DISCLAIMER: Please refrain from making uneducated assumptions about an individual's diagnosis. You are allowed to express concern of whether you believe someone is faking or not, however, please refrain from leaving harmful comments regarding them. Autism is a spectrum. Everyone is different and exhibits different traits. You may or may not relate to these individuals and that is fine but do not assume that because you have traits that differ from them, they are not autistic! If an individual is proven to be faking or they have a negative reputation in the community, please feel free to respond to this post or private message me on my socials! Also for clarification: Autism as well as any other neurodiversities represented in these videos are on a spectrum! Everyone is different! Do not use these videos as a means of diagnosing yourself or even questioning your diagnosis! Everyone will have different experiences and struggles! You are perfect the way you are and do not define yourself because a lot of autistic individuals don't like a food but you do, or you like wearing socks compared to those who don't! Be yourself and accept that we are all different!

The spoon at the beginning made my head sore.

I'm a adult woman who at 25 just got diagnosed this year with ADHD and now I'm on a wait list to hopefully this fall get tested for autism.

Imagine if people said "everyones a little bit black" the way they said "everyones a little bit autistic". Like, imagine a pale ass redhead saying shes a "little bit black" because she has freckles.

Something the nd_psych person missed in the bigger picture of employment (and why Functioning Labels are so freaking HARMFUL) is the fact that it's not that we *DON'T NEED* to be diagnosed or supports. It's more likely that we're being missed with (Or in the case of my anchor-partner straight up REFUSED) a diagnosis, because we're highly masking (hence the absolute exhaustion afterwards) and don't 'look or act Autistic enough'. My partner can't get a diagnosis because his parents are both dead and so are most of the adult people that knew him when he was a child. We've been together for 14 years, I spoke to the psychiatrist that he was referred to SPECIFICALLY for the ASD diagnostics by his ex-psych who moved to a different facility, for almost TWO HOURS. At the end of him jumping through months of hoops, she said 'It's highly likely you're Autistic, but I'm just going to put Social Anxiety Disorder in your file because I can't talk to anyone who knows what you were like as a child.'. Like, what???? He's been highly masking his entire life because he saw what the psychiatrists did to his mother (who was Autistic, but overmedicated with psych meds that broke her brain) with new meds every other month. There's a lot more nuance and complexity to the situation. But I agree that the statistics are inaccurate, and it'd be nice if we could have them be at least *more* accurate than they currently are.

Remember, even neurotypical people are not okay working 40 hours a week. 40 hours a week is an inhumane amount of time to work, and expecting anyone to work 8 to 10 hours a day is insane. So, if you are neurodivergent, you really shouldn't feel bad for not being able to work full-time because most neurotypical people shouldn't even be subjecting themselves to that, but we have convinced ourselves that it's normal and the most productive. I believe studies show that most people shouldn't be working more than 3 hours a day, and definitely shouldn't work more than 12 hours a week. Any more than that is not only just inefficient, but it's also often going to be physically and mentally demanding for most individuals. So, don't feel bad and check in on people you know who work full-time because they are probably also not doing it easily because society doesn't put a person's well-being first when it comes to making profit for companies ❣️

So anyone else just LOVE when you find a stranger you think is super cool and you want to get to know them but your messages sound creepy because you over explain in hopes you don't come off as creepy, delete the message, have a mental breakdown and just say "So anyway I'm Autistic" at the end? .... Just me...?

Last video, about how AI could be (honestly, just is) ableist and racist just blew my mind 😮

Just recently realized I'm autistic at the age of 37, watching this, come across the one about nesting, look at my bed I'm currently nesting in...I have 8 blankets, 5 pillows, and two plushies! I'm loving this!

Hi! Just a PSA on a developing trend: High-Support Needs Autistics in the community have been requesting that we use *Verbal Shutdown* or some variation of *Semi-Verbal,* *Demi-Verbal,* *Speech Loss,* or the like to describe what we've been typically calling "going nonverbal." This request comes about because *Nonverbal* is used to describe nonspeaking autistics who do not use verbal speech, and it muddies the water (so to speak) for speaking autistics to describe our verbal shutdowns with a word meant for people who do not speak at all. That's all! Thanks for reading.

That shell spoon, I have one very similar, and I use it occasionally for when I want to feel fun and fancy! Maybe for mac and cheese or some small pasta or rice :]

AI can only be as "good" as society is....

I can only work 4-6 hours a week, it's really difficult and when I'm asked to work longer I feel completely demolished mentally and physically.

So, about the autistics having jobs thing, I am autistic and professionally diagnosed. I can only work part-time. I HAVE to work because I would be homeless if I didn't. I am forced to work. I don't have a support system to take care of me. If I don't get enough hours, I probably won't get to eat enough. I cannot stand working. I cannot handle my job. I go home every night either in intense physical pain or in a horrible meltdown. Not every autistic who works is "able" to. Sometimes, we HAVE to.

I agree about the autism work stats. Im an autistic analyst! For 4-6 years in my field and thriving because of my strengths in pattern recognition. Sometimes a full shift gets really difficult but working from home and being well supported by my team has made it really enjoyable and sustainable

To the speaker at 5:40 - Truth!!! I don’t believe there’s anything ‘wrong’ with us. We are the small minority with specific skills that would have been extremely evolutionarily advantageous back in the caveman days

i often have to speak/read along to content to regain focus after a bit and it helps sm that many of these have subtitles!! i love autism tiktok

I'm autistic, diagnosed and I work and have worked since I was 16 or before, mostly janitorial positions, though now I work in a factory.. and not having to talk to customers has been a huge blessing

Work for me is the opposite. I need a full time job - same hours, same work pattern, same pay. I'm stuck in a part- time job and having a roster that changes 3 times a week - I can't build any sort I'd routine around (not to mention it's completely customer facing). It's killing me.... and that is how I got diagnosed at 39yrs old.

You’ve been posting a lot lately thanks for the hard work and don’t forget to take a break!

Thanks for the video! I'm currently seeking a diagnosis (I'm a girl, so it's a little scary. I hope I don't have to face any ableists) Wish me luck!

since this talked about working a good bit i think i can be of use. i work 12 hr shifts in a loud and busy environment (hospital) so im on the more extreme end, lots of sounds and smells and lights and everything is just very abrasive. for a bit more added context, on the other hand my sensory sensitivities arent quite as extensive as some of my other autistic friends and im very high masking. the most relevant thing i can say is that im very careful about planning multiple periods throughout the shift where i can isolate myself and have a break from everything, as well as knowing places nearby that i can "retreat" to if need be. i also cleared with my supervisor that im able to wear earplugs/small noise cancelling devices for parts of the day if need be, without even having to mention a diagnosis or anything of the sort (i recognize some wont allow this but its worth a shot). another very helpful thing, particularly if youre high masking, was actively allowing and encouraging myself to engage in larger stims at work, bird sounds, flapping, etc., where before i would generally restrict myself to things like chewing my cheek. i also think jobs where you can make pretty regimented task lists and times that are constant from day to day are heavily preferrable. obvious emergencies in my particular workplace can shake this up, but largely speaking im performing the same set of tasks at the same time each workday (and equally importantly taking my breaks at the same time). further, i prefer to set aside time before and after my shift when im at home to follow certain rituals, especially when working multiple days in a row. it still can be extremely taxing, especially if i ever work more than 2 days in a row, but its much more manageable now. also, anecdotally speaking a lot of my autistic friends that have difficulty holding most jobs work at pet shelters, i dunno if theres something special about that or if its just a coincidence but theres that. anyways hope this helps a bit. ciao.

The thing the person said about “not being able to be a little but on the spectrum”, and that if you’re a little bit on, then your autistic- When i was younger, i was like diagnosed with being “A highly sensitive person” because I was a little but of everything, but not enough of those little things to fully be in one of the autistic boxes, so but now I’m like “well wtf?” bdhdhdh

Love this comp! The repetitive task loving really got me and the clear explanation of how someone can't be "a little" on the spectrum. Thanks❤

one of these videos (too lazy to find the timestamp again lmao. it was one of the ones about unmasking) made me realize that me "only showing autistic traits before i get diagnosed" is not actually "only showing autistic traits before i get diagnosed". its me feeling more comfortable to unmask now that i have some answers for the things i do.

Sometimes watching all these amazing people, who are so clued into their diagnosis makes me cry. I'm so grateful that they explain everything to me but also so sad that Im not yet at that level of self-awareness. I'm just so grateful for everyone who makes these videos. I hope one day I'll have the same self-insight. I'm having a bit of a vulnerable day today and I'm a bit cry-ish but I'm also comforted by these brilliant people. ❤

I wonder if the not smiling aspect has anything to do with the lack of expression that sometimes comes up with autism? Like, I know a lot of the time I take a picture it is one of two things, zero facial tone or a fake smile. Because it a controlled environment and I don't have anything else to give. While we do smile, and can often, a lot of the pictures are without. Not because sad, but just no need for forcing emotion externally.

I am autistic but also privileged enough to work without many supports. I work a 60+hour week and every day is completely draining but if you work very hard you can push thru the thresholds holding you back.

5:17 bro that’s a trait? No wonder why I did that I would get all my stuffed animals and surround myself with them and then I’d sleep

5:19 I didn't realize this was an autistic trait. I used to make my bed somewhat look like a pet bed (if that makes sense). Like I would fold over the edges of the dooner and then tuck it into itself. I would then put my pillows around as well. I used to find it super cool and comfortable. But also exhausting to make when it fell apart, lmao.

Guys, I’ve been questioning wether or not I have anxiety or I’m autistic. On one hand I exhibit some traits of autism but on the other, I present basically “normal”. I feel like because I present that way and have an understanding of emotions and people I’m not autistic and just looking for attention. I feel like I fluctuate too much to be autistic, like I could be very social but very quiet some days. I don’t remember anything from when I was a child which leads me to believe I’m autistic. I’ve always been very bubbly until recently, in my adolescence. Im scared nobody will take me seriously due to my inability of being able to explain how my traits show. Im scared that im just being over dramatic.

oh my goodness, with the nesting thing I remembered how when I was younger I would ask my mom to make my blankets into a nest for me to sleep in

For anyone who is wondering what the Silicone Valley Effect is, there is no good reason for it to interfere with an autism diagnosis, in fact it should back up a diagnosis if anything. That isn't to say that all or even most diagnosticians properly understand what it is. Basically the idea is this: autism rates in the silicone valley area are soaring thru the roof; the question is why. The best answer anyone can come up with is that there's all these adults moving out there for the tech jobs- many are on the spectrum and many more simply have high spectrum traits and a genetic predisposition to autism but are not actually on the spectrum- but they get together and have babies who are. In fact the statistics on spectrum kids being born specifically to fathers who hold jobs as engineers are just outlandishly high. So if you have a parent, especially a dad who is an engineer, statistically the chances of being on the spectrum are much higher than someone with a dad who isn't an engineer. If you have 1 parent that works in silicone valley, then your statistical chances of having autism go up. Then if you have 2 parents working in silicone valley then the chances go up even further. If your dad works in silicone valley as an engineer and your mom works there as a coder or a Dr for example, then your statistical chances of being on the spectrum are higher than any I've mentioned so far. If your mom works in silicone valley as a Dr or something like that and your dad works in silicone valley as an engineer and you have an older brother who has an accurate autism diagnosis then the statistical chances of you being autistic become the highest I've mentioned thus far. Now here's where it gets REALLY interesting- if both your parents are janitors in Texas but you have an older sister who has a correct diagnosis of autism, your statistical chances of having autism go up so high its crazy, I think just having an older sister on the spectrum brings you up to a statistical 80-something% chance of being autistic yourself. So when you put it all together- if your biological father works as an engineer and silicone valley and your mom works another high end or especially high tech job in silicone valley, and you have an older sister with a correct autism diagnosis, then the statistical chances of you being neurotypical are almost nonexistent. So in case anyone was wondering, that's how that works. I really hope somebody corrects whatever diagnostician tried to tell that guy he wasn't autistic bc silicon valley. Bc I can tell you if my Dr said that to me and I was in his shoes, they would have had to defend it scientifically to me right there in their office and they wouldn't be able to. And then I'd prob hire a lawyer to sue him bc if I [or my parents] could afford to live in silicone valley then I could prob afford a lawyer too. But honestly that Dr clearly didn't understand what he was talking about. [Tbf it is also possible there may have been some sort of misunderstanding/miscommunication- since I wasn't there idk]

I work full time and i cant have any bit of a life because I feel drained all the time im fully burnt out and cry most days before work. Its why i am finally getting a diagnosis so i can receive proper help so i dont feel like i have to work full time. So i can take better care of my family and myself and not feel like im a complete failure on the financial side

I love watching these so much and I relate to them all so much it hurts. I havent been diagnosed with anything but I'm pretty sure I'm autistic (I've done a lot of research), and I love seeing these and feeling like I finally belong somewhere and have a whole community of people like me :) also, the person at 5:40 basically described my entire life-

I love the bug analogy and pet black widow thing so much!! I need to do everything in my power not to infodump about my love of arthropods and arachnids but just know that I love this! I think the whole "the relationship is just changing what it looks like" is harder because its more ambiguous than the objective metamorphosis where the logic and purpose of the changes become immediately understandable. Humans can have too many factors with details like social cues you could miss versus the change of a superworm larvae walking backwards when scared to the adult darkling beetle secreting a foul-smelling substance when scared.

I feel as if there should be a planet for autistic people…. ✨the autism planet✨

1:37 There's such a thing as the Broader Autism Phenotype, and other traits or full disorders or syndromes that people might have that share many of the same traits of autism E.g.: SPD, BPD, AvPD, OCPD, OCD ADHD, Schizoprenia's prodrome, Sensory Processing Disorder, Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, etc. And any one person can have more than one. My sister has NPD, MDD and Sensory Processing Disorder, they were initially investigating Autism for her instead and it makes enough sense

I have adhd, but I don’t know if I also have autism. I worked retail stocking shelves. When in my own department, I would get it done way before the computer estimation. But when they would stick me in an unfamiliar department, I barely got anything done. I would work my dept the same way every night and I had it organized, but man, put me in a place where I didn’t have a routine, and I failed so hard.

Hey you yes you, take a deep breath let it out slowly, and lower your shoulders. Know that you are important to someone even if you feel like no one loves you, guess what I do. I'm so proud of you being here. Thank you. Now make sure you take care of yourself and drink some water, eat something and take a stretch break.💜💜🤗🤗💜💜🤗🤗

I’m self diagnosed autistic and I was informed dumping about autism to my bestie bc it became my special interest and while I was explaining why I think I’m autistic and how I’m mad that people keep denying the fact that I’m autistic she was just like “I don’t think your autistic” just casually and it makes me so friggin mad I’ve already tried to get diagnosed by telling my parents I think I’m autistic and they said they think I’m neurodivergent but not autistic and getting my experience invalidated multiple times hurts,

I’m getting an autism/ADHD assessment on next Tuesday!! I technically already had it, but everything at that appointment was iq testing, so idk if it really counted. I’m excited to see the results, I think I have both but who knows!

I just realised that as a (probably) autistic person, with probably ADHD, I was following the genius subtitles of the last video with the word, at the time when is said, is colored. Subtitles that were actually helping me to keep attention on what was saying. I don't need them for understanding the video, but it helped me so much ! Waw, I just discovered my neuro-diversity a new time ! (I am a french who tries to learn english... Did I make some mistakes in my sentences ?)

The second one is TOO real (I definitely did not do my flappy bird arms whilst watching it.)

I find these SO helpful.

I already don't like silverware because they are metal and I hate the feeling of metal on my teeth, I hate the feeling of metal on my mouth in general. But that spoon!!! That spoon was a threat to me. 🥲

The spoon at the beginning may look cute as a decoration, but I absolutely DO NOT want to use it. I can feel my lips, teeth, tongue and cheeks shrivelling up 😭😭😭😭 Also, as a soon-to-be electrical engineer, the guy who explained the AI thing was just spot on

the spoon in the first one is so!!! i can imagine the fun texture and feel it'd have :D love it

About that 15% employed statistic. This is one statistic that's going to be overly affected by people who pursue a clinical diagnosis -- or have it pursued for them -- vs. people who are late diagnosed or self-diagnosed. I'd like to emphasize that it's not the case that there is an 85% unemployment rate for autistic people. It's the case that there was an 85% unemployment rate for people who had been officially clinically diagnosed with autism in a 2016 study in the UK. Other studies have given wildly different numbers. But this one is the one people and organizations point to in order to solicit donations to pity the poor autistic people. This differentiation may sound ticky-tack and petty. But what I'd like to avoid is a situation were autistic people are automatically infantilized through the misunderstanding of this statistic. Most of all, people who may have suddenly understood that they are autistic after the year 2016 should not infantilize themselves as internalizing the idea that they are unemployable. Even in terms of getting an autism diagnosis, not only was 2016 ages ago, it was also before the covid pandemic when WFH was normalized, eliminating at least one major issue autistics have with employment. I will die on this hill. Especially if I'm asked to go back into the office. You can just forget that, Sharon.

Hopefully going to get a diagnosis soon and having to deal with super masking because of ableist parents

I hadnt heard of the nesting thing! Hahaha. My nickname is horse, and I always call my bed, my little “horse nest”/“horse cocoon”. I used to do it with stuffed animals too but now it’s more like, I really have two nests -one that’s like a little cubby of all the things I need, and the other is the outer layer, which is like blankets and pillows and things🎠🪺

So, I have a serious question. I know that autism exists on a spectrum, but what terminology would someone use to differentiate less-visible vs more-visible/stereotypical autism? Sincerest apologies if my wording could have been better.

The shell spoon activates my fight or flight

0:00 I love this spoon as long as it’s smooth because the waves make my feel like it’s being petted and it’s amazing (in my opinion) Also they’re usually pretty small and I like that

I keep seeing other autistic people say that when they drink it makes them feel "normal" I don't understand what they mean by that could someone explain? 8:40

Omg!! The penguin at the beginning, I am always like the penguin hahaha

does anyone know some ways to calm down during an autistic meltdown

I didn't realize until yesterday that I was making eye contact wrong my whole life. Eye contact apparently means to look at someone's face and not just thier eyes. You never look in the same spot too long and you have to have all these convoluted little things that no one is really sure about or else people call you weird. I was making too much eyes contact this whole time in case that wasn't clear enough

The worst part about late-diagnosis is how you need to accept the sad facts that ADHD will prevent me from truly learning things that I need and autism preventing me from being able to have a full time job. It's true grief. And yes... I saw plenty of people on ADHD subreddits/Quora give advice to how to regulate it in connectiong to studying but the huge paragraphs only prove that its not something you can fix fast enough and shows through how many mental gymnastics we need to go through to accomplish the same results as others.

1:38 it can't be that brains can be sorted into autistic and neurotypical that easily. Since autism is a spectrum, being neurotypical is also a spectrum of different brains, and there's got to be some overlap where people are "just a little autistic".

Omg not me in bed realizing what nesting is...looking around at all of my blankets, stuffies, & favorite sensory toys 🙈 lol I didn't know that nesting was a thing 🙃

9:01 this hit so hard 😢 I’m 27 afab and I was diagnosed with adhd in early 2023. I’ve suspected that I may also be autistic for a few years now. I went for an ASD screening about two weeks ago. I was told insurance wouldn’t pay for testing because I smoke too much 🍁 it sucks having to wait months for a screening to be turned away for one reason or another.

OMG I NEVER THOUGHT OF PICKING UP A PLUSHIE TO MAKE SHOPPING EASIER HOLY CANNOLI I WILL DO THAT FROM NOWWWWW

The music in the 2nd one made me sooooo happy

5:29 I kinda wanna try this but I don’t wanna hurt my plushies feelings :( like what if I hurt them in my sleep (even tho I don’t move much in my sleep,but like what if?)

i love the last tiktok, it's very informational

Nesting is so comforting oh my gosh. I would do it in my closet with clothes and get yelled at for it all the time when I was a kid. Now If I can’t sleep I nest on my bed and end up sleeping SO well. It’s wonderful. My bed may be a mess in the morning but it’s my nest and it is perfect the way it is.

Wooooo Soundoftheforest, thanks!

You can just take your own plushie into the store! The greeter will just give you a sticker to put on them, or if your stuffy is really well loved, it's obvious that they aren't brand new, and therefore aren't stolen.

When people say they are "a little bit autistic," I suspect that they think they have some traits they associate with autism, but do not meet the diagnostic criteria for an ASD diagnosis. For example, I have a friend with more intense sensory sensitivities than I have, but he lacks the other components of an ASD diagnosis. He has one autistic trait. I wouldn't be offended if he claimed he was "a little bit autustic," despite not having all the traits needed for a diagnosis.

**Looks around at all of my plushies that are lined up around the parameter of my bed and my sofa in response to this point about the autistic trait of having plushies lined up and nods in agreement** That could be a trait of autism - a neurological difference I have about which I received a professional diagnosis all those years ago.

The back to the wall was so relatable, because when I go down to my grandma‘s house, the only TV is in her bedroom, and I almost always sit on the floor at some point in time and she’s always like you should come back up on the bed and watch it it’s cold on the floorbut I love it on the floor. The floor is the best but they can’t understand that. And I can’t explain it to them because they won’t understand.

I might be a working autistic person. Me being able to work was a reason I thought I might not have it.

I work, and I definitely need to get diagnosed. I need support. Like, a lot of it. Someone please help. I love you all!

At a kid with ADHD I wonder if I have autism (because it one my special interest) and I see many Traits in me of Autism

As autism is assessed on traits, there are inevitably people with autistic traits who do not have quite enough, or are not sufficiently overtly expressed, for them to pass the diagnosis threshold. These people would be, obviously, 'a little autistic'. This is just logical. This does not mean that people can use this phrase to minimise the problems of people who are diagnosed, or diagnosable, autistics by claiming that 'everyone is a little autistic', because, no they are not. I have a clinical diagnosis of ASD, but I'm also a scientist and dislike illogicality. I worked full-time for 34 years, before early retirement, in scientific research and it is a remarkably autism-friendly environment.

3:20 yep I am certain that I am autistic but the reason I will not get a diagnosis is that doing so would jeapordise the security clearance I require for the work I've been doing for 20 years. I cannot imagine working anywhere else. I feel very lucky to have full time employment that suits me. It's not easy but with lots of solitude outside of work, living close enough to work that I can walk at least one way so I don't have to deal with a long commute, it's manageable.

I'm going to a psychiatrist this month and they're checking me for ASD, ADHD, and terettes and my doc thinks that it is a very high chance that I'm autistic. I'm starting to realize that I "played along" with a lot and started to mask a lot at a very, very young age so now it feels normal but also uncomfortable at the same time and I'm starting to unmask sometimes and realize just how uncomfortable I am. For example, I realize that I make eye contact but I'm painfully aware of it and only do a good job at it if I know you, if you are a stranger it is a lot harder for me to make eye contact with you. There are so many other things but the second I "unmask" for a second and just try to be myself or something like that, a lot of people ask what's wrong with me. I've also been stimming SO much more lately, uncontrollably, way too often, which makes school and doing things and living very difficult.

"... doesn't really get talked about enough is nesting..." *looks at the nest I am currently in*

I feel like I would pick up the spoon all the time and try to use it because it looks fun but then switch because it feels weird

The NESTING 😮‍💨😮‍💨 My partner gets SO aggravated when I do it. Just like I HAVE to have the bed made constantly and can’t sleep under the sheets. I feel like such a burden bc of how much it annoys him (😢), but I also know that’s just part of me.

I've been employed... I loved it but it wasn't easy ever... I worked at many places but my longest time was at pizza hut where i worked wing street (i manned the fryer) every day that i could, for 3 to 5 hours (i started at 5pm and closed in the begining(them came the time cuts cuz i couldn't handle it)). I kept feeling so exhausted every day so there were days I called off(that and I was suffering from side affect of monthly antidepressant shot that caused me to get sick and vomit easily) the days I made it in to work were rewarding still and I had a couple of friends there. But after two years, I was so burnt out I couldn't do it anymore... I just wish I could have stayed and not felt so overwhelmed...😢 I regret leaving even though it isn't even my fault...

Everytime i hear someone mention lining up toys, i get chills. Is this really that common amongst the community? Sometimes i wish i was born today because when i was a kid, no one even thought anything other than its weird thing i do.

These comps give me more validation than real people ever could 😂

honestly learned some things i didnt know! very cool

We used that kind of spoon to distribute cinnamon and sugar over dishes iirc, so we never had to actually put it into the mouth.

"but it really just points to us being descendants of hunters" gold 😂

that spoon looks AMAZING

6:00 ish minutes in they're talking about hearing things to an intense degree and I really vibe with that in a super weird hard of hearing way. like I got tubes and I have countless boring hours learning how to exist in a world that doesn't give a fuck if i can hear or not and learning how to talk when i can't hear properly, my hearing is NOT good, but I still am able to use what I've got extraordinarily well, to the point I was going into audio engineering before disability and genocide kinda killed my future

My pie chart is full. I am high masking. People ask me if I know I'm autistic or if I'm self-diagnosed. No, a doctor told my mom I am too smart to worry about my autism, and we shouldn't put it in my chart. Then did not write it down. It was before everything was put in the computer. Also, we are friends. Good friends. We relate on a whole different level than other people. Sweetie, you are probably neurodiverse. Oh, you want to stop talking to me. Ok.

Not me sitting in the exact position she talked about with nesting with my blanket in a circle around me 😭😭😭

I think one fact often overlooked is that, just like with regular people, differences in intelligence also affect the outcome / way we come across.

That spoon is evil.

The spoon at the beginning made me wanna scream in horror for some reason

The spoon is amazing

Creating a number based language right now.

the best part 5:40, hearing neurodivergentmermaid explain everything i go through as an autistic makes me feel so seen. i need a link to the original post

My favorite spoon in the drawer looks just like that

That spoon at the beginning looks like something from my nightmares…

disclaimer : venting; a single curse word I'm not sure what to do. I've spent years wondering, doing research on what I could possibly have as a diagnosis. Nothing seemed to fit me. I want to find something that will make sense of the majority of my symptoms if not all of them, then i can work on finding the co-occurring disorder(s). Recently, since around a year ago I've been doing research on autism. I've just recently started to compile my research into a document(s) to show people. I've been so positive this could be it. Everything feels right to me, the research, the self-assessments, hearing other people's stories. But my mother along with other people in my life keep telling me I'm not autistic and that they don"t see it. Which is fine, I guess. But they aren't giving me an answer as to what else it could be. They aren't even giving it a second thought. I've been hyperfixated on my mental state for YEARS. But no one takes my thoughts or suggestions on what it could be seriously even when I thought it wasn't autism or it was something else. No one is helping me on this. They are just treating the symptoms, giving me pills, and assigning random shit to me that makes no sense. I want to know the source of the symptoms. I'm 17 years old now, soon I'll really have to do all this work on my own. All the neglect on the topic of what I have is really getting to me. I'm starting to have serious doubts. People keep telling me to stop focusing on my mental state and diagnosis, "it's not healthy for you", "I'd prefer you watching/researching other things on the internet", "I'm going to restrict your access to the internet". I'll admit i can be obsessed on the topic to the point it's very noticeable and interrupts things in life. But I'm the same way about Warrior Cats, Netflix's Arcane T.V series, and writing my own stories. I watch, read, and write so much it's noticeable by others as well and it's all i do. It's the same intensity i have for my research. So why is it any different? I genuinely don't understand. My mother says that I'm being stubborn and that I think other viewpoints and thoughts are wrong if they aren't aligning with my own. "You want people to agree not understand" Is what she would say. I don't feel like I think like that, but because she always says that, I wonder if she is right that I do think that way. I used to have a therapist, but they weren't kind to me so I'm in the process of looking for a new one. Should I keep doing research on it? Should I fight for it? Should I give up? What should I do? Looking for genuine advice! [Sorry if it's long]