How Do You Know You're Autistic? (Autism & Adults) 

Please be kind in your comments. Sky may wish to remain anonymous but she can see the comments as well as anybody else. I'm very grateful to her for choosing to share her story and I hope you guys are too💜

It is ironic that we as people who hate change and need certainty and security, go so often through these events and changes. I am now 42 and I can't count anymore how many times I moved, how many jobs I had, how many relationships I left behind. Thank you to Sky for sharing her story ♥

They all only decide you are autistic if you are a problem. If you are capable you are normal. If you have some issues you just need some theropy. Never do they want to believe you are autistic and functional.

Sky is a very strong woman. I wish the best for her.

I relate very deeply. I've self-diagnosed at age 65 and finally feel like the mystery about all the ways I didn't fit in has been solved. Being "born" this late is a bit weird, but yes, I'm very sure I'm autistic. I plan to mention it to my doctor, but it won't matter. Thank you for sharing this story. I've been poking on RU-vid to see more from adults with autism. There's very little on my generation. Good luck to you, Sky. I like fantasy books and was the butt of the bullies when I was a child too.

If any Americans are similarly confused, a locum Doctor is a substitute or visiting physician who is either filling in for an absent doctor, providing short-term staffing for temporary volume changes, or visits on a regular schedule to an area that doesn’t have sufficient full-time staffing.

I have been diagnosed with all manner of psychiatric disorders. Including, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, parasomnias, bipolar disorder one with psychotic features, personality disorder cluster b and cluster c and complex post traumatic stress disorder and autism. I have taken all sorts of medications and have been forcibly medicated many times. Recently I had a comprehensive review of medication and diagnosis's and had a long meeting with my psychiatrist. She does not want to medicate me anymore. Between us we have determined that it is abusive and does not serve me. I have never been hospitalized off medication but I have been forcibly committed and hospitalized while fully compliant with the medication fed to me or forcibly injected into my body. I have a lot of hospital stories and arrest stories. I have never been charged with anything or done anything criminal in my life but I have be treated punitively for acting weird. I like this video it struck a lot of chords with me and I could relate to some of the experiences described. I struggle with hatred for humanity. I try not to see the world as Us vs Them but I sure feel it. I feel very beaten down sometimes. I will watch more of your videos. I like how you presented this one.

I've been thinking about Sky ever since you shared part of her story in the questions videos and wondering what her life had become. Thank you for sharing more. I'm sorry you've had so much pain in your life Sky, and that you were let down by so many people, my heart goes out to you. I'm so glad you found good friends, a doctor who would actually listen, and your identity, and hopefully now community and some well-deserved peace and joy. 💛 I connected to my autistic identity this year at age 42. It explains so many difficult experiences.

I was the only one standing up for a bullied girl too ... i didn't care if they did the same to me. I wouldn't let myself be bullied.

Definitely think my middle child is #ActuallyAutistic. Sought an assessment, just to be told (after a 15 minute telephone conversation with a "autism specialist nurse") that she couldn't be autistic, because she's a girl. Even after I reeled off numerous research papers and citations stating the woeful under diagnosis of autism in girls/women and revealing I'm autistic (also suspect my mum and my nan were also autistic). Oh, and the nurse insisted in using person first language, which made my skin crawl.

This is the best "are you autistic" video I've seen. 😢Made me cry because I can relate, I am a self diagnosed 34 year old woman

I’m too scared to be diagnosed in fear that I’ll be marginalised. The government put out a new rule that we much be retested for drivers licence if we’re autistic

I am not diagnosed and in my school years I had good friends (until high school then some of the relationships began to change and I somehow did not keep up). It always puzzled me why I suddenly find myself/gather in a group of outcasts, misfits, sometimes artists and people after hard experiences. Most friendships were sparked by an unusual interest or ability.

I'm surprised and disgusted that most allistics would taint a jury rather than coming clean and getting to actually get off jury duty early and get on with your own life... On a sidenote, i remember a childhood akin to Sky. I too learned to not rock the boat and to look the other way after multiple times standing up for others and getting ostracized by students and punished by staff for defending myself or others... i then on kept my head down and am ashamed I let allistic society turn me ugly like them. I am now starting to relearn my old self and dump my shitty cronyist mask, these systems never accept us anyways.

I can completely relate to Sky's story. Doctors have been useless in my experience. I've been to then so many times for mental health support, everything was attributed to something else. Various therapists, usually 3 seesions (NHS...) that wouldn't help me unravel what was 'wrong' with me. I realise I've been presenting these aspects of the struggles we have for so long. I got no help or support. Cut off from my family, who consider me weird and lazy. Feeling miserable today and now over sharing. I wish the referral appointment would hurry up..

That was very touching. I'm not ashamed to say it made me tear up.

Thanks so much for sharing Sky's story. Just yesterday I was formally diagnosed with ADHD & am waiting for my ASD assessment in May. I'm 63.5 & I've struggled most of my life, with things just like Sky and others. Just finding out what's wrong, makes a huge difference after being fobbed off for years. I feel like I can stop beating myself up & start being proactive, now that I know what I'm dealing with. If it was not for content makers like you & people sharing their stories, I would still be in the dark. I'm so grateful.

I feel sad hearing this story. I had some similar experiences growing up. Growing up this way is so bewildering. I wish no one ever had to experience these troubles.

This story is vey emotional for me. I loved how you said, "freedom to be herself". I am going through the process of self discovery now. That is exactly how I feel. Free to be myself.

In a total other way, I experienced similar situations. It's not that I experienced anything similar from the story itself, but the exactly same dynamics. Just that I don't know anyone autistic in my life, but it's fine, I come along well finally. I'm myself. I found it difficult to distinguish CPTSD and autism. I believed often, that it was"just" CPTSD. Well, it was not. I do handflapping since I'm a baby and so many other things (as mentioned in the video). It was hard to grow up with narcistic parents and siblings, getting no emotional support, getting no support at all, living at friends houses etc., even being criminal, dropped out of school, because I told the teachers, that their pedagogical handling was not right, unfair and so on - they didn't like it. I got bullied like crazy, neglected at home, emotionally abused. It wasn't good. But now look at how it goes these days. I can speak english, I study different math subjects, I live in my own flat, pay my own bills, work besides for a company, which want to me to work for them after my studies (which I don't want). I have one good friend, I treat people with love and respect and I'm a knowledge-sponge and I'm just happy for everything, that happened, because now I'm here. I don't hold anything against anyone, because it would just take away energy from me, with which I can't do good things anymore. And who wants to do voluntarily something useless?

I honestly don't know if I am autistic or just very stupid. I might be both. Either way I am not "normal". I'm 33 and counting down the days.

Oh my goodness this made me cry 😢 it's a really positive story. I can completely relate to this as far as the school, the Dr and the locum Dr. I'm 100%sure I'm autistic and am waiting for my referral. I love your videos. You the best videographer I've seen. It was my son that made me go searching and have the courage to seek out more about my own experiences like many of us school in the 80s and 90s I was just seen as slow until college where I began to thrive. I'm really struggling with bringing up subjects of honesty and morals in my work place currently. I'm sure if I bring up some of my discrepancies I will be seen as a trouble maker or not a team player because it's happend so many times before in previous jobs and was pretty much told this by my colleagues in my role. I'm currently in limbo do I speak to my manager or do I just keep my head down unhappy and feeling like no one has my back. I only work a few hours a week because I can't cope with more. Any advice would be appreciated.thank you

I don't know if you'd ever want to hear my story (there are so many of us here who probably could give stories too), but I began my autism journey six months ago as a 28 year old female. I'm recently 29 and discovering that if I want a clinical diagnosis, I'm probably going to need to save up $1,000. So I'm not sure if it will happen yet. I have, though, been informally diagnosed by my therapist who specializes in autism but doesn't have the ability to clinically diagnose. But it still makes me feel much more firm in my own self-diagnosis. I would so love to be one of the people's stories you may feature on your channel, of you ever want to include others, just know I am so willing. Most everyone else in my life seem to be completely uninterested in me finding out I'm Autistic. Most ignore it completely and it's hurts. 💔

A lot of relatable things in Sky's story. My autiversary is coming up next week, and it was wonderful gatting my diagnosis - even though it was in my late 40's. Thanks Quinn (and Sky) for sharing this story! 💜 On a side note your t-shirts are soooo soft and comfy.

In this life story, I related to the bullying of others, particularly the ganging up and the lies of others. If it any compensation and for me it is not, people who lie make themselves mentally ill, there is evidence for that. I went through childhood in a kind of abusive hell and it took decades for me to get the diagnosis and care I needed. Australia had a terrible mental health record until recently, some very scary stories. Getting my ASD diagnosis explained so much and made me miserable.

6/17/2024 Hi I'm Elizabeth 48 years old and I love being alone because no One understands my feelings, People and family are to judgemental and I can't deal with injustice acts... I can't stand loud noises or people Arguing.. I'm so grateful because being A spiritual person helps me struggle less...🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌 Houston Texas 🙌

I was diagnosed with autism 3 weeks ago at the age of 57, the doctors I've seen throughout life have been absolutely useless, they just fobbed me off and told me I was just anxious. I always knew it was a lot more than that and I had to get the help of a support worker to get my assessment.

So can relate to this. Going through confirming diagnosis for the NHS. I'm 50 🥺 and trying to deal with the what if's. Thankyou "Sky" for sharing your story.

I remember finding a safe space at a kindergarten when I was 4yo but because boys and girls were segregated at playtime I was not allowed to be in that area. It was another 50+ years before I got the diagnosis I needed.

Way too familiar. Pain endlessly no escape. The suicide rate is horrible for people who suffered this type of childhood.

Nowadays mine would have been caught. I’m a 65 year old woman and just now figured it out. Mind blowing and life changing.

Hi everybody! Im a 44 year old woman with diagnosed adhd. I am also a nurse and work in psychiatry. I believe... I am convinced I have autism. But, despite my knowledge and expertise, I too am greeted with the same responses from my doctors when asking for a referal. Last time a few days ago. I payed for my NP evaluation for adhd only out of pocket since Ive been denied that too. This to say that, I feel so much for Sky. Im so sad she went through all that alone and everyone who was suposed to help her, protect her and guide her turned against her because itd just easier to try to make "the probkem" go away. Call it ignorance or lazyness. Im sure this talk with the doctor was some time ago, but Im sad to say that this exact words Ive also heard. From my doctors and colleges who work in specialized psychiatry clinics. Thus, one must fight to just get the care you need and have a right to. I wont give up, but its exhausting. If you feel alone in a similar situation, ask for support. You dont have to do things alone. As for me, I will continue to advocate and do my best to help as many people get diagnosed and the help and care they too diserve. Hugs! ♥️

This is so much like my life its alarming. I'm lived through atrocious abuse and neglect now i shout my stories from the rooftops trying to help others the way that wold have saved me from so much of the pain. Diagnosed at 41 waiting for Williams syndrome test ill be 43 when i finally get it. It makes everything make sense and MY REASURCH AND HARD WORK DEMANDING TO BE SEEN AND HEARD to be approved for the test.

Skye was forced to mask... I grew up in an air force town. And was forced to do the same.

God bless you, Sky! I understand. All the traits and experiences mentioned from 14:00 are part of my life.

The day I was truly born. It's the first day I opened my eves. I'm still a baby less than a year old. But I'm me and not a failed someone else's imagined version of me

Stories that need to be heard - thank you for telling them. Definitely brought a tear or two to my eye 🥲

'the freedom to be herself' 🦋 thanks for sharing your story Skye. i relate to a fair bit here. the names you chose in disguise were the names involved in my experiences 😏😎

Thank you. Made me cry. And smile. My story, and so many others are so simular. Life would have been very diffrent if I had known, before life happend. I was over 40 when got my formal diagnosis. Im glad I know now, and I can support my autistic kid and help them and relate how the world is, how it is and some NT's cant help the way they are refusing to see us and accept instead of fixing us. We are not broken.

Relatable to me too...46, female and I strongly suspect I'm autistic, it has been suggested to me by a psychiatrist 12 years ago, but I still had a very outdated idea of it at that time(like most other mental health professionals I came across back then, who diagnosed me with PTSD, anxiety disorder, social phobias, depression, and multiple personality disorders) and almost felt insulted in a way(such a missed opportunity..) Then years later my nephew was diagnosed with ASD and my sister was quite certain that me and my dad must also be that way, as a kid i displayed some strange behaviours and i always felt alone and other kids and their parents thought i was weird, even forbidding their kids to hang out with me and I never understood why... still I dismissed it somewhat. Last summer I had a short thing with a guy who is openly autistic and he made me think, could I be too? (started doing research for real now) Saw many similarities in him but yet again the relationship failed (we're friends for now)as did so many before, never been able to keep a job nor a relationship, or friendships... there are so many autistic traits that I recognize in myself that I am now convinced that I am autistic, mentioned it to a therapist last week and probably I will request an assessment next time.

13:59 - 14:45 Goodness….. my heart. And then that follow up part about her initial experiences with doctors. How heart breaking and infuriating. Thank you for sharing this story, Sky, and for this video and telling of it, Quinn.

Again I cry when I listen to the stories here. So close to my life that it’s painful

what an amazing story. can you please share more stories of other autistic people.

god dang it who's chopping onions?

I been tested and do not have autism. But I have autistic children. I have ADHD and many overlaps and traights.

Can you please talk about social autistic boys?

The details are different but this all hit home SO HARD

Parents trying to normalise autists are so damn annoying.

I was diagnosed correctly at age 47 back in 2005.

I'm 68 and I have been refused an assessment for autism on the grounds of my age. Sky's story resonates with me.

I love your videos and they’ve been very helpful for me to build insight on the way others may think. I haven’t been diagnosed autistic, and I’ve considered for awhile that I may be. Your channel has definitely made it more clear for me that it’s a great possibility. The number one factor, for me, that makes me feel as though I may be autistic was my childhood experiences with meltdowns, and feeling outcasted. I remember having a conversation with my mom when I was about 8 and I told her I feel like I just don’t see the world in the same way other children do. That was the only way I could articulate the way in which I felt “other”. I know now that I don’t think like most people do, or see the world in the same way. I hope to come to a conclusion one day as to why that is.

Newly diagnosed as autistic at 46. Like it did for Sky, it explains so much in my life, it's just a relief to know. I always thought I was just inclined to be an introvert. I didn't know enough about autism (and I have been a nurse for a couple of decades) to even consider it a possibility for myself, or sadly, for my oldest daughter who I now recognize as obviously on the spectrum. When I was in college, autism was talked about with having significantly impaired function, putting it in the same category as an intellectual impairment. By that standard, of course I didn't recognize it in my child. Sky, I relate to your story of bullying as a kid, and how wounding it was/is. Thank you for sharing your story, and thank you, Quinn, for your channel which talks about autism spectrum so clearly.

The truth is that fathers have the most trouble accepting the fact that their child might have learning problems.

Always appreciate your work.

SO relatable.

well, there appears to be 'a-circle' and one appears 'outside-it' i suppose is a way to say xx ❤️✌️

moving experience. Thank you for sharing

An awful lot of this story resonated with me but when you said about the electrical humming that nobody else hears I was bowled over. I have never been able to explain it but at different times it can be like an aeroplane taking off between my ears. I have only begun on my journey of discovery in the last few weeks, I am a 44 year old man and am not sure how to make contact with the community. If anyone sees this can you please advise. Many thanks, I live in Ireland during the summer

Well … I learned something about myself today …

Thanks for the Stone Roses and Charlatans UK mentions. They got good airplay in Boston when I lived there. Happy times.

Until all of human knowledge is converted into a complete whole which includes being integrated into a grand philosophical thesis, we have good reason to be suspicious of our ways of schematizing and labeling phenomena of any kind, at any level. The historical transformations of our knowledge of the physical world, and the biological world, have proven this well enough for us to have ample reason and ever-poorer excuse for failing to take a contingent approach to understanding even such things as we would like to believe are purely objective. All the more should we be wary of repeating such egregious arrogance in the even more complex and subjective realm of the phenomena of mind and spirit. Yet the majority of people, as usual, merely receive a passive conviction tantamount to something less than an opinion and hardly more than a reflexive notion of anything which they think they know or which they believe. Most deadly has this stubborn tendency toward epistemic incapacity or failure proven to be, not only throughout history, but seeming to have reached only a fever pitch in our present day, as if really nothing were learned. Normality is not only a dogmatic illusion, as it does not but scantily overlap with "properly normative", but it is also shamefully inadequate to its pretentions to propriety in all forms, whether as to fitness of mind, character, or action. And the more I look at all the progress of civilizations, the more I find a few outliers of one sort or another, shunned or utterly misunderstood or simply not understood at all by a vast swamp of freeloading chattel, considered as such, treated as such, and even most of the time proclaimed as such by abusive, boldly wicked ringleaders who know how to manipulate them. The "normality" which they have forged has not only been proof of moral and intellectual failure, but also abused in so many ways ever single positive development that the often scapegoated class of "outliers" have contributed throughout history. This trend is coming to head, and coming to an end.

It’s all too familiar except for the electricity noises. I just can’t wrap my head around the fact that people can be THIS disgusting to others, children or adults, no exception.

I will be tested for autism this thursday with 36 years after hell my whole life. My Psychiatrist put me on prozac when I was 16 and I took it my whole life with no other help.

~It wasnt until this past year i realized im likely autistic, and my father, too~Since then, everything has made sense~

I just turned 30 the day before yesterday and, I am not diagnosed however, I have thought for a while that I may be on the spectrum as, things such as getting overstimulated easily by sound, I relate insanely to the hearing the electricity thing, I have issues with textures, I match with many of the things "Sky" experienced. I should probably speak to my doctor about it. lol. Anywho, I have a soft spot in my heart for autistic people regardless if I am on the spectrum or not. I was a manager for about a year at a local fast food spot and there was this kid who worked for us, he is autistic and he is one of the sweetest, smartest, most genuine HUMANS I have ever met. I love the dude to death. He is crazy good with numbers, sound, finding patterns, etc. I had told him many times when he was feeling down about himself that, I personally view autistic people as gifted and more evolved than the rest of humanity in certain ways so, don't let any of it be a discouragement.

Love this story ... Tell her she has friends like me out there

I self diagnosed because the bullying and being left out has been so bad in my life that I knew something had to be wrong with me, I ended up getting very focused on personality disorders and thought I had avoidance personality disorders because people were treating me really bad on every job I have ever had and I never fit in, so started avoiding everything socially, I recently was referred to a psychiatrist who dismissed that and stated she was getting strong autistic vibes from me, on my quest threw the personality disorders I had ended up taking an online test for autistism for which I tested high on. But I associated autistic as someone who couldn't even work, I could work, drive a car and talk even though I talked slow, I was verball, all in all my life has been challenging to say the least, I get a job and within a month I'm being bullied, mobbed you name it, I have no one to support me there for I have to work or I will end up homeless, so I go to these jobs and put up with the abuse which is causing me alot of distress and causing some major health issues such as high blood pressure and sugar because im turning to junk and fast food for comfort. I'm currently being bullied on this job I'm on now, so now I just simply wait for them to find a way to fire me because I know this is coming next

It's funny that you mentioned the sound of electronics. I used to feel confused because someone said only autistic people can hear electronics. I can hear them, I've always been able to. I just thought everyone could hear them. It's just one of many pieces of information that made me wonder about myself. I'm not sure if I want to pursue a diagnosis but I've been starting to think of myself as being on the spectrum.

THANKYOU I WAS DIAGNOSED AT 60 10 YEARS AGO

Oh my. The electric buzz is real. 10,000 more than ever.... The school bullying, without class clown for me, is very resonant... Edit* I have searched for others and very few responses come back. Very few of that is more organic than choice thoughts and often very short. I do not get much response in my area and often must forget my past like an Alzheimer's patient just to climb over the daily tasks. Imagine trying to tell a doctor things like this when the bill is $150 a session and they don't believe you. Been to six now. I cannot afford this. $150 is like a 9th of my rent and my income is about an 11th of that session fee. I've made the most money I have ever made still and growing. But I shall not pay attention because "rumination" sets in and I could lose my job.

I listen to and sing seemingly random songs, over and over again, all day every day. I have probably 100 of them memorized by now.

I agree 1000% I may live in fear but i live in love truth and joy. I know that we are "divergent " but we are the lucky ones who see what the future holds when more people break free of the lie. The world is only "typical" like it is now, right now, but typical is relative and changing all the time.

That's a powerful story, and so many elements are relevant to my life story. Uncanny. Time to do some more digging! thank you

Terrible for a doctor to be so dismissive, even borderline threatening. After the amount of research and building up the courage to see a professional, only to have them invalidate you… ugh. 🤦‍♂️

Omg that thing with Skye happened to me in a sense, there was a group of girls playing with a wheelchair saying "look I'm disabled" (maybe to mock? Im not sure) I wasnt really listening but I really wanted to have a go on the wheelchair, I sat in it and spung the wheels and then got pulled into the office. The girls had told the headmaster I was doing what they was doing (saying i was in it saying "look im disabled"). I got pulled in the office and told them the truth and they didnt believe me, I didnt understand how they couldnt know i was telling the truth and started laughing because it seemed so obsurd, it seemed like a joke because i didnt understand how they couldnt know. The more they didnt believe me the more I laughed at them. Eventually I stormed out the room run around the corner to a quiet place and started crying.

Very helpful vid. I will make an appointment this week.

I love the video, Quinn.

I was formally diagnosed ASD2 at aged 55, but i experienced many of the same issue at school as Sky. I realised when i was young that there was something different about me. Autism self-awareness, is like discovering a black hole in space, you can't see it's there but can tell it is by the activity of what's going on around it. All the traits you mention around 14:00 i can totally relate to.... especially the noise... omg society loves noise.... i never step outside without my noise cancelling headphones. oh and the beatings i got at school for not fitting in... i can so relate to Sky.

Although my story may be different, but in many ways there are a lot of similarities that I too experienced. It may not be as frequent, for a woman, but the autism is no different, just a different brain and body to house it. I was autistic as a child, but we did not have that information then, and my mother told my one friend, that I have strange ways, and my autism was that difference. It was not until I took test after test after test online to discover the consistency in being rated as autistic. Thank you for sharing this story.

This was a good one thanks Quinn

This story holds many threads I also share. Even the situation where someone was being bullied. For me, it was in middle school at the bis stop. The 'majority' chose to pick on a young man a grade above me, and they'd encircle him. I stayed way far back away, and they'd threaten to put me in the circle, too. I was afraid but I wish I had spoken up. Thank you, Sky.

wonder if she reconnected with family......oh,dum de dum. live with their lack of curiosity....maybe something....dum,de dum....

Thank you.

@14:45 The gaslighting GP. SMH. Fire that guy.

Arrogant doctors not listening is such a big problem!

School was brutal. It is like you have a “kick me “ sign you can’t see. I am a late diagnosis autistic woman. Got the diagnosis almost accidentally. I was seeing a neurologist because I was worried about dementia due to extreme executive dysfunction. After a battery of psychological tests they determined that I was ADHD and Asperger’s. They gave me Adderol for the ADHD. They said there was nothing for the Asperger’s. I ultimately couldn’t take the Adderol. because it aggravated my tachycardia. So I wasn’t helped.

Thank you, Sky

I really need to go get diagnosed. Thanks to sky for sharing your story ❤

Passed the Autistic test several times it tested poditive

Need a little talk about Thunberg. But, ok. She is .... sophisticated and well-read, I think although this is true that she is misinformed. I wouldn't mind having it out in person, with the possibility of osing the argument

I think we have a direct connection to truth and that doesn’t fit in the matrix

This made me cry. Thank you for sharing this. It's so recognizable.

When I was a kid the teachers called my mom to school because I used to pace out with my thoughts so much that I didn’t react when being called. And I didn’t socialise with my peers. I was taken to a doctor and I had an encephalogram and supposedly everything was ok, but once I heard my mom talking to someone about this examination and about me and I heard the word “autism” but when I asked my mom if I was autistic she told me “no, because you’re not good enough in math”. I have high linguistic skills and I was exceptionally good with geometry geography and everything that had to do with constructing something. I was like Sky. Silent, shy, sensitive and enjoyed my own company. My adult life is full of stress, because of the constant changes. I asked my mom thousands times what’s wrong with me, why I’m so different but she always told me that I’m fine. But then I heard that question from others “what’s wrong with you”. I was bullied, I was told I’m wrong and not enough and weirdo, these were my names when I was growing up. Now I’m seeking professional help and my mom is trying to gaslit me by telling me that I’m just overreacting and I’m just having a bad day. I love aliens stories and theories and I saw the hearing with the Congress and Grush’s testimony and his interview with Joe Rogan. He mentioned he was autistic. First I couldn’t believe it but when I checked the symptoms and especially the section for girls and women… I started crying. It was literally description of my life. This is how I got to know much more about the spectrum and I think I might be there.

You verbally executed this story exceptionally well. I really enjoyed listening to it.

I wish I could feel comfortable about my late diagnosis of autism. Instead, I just feel clueless and like an imposter.

I'm 31 and just realising now that I'm autistic . I've been backwards and forwards to the drs for years and years thinking it was anxiety depression . Got diagnosed with bipolar and knew it didn't fit what I was feeling. Waiting diagnosis but I've done that much research I now know that's why I've struggled all these years. Internet is so helpful for us as a community .

You are a good storyteller. Thank you.

Thank you Sky. I hope you're living a wonderful life. ❤

Hearing about how multiple professionals discredited Sky due solely to her gender is exactly why I'll never pursue an "official" diagnosis. So much of the diagnosis process is still writhe with antiquated, heteronormative, and neurotypical understandings of functionality. Hearing from other autistic people about their lived experiences, especially other nonbinary people, is all the validation I'll ever need.

Good on you, Skye! Those damned teachers. I've hated them all my life.