I struggle with the ‘has to significantly interfere with functioning’ logic not just because it ignores the reality that disability is created largely by the environment, but because of the more insidious implication: your autism somehow goes away if you ever stop suffering, and all autistic people must suffer constantly. There is no future for us under that system; there is only a requirement of lifelong misery to be considered valid. Hard pass.
Yes, absolutely. A well adapted home environment for a wheelchair user can effectively eliminate or very much reduce the impact of the disability on paper - and may not necessary require the 'constant suffering and misery' that some would require. Thankes, Danielle. 🧡
Agreed! My autism was extremely visible and disabling when I was a child who could not control my environment. I had meltdowns and shutdowns near daily. The lights were too bright, the texture of my clothes was uncomfortable, I had no reliable routine and was often forced to do things spontaneously, etc. Now, as an adult, I haven't had a meltdown in YEARS because I've learned how to cater my environment to my sensory needs. I am no less autistic now that I exist comfortably. If I lose this control I hold over my environment and routine, I will deteriorate very rapidly and it could take months for me to recover.
@@LilChuunosukemy home is usually dimly lit with soft sounds and all the furniture and my clothes have nice textures and I only use good but not strong smelling cleaning products in my house. In that environment I'm at peace and happy. It's the rest of the world that is the problem. Good rhat you also creaties a safe space
A lot of people claim to be autistic but then attack our struggles. That and people who say "Autism lvl 1" is barely autistic and My ADHD can be managed with routine, a planner and a depleted room. Ans they throw away My things
Throwing away your things?! And yes, I didn't say it here but the whole 'high functioning' or 'just aspergers' or 'level 1' thing can imply minimal or very low support needs or accomodation needs which as we all know isn't the case at all.
Yeah, many of our needs can change day to day. It can change with hormones, with how much sleep you get, if you've had really heavy meals and feel dragged down. So many things can change our level of "function" and support needs. I wish people would just.. accept it
I hate when people diagnoses levels. Because it could literally depend on the day or when you were diagnosed. Most adults late diagnosed are diagnosed as level 1 then ignored when we are highly struggling and start to have the traits of "level 2" . . .and if we were diagnosed as kids, it would probably have been as level 2 or 3. Its arbitrary
@@JDMimeTHEFIRST agreed, there are eso many things I struggle with. Especially living alone. It's one of those.... Just because you can, doesn't mean you should... I CAN live alone... But my life would be better if I had help.. standards shouldn't be set on what you can do at absolutely bare functionality. But at how you thrive best
Today I went for an interview in a special education center for my autistic nonverbal daughter to get speech therapy classes , but I was shocked because of how outdated knowledge and even wrong informations they had about autism , they were trying to explain to me that Autism is something severe (or deep autism) and Autism spectrum is a light form of autism !! thank God I didn't burst in laughter 😅 I tried to explain to them in a simplified way that there is just ASD , and they even were surprised when I told them that I am autistic myself, (it's their first time meeting an autistic adult ) so they wanted to know more hhh I was super disappointed because they were supposed to be the experts
Awh, I hope you and your daughter are doing well. Sorry the speech therapy service was somewhat out of date. Still, it could be helpful regardless - your call! Take care -Mike 🧡
yeah… as someone who has dabbled professionally in psycholinguistics, it’s kind of outdated about certain conditions. they care about how certain conditions affect language, but not about the conditions themselves. so you’d think that they’d know a little about the conditions, right? but nah, mainly about the symptoms/characteristics. a psycholinguist that taught me a class barely knew about autism, ah but she “knew” that autistic people “didn’t understand metaphors” and i was like: well, some of us! others excel at them! she knows some things, but only the ones related to language development. they are out of the loop. now, speech therapists in particular? even more so. not to mention that they (depending on where you live, but this is real for me) aren’t necessarily psychologists or psycholinguists. some are in an adjacent field, like a former professor of mine who was a linguist specialized in phonetics. those are EVEN MORE out of the loop. i believe it to be a problem, but clearly the system thinks it’s alright
@@A.H._ you're absolutely right, but it was a hope of mine that they new what they're dealing with. I'm not blaming them and I'm looking forward to see if they can be helpful to my daughter , but what I didn't like is when they first started explaining to me the "autism" assuming that I'm an autism mom that has no knowledge or understanding , and this way they can be part of spreading misinformations about the subject in the community.
I think some people still believe we grow out of being Autistic. The fact that a lot of people don’t know that perimenopause can mess with your autism and make the characteristics more pronounced. Going through that hormone changed does something and there isn’t much research on this in woman.
I was diagnosed Asperger's as a child. But lost diagnosis. Spent the last 30 years trying to get a diagnosis. Even The aspietests results ableist doctors and psychiatrists made fun of me, invalidated me and used outdated stereotypes. Hospitalized me twice against my Will and took All My stuff because I am burnout but for years rejected the proper care I needed. Instead of helping they made me get worse. Now that I was rediagnosed (not thanks to them) they baby talk to me. It's frustrating
I'm sorry this happened to you. The "losing your diagnosis" thing is inherently problematic. They need to come up with some other terminology for neuro-different kids that have developed the skills that they need to participate in school without heavy intervention while still acknowledging their differences and recognizing that they may benefit from accommodations that aren't necessarily foreseen later in their academic career or life.
@@franklehouillier8865technically I didn't lose it. My parents just rejected it and we moved countries. SO while it was not lost. IT was lost to me as I had no way to prove my needs in a country where they probably can't tell the difference between Autism and Down Syndrome (I had psychiatrists get confused before)
@@franklehouillier8865 thanks. I just hope now I find q safe place. Maybe get q lawsuit going. Even if I lose then I Will get it to European human rights commission. I might get shamed for being dirty, lazy but if it gets awareness to others Burnt out Autists being misdiagnosed and abused maybe it will save lives ..
@@CanisLupus1987 I'm sorry but I'm like, SO confused, where in the wide wide world did you move to that confused autism and downs? 🤨🤨🤨🤨 and wdym by 'take your things?' like your personal property? how in the name of the august celestials would that be legal...!?
7:31 ugh. Yes, technically, the diagnostic process is psychiatric, because it has to be until/unless there’s a biologically derived test for autism. But the CONDITION of autism-of BEING autistic-is not psychiatric. It’s not behavioral. The observable traits are, yes. But the condition itself is fundamentally, categorically neurological. When even the so called professionals are muddling this stuff, it’s no wonder the general public gets it wrong.
I recently read a history about software focusing on the life of JCR Licklider (called "The Dream Machine" by Waldrop). One of the interesting things is how mathematical theories about radar systems, computers, and even grammar kept on throwing wrenches into the Behaviorism that dominated the Psychiatric field at the time. Yet even today, there's a *severe* bias to focus on behavior, and to nearly *completely* ignore what's going on in people's heads!
Undiagnosed, 38 years old male. I gave the AQ test a try, got 34 😅 Got my NT wife to give it a go... she got 10. We gave some of the other autism tests a go... Let's just say I'm pretty sure I am autistic. It would explain a lot...
I’m not formally diagnosed. I AM self diagnosed . 37 and 38 on the test. (I’ve taken it several times, weeks apart.) it explains my whole life. I’m relieved, but also sad. My husband is also autistic, with adhd, too.
I tried the AQ test about 5 days ago. And I only scored a 20. I think it’s because most of the questions I could only slightly agree or slightly disagree with. But when I’ve watched the videos with 64 or 100 traits etc. I’ve consistently scored 84% yes to them.
UD 45F, asked my doctor for a referral for testing at 40, was told there's no point because if you think you have it you'll just answer "right" anyways to get a diagnosis. + too old (don't need help with school etc. so what is the point) I was shocked but gave up.. I was made to feel silly and small for seeking answers about my challenges. I'll never really know even though every test I've taken (AQ 37) says it's so and my lifetime of struggles are SO on point, and my partner always score not. But I will not go around calling myself anything without a proper diagnosis. I wish they would just figure out some blood markers, genetic thing or something already!
@@OneCatShortOfCrazy I think they’re getting close. I’ve seen some videos (apologize that I can’t remember the particulars) but one is where Paul mcalliff gets a brain scan and they see several differences between NT and ND brains.
Hey, I always watch but don't comment, because I'm worried about coming across wrong. What I always want to say is thank you for making videos, your channel and a few others have helped me through my journey being diagnosed autistic in my mid 20s. Your work makes me feel safer and less alone in my experience, so thank you so much. I hope everyone is having a good day x
I'm so glad you had the courage to comment. The Autistic AF community is warm and welcoming, so whenever you comment, there will be plenty of us who appreciate your words. 🌸💜
to echo the other commentor, i hope you keep commenting. i like to comment, though it does make me quite anxious because maybe i am talking too much :) well...if we all don't mind, it should be good :)
It’s minimising the difficulty of those of us who are autistic, l was recently diagnosed autistic many decades after being diagnosed dyslexic and l heard people minimising that as well saying everyone is a bit dyslexic
My child is absolutely on the autism spectrum, but he tolerates change fairly well and loves people and so we struggle so much getting support for him. He needs support with emotional regulation, reading body language and other discreet/ambiguous social clues, sensory sensitivity, etc., but because he is very smart (hyperlexic and great at academics) and has a friend or two, he doesn't qualify for support. I HATE the whole levelling garbage.
Our entire society has no way to relate to or accommodate us twice-exceptionals, even now, in 2024, even though about 1 in 200 kids meet the definition (a developmental disability such as ADHD, ASD, or dyslexia, combined with an IQ at least two standard deviations above the mean, I.e. “gifted”.) 🤦♀️ I’m kinda glad my kids sorta “split” my exceptionalities, so the world can get a handle on relating to them better (this is partially due to them having different fathers)! 😅
I have the suspicion that being change averse and avoiding people is not directly related to autism but caused by constant traumatizing experiences that cause anxiety and that leads to many of the quirks associated with Autism.
i'm sorry but higher support needs autistics often advocate for the level system because it is vital for them to get support and to be recognised for the level of disability they face as a result of being autistic. the fact that "low support needs" is often taken to mean "no support needs" is not a fault of the level system itself, but of the broken and inadequate disability services.
I’m much the same way although I struggled a lot making friends a kid even tho I was very social. I wasn’t diagnosed till I was 12 cause of a combination of my parents being in denial and just doctors being biased towards afab people and giving diagnoses ( idk if it’s still that way with getting a diagnosis but when I was a kid it was so hard to get a diagnosis if you weren’t a specific type of middle class boy). I know it’s rough getting a diagnosis but you sound like a great parent whose there for their kid and is ready to fight for it, that’s half the battle just getting them to listen. Hang in there 💜
I'm autistic and really picky about clothing texture and how clothes fit/feel on my body. I have a 6½ year old autistic daughter with ADHD who is required to wear a uniform. She and I both prefer form-fitting clothes on our upper bodies. We're both good wearing skirts and dresses, but when it comes to pants, they need to be on the tight side and not move around on the waist too much. Luckily, my daughter can wear leggings and a shirt under her uniform clothes, but when it's hot and she can't do that, morning meltdowns before school are common. I'm so glad to have similar sensitivities to her so that I can empathize with how important it is to have comfortable clothes on and how distracting and distressing it is when your clothes don't feel right on your body. It can literally ruin your day.
No, we’re not all on The Spectrum. Neither are we all ‘a little Black’ or ‘a little gay,’ etc. There are aspects of each other’s experience that we can’t honestly understand without serious work. You and I might share many traits, but if you’re neurotypical and I’m autistic, you can’t relate to my experience as an autistic person, unless you and I, or another autistic person, do serious work together. With love and commitment, we can do it, but we have to acknowledge the difference first, and then do the work.
I agree. The analogies don't work. A NT person might relate to certain traits they experience for short time infrequently. Some time mental illness can mimic the traits. For example Social Anxiety Disorder. That looks similar to ASD but not at all. I don't have anxiety for no reason, I have reason. I know full well that social encounter is going to cost me and my anxiety is telling that. A person social anxiety is predicting every negative out come possible and minimizing positive ones. Me anxiety comes and just predicts I'm going run out energy and possibly melt down. The closer to melt down I get the more my anxiety is calling out the potential of melt down. That's not something I'm thinking will happen that's something that will happen if I keep pushing through the social encounter. That' s how no not everyone is bit autistic. Just because you can related to a trait I live with 24/7 doesn't mean you are little bit autistic. It can help you empathize with me as that my brain all the time.
Undiagnosed 44yoM i did the test a few years back when we suspected our daughter maybe autistic she scored 35, so i did the test and scored 39 so my partner did the test she scored 4 i was so shocked but since then ive been researching it explains a lot of my social anxiety, never fitting in lost friends migraines sinus congestion etc i wish there was a way to definitively determine if i have autism or not as i work as an electrician but get major headaches when looking at screens for long periods plus the stress when there is expectation heaped on top of me to always perform, just wish someone would cut me some slack as I have struggled all my life, although i may not have had to if I'd found a community like this sooner. Thanks for sharing this video.
mike, despite your (probably correct) assumption of people's attempts to be understanding and inclusive when they say that, I've also heard the phrase 'Oh well, we're all disabled in some way, aren't we?' That feels minimalising and dismissive to me. I think we are sometimes too dismissive when taking people's supposed good intentions into account. However, for me they become irrelevant if they still do harm. Good intentions throughout history have resulted in everything from pangs of disappointment (as in this case) through abuse and right up to colonisation of entire cultures. While of course we need to place people's good intentions on the right side of the ledger, I think we must be cautious that this does not prevent us holding them to account.
in fairness those cultures were eating eachother and burning widows and enslaving eachother, had no real medicine, or educational systems or infastructure. they arent to be glamorized or glorified. any country whom western civilization takes hold realizes a higher standard of living with longer lifespans. like for instance, everyone is butthurt that the spainyards removed the mayans and aztects from existence, but would you want to live in thier culture. your blood could be dripping down the steps, and they could be making soup out of you.
Yeah, I lean in to the intentionally dismissive, though I like his attitude in giving people benefit of doubt. No, when people say that they are saying "Nah, you're not X." Because if everyone is super... no one is.
It was my first time to take that particular test. I got 37. As with all the other tests, it seems to point to me being a high-masking autistic. It would explain a lot... Because of these tests, plus knowing I have what I always thought were "sensitive ears," I got some semi-muffling ear plugs, and the difference they have made to my day, has been incredible.
"I am black. We all are; skin colour is a spectrum. But I'm on the part of the colour spectrum where someone black might have a problem with me saying I'm black."
Honestly, that doesn't seem far off from the experience of lighter-skinned black people, according to my black friends who have lighter skin. It's baffling what people will justify prejudices with.
I'm just an ADHDer, not autistic. I watched a video with Chloe Hayden speaking, I love how she said it. Just in case on one saw it yet. She said "Today I'm high functioning and tomorrow I'll be low functioning." I suggest watching it, she explained it so beautifully ❤️ I couldn't even begin to explain how beautifully she told it. I believe it was a Ted Talk thing, but she was wearing a beautiful suit that's mainly red if that helps anyone find the video. It's worth the watch, she's wonderful. By the way, don't apologize for repeating yourself, that's just one way to show how important what you're saying is to you and I for one love to see that. It's something I still have people get on to me for, but I only ever felt bad about being on repeat when I started apologizing for it. No one should have to apologize for being passionate about something important to them. I hope this all reads as lighthearted as I mean it to be 😊 You're awesome dude, just keep being you 👍 ✌️ peace and love ❤️
My son was diagnosed with ASD some years ago. I had thought there was nothing wrong with him, I was the same as he was at his age, just awkward, stubborn and angry. But in my day you learned to do as you were told or there were consequences. Teachers attitude was to ‘beat the stupid out of you’ or ‘beat some discipline into you’. My brother was sent to a special school for learning, but never got any diagnosis. My son was put forward for some genetic tests, where a defect was found that has a high association with ASD and ADHD. Myself and my wife were subsequently tested, and I have the same genetic gain. Working from home is a God send for me, not having to cope with office noise and people smoking (outside but still smelling of it) and some that didn’t wash too often. I suppose growing up you learned to shut up and put up, so to say that a condition doesn’t affect you in work or personal life, it might, but you’ve learned to mask, and just pretend to be ‘normal’ .
I'm a 40's woman, undiagnosed, and scored a 42. A diagnosed friend recommended I take the CAT-q, and looking into things led me to your channel. I really appreciate how accepting you are of undiagnosed folks. Your videos about reason to/not to seek a diagnosis were really helpful for me right now.
34. It was a tricky test because I always, ALWAYS pull the questions apart. It depends on the situation. I mean, what's on at the theatre? What's the exhibition at the museum? 🤣😂 I just subscribed. Very interesting content and very much appreciated. 💗 (edited to correct a typo)
Yes, that's a tricky question! I think they 'want' the museum answer. But sometimes museums (Nat Hist in London for example) are incredibly noisy (no soft furnishings lol) and busy, shoulder to shoulder at times. Welcome to the channel community of autisticats! :)
Some of the questions are stupid. I would much rather go to a party than a library, but where will I end up going - probably to the library because I don't have the capacity to deal with the party. But I would much rather have the capacity/ability to go to the party.
@@SquaskewBros that makes complete sense! It's why I've always despised quizzes in magazines etc. There is not enough context, and the multiple choice options are mostly ridiculous. If they're not multiple choice, I will give answers in long, oversharing responses...
I''ve done the AQ test a few times, but I always agonise over the questions. _Do_ people sometimes tell me that I'm rude? Do I _definitely_ notice patterns in things _all_ _the_ _time_? My answer for some of them is probably a finger in the air and depends upon the phase of the moon
Your agony is more revealing than you think. Autistics seek clarity and precision - we dislike ambiguity and uncertainty. Allistics (generally) wouldn't even think about the question to that extent - they'd just give a reactive or instinctive answer as this is their cognitive model.
I struggle with the questions too because have people literally called me rude? No. But I have had to learn to soften the way I say things to avoid upsetting others.
A lot autistic people are not disabled by it at all till they are. That's why we have lot late diagnosis, that when the support needs kicked in. Before that they were ignored and endured. Pushed thought for years or decades till one day the autism roared in to knock they down with worst autistic burn they've ever experienced. All those things were there before just pushed through it.
I took the AQ before I was clinically diagnosed and scored a 42. I also took the RAADS-R and scored 192. Yep…autistic AF, with the, “AF,” meaning, “after fifty.”
It's hard enough learning that you may very well be autistic, it's not an easy thing to accept, especially later in life with all the grief/relief that comes with that. People saying that everyone is on the spectrum does not help nor does some of the fluffy content that some autistic content creators put out. There is this zeitgeist that anyone can think they are autistic just by seeing a short video or taking a quiz online which does not help the ridicule actual people going through the real thing face. It's hard to even tell people I am in line for a diagnosis because of the subsequent eye roll attitude there is surrounding the issue. Ultimately, all people like myself are just figuring out who they really are and how they can manage their lives better moving forward. I researched ASD for over year whilst denying and laughing it off (that's how I cope), I found myself at a stage with several online tests all showing severe autistic traits, 40 odd pages of written examples throughout my life relating to the core diagnostic criteria of both the DSM and ICD, and a life full of alienation and misunderstandings at my heels, at this stage I broke down. Yet because of the nonsense around autism, I can't talk about it with anyone for fear of being taken for one of these people who can just say they are autistic because everyone is. It's been hard enough dealing with having an Anxiety and Major Depressive disorder my whole life for no clear reason, now I finally find out what the cause of that is but I feel I have to remain silent because of stupid people.
I feel this. I have ADHD, autism cPTSD, RSD, and a PDA profile. But I have also functioned in life up to this point. At 50 life got too hard. I’m barely functioning. So when I have a okay day and I disclose my disabilities and 10 minutes later I’m treated like a NT it makes me want to crawl away and hide. The lack of awareness is unbelievable. Yet I have to be oh so aware of how I communicate because I may be offensive. Why doesn’t it go the other way around?!
Not yet officially diagnosed (but getting there) - Depending on how I interpret the questions (considering the people they're aimed at - why make them so vague?!), I end up with an AQ between 40 and 45. That's a pretty strong indicator, especially considering that I'm not exactly what would be described as high masking (aka I'm very obviously "weird" and I can't stop that for long). On the other hand, I'm usually able to get along on my own and have a steady job - I just happen to have workarounds for many of the usual challenges, so I can at least function to some extent most of the time. It's when that started to change due to life circumstances that I started down the journey of discovery and diagnosis I'm currently on.
1) Keep on repeating - we need that and you do it very well; 2) TY for the test link. I got a nice round 35 this time (and a fat 172 on the RAADS-R, lol), though I wonder if it would jump a bit if some of the questions were a little more... relevant(?) Definitely going to explore the other test options; 3) I think the test results would have been different 5, 10 years ago. One has to wonder at the way life situations can drastically alter one's perception and acuteness of some of the more difficult traits; 4) great vid, thank you.
my favorite videos of yours are when you dive into a scientific paper like this one. i don't mind if some of the comments/topics might be repetitive [i personally find it a bit relaxing anyhow] but i think you do a good job deconstructing the papers and making it easy to understand :)
Thank you for explaining the autism spectrum so well. I think that the use of the term "spectrum" is unfortunate because in other areas, it does mean a linear gradation of intensity. We talk about where someone is on the political spectrum, from left to right, or how narcissistic a person is on a spectrum of healthy self-advocacy to unhealthy selfishness, and assure those who worry about their own failings that "we are all a little narcissistic." The first thing that comes to mind for me when I hear the word spectrum is the various colors in a prism, which, again, move gradually from one color to another. The dart board analogy for the particular "spectrum" of autism is easy to understand. My hope is that someone will come up with a better term to describe it, other than "spectrum." Hopefully, it won't be the "dartboard" of autism, for reasons I think are obvious. I am reminded of fanned out paint swatches, if that's any help to anyone with a better imagination. Maybe a name evocative of a color wheel would help? You are doing such great work, Mike! Thanks for another very clear and helpful video. 💜
Thank you. I really like your fanned out paint swatches example and yes, totally - spectrum (electromagentic, etc) does imply a one dimensional line. It's a really bad choice of wording from those who came before! 🧡
The most mathematically-correct way to explain and define autism with the various traits is with a tensor, but a tensor of ranges as to intensity of each of the traits, because the nature of autistic traits is they're not static, but dynamic.
Scored a 42. The worst part of her routine is that it encourages society to accept the exclusion of a portion of the Autistic community to seek support and accomodations. It sucks because you go your whole childhood and adulthood working so hard to make things work the way society expects to the point of self detriment and self destruction. You hit rock bottom and find understanding of yourself and the world through this diagnosis - only to then have it invalidated by others because they don't "see" it. It's hard enough trying to convince yourself to advocate for support without other people adding to that negative voice in the back of your mind.
Neither diagnosed nor self identified: AQ is 38. I've had similar numbers the other two times I did this, although I don't like the vagueness of the test and how my own judgment might be unreliable. Here's my question though, how can you tell whether these traits linked with autism are truly due to autism, or other circumstances? Did I become a shut-in gamer due to autism, or did becoming a shut-in gamer cause me to manifest autistic traits? It's a chicken and egg problem.
I'm with you. Not diagnosed, exploring the possibility of self-identification. My AQ score was 39. In my opinion, that test is in serious need of revision. As you said, the questions are really vague...
@@merryn-l4s Score was 39 too, some questions felt like they needed a no answer option because I couldn't even apply them. The AQ also emphasized the concept that autistic people don't have an imagination either and that everyone doesn't like fiction and even they admit that's a dated opinion. I met most autistic people by sharing a common interest in something fictional, it's a hyperfixation for many.
Clinically diagnosed as a child. I got 19 from testing now. Looking at a breakdown i scored low on imagination questions and social skill questions. I am an extravert and i taught myself social skills when i was a teen because i highly value connecting with people. I also have a very active imagination. Answering that you can visualise things well will cause you to score less which i think is silly. I and many other autistic people i know are very vivid visual thinkers. It also doesn’t go into depth about anxious thoughts and sensory problems which i think is a grave oversight. A lot of the areas that i'm weakest in just aren't covered. I would have scored more as a child before i developed the coping skills i have now.
I have similar questions but was denied getting tested. I wish there was a blood test! I agree that the test are either too vague or have really absolute statements like "I never ..", "I always ..", "I only .." Example question: "I ONLY like talking to people that share my interests" ... I don't like talking to anyone so... 🤔 If I put false, then it implies that I like talking to all sorts of people about all sorts of things If I HAVE to talk to someone I prefer talking to nice people about interesting stuff, who doesn't..? If I put true it implies that I ONLY ever want to talk to people who share my EXACT interest and nothing else that I might FIND interesting, and that's not true. Now what?!
M35, scored a 37, not formally diagnosed beyond a learning disability, reading and writing comprehension mainly on my IEP, in adulthood, characteristics of autism shine in high pressure situations, worries of unplanned criticism, retelling information, and questioning the approaches to conversations constantly, when to stop, when to carry on or even where to start. Friends feel ephemeral and attached to specific events or places, never creating one of my own. Single.
I did in fact give myself a literal high-five. :) Anyway yeah I liked your presentation, and I look forward to you (much like myself) repeating yourself on it again. (I'd love for you to not need to ofc, but I enjoy it and it's not like newness to the subject isn't added, so it's not like just watching a previous one. There is value in these I believe.) Thankfully I was never a fan of Ellen really, so I don't need to work around that. I however have an off relationship with the audience. Many could just be laughing because of humor or crowd psychology, or fawning or something, but some might agree. All of which is why I'm now repeating myself (as predicted) on this video needing to be done and probably again in the not too distant future. hehe
💖💓💕 the dart board analogy/chart. Also your “spell” slot gaming analogy! 😊 Right now, I’m struggling with a few claiming to be autistic (no diagnosis), yet don’t seem to understand what we go through every day - and who can clearly do ten times or more than what I can do. One “probably autistic” friend got very angry at me when I expressed amazement over her not believing me. She kept arguing with me constantly for two weeks about how I wounded her when I couldn’t do something she wanted me to do. I apologized profusely, but it’s all she would talk about in walls of text. It was exhausting. Finally, I told her I just couldn’t spend time with her anymore. 🙁
I took the test and don't recall the score, but it was highly instrumental in confirming what I suspected. Due to all the stereotypes I had at the time, I was pretty shocked and dismayed at the result. Then started listening to people online like you and I learned what autism really is. As I realized how I understood, and felt "heard" I accepted that yes, I am autistic...which explains a lifetime of struggle even though I can "cope". It's just how my brain is made and I am not "wrong or broken". I like the term "condition" because I lived 65 years without knowing, and suddenly feeling I had a disability, or this horrible disease that has no cure just doesn't "fit" the truth of my life. I just struggled more with some things than I believe my peers did. I just have different needs. I sense the world differently. Fish out of water certainly DOES fit! LOL Knowing is freedom. I now understand why I do what I do to live in more peace. I learned how I can use tools like fidget items and weighted blankets and that if someone does not like my traits it's probably due to that difference. I have people who in my life now who I believe are probably also autistic, even if they don't know it, nor does it matter. I love them so much because we "get" each other.
For me I do find the "everyone is a bit on the spectrum". Really infuriating and, no matter how well intended, insulting. You Spend 50+ years feeling outcast and broken, you've done the work, explored soo many avenues, you can't make sense of yourself or the world. Then it happens, the penny drops, the awakening. It's a really joyous but brutal process, but you start to understand yourself, the world around you, and try to rebuild your life. Then it happens, people question your diagnosis, and even the existence of the condition. It's like throwing a drowning person a life saver ring, then firing a dart into it, halfway back to shore. Angery? Angry AF!
This!!!!! I found out I have ADHD a year ago and autism this year. And I turn 50 in three weeks. And I am oh so tired of the patronizing attitude from NTs. Oh and the “but you have never acted autistic?” Oh yeah, and what was I suppose to do? Please tell me how I was suppose to act. I think it’s best I stay away from people until I can process all these emotions and thoughts that I have with this new life.
Since there is a diagnostic cut off score for when you are or are not considered autistic, it suggests that people are either a bit, quite a bit, clinically or very autistic? On top of that, the diagnosis is done, in essence, by subjective evaluation of the presenting characteristics, not objective lab tests or scans. This potentially means that people can be diagnosed as autistic or not by different evaluating specialists.
Kind of - and yes, this is the implication when looking at something like the AQ in isolation. Although an objective assessment involves several assessment modes, meaning hopefully an accurate as can be outcome (for anyone seeking professional diagnosis - self identification is valid). Many of these traits cross over with ADHD, OCD, PTSD, etc.
@@Autistic_AFI think it’s significant that “how autistic you are” doesn’t necessarily mean “how disabled you are”. Autistics unable to, for example, adequately perform ADL’s on a day-to-day basis, likely have other disabilities compounding ASD. 🤔
@@chey7691 when it's not funny and based on punching down on marginalized groups. Yeah It should be lost. I dislike Ellen Degeneres for non-chud reasons
@@Autistic_AF I don't love the term so I don't use it, but I do love Jax! Whatever term anyone uses to describe themselves is up to them, but I don't like when it's used to describe someone else in the 3rd person because "spicy" makes me envision a giant, smiling 🌶️ in a sombrero and tennis shoes, shaking a pair of maracas while awkwardly holding eye contact. Like, cute, but trivializing, maybe? IDK I scored a 30 on that quiz, btw. Thanks for the link! P.S. if you like Jax, check out Ren! (if you haven't already)
I don’t like it. It’s not necessary to be “cute” or to joke about neurodivergence and it’s not helpful in creating real awareness of the topic among NT’s. It doesn’t make any sense either. No need to add possible confusion on the mater for NT’s, they have enough confusion on their own.
@@Garrett.1111 That's fair, but considering it was a joke amongst the community FIRST... Well NTs really can't be original on their own can they? Gotta steal and twist to their own devices, even if it kills it for the people that used to enjoy it.
I have been officially diagnosed as having adhd, waiting on a autism diagnosis because as the psychiatrist put it, i def have autistic traits. I recently started a job that reauires a lot of organistaion and moving at fast pace, my dad asked me how things were going, i explained things are hard for me, my brain operates slower and finds it hard to process info. My dad accused me of wanting special treatment and was giving out to me saying i have college qualifications and jobs all my life. He does not understand there are different levels of adhd and autism and its physically impossible for me to have same brain s neurotypical. I have never once in my life asked for special treatment and i realise i this job there willbe no adaptations made. So i understand i need to get o with it. It completely frustrates me that my feelings and difficulties are invalidated just because i dont meet the stereotype for adhd and autism. People with adhd and autism are allowed feel like life is shit sometimes,because sometimes it truely is. People generally have way more empThy for yhose with ID aswel because they meet the stereotype and they deserve empathy but for those who dont have ID aswel and who are high functioning just realise your feelings are valid. Some people cannot empathise with thing they know nothing about. I hate this toughen up attitude. Life can be shit for us sometimes.
Hi! I personally say I have high functioning autism. That's not because I value someone with autism more or less depending on their traits. I use this label, simply because in my case it's correct. I have some minor sensory issues, a bit of a processing delay and some trouble interpreting other people's social signals. Some people with autism have massive problems finding new friends or a partner, some of us can't work, and some of us need 24/7 care. Autism includes a vast difference in severity, but it's also a snowflake disability and we all have unique traits and shit we struggle with.
I have noticed that the use of 'Spectrum' has now been adopted in many areas like reporters journalists etc to say things like 'but at the other end of the spectrum' thinking that it's linear. Most people think that it seems when it comes to ASD. (And I sometimes wish it could be replaced with another term/word! to try and avoid the misunderstanding. It also then makes so called 'high functioning' out to not have the challenges that we do have - often unseen (meltdowns etc) and possibly as we mask more.
I have felt like "everyone is..." starting with my 42 year old ADHD diagnosis and my 45 year old ASD self-diagnosis. Then I realized that my hobbies and groups were all things that attracted people like me and I had confirmation bias. When I interact with... normal people (just a little humor) it becomes painfully clear that everyone is NOT 'on the spectrum.'
Being autistic and also a retired software engineer/consultant with experience in both healthcare and insurance, I can tell you "the spectrum" bucket was created as a general place to toss a wide group of people and assign an insurance code. Thus, on the first visit, a provider has a quick and easy code to assign, so payers will have a diagnosis code to approve payment.
Yes, getting diagnosed with a formal assessment from a professional is expensive and the waitlist for very knowledgable professionals is lengthy even here in the US. Tips from creators like you have helped me manage my day-to-day SO MUCH BETTER. Giving myself accommodations has literally changed my life. Formal diagnosis or not, my life is so much better now just knowing my options to make life just a bit easier. Ear plugs have seriously changed my life. I used to not go out and pick up necessary things if I was already too overloaded. It's nice too cause people tend to also just leave me alone when I have my ear plugs in while I'm out.
Late-diagnosed 66yo here. I've had that said to me about 'all on the spectrum', and have felt as though I'm being minimised, the diagnosis and explanation I had painfully sought for so long being set at nought. After increasingly becoming aware of my differences for decades until my diagnosis, I felt the speaker was cutting the ground from underneath my feet. While it may have been said with good intentions (which never occurred to me until your video), to me it felt like a put-down.
Speaking as someone who is "a little bit neurospicy"* Ellen DeGeneres is utterly insufferable. *this a joke and a swipe at that awful song. Mike knows how much I love to joke about🤣
@@Autistic_AF well I did wear my Neurospicy T-shirt on holiday as I promised. Problem was the hotel was mostly filled with Germans, so I am not sure they got the joke 🤣
@@Autistic_AF lol yeah I think they were probably very confused when they saw my neurospicy T-shirt. Oh and for some reason YT deleted my comment without telling me.
Everyone is a little bit of a terrible talk show host. Mine actually makes sense though, so maybe I'm doing it wrong. On a serious note though, anyone else notice celebrities never claim to be autistic until they were caught doing something they don't want to change about themselves? Its actually pretty gross.
First video of yours I've seen. I really like it. And I appreciate your approach and demeanor. The RPG and Dartboard analogies are both very good, IMO. I have been trying to figure out a good way to explain this, because I could understand it in my head, but it's a much deeper DNA based explanation. I like your clear yet easy to understand explanation. New Subscriber here.
My score was 36. I've been doing a deep dive into autism the last 3 months and it seems to be the missing puzzle piece that explains everything I dealt with growing up and continue to deal with as an adult. Unfortunately, the process for getting diagnosed as an adult where I live is not easy unless you're okay waiting 4 years and paying a few thousand dollars.
I once got tested, came out as non-autistic, know people who think I am on the spectrum and now score 27, which is just above the threshold. For me any doubts about a clear division between the autistic spectrum and the rest of the spectrum are completely understandable.
I think its part of the learning, this year I was diagnosed, at 45 and is confusing as an adult to process and identify what parts are “normal” and what is “in the spectrum”, masking and the appropriate terms for every coping mechanism we develop, thankfully there is people like you helping and orientating…👍
I watched a youtuber cover this special (shoutout d'angelo wallace) and part of what really bugged me is that it felt to me like she was equating "autism" with "being a demanding jerk." Like I get the whole "rude" stereotype, but I'm mortified any time I'm accidentally rude. And idk how rude I come across, I feel like saying tmi things is way more common?
@@kg6801 Yay! You know about pardalotes! The spotted pardalote is my absolute favourite bird. I have been spotting them recently and have found a few burrows. It's such a great time of year for bird watching in Australia. ❤️
I did the test yesterday and 2 other tests. Afterwords I thought that there should be a list online to get the score done without waiting 3 years for the day of the days. For the AQ I found this list and I got 35 points. But I've got to say that there shureley would have been more if the questions would have been clear, yes or no. I've struggled with a lot of the questions because they depend a lot on the situation. So struggeling I've answered them to the best and not the worst scenario. For the Behaviour Scale and the personality test there was no pointing scale online. Understandable. Same for me as for a lot of viewers of your channel: It could explain my whole life with only one word. Perhaps it could be something like a sevond birthday, a new start after the oportunaty to reflekt my life through the eyes of a late diagnosed autistic woman. But first I have got to complete this documents to get a little space on the waitinglist to wait for the day of truth in 3 years. Thanks for your content! You are so nice and friendly😊🌻
To me, autism is less a spectrum and more a mosaic. Or maybe a Chinese menu. One from column A and two from Column B. Everyone who is autistic gets some combination platter for a main course, like difficulty interpreting social cues, intense focus on interests, excessively literal thinking and sensory sensitivities. And then they also get a few side dishes, like limited clothing choices, heightened ability to see patterns in numbers, maybe an extreme sense of rightness. But everyone gets different helping sizes. Sometimes a taste, sometimes a full serving. That's why no two autistic people are ever the same. And I just went to the AQ test. I scored 41.
I am a 40yr old female, not formally diagnosed, I scored 42. Aspergers would be the best description of my traits. (I know it's not being used as an official label anymore, but it's the fastest way for me to communicate the greatest amount of information, and I am not a doctor billing for services rendered.)
I struggle with autistics who have clear issues and struggles in life who declare autism a super power or “not a disorder, just a different way of thinking” while complaining about their struggles and that everyone else in the world should change. Im not okay with other autistics getting into the way of science, research, and helping me.
Personally, I’ve dealt with various conflicts due to autism. I’m often oblivious to my tone, speed of voice, my directness, and not emotionally validating others when they expect it. So they view me as rude or aggressive, when I actually intend to be helpful. This then frustrates me as to why they would get angry with me when I’m trying to help (ie. the double empathy problem). As a result, it’s ended up in stupid conflicts, which have lead to termination of employment, litigation, and I was even kicked off Fidelity this month because I pointed out a glitch in their trading platform, and I guess they didn’t like me telling them this problem? Now I realize that it’s autism. While it’s great to have a higher IQ and have a high attention to detail, people like Ellen don’t consider the downsides and the emotional distress it causes us, nor how saying “everyone has autism” only adversely affects those who have it…
I took the Raads-R 3 times over the past year or so, and the AQ once today. I am not-yet diagnosed, though I have been TRYING to get diagnosed for 8 years now, and firmly believe I am autistic, and my psychiatrist agrees it is highly likely. That said: My first run of the RAADS-R I scored 160. Threshold is 60. Second run I scored 173, as I had learned more information about autism and done more introspection. This last run I scored 170, which I am confident in calling a margin of error, as the questions _are_ fairly ambiguous, and if I understood the question one way 6mo ago, and did not understand it the same way on this attempt, a 3pt difference is fairly consistent. As for my AQ score, I scored 35 points. 79.3% of Autistic participants scored 32pts or above. And 92.3% of Autistic females scored 32pts or above. Of which I am considering myself a part of, as I am a trans man, and was raised/socialized as a girl
Mike, holy smokes! It feels like I've been watching your videos for over a year, that's wild! Thank you so much for the effort you put into these and all of the information, tips, and ideas you gave me for the assessment process!
My diagnosis lead to nothing but medication for adhd and that was it. The medication isn't even doing all that great of a job and because there is no medication for asd that just gets ignored. I have tried reaching out to get help getting the help I need and should get after 45 years undiagnosed but it's like taking to a brick wall and gets ignored or shoved back at me. Been a bad year or two and I struggle to get just basic things done at the moment, stupid me thought getting an assessment would make a difference going forward, but nope just the same old same old 'here's some medication now uck off'. Modern medicine and health care has come so far but those in the profession are still holding it back multiple decades and then some, might as well be the dark ages.
One of the slightly tricky things about the autism spectrum is that it's a bit of a nebulous term. On the one hand it can be conceptualised as a spectrum of characteristics-and that is how I generally think of it-but it is also a spectrum of (autistic) people, with the point being a spectrum of different possible manifestations of autism. What a lot of neurotypical people don't get is that the point of the spectrum is to represent the manifold ways one can be autistic. If you're not autistic then you aren't on the spectrum.
A big part of the problem is that there are not enough mental health facilities that diagnose autism in adults. When I become a clinician, I plan to specialize in autism, ADHD, and other hard to diagnose neuropsychological disorders. The idea that everyone on the spectrum is ignorant. Any neuropsychological condition involves a significant degree of difference and/or impairment. Getting my diagnosis at 33 was the best news I found. It explained everything. Life would have been better if I knew 20 years ago...
I scored 30 and am a late diagnosed (41) woman with high functioning autism but lately I just cant function as good anymore (that was the reason for my diagnosis, to find out what is wrong). I dont know what to do, because my masking seems to be so good nobody can tell I am autistic and honestly, if I told them, I guess they would not care..
I scored 44 and recently diagnosed autistic, my parents in their 80s are probably both autistic but haven’t got a clue or would perceive a diagnosis themselves
I was diagnosed with Aspergers as a kid. My mom had to fight to get me into an out of district school program for students with aspergers or like disorders (that’s what it was called at the time). I just remember a lot of teachers trying to deny me supports with how I masked in school. My psychologist literally had to tell the principal and teachers that no, I wasn’t making friends because I didn’t know how to reciprocate a conversation. My mom had to get someone to come to my house to prove to the school I needed that out of district placement. And that’s when they approved it. Also my mom’s tears helped I think 😂 But now as an adult I’ve been normalizing calling myself autistic. I feel much more supported now by the public but I’ve run into another issue and that’s people infantalizing me in the way they speak to me like I’m five. I feel uncomfortable asserting myself against people talking to me like that because I don’t want to seem ungrateful, like for airport accommodations. I keep saying that society would understand autism better if they understood that autistic children are children and autistic adults are adults.
There's another side to this. If I'm socially awkward - that isn't necessarily a sign that I can't read people or lack theory of mind. It might be because I was poorly socialised as a child. If I have a few special interests and good attention to detail - that might just be my high IQ making itself known. If I prefer soft, comfortable clothes and quiet environments, I might just be highly sensitive (HSP). As someone with these traits, but clearly not autistic or ASP, it is incredibly frustrating to see things like this constantly paraded in the memesphere as "you're autistic if ..." or "only autistic people will get this." It's like being told, as a woman, that "you're only upset because of your hormones" (and therefore your feelings are not valid). I think a lot of people buy into the idea that they're autistic because they have some isolated trait that many humans have. I can't wait for being autistic to stop being fashionable.
I always think of it like a color wheel. I'm very purple with a little pink, light blue, bright yellow, with a bit of muddy brown when it comes to social areas. I love your analogues too! SBC is a bit of a wanker in my opinion, so glad you gave the other test a shout out. (some of what he's said about us is problematic sadly) Thanks Mike! 💜
For whatever it’s worth, I’ve been professionally diagnosed and scored a 46 on the recommended quiz. I’m often accused of being someone who “couldn’t possibly be autistic”.
I also found that interview with Simon Baron-Cohen helpful. I guess we need to adapt his presentation about “autistic is who struggles [in certain areas]” still a bit, because an autistic person who gets adequate accommodations and supports may thrive and does not necessarily struggle. So, maybe it is more like neurological differences that have led or would lead to impairments or struggles (in certain areas) when left un-accommodated and un-supported. (I am not sure if society will ever change enough that additional accommodations and supports become entirely unnecessary. But I guess in that case a diagnosis for ASD / ASC is not needed anymore.) I have some gripes with Simon Baron-Cohen’s “extreme male brain” theory of autism … it does not seem to square well with autism in women, and its explanatory power seems limited. But then again, I do not know enough about it to competently criticize it.
I scored 47. However, I was diagnosed with autism level 1 and can hold a job (with struggles). I also know what some of the questions imply. When you do theae tests the first time it came be tricky. Especially when you are autistic. Question 7, for example: "Other people frequently tell me that what I've said is impolite, even though I think it is polite." In our society, nobody tells you when you were not polite. I did learn how to cognitively mask and rephrase my sentences in my head before I speak so that I don't come across negatively. But it took me decades to learn. These tests can be misleading. ❤thank you for your great videos
Well, the truth is, we all display these traits and feelings at different levels. It only becomes an issue when one or more is dysfunctionally strong/bad, but none of them are actually "different." I think that's what she was trying to get at.
Edit: Link fixed! Heya Mike! Clicked on the AQ test link and got a 404. So something's up with the link. (I've taken the test multiple times- just can't remember what my score was and want to have it before I watch the rest of this video.) 😵💫 I can find it, but others might not be able to or not feel like looking, so wanted to let you know!
I am mostly self diagnosed as on the spectrum (my doctor and therapist say my behaviors and interests are consistent autism spectrum disorder) and my brother is formally diagnosed with autism. For what it’s worth, I have suspected that Ellen Degeneres might be in the autism spectrum for many years.
I honestly think the intent behind it is often good; an attempt to connect (shared state/experience), normalize (common state/experience), and express acceptance. Other times, I'm sure it's meant to bully/deride. For me, the intention makes a world of difference.
Thanks Mike will look up the sites and write up. Hahaaaa Nero typically aren't what they thought the were. Maybe all the growing awareness will eventually lead to a better understanding for all. As they say " Let it start with me".
I'm late diagnosed ASD and scheduled for an ADHD assessment at the end of this month. It will be good to know but honestly I don't know what good it will do for me on a material basis. I live alone and must work to support myself so I'm not looking to be declared disabled. I'll be transitioning to working at home soon so I won't need accommodations for that. So not sure why my doctor wants it done beyond the knowing.
I enjoy the spellslot theory rather than the spoons! Going to add that to my repertoire. I often find that by overexerting myself I fall back into mutism and depression as I’ve cast too many a spell. This does vary by my external environment but I have come to realize where I fall short and attempt to find alternatives for navigation in what I’d consider stressful situations. It’s been a tumultuous process of figuring out what course of action I need to undertake to feel comfortable, but I’d rather take comfortability over mulling on a discussion I had with someone that I felt I did not succeed in no matter how hard I wanted to make it happen.
Autistic here…. Both sons too. Formal diagnosis. Anyway, great vid. Need to ask, as I still am trying to understand for myself. So I was more thinking that the spectrum is take the neuro divergences, and if you’ve got ‘all the toys’ then you’re autistic. It’s how my psychologist who did the diagnosis explained it. Here you’re defining it as all the struggles. Now yes, I would score heavily on most of those (depression bit is highly annoying!). And I ‘struggle’ to be defined by the things I struggle with. Mainly because each struggle I flip on its head - like I’ll use the hyper focus side … it’s just I’ve had to work out how to trick my brain into hyper focus. Large crowds or that social chat time…. But as an extrovert I’ve turned that into performance. Stimming …. I draw obsessively and that’s my now career. I’ve spent my life really struggling until I was 50, (especially the phones thing…) but once I knew who I was I’ve leaned into it. I know people don’t like it but I know my kryptonites, and I know how to get the best out of me. And I use that best to help neurotypicals. So… this isn’t a judgement on using a spectrum of struggles. I just prefer to be someone who thinks differently, and might need some accommodation in some spaces, and I may need to explain ahead of time. We live in a world where we need the label so people understand, but that label itself carries baggage. What shocked me in your opening sequence was the laughter and applause Ellen got. That’s the issue I think. It goes with the rhetoric that too many people are being diagnosed. That we all have struggles so shut up. Ok, so back to your good self, if that’s ok. Seeing my view of wanting to say ‘I’ve got most of the neurodivergence’s, and they add up to give me struggles’; along side the official view that it’s a spectrum of struggles, how could I explain to people better what autistic spectrum is? Cheers! (Again, fantastic video: thank you for making it!)
I struggle with the ‘has to significantly interfere with functioning’ logic not just because it ignores the reality that disability is created largely by the environment, but because of the more insidious implication: your autism somehow goes away if you ever stop suffering, and all autistic people must suffer constantly. There is no future for us under that system; there is only a requirement of lifelong misery to be considered valid. Hard pass.
Yes, absolutely. A well adapted home environment for a wheelchair user can effectively eliminate or very much reduce the impact of the disability on paper - and may not necessary require the 'constant suffering and misery' that some would require. Thankes, Danielle. 🧡
Agreed! My autism was extremely visible and disabling when I was a child who could not control my environment. I had meltdowns and shutdowns near daily. The lights were too bright, the texture of my clothes was uncomfortable, I had no reliable routine and was often forced to do things spontaneously, etc.
Now, as an adult, I haven't had a meltdown in YEARS because I've learned how to cater my environment to my sensory needs. I am no less autistic now that I exist comfortably. If I lose this control I hold over my environment and routine, I will deteriorate very rapidly and it could take months for me to recover.
@@Autistic_AFPrecisely. That's just more deficit mentality trying to pass for inclusion. The deficit comes from society.
@LilChuunosuke I am so glad it sounds like you’ve found your peace!! I hope you never lose it. 💜
@@LilChuunosukemy home is usually dimly lit with soft sounds and all the furniture and my clothes have nice textures and I only use good but not strong smelling cleaning products in my house. In that environment I'm at peace and happy. It's the rest of the world that is the problem.
Good rhat you also creaties a safe space
A lot of people claim to be autistic but then attack our struggles. That and people who say "Autism lvl 1" is barely autistic and My ADHD can be managed with routine, a planner and a depleted room. Ans they throw away My things
Throwing away your things?! And yes, I didn't say it here but the whole 'high functioning' or 'just aspergers' or 'level 1' thing can imply minimal or very low support needs or accomodation needs which as we all know isn't the case at all.
Yeah you need to level up that autism to be taken serious, it's a grind but you'll get there
(this is satire)
Yeah, many of our needs can change day to day. It can change with hormones, with how much sleep you get, if you've had really heavy meals and feel dragged down. So many things can change our level of "function" and support needs. I wish people would just.. accept it
I hate when people diagnoses levels. Because it could literally depend on the day or when you were diagnosed. Most adults late diagnosed are diagnosed as level 1 then ignored when we are highly struggling and start to have the traits of "level 2" . . .and if we were diagnosed as kids, it would probably have been as level 2 or 3. Its arbitrary
@@JDMimeTHEFIRST agreed, there are eso many things I struggle with. Especially living alone. It's one of those.... Just because you can, doesn't mean you should...
I CAN live alone... But my life would be better if I had help.. standards shouldn't be set on what you can do at absolutely bare functionality. But at how you thrive best
Today I went for an interview in a special education center for my autistic nonverbal daughter to get speech therapy classes , but I was shocked because of how outdated knowledge and even wrong informations they had about autism , they were trying to explain to me that Autism is something severe (or deep autism) and Autism spectrum is a light form of autism !! thank God I didn't burst in laughter 😅 I tried to explain to them in a simplified way that there is just ASD , and they even were surprised when I told them that I am autistic myself, (it's their first time meeting an autistic adult ) so they wanted to know more hhh I was super disappointed because they were supposed to be the experts
Awh, I hope you and your daughter are doing well. Sorry the speech therapy service was somewhat out of date. Still, it could be helpful regardless - your call! Take care -Mike 🧡
yeah… as someone who has dabbled professionally in psycholinguistics, it’s kind of outdated about certain conditions. they care about how certain conditions affect language, but not about the conditions themselves. so you’d think that they’d know a little about the conditions, right? but nah, mainly about the symptoms/characteristics. a psycholinguist that taught me a class barely knew about autism, ah but she “knew” that autistic people “didn’t understand metaphors” and i was like: well, some of us! others excel at them! she knows some things, but only the ones related to language development. they are out of the loop. now, speech therapists in particular? even more so. not to mention that they (depending on where you live, but this is real for me) aren’t necessarily psychologists or psycholinguists. some are in an adjacent field, like a former professor of mine who was a linguist specialized in phonetics. those are EVEN MORE out of the loop. i believe it to be a problem, but clearly the system thinks it’s alright
@@A.H._ you're absolutely right, but it was a hope of mine that they new what they're dealing with. I'm not blaming them and I'm looking forward to see if they can be helpful to my daughter , but what I didn't like is when they first started explaining to me the "autism" assuming that I'm an autism mom that has no knowledge or understanding , and this way they can be part of spreading misinformations about the subject in the community.
I think some people still believe we grow out of being Autistic.
The fact that a lot of people don’t know that perimenopause can mess with your autism and make the characteristics more pronounced. Going through that hormone changed does something and there isn’t much research on this in woman.
See this is why I haven’t bothered with official diagnosis.
I was diagnosed Asperger's as a child. But lost diagnosis. Spent the last 30 years trying to get a diagnosis. Even The aspietests results ableist doctors and psychiatrists made fun of me, invalidated me and used outdated stereotypes. Hospitalized me twice against my Will and took All My stuff because I am burnout but for years rejected the proper care I needed. Instead of helping they made me get worse. Now that I was rediagnosed (not thanks to them) they baby talk to me. It's frustrating
I'm sorry this happened to you. The "losing your diagnosis" thing is inherently problematic. They need to come up with some other terminology for neuro-different kids that have developed the skills that they need to participate in school without heavy intervention while still acknowledging their differences and recognizing that they may benefit from accommodations that aren't necessarily foreseen later in their academic career or life.
@@franklehouillier8865technically I didn't lose it. My parents just rejected it and we moved countries. SO while it was not lost. IT was lost to me as I had no way to prove my needs in a country where they probably can't tell the difference between Autism and Down Syndrome (I had psychiatrists get confused before)
@@CanisLupus1987 That sounds like even more of an ordeal. I’m sorry you didn’t get the support you needed.
@@franklehouillier8865 thanks. I just hope now I find q safe place. Maybe get q lawsuit going. Even if I lose then I Will get it to European human rights commission. I might get shamed for being dirty, lazy but if it gets awareness to others Burnt out Autists being misdiagnosed and abused maybe it will save lives ..
@@CanisLupus1987 I'm sorry but I'm like, SO confused, where in the wide wide world did you move to that confused autism and downs? 🤨🤨🤨🤨
and wdym by 'take your things?' like your personal property? how in the name of the august celestials would that be legal...!?
60 year old female. I got 35 on the AQ. Thank you for the concern regarding Florida. We have been through a lot of these storms recently.
7:31 ugh. Yes, technically, the diagnostic process is psychiatric, because it has to be until/unless there’s a biologically derived test for autism. But the CONDITION of autism-of BEING autistic-is not psychiatric. It’s not behavioral. The observable traits are, yes. But the condition itself is fundamentally, categorically neurological.
When even the so called professionals are muddling this stuff, it’s no wonder the general public gets it wrong.
I recently read a history about software focusing on the life of JCR Licklider (called "The Dream Machine" by Waldrop).
One of the interesting things is how mathematical theories about radar systems, computers, and even grammar kept on throwing wrenches into the Behaviorism that dominated the Psychiatric field at the time.
Yet even today, there's a *severe* bias to focus on behavior, and to nearly *completely* ignore what's going on in people's heads!
Undiagnosed, 38 years old male. I gave the AQ test a try, got 34 😅 Got my NT wife to give it a go... she got 10. We gave some of the other autism tests a go... Let's just say I'm pretty sure I am autistic. It would explain a lot...
Undiagnosed 26 year old female and I got 38 on the AQ and 207 on the RAADS-R! The fact people deny I'm autistic is wild to me.
I’m not formally diagnosed. I AM self diagnosed . 37 and 38 on the test. (I’ve taken it several times, weeks apart.) it explains my whole life. I’m relieved, but also sad. My husband is also autistic, with adhd, too.
I tried the AQ test about 5 days ago. And I only scored a 20. I think it’s because most of the questions I could only slightly agree or slightly disagree with. But when I’ve watched the videos with 64 or 100 traits etc. I’ve consistently scored 84% yes to them.
UD 45F, asked my doctor for a referral for testing at 40, was told there's no point because if you think you have it you'll just answer "right" anyways to get a diagnosis. + too old (don't need help with school etc. so what is the point) I was shocked but gave up.. I was made to feel silly and small for seeking answers about my challenges. I'll never really know even though every test I've taken (AQ 37) says it's so and my lifetime of struggles are SO on point, and my partner always score not. But I will not go around calling myself anything without a proper diagnosis. I wish they would just figure out some blood markers, genetic thing or something already!
@@OneCatShortOfCrazy
I think they’re getting close. I’ve seen some videos (apologize that I can’t remember the particulars) but one is where Paul mcalliff gets a brain scan and they see several differences between NT and ND brains.
Hey, I always watch but don't comment, because I'm worried about coming across wrong. What I always want to say is thank you for making videos, your channel and a few others have helped me through my journey being diagnosed autistic in my mid 20s. Your work makes me feel safer and less alone in my experience, so thank you so much.
I hope everyone is having a good day x
Thank you, Hetty. That’s very kind of you to say, and encouraging. Congratulations on the autism and thank you for being here. 🧡
I'm so glad you had the courage to comment. The Autistic AF community is warm and welcoming, so whenever you comment, there will be plenty of us who appreciate your words. 🌸💜
to echo the other commentor, i hope you keep commenting. i like to comment, though it does make me quite anxious because maybe i am talking too much :) well...if we all don't mind, it should be good :)
@@pardalote Thank you! 🩵
@@condor727methanks so much 🩵
I have been told "everyone was a bit autistic" by people on the spectrum. This is how deep the misinformation and misunderstading are.
@@alexalke1417
I think it is something like "I experience what you experience, I just experiance it 100x more intensly"
@@Kwadratura And yet, we can't reduce ASD to that point.
😱😱😱
It’s minimising the difficulty of those of us who are autistic, l was recently diagnosed autistic many decades after being diagnosed dyslexic and l heard people minimising that as well saying everyone is a bit dyslexic
My child is absolutely on the autism spectrum, but he tolerates change fairly well and loves people and so we struggle so much getting support for him. He needs support with emotional regulation, reading body language and other discreet/ambiguous social clues, sensory sensitivity, etc., but because he is very smart (hyperlexic and great at academics) and has a friend or two, he doesn't qualify for support. I HATE the whole levelling garbage.
Our entire society has no way to relate to or accommodate us twice-exceptionals, even now, in 2024, even though about 1 in 200 kids meet the definition (a developmental disability such as ADHD, ASD, or dyslexia, combined with an IQ at least two standard deviations above the mean, I.e. “gifted”.) 🤦♀️ I’m kinda glad my kids sorta “split” my exceptionalities, so the world can get a handle on relating to them better (this is partially due to them having different fathers)! 😅
I have the suspicion that being change averse and avoiding people is not directly related to autism but caused by constant traumatizing experiences that cause anxiety and that leads to many of the quirks associated with Autism.
i'm sorry but higher support needs autistics often advocate for the level system because it is vital for them to get support and to be recognised for the level of disability they face as a result of being autistic. the fact that "low support needs" is often taken to mean "no support needs" is not a fault of the level system itself, but of the broken and inadequate disability services.
@@gzoechi that may not be true for all autistic people, but it's certainly true for me ahahaha! (I haven't been okay for nearly a decade)
I’m much the same way although I struggled a lot making friends a kid even tho I was very social. I wasn’t diagnosed till I was 12 cause of a combination of my parents being in denial and just doctors being biased towards afab people and giving diagnoses ( idk if it’s still that way with getting a diagnosis but when I was a kid it was so hard to get a diagnosis if you weren’t a specific type of middle class boy). I know it’s rough getting a diagnosis but you sound like a great parent whose there for their kid and is ready to fight for it, that’s half the battle just getting them to listen. Hang in there 💜
I'm autistic and really picky about clothing texture and how clothes fit/feel on my body. I have a 6½ year old autistic daughter with ADHD who is required to wear a uniform. She and I both prefer form-fitting clothes on our upper bodies. We're both good wearing skirts and dresses, but when it comes to pants, they need to be on the tight side and not move around on the waist too much. Luckily, my daughter can wear leggings and a shirt under her uniform clothes, but when it's hot and she can't do that, morning meltdowns before school are common. I'm so glad to have similar sensitivities to her so that I can empathize with how important it is to have comfortable clothes on and how distracting and distressing it is when your clothes don't feel right on your body. It can literally ruin your day.
No, we’re not all on The Spectrum. Neither are we all ‘a little Black’ or ‘a little gay,’ etc. There are aspects of each other’s experience that we can’t honestly understand without serious work. You and I might share many traits, but if you’re neurotypical and I’m autistic, you can’t relate to my experience as an autistic person, unless you and I, or another autistic person, do serious work together. With love and commitment, we can do it, but we have to acknowledge the difference first, and then do the work.
I don't think that your analogies are correct, since mixed race people and bisexual people exist
@@Kwadratura also i find that some people are a little bit gay… autism is a totally different type of spectrum
Just like a real rainbow: It has no sharp, well-defined boundary, but there are vast areas of sky that are clearly not "on the spectrum".
I agree. The analogies don't work.
A NT person might relate to certain traits they experience for short time infrequently. Some time mental illness can mimic the traits. For example Social Anxiety Disorder. That looks similar to ASD but not at all. I don't have anxiety for no reason, I have reason. I know full well that social encounter is going to cost me and my anxiety is telling that. A person social anxiety is predicting every negative out come possible and minimizing positive ones. Me anxiety comes and just predicts I'm going run out energy and possibly melt down. The closer to melt down I get the more my anxiety is calling out the potential of melt down. That's not something I'm thinking will happen that's something that will happen if I keep pushing through the social encounter. That' s how no not everyone is bit autistic. Just because you can related to a trait I live with 24/7 doesn't mean you are little bit autistic. It can help you empathize with me as that my brain all the time.
I didn’t even know Ellen DeGeneres was still relevant?
Yea who let her out...
I know that she was making a joke, but frankly, I don't find her misconception about autism funny at all!
Undiagnosed 44yoM i did the test a few years back when we suspected our daughter maybe autistic she scored 35, so i did the test and scored 39 so my partner did the test she scored 4 i was so shocked but since then ive been researching it explains a lot of my social anxiety, never fitting in lost friends migraines sinus congestion etc i wish there was a way to definitively determine if i have autism or not as i work as an electrician but get major headaches when looking at screens for long periods plus the stress when there is expectation heaped on top of me to always perform, just wish someone would cut me some slack as I have struggled all my life, although i may not have had to if I'd found a community like this sooner. Thanks for sharing this video.
mike, despite your (probably correct) assumption of people's attempts to be understanding and inclusive when they say that, I've also heard the phrase 'Oh well, we're all disabled in some way, aren't we?' That feels minimalising and dismissive to me. I think we are sometimes too dismissive when taking people's supposed good intentions into account. However, for me they become irrelevant if they still do harm. Good intentions throughout history have resulted in everything from pangs of disappointment (as in this case) through abuse and right up to colonisation of entire cultures. While of course we need to place people's good intentions on the right side of the ledger, I think we must be cautious that this does not prevent us holding them to account.
in fairness those cultures were eating eachother and burning widows and enslaving eachother, had no real medicine, or educational systems or infastructure. they arent to be glamorized or glorified. any country whom western civilization takes hold realizes a higher standard of living with longer lifespans. like for instance, everyone is butthurt that the spainyards removed the mayans and aztects from existence, but would you want to live in thier culture. your blood could be dripping down the steps, and they could be making soup out of you.
Yeah, I lean in to the intentionally dismissive, though I like his attitude in giving people benefit of doubt. No, when people say that they are saying "Nah, you're not X."
Because if everyone is super... no one is.
It was my first time to take that particular test. I got 37. As with all the other tests, it seems to point to me being a high-masking autistic. It would explain a lot...
Because of these tests, plus knowing I have what I always thought were "sensitive ears," I got some semi-muffling ear plugs, and the difference they have made to my day, has been incredible.
"I am black. We all are; skin colour is a spectrum. But I'm on the part of the colour spectrum where someone black might have a problem with me saying I'm black."
Honestly, that doesn't seem far off from the experience of lighter-skinned black people, according to my black friends who have lighter skin.
It's baffling what people will justify prejudices with.
This illustrates the ridiculousness of it really well.
The other day I worked out and was out of breath, so I'm a little bit asthmatic, like everyone! /s
I'm just an ADHDer, not autistic. I watched a video with Chloe Hayden speaking, I love how she said it. Just in case on one saw it yet. She said "Today I'm high functioning and tomorrow I'll be low functioning." I suggest watching it, she explained it so beautifully ❤️ I couldn't even begin to explain how beautifully she told it. I believe it was a Ted Talk thing, but she was wearing a beautiful suit that's mainly red if that helps anyone find the video. It's worth the watch, she's wonderful. By the way, don't apologize for repeating yourself, that's just one way to show how important what you're saying is to you and I for one love to see that. It's something I still have people get on to me for, but I only ever felt bad about being on repeat when I started apologizing for it. No one should have to apologize for being passionate about something important to them. I hope this all reads as lighthearted as I mean it to be 😊 You're awesome dude, just keep being you 👍 ✌️ peace and love ❤️
My son was diagnosed with ASD some years ago. I had thought there was nothing wrong with him, I was the same as he was at his age, just awkward, stubborn and angry. But in my day you learned to do as you were told or there were consequences. Teachers attitude was to ‘beat the stupid out of you’ or ‘beat some discipline into you’. My brother was sent to a special school for learning, but never got any diagnosis. My son was put forward for some genetic tests, where a defect was found that has a high association with ASD and ADHD. Myself and my wife were subsequently tested, and I have the same genetic gain. Working from home is a God send for me, not having to cope with office noise and people smoking (outside but still smelling of it) and some that didn’t wash too often. I suppose growing up you learned to shut up and put up, so to say that a condition doesn’t affect you in work or personal life, it might, but you’ve learned to mask, and just pretend to be ‘normal’ .
I'm a 40's woman, undiagnosed, and scored a 42. A diagnosed friend recommended I take the CAT-q, and looking into things led me to your channel. I really appreciate how accepting you are of undiagnosed folks. Your videos about reason to/not to seek a diagnosis were really helpful for me right now.
Repeat away - your content is helpful and relevant and appreciated!!!
Awh, thank you, Julia. I was really worried about boring everyone! 🧡
@@Autistic_AFMike you never bore me
Please keep making this content
I learn so much from your videos
34. It was a tricky test because I always, ALWAYS pull the questions apart. It depends on the situation. I mean, what's on at the theatre? What's the exhibition at the museum? 🤣😂
I just subscribed. Very interesting content and very much appreciated. 💗 (edited to correct a typo)
Yes, that's a tricky question! I think they 'want' the museum answer. But sometimes museums (Nat Hist in London for example) are incredibly noisy (no soft furnishings lol) and busy, shoulder to shoulder at times. Welcome to the channel community of autisticats! :)
That one threw me for a loop, too! I don't have enough information to answer that question!
Some of the questions are stupid. I would much rather go to a party than a library, but where will I end up going - probably to the library because I don't have the capacity to deal with the party. But I would much rather have the capacity/ability to go to the party.
I’ve heard that part of the test during an actual assessment is overthinking the questions. I was the same way when I did the AQ quiz
@@SquaskewBros that makes complete sense! It's why I've always despised quizzes in magazines etc. There is not enough context, and the multiple choice options are mostly ridiculous. If they're not multiple choice, I will give answers in long, oversharing responses...
I''ve done the AQ test a few times, but I always agonise over the questions. _Do_ people sometimes tell me that I'm rude? Do I _definitely_ notice patterns in things _all_ _the_ _time_? My answer for some of them is probably a finger in the air and depends upon the phase of the moon
Your agony is more revealing than you think. Autistics seek clarity and precision - we dislike ambiguity and uncertainty. Allistics (generally) wouldn't even think about the question to that extent - they'd just give a reactive or instinctive answer as this is their cognitive model.
I struggle with the questions too because have people literally called me rude? No. But I have had to learn to soften the way I say things to avoid upsetting others.
A lot autistic people are not disabled by it at all till they are. That's why we have lot late diagnosis, that when the support needs kicked in. Before that they were ignored and endured. Pushed thought for years or decades till one day the autism roared in to knock they down with worst autistic burn they've ever experienced. All those things were there before just pushed through it.
I took the AQ before I was clinically diagnosed and scored a 42. I also took the RAADS-R and scored 192. Yep…autistic AF, with the, “AF,” meaning, “after fifty.”
Hi! Interesting, our scores almost match (41 and 193). Haven’t started diagnosis process yet though.
@@smylex99 i also scored 42 in the AQ. My husband, who is not autistic, scored 25
Excellent explanation of how to visualise the spectrum. 😊
Thank you, Helen! 🧡
I agree! ❤️
It's hard enough learning that you may very well be autistic, it's not an easy thing to accept, especially later in life with all the grief/relief that comes with that. People saying that everyone is on the spectrum does not help nor does some of the fluffy content that some autistic content creators put out. There is this zeitgeist that anyone can think they are autistic just by seeing a short video or taking a quiz online which does not help the ridicule actual people going through the real thing face. It's hard to even tell people I am in line for a diagnosis because of the subsequent eye roll attitude there is surrounding the issue. Ultimately, all people like myself are just figuring out who they really are and how they can manage their lives better moving forward. I researched ASD for over year whilst denying and laughing it off (that's how I cope), I found myself at a stage with several online tests all showing severe autistic traits, 40 odd pages of written examples throughout my life relating to the core diagnostic criteria of both the DSM and ICD, and a life full of alienation and misunderstandings at my heels, at this stage I broke down. Yet because of the nonsense around autism, I can't talk about it with anyone for fear of being taken for one of these people who can just say they are autistic because everyone is. It's been hard enough dealing with having an Anxiety and Major Depressive disorder my whole life for no clear reason, now I finally find out what the cause of that is but I feel I have to remain silent because of stupid people.
I feel this. I have ADHD, autism cPTSD, RSD, and a PDA profile. But I have also functioned in life up to this point. At 50 life got too hard. I’m barely functioning. So when I have a okay day and I disclose my disabilities and 10 minutes later I’m treated like a NT it makes me want to crawl away and hide. The lack of awareness is unbelievable. Yet I have to be oh so aware of how I communicate because I may be offensive. Why doesn’t it go the other way around?!
My spectrum can be seen through a rapidly rotating kaleidoscope. Advise that anti motion sickness tablets are consumed before viewing
Not yet officially diagnosed (but getting there) - Depending on how I interpret the questions (considering the people they're aimed at - why make them so vague?!), I end up with an AQ between 40 and 45. That's a pretty strong indicator, especially considering that I'm not exactly what would be described as high masking (aka I'm very obviously "weird" and I can't stop that for long). On the other hand, I'm usually able to get along on my own and have a steady job - I just happen to have workarounds for many of the usual challenges, so I can at least function to some extent most of the time. It's when that started to change due to life circumstances that I started down the journey of discovery and diagnosis I'm currently on.
1) Keep on repeating - we need that and you do it very well; 2) TY for the test link. I got a nice round 35 this time (and a fat 172 on the RAADS-R, lol), though I wonder if it would jump a bit if some of the questions were a little more... relevant(?) Definitely going to explore the other test options; 3) I think the test results would have been different 5, 10 years ago. One has to wonder at the way life situations can drastically alter one's perception and acuteness of some of the more difficult traits; 4) great vid, thank you.
my favorite videos of yours are when you dive into a scientific paper like this one. i don't mind if some of the comments/topics might be repetitive [i personally find it a bit relaxing anyhow] but i think you do a good job deconstructing the papers and making it easy to understand :)
Thank you for explaining the autism spectrum so well. I think that the use of the term "spectrum" is unfortunate because in other areas, it does mean a linear gradation of intensity. We talk about where someone is on the political spectrum, from left to right, or how narcissistic a person is on a spectrum of healthy self-advocacy to unhealthy selfishness, and assure those who worry about their own failings that "we are all a little narcissistic." The first thing that comes to mind for me when I hear the word spectrum is the various colors in a prism, which, again, move gradually from one color to another. The dart board analogy for the particular "spectrum" of autism is easy to understand. My hope is that someone will come up with a better term to describe it, other than "spectrum." Hopefully, it won't be the "dartboard" of autism, for reasons I think are obvious. I am reminded of fanned out paint swatches, if that's any help to anyone with a better imagination. Maybe a name evocative of a color wheel would help?
You are doing such great work, Mike! Thanks for another very clear and helpful video. 💜
Thank you. I really like your fanned out paint swatches example and yes, totally - spectrum (electromagentic, etc) does imply a one dimensional line. It's a really bad choice of wording from those who came before! 🧡
The most mathematically-correct way to explain and define autism with the various traits is with a tensor, but a tensor of ranges as to intensity of each of the traits, because the nature of autistic traits is they're not static, but dynamic.
@@strictnonconformist7369Dynamic is a good word. A person’s Autism Dynamic.
Autism Dynamic Condition sounds pretty good.
Someone mentioned a colour wheel, but I adore the paint swatches all fanned out.
Scored a 42. The worst part of her routine is that it encourages society to accept the exclusion of a portion of the Autistic community to seek support and accomodations.
It sucks because you go your whole childhood and adulthood working so hard to make things work the way society expects to the point of self detriment and self destruction. You hit rock bottom and find understanding of yourself and the world through this diagnosis - only to then have it invalidated by others because they don't "see" it. It's hard enough trying to convince yourself to advocate for support without other people adding to that negative voice in the back of your mind.
You are not alone.
Neither diagnosed nor self identified: AQ is 38. I've had similar numbers the other two times I did this, although I don't like the vagueness of the test and how my own judgment might be unreliable.
Here's my question though, how can you tell whether these traits linked with autism are truly due to autism, or other circumstances? Did I become a shut-in gamer due to autism, or did becoming a shut-in gamer cause me to manifest autistic traits? It's a chicken and egg problem.
I'm with you. Not diagnosed, exploring the possibility of self-identification. My AQ score was 39. In my opinion, that test is in serious need of revision. As you said, the questions are really vague...
These tests are supposed to be used to give you an indication as to your status. What you do or don’t do as a result is optional.
@@merryn-l4s Score was 39 too, some questions felt like they needed a no answer option because I couldn't even apply them. The AQ also emphasized the concept that autistic people don't have an imagination either and that everyone doesn't like fiction and even they admit that's a dated opinion. I met most autistic people by sharing a common interest in something fictional, it's a hyperfixation for many.
Clinically diagnosed as a child. I got 19 from testing now. Looking at a breakdown i scored low on imagination questions and social skill questions. I am an extravert and i taught myself social skills when i was a teen because i highly value connecting with people. I also have a very active imagination. Answering that you can visualise things well will cause you to score less which i think is silly. I and many other autistic people i know are very vivid visual thinkers. It also doesn’t go into depth about anxious thoughts and sensory problems which i think is a grave oversight. A lot of the areas that i'm weakest in just aren't covered. I would have scored more as a child before i developed the coping skills i have now.
I have similar questions but was denied getting tested. I wish there was a blood test!
I agree that the test are either too vague or have really absolute statements like "I never ..", "I always ..", "I only .."
Example question: "I ONLY like talking to people that share my interests" ... I don't like talking to anyone so... 🤔
If I put false, then it implies that I like talking to all sorts of people about all sorts of things
If I HAVE to talk to someone I prefer talking to nice people about interesting stuff, who doesn't..?
If I put true it implies that I ONLY ever want to talk to people who share my EXACT interest and nothing else that I might FIND interesting, and that's not true.
Now what?!
I LOVE your background and how much detail you put in to make this shot beautiful.
M35, scored a 37, not formally diagnosed beyond a learning disability, reading and writing comprehension mainly on my IEP, in adulthood, characteristics of autism shine in high pressure situations, worries of unplanned criticism, retelling information, and questioning the approaches to conversations constantly, when to stop, when to carry on or even where to start. Friends feel ephemeral and attached to specific events or places, never creating one of my own. Single.
I did in fact give myself a literal high-five. :) Anyway yeah I liked your presentation, and I look forward to you (much like myself) repeating yourself on it again. (I'd love for you to not need to ofc, but I enjoy it and it's not like newness to the subject isn't added, so it's not like just watching a previous one. There is value in these I believe.)
Thankfully I was never a fan of Ellen really, so I don't need to work around that. I however have an off relationship with the audience. Many could just be laughing because of humor or crowd psychology, or fawning or something, but some might agree. All of which is why I'm now repeating myself (as predicted) on this video needing to be done and probably again in the not too distant future. hehe
Yay, high five! And thank you. I was concerned about boring everyone by repeating myself... 🧡
Some people are on the "not" part of the spectrum....
💖💓💕 the dart board analogy/chart. Also your “spell” slot gaming analogy! 😊 Right now, I’m struggling with a few claiming to be autistic (no diagnosis), yet don’t seem to understand what we go through every day - and who can clearly do ten times or more than what I can do. One “probably autistic” friend got very angry at me when I expressed amazement over her not believing me. She kept arguing with me constantly for two weeks about how I wounded her when I couldn’t do something she wanted me to do. I apologized profusely, but it’s all she would talk about in walls of text. It was exhausting. Finally, I told her I just couldn’t spend time with her anymore. 🙁
I took the test and don't recall the score, but it was highly instrumental in confirming what I suspected. Due to all the stereotypes I had at the time, I was pretty shocked and dismayed at the result. Then started listening to people online like you and I learned what autism really is. As I realized how I understood, and felt "heard" I accepted that yes, I am autistic...which explains a lifetime of struggle even though I can "cope". It's just how my brain is made and I am not "wrong or broken".
I like the term "condition" because I lived 65 years without knowing, and suddenly feeling I had a disability, or this horrible disease that has no cure just doesn't "fit" the truth of my life. I just struggled more with some things than I believe my peers did. I just have different needs. I sense the world differently. Fish out of water certainly DOES fit! LOL
Knowing is freedom. I now understand why I do what I do to live in more peace. I learned how I can use tools like fidget items and weighted blankets and that if someone does not like my traits it's probably due to that difference. I have people who in my life now who I believe are probably also autistic, even if they don't know it, nor does it matter. I love them so much because we "get" each other.
For me I do find the "everyone is a bit on the spectrum". Really infuriating and, no matter how well intended, insulting.
You Spend 50+ years feeling outcast and broken, you've done the work, explored soo many avenues, you can't make sense of yourself or the world. Then it happens, the penny drops, the awakening. It's a really joyous but brutal process, but you start to understand yourself, the world around you, and try to rebuild your life.
Then it happens, people question your diagnosis, and even the existence of the condition. It's like throwing a drowning person a life saver ring, then firing a dart into it, halfway back to shore.
Angery? Angry AF!
This!!!!! I found out I have ADHD a year ago and autism this year. And I turn 50 in three weeks. And I am oh so tired of the patronizing attitude from NTs. Oh and the “but you have never acted autistic?” Oh yeah, and what was I suppose to do? Please tell me how I was suppose to act. I think it’s best I stay away from people until I can process all these emotions and thoughts that I have with this new life.
Since there is a diagnostic cut off score for when you are or are not considered autistic, it suggests that people are either a bit, quite a bit, clinically or very autistic? On top of that, the diagnosis is done, in essence, by subjective evaluation of the presenting characteristics, not objective lab tests or scans. This potentially means that people can be diagnosed as autistic or not by different evaluating specialists.
Kind of - and yes, this is the implication when looking at something like the AQ in isolation. Although an objective assessment involves several assessment modes, meaning hopefully an accurate as can be outcome (for anyone seeking professional diagnosis - self identification is valid). Many of these traits cross over with ADHD, OCD, PTSD, etc.
@@Autistic_AFI think it’s significant that “how autistic you are” doesn’t necessarily mean “how disabled you are”. Autistics unable to, for example, adequately perform ADL’s on a day-to-day basis, likely have other disabilities compounding ASD. 🤔
I’ve heard some not good things about Ellen Degenerate
@@tracik1277 this a bot comment?
@wendylovegrove8597 It's a PUN. Honestly is satire lost on the Internet?
@@chey7691 when it's not funny and based on punching down on marginalized groups. Yeah It should be lost.
I dislike Ellen Degeneres for non-chud reasons
hmmm
@@chey7691 Not a pun. Auto correct may have had a part to play though!
I like the word "neurospicy". It's not really a label but rather a cute, lighthearted, joking way to say "neurodivergent".
@@matveyr8621 I was neutral on it until Jax’s song!
@@Autistic_AF I don't love the term so I don't use it, but I do love Jax! Whatever term anyone uses to describe themselves is up to them, but I don't like when it's used to describe someone else in the 3rd person because "spicy" makes me envision a giant, smiling 🌶️ in a sombrero and tennis shoes, shaking a pair of maracas while awkwardly holding eye contact. Like, cute, but trivializing, maybe? IDK
I scored a 30 on that quiz, btw. Thanks for the link!
P.S. if you like Jax, check out Ren! (if you haven't already)
Oh, I’m a fan of Jax! Just uh, not that song! 🎶
I don’t like it. It’s not necessary to be “cute” or to joke about neurodivergence and it’s not helpful in creating real awareness of the topic among NT’s. It doesn’t make any sense either. No need to add possible confusion on the mater for NT’s, they have enough confusion on their own.
@@Garrett.1111 That's fair, but considering it was a joke amongst the community FIRST... Well NTs really can't be original on their own can they? Gotta steal and twist to their own devices, even if it kills it for the people that used to enjoy it.
I have been officially diagnosed as having adhd, waiting on a autism diagnosis because as the psychiatrist put it, i def have autistic traits. I recently started a job that reauires a lot of organistaion and moving at fast pace, my dad asked me how things were going, i explained things are hard for me, my brain operates slower and finds it hard to process info. My dad accused me of wanting special treatment and was giving out to me saying i have college qualifications and jobs all my life. He does not understand there are different levels of adhd and autism and its physically impossible for me to have same brain s neurotypical. I have never once in my life asked for special treatment and i realise i this job there willbe no adaptations made. So i understand i need to get o with it. It completely frustrates me that my feelings and difficulties are invalidated just because i dont meet the stereotype for adhd and autism. People with adhd and autism are allowed feel like life is shit sometimes,because sometimes it truely is. People generally have way more empThy for yhose with ID aswel because they meet the stereotype and they deserve empathy but for those who dont have ID aswel and who are high functioning just realise your feelings are valid. Some people cannot empathise with thing they know nothing about. I hate this toughen up attitude. Life can be shit for us sometimes.
Hi! I personally say I have high functioning autism. That's not because I value someone with autism more or less depending on their traits. I use this label, simply because in my case it's correct. I have some minor sensory issues, a bit of a processing delay and some trouble interpreting other people's social signals. Some people with autism have massive problems finding new friends or a partner, some of us can't work, and some of us need 24/7 care. Autism includes a vast difference in severity, but it's also a snowflake disability and we all have unique traits and shit we struggle with.
Her and sia need to accept irrelevance🤭
I have noticed that the use of 'Spectrum' has now been adopted in many areas like reporters journalists etc to say things like 'but at the other end of the spectrum' thinking that it's linear. Most people think that it seems when it comes to ASD. (And I sometimes wish it could be replaced with another term/word! to try and avoid the misunderstanding. It also then makes so called 'high functioning' out to not have the challenges that we do have - often unseen (meltdowns etc) and possibly as we mask more.
I have felt like "everyone is..." starting with my 42 year old ADHD diagnosis and my 45 year old ASD self-diagnosis. Then I realized that my hobbies and groups were all things that attracted people like me and I had confirmation bias. When I interact with... normal people (just a little humor) it becomes painfully clear that everyone is NOT 'on the spectrum.'
Being autistic and also a retired software engineer/consultant with experience in both healthcare and insurance, I can tell you "the spectrum" bucket was created as a general place to toss a wide group of people and assign an insurance code. Thus, on the first visit, a provider has a quick and easy code to assign, so payers will have a diagnosis code to approve payment.
Yes, getting diagnosed with a formal assessment from a professional is expensive and the waitlist for very knowledgable professionals is lengthy even here in the US. Tips from creators like you have helped me manage my day-to-day SO MUCH BETTER. Giving myself accommodations has literally changed my life. Formal diagnosis or not, my life is so much better now just knowing my options to make life just a bit easier. Ear plugs have seriously changed my life. I used to not go out and pick up necessary things if I was already too overloaded. It's nice too cause people tend to also just leave me alone when I have my ear plugs in while I'm out.
Late-diagnosed 66yo here. I've had that said to me about 'all on the spectrum', and have felt as though I'm being minimised, the diagnosis and explanation I had painfully sought for so long being set at nought. After increasingly becoming aware of my differences for decades until my diagnosis, I felt the speaker was cutting the ground from underneath my feet. While it may have been said with good intentions (which never occurred to me until your video), to me it felt like a put-down.
Speaking as someone who is "a little bit neurospicy"* Ellen DeGeneres is utterly insufferable.
*this a joke and a swipe at that awful song. Mike knows how much I love to joke about🤣
Well, you're better than bland, any day of the week! Thanks for being here, Jansen! 🧡
@@Autistic_AF well I did wear my Neurospicy T-shirt on holiday as I promised. Problem was the hotel was mostly filled with Germans, so I am not sure they got the joke 🤣
Pics!! I can only imagine the Germans saying, “Wot iz this? You want more spicy in your breakfast?”
@@Autistic_AF lol yeah I think they were probably very confused when they saw my neurospicy T-shirt. Oh and for some reason YT deleted my comment without telling me.
Everyone is a little bit of a terrible talk show host. Mine actually makes sense though, so maybe I'm doing it wrong. On a serious note though, anyone else notice celebrities never claim to be autistic until they were caught doing something they don't want to change about themselves? Its actually pretty gross.
No shade towards the channel but Simon Baron Cohen causes my "ExTrEMe MaLE bRAiN" to gag a bit.
First video of yours I've seen. I really like it. And I appreciate your approach and demeanor. The RPG and Dartboard analogies are both very good, IMO. I have been trying to figure out a good way to explain this, because I could understand it in my head, but it's a much deeper DNA based explanation. I like your clear yet easy to understand explanation. New Subscriber here.
Welcome 🧡
My score was 36. I've been doing a deep dive into autism the last 3 months and it seems to be the missing puzzle piece that explains everything I dealt with growing up and continue to deal with as an adult. Unfortunately, the process for getting diagnosed as an adult where I live is not easy unless you're okay waiting 4 years and paying a few thousand dollars.
I once got tested, came out as non-autistic, know people who think I am on the spectrum and now score 27, which is just above the threshold. For me any doubts about a clear division between the autistic spectrum and the rest of the spectrum are completely understandable.
I think its part of the learning, this year I was diagnosed, at 45 and is confusing as an adult to process and identify what parts are “normal” and what is “in the spectrum”, masking and the appropriate terms for every coping mechanism we develop, thankfully there is people like you helping and orientating…👍
I watched a youtuber cover this special (shoutout d'angelo wallace) and part of what really bugged me is that it felt to me like she was equating "autism" with "being a demanding jerk." Like I get the whole "rude" stereotype, but I'm mortified any time I'm accidentally rude. And idk how rude I come across, I feel like saying tmi things is way more common?
Thanks Mike for your clear and very visual explanation of the Autism spectrum. ❤
Your happy dog footage and the end was magnificent 👌 🐕
Awwww, you made it to the Maisie clip! Awwwwh. Thank you, Pardalote. Thank you for being here and being so kind. 🧡
Agreed. And can I just say, I love pardalotes, they're amazing little birds :)
@@kg6801 Yay! You know about pardalotes! The spotted pardalote is my absolute favourite bird. I have been spotting them recently and have found a few burrows. It's such a great time of year for bird watching in Australia. ❤️
Love the spell slot analogy
I did the test yesterday and 2 other tests. Afterwords I thought that there should be a list online to get the score done without waiting 3 years for the day of the days. For the AQ I found this list and I got 35 points. But I've got to say that there shureley would have been more if the questions would have been clear, yes or no. I've struggled with a lot of the questions because they depend a lot on the situation. So struggeling I've answered them to the best and not the worst scenario. For the Behaviour Scale and the personality test there was no pointing scale online. Understandable.
Same for me as for a lot of viewers of your channel: It could explain my whole life with only one word. Perhaps it could be something like a sevond birthday, a new start after the oportunaty to reflekt my life through the eyes of a late diagnosed autistic woman. But first I have got to complete this documents to get a little space on the waitinglist to wait for the day of truth in 3 years.
Thanks for your content! You are so nice and friendly😊🌻
To me, autism is less a spectrum and more a mosaic.
Or maybe a Chinese menu. One from column A and two from Column B.
Everyone who is autistic gets some combination platter for a main course, like difficulty interpreting social cues, intense focus on interests, excessively literal thinking and sensory sensitivities.
And then they also get a few side dishes, like limited clothing choices, heightened ability to see patterns in numbers, maybe an extreme sense of rightness.
But everyone gets different helping sizes. Sometimes a taste, sometimes a full serving. That's why no two autistic people are ever the same.
And I just went to the AQ test. I scored 41.
I am a 40yr old female, not formally diagnosed, I scored 42. Aspergers would be the best description of my traits. (I know it's not being used as an official label anymore, but it's the fastest way for me to communicate the greatest amount of information, and I am not a doctor billing for services rendered.)
I struggle with autistics who have clear issues and struggles in life who declare autism a super power or “not a disorder, just a different way of thinking” while complaining about their struggles and that everyone else in the world should change.
Im not okay with other autistics getting into the way of science, research, and helping me.
Personally, I’ve dealt with various conflicts due to autism. I’m often oblivious to my tone, speed of voice, my directness, and not emotionally validating others when they expect it. So they view me as rude or aggressive, when I actually intend to be helpful. This then frustrates me as to why they would get angry with me when I’m trying to help (ie. the double empathy problem).
As a result, it’s ended up in stupid conflicts, which have lead to termination of employment, litigation, and I was even kicked off Fidelity this month because I pointed out a glitch in their trading platform, and I guess they didn’t like me telling them this problem?
Now I realize that it’s autism. While it’s great to have a higher IQ and have a high attention to detail, people like Ellen don’t consider the downsides and the emotional distress it causes us, nor how saying “everyone has autism” only adversely affects those who have it…
I took the Raads-R 3 times over the past year or so, and the AQ once today.
I am not-yet diagnosed, though I have been TRYING to get diagnosed for 8 years now, and firmly believe I am autistic, and my psychiatrist agrees it is highly likely.
That said: My first run of the RAADS-R I scored 160. Threshold is 60. Second run I scored 173, as I had learned more information about autism and done more introspection. This last run I scored 170, which I am confident in calling a margin of error, as the questions _are_ fairly ambiguous, and if I understood the question one way 6mo ago, and did not understand it the same way on this attempt, a 3pt difference is fairly consistent.
As for my AQ score, I scored 35 points. 79.3% of Autistic participants scored 32pts or above. And 92.3% of Autistic females scored 32pts or above. Of which I am considering myself a part of, as I am a trans man, and was raised/socialized as a girl
Repetition on this subject hopefully reaches and educates more people. Thank you for taking your time to make this content.
I was worried about boring repetition 'to the choir' who already well enough know, so to speak. Thank you for being here 🧡
Mike, holy smokes! It feels like I've been watching your videos for over a year, that's wild! Thank you so much for the effort you put into these and all of the information, tips, and ideas you gave me for the assessment process!
My diagnosis lead to nothing but medication for adhd and that was it. The medication isn't even doing all that great of a job and because there is no medication for asd that just gets ignored. I have tried reaching out to get help getting the help I need and should get after 45 years undiagnosed but it's like taking to a brick wall and gets ignored or shoved back at me. Been a bad year or two and I struggle to get just basic things done at the moment, stupid me thought getting an assessment would make a difference going forward, but nope just the same old same old 'here's some medication now uck off'. Modern medicine and health care has come so far but those in the profession are still holding it back multiple decades and then some, might as well be the dark ages.
One of the slightly tricky things about the autism spectrum is that it's a bit of a nebulous term. On the one hand it can be conceptualised as a spectrum of characteristics-and that is how I generally think of it-but it is also a spectrum of (autistic) people, with the point being a spectrum of different possible manifestations of autism. What a lot of neurotypical people don't get is that the point of the spectrum is to represent the manifold ways one can be autistic. If you're not autistic then you aren't on the spectrum.
Brilliant! this is a really clear explanation/representation of the spectrum. Thank you for the bonus video 😊
Thank YOU, Stephanie! 🧡
A big part of the problem is that there are not enough mental health facilities that diagnose autism in adults. When I become a clinician, I plan to specialize in autism, ADHD, and other hard to diagnose neuropsychological disorders.
The idea that everyone on the spectrum is ignorant. Any neuropsychological condition involves a significant degree of difference and/or impairment.
Getting my diagnosis at 33 was the best news I found. It explained everything. Life would have been better if I knew 20 years ago...
I scored 30 and am a late diagnosed (41) woman with high functioning autism but lately I just cant function as good anymore (that was the reason for my diagnosis, to find out what is wrong). I dont know what to do, because my masking seems to be so good nobody can tell I am autistic and honestly, if I told them, I guess they would not care..
I scored 44 and recently diagnosed autistic, my parents in their 80s are probably both autistic but haven’t got a clue or would perceive a diagnosis themselves
I was diagnosed with Aspergers as a kid. My mom had to fight to get me into an out of district school program for students with aspergers or like disorders (that’s what it was called at the time). I just remember a lot of teachers trying to deny me supports with how I masked in school. My psychologist literally had to tell the principal and teachers that no, I wasn’t making friends because I didn’t know how to reciprocate a conversation. My mom had to get someone to come to my house to prove to the school I needed that out of district placement. And that’s when they approved it. Also my mom’s tears helped I think 😂
But now as an adult I’ve been normalizing calling myself autistic. I feel much more supported now by the public but I’ve run into another issue and that’s people infantalizing me in the way they speak to me like I’m five. I feel uncomfortable asserting myself against people talking to me like that because I don’t want to seem ungrateful, like for airport accommodations. I keep saying that society would understand autism better if they understood that autistic children are children and autistic adults are adults.
Thank you for getting into it.
As always, it's not just in the videos we make, it's in the comments they provoke. Great video Mike👍
There's another side to this. If I'm socially awkward - that isn't necessarily a sign that I can't read people or lack theory of mind. It might be because I was poorly socialised as a child.
If I have a few special interests and good attention to detail - that might just be my high IQ making itself known. If I prefer soft, comfortable clothes and quiet environments, I might just be highly sensitive (HSP).
As someone with these traits, but clearly not autistic or ASP, it is incredibly frustrating to see things like this constantly paraded in the memesphere as "you're autistic if ..." or "only autistic people will get this." It's like being told, as a woman, that "you're only upset because of your hormones" (and therefore your feelings are not valid).
I think a lot of people buy into the idea that they're autistic because they have some isolated trait that many humans have. I can't wait for being autistic to stop being fashionable.
I always think of it like a color wheel. I'm very purple with a little pink, light blue, bright yellow, with a bit of muddy brown when it comes to social areas.
I love your analogues too!
SBC is a bit of a wanker in my opinion, so glad you gave the other test a shout out. (some of what he's said about us is problematic sadly)
Thanks Mike! 💜
For whatever it’s worth, I’ve been professionally diagnosed and scored a 46 on the recommended quiz. I’m often accused of being someone who “couldn’t possibly be autistic”.
I also found that interview with Simon Baron-Cohen helpful. I guess we need to adapt his presentation about “autistic is who struggles [in certain areas]” still a bit, because an autistic person who gets adequate accommodations and supports may thrive and does not necessarily struggle. So, maybe it is more like neurological differences that have led or would lead to impairments or struggles (in certain areas) when left un-accommodated and un-supported. (I am not sure if society will ever change enough that additional accommodations and supports become entirely unnecessary. But I guess in that case a diagnosis for ASD / ASC is not needed anymore.)
I have some gripes with Simon Baron-Cohen’s “extreme male brain” theory of autism … it does not seem to square well with autism in women, and its explanatory power seems limited. But then again, I do not know enough about it to competently criticize it.
I scored 47. However, I was diagnosed with autism level 1 and can hold a job (with struggles).
I also know what some of the questions imply.
When you do theae tests the first time it came be tricky. Especially when you are autistic.
Question 7, for example:
"Other people frequently tell me that what I've said is impolite, even though I think it is polite."
In our society, nobody tells you when you were not polite.
I did learn how to cognitively mask and rephrase my sentences in my head before I speak so that I don't come across negatively. But it took me decades to learn.
These tests can be misleading.
❤thank you for your great videos
The use of the spectrum when I hear it... is usually used to try and shut down your challenges.
31 on the AQ. I'm currently on one of those wait lists for a formal diagnosis
great video! I have been officially diagnosed with Autism and ADHD/Inattentive at the age of 55. I took the AQ test again just now and scored a 39.
Well, the truth is, we all display these traits and feelings at different levels. It only becomes an issue when one or more is dysfunctionally strong/bad, but none of them are actually "different." I think that's what she was trying to get at.
Edit: Link fixed!
Heya Mike! Clicked on the AQ test link and got a 404. So something's up with the link. (I've taken the test multiple times- just can't remember what my score was and want to have it before I watch the rest of this video.) 😵💫
I can find it, but others might not be able to or not feel like looking, so wanted to let you know!
Fixed thank you!
Also: embrace-autism.com/autism-spectrum-quotient/
@EsmereldaPea wow that's a really high score.
@@thugpug4392 - LOL. 404 Not Found. ;)
I "only" scored a 36. Or was it 39?
I am mostly self diagnosed as on the spectrum (my doctor and therapist say my behaviors and interests are consistent autism spectrum disorder) and my brother is formally diagnosed with autism. For what it’s worth, I have suspected that Ellen Degeneres might be in the autism spectrum for many years.
I honestly think the intent behind it is often good; an attempt to connect (shared state/experience), normalize (common state/experience), and express acceptance. Other times, I'm sure it's meant to bully/deride. For me, the intention makes a world of difference.
Thanks Mike will look up the sites and write up. Hahaaaa Nero typically aren't what they thought the were. Maybe all the growing awareness will eventually lead to a better understanding for all.
As they say " Let it start with me".
Thankyou for doing this video - really good, really helpful
I'm late diagnosed ASD and scheduled for an ADHD assessment at the end of this month. It will be good to know but honestly I don't know what good it will do for me on a material basis. I live alone and must work to support myself so I'm not looking to be declared disabled. I'll be transitioning to working at home soon so I won't need accommodations for that. So not sure why my doctor wants it done beyond the knowing.
I enjoy the spellslot theory rather than the spoons! Going to add that to my repertoire.
I often find that by overexerting myself I fall back into mutism and depression as I’ve cast too many a spell.
This does vary by my external environment but I have come to realize where I fall short and attempt to find alternatives for navigation in what I’d consider stressful situations. It’s been a tumultuous process of figuring out what course of action I need to undertake to feel comfortable, but I’d rather take comfortability over mulling on a discussion I had with someone that I felt I did not succeed in no matter how hard I wanted to make it happen.
I have bipolar, and way too many people have said to me "we're all a little bipolar." Each one was schooled
This video felt like an introduction. We got to the end and I said, "What? It's over?"
Autistic here…. Both sons too. Formal diagnosis. Anyway, great vid. Need to ask, as I still am trying to understand for myself. So I was more thinking that the spectrum is take the neuro divergences, and if you’ve got ‘all the toys’ then you’re autistic. It’s how my psychologist who did the diagnosis explained it. Here you’re defining it as all the struggles. Now yes, I would score heavily on most of those (depression bit is highly annoying!). And I ‘struggle’ to be defined by the things I struggle with. Mainly because each struggle I flip on its head - like I’ll use the hyper focus side … it’s just I’ve had to work out how to trick my brain into hyper focus. Large crowds or that social chat time…. But as an extrovert I’ve turned that into performance. Stimming …. I draw obsessively and that’s my now career. I’ve spent my life really struggling until I was 50, (especially the phones thing…) but once I knew who I was I’ve leaned into it. I know people don’t like it but I know my kryptonites, and I know how to get the best out of me. And I use that best to help neurotypicals. So… this isn’t a judgement on using a spectrum of struggles. I just prefer to be someone who thinks differently, and might need some accommodation in some spaces, and I may need to explain ahead of time. We live in a world where we need the label so people understand, but that label itself carries baggage. What shocked me in your opening sequence was the laughter and applause Ellen got. That’s the issue I think. It goes with the rhetoric that too many people are being diagnosed. That we all have struggles so shut up. Ok, so back to your good self, if that’s ok. Seeing my view of wanting to say ‘I’ve got most of the neurodivergence’s, and they add up to give me struggles’; along side the official view that it’s a spectrum of struggles, how could I explain to people better what autistic spectrum is? Cheers! (Again, fantastic video: thank you for making it!)