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Hi Grace. If you go into the video description, there should be times listed against what i have called chapters. Is that what you mean by timestamps.? If there is a different way i can do that to make it more helpful, please let me know and I will try to do so for upcoming videos. Thanks for talking the time to comment. Cheers Phil.

Hi Michelle, Happy Christmas to you and your family and cat.

Hi Armand. Thank you so much for your encouraging comments. It has also been an honour and a delight for me also to meet other Autistic people from all around the world through the chats of these videos. It’s also great to meet other older Autistic folk. I am so glad these videos have been helpful. Anyway, welcome and thank you. Cheers, Phil.

Hi @Riverpuppies. Thanks for watching the video. Yes, these tests are a good starting point but only a step on the journey. If you want to look into it further, I recommend the embrace-autism webpage. There are some other tests on there including the Aspie Quiz which is also a good one. Also even better is watching videos from several late diagnosed Autistic adults and seeing how much resonates personally. For me that was the best guide. Only you will know. Good luck with the journey if you decide to take it further.

@ thanks for the information

No probs. All the best. Cheers Phil

Thanks Michelle.

Hi Michelle, thanks for taking the time to comment. I wasn't sure if this topic was a bit too dry to be of interest to anyone, so it's really encouraging to hear that it has been helpful. I am also glad you have found some more certainty in your journey. Sometimes, it feels like we are walking a tightrope of imposter syndrome, which I know for me nearly made me give up pursuing an Autistim identity. Anyway, what I am trying to say is stay confident in your assessment. Cheers Phil

@@Autistic-Older-Adult Many thanks! Like you I looked into autism about a decade ago, but based on the information available at that time I decided I was HSP but not autistic. Now that so much more info is out there, especially about late-diagnosed ASD, it's been life changing. Thanks for sharing your experience - it helps those of us who are finally (re)discovering our core selves after decades of masking. Looking forward to future videos from you!

@@michelle-prieto Thanks Michelle, I have been trying to write another video this morning but the (undiagnosed)ADHD side of my neurodivergent brain is really struggling to focus today and doom scrolling has taken over. Best step away and do something else for a while and try again later. Yes the info now is so much better than 10 years ago. I remember sitting at my computer in 2010 trying to find info on Autism and while I did find some, none of it was the personal stories that are so much more available now via youtube. Thanks again for your support.

Glad it was helpful!

Hi Floyd. Neither, I just try to follow my values. Sometimes that can look like left other times right. Assuming we are talking about politics. I look for values, humility and honesty in the people I support. I go into more detail in my autistic voting video. Apologies if I have completely missed the point of your message.

Yes agreed. The understanding does make all the difference. Although the understanding can also trigger different feelings and emotions. The diagnosis while being great to have is very much secondary to that understanding. I am now also looking into the ADHD side of things and likewise I'm not sure I will ever be able to pursue that diagnosis but I still aim to explore it fully myself and come to an understanding of whether or not it describes me like I now now Autism does. Anyway thanks for watching and contributing to the conversation.

Yep the kangaroos are not too worried about people. Except I think the one that came close might have wanted the spot I was in. He did not look to happy with me.

Hi @cubstep1944, Thanks for your comment. Yes agreed, diagnosis is a truly personal decision and where it might be right for some people, just does not provide any benefit to others. I'm chatting with quite a few people at the moment who also believe that it would not be right for them at where they are in their lives to seek that diagnosis. For me however it has been really helpful to have the diagnosis. At another point in my life however, maybe I would have chosen not to. On the point of disability, yes absolutely the traditional societal attitude towards disability has been to limit a person's potential. Especially as we think back to where attitudes were seated when we were young. Back then a diagnosis might have meant being put into a metaphorical box with the lid firmly shut. My hope is that we can start to change those views, which is very much what I am hoping to do one tiny video at a time. I have no illusion that change will happen easily but from my perspective, it's just about adding one more small voice to those that are already there. In my former employment, I had the opportunity to work with some truly amazing people who despite their disabilities had no limits. But yes, sadly in our limiting world these people are the exception to the norm.

Hi @DiesalIDF16, Yes interviews are a dilemma. With Autistic processing delay interviews are a challenge in trying to respond to questions without appearing slow. It was not something that I was able to do successfilully when trying to start a career after graduating from uni. I did find however that the career I ended up with was through my interests and associated contacts. I have been thinking about doing some content on work and employment so I will think more on that.

Hi Jeannine. Yep getting a label is only worthwhile if its what you want and makes your life better. My wife Trish is 51 and also has lots of Autistic traits (in some aspects maybe more than me) but she also has decided that for her at this point a label would not give her a benefit. For me, after a particular event in my life, I reached a point where I needed to explore the idea of Autism but I was a long way down that journey before I decided the label was what I wanted. It could have just as easily gone the other way for me also in deciding not to seek the label. Understanding my Autism was way more important than the label. You are vaild either way.

Hi Peter, Thanks for your comment. Cheers Phil

Sorry. I thought I had responded but it didn't look like it. Thank you for the comments.

Hi Linda. Thanks for commenting. Yes cats are awesome. Definitely missing our Owen especially the stim of having my forehead against his while he is purring in the middle of the night when I can't sleep.

Hi David. Thank you for your contents.

Hello maxanchong. Thank you for your comments

As an autistic person I have learned to be happy being lonely. That's much of my life... I get I am different... But get demonized by society at every turn for being different. At least it seems that way... And when you actually think back it really is that way in many ways. So eh I have just learned that some people are very intolerant of anyone that is different then they are. Which is far to many people in my opinion. But eh to each their own. If I was that way I would not be commenting on this video. Makes me sad people got to be that way. But hey it is what it is... If we don't want that in the future. We need to stop sowing the seeds of indifference and blind judgement.

Hi Sukisunn, Thanks for your comments. Yes, some really good insights. Great to have relationships where we each bring our own strengths whether NT or ND. Also a great observation about the time it takes to adjust the thought process, I totally agree. It can also be a fine line between taking time to find that single thought process and actually shutting down or even becoming mute in some circumstances. Also interesting to hear you say that you knew at some level most of your life that something was different. Its a great relief to finally realise there is a reason for that difference. But also some grief at what was lost along the way. Go Well. Cheers Phil

@@Sukisunn Yes, I agree. People are scared by anyone different. particularly disability and more so Autism. maybe part of the demonization is from that fear. By outwardly demonizing someone who is different maybe it's a reassurance to them that there are OK. I guess this is what people who are insecure about themselves do. Of course there are other people who are ignorant or narcissistic or are weak and just follow the crowd or get their kicks from putting others down and are just plain mean. As autistic people we can be more aware of seeing this not just because we might be the victim but also because we tend to notice when others are bullied also. Sometimes it might be the autistic person who is the first to stand up for someone else because of our sense of justice. Just one of our many strengths. But the demonizers are so ignorant they would have no concept that we even have strengths.

Hello @LTHB3772, Thankyou for your comment. I really hope your friend can thrive with this new understanding about themself. It makes such a difference knowing you are Autistic rather than just wondering why you are different and why things keep going wrong. While things are going wrong it's hard to see the strengths that being Autistic can bring. And I can't stress enough how important it is to have people around us that are prepared to learn about what Autism is, so thankyou for watching these videos. I hope they can help you and your friend create an even stronger bond of friendship through understanding. Go well😊 Phil.

Thankyou for the comment. Glad the video was useful. Cheers.

Hey Belinda. Great to hear from you, Thanks for your comments. It was really important for me to get this out to the people who are important to me . And hopefully this info can find people I dont know also who might find it useful. How are you going with your recovery? If you want to chat via email my contact is phil.lawson68@gmail.com

Hey Sandi, Thanks for your comments. Its been quite a journey getting to this point and finally understanding that my own preconceptions about Autism were all so wrong. So anything I can do to help spread the facts is worth it. If this can help anyone else in their journey then I would be so pleased.