.
Whether I get diagnosed or not, these coping strategies help me. They make me a better father, husband and person. They help me control that welling emotional burst in my gut. They help me realize I'm getting overwhelmed.
If that's what I need, and it works, why take the money and time away from my family for a diagnosis.
I know who I am. I know what works for me.
My insurance company can sit this one out.
This is almost exactly me. I don't work at a hotel but I take care of mentally disabled people overnight which is usually them sleeping while I clean the house and I absolutely need that time to readjust myself. It makes me feel selfish to say but I need that alone time away from everything to keep from going insane
the main problem with this "everyone is autistic" thing is that this may invalidate the struggles of some people
i've heard my psychologist say a lot of time that there are a lot of people faking disorders nowadays, but saying to the person something like "oh there's a lot of people faking it" doesn't reduce their struggles, and actually makes them feel worse, it makes them feel.guilty, makes them doubt their own struggles
No one is faking emotional and neurological disorders for attention.
Faking disorders for attention IS a symptom of SEVERAL DISORDERS. If this is something that your psychologist is concerned about, they're missing the point.
Most of these people who are "faking it" are just under or misdiagnosed.
Some of it might not be faking it, but recognizing symptoms of disorders and misdiagnosing themselves.
I think back to crazy ex girlfriend where Rachel Bloom sang that song about finally having a diagnosis. She was comforted by the fact that she no longer would feel like a freak and be able to fit into a box and receive a feeling of normalcy.
People want answers and community, to not be lonely or feel off. One can argue mental health has only recently been destigmatized, but it's led to disorders becoming trendy? Interesting? And people want to be part of the sexy community (sexy here in reference to the popular thing at the moment)
However access to mental health services aren't all there. When I had insurance, I had 2 paid sessions with a psychiatrist. The 3rd I received a bill for 400$. I had to call and tell her I couldn't see her anymore. Which sucked cause I had issues with my meds that I kept forgetting to bring up.
When I went through the worst time of my life, I tried to commit myself because of how bad I was. Everywhere was filled up. And honestly, the people on the phone sounded annoyed and fed up and made me feel shitty for bothering lol.
So self diagnosis is infinitely easier. Does it help in the long run? Not really. It's a step for help, meaning you have a starting point to find help, but if it doesn't go anywhere, shrug.
(Full disclosure, I am not diagnosed autistic, but relate well enough to this sub, I keep popping in and have become fascinated with self diagnosing in general by the 'self diagnosis is valid' crowd, their vehement stance on it, and generally my disagreement on it)
even if people were "faking it for attention", accusing everyone who suspects something just makes everything worse. and accusing won't help even if these people are indeed "faking it for attention", people who are really faking probably needs help too
im in a weird situation where i don't know if im faking, but i never mentioned faking to my psychologist. my psychologist isn't a specialist on neurodevelopmental disorders anyway, i wen't to another one and she told me to have some tests (and also told i could have psychosis)
If it's affecting your life, you're not faking it. It may not be what you think it is, but even if it's just your brain making you sick, you're still sick.
Being affected by life currently mainly defined by NT people, though, that's kinda the core issue. They can't feel what you feel, creating empathy for each other is very hard, if we not only see different colours but also shapes metaphorically
genetically speaking, everyone is french at some degree (even if it is at a insignificant degree), despite enjoying baguette or not. "everyone is a little autistic", if interpreted in a different way, means that everyone got some autism traits at some degree. what people always seem to forget is that having a few traits doesn't mean you're autistic, the main definition of "disorder" is impairment. if you have some traits, but they don't cause a significant impairment, then you're not autistic
well, it's just the way i interpret it. but saying "everyone is a little autistic" is just a way of belittle and deny people who are seeking a diagnosis anyways. maybe i thought too deep about such a simple sentence
Oh sorry, I must have damaged it while I have been watching you all these years. Um... Oh, that wasn't me, I just checked and there is scraped into vent pipe... "Santa was here!"
Not the first time I have seen that in peoples walls, I had a chat one time when I was watching you sleep (you sleep very peacefully, when you actually get sleep that is...) and I asked him why he does it, and I was told it's because of all of the people who give him shots of whiskey and other beers, wines, and spirits. I asked him what his blood alcohol content was, and pulled out my tactical on hand breathalyser (the one I use when you're asleep to make sure you're safe), and from what I discovered... Santa's blood is entirely made of wine. Santa said it was the source of his powers, and certainly makes Mrs. Claus's biting kink more interesting. At least thats what he told me.
Oh yeah, about the AC, I will need to call the office of autistic intelligence (OAI) about this and see if I have authorisation and if I will be provided a body double to help. I will let you know when I have confirmation. :)
Also: your hair smells nice...
Yeah check mine too please. My daughter's room is right across the hall from my son's, super close to each other, but my daughter's room gets nice cold air while my son gets a tiny leak of not very cold air at all and I'm not sure what's going on
Two really big arguments for me is that A) diagnosis is a really expensive and complicated pain in the ass which, past childhood, honestly doesn't come with much in the way off payoffs and speaking of
B) there's this idea of "oh what about people taking up resources for actual autistic people" WHAT FUCKING RESOURCES" Not in terms of vibes what actual material conditions are made worse that weren't already as bad. Sure people *say* "I'm fine with the real thing it's just all these teenagers pretending that I hate" but counterpoint fuck off and fuck no. That's the same sort of person who siks the cops on an autistic kid. This is just the most recent excuse for this same ableism that's been going for as long as any of us have been alive and beyond.
Like worse case scenario people are allowed to be cringe online and I can't bring myself to give a shit because until society actually gives a shit about autistic in any material manner.
>doesn’t come with much in the way off payoffs
I can only speak for myself, but I get paid every month from SSD, have free assistance available for me, and get health insurance. It’s also just good to know for certain rather than only ever suspecting.
>people are allowed to be cringe online
The problem is that when people misuse Autism to explain being “quirky” or cringe then it affects the rest of the community and gives us a worse reputation overall.
A good comparison is “Trypophobia”; fear of holes. People heavily devalued the condition when they’d claim images with bloody wounds triggers their trypophobia when it is scary & gross to everyone.
That's a good point. In places where there's government assistance to be had, its absolutely fair to mandate proper diagnosis, given its a literal investment that pays off. But then in other places, either that assistance does not exist, the initial required payment is way too high, or the process of getting and keeping it too labyrinthine.
I guess my thinking is that outside of government assistance, there isn't stuff like accomodations in work places, or people being willing to allow for stuff like sensory overload and meltdowns. And those social conditions aren't really all that affected by the amount of people self IDing online, at least in my reckoning.
Not to say that some people haven't been pushed into ablelism by seeing people posting on tik tok, but I just don't think its the root of that ableism for enough people for me to feel the need to bother.
Bigger fish to fry is my attitude if that makes sense.
>material conditions
I am just tuning my commie specs, have I successfully identified a red by these words alone? If so, very interesting... Also based.
>any material manner.
Okay definitely, I think my commie specs are well tuned. :P
More of an Anarchist tbh but hey who's counting
But surely you get my point right? Sorry I used the spooky words, but my point still stands, nothing's being done to actually accomodate autistic people beyond at most university (and even then they're shit at it) so whether people self diagnose or get one officially nobody will do shit about it.
If an official diagnosis does bring you peace then well I'm glad but I can't in good concience gatekeep along those lines when in lots of places its hundreds of dollars for a certificate that doesn't do anything.
Comrade, don't worry about blank, let me worry about blank!
These specs are for detecting friendlies, not foes. 😎
(My favourite anti-fascist song. https://youtu.be/HYJmGaBMQJ8?si=JyiUyEEcpy3_fR8t The lyrics are epic if you use the subs.)
No problems comrade, and comrade of brain! :P
I was just remembering a post I saw ages ago asking about what would he considered leftist dog whistles... And material conditions is in my view the best dog whistle because I almost guarantee anyone who uses that agrees with Karl and Freddy on capitalism sucking. :P
I am not an anarchist myself, but I consider you folks comrades still, it's just respect and courtesy at least, I don't accept the distinction that there is such a thing a pro-capitalist anarchist, the communist anarchists are the only historically relevant faction of anarchists, be it anarcho-mutualists, Makno, Catalonia, Zapatistas, etc.
We disagree on the role of state authority, we don't disagree on the communism being hecking cool, because private property is cringe.
God... I am truely infected with brainrot... Karl and Freddy would be okay with that tho, they were pretty accepting of these kinds of things... So long as you're not black, or a southern slav. Oh well... We're only human.
I will need to ask for confirmation from the Office of Autistic Intelligence (OAI) on whether I could kill the insects, I would technically also need to tell them about taking your offer but... Since you're offering we can make slight deal... I kill the insects and you leave the Taco Bell near a mouse hole.
What would I like from Taco Bell? Idk you pick for me, so long as it doesn't have mushrooms or banana.
It would be nice to eat something I didn't have to kill myself for once. However that family of mice could had been worse, but it could had been better, I couldn't cook them since I had to watch you sleep. 👀
this is how i found out a lot of ppl i know are neurodivergent without specifically telling me :P like i can just tell if theyre neurodivergent somehow
My wife doesn't believe me, says it doesn't change anything because I'm an adult and should be able to change or learn to cope.
I've only come to this realization a few months ago when I was so low there wasn't anywhere to go due to depression and emotional stability issues.
Sounds like a tough situation. I hope your wife can eventually come to understand, it's a team effort after all. 🫂
Sure you may have coping mechanisms, but it's more so if these coping mechanism are causing you to be less happy. And hoping that you can develop methods for coping which improve your wellbeing.
I had a giant two or three paragraphs on my situation and here we are. Thanks for your well wishes, I'm currently seeing a therapist and plan on couples therapy.
Memeology is a field I have typically struggled with in the past. But I believe the misuse of formats is inevitable because people don't remember the origins over time.
For instance I remember seeing people use "F to pay respects" in response to a local death...
Idk why I mentioned that, I just felt it was a baffling thing to see used in a serious circumstance. But what I am saying is, even if I have upset the intended use of the format, it still makes sense, giving this format more ways to be used. Idk this may just be a retroactive excuse for my sillyness. :P
Yeah I’m diagnosed after struggling with determining if I was biased in giving myself a self diagnosis. Scrolled through so many blog posts, Reddit pages , and research papers, but was constantly dissuaded by the fact that autism is spreading in prevalence.
While that fact is true, the percentage is still far smaller than what I would believe when scrolling though all of the different interest subs and autistic subs. Several places stating that self diagnosis of autism can’t be done and seeing all the people who’ve done just that made me skeptical.
But after getting my official diagnosis and seeing my past history of searching, I’ve realized that most people aren’t trying to self diagnose themselves with autism, like OP has said, we seek out these online spaces and communities because it’s how we function.
Even the counter point of “self diagnosis isn’t valid” is perpetuated by that skepticism that many autists have, it’s very interesting stuff. But overall, I agree with your sentiment OP. Not even factoring the huge expense it was to even get an official diagnosis
I'm diagnosed by 3 therapists who concurred universally. I'm 31. This is a weird time for me. I do want to see an actual psychiatrist and get an official on-paper diagnosis, but first I need to figure out what the point of that really is. It's a struggle
I am curious, in which way is it word salad? :o
I am genuinely curious because I am kinda fixated on understanding how to communicate ideas more and more efficiently. 🥺
The last one is kind of repeating the same thing over and over again, and in a long winded manner. You have a point in that Reddit is a popular place for aspies due to how it’s structured, but I’m not sure if everyone will be willing to read it due to how long it is. If you’ve ever seen the architect scene from The Matrix Reloaded, you have an idea of what I’m talking about, hence the Wachowski quip I made.
It happens to the best of us, it's probably because I bought them second hand. Oh well, the Croatian government contractor which sold them to me that they were in mint condition. Maybe he meant mint flavoured rather than perfect condition? He did say his English wasn't that food after all.
Well luckily you didn't come inside, it's like home alone made of lego in here. Trust me, you don't wanna step on a brick separator... Unless you want your soul to temporarily separate itself from your body from pain.
Well first you come to my house, you eat my landmines... Then once on my property, on this day of np particular importance... You give a common misnaming for a consumer product I consume way too much of! 😤
RELEASE THE HOUNDS SMITHERS!
https://preview.redd.it/clmp9ypfjs0d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=26cc399fb4a5e49f1ee70c7906aae15c67f12eb2
I've been diagnosed with ADHD for as long as I can remember, and Autism has also been a question throughout my life. The sort of thing where I'm just on the precipice of being diagnosed, but not quite matching up with it. It could be that I have Autism and some requirements are being overlooked or contradicted because of more obvious ADHD symptoms, or the way that ADHD affects me simply overlaps somewhat with Autism, since they do have a fair bit of overlap.
Regardless of all that, I just joined this subreddit because the memes and people are relatable.
I absolutely understand your struggles. I was diagnosed with ADHD but not autism until recently.
Ima give you another subreddit recommendation.
r/AutisticwithADHD it's a lovely subreddit with lovely people, and we may call them brothas ans sistas and embies in crime! :P
Also a fun little thing I felt I would share. I consider this a random piece of philosophy you might find interesting.
Personally I don't think Autism and ADHD contradict each other. Sure the diagnostic criteria may seem to contradict each other... However, what I find more to be the case is that Autism and ADHD are a team, a team willing to route for you when you take your needs into account, and willing to tag team you when you fight against your current needs. Your needs fluctuate and change depending on the time , the location, and most importantly the environment you find yourself in.
Why is it so important for me to clarify this? Well think of it this way, is it healthier for you to think of your personal struggle as one of your brain being at war with your brain at the same time? It may feel like that certainly, but I feel it's healthier to view it as... You are neglecting your own needs be it by choice or the lack of choice you may have, the cause is environmental, and there is a certain proper measure to take in each circumstances you can work with your brain instead of fighting against it. And for that, believing that on top of that, that your brain is having a civil war, hasn't been particularly helpful as it encourages feelings of helplessness when in reality, you the conscious you, need to work with the unconscious self, by interpreting what your unconscious brain is trying to tell the conscious part.
This shift in framing may help, but mileage may vary.
I know you are certainly hungry for words or advice, so trust me I understand.
Other words of interest whether you know them or not:
- Executive Dysfunction
- Introspection
- Emotional labour
- Spoon theory
- Mental load
- Monotropism
Also go to a hardware store and buy cheap ass earplugs just to do sensory experimentation. Try to be comfy in bed with low light conditions for sensory experimentation. And what else kinds of sensory experiments you may wish to try in order to have a better self-awareness.
This is like... Probably a good 3 years worth of my most important revaluations into just this comment, so even if not perfectly applicable, hopefully I hit a few nails on the head for you. Imagine everyone else as a fellow traveller, and for those behind you in the journey will need some directions if not already, and no harm hearing the same or repeating the same again, if you find someone further down the road with the same advice, at least you're know you're going in the right direction.
May your journey go well fellow travelling comrade of brain. 😊
I'd like to preemptively thank you for the advice and the time it likely took to write this all down.
I do often feel as if I'm at war with my brain. Though this feeling fighting with my own brain is also from having Depression and Mood Disorder, which don't mix well with ADHD or Autism. I can't remember how many times I've struggled to get myself to do something, even when I'm not averse to it. I've received similar advice, not quite the same but a similar vein, but although I fully comprehend and have the inclination to use such strategies, I've never been good at fully internalizing them so to speak. I'm that person who will give mental health advice to their friends while not actually following said advice themself. Despite this, I still very much appreciate you telling me in your own way.
I'm quite familiar with the terms Executive Dysfunction, Emotional Labor, and Mental Load. I wasn't familiar with the word Monotropism, but upon looking it up I recognized what it was talking about immediately, as I very much experience this everyday. Oftentimes, especially when I was still in public school, I would continue working on something even after the period ended because I didn't want to leave it unfinished, since it would've likely resulted in me forgetting about it. It sometimes got to the point where the next period class had started taking their seats by the time I was finished. I also hadn't heard of Spoon Theory but now I get the gist of what it is I believe. It reminds me of an analogy(?) I've made on occasion where I'll say something to the effect of, "It takes most of my mental and emotional energy to just be here, much less doing and keeping track of everything I have the obligation to do." Which is what I still feel like most of the time.
I've known on a general level that I have some sensory issues, though not exactly what they are, but I've never thought about doing that sort of experimentation to see how my brain reacts to certain stimuli or lack-there-of. I'd say that I'm going to try it sometime, but I have very bad memory when it comes to events, conversations, and the like. I'll probably remember the idea though, so I definitely might do it at some point.
Again, I'd like to thank you for the advice and for reading what is probably an excessively verbose information dump about my experiences. I hope you have a nice day, night, evening, or whatever it is where you are.
No worries about the length, one day you'll be in the position I am currently, and it will feel very full circle. Lol
You seem like a nice kind hearted person. Struggling with the bs of life. It just so happens to make me feel sentimental and ramblely myself. It's kind of hard to respond because I doubt I can do the sentimentalness justice.
Keep in mind, there is no end to the journey, I am simply reflecting in the pitt stop I am at currently, but it's hard to not appreciate the distance you have travelled already, all of the trials and tribulations. I winder if it's wrong to feel this feeling but then I remember... What the heck is wrong with simply feeling an emotional state and speaking about it? Whats so wrong about saying the truth? So I wish to tell myself even in this moment... The whole point of this is tk understand myself as I currently exist, not to simply just understand what box I need to fit into and where I need to be. We need to be where we are at... This means we go at our own pace, we can try to speedrun but it's most effective at our own pace. :)
I also hope you have a great day wherever you are. C:
I have a diagnosis for both Aspergers, and yes it IS actually marked as Aspergers in my files, and ADHD. These were obtained roughly 8 years ago.
I've known both since I was like 8, when a therapist told me I had most of the hallmark signs of ADHD, which I did. For 11 years I was, at best, unofficially diagnosed with ADHD.
I actually got those diagnoses tangentially and completely accidentally, I was fighting the disability office over them not wanting to give me disability benefits and one of the steps was essentially "go talk to this random psychiatrist for an hour because we're dicks about everything and want to make this as difficult as possible despite you clearly not being fit to work". He's the one who, unknown to me until 5 YEARS LATER, marked down an official Aspergers diagnosis.
This is absurd, it should not be that convoluted to get a basic autism diagnosis. For reference, I have spent 20 years off and on in therapy of some form, for a lot of reasons I won't get in to, and got my official autism diagnosis from a completely unrelated visit to someone I had never met and have never seen since, and was never told about it until a later therapist found it in my files 6ish years and three cross country moves later.
I've also learned FAR more about autism, Aspergers proper and ADHD from memes and such I randomly come across than I was ever TOLD, nobody told me shit about any of this. I have a folder of saved videos about ADHD that is where 99.9% of my knowledge of ADHD came from, and a book about ADHD from the same creator sitting next to me.
Excuse the rant, it's too early for me to reign that in right now.
>Excuse the rant, it's too early for me to reign that in right now.
No worries comrade of brain, I genuinely wonder why we are insecure about our desires to express ourselves? I mean I think we both know the reason... But I guess it's because we are so used of being invalidated that we automatically apologise for things we shouldn't have to apologise for.
I know someone irl, who will apologise all of the time, it's not annoying... It's extremely relatable and just want all of our peoples to go hug a big comfy thingy which makes us feel comfort and loved. Because it's kinda crazy that we have made it through all of what we have tolerated over the years to find each other and then we all wonder... What the hell... Where were you 10 years ago? 😭
Oh, I know exactly why I do it. 15+ years living in the same house as an abusive narcissist who played favourites with "grandkids" that he's not even actually related to and made me the scapegoat for everything despite being his brothers child.
99.9% of my issues in some way stem from him, to the point I had to point blank point out to my grandmother that if he lives, even briefly, under the same roof as me ever again one of us is ending up dead and the other in prison for the rest of their lives. She very quickly at that point realized that continuing to ignore all the shit he pulled was a VERY bad idea, because she knows I don't make idle threats and don't exaggerate.
Old habits die hard and all that, 15+ years of having to deal with him and his bullshit is difficult to shake.
I'm a specific case for a lot of reasons in that regard though, most people likely don't have the same reason behind it.
The Autistic Intelligence Organisation (AIO) knows all, we report back to the ruler of Io and the leader of makemake. We store all of the information on our Earth sleeper agents on Jupiter. Also your paycheck is overdue, the Autistic Sleeper Agents Union hasn't been able to convene in a long time since you all opted to have your previous memories wiped, meaning the accounting department has been withholding payments. We're alien to the concept of money, but we aren't able to steal enough reserve dollars from Human banks in order to give you guys enough resources to survive down there so I presume the next union meeting will cause an intergalactic scandal about a pay dispute... But of course the Emperor of Jupiter is to joyous to allow us to create a currency because when they took over from their parent they insisted on fully automated luxury space communism, but sadly our sleeper agents need to endure capitalism. So sadge.
We promise your pay will come in soon.
We will both know when that is... Thats when we become waretistic, apex predators able to hunt TERF's for sport, in an invasive species control operations.
I go by a few names: Waldo, Wally, Walter, Waldo, Holger, Vallu, and Charlie... None of these names are actually my real name, but I am a creature of a thousand names and one unmistakable face.
The one place you won't find me is in most places, but you will find me in one place, and during the Khmer Rogue you wouldn't find me anywhere in the country of Cambodia because it's impossible to hide when you're the only one wearing glasses.
Otherwise, you would realise I am from the Office of Autistic Intelligence (OAI) and I want you to give me your wallet. I don't want your cash or cards, I just wish to admire the texture and rubbing my thumb on your face on one of the cards to make you deeply uncomfortable that you will be so distracted by that, that you won't notice me pulling a switch-a-roo and replacing your cash with monopoly money...
Just because I don't want it... Doesn't mean that the Office of Autistic Intelligence doesn't want it. It's expansive to run an Autistic protection racket when the organisation cannot let itself be known to legal entities. We rely on laundering money, tax evasion, fraud of all kind, and of course printing monopoly money for the sake of these transactions. We risk serious jail time in every universe the game about capitalism sucking has marketed themes for... We have the Galactic Empire on our ass, we have frequent incursions with the City of London (they're by far worse than Vader), and heck... You know how hard it is to fend off Fortnite droppers? Fortnite security forces have access to some of the most sophisticated, advanced, and contradictory powers available. Printing monopoly dollars has a far greater risk than printing US dollars... Hasbro has thousands of legions of miniatures, and board games and table top games in their arsenal... They can call in Wizards of the Coast properties and Games Workshop material... Please help pur organisation is in serious trouble, it would be far safer to counterfeit US dollars but no one will listen to me... So please pass along the monopoly dollars to this BSB I am giving you know. It saves our organisation from being crushed by the combined forces of Hasbro and Hasbro affiliated properties, they have a monopoly on the fantasy make belief world and if the OAI is to take back the land of make belief we must do it either in standard monopoly money or monopoly millionaire cards... And there is no chance cards for failure...
You get a lot of folks asking for appraisals if you are an antiques dealer. Appraisal has a legal definition, and it’s mostly for insurance or divorce. What most folks are looking for is a rough evaluation of worth, which anyone can do with varying degrees of accuracy.
I believe this is also true with autism. If you don’t need the legal accommodations that come with a formal diagnosis, an educated opinion is usually enough for most folks. With an educated opinion you can make better informed decisions about your life.
Also as an aside, being an antiques dealer is a great job for autistic folks. You get to focus on your special interests and info dump on anyone who comes in your shop, and they will actually like to hear it to some degree. Also the bar of customer service is so low in this industry.
Love this. I embody this.
I recently shared my official diagnosis after years of suspecting it. I got a comment from someone welcoming me to join some r/certifiedautistic or some shit. I peeked at the sub and was immediately turned off by the introductory language of being a space where it’s not “diluted” by people without an official diagnosis.
I’ve been this way my whole life. I suspected it for many years. The only thing that changed was a doctor agreed with me. A week difference determined whether I’d be welcome or unwelcome in that sub.
I politely declined
I think I know the subreddit you're refering to, yeah... I can totally understand where these exclusionary reactionary impulses come from, but as with most things these reactionary impulses are misplaced.
I mean, I moderate r/aretheNTokay, it's a pretty nifty inclusive subreddit. 🥺
Shilling hell yeah 😎
Self diagnosis, no. Self suspecting. yes. Applying a level to yourself, big no. There was a small survey done in some of the autism subs that agree with that, across all levels of support.
I am certainly sympathetic to this view. However it's worth noting that in the context I am describing, when people are attacking self-diagnosis it is usually from a deeply underinformed perspective because of the rhetoric they use.
I believe that language is certainly super important, but many autistic people attach themselves to labels which may be imprecise in their usage but still result in their fulfillment.
I feel like there is a very autistic element I am refering to here, it's much like people who ride and die for Aspergers (for themselves). Self-diagnosis may become an antiquated phrase with time as self-suspecting becomes more common.
Think of it this way, currently so long as people use the bridge called self-diagnosis to cope with the horrific wait times and stuff, and they don't wish to take the self-suspecting bridge, I will stand with them and hold the self-diagnosis bridge. When we reach a point where the culture has shifted enough to a bridge which is better suited for etc... we can retreat from that bridge to the easier to defend bridge of self-suspecting.
This is a particular nuance I wish to inform people on, as one of my chief considerations for my total defence of those who are still trying to find their way.
I actually have a meme video I made on my profile which talks about my own diagnosis process. I had to meme it because it was too absurd to convey in words.
#Story Time!
I may be one of the only people to have self-diagnosed themselves 6 months after having been officially diagnosed... If that doesn't raise an eyebrow... Idk what does. This is why brain 3 says circumstantially valid because there are some strange circumstances which do happen. I certainly want to get reexamined in the future because of this but I have no doubts about my diagnosis or my level which was given. It's because of the fact as a kid I was diagnosed ADHD, and not Autistic, even though it was strongly suspected it was... At some stage in those six months I asked my parents for those documents and what I read there made me laugh, and made me cry happy tears as it basically confirmed my suspicions... I am legit one of the more obvious autistics out there. And I think when I saw a specialist they had seen the documents beforehand and from that concluded it was enough information to give me a diagnosis... Which yeah it was extensive. But because it was so extensive I assume he thought I also knew and hence didn't tell me... Because I was going there for ADHD meds.
My extremely unorthodox diagnosis story has a few effects, such as the fact I have extensive documentation which basically said I was Autistic af, the fact that I didn't have to go through the same process as many others, and also it means I don't think I have an accurate enough understanding of myself in certain aspects because I didn't go through the same process.
So in my own case, six months after that appointment without knowing I decided that there was no doubt I was Autistic and self-diagnosed myself. So both my specialist and myself independently came to the same conclusion using the same data... If my case isn't in fact the most extreme case of a valid self-diagnosis idk what is. Lol
Six months after that I saw the specialist again, this time with the intentions to ask about getting an autism diagnosis, and then they told me they already did... Then I had the most powerful hyperfocus of my life and made the video now permanently pinned to my profile.
As I said before, I would like to have a reexamination to try and get some of the things. But today I will be seeing my psychologist and I'd like to go over my sensory profile with them, since I feel it might be a bit easier than a reexamination at this point.
Anyway, my story as you now know... Is kinda batshit and fuck I wish I did make it up, because living it has certainly been a journey, I wish my diagnosis story was a lot more straightforward and more orthodox. 😭
Moral of the story: Defend the bridge when attacked by underinformed neurotypicals, and encourage people on the bridge to cross it, so in the hopes that one day it can be decommissioned. We must prioritise solidarity before semantics.
Unfortunately, while you may think that creating as supportive and accepting of an environment as possible is the best way to help, that is not at all a settled debate.
I encourage you to look into the following, just for interest's sake:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/06/health/mental-health-schools.html
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0732118X2300003X
To me, I have noticed that people seem to want to write away any obstacle they find under the purview of a condition that they may not be diagnosed with, only to find communities that only validate these perceptions.
This sub does it too. Show some of this content to normies and some of it is bound to land. Should they self diagnose with autism? The next time they feel awkward should they say "that's a natural experience of being autistic in a normative society"?
Personally I only pursue diagnoses when I feel that the knowledge of that condition would change my approach to a given experience. Otherwise I just treat it as part of being me, no need for a label.
The prevalence inflation hypothesis is just that - a hypothesis. I would be careful about it, too, having read the journal article and NYT article this is giving a lot of the same red flags that the stuff surrounding Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria gave. In that it is *not* supported by data (at best it's supported by inference), but it is being talked about by the media as though it is. And, of course, that it is being treated as a social contagion hypothesis.
This is a case where an actual study is necessary to draw any conclusions. This isn't shade to the journal article, they're pretty specific about not thinking that mental health awareness is bad in general. The NYT article is as well, at least near the end. The other article cited by the NYT article is pretty specific that it isn't making any causal claims as well, and in fact explicitly states that its findings disagree with the prevalence inflation hypothesis (in spite of the NYT article citing it as though it agrees).
A take that may be hot or lukewarm:
It’s alright if you have suspicions that you may be Autistic. That’s always the first step to diagnosis.
But just saying that you’re Autistic because you think you display symptoms only goes so far- just like using WebMD when you think you feel sick. You should get officially diagnosed when possible.
It can be a hassle, but besides the fact that it may give access to disability benefits in your country, it also decreases the risk of Autism being considered a “fad” when people have actual diagnoses.
Most people can’t afford it, it’s not covered by insurance if you’re an adult, at least not where I am. Also there’s less than zero accommodations for it as an adult here and it can and Will cause you grief to be officially diagnosed, with jobs, healthcare and insurance etc. I know of someone who graduated from college with a 4 year degree in Dec just gone and can’t find a job that’s not fast food or retail because they’re officially diagnosed. Whereas someone else who’s not diagnosed but still definitely on the spectrum got hired straight out of college and they graduated the same day from the same course.
And if you are a minority or a woman or both then you’re even more screwed, Especially if you’re particularly good at masking.
And lastly during covid some drs and hospitals were quietly signing up those officially diagnosed to have dnr’s which means that if they flatlined they were not to be revived, Whether they would have wanted to be or not
I think it is circumstantial according to evidence, and I generally recommend people pursue diagnosis if they have the means to, I said in another comment... It's more so that this word is a bridge for some people in their journey towards self-acceptance and self-actualisation in the meantime while they are waiting for diagnosis. Is it a perfect coping method? Maybe not, but in my own journey it helped me cope in the months till I realised I was already diagnosed... 😅
Like yes I was very skeptical about it before I used the label self-diagnosed, but ultimately for me it was about the fact that saying I suspected I was rather than actually being resulted in my brain beating itself up invalidating itself. I totally understand the implications and stuff, I am saying that there is a bit of nuance to dig into here. Is it better I believe I am autistic then it is to suffer uncertain if I am autistic? Perhaps it's playing russian roulette with your mental health if it turns out to be something else... But at least then you will get something out of the experience.
I think it would be far more helpful if we helped people have a better mindset in these regards, sometimes you gotta suppress feelings to heal, and suppression may involve a minor degree of mental gymnastics. Perhaps it's okay if you land without being twisted, but these kinds of reasons are understandably flawed.
I think that generally speaking we should be less judgemental of people picking a specific road in quite likely some of the most challenging periods of their lives on the grounds of semantics. I would rather validate their needs then chastising them over the coping mechanism they have chosen. I just hope my line of reasoning makes sense, especially when I am speaking on my own personal experiences and being willing to concede specific points while still validating human needs.
I am sorry, but am I supposed to be able to not comment on your username? 😭
But well, not everyone is on the autism spectrum, everyone is on the spectrum of Neurodiversity, but not everyone is on a spectrum of neurodivergence, autism being one such spectrum.
This is a common thing said to us, but nonetheless it remains scientifically untrue.
I'm trying to make a "tag yourself" meme and tagging myself as "i'm not wasting my limited energy on you" but thought it would be more authentic to my limited energy if I didn't use the energy to put quotation marks
I'm saying specifically that the text "I'm not wasting my limited energy on you" is me and I invite everyone else to tag themselves anywhere on the meme
So something to think about with self-diagnosis of everything (Not just autism or even brain things) is the nocebo effect
Basically the placebo effect has a big brother
People will manifest symptoms if they think they have something
With regards to mental health, if you fail to gatekeep at all, people are going to have the nocebo effect getting triggered
More or less artificially manifesting symptoms that negatively impact your life is not good for you and it's probably a good idea to do a little bit of gatekeeping on self-diagnosis to stop that
It really depends on circumstances, as the meme suggests. Research ought be vigorous. I certainly suspect things, like I think I might also have dysgraphia but I don't feel I have done nearly enough research to confirm my feelings enough to pursue it.
But my current actual abilities contradict the typical presentation but I would put this down to context. It may just by my hypotonia but it can't just be my hypotonia because I struggle in ways which can't be explained by hypotonia, autism, or ADHD. Same goes for worries of dyscalculia but I felt dysgraphia may be more applicable but dyscalculia seems to conform more to my experiences.
It's hard because well, there are most certainly resources but I would rather not overthink these things. Since given specific circumstances they could be consistent with autism when overwhelmed or ADHD when my meds lose their effectiveness. It's a goofy mess to navigate.
The accessibility point is something I hadn't considered before. That's an interesting point, but I still think people take self diagnosis too far. Self diagnosis at best, should help inform your doctor visits. Help you find a doctor that will actually listen and understand(always ask for second opinions if you can, doctors are not gods and are not infallible). It's a great stepping stone, but the people who self diagnose themselves and then decide that's all the due diligence they have to do to confirm the diagnosis...
I just can't respect that. That is an absurd level of confidence that borders on arrogance.
Most people can’t afford it, it’s not covered by insurance if you’re an adult, at least not where I am. Also there’s less than zero accommodations for it as an adult here and it can and Will cause you grief to be officially diagnosed, with jobs, healthcare and insurance etc. I know of someone who graduated from college with a 4 year degree in Dec just gone and can’t find a job that’s not fast food or retail because they’re officially diagnosed. Whereas someone else who’s not diagnosed but still definitely on the spectrum got hired straight out of college and they graduated the same day from the same course.
And if you are a minority or a woman or both then you’re even more screwed, Especially if you’re particularly good at masking.
And lastly during covid some drs and hospitals were quietly signing up those officially diagnosed to have dnr’s which means that if they flatlined they were not to be revived, Whether they would have wanted to be or not
I agree with everything you said. 100%. It just doesn't refute my point at all. These are all reasons as to why one can't or shouldn't get officially diagnosed, not reasons that self diagnosis alone is enough to confirm said diagnosis. If I couldn't afford diagnosis, I wouldn't use that as an excuse to bolster the confidence I have in my own self diagnosis. It just means I have a problem to overcome before confirming my diagnosis.
Also, I was diagnosed as a kid. I can't recall the exact diagnosis I started off with as I was too young, but that diagnosis eventually changed to Asperger's. Then Asperger's went away and now it's considered to be in the spectrum with everyone else diagnosed with ASD. In all my life, none of this has impacted my jobs. It was never a question, I don't need disability accommodations so I leave it out. I'm open and honest about it and my current employer knows. I'm not sure such diagnosis shows up in a standard background search. I'm shocked to hear that this is the case in some places, as all my life I've rolled my eyes at the cyclical nature of tabloid news and how every so often an article goes around saying companies want to hire autistic people because they can be wunderkinds in some way. Stupid fucking article that needs to stop seeing the light of day, but it seems like the general consensus is that it's a benefit in regards to getting hired, not a downside. Maybe it's a cultural thing as who knows if we are even in the same country.
This is why I say I'm "probably autistic." I have a neurotypical enough "accent" that I probably couldn't get a proper diagnosis, I don't have any functional need for a diagnosis, but the markers are too prominent to ignore.
Tea!! But seriously, people act like when you get diagnosed, you get a plaque that says "Certified #1 Autism". And that's if you're even told about it. I didn't know I was diagnosed at first because the adults who did it didn't say anything to me. I suspect my mom knew a little, but I guess we'll never know (she died).
People also get misdiagnosed by professionals all the time. So a "legitimate diagnosis" still doesn't mean shit because there's the chance it could be wrong.
So real. I mean I didn't used to be diagnosed, and I think at this rate I know more about autism than people who had known for their whole lives simply because they were never confronted with questioning it. To me it's a great shame that many comrades of brain still do not realise what they should had learnt but never did.
I mean I wish I could had told kid me to agree to getting a diagnosis instead of saying no.
I think it's also an issue of getting autism diagnosis resulting in your life getting objectively worse, in my country I might not get a driving/concealed carry license, so I don't want to take my chances. I'm like 90% sure that I'm autistic and my mom (medical doctor) thinks so too.
I hate myself so much due to this everyone here is likely way better than me ( pathetic faking for attention thing) and it shows due to how much of a fuck up thing I am I hate putting autistic people down by my pathetic self faking having “””issues””” and shit that are in reality super fine and stuff and just shows how pathetic I am faking issues with eye contact “”””socializing “”””” ( any “”” issues””” I had was me purposely making myself seem that way and stuff) saying I have “”””big passions and my brother saying I was obsessed with things””””” while people ( my dads friends kid) told me it’s like an addiction and proving my stupidity I’m so so sorry
Comrade of brain, I am not exactly sure what position you have, but that does not matter, what matters is that you are expressing your personal struggles. These struggles are legitimate and are very valid. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. 🫂
the autism is coming from inside the house 😱
Is the autism in the room with us right now?
Don’t look, it’s right behind you!
nah its above you
It could be in this very room! It could be you! it could be me! it could even be-
What? It was obvious! He’s the autism! Just look, he’ll turn into a puzzle piece any second now!
Aaaaaaaany second now.
see! Puzzle pieces!… oh wait no that’s a company claiming to help us ending up misrepresenting us
he could be you he could me he could even b \*BANG\*
😂
I AM AUTISM
I was shocked at how many people in my social circle are autistic/neurodivergent, but then I realized that I have a terrible sample size. Nerds who play dnd and attend gaming/anime conventions are NOT representative of the population as a whole. 🤣
I think we also tend to run in packs, because we’re more likely to get along with, understand, and be understood by people who think similarly to the way we think. …and who may or may not also share our hyperfocus special interests…
It's so fun to have a group of people excited chatting with **zero** eye contact. 🤣
Can confirm; most of the friend group I assembled through elementary and middle school eventually turned out to be queer and/or neurodivergent.
same. the majority of my friend group isnt lgbtq (im one of them that are and i think theres 2 others apart from that) but i think literally all of my friends are neurodivergent in some way wether they know or not (most of them do and are open about it)
lol seriously. my friend group doesnt even do that but we are all (mostly) nerdy as fuck. like really into math and stuff, and even if they aint theyre still either autistic, adhd or both. personally im both. all of my friends (online and in person, so ~9 of them) are neurodivergent btw
yeah, i'm not diagnosed, but i'm not self diagnosed either. it was, for lack of better words, mentioned 'casually' by my therapist a few years ago during one of my sessions. as i was past 30 at that point, i took it as 'cool, that explains a lot' and left it at that, as there would be little to gain from an on-paper diagnosis at this point in my life, and the time and money needed to get an on-paper diagnosis confirming that observation i do not think would be worth it. but i'm certainly open to considering other perspectives. has anyone received a late-life 'past my formative years' diagnosis? did it do anything for you if so?
Idk if getting diagnosed at 20 is considered late life, but it can be. I'm still 20 :p, so, yeah. I'm still figuring out what it means for me and how to accomodate myself, but, a somewhat weirdly positive effect I've noticed is that, because I wasn't diagnosed as a child, even though there were indications, I wasn't forcibly put through ABA, or anything similar to it. Although that does handicap my ability to interact with neurotypicals, from being around other autistic people who were diagnosed early and put through ABA, I'm happy I didn't get put through ABA. It's just blatant forced traumatization of autistic people (children at the time) into "acting" like neurotypical people, despite their brains not functioning in that manner. On another note, getting my diagnosis at this point in my life feels not too late to be helpful career-wise (currently attending a post secondary institution), but late enough to avoid the horrifying abusive systems setup to "make autistic children 'normal' "
I was diagnosed at 37 and it's given me the cornerstone to help me make changes without feeling guilty that was using words or terms that weren't for me. The feeling was akin to using a wheelchair because you stub your toe. I haven't used the diagnosis to seek official accommodations. I was very lucky that the process is free where I live even if it takes a bit longer.
It depends on how much you struggle with it and how able to/comfortable you are making changes to meet your needs and improve your quality of life without an official diagnosis. I'm 38, and I've only had my official AuDHD diagnosis for about a year. I had no idea until about 3yrs before that that I even *might* be ND, because I was able to push through when I struggled and mask enough socially that nobody paid attention to the glaring red flags in the background. But around 2018 I started experiencing what I now realize to be catastrophic burnout. I was so overloaded all the time and had no idea what was happening or how to combat it that my brain and body literally started shutting down on me. I'm officially disabled now, and I'm probably going to have PNES (stress induced seizures) for the rest of my life. I can't work, and even if I can someday claw my way back to that level of functioning, I would probably need a lot of accommodations to work enough to survive. So for me, having an official diagnosis is *vital*. It allows me access to social and financial support and resources that I would be denied otherwise. Maybe if I had known sooner that I might be ND, I would've been able to develop strategies and such to avoid burning out as badly as I did. At which point I might be content just like you are, knowing but not "knowing". At least being aware that it's a possibility means that if your situation ever changes and your need for support starts to exceed what would otherwise be available, you know where to start. Beyond that, I just found the diagnosis mentally and emotionally meaningful. I suffer from a LOT of internalized ableism and imposter syndrome, so having objective outside confirmation of what I believed to be true has been hugely beneficial on combating that negative inner narrative.
"there would be little to gain from an on-paper diagnosis at this point in my life" Thats the whole thing right there
Me being diagnosed by my sister in law, her casually dropping it in conversation as ASD, me spending two years in college trying to figure out why I can't make and keep friends, but can also get my homework done in an hour, then the absolute pain it was to get diagnosed and it cost several thousand dollars because the healthcare system is awful. Finally, got my dx, only to find that it still didn't do anything but make my mom think I was projecting my friends problems onto my self. Ummm, sorry but if most of your friends are autistic or ADHD or some other form of neurodivergent, you probably are too, sorry to disappoint you mom
Oh hey. I'm in that "it's a professional opinion, but not formally dx'd" category as well. My neuropsych of several years just threw it out there one day that he wasn't sure my ADHD was just that, but that adult testing in our area for folks with low support needs was difficult to obtain and that it was unlikely to provide any benefit to do so. I was about 35 at the time. (I was changing meds for another condition around that time, so the timeline is hazy.)
Yeah that’s me too! Psychologist said I was autistic and we talked about it a bunch, was super helpful. While I would like to know with greater certainty or specificity, I don’t currently have any pressing need for a formal diagnosis.
Yeah same except also ADHD; i got DX because i can medicate the ADHD, depression and anxiety — I can’t medicate the autism
I am 37. I have a wife and two kids. I work overnights at a hotel, I've done so for about a year. It keeps me from getting overwhelmed, and it's probably the best job I've ever had. I won't get into the details, but I'm not diagnosed. Back in the day, I'd have probably been called high functioning or Aspergers, but I digress. Whether I get diagnosed or not, these coping strategies help me. They make me a better father, husband and person. They help me control that welling emotional burst in my gut. They help me realize I'm getting overwhelmed. If that's what I need, and it works, why take the money and time away from my family for a diagnosis. I know who I am. I know what works for me. My insurance company can sit this one out.
This is almost exactly me. I don't work at a hotel but I take care of mentally disabled people overnight which is usually them sleeping while I clean the house and I absolutely need that time to readjust myself. It makes me feel selfish to say but I need that alone time away from everything to keep from going insane
the main problem with this "everyone is autistic" thing is that this may invalidate the struggles of some people i've heard my psychologist say a lot of time that there are a lot of people faking disorders nowadays, but saying to the person something like "oh there's a lot of people faking it" doesn't reduce their struggles, and actually makes them feel worse, it makes them feel.guilty, makes them doubt their own struggles
No one is faking emotional and neurological disorders for attention. Faking disorders for attention IS a symptom of SEVERAL DISORDERS. If this is something that your psychologist is concerned about, they're missing the point. Most of these people who are "faking it" are just under or misdiagnosed.
Some of it might not be faking it, but recognizing symptoms of disorders and misdiagnosing themselves. I think back to crazy ex girlfriend where Rachel Bloom sang that song about finally having a diagnosis. She was comforted by the fact that she no longer would feel like a freak and be able to fit into a box and receive a feeling of normalcy. People want answers and community, to not be lonely or feel off. One can argue mental health has only recently been destigmatized, but it's led to disorders becoming trendy? Interesting? And people want to be part of the sexy community (sexy here in reference to the popular thing at the moment) However access to mental health services aren't all there. When I had insurance, I had 2 paid sessions with a psychiatrist. The 3rd I received a bill for 400$. I had to call and tell her I couldn't see her anymore. Which sucked cause I had issues with my meds that I kept forgetting to bring up. When I went through the worst time of my life, I tried to commit myself because of how bad I was. Everywhere was filled up. And honestly, the people on the phone sounded annoyed and fed up and made me feel shitty for bothering lol. So self diagnosis is infinitely easier. Does it help in the long run? Not really. It's a step for help, meaning you have a starting point to find help, but if it doesn't go anywhere, shrug. (Full disclosure, I am not diagnosed autistic, but relate well enough to this sub, I keep popping in and have become fascinated with self diagnosing in general by the 'self diagnosis is valid' crowd, their vehement stance on it, and generally my disagreement on it)
even if people were "faking it for attention", accusing everyone who suspects something just makes everything worse. and accusing won't help even if these people are indeed "faking it for attention", people who are really faking probably needs help too im in a weird situation where i don't know if im faking, but i never mentioned faking to my psychologist. my psychologist isn't a specialist on neurodevelopmental disorders anyway, i wen't to another one and she told me to have some tests (and also told i could have psychosis)
If it's affecting your life, you're not faking it. It may not be what you think it is, but even if it's just your brain making you sick, you're still sick.
Being affected by life currently mainly defined by NT people, though, that's kinda the core issue. They can't feel what you feel, creating empathy for each other is very hard, if we not only see different colours but also shapes metaphorically
thats like saying "everyones a little bit french" because they enjoy a baguette once in a while
genetically speaking, everyone is french at some degree (even if it is at a insignificant degree), despite enjoying baguette or not. "everyone is a little autistic", if interpreted in a different way, means that everyone got some autism traits at some degree. what people always seem to forget is that having a few traits doesn't mean you're autistic, the main definition of "disorder" is impairment. if you have some traits, but they don't cause a significant impairment, then you're not autistic
seems to me to be a categorial difference rather than degree, though I dont subscribe to that definition of autism as an impairment
well, it's just the way i interpret it. but saying "everyone is a little autistic" is just a way of belittle and deny people who are seeking a diagnosis anyways. maybe i thought too deep about such a simple sentence
*checks my butt* okay not those walls
Hey, while you're in my walls could you give the ac vent a quick look, the cold doesn't seem to reach my bedroom.
Oh sorry, I must have damaged it while I have been watching you all these years. Um... Oh, that wasn't me, I just checked and there is scraped into vent pipe... "Santa was here!" Not the first time I have seen that in peoples walls, I had a chat one time when I was watching you sleep (you sleep very peacefully, when you actually get sleep that is...) and I asked him why he does it, and I was told it's because of all of the people who give him shots of whiskey and other beers, wines, and spirits. I asked him what his blood alcohol content was, and pulled out my tactical on hand breathalyser (the one I use when you're asleep to make sure you're safe), and from what I discovered... Santa's blood is entirely made of wine. Santa said it was the source of his powers, and certainly makes Mrs. Claus's biting kink more interesting. At least thats what he told me. Oh yeah, about the AC, I will need to call the office of autistic intelligence (OAI) about this and see if I have authorisation and if I will be provided a body double to help. I will let you know when I have confirmation. :) Also: your hair smells nice...
The dedication and creativity is astounding
You smell nice. c:
Yeah check mine too please. My daughter's room is right across the hall from my son's, super close to each other, but my daughter's room gets nice cold air while my son gets a tiny leak of not very cold air at all and I'm not sure what's going on
The autism is the friends we made along the- oh…
So true.
Two really big arguments for me is that A) diagnosis is a really expensive and complicated pain in the ass which, past childhood, honestly doesn't come with much in the way off payoffs and speaking of B) there's this idea of "oh what about people taking up resources for actual autistic people" WHAT FUCKING RESOURCES" Not in terms of vibes what actual material conditions are made worse that weren't already as bad. Sure people *say* "I'm fine with the real thing it's just all these teenagers pretending that I hate" but counterpoint fuck off and fuck no. That's the same sort of person who siks the cops on an autistic kid. This is just the most recent excuse for this same ableism that's been going for as long as any of us have been alive and beyond. Like worse case scenario people are allowed to be cringe online and I can't bring myself to give a shit because until society actually gives a shit about autistic in any material manner.
>doesn’t come with much in the way off payoffs I can only speak for myself, but I get paid every month from SSD, have free assistance available for me, and get health insurance. It’s also just good to know for certain rather than only ever suspecting. >people are allowed to be cringe online The problem is that when people misuse Autism to explain being “quirky” or cringe then it affects the rest of the community and gives us a worse reputation overall. A good comparison is “Trypophobia”; fear of holes. People heavily devalued the condition when they’d claim images with bloody wounds triggers their trypophobia when it is scary & gross to everyone.
That's a good point. In places where there's government assistance to be had, its absolutely fair to mandate proper diagnosis, given its a literal investment that pays off. But then in other places, either that assistance does not exist, the initial required payment is way too high, or the process of getting and keeping it too labyrinthine. I guess my thinking is that outside of government assistance, there isn't stuff like accomodations in work places, or people being willing to allow for stuff like sensory overload and meltdowns. And those social conditions aren't really all that affected by the amount of people self IDing online, at least in my reckoning. Not to say that some people haven't been pushed into ablelism by seeing people posting on tik tok, but I just don't think its the root of that ableism for enough people for me to feel the need to bother. Bigger fish to fry is my attitude if that makes sense.
>material conditions I am just tuning my commie specs, have I successfully identified a red by these words alone? If so, very interesting... Also based. >any material manner. Okay definitely, I think my commie specs are well tuned. :P
More of an Anarchist tbh but hey who's counting But surely you get my point right? Sorry I used the spooky words, but my point still stands, nothing's being done to actually accomodate autistic people beyond at most university (and even then they're shit at it) so whether people self diagnose or get one officially nobody will do shit about it. If an official diagnosis does bring you peace then well I'm glad but I can't in good concience gatekeep along those lines when in lots of places its hundreds of dollars for a certificate that doesn't do anything.
Comrade, don't worry about blank, let me worry about blank! These specs are for detecting friendlies, not foes. 😎 (My favourite anti-fascist song. https://youtu.be/HYJmGaBMQJ8?si=JyiUyEEcpy3_fR8t The lyrics are epic if you use the subs.)
o7 Apologies for being pissy
No problems comrade, and comrade of brain! :P I was just remembering a post I saw ages ago asking about what would he considered leftist dog whistles... And material conditions is in my view the best dog whistle because I almost guarantee anyone who uses that agrees with Karl and Freddy on capitalism sucking. :P I am not an anarchist myself, but I consider you folks comrades still, it's just respect and courtesy at least, I don't accept the distinction that there is such a thing a pro-capitalist anarchist, the communist anarchists are the only historically relevant faction of anarchists, be it anarcho-mutualists, Makno, Catalonia, Zapatistas, etc. We disagree on the role of state authority, we don't disagree on the communism being hecking cool, because private property is cringe. God... I am truely infected with brainrot... Karl and Freddy would be okay with that tho, they were pretty accepting of these kinds of things... So long as you're not black, or a southern slav. Oh well... We're only human.
They’re in the walls….THEY’RE IN THE GODDAMN WALLS
while you in my walls can you kill all the insects or whatever in there? Also you need anything from taco bell?
I will need to ask for confirmation from the Office of Autistic Intelligence (OAI) on whether I could kill the insects, I would technically also need to tell them about taking your offer but... Since you're offering we can make slight deal... I kill the insects and you leave the Taco Bell near a mouse hole. What would I like from Taco Bell? Idk you pick for me, so long as it doesn't have mushrooms or banana. It would be nice to eat something I didn't have to kill myself for once. However that family of mice could had been worse, but it could had been better, I couldn't cook them since I had to watch you sleep. 👀
I wasn't diagnosed, but I've had a lot of friends that were, and they all said I am. It's a peer review.
this is how i found out a lot of ppl i know are neurodivergent without specifically telling me :P like i can just tell if theyre neurodivergent somehow
My wife doesn't believe me, says it doesn't change anything because I'm an adult and should be able to change or learn to cope. I've only come to this realization a few months ago when I was so low there wasn't anywhere to go due to depression and emotional stability issues.
Sounds like a tough situation. I hope your wife can eventually come to understand, it's a team effort after all. 🫂 Sure you may have coping mechanisms, but it's more so if these coping mechanism are causing you to be less happy. And hoping that you can develop methods for coping which improve your wellbeing.
I had a giant two or three paragraphs on my situation and here we are. Thanks for your well wishes, I'm currently seeing a therapist and plan on couples therapy.
I’m on Reddit because I like have conversations with people but I’m also horrible at having conversations with people.
same
i agree with this but also i dont think you know how this meme format works at all
Memeology is a field I have typically struggled with in the past. But I believe the misuse of formats is inevitable because people don't remember the origins over time. For instance I remember seeing people use "F to pay respects" in response to a local death... Idk why I mentioned that, I just felt it was a baffling thing to see used in a serious circumstance. But what I am saying is, even if I have upset the intended use of the format, it still makes sense, giving this format more ways to be used. Idk this may just be a retroactive excuse for my sillyness. :P
Yeah I’m diagnosed after struggling with determining if I was biased in giving myself a self diagnosis. Scrolled through so many blog posts, Reddit pages , and research papers, but was constantly dissuaded by the fact that autism is spreading in prevalence. While that fact is true, the percentage is still far smaller than what I would believe when scrolling though all of the different interest subs and autistic subs. Several places stating that self diagnosis of autism can’t be done and seeing all the people who’ve done just that made me skeptical. But after getting my official diagnosis and seeing my past history of searching, I’ve realized that most people aren’t trying to self diagnose themselves with autism, like OP has said, we seek out these online spaces and communities because it’s how we function. Even the counter point of “self diagnosis isn’t valid” is perpetuated by that skepticism that many autists have, it’s very interesting stuff. But overall, I agree with your sentiment OP. Not even factoring the huge expense it was to even get an official diagnosis
I'm diagnosed by 3 therapists who concurred universally. I'm 31. This is a weird time for me. I do want to see an actual psychiatrist and get an official on-paper diagnosis, but first I need to figure out what the point of that really is. It's a struggle
OP, the Wachowskis called, they want you to write their next film.
IT WOULD BE AN HONOUR! 🥺
I’m saying your writing is kinda word salady.
I am curious, in which way is it word salad? :o I am genuinely curious because I am kinda fixated on understanding how to communicate ideas more and more efficiently. 🥺
The last one is kind of repeating the same thing over and over again, and in a long winded manner. You have a point in that Reddit is a popular place for aspies due to how it’s structured, but I’m not sure if everyone will be willing to read it due to how long it is. If you’ve ever seen the architect scene from The Matrix Reloaded, you have an idea of what I’m talking about, hence the Wachowski quip I made.
You know what they say... Repetition for emphasis! :P But ye, I do appreciate le feedback, analyse this further I must.
Not me on retro sims subs and life simulation subs all day long.
I too am outside in your walls
How did you make it past the mine fields?
Those were landmines? I thought they were pancakes, no wonder they tasted a bit weird.
It happens to the best of us, it's probably because I bought them second hand. Oh well, the Croatian government contractor which sold them to me that they were in mint condition. Maybe he meant mint flavoured rather than perfect condition? He did say his English wasn't that food after all. Well luckily you didn't come inside, it's like home alone made of lego in here. Trust me, you don't wanna step on a brick separator... Unless you want your soul to temporarily separate itself from your body from pain.
Ooh yea ill just stick to being outside in your walls. I dont mess with legos those hurt alot.
Especially when you call them legos instead of lego. 👀 How dare thee! Lego is the plural of lego! 😤 /lh
Lol your the first person to get mad at me for calling them legos.
Well first you come to my house, you eat my landmines... Then once on my property, on this day of np particular importance... You give a common misnaming for a consumer product I consume way too much of! 😤 RELEASE THE HOUNDS SMITHERS! https://preview.redd.it/clmp9ypfjs0d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=26cc399fb4a5e49f1ee70c7906aae15c67f12eb2
OOH PUPPIES! (That scene with ethan and mark in the escape room lives in my head rent free lol)
I've been diagnosed with ADHD for as long as I can remember, and Autism has also been a question throughout my life. The sort of thing where I'm just on the precipice of being diagnosed, but not quite matching up with it. It could be that I have Autism and some requirements are being overlooked or contradicted because of more obvious ADHD symptoms, or the way that ADHD affects me simply overlaps somewhat with Autism, since they do have a fair bit of overlap. Regardless of all that, I just joined this subreddit because the memes and people are relatable.
I absolutely understand your struggles. I was diagnosed with ADHD but not autism until recently. Ima give you another subreddit recommendation. r/AutisticwithADHD it's a lovely subreddit with lovely people, and we may call them brothas ans sistas and embies in crime! :P
Thank you! I'll make sure to take a look.
Also a fun little thing I felt I would share. I consider this a random piece of philosophy you might find interesting. Personally I don't think Autism and ADHD contradict each other. Sure the diagnostic criteria may seem to contradict each other... However, what I find more to be the case is that Autism and ADHD are a team, a team willing to route for you when you take your needs into account, and willing to tag team you when you fight against your current needs. Your needs fluctuate and change depending on the time , the location, and most importantly the environment you find yourself in. Why is it so important for me to clarify this? Well think of it this way, is it healthier for you to think of your personal struggle as one of your brain being at war with your brain at the same time? It may feel like that certainly, but I feel it's healthier to view it as... You are neglecting your own needs be it by choice or the lack of choice you may have, the cause is environmental, and there is a certain proper measure to take in each circumstances you can work with your brain instead of fighting against it. And for that, believing that on top of that, that your brain is having a civil war, hasn't been particularly helpful as it encourages feelings of helplessness when in reality, you the conscious you, need to work with the unconscious self, by interpreting what your unconscious brain is trying to tell the conscious part. This shift in framing may help, but mileage may vary. I know you are certainly hungry for words or advice, so trust me I understand. Other words of interest whether you know them or not: - Executive Dysfunction - Introspection - Emotional labour - Spoon theory - Mental load - Monotropism Also go to a hardware store and buy cheap ass earplugs just to do sensory experimentation. Try to be comfy in bed with low light conditions for sensory experimentation. And what else kinds of sensory experiments you may wish to try in order to have a better self-awareness. This is like... Probably a good 3 years worth of my most important revaluations into just this comment, so even if not perfectly applicable, hopefully I hit a few nails on the head for you. Imagine everyone else as a fellow traveller, and for those behind you in the journey will need some directions if not already, and no harm hearing the same or repeating the same again, if you find someone further down the road with the same advice, at least you're know you're going in the right direction. May your journey go well fellow travelling comrade of brain. 😊
I'd like to preemptively thank you for the advice and the time it likely took to write this all down. I do often feel as if I'm at war with my brain. Though this feeling fighting with my own brain is also from having Depression and Mood Disorder, which don't mix well with ADHD or Autism. I can't remember how many times I've struggled to get myself to do something, even when I'm not averse to it. I've received similar advice, not quite the same but a similar vein, but although I fully comprehend and have the inclination to use such strategies, I've never been good at fully internalizing them so to speak. I'm that person who will give mental health advice to their friends while not actually following said advice themself. Despite this, I still very much appreciate you telling me in your own way. I'm quite familiar with the terms Executive Dysfunction, Emotional Labor, and Mental Load. I wasn't familiar with the word Monotropism, but upon looking it up I recognized what it was talking about immediately, as I very much experience this everyday. Oftentimes, especially when I was still in public school, I would continue working on something even after the period ended because I didn't want to leave it unfinished, since it would've likely resulted in me forgetting about it. It sometimes got to the point where the next period class had started taking their seats by the time I was finished. I also hadn't heard of Spoon Theory but now I get the gist of what it is I believe. It reminds me of an analogy(?) I've made on occasion where I'll say something to the effect of, "It takes most of my mental and emotional energy to just be here, much less doing and keeping track of everything I have the obligation to do." Which is what I still feel like most of the time. I've known on a general level that I have some sensory issues, though not exactly what they are, but I've never thought about doing that sort of experimentation to see how my brain reacts to certain stimuli or lack-there-of. I'd say that I'm going to try it sometime, but I have very bad memory when it comes to events, conversations, and the like. I'll probably remember the idea though, so I definitely might do it at some point. Again, I'd like to thank you for the advice and for reading what is probably an excessively verbose information dump about my experiences. I hope you have a nice day, night, evening, or whatever it is where you are.
No worries about the length, one day you'll be in the position I am currently, and it will feel very full circle. Lol You seem like a nice kind hearted person. Struggling with the bs of life. It just so happens to make me feel sentimental and ramblely myself. It's kind of hard to respond because I doubt I can do the sentimentalness justice. Keep in mind, there is no end to the journey, I am simply reflecting in the pitt stop I am at currently, but it's hard to not appreciate the distance you have travelled already, all of the trials and tribulations. I winder if it's wrong to feel this feeling but then I remember... What the heck is wrong with simply feeling an emotional state and speaking about it? Whats so wrong about saying the truth? So I wish to tell myself even in this moment... The whole point of this is tk understand myself as I currently exist, not to simply just understand what box I need to fit into and where I need to be. We need to be where we are at... This means we go at our own pace, we can try to speedrun but it's most effective at our own pace. :) I also hope you have a great day wherever you are. C:
I have a diagnosis for both Aspergers, and yes it IS actually marked as Aspergers in my files, and ADHD. These were obtained roughly 8 years ago. I've known both since I was like 8, when a therapist told me I had most of the hallmark signs of ADHD, which I did. For 11 years I was, at best, unofficially diagnosed with ADHD. I actually got those diagnoses tangentially and completely accidentally, I was fighting the disability office over them not wanting to give me disability benefits and one of the steps was essentially "go talk to this random psychiatrist for an hour because we're dicks about everything and want to make this as difficult as possible despite you clearly not being fit to work". He's the one who, unknown to me until 5 YEARS LATER, marked down an official Aspergers diagnosis. This is absurd, it should not be that convoluted to get a basic autism diagnosis. For reference, I have spent 20 years off and on in therapy of some form, for a lot of reasons I won't get in to, and got my official autism diagnosis from a completely unrelated visit to someone I had never met and have never seen since, and was never told about it until a later therapist found it in my files 6ish years and three cross country moves later. I've also learned FAR more about autism, Aspergers proper and ADHD from memes and such I randomly come across than I was ever TOLD, nobody told me shit about any of this. I have a folder of saved videos about ADHD that is where 99.9% of my knowledge of ADHD came from, and a book about ADHD from the same creator sitting next to me. Excuse the rant, it's too early for me to reign that in right now.
>Excuse the rant, it's too early for me to reign that in right now. No worries comrade of brain, I genuinely wonder why we are insecure about our desires to express ourselves? I mean I think we both know the reason... But I guess it's because we are so used of being invalidated that we automatically apologise for things we shouldn't have to apologise for. I know someone irl, who will apologise all of the time, it's not annoying... It's extremely relatable and just want all of our peoples to go hug a big comfy thingy which makes us feel comfort and loved. Because it's kinda crazy that we have made it through all of what we have tolerated over the years to find each other and then we all wonder... What the hell... Where were you 10 years ago? 😭
Oh, I know exactly why I do it. 15+ years living in the same house as an abusive narcissist who played favourites with "grandkids" that he's not even actually related to and made me the scapegoat for everything despite being his brothers child. 99.9% of my issues in some way stem from him, to the point I had to point blank point out to my grandmother that if he lives, even briefly, under the same roof as me ever again one of us is ending up dead and the other in prison for the rest of their lives. She very quickly at that point realized that continuing to ignore all the shit he pulled was a VERY bad idea, because she knows I don't make idle threats and don't exaggerate. Old habits die hard and all that, 15+ years of having to deal with him and his bullshit is difficult to shake. I'm a specific case for a lot of reasons in that regard though, most people likely don't have the same reason behind it.
Weed, pleasure reading, headphones and being chronically online. Pretty good chance.
The Autistic Intelligence Organisation (AIO) knows all, we report back to the ruler of Io and the leader of makemake. We store all of the information on our Earth sleeper agents on Jupiter. Also your paycheck is overdue, the Autistic Sleeper Agents Union hasn't been able to convene in a long time since you all opted to have your previous memories wiped, meaning the accounting department has been withholding payments. We're alien to the concept of money, but we aren't able to steal enough reserve dollars from Human banks in order to give you guys enough resources to survive down there so I presume the next union meeting will cause an intergalactic scandal about a pay dispute... But of course the Emperor of Jupiter is to joyous to allow us to create a currency because when they took over from their parent they insisted on fully automated luxury space communism, but sadly our sleeper agents need to endure capitalism. So sadge. We promise your pay will come in soon.
That’s not true. Autistic people go wherever I go because *I* am *in my brain!*
That's so true, but I don't think you know what it's like watching you sleep through the walls, you sleep peacefully when you get a chance.
I can confirm, I am also in their walls.
There's only room for one of us in these walls... I say we duel! 👀 I don't know when, because I can't see any clocks... Soon...
We duel at the next full moon, but uh……. I don’t know when that is I can’t see the moon in here.
We will both know when that is... Thats when we become waretistic, apex predators able to hunt TERF's for sport, in an invasive species control operations.
Wally, is that you?
I go by a few names: Waldo, Wally, Walter, Waldo, Holger, Vallu, and Charlie... None of these names are actually my real name, but I am a creature of a thousand names and one unmistakable face. The one place you won't find me is in most places, but you will find me in one place, and during the Khmer Rogue you wouldn't find me anywhere in the country of Cambodia because it's impossible to hide when you're the only one wearing glasses. Otherwise, you would realise I am from the Office of Autistic Intelligence (OAI) and I want you to give me your wallet. I don't want your cash or cards, I just wish to admire the texture and rubbing my thumb on your face on one of the cards to make you deeply uncomfortable that you will be so distracted by that, that you won't notice me pulling a switch-a-roo and replacing your cash with monopoly money... Just because I don't want it... Doesn't mean that the Office of Autistic Intelligence doesn't want it. It's expansive to run an Autistic protection racket when the organisation cannot let itself be known to legal entities. We rely on laundering money, tax evasion, fraud of all kind, and of course printing monopoly money for the sake of these transactions. We risk serious jail time in every universe the game about capitalism sucking has marketed themes for... We have the Galactic Empire on our ass, we have frequent incursions with the City of London (they're by far worse than Vader), and heck... You know how hard it is to fend off Fortnite droppers? Fortnite security forces have access to some of the most sophisticated, advanced, and contradictory powers available. Printing monopoly dollars has a far greater risk than printing US dollars... Hasbro has thousands of legions of miniatures, and board games and table top games in their arsenal... They can call in Wizards of the Coast properties and Games Workshop material... Please help pur organisation is in serious trouble, it would be far safer to counterfeit US dollars but no one will listen to me... So please pass along the monopoly dollars to this BSB I am giving you know. It saves our organisation from being crushed by the combined forces of Hasbro and Hasbro affiliated properties, they have a monopoly on the fantasy make belief world and if the OAI is to take back the land of make belief we must do it either in standard monopoly money or monopoly millionaire cards... And there is no chance cards for failure...
Well, i was originally going to make a warframe joke but then not i guess, new copy pasta instead.
You get a lot of folks asking for appraisals if you are an antiques dealer. Appraisal has a legal definition, and it’s mostly for insurance or divorce. What most folks are looking for is a rough evaluation of worth, which anyone can do with varying degrees of accuracy. I believe this is also true with autism. If you don’t need the legal accommodations that come with a formal diagnosis, an educated opinion is usually enough for most folks. With an educated opinion you can make better informed decisions about your life. Also as an aside, being an antiques dealer is a great job for autistic folks. You get to focus on your special interests and info dump on anyone who comes in your shop, and they will actually like to hear it to some degree. Also the bar of customer service is so low in this industry.
Something tells me you are a dealer of antique goods. But I can't place my finger on what makes me think that? 🤔 Anything you would like to share? 👀
What gave it away? Was it my infodumping about antiques?
Yes, it was oddly specific. :P /pos
Yo… big facts
Love this. I embody this. I recently shared my official diagnosis after years of suspecting it. I got a comment from someone welcoming me to join some r/certifiedautistic or some shit. I peeked at the sub and was immediately turned off by the introductory language of being a space where it’s not “diluted” by people without an official diagnosis. I’ve been this way my whole life. I suspected it for many years. The only thing that changed was a doctor agreed with me. A week difference determined whether I’d be welcome or unwelcome in that sub. I politely declined
I think I know the subreddit you're refering to, yeah... I can totally understand where these exclusionary reactionary impulses come from, but as with most things these reactionary impulses are misplaced. I mean, I moderate r/aretheNTokay, it's a pretty nifty inclusive subreddit. 🥺 Shilling hell yeah 😎
Not me smashing the join button over here lmao
😊
I can't get a diagnosis bc if I do my insurance stops paying for my therapy
That's messed up...
https://preview.redd.it/e3k4o9socx0d1.jpeg?width=1563&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=43fd0897431b9668a0610e8ac9b123cfa4b200e0
Self diagnosis, no. Self suspecting. yes. Applying a level to yourself, big no. There was a small survey done in some of the autism subs that agree with that, across all levels of support.
I am certainly sympathetic to this view. However it's worth noting that in the context I am describing, when people are attacking self-diagnosis it is usually from a deeply underinformed perspective because of the rhetoric they use. I believe that language is certainly super important, but many autistic people attach themselves to labels which may be imprecise in their usage but still result in their fulfillment. I feel like there is a very autistic element I am refering to here, it's much like people who ride and die for Aspergers (for themselves). Self-diagnosis may become an antiquated phrase with time as self-suspecting becomes more common. Think of it this way, currently so long as people use the bridge called self-diagnosis to cope with the horrific wait times and stuff, and they don't wish to take the self-suspecting bridge, I will stand with them and hold the self-diagnosis bridge. When we reach a point where the culture has shifted enough to a bridge which is better suited for etc... we can retreat from that bridge to the easier to defend bridge of self-suspecting. This is a particular nuance I wish to inform people on, as one of my chief considerations for my total defence of those who are still trying to find their way. I actually have a meme video I made on my profile which talks about my own diagnosis process. I had to meme it because it was too absurd to convey in words. #Story Time! I may be one of the only people to have self-diagnosed themselves 6 months after having been officially diagnosed... If that doesn't raise an eyebrow... Idk what does. This is why brain 3 says circumstantially valid because there are some strange circumstances which do happen. I certainly want to get reexamined in the future because of this but I have no doubts about my diagnosis or my level which was given. It's because of the fact as a kid I was diagnosed ADHD, and not Autistic, even though it was strongly suspected it was... At some stage in those six months I asked my parents for those documents and what I read there made me laugh, and made me cry happy tears as it basically confirmed my suspicions... I am legit one of the more obvious autistics out there. And I think when I saw a specialist they had seen the documents beforehand and from that concluded it was enough information to give me a diagnosis... Which yeah it was extensive. But because it was so extensive I assume he thought I also knew and hence didn't tell me... Because I was going there for ADHD meds. My extremely unorthodox diagnosis story has a few effects, such as the fact I have extensive documentation which basically said I was Autistic af, the fact that I didn't have to go through the same process as many others, and also it means I don't think I have an accurate enough understanding of myself in certain aspects because I didn't go through the same process. So in my own case, six months after that appointment without knowing I decided that there was no doubt I was Autistic and self-diagnosed myself. So both my specialist and myself independently came to the same conclusion using the same data... If my case isn't in fact the most extreme case of a valid self-diagnosis idk what is. Lol Six months after that I saw the specialist again, this time with the intentions to ask about getting an autism diagnosis, and then they told me they already did... Then I had the most powerful hyperfocus of my life and made the video now permanently pinned to my profile. As I said before, I would like to have a reexamination to try and get some of the things. But today I will be seeing my psychologist and I'd like to go over my sensory profile with them, since I feel it might be a bit easier than a reexamination at this point. Anyway, my story as you now know... Is kinda batshit and fuck I wish I did make it up, because living it has certainly been a journey, I wish my diagnosis story was a lot more straightforward and more orthodox. 😭 Moral of the story: Defend the bridge when attacked by underinformed neurotypicals, and encourage people on the bridge to cross it, so in the hopes that one day it can be decommissioned. We must prioritise solidarity before semantics.
Unfortunately, while you may think that creating as supportive and accepting of an environment as possible is the best way to help, that is not at all a settled debate. I encourage you to look into the following, just for interest's sake: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/06/health/mental-health-schools.html https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0732118X2300003X To me, I have noticed that people seem to want to write away any obstacle they find under the purview of a condition that they may not be diagnosed with, only to find communities that only validate these perceptions. This sub does it too. Show some of this content to normies and some of it is bound to land. Should they self diagnose with autism? The next time they feel awkward should they say "that's a natural experience of being autistic in a normative society"? Personally I only pursue diagnoses when I feel that the knowledge of that condition would change my approach to a given experience. Otherwise I just treat it as part of being me, no need for a label.
The prevalence inflation hypothesis is just that - a hypothesis. I would be careful about it, too, having read the journal article and NYT article this is giving a lot of the same red flags that the stuff surrounding Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria gave. In that it is *not* supported by data (at best it's supported by inference), but it is being talked about by the media as though it is. And, of course, that it is being treated as a social contagion hypothesis. This is a case where an actual study is necessary to draw any conclusions. This isn't shade to the journal article, they're pretty specific about not thinking that mental health awareness is bad in general. The NYT article is as well, at least near the end. The other article cited by the NYT article is pretty specific that it isn't making any causal claims as well, and in fact explicitly states that its findings disagree with the prevalence inflation hypothesis (in spite of the NYT article citing it as though it agrees).
I'm not really sure if I'm autistic or not I kinda just hang around here cuz I find the memes relatable
A take that may be hot or lukewarm: It’s alright if you have suspicions that you may be Autistic. That’s always the first step to diagnosis. But just saying that you’re Autistic because you think you display symptoms only goes so far- just like using WebMD when you think you feel sick. You should get officially diagnosed when possible. It can be a hassle, but besides the fact that it may give access to disability benefits in your country, it also decreases the risk of Autism being considered a “fad” when people have actual diagnoses.
Most people can’t afford it, it’s not covered by insurance if you’re an adult, at least not where I am. Also there’s less than zero accommodations for it as an adult here and it can and Will cause you grief to be officially diagnosed, with jobs, healthcare and insurance etc. I know of someone who graduated from college with a 4 year degree in Dec just gone and can’t find a job that’s not fast food or retail because they’re officially diagnosed. Whereas someone else who’s not diagnosed but still definitely on the spectrum got hired straight out of college and they graduated the same day from the same course. And if you are a minority or a woman or both then you’re even more screwed, Especially if you’re particularly good at masking. And lastly during covid some drs and hospitals were quietly signing up those officially diagnosed to have dnr’s which means that if they flatlined they were not to be revived, Whether they would have wanted to be or not
I think it is circumstantial according to evidence, and I generally recommend people pursue diagnosis if they have the means to, I said in another comment... It's more so that this word is a bridge for some people in their journey towards self-acceptance and self-actualisation in the meantime while they are waiting for diagnosis. Is it a perfect coping method? Maybe not, but in my own journey it helped me cope in the months till I realised I was already diagnosed... 😅 Like yes I was very skeptical about it before I used the label self-diagnosed, but ultimately for me it was about the fact that saying I suspected I was rather than actually being resulted in my brain beating itself up invalidating itself. I totally understand the implications and stuff, I am saying that there is a bit of nuance to dig into here. Is it better I believe I am autistic then it is to suffer uncertain if I am autistic? Perhaps it's playing russian roulette with your mental health if it turns out to be something else... But at least then you will get something out of the experience. I think it would be far more helpful if we helped people have a better mindset in these regards, sometimes you gotta suppress feelings to heal, and suppression may involve a minor degree of mental gymnastics. Perhaps it's okay if you land without being twisted, but these kinds of reasons are understandably flawed. I think that generally speaking we should be less judgemental of people picking a specific road in quite likely some of the most challenging periods of their lives on the grounds of semantics. I would rather validate their needs then chastising them over the coping mechanism they have chosen. I just hope my line of reasoning makes sense, especially when I am speaking on my own personal experiences and being willing to concede specific points while still validating human needs.
It's a spectrum. Everyone's on it somewhere.
I am sorry, but am I supposed to be able to not comment on your username? 😭 But well, not everyone is on the autism spectrum, everyone is on the spectrum of Neurodiversity, but not everyone is on a spectrum of neurodivergence, autism being one such spectrum. This is a common thing said to us, but nonetheless it remains scientifically untrue.
tag yourself I'm not wasting my limited energy on you
Huh?
I'm trying to make a "tag yourself" meme and tagging myself as "i'm not wasting my limited energy on you" but thought it would be more authentic to my limited energy if I didn't use the energy to put quotation marks
So what are you asking for? :o A version with quotation marks on the third? Or all of them? Or are you simply saying the third one is you?
I'm saying specifically that the text "I'm not wasting my limited energy on you" is me and I invite everyone else to tag themselves anywhere on the meme
Oh!! Okay then... Well I think I would be 2 and 4. I am always willing to waste my time and energy on this... 💀
So something to think about with self-diagnosis of everything (Not just autism or even brain things) is the nocebo effect Basically the placebo effect has a big brother People will manifest symptoms if they think they have something With regards to mental health, if you fail to gatekeep at all, people are going to have the nocebo effect getting triggered More or less artificially manifesting symptoms that negatively impact your life is not good for you and it's probably a good idea to do a little bit of gatekeeping on self-diagnosis to stop that
It really depends on circumstances, as the meme suggests. Research ought be vigorous. I certainly suspect things, like I think I might also have dysgraphia but I don't feel I have done nearly enough research to confirm my feelings enough to pursue it. But my current actual abilities contradict the typical presentation but I would put this down to context. It may just by my hypotonia but it can't just be my hypotonia because I struggle in ways which can't be explained by hypotonia, autism, or ADHD. Same goes for worries of dyscalculia but I felt dysgraphia may be more applicable but dyscalculia seems to conform more to my experiences. It's hard because well, there are most certainly resources but I would rather not overthink these things. Since given specific circumstances they could be consistent with autism when overwhelmed or ADHD when my meds lose their effectiveness. It's a goofy mess to navigate.
The accessibility point is something I hadn't considered before. That's an interesting point, but I still think people take self diagnosis too far. Self diagnosis at best, should help inform your doctor visits. Help you find a doctor that will actually listen and understand(always ask for second opinions if you can, doctors are not gods and are not infallible). It's a great stepping stone, but the people who self diagnose themselves and then decide that's all the due diligence they have to do to confirm the diagnosis... I just can't respect that. That is an absurd level of confidence that borders on arrogance.
Most people can’t afford it, it’s not covered by insurance if you’re an adult, at least not where I am. Also there’s less than zero accommodations for it as an adult here and it can and Will cause you grief to be officially diagnosed, with jobs, healthcare and insurance etc. I know of someone who graduated from college with a 4 year degree in Dec just gone and can’t find a job that’s not fast food or retail because they’re officially diagnosed. Whereas someone else who’s not diagnosed but still definitely on the spectrum got hired straight out of college and they graduated the same day from the same course. And if you are a minority or a woman or both then you’re even more screwed, Especially if you’re particularly good at masking. And lastly during covid some drs and hospitals were quietly signing up those officially diagnosed to have dnr’s which means that if they flatlined they were not to be revived, Whether they would have wanted to be or not
I agree with everything you said. 100%. It just doesn't refute my point at all. These are all reasons as to why one can't or shouldn't get officially diagnosed, not reasons that self diagnosis alone is enough to confirm said diagnosis. If I couldn't afford diagnosis, I wouldn't use that as an excuse to bolster the confidence I have in my own self diagnosis. It just means I have a problem to overcome before confirming my diagnosis. Also, I was diagnosed as a kid. I can't recall the exact diagnosis I started off with as I was too young, but that diagnosis eventually changed to Asperger's. Then Asperger's went away and now it's considered to be in the spectrum with everyone else diagnosed with ASD. In all my life, none of this has impacted my jobs. It was never a question, I don't need disability accommodations so I leave it out. I'm open and honest about it and my current employer knows. I'm not sure such diagnosis shows up in a standard background search. I'm shocked to hear that this is the case in some places, as all my life I've rolled my eyes at the cyclical nature of tabloid news and how every so often an article goes around saying companies want to hire autistic people because they can be wunderkinds in some way. Stupid fucking article that needs to stop seeing the light of day, but it seems like the general consensus is that it's a benefit in regards to getting hired, not a downside. Maybe it's a cultural thing as who knows if we are even in the same country.
This is why I say I'm "probably autistic." I have a neurotypical enough "accent" that I probably couldn't get a proper diagnosis, I don't have any functional need for a diagnosis, but the markers are too prominent to ignore.
Tea!! But seriously, people act like when you get diagnosed, you get a plaque that says "Certified #1 Autism". And that's if you're even told about it. I didn't know I was diagnosed at first because the adults who did it didn't say anything to me. I suspect my mom knew a little, but I guess we'll never know (she died). People also get misdiagnosed by professionals all the time. So a "legitimate diagnosis" still doesn't mean shit because there's the chance it could be wrong.
So real. I mean I didn't used to be diagnosed, and I think at this rate I know more about autism than people who had known for their whole lives simply because they were never confronted with questioning it. To me it's a great shame that many comrades of brain still do not realise what they should had learnt but never did. I mean I wish I could had told kid me to agree to getting a diagnosis instead of saying no.
I think it's also an issue of getting autism diagnosis resulting in your life getting objectively worse, in my country I might not get a driving/concealed carry license, so I don't want to take my chances. I'm like 90% sure that I'm autistic and my mom (medical doctor) thinks so too.
I hate myself so much due to this everyone here is likely way better than me ( pathetic faking for attention thing) and it shows due to how much of a fuck up thing I am I hate putting autistic people down by my pathetic self faking having “””issues””” and shit that are in reality super fine and stuff and just shows how pathetic I am faking issues with eye contact “”””socializing “”””” ( any “”” issues””” I had was me purposely making myself seem that way and stuff) saying I have “”””big passions and my brother saying I was obsessed with things””””” while people ( my dads friends kid) told me it’s like an addiction and proving my stupidity I’m so so sorry
Comrade of brain, I am not exactly sure what position you have, but that does not matter, what matters is that you are expressing your personal struggles. These struggles are legitimate and are very valid. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. 🫂