I feel like I might be autistic but I dont want to tell the doctor incase it comes back saying im not and then I will look stupid

@Aiken47

3 жыл бұрын

Aim for finding an experienced specialist Doctor, some think they know what to look for, but don’t.

@theautisticpro3555

3 жыл бұрын

Think about it like you're a scientist. You have a hypothesis, and you're arranging to test that hypothesis. Sometimes the hypothesis is disproven, but that doesn't make you stupid. You're just working towards a significant discovery.

@colintx800

3 жыл бұрын

You're not gonna look stupid. I've spent my entire life worrying about what other people think and it's got me nowhere in life apart from being stuck and alone. I was just diagnosed but they stalled me for 25 Years!!!!! I wish I knew all this when I was younger because my life might have been better :( I'm a person who don't talk on the phone and has no friends at all but I did it. I really hope you find the courage to do it., Good luck :)

@justhannah2406

3 жыл бұрын

@@colintx800 Thank you 🙂

@jojozepofthejungle2655

3 жыл бұрын

We all feel like fakes, I think it's due to the masking we do and people are actually trying to be kind by denying it.

When you said, "my local adult autism assessment team" I almost cried in USA.

@shahdosman5925

3 жыл бұрын

I Cried in sudan becouse here trying to find out if you are on autism spectrum is very stegmatized and 99% of dr here will tell u to go home

@nenzmus

2 жыл бұрын

This was both hilarious and too true.

@Pepsolman

2 жыл бұрын

How does one “cry in USA”? I want to see it.

@shadowfox933

2 жыл бұрын

@@Natalie-pp8wt maybe so, but that's kinda the problem...

@shadowfox933

2 жыл бұрын

I'm in the midwest. I have two options if I want to do something like that: deal with autism speaks as an adult that they didn't get to contaminate, or don't do it at all without traveling at least two states over

Most difficult part of getting a diagnosis is people believing your true feelings once you take off the mask, I finally opened up to how I’ve been feeling recently to a therapist and all I got was “ well everyone does that” the more i talked to her the more i just thought that maybe I’m crazy later looking at videos of other women talking about their problems also getting diagnosed and being misdiagnosed gave me so much comfort

@misspeaches2217

2 жыл бұрын

¹

@DenkyManner

2 жыл бұрын

It's common to switch therapist when you don't like something about them. Health professionals are just people and there are ones who aren't good at their job/make an error. Don't take it personally and get a second opinion. And always fight your corner, don't passively accept what any doctor/therapist says if you don't like it. Even if you're ultimately shown why they were right, you still need to push your own agenda first. I speak from experience of doctors not taking the right course of action which would have led to a very bad outcome had I not challenged it and kept up the pressure. Good luck.

@somethingfromnothing8428

2 жыл бұрын

Im getting the same response from everyone i talk to about how hard it is to be autistic. The most common one i hear is “well maybe im a little autistic as well”, “everyone has to deal with that”, or “everyone must be autistic”. Its hard to get through to people that the problems autistic people face are the same ones everyone else faces and that its not the situation thats the problem, its the way our brains cope with those problems and that these tiny problems for everyone else are massive exhausting hurdles for us

@somethingfromnothing8428

2 жыл бұрын

@@PolskiProdigy who said anything about behaviour here? People are talking about their mental health, nobody has said they have behaviour issues

@xokhaliah

2 жыл бұрын

this is exactly what i’m going thru !!!

I know I am autistic. I found out when I was 59. It was suggested by a therapist and after some research I feel she was spot on. I then went to see a psychiatrist who completely knocked me down. Saying things like I can’t be autistic as I am a successful physician. And that of course I suffer from exhaustion and the need to Isolate because of my profession. And that of course I have no friends because I stay home all weekend. I walked out of there and never looked back. The more research I have done, the more sure that I am autistic. I have no interest in seeking a formal diagnosis because I don’t was to be shot down again. I may have a successful career but that doesn’t diminish the real struggles I have had my whole life. As I don’t need a formal diagnosis for any medical reason, or need to access disability services, I won’t bother. I am confident in my own assessment, it helps explain so much. It also helps me develop coping strategies. So, I know I am autistic and I don’t need anyone to confirm it.

@beesquestionmark

3 жыл бұрын

Most doctors use stupid excuses like that to not give you a diagnosis. Autistic people can be super successful, that doesn’t mean you aren’t. You’re valid in your self diagnosis and it’s ok no matter what anyone tells you. I’m glad you know yourself well enough to know :)

@stellarrose9961

3 жыл бұрын

Totally agree, and imho the best thing to do is to find a professional that is either an Aspie . And above all, bravissimo for the level of consciousness!

@weignerg

3 жыл бұрын

Right on!

@elizabethschreffler9182

3 жыл бұрын

It is ok to make a self assessment, however as you know you can not make a self diagnose. You will need your PCP to do that. You should have a good patient doctor relationship. If this is the case he or she should be able to diagnose autism. Maybe you are satisfied with your self assessment and you don't need to add your autism to your medical history. If you think adding your assessment of autism is important to add to your medical history please get a second opinion.

@illestvillain1971

3 жыл бұрын

@@elizabethschreffler9182 They made it incredibly clear that they don't need to get a professional opinion. It won't affect their life in any way, and they are confident in their decision. Re-read what they said lol

I had my autism evaluation a few days ago, and get the results in 3-4 weeks 😬 Edit: I’m autistic 😎 Edit 2: thanks to everyone leaving such nice replies, and ableists stay mad cause it’s funny 🥰

@alexc2265

3 жыл бұрын

Congrats! I finished my eval last month and get my results a week from tomorrow! Edit: I’m diagnosed! Also got inconclusive results about ADHD

@lyllaphoenix

3 жыл бұрын

How did they test you?

@will-wf6sb

3 жыл бұрын

How exciting for you , sad.

@bugsy7050

3 жыл бұрын

what?

@magentaLPStarz

3 жыл бұрын

@@lyllaphoenix way too many different tests to list here, but a few of them were short memory tests, identifying what certain idioms meant, questionnaires, matching facial expressions to the correct word, and using colored blocks to recreate a picture that was shown on a computer. The whole evaluation lasted just under 3 hours

I REALLY relate to the meltdown part. I’ve never had anyone describe the meltdowns as something less like a temper tantrum and more like actual breakdown of panic before this and that was just another point on my “you’re obviously just making this up”-list. I much more relate to being unable to think of what to do when one’s plan has been disturbed.

@jannatanwer7477

2 жыл бұрын

Can You give me a little guide on what to write on the list ?I want to make one cuz I’ve been thinking that I might be autistic for a year now & my friend mentioned that he thinks I’m very likely to be cuz of the way I behave ,I guess in my head I act “normal” but others see it differently,So I’m just confused on where to start

@Drachenschnauze

2 жыл бұрын

I relate to that as well. Yesterday i went to a fitnessstudio and got tested first and 15 minutes after i was supposed to get the result on my phone. When 15 minutes where up and the result was not there i panicked, looked for it every second and cried. Controlled change is fine, when i know at least mostly what happens its fine, but objektively small disturbances get me to cry and scream and ruin my entire day left because i keep beating myself up over how unnecissairily that was.

@natashamudford4011

2 жыл бұрын

@@Drachenschnauze What does your username mean? Something concerning the nose?

I thought you said “my daughter is now thirty” and look at you and tried to do the math and I seriously thought NEED THIS WOMANS SKIN CARE ROUTINE

@maricelumali6407

3 жыл бұрын

I think it's "thirteen" because she said she's now 41.

@sweatheart61

3 жыл бұрын

I thought the same thing too. 😂

@yivmaiden

3 жыл бұрын

We still need THIS WOMAN'S SKINCARE ROUTINE! I thought she was in her late 20s!

@jodo1971

3 жыл бұрын

You should check out Marina Abramovich, shes 70 and looks like she’s 30. No joke. Unfortunately it’s all the BLOOD drinking that keeps her looking that way.

@a.m.a9332

3 жыл бұрын

no. she said her daughter was 13 in that year and she was 36 and now she's 41 so that would make the daughter now 18 considering only 5 years has passed

I've felt different my whole life. But when I was a kid, I had no idea what autism even was for a long time. I just figured, "I'm just really unique." Now that I'm older (19), I have been diagnosed with OCD, depression, social anxiety, as well as being an HSP, a highly sensitive person. 20% of the population are highly sensitive people, and a lot of the traits of HSP's overlap with having autism, such as, overstimulation, difficulty processing and understanding emotions, sensitivity to certain textures, flavors, smells, etc. It's hard for me to tell if I might be autistic or if I am just an HSP with OCD and ADHD and social anxiety.

@astridjaye6224

3 жыл бұрын

Same diagnoses to all the things you mentioned plus a few more and i feel very hsp and maybe autistic but I don't know as i read facial expressions and understand sarcasm often etc but i interrupt and go on tangents but that would be adhd, ugh

@artbabyjade

3 жыл бұрын

These labels are all just psychology theories. They’re just patterns humans have recognized in particular groups of people. It’s helpful for self understanding but not truly that important. Try not to latch on to these labels as your identity. You know yourself best and will continue to evolve and grow as a person - especially through your 20s as your brain development completes. You are uniquely you; important and special ❤️

@remon563

2 жыл бұрын

@@artbabyjade I agree Jade. We should stop giving labels and treat people as actual individuals. I can't count the amount of times labels has led to social discrimination.

@sporvath

2 жыл бұрын

I think I'm the same, I think I have ADHD but finding about adult autism got me confused.

@barleysam1

2 жыл бұрын

yo my age is 19 aswell and when i act like an idiot and unnatural or even doing something not normal my family say im autism or mild autism and laugh i was doing it for fun and enjoyed it, but my brain said dont worry, dont let others label you, my heart told me, you have autism so what.... ,your family is just judgemental and just a little asshole, cause they laugh at it with no tone of joking. like from their perspective it a bad habit. but my body didnt react they just like meh so now i just act like this cause my soul said many autistic people became big and inspiring and its boring to be same.

my autism assessment is in 15 minutes via a video call and i'm watching this to help calm all of my nerves, thank you so much for posting such a friendly and peaceful video!

@callumm9049

3 жыл бұрын

How did you get on?

@cherisebauguss6966

3 жыл бұрын

Well? How did it go?

@joannabiebs

3 жыл бұрын

@@libbysmith2014 how did it go if you don't mind sharing?

@libbysmith5204

3 жыл бұрын

@@joannabiebs Hey! It was alright, I was just asked about my childhood through video call (it lasted about an hour) and then had to go meet them in person 2 weeks later for part 2 of the assessment, which also took about an hour (The ADOS part). It was a bit nerve wrecking being examined but I tried to be myself and not mask. Edit: Got my results back, I'm autistic.

@ryanmichaelhaley

2 жыл бұрын

Night before for me

Her voice is so calming

@brianarbenz7206

3 жыл бұрын

Particularly at 1:40 when she says, "Start at the very beginning." I hear Julie Andrews! :)

@lvntravels

3 жыл бұрын

Until you try to change her routine🤣

@elizabethCorkins83

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, She would make good ASMR videos & could just give us tons of whatever info lol...

@___Angelica

3 жыл бұрын

Yes...i like the sound of her voice and her accent.

@Bllankly

3 жыл бұрын

But look at her teeth........

I live in the US and make a decent living yet can't afford what it costs to visit doctors. You guys are very fortunate. I will probably die not ever knowing anything about my physical or mental health.

@sovann-jahleewhite3360

3 жыл бұрын

This is how I feel, I don’t believe that I would even be able to get a diagnosis for literally anything for many years given my family is poor and I’m still on their insurance as I’m a dependent college student. It’s a bit frustrating

@lovely.ameeeee485

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, me too. I simply cannot afford to even be seen by a dentist! I have my wisdom teeth growing in and I have to live in pain because I just can't afford to get them removed.

@paddyc2376

3 жыл бұрын

It has taken 7 years to get my son diagnosed in Ireland all services that help children with autism are gradually being cut back to nil, you now need a very good income to get private help if you can get that at all and the advice as to how to deal with it is an absolute joke it's very frustrating

@alihayman3834

3 жыл бұрын

Look into free testing places that test adults

@christineperez7562

3 жыл бұрын

There is literally nothing you can do if you have autism. There is nothing wrong with having autism.

I'm so stressed from hearing about the story telling tests because what if I remember what I learned here and it alters the outcome of my assessment and I'm wrongfully diagnosed or undiagnosed as a result I feel like I just watched a spoiler

@tigersinlondon2152

3 жыл бұрын

me scrolling the comments about to make this exact comment.... yep!!! i feel like if i know "the answers" ahead of time that maybe i would ""trick"" the specialist into diagnosing me with autism.... even though thats obviously not the case...

@marlonunlocked

3 жыл бұрын

@@tigersinlondon2152 ...or is it? no jk i feel exactly like this cause so much stuff checks out but then again i‘m like „what if i‘m making this up for attention?“

@pearcup362

3 жыл бұрын

Thank goodness someone said this I'm always like, am I masking it when I'm appearing "normal" or am I faking it when I'm not appearing "normal" I'm so scared I'm just making it up in my head and that I don't actually have it and I feel like if I know what to say I'll somehow say that during the assessment and get a wrong diagnosis just to settle my feelings and then never be sure if I actually have it or not even if I got a diagnosis

@billyroberts6593

3 жыл бұрын

@@tigersinlondon2152 how is not the case im stressing off this too lol

@brookeb5359

3 жыл бұрын

I had previously watched this and just had my testing yesterday. In the moment I was so focused on what I was supposed to be doing and absolutely dumbfounded by trying to think of a proper story that Ellas experience I had heard about didn’t even matter. It was a different book too. And different amount of objects then she was tested with. They also told me they aren’t looking for one specific thing they’re looking for a consistent pattern across all things so doing well on one area or under reporting for it doesn’t matter.

Dear Ella, I'm 76 years and on my last legs, so I don't have time to go through all the proper channels. Today is the first day I've done any research at all, and this video is the first one I have watched after reading a few articles on the internet. I can relate to most of what you have said in this video and autism sure answers a lot of questions I've had for a long time. I will subscribe to your channel, and it will be the first time I have subscribed to any channel.

@arbitrarylib

Жыл бұрын

🙂

@dambigfoot6844

Жыл бұрын

A late ASD diagnosis is fairly common since the resources for early intervention even today still aren’t there. One of the biggest reluctances I had was the thought “I went through elementary, middle, and high school without even hearing about Autism so I must not have it”. That thought I learned was wrong and that I learned to mask until it slipped and I was essentially told off by a coworker who was rude but at least knew the basics of ASD.

@AndrashSpooshkash

Жыл бұрын

@@dambigfoot6844 A problem I have had for many years is that I often hear the words that are spoken to me but I don't respond. Another problem is that I don't remember faces unless I see the person regularly. Many times people think I'm being rude and I never try to explain to the that my memory is faulty. I've only recently considered that it might be autism - " a little autism". But someone said there is no such thing as "a little autism". I did some really heavy drinking in my twenties and stoppled drinking when I was 26. Until recently I've blamed the heavy drinking for brain damage. I had many blackouts when drunk, sometimes lasting for a day or two.. What do you think?

@misspatvandriverlady7555

5 ай бұрын

@@AndrashSpooshkashI think you may have been self-medicating autism. Also, I would advise investigating the “circular spectrum/color wheel” model of autism, which I have come to understand as a cluster of potential, associated disabilities including those involving communication, each of which may affect any given autistic individual more or less severely. I wish you comfort and peace in your journey! ❤

I was at an appointment with my therapist having been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, OCD and adult ADD. I asked if I ‘might be on the autistic spectrum’. The response was well …obviously 😂. Wow. Thanks. That was a year ago. I’m working with it and finally accepting that I am not just weird. But officially weird lol.

@chaimomma9198

Жыл бұрын

It’s so common now I think not being on the spectrum is “weird” my daughters and I have all the traits and I feel very creative and artistic and I’m learning to love myself

@eboronkay

Жыл бұрын

I love ‘officially weird.’ I’ve decided not to pursue an official diagnosis since I managed to survive into retirement.

I'm 22 and my testing is on the 17th. I'm so nervous but my mom already did her part and she is very confident that I will be diagnosed. This was very helpful thank you!

@Andresfin

3 жыл бұрын

@She-Ra Princess of Power I'm sorry I'm actually from the USA. I was tested at the Mayo clinic in Arizona. It's really hard here to get the test. I'm from Colorado and it took me 3 years to get accepted into the Mayo clinic's genetics program.

@alexc2265

3 жыл бұрын

@@Andresfin well, hard there, and maybe insurance disagreements had to do with it like they often do in the states. I just called a shrink I thought was a good fit for me and said I wanted an adult ASD assessment with no insurance. We got right to it.

@alexc2265

3 жыл бұрын

What’s this design in your profile pic? It reminds me of the Red Lotus

@astridjaye6224

3 жыл бұрын

What did your mom do? Did she go with you or write out descriptions of your childhood or something?

@confidentlocal8600

8 ай бұрын

What was the outcome?

Don’t let the comment about your gestures inhibit you or make you self conscious when communicating. It would cause you to mask and it would be another cause for anxiety. Your gestures are bigger than your topic of conversation merits but it really is not significant enough to sweat about. Rather endearing in fact.

I'm an Aspie and EXTROVERTED like crazy. Your gestures seem very much appropriate and in sync with what you say. I have had mentioned to me that my eyes dart everywhere and the more excited/passionate I become, all of the aforementioned traits rise accordingly.

@yungjoemighty879

Жыл бұрын

I'm undiagnosed with any neurotypical diagnosis and thought differently, that her gestures were not in sync with what she was saying

@blackpandacat2222

Жыл бұрын

@yungjoemighty May I ask what you mean? Or how she's not? I've recently fallen down the autism-rabbit-hole on YT and have a sneaking suspicion that I may be on the spectrum but did not go to a specialist by now.. anyways for me, she's perfectly in sync and matching what she's saying 😅

@misspatvandriverlady7555

5 ай бұрын

My late husband’s whole family (mom, dad, and seven kids total; dad and my husband, the baby, are now deceased) was/is highly social, so even though two of his siblings were special ed, never left the home, never had jobs, and my husband struggled mightily in life generally, largely living at home as an adult and only successfully leaving when I essentially took responsibility for his care (for example, when he finally qualified for disability, he willingly signed his checks over to me, not trusting himself to handle $1,000 all at once), I didn’t think the trouble in that family could be autism… until our daughter was diagnosed autistic after his passing, and is just as social as that whole friggin’ family is! Thing is, they aren’t really GOOD at socializing; they’ve mastered a few basic strategies to please people and keep them talking, since they enjoy being around people and keeping them happy. My understanding of autism has expanded so much… and has caused me to conclude that my late hubby and I were both AuDHD, which would explain why we got along in spite of our massive personal issues! 🥹

I never thought I was autistic, but I feel like my brain was keeping the secret from me, like I wasn’t ready to realize everything fit together like a puzzle piece.

@dianaemily6109

9 ай бұрын

This is how I feel now

This was exactly what happened to me my great niece was diagnosed with autism and when I read up on this I was floored and realized I had struggled my whole life in this and then I took a test and rated fairly high on the spectrum . Then I talked to my counselor and he agreed . Now I understand why I had such a time socializing with people and was alone a lot more and still prefer alone time .

Thanks so much for sharing. I’m sure your experience will help and encourage many others who are seeking diagnosis. I was diagnosed three years ago and the doctor I saw used the ASDI assessment which isn’t used so much now but it was appropriate for me at the time. What has been particularly helpful for me has been the post diagnosis support I have received from the consultant who diagnosed me. Even now I see her about every three months and value her support and the opportunity to reflect on situations I’ve found challenging.

My partner is a brilliant artist and the sweetest person possible. I’m here to understand some things about her son, but I realise they have some things in common that you’ve helped me to wrap my head around. Knowledge is power.

@swagjuice3108

2 жыл бұрын

Hearing this makes me feel good. Thank you for sharing this and I hope y’all are happy

IMHO this is my favorite video from you so far. It comes across as heartfelt and authentically you, with less masking to be extra positive, and more just laughing and sharing an informative story with a friend. :D Thank you for redoing this topic now that you've had time to gain more perspective and knowledge on both the topic in general, getting comfortable being on camera, and time to reflect on your autism assessment.

@yungjoemighty879

Жыл бұрын

what's wrong with masking

Thank you Ella, I am a GP wanting to move into providing an autism diagnostic service and as part of improving my knowledge I decided to watch your KZread video. Your description of your emotions regarding assessment and how it feels to be diagnosed, and most importantly the fact that you have found diagnosis a positive experience is really motivational for me. Thank you.

@holyspacemonkey

2 жыл бұрын

I wish more doctors were like you!

Oh dear, the ADOS test. I was sooooo bad at both story stuff! With the objects I couldn't even create a story and just built a thing by attaching the objects with each others. And with the picture book I apparently just described what I saw and didn't tell a story at all. The specialist was both appalled and so sorry for me in a kind way! 😅 After that she was already sure I was full on autistic haha. About the facial expressions, apparently I laugh and smile when I say very upsetting stuff. And that's super weird for people. Maybe you're the same? Ps: my letter just said I'm autistic ! Do you people think I should ask for a detailed report?

@KatieM786

4 жыл бұрын

I asked for one but the clinic who saw me said it is not something they do, it's just a letter. I wish I had had any kind of diagnostic follow up support but I could not for several reasons.

@floriaskite938

4 жыл бұрын

I just did a little self test on my bed using a bra, two pairs of pants and a belt. I immediately felt frustrated because why would I change the things I've picked into something else if I picked them in the first place? I had brain ache straight away, it reminded me of doing math 🥴

@Aiken47

3 жыл бұрын

I do the facial expressions not matching the situation, people think I’m being sarcastic or over embellishing my enthusiasm for my special interests.

@gachaflerin5720

3 жыл бұрын

Bro, I literally try not to smile in almost every situation. Also, while I talk I just cant control myself and spin around and walk, and I oftenly move my eyes around a lot while talking. I'm not exactly worried if I have autism, but im concerned.

@melissabrewer2712

3 жыл бұрын

I used to laugh and smile all the time when I was getting in trouble as a child and my parents always thought I was being an ass but it was uncontrollable

Thank you for your videos! My cousin is autistic and not only does this help me understand her but it also helps me with writing more diverse characters

Thank you for sharing your experience Ella. I had my assessment late last year and was diagnosed earlier this month. I didn't have any of the ADOS tests used for me - I realise now that I must have had the DISCO used, which you mention at the end of your video. I didn't realise that's what it was at the time. Thank you for mentioning this! I am glad I was one of the lucky ones to have been assessed this way.

I'm 32. I was diagnosed bipolar at 14, and didn't get a correct diagnosis until recently, when my son was also diagnosed. Words cannot fully explain the frustration and resentment that comes from living a misdiagnosed life.

I felt like crying listening to your story, don't know why, I'm waiting for a assessment, especially the story of telling a story, this made perfect sense, I feel like I've been touched by you

First I like your LEGO mug. Thank you for sharing your perspective of the assessment. I was diagnosed about a year ago and completed the same ADOS. It’s been refreshing to know that it is an accurate depiction of an assessment as many individuals go through such an in-depth progress that I tend to feel like my experience of testing was invalid.

Ella, I sincerely admire and appreciate you and your husband in your journey. Your video is marvelous, articulate, and informative. Well done. Thank you.

Not trying to take away from your experience or diagnosis, but I think your gestures and facial expressions are spot on with what you’re saying ? You seem very articulate and have a soft pleasant voice.

Hearing an example of what to expect has soothes my anxiety a bit. I have an appointment in a few hours just with my doctor to get referred hopefully to a psychiatrist or specialist. I’m so nervous right now. I feel like I might faint. I am almost certain I am autistic and I fear the rejection and invalidation of being told I’m not. Being autistic is the only thing that makes sense to me and brings me comfort. I have never felt more understood than when researching autistic women. So thank you for being so open about your experiences and for being so specific with your assessment

i really needed to hear this. i just got my results of my autism assessment and i wasn't diagnosed, even though i was so so so convinced already of being autistic. having experienced childhood emotional neglect, being a trans person socialized as female, masking my entire life, and not having any family members to add extra feedback i feel really impacted my results and i feel really crushed. hearing that the ADOS test doesn't work well for women, trans and nonbinary people really brings me a sense of validity, oddly enough. thank you for your support ♡ your content has helped me learn so much

@Ouchimoo

Жыл бұрын

Right. I'm kind of in the same situation. I'm not trans but I grew up rejecting my assigned gender roll and now I'm neutral to it. Still I'm not going to fit the clean set of traits of either male or female in regards to testing. That and I masked so hard for so long I didn't even realize I was doing it. My dad's so shut down we don't communicate and my mom been nothing but emotionally neglectful and toxic that there's n way I'm asking for her input. I did find a therapist who specializes in narcissistic trauma and dealing with autism but even last session she flat out told me she wasn't going to do any kind of assessment. And honestly I've been reading up on it in the book Unmasking Autism and the author doesn't recommend getting an assessment either because so many practitioners out there only assess traits that fit autistic stereotypical male children. Worse he clearly lays out that getting a label could be detrimental since so much of society either considers most of us to be too "high functional" for help, or will turn on us as too mentally handicapped and become a drain on society. Kind of makes you wonder where to go from here.

@CoogeeBeach2030

10 ай бұрын

I really respect someone who has gone through what you have and are able to be so honest about it with yourself!

Beside all it's difficulties, Being on the Spectrum CAN BE a Superpower. "Precise detailed explanation" makes you a Great Teacher!

Oddly enough, I understood exactly what your hand gestures meant and made note of it in my head. When you brought it up at the end, I thought it was interesting that it was a thing. I’m glad you shared your story and that you feel seen with your diagnosis.

I love hearing these adult diagnosis stories. It's so interesting to see how it happens a little differently for everyone. I didn't really have much clue I was autistic before diagnosis.

@chomeeghouri1306

2 жыл бұрын

A lot of people are being incorrectly diagnosed with autism as adults when there is nothing wrong with them. It's such an insult towards people who truly have autism. I have a family member with real autism since childhood that is noticeable within seconds of meeting them.

@jliller

Жыл бұрын

@@chomeeghouri1306 Whether autism is immediately noticeable depends on the severity of the autism and the individual's masking and/or coping mechanisms/strategies.

You are very well spoken & seem to have found whatever was needed to cope with any ASD deficits. 😊 I have discovered with my disabilities, once diagnosed & addressed, to make them a mere footnote in the story of my life & not let them take center stage. If you feed them attention, talk about them constantly, they become a crutch. I wish you the very best. Thanks for sharing❣

I was diagnosed this morning with High Functioning Autism. Like the creator of this video, I was not surprised at all. It was actually a relief. It gave me hope that I will finally understand why I behave/behaved the way I do/did. It also give me hope that I will be able to find therapies/coping skills that will help me function in society outside my condo.

i know exactly what the doctor means when he’s talking about your expressions and hang movements! i speak exactly like you and often struggle with having small spurts of being too loud, or making a huge hand movement/gesture when i was just normally fidgeting. most people keep the same energy throughout their storytelling whereas we get much more passionate randomly and we release these little energy spurts.

Your facial comments absolutely fit what you are saying! "everyone else (allism people)"s expressions are the ones that dont fit what they are saying, because they have the social acting rule book - but they get to say "they are the correct ones - ours are wrong" because there are more of them. Certainly for me - over-analyzing "am I doing the right thing" - its a big trait we can excel at, and its rarely a helpful one...

@steveneardley7541

5 ай бұрын

I gave up on trying to act normal in high school. I just try to avoid doing stuff that will make people hate me or think I'm nuts. Beyond that I improvise and try to be direct and honest. Some people don't like it--well, maybe a lot of people don't like it, but it SURE MAKES LIFE EASIER.

Thank you every now and then I come across videos like this and it gives me hope not to give up on getting proper diagnosis and treatment.

My loving daughter suggested that I watch your video. I am very happy I watched this & listened closely. Thank you for sharing your experience !!

I love having autism but I hate it at the same time, my mum doesn't treat me the same as all the other kids, she treats me like I can't do nothing at the age of 24, she even controlls my money, I understand I strongly to understand a lot but I just wanna be treated normal, I'm slowly learning how to use a card in a machine but my mum won't let me do nothing, she's holding me back, I'm multi talented I can rap, song write, draw anime, draw realistic and play the piano and everything and I've got people asking me to draw them and they'll pay me from my online account on Instagram and I keep telling people to wait to wait, especially close friends cause my mum is not letting me try and live myself, she's trying to live my life for me and I'm getting really annoyed

@hedwignl8118

3 жыл бұрын

Hi.. I hope you can find a way with your mom that you can get out of the house and maybe get in to a shielded community living arrangement? There are more like minded people and often a 24/7 guidance person to help you out with things you still need to learn. And leaves you be yourself and lets you do all the things you are very able to do yourself. So you have help close if needed. You’ll be able to become the man you are! That is maybe a solution your mother can get behind (because it’s a good and safe place) and you can live your own life and visit your mom just for fun of it again.

@ddss97

3 жыл бұрын

You’re trending in the right direction! Keep it up and I hope things with your mom improve

@lovely.ameeeee485

3 жыл бұрын

My parents do the same and I'm the same age! However, I haven't been officially diagnosed with autism. This only reassures me and let's me know that I'm not alone.

@brittney9518a

3 жыл бұрын

You gotta draw boundaries with her. Good luck! You'll be in my thoughts.

@Havencheese

3 жыл бұрын

I’m sorry that you’re frustrated. You’re really craving independence and I hope you see that as a positive. I’m a 1:1 Support Worker and that’s always my goal. I hope you can communicate with her what it is that you want to achieve. Best of luck. 👍

Your tone and expressions are totally normal. Very engaged. Lovely.

I’ve been struggling for the last 2 years especially and it’s been getting worse, listening to this has helped me a lot with maybe understanding too that I may have similarities

I happened upon your video and found it extremely enlightening.. I'm a 51 year old man who has struggled with "being a bit wierd" all my life.. I want to thank you for this video as it has given me a valuable perspective and I will consider getting assessed myself.

For me it was the deletion of all other options until I had to accept the fact I was autistic but with a silver savant lining. The high IQ and spatial reasoning always made me feel like I was just smart and didn’t like people or crowds and loud noises lol - today I absolutely love who I am ; )

Great content you’ve really helped me as my son has been diagnosed since 6 yrs old and since he is 12 now he’s going through adolescence and I have felt powerless as a single mother with my sons father and ex who is also autistic so recently I started noticing that I had similar traits but felt if I got diagnosed my son would see me as a failure. Really appreciate your genuine authenticity.

@swagjuice3108

2 жыл бұрын

From a son perspective I would feel empowered if my mom had autism and did the things she does

I’ve been seeing people with autism talk about things that I’ve experienced all my life. I really want to get an assessment, but no one believes. I’m happy that this video helped in getting me prepared :)

I live in the US & have been misdiagnosed for many many yrs till I came across your fellow vlover who thankfully said to look for you & do the test & passed. Dr's here said it was mental for yrs but it only happens in things you've talked about. Ella at 55 yrs old I findly get a reason that makes since. My thumbs up to all your vlogs your my lil gaurdian Angel.

just found out I'm autistic and very confused but at the same time it makes sense

Thank you so much for doing this video. Your epiphany with autism reflects my own, I have experienced a number of unexplained difficulties recently and throughout my life which I have attributed to autism. I am anxiously awaiting a GP referral, so this video for me was very insightful to my next steps.

Despite my younger brother having autism I won't change anything in world.. Just seeing him smile and talking in confidence whether it's to someone or by himself just gives me motivation to be better older brother

Next week will be 4 years since my diagnosis at age 59. It is always amazing to me how similar the moment of realization is for so many of us. The diagnosis connects together a lifetime of events that always seemed totally unrelated. Plus, we worked so hard to conform to social expectations that we learned to avoid and even deny, making any connection that was in direct opposition to what we were working so hard to achieve - being " normal". We were not being true to ourselves because we distrusted the autistic person we truly were. The diagnosis resolved this conflict, and let us finally be true to our autistic nature.

When you brought up Nonbinary and Trans people too, I suddenly felt 100% accepted and like I ACTUALLY CAN MAYBE STILL GET AN ANSWER to everything in my life!! Thank you for that, thank you SO MUCH!! You have NO IDEA how Refreshing it is to hear people include us in these conversations, especially in such a polite and serious manner. Even if it's just ONE SENTENCE, that representation!!

@bogmanhimself4656

3 жыл бұрын

this is random but ya gender valid and you're a badass for coming out, have a very good day 😎

41?! Looking incredible! Best wishes to you and your family!

You’re a truly kind and wonderful person and would make a great friend

Thank you, Ella. I'm 41 now and just this week, I've received a letter from the service to which my GP referred me in September. Your videos are informative and necessary. Thanks again! Stew

I use to be like this and I promise something mentally changed during quarantine. I’ve never been happier. I diagnosed myself as well

@Plasticityy

3 жыл бұрын

🧍‍♀️

@eviethevampire

3 жыл бұрын

You can't diagnose yourself.

@BucckeyTemple

3 жыл бұрын

@@eviethevampire okay thank you Dr. Obvious💚

@eviethevampire

3 жыл бұрын

@@BucckeyTemple actually, my mum does this sort of stuff at work and I asked her if you could diagnose yourself over a video, to which she said no

@BucckeyTemple

3 жыл бұрын

@@eviethevampire I’m have my Bachelors in Psychology thanks Dr. Obvious I don’t know where I would be in life without you.

Your assessment sounds just like mine. Your floating froggies (that initially look like fishies)...the telling of a story and other bits I remember. I'm 52 now and struggled all my life with learning, social problems and communication, I really couldn't understand why people see things differently to me and acted the way they did when I was having meltdowns and in full blown panic mode. When I was young I learnt to hide this and avoid situations and have done that ever since.

Thank you. This is really, really helpful for my work with people who are also autistic. I’m grateful.

Hi Ella, I am a Canadian in Ontario and I have a granddaughter that is 18 now. She is Autistic. Your life story is so compelling. You are an incredible lady. My daughter Nicole is your age and she suffers with Borderline personality disorder and has a terrible struggle raising and caring for her 18 year old autistic daughter. So my love and my heart goes out to you.

I thought your gesturing and facial expressions seemed fine to me. I'm trying to get an assessment right now! Thank you for this useful insight.

My sons going through process of getting a diagnosis.....now I'm making connections that make me think I'm autistic too. I'm considering going to go for a diagnosis. Thank you for the video.

@juniormako6184

2 жыл бұрын

I used this doc herbs for my son and now my son is completely free, his speaking and behavior is ok. His herbs is 100% working on ASD. I met Dr Oyalo on channel and I’m happy to share my experience about it

Means a great deal to me that you mention grief when you got your diagnosis. I’m 69 and I’ve just had my entire life laid bare and all the cruelty, violence, blame and mockery to which I’ve been subjected has come back to me in a raging torrent and I feel so sad.

thank you for sharing your experience and for being so thorough with the steps.

What you said about the parking situation… it just hit me certain things about myself. I remember times where I felt like my whole world was falling apart when the plan or expectations I had for my life would disappear from me. Most recent thing was a romantic rejection from someone I really liked. I remember feeling a sense of panic, anger, and hurt kind of all at once, and I had a major depressive episode that followed as a result. I’ve had a lot of difficulty trying to reimagine a new future that I could believe that I would be happy with having. I never really thought of those things as “meltdowns” though. I described them mostly as panic/anxiety/depression, but not meltdowns. Perhaps people who have more mild symptoms of autism experience their meltdowns differently. Ive always heard meltdown to refer to sensory overload and needing to escape.

@misspatvandriverlady7555

5 ай бұрын

I lot of questions on autism assessments like the RAADS-R ask about having a lot of trouble with changes in plans, as well as social interactions in general and being overwhelmed by sensory inputs, any of which can cause episodes which look like “panic attacks”, “temper tantrums”, or “meltdowns”, and which people learn to avoid by self-isolating, stimming, and reducing sensory inputs.

That AOS test sounds terrifying. I hate talking at length, on the spot, with no planning. I just see myself blanking and shutting down. I’ve been on the waiting list since January 2020. I have no idea if the process has changed in those 2 years…but thank you for sharing your insight into the assessment. I wanted to have some sort of idea as to what to expect. I really hope I get an appointment soon 😔 I’m starting to really struggle as I learn more about myself, tear down the mask….but I don’t have anything official to back me up. Nothing has ever fitted as perfectly as ASD has. The more I learn from and listen to autistic people, the more I connect with them and the more I realise about myself. But this self discovery and self help feels halted without an official diagnosis 😔 Especially as I’m an adult, trying to take steps towards independence.

Have been so confused most of my life. Was 54 when the diagnosis was Asperger's. My grandson Robert has been diagnosed with autism at around 3 years old. Thank you so very much 😊

Hi Ella! I just want to thank you for your content! I discovered your channel 1 year ago, it's helped in understanding myself better, and I just got diagnosed with ASD myself this week at age 34. 🙂 Cheers!

Hi, Ella. I am 31, female, and just discovered that I am autistic less than a week ago. (I am awaiting official diagnosis, but there is no doubt.) This is the first video on autism I have ever watched, and I stopped it several times to cry into my hands. I've been going through the same upheaval of emotions and grief that you described, but every day it gets easier and I feel better the more I learn. Because, with every piece of information I learn, I forgive myself for one autistic thing I've "done" or still do. Thank you for easing me into the world of autism with your calming voice. 🫂

Shoot. Now that I know the diagnostic outcomes of the frog book and story-making tests, I can’t take those assessments without bias. Learning how they’re used, though, I know how I’d answer them. I hadn’t even considered changing what the items were or reading the story to the Dr.

@yungjoemighty879

Жыл бұрын

yeah i thought she should have maybe kept what the gp said to her private but hey ho

My brain told me I was autistic when I was having a meltdown too. I believe it was God helping me have a breakthrough.

@supercoolg1234_is_autistic

2 жыл бұрын

sorry are u autistic because having a meltdown dosnt mean your autistic all

I am thrilled to see this wonderful video. To be brief, I’ve been misdiagnosed for about 40 years. Terrible at school, yet my teachers couldn’t locate my problem, sent to special needs. It’s unfortunate but this video makes it easier to understand my social problem. I am upset with psychiatrists in the past saying I was schizophrenic/paranoia and now I really know. I could challenge it further, but I am not bothered. Upset with my parents for not figuring it out all these years. However, the main thing is you must have a forgiving heart as the professionals were all in denial. Thank you Ms for your video. Jose Joyette

You had the courage to adress your concerns, it's been a positive experience for you.

Very helpful thank you, I was assessed and need to go back for a day assessment as they are not sure. They plan to talk to my mum also.

@ruth6833

3 жыл бұрын

You mentioned you wanted to know what people thought whether your expressions didn't fit what saying and I felt you mask well...you 'overexpress' with your hands as a way of stimming...keep doing what you're doing...you're inspirational Ella

I’m really nervous about my assessment that is happening soon, and this helped me so much in mentally preparing as I am very nervous. Thank you so much for sharing your experience!

@juniormako6184

2 жыл бұрын

I used this doc herbs for my son and now my son is completely free, his speaking and behavior is ok. His herbs is 100% working on ASD. I met Dr Oyalo on channel and I’m happy to share my experience about it

Thank you I was diagnosed at 36. (2008) I became a T1D at age 12yrs. It’s a struggle at times yet I’m alive today☀️. 38 yrs w/T1D (Type 1 Diabetes) 🤗 Thank you for sharing your assessment test experience with us. I appreciate you

I am so glad I watched this after my test.

The book is called Tuesday. Thank you for sharing your experience

This is a great video. Thank you, Ella. It was actually this video that spurred me to reconsider taking the assessment. What had tripped me up before for a decade contemplating now was the fact that I am creative, and stories come naturally to me as it had to you. Knowing this was likely to be assessed, I did not think I had autism despite having the wide range of difficulties associated to it, but you had explained what they actually observe in this and this had elucidated many things (in that they look at how you deliver the story, and perceive the actors, rather than the imaginative content of the story itself). I am wondering though whether this video would unfairly influence me, and other potential patients in some way. I found this very helpful, but could this sort of information be better kept between patient and doctor? I'm worried this knowledge would skew some results.

You’re too funny girl! I had to replay a few times about the weird handshake! It’s very true for me and my own mother and family in general. You’re so sweet. You seem like a kind person. The struggle is real!

I think that you’re just a lovely person . Wish you all the love and bless you and your daughter

The story thing is fascinating to me. I was listening to this going "OK, I've wondered if I'm autistic, but I also think I'm pretty good with stories, I even do creative writing...so what's the catch?" And yeah - it ALSO wouldn't have occurred to me to make the match a person or whatever! Had a similar thought when seeing trouble with doing imaginative play with others as part of the DSM list of possible symptoms. I came up with all kinds of narratives on my own, but I'd always get really frustrated playing "let's pretend" with other kids because they would be coming up with stuff I thought made no sense ("Why would fairies AND Nancy Drew be on a pirate ship? This is dumb!"). And I HATE that game where you go around in a circle and each person adds a sentence to the story, because A) it usually deviates real fast from what I think the interesting story would be and B) some people stick in nonsensical things just because. So...huh.

@JUPITER11119

2 жыл бұрын

You just made me realize why I stopped playing text based RPGs. 😆

The book with frogs is called Tuesday by David Wiesner, in case someone is looking for it 😉

I am in the US and was just diagnosed with autism level 1. Your description of your assessment is exactly what my assessment was like.

This video was so great! Thank you for being so kind in your inclusivity and sharing your story

Thank you for this information. I’m transmasc, have a long history of mental health problems, and have recently (in the past two-three years) started feeling like I’m on the spectrum. This made me a lot less scared to ask my GP about getting testing done.

I was actually recently diagnosed at 47.Your story is a lot like mine . Woman have a much different brain and it went unnoticed in me and my son was easier to diagnose due to his traits being more noticeable as a male.

The meltdown part too! Last year, my roommate and I were just heading out to drive to Massachusetts from New Jersey for a long weekend vacation, and my google maps malfunctioned. It wouldn't bring up a "start" button. I did try to download another app, but the unfamiliarness of it freaked me out even more, and then I just lost it. Started crying and yelling. My poor roommate. He is also autistic, but the most chill guy you've ever met. Meltdowns as a result of a plan suddenly changing have haunted me my whole life. Seeing that talked about in your video was important.

Thank you again for sharing these deeply personal experiences. You really have my admiration and respect. Lots of love x

I have gone through an assessment when I was 18 but the person giving the assessment said i wasn’t autistic only because when reading the book I was able to say the emotions of the people in the book. Even though I have memorized the connections between peoples faces and what emotions come with each one. I’m now trying to go through the assessment again.

My gp said all the things you said, i called him with a list and he said after i cried he'd refer me. This was all today

It's courageous for you to bare your soul! I have a similar situation and found your video useful. Thank you

As a 27 year old male I’ve put off getting my diagnosis for a long time. Constantly thinking “what is the point?” and “what difference will it make?”…. Yet …. Your video has given me motivation to book an appointment, so, thank you!

Damn it the whole 'I made up a story with the item as the item.' just hit me hard. I do that too, same for when I tell a story. But usually its to a group of children, so they are facing me, and I've learned to try and look at each one, except I can't really look closely at them or I loose track of my own story, so I just kind of look at them without really looking at them if it makes sense. The kids love my stories, and I've always considered myself pretty creative. I add funny faces, voices, hand gestures, ect. but yeah I would NEVER turn a match 'into' a person. Match might go on a journey like 'the match then rolled down the hill into the brush' But match is definitely staying a match, I mean that's literally what it is. Sigh, yea I'm probably on the spectrum too

after my boyfriend told me hes autistic it made me realize some things after researching now im suspecting myself

@faze_kd3524

3 жыл бұрын

Interesting

@alexc2265

3 жыл бұрын

Neurodivergents tend to find each other. My ex was dyslexic (and maybe more, Idk, she attempted suicide and was really into Supernatural and mythology), and my new partner has ADHD and has autism in her immediate family. I was (mis?)diagnosed with adhd as a child and am waiting on my asd eval Update: I’m officially a diagnosed autistic!

@will-wf6sb

3 жыл бұрын

Yes why not, it appears everyone is autistic , let's all be autistic. Yippee.

@jellybean4211

3 жыл бұрын

This is the same with me! My boyfriend (with aspergers) and I took an online autism (I know they aren’t reliable for diagnoses but either way) and I scored higher! 😂 now I’m waiting to get a real assessment (this isn’t the only instance that helped me decide I am more than likely autistic, just hit the nail on the head)

@alexc2265

3 жыл бұрын

@Turquoise Cheetah Don’t fear. If it’s true for you, it’s one of the best pieces of self knowledge you’ll ever get. The discovery has made countless lives including mine make sense

When you were talking about the story telling I was thinking the same as you, that I am super creative and can create stories easily, and I imagined being in the assessment and picking something like a carrot up and making up a story about a carrot that goes on adventures etc. So when you said most people would change the object into a person I couldn't stop laughing because that never even crossed my mind to make it something else or embellish it! I am so nervous for my assessment because of my creativity but maybe this just shows I should just relax and do me! Edit: Came back to say, I had my assessment two days ago and turns out I am indeed, autistic!

I'm now 50 & always wondered whats wrong with me? My daughter mentioned high functioning autism last night. After looking at Autism UK & this video, I think I've finally found out. I mask & hibernate. But, will make GP appointment this week. Sitting here in tears! Thankyou so much for your help!

I’ve been told i’m not autistic, although i had almost all symptoms as a young child, and now in my teens i am quite good at mimicking “normal” social interaction stuff, besides eye contact and a few other things, while also having many other autism symptoms. In the letter back they said likely not, because i was good at a few of the tests! i’ve been looking into other neurodivergent conditions because i definitely have these issues, but i was told i am likely not autistic. It’s frustrating !

@honeycrispsnail4032

3 жыл бұрын

dude i moved to a new state a few years ago and i realized how bad i am at socializing with other kids and how bad my anger issues and anxiety is. my parents won’t take me seriously so i get how you feel, it makes me so upset :/ ...

@animejesus8940

Жыл бұрын

bro same here , i was told when i was 13 by my therapist at the time that i’m likely not autistic. i’m almost 19 now and i think i’m going to have to get a proper assessment lol

@yungjoemighty879

Жыл бұрын

its worth exploring other personality disorders and other forms of neurodivergence

@misspatvandriverlady7555

5 ай бұрын

When I took online screenings, I tended to come back “Not autistic enough to be autistic.”, interestingly also the diagnosis my adolescent son was given. Some doctors/psychologists are still looking for the classic, no-to-minimal speech/social function presentation common in young boys, especially those with learning difficulties. I’d advise seeking out tips from autistic people if you are struggling with life in ways that seem autistic to you. You don’t need the label to potentially be helped by certain strategies (for example, I accepted my need for dim lighting and minimized my exposure to bright, overhead lights in my home). ❤