I can relate to you a lot, I was a very angry child and teen. My family thought I just had anger management issues and anxiety. However, at age 21, I am so glad to finally have an official diagnosis after years of intense struggle. Thank you for sharing your story, you are so brave and beautiful. This is such important work you're doing for the autism community!
i was almost misdiagnosed with bpd but luckily i read about autism myself and brought it up. it made so much sense and i finally understood why i felt and behaved the way i do. great video, love hearing other people's autism diagnosis journeys! you're really pretty as well xx
I was diagnosed at 35, and my past along with my memories of childhood make a lot more sense now. The last year has been a wild ride. It's only the last few weeks that I've realized I mimic a lot of behaviors and sayings of my social interactions to fit in with people and look "normal". It takes a lot of energy to socialize in a meaningful way and not just be on autopilot. Even when I try though, I lose a lot of the details coming from other people and focus on one or two things they said instead of understanding the bigger picture. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
I'm 52 and just figured out my ASD. When I was around 35 I was told I was ADHD, and treated for it but never with a formal assessment. I really don't think I do now. ADHD medication never really did for me what other ADHDers report it does for them. I love seeing everyone's story that posts it on TH-cam, but I especially love this video because it has clips of you as a kid. THis helps me look back at my own childhood a little better, but more importantly look at my daughters. My youngest is almost assuredly on the spectrum. Thanks for putting yourself out there in this way!
I’m pleased for you that you got your diagnosis. I sat chuckling to myself at some things you said as I can relate. I’m a 45 year old male and only realised I may have ASD in March 2020. Finally plucked up the courage to speak to my GP around 8 weeks ago, gave her a list of issues I have that fits the DSM criteria and she agreed I should be assessed. However, my local clinic use a triage service to assess the applications for suitability, and mine was declined due to “Insufficient information to warrant a diagnosis” Having found my local clinics referral form online, I’ve seen that my GP had to state if I can initiate interaction, hold a 2 way conversation, and make eye contact. Of course I can, I’ve worked in a customer facing job for 30 years and am naturally much more comfortable with people now than when I was 16!! 😤 I can’t help but feel I’ve been turned down because I don’t fit the stereotype. I’m not leaving it there, I need to go back and ask to be referred to a service outside of my area under the NHS right to choose.
That’s such a shame! Definitely keep pushing, it’s still not fully understood yet and it’s infuriating that people still use the stereotypes! I’m surprised I even got my diagnosis so early because I was apparently ‘very very good at masking’ and still am.
@@darceylauren masking is something I don’t relate to at all. I’ve spent my entire life thinking everybody else was just been a complete “expletive”. So many people across a whole range of relationships (kids growing up, school, work, family) have said the same things to me for so long (my whole life) how much longer do I bury my head in the sand without taking a look at myself. Then my wife said “Sometimes I could swear you’ve got Asperger’s syndrome” and 💡 My GP has been amazing. I’m still waiting to get on the waiting list at an out of area clinic, but the wheels are turning. I think I’m about a year away from getting my answer.
Loved listening thank you 😊 I have been diagnosed at age 54 with ASD Both my daughters now almost 23 & 19 were both diagnosed ages 14 & 12. CAMHS was a hard ride for sure as parents & for both my daughters. Glad you finally got your diagnosis 🙂
I was diagnosed at 5 & was highly stereotypical. Apparently my Nan read a newspaper article about another kid at 18 months, & it kicked the diagnostic process off (was very lucky, even though they tried diagnosing me with just Global Developmental Delay first). They mustn’t have changed the methodology in those 10 years, as I was doing this some of this back in 2001 at 4/5 (apparently in the mirror room, when all the other kids came in, I ran to a corner & spun the wheels of a toy car repetitively lol). I can remember the occupational therapist doing those imagination tasks post diagnosis too & instantly remember how uncomfortable I was at them writing EVERYTHING I did down, from speech to body language. It’s crazy as apparently ASD isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ condition, but the methodology to diagnose it sure is. This was a very good watch though, you’ve earned a sub 😊
That’s so true, it’s now widely recognised as a spectrum disorder with all sorts of different types, yet the diagnosis is exactly the same it’s odd! Which is why I’m so lucky to have even got a diagnosis in the first place cos I mask so much and my report seemed to comment on it as me just showing ‘normal’ behaviour that meant I might not have autism. Thanks for sub!
So proud of your parents for persevering! My husband has obsessive compulsive and on the autistic spectrum. Not easy to live with him but love him to bits! No one helped him. I am a teacher so managed to figure it out. Far more help should be given to children at school. Poor reflection on the educational systems round the world. We are both 70yrs. Old. Don't give up. Learn to observe yourself. A diary for yourself to reflect on yourself.
Thank you for sharing your experience. Could you make sure you flip the video horizontally in the future? The book spines in the background are distracting.
I knew I had dyspraxia aged 23.early 2002. People thought I had Asperger’s syndrome. I had a non standard diagnosis of Aspergers traits February 2004, aged 25. I learned about adult dyspraxia. I got my diagnosis of dyspraxia, privately aged 33, May 2012. I learned I had generalised anxiety disorder spring 2014, aged 35. I had a nervous breakdown to get my ADHD detected February 2020, aged 41. The NHS waiting time is 4 years +. I got my ADHD diagnosis, privately aged 41, August 2020, Birmingham . The reports for dyspraxia and ADHD are detailed .
Hi. Thanks for making this video. Yeah I'm on a wait list to be assessed for ASD here in the states. I'm 47 and have had somewhere in the neighborhood of 85 jobs. Not sure what the actual number is though. After learning more about ASD and moving in with my parents last year, I came to realize that my father is probably on the spectrum too! What's your area of focus? Mine is singing and playing guitar; my father's is playing pool : ) Look forward to checking out some of your other vids!
Thank you for watching! I love doing anything creative and obsessed with crystals haha! Hope you get a diagnosis though, whether that’s ASD or something else-just good to know what it is and be able to move forward with it
@@darceylauren oh yeah, I like crystals and gems, metals, etc. Perhaps I was a rockhound in another life lol! TH-cam has some great vids of ppl finding them. Any good geology museums in your neighborhood?
I was diagnosed with severe ocd onset age 7 then bpd and now my GP thinks I may be on the spectrum and advised me to seek a private assessment. It's like a light bulb going off right now watching this, Thank you x
I hate where it says "must have 'good' body language" when talking to others - who decides what that is? Whether body language is perceived as 'good' or 'bad' can vary depending on the situation, culture of the person you are talking to and whether they are neurotypical or not. Kind of reads like 'you should make yourself uncomfortable to make neurotypicals feel comfortable".
@@darceylauren This feels like a much larger conversation. I’ve recently started working with someone that says they’re autistic, but I’m having a lot of doubts. I know that autism is real and that it exists on a spectrum, but some of these people that claim to be autistic I just don’t believe. Yet, when I say this they get offended. They tell me that I’m offending an entire group vs just them personally and at a certain point I understand why people w autism have a hard time finding work. If you run the risk of offending an entire group of people because you call out their claims of autism then they become a liability. I even asked this person what makes them autistic or neurodivergent and I don’t necessarily see what makes them entirely different from the average neurotypical person. I was told, “I’m neurodivergent which means I think differently from other people.” Ok? Most people on average will think differently in some way from one person to the next. Then it was “ I stim” which means you either make a lot of hand movements or fidget around in some way. I too make a lot of hand movements or talk with my hands yet that doesn’t feel like something that makes me neurodivergent. Then it became” I collect a lot of dolls” I mean I know that’s a thing as well, but she’s a girl and she collects stuffed animals… so just collecting things or a specific thing is an indicator? I need better indicators of what truly makes a person autistic because I have people claiming to be autistic who have been diagnosed by doctors saying these are key traits yet I just don’t see it. I’m not convinced fully. At times it feels like an excuse for potentially bad behavior. I can’t even say to this person, “ I doubt you have autism” without hearing about how ignorant I am. I have no problem learning more about autism, but I refuse to be told I can’t question someone’s autism or their neurodiversity just because they have a doctors diagnosis. Doctors used to give people weed cards if they mentioned they had bad anxiety when we all knew it was a way to get marijuana without getting arrested. I don’t firmly believe every person diagnosed with autism is autistic. Unless it’s a severe case like being nonverbal or having severe deficits that are too noticeable to ignore I can’t believe every claim even with a doctors diagnosis. I don’t want to sound ignorant and I’m open to changing my stance with more information, but autism is a tough sell for me at times unless it’s more noticeable.
@@zachberry4742 I understand where you’re coming from, but I think the people you have spoken to may not understand it themselves. Autism diagnoses are very complex and it’s not just one doctors opinion, it’s a very long process and most people that go through it get told they don’t have autism when they do (mainly due to severe autistic stereotyping that doesn’t meet criteria for less severe cases). Yes everyone has characteristics of autism e.g. collecting things, getting socially drained etc but to be diagnosed with autism means that all these things are to the extreme that it interferes with their life. When someone says they think differently, they mean that they don’t pick up on social cues, they aren’t born with the instinctual understanding of conversation and language and all the social aspects that humans naturally develop. It also means that our brains are wired differently (which has been scientifically proven on MRI scans) so our senses are heightened in some areas and weak in others- for example, I’m extremely sensitive to noise and touch, but I have no awareness of hunger or needing the toilet. Basically, when these things collectively negatively affect your life and cause significant distress, it warrants a diagnosis. That diagnosis can then help people and hopefully reduce issues - for me I have such a vast understanding of my autism now that I have found ways to support myself in most areas and strangers wouldn’t notice I have it anymore. But that doesn’t mean it’s gone, it takes a LOT of effort and things in place 24/7 to maintain a normal ish life. People just get offended when they’re told they don’t have it because a lot of people only think autism is the severe non verbal type, and those who appear more ‘neurotypical’ still have a LOT of struggles that are usually hidden from public so we often feel like our problems are minimised. Let me know if you have any other qs :)
I can relate to you a lot, I was a very angry child and teen. My family thought I just had anger management issues and anxiety. However, at age 21, I am so glad to finally have an official diagnosis after years of intense struggle. Thank you for sharing your story, you are so brave and beautiful. This is such important work you're doing for the autism community!
Thank you so much! Good that you finally have an explanation :)
i was almost misdiagnosed with bpd but luckily i read about autism myself and brought it up. it made so much sense and i finally understood why i felt and behaved the way i do. great video, love hearing other people's autism diagnosis journeys! you're really pretty as well xx
Thank you! Glad to hear you got a diagnosis!
I was diagnosed with bpd 3 years ago, now have autism assessment upcoming
I was diagnosed at 35, and my past along with my memories of childhood make a lot more sense now. The last year has been a wild ride. It's only the last few weeks that I've realized I mimic a lot of behaviors and sayings of my social interactions to fit in with people and look "normal". It takes a lot of energy to socialize in a meaningful way and not just be on autopilot. Even when I try though, I lose a lot of the details coming from other people and focus on one or two things they said instead of understanding the bigger picture.
Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Ah crap
Did you get a diagnosis?
I am similar and only seeing it now
I'm 52 and just figured out my ASD. When I was around 35 I was told I was ADHD, and treated for it but never with a formal assessment. I really don't think I do now. ADHD medication never really did for me what other ADHDers report it does for them. I love seeing everyone's story that posts it on TH-cam, but I especially love this video because it has clips of you as a kid. THis helps me look back at my own childhood a little better, but more importantly look at my daughters. My youngest is almost assuredly on the spectrum.
Thanks for putting yourself out there in this way!
Ahh I’m so glad! Thanks for watching and sharing :) I’m hoping to put more videos out at some point hopefully!
'TH-cam suggested' popped you up on my feed! Autism, travel and nature, Love your content 🙏🏼🌟
I’m pleased for you that you got your diagnosis. I sat chuckling to myself at some things you said as I can relate. I’m a 45 year old male and only realised I may have ASD in March 2020. Finally plucked up the courage to speak to my GP around 8 weeks ago, gave her a list of issues I have that fits the DSM criteria and she agreed I should be assessed. However, my local clinic use a triage service to assess the applications for suitability, and mine was declined due to “Insufficient information to warrant a diagnosis” Having found my local clinics referral form online, I’ve seen that my GP had to state if I can initiate interaction, hold a 2 way conversation, and make eye contact. Of course I can, I’ve worked in a customer facing job for 30 years and am naturally much more comfortable with people now than when I was 16!! 😤 I can’t help but feel I’ve been turned down because I don’t fit the stereotype. I’m not leaving it there, I need to go back and ask to be referred to a service outside of my area under the NHS right to choose.
That’s such a shame! Definitely keep pushing, it’s still not fully understood yet and it’s infuriating that people still use the stereotypes! I’m surprised I even got my diagnosis so early because I was apparently ‘very very good at masking’ and still am.
@@darceylauren masking is something I don’t relate to at all. I’ve spent my entire life thinking everybody else was just been a complete “expletive”. So many people across a whole range of relationships (kids growing up, school, work, family) have said the same things to me for so long (my whole life) how much longer do I bury my head in the sand without taking a look at myself. Then my wife said “Sometimes I could swear you’ve got Asperger’s syndrome” and 💡
My GP has been amazing. I’m still waiting to get on the waiting list at an out of area clinic, but the wheels are turning. I think I’m about a year away from getting my answer.
Loved listening thank you 😊 I have been diagnosed at age 54 with ASD
Both my daughters now almost 23 & 19 were both diagnosed ages 14 & 12. CAMHS was a hard ride for sure as parents & for both my daughters. Glad you finally got your diagnosis 🙂
I was diagnosed at 5 & was highly stereotypical. Apparently my Nan read a newspaper article about another kid at 18 months, & it kicked the diagnostic process off (was very lucky, even though they tried diagnosing me with just Global Developmental Delay first).
They mustn’t have changed the methodology in those 10 years, as I was doing this some of this back in 2001 at 4/5 (apparently in the mirror room, when all the other kids came in, I ran to a corner & spun the wheels of a toy car repetitively lol). I can remember the occupational therapist doing those imagination tasks post diagnosis too & instantly remember how uncomfortable I was at them writing EVERYTHING I did down, from speech to body language.
It’s crazy as apparently ASD isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ condition, but the methodology to diagnose it sure is.
This was a very good watch though, you’ve earned a sub 😊
That’s so true, it’s now widely recognised as a spectrum disorder with all sorts of different types, yet the diagnosis is exactly the same it’s odd! Which is why I’m so lucky to have even got a diagnosis in the first place cos I mask so much and my report seemed to comment on it as me just showing ‘normal’ behaviour that meant I might not have autism. Thanks for sub!
Thank you for sharing your experiences- it helps so much to hear others’ diagnosis stories!!
Thank you for sharing this valuable information. You are a brave young woman. Peace.
Awesome presentation papers you made yourself 👌 interesting video as well. I'm currently waiting for my own ASD assessment ☺️
So proud of your parents for persevering! My husband has obsessive compulsive and on the autistic spectrum. Not easy to live with him but love him to bits! No one helped him. I am a teacher so managed to figure it out. Far more help should be given to children at school. Poor reflection on the educational systems round the world. We are both 70yrs. Old. Don't give up. Learn to observe yourself. A diary for yourself to reflect on yourself.
Thank you!
Thank you for sharing you diagnosis journey. It is helpful ❤
Thank you!
Later in life diagnosis here too.. I'm 36 now and was also diagnosed with aspergers around 32/33.. life-changing! X
Thank you so much for sharing your story
I had assessments aged 8, 9, clearly dyspraxia and ADHD, one statement aged 9 Aspergers traits.
I got a degree in 1999 aged 20, pgdip 2000.
I really have to talk about with my mother how I was as a child. I was pretty quiet. But I also was like you at some times ...
Just been diagnosed as an adult and, I agree, it is a long and painfull process
Thank you for sharing your experience. Could you make sure you flip the video horizontally in the future? The book spines in the background are distracting.
I struggle with the reading and understanding quickly as well. I have to read aloud, and often have to re-read before it sinks in.
It’s a struggle getting through books 😅
Thank you so much!
I'm laughing, "decided to do a presentation instead" is sooo ASD
I knew I had dyspraxia aged 23.early 2002. People thought I had Asperger’s syndrome. I had a non standard diagnosis of Aspergers traits February 2004, aged 25. I learned about adult dyspraxia. I got my diagnosis of dyspraxia, privately aged 33, May 2012. I learned I had generalised anxiety disorder spring 2014, aged 35. I had a nervous breakdown to get my ADHD detected February 2020, aged 41. The NHS waiting time is 4 years +. I got my ADHD diagnosis, privately aged 41, August 2020, Birmingham . The reports for dyspraxia and ADHD are detailed .
Hi. Thanks for making this video. Yeah I'm on a wait list to be assessed for ASD here in the states. I'm 47 and have had somewhere in the neighborhood of 85 jobs. Not sure what the actual number is though. After learning more about ASD and moving in with my parents last year, I came to realize that my father is probably on the spectrum too! What's your area of focus? Mine is singing and playing guitar; my father's is playing pool : ) Look forward to checking out some of your other vids!
Thank you for watching! I love doing anything creative and obsessed with crystals haha! Hope you get a diagnosis though, whether that’s ASD or something else-just good to know what it is and be able to move forward with it
@@darceylauren oh yeah, I like crystals and gems, metals, etc. Perhaps I was a rockhound in another life lol! TH-cam has some great vids of ppl finding them. Any good geology museums in your neighborhood?
You’re beautiful inside and out
Thank you :)
Thank you for this video. If you haven’t discovered Saga Johanna you may enjoy her channel.
Exelent video, but where is your new videos?
Thank you! I’ve just been busy at the moment 😅 got one lined up though soon
@@darceylauren ok❤️😄❤️
I was diagnosed with severe ocd onset age 7 then bpd and now my GP thinks I may be on the spectrum and advised me to seek a private assessment. It's like a light bulb going off right now watching this, Thank you x
Gréât vidéo. 15:16 creeping up on us is so funny to me
I feel like there's no one to talk to about autism where I live. It's been a very trying quarantine after getting diagnosed just as soon as it began.
I'm autistic I got die knows with autism when I was 8 years old
I hate where it says "must have 'good' body language" when talking to others - who decides what that is? Whether body language is perceived as 'good' or 'bad' can vary depending on the situation, culture of the person you are talking to and whether they are neurotypical or not. Kind of reads like 'you should make yourself uncomfortable to make neurotypicals feel comfortable".
maintain
*5* troy ounces of *gold* , *200* troy ounces of *silver* , *0.01* of *bitcoin*
*nuff said*
😽💓💕
So does being autistic mean you’re sociopathic? Because that’s what it sounds like.
Sociopaths have no emotions. Autistic people have too many so no…
@@darceylauren
That’s not true though. Psychopaths have no emotions. Sociopaths have an explosion 💥 of emotions depending on the situation.
@@zachberry4742 they still have a lack of emotion though and definitely no empathy, which autistic people feel intensely plus a huge range of emotions
@@darceylauren
This feels like a much larger conversation. I’ve recently started working with someone that says they’re autistic, but I’m having a lot of doubts. I know that autism is real and that it exists on a spectrum, but some of these people that claim to be autistic I just don’t believe. Yet, when I say this they get offended. They tell me that I’m offending an entire group vs just them personally and at a certain point I understand why people w autism have a hard time finding work. If you run the risk of offending an entire group of people because you call out their claims of autism then they become a liability. I even asked this person what makes them autistic or neurodivergent and I don’t necessarily see what makes them entirely different from the average neurotypical person. I was told, “I’m neurodivergent which means I think differently from other people.” Ok? Most people on average will think differently in some way from one person to the next. Then it was “ I stim” which means you either make a lot of hand movements or fidget around in some way. I too make a lot of hand movements or talk with my hands yet that doesn’t feel like something that makes me neurodivergent. Then it became” I collect a lot of dolls” I mean I know that’s a thing as well, but she’s a girl and she collects stuffed animals… so just collecting things or a specific thing is an indicator? I need better indicators of what truly makes a person autistic because I have people claiming to be autistic who have been diagnosed by doctors saying these are key traits yet I just don’t see it. I’m not convinced fully. At times it feels like an excuse for potentially bad behavior. I can’t even say to this person, “ I doubt you have autism” without hearing about how ignorant I am. I have no problem learning more about autism, but I refuse to be told I can’t question someone’s autism or their neurodiversity just because they have a doctors diagnosis. Doctors used to give people weed cards if they mentioned they had bad anxiety when we all knew it was a way to get marijuana without getting arrested. I don’t firmly believe every person diagnosed with autism is autistic. Unless it’s a severe case like being nonverbal or having severe deficits that are too noticeable to ignore I can’t believe every claim even with a doctors diagnosis. I don’t want to sound ignorant and I’m open to changing my stance with more information, but autism is a tough sell for me at times unless it’s more noticeable.
@@zachberry4742 I understand where you’re coming from, but I think the people you have spoken to may not understand it themselves. Autism diagnoses are very complex and it’s not just one doctors opinion, it’s a very long process and most people that go through it get told they don’t have autism when they do (mainly due to severe autistic stereotyping that doesn’t meet criteria for less severe cases). Yes everyone has characteristics of autism e.g. collecting things, getting socially drained etc but to be diagnosed with autism means that all these things are to the extreme that it interferes with their life. When someone says they think differently, they mean that they don’t pick up on social cues, they aren’t born with the instinctual understanding of conversation and language and all the social aspects that humans naturally develop. It also means that our brains are wired differently (which has been scientifically proven on MRI scans) so our senses are heightened in some areas and weak in others- for example, I’m extremely sensitive to noise and touch, but I have no awareness of hunger or needing the toilet. Basically, when these things collectively negatively affect your life and cause significant distress, it warrants a diagnosis. That diagnosis can then help people and hopefully reduce issues - for me I have such a vast understanding of my autism now that I have found ways to support myself in most areas and strangers wouldn’t notice I have it anymore. But that doesn’t mean it’s gone, it takes a LOT of effort and things in place 24/7 to maintain a normal ish life. People just get offended when they’re told they don’t have it because a lot of people only think autism is the severe non verbal type, and those who appear more ‘neurotypical’ still have a LOT of struggles that are usually hidden from public so we often feel like our problems are minimised. Let me know if you have any other qs :)
Matthew 19:26
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.