i'm on the autism spectrum... | EP. 23 

the realization of masking your whole life and figuring out who you are is soooo relatable

I'm autistic and queer and there is a strong link between queerness and being autistic. I have the loop earplugs and they are amazing! They have different types for different scenarios but I love my pair.

I am also autistic and I've been watching and enjoying your content for so many years and I'm glad that you're opening yourself up and learning more about yourself!

I'm diagnosed with autism so seeing someone talking about navigating it feels all the more empowering and special thank you for making my Wednesday morning feel all the more better Keara and I wish you and your family and friends a Happy Thanksgiving 🏳️‍🌈🌈❤️

I got diagnosed with autism this year and I've been learning alot! There's this book called Unmasking Autism that I really recommend reading on your self discovery journey, it helped me out alot when I was going through my discovery journey! Best of luck to you

Meltdowns over seemingly trivial things (like screwing up a recipe) and over-sensitivity to external stimuli are hallmarks of autism. I once had a meltdown because I scratched a pair of sunglasses when I could easily just buy a new pair (and I did the next day), but the meltdowns aren’t really about the thing that sets us off, they’re about blowing off the pent-up energy that collects inside us from masking all the time. Stimming is a more gradual way of letting off energy, so it was nice to see you twirling the drawstring of your hoodie towards the end of your video. I’d say you’re HFA (high functioning autistic), just like me, but that simply means we blend in better than most, and our act of masking still takes a lot of energy that can be a danger to our health if we don’t regulate ourselves properly.

I’m also autistic, queer, and genderqueer! :) I’ve been navigating figuring out about my autism for this past 1 to 2 years. I’m 22 and learning this made my entire life fall together like puzzle pieces. Everything makes sense now. After researching for MONTHS, (and lowkey hyperfocusing on the subject bc it was so relatable) I remember making a LONG notes app list of all the things I’ve noticed about myself and at one point showed it to an autistic friend of mine and he was like “yeah, you’re definitely autistic.” That felt so validating getting the “peer-reviewed diagnosis.” 😎 Also, I came to realize that most all of my friends are also neurospicy (and queer but we’ve been known) in some way which is why I gravitated towards them. I’m glad you’re gaining this self awareness because while it’s hard, it’s so fulfilling being able to understand your brain and body better!!!! I’ve been watching you forever and this is so cool to hear you talking about! Love you!

I'd definitely talk to a medical professional because there could be lots of things causing you to feel like this. Not trying to say you're not autistic but it's probably good to explore all the options before focusing on one diagnosis.

I went through this same discovery last year after a nearly two year burnout. Your comment about the nuance of doing the best send the worst at the same time is so insanely relatable. Give yourself time to grieve and process. You’ve got this!

I'm also autistic, great video, keep it up, much love from one autistic person to another 😍❤

I’m so glad you figured this out for yourself. Thanks for being visible and talking about this.

Honestly, Autism TikToks with their tips and experiences to relate to have been so good for me!! I knew it was possible for a long time before I really accepted my Autism and started understanding the impact it has on every part of my life! It is allot, thanks for sharing with us 💛💛💛

As somebody who is also on the spectrum, this video was very nice and warm to watch, you are amazing Keara :)

Thanks for such an inspiring video of your life! I’ve been diagnosed with autism since the age of 2.5 so I can relate to how you feel about things! I’ve been in the mainstream classroom since the third grade, where anyone had respect for my kind personality, but being cherished by those people has always been a difficulty. Moving from NJ to MI was the hardest thing that happened in my life, especially being disconnected from my old friends who I grew up with in elementary school. Proud of you and keep it up!

I can't watch yet, but I just wanted to say congratulations, Keara

Hello! I’ve seen you on lost and found and came cross your channel and recently subscribed! I admire how open you are about having autism and not being shy by sharing it with the world. That’s amazing- and brave of you to share your experience. Hope you take care- and stay safe out there! 🦋🦋🦋

I’m on the autism spectrum too on the high functioning end although I have also been told that I have ADD ADHD and Asperger’s as well I was diagnosed with it in middle school when I was in 6th grade but I didn’t find out till I was 17 after my junior year of high school but it was for the best.

You've just nailed how I feel!! I discovered I have AuDHD a month ago, and it's been a lot!.. Thank you so much for sharing! Wish you all the best on your journey ❤

I really felt the feeling everything all at once and felt really seen when you said that ❤ Also I’ve been homeschooled for years and haven’t had a friend in years so it’s hard because I can’t really talk to anyone so these basically feel like Fts with my best friend who understands so thank you 🩷💜🩵

I just saw the title and I thought OMG SAMEEE haven't watched the video yet but thank you for telling us, you are brave (I was so scared of telling people, there is so much misinformation and people tend to be judgmental, that's why I was scared). ❤but as soon as I knew I was autistic I felt so much relief 🥺 it's been almost a year since I know and the unmasking journey is so beautiful (chaotic also but I feel more connected to my younger self like...the person I was at 7 years old before I masked but also I'm grown). Also self diagnosis IS valid 💕✨ Also there's autism memes accounts on instagram and they are hilarious and also made me feel seen even in the little things. Another info (maybe you already know) but don't trust anything from "Autism Speaks" when you do research about autism (if you search for info there are neurodivergent people explaining it really good in video essays and yeah). I'm saying this bc you said that your family doesn't know so don't trust Autism Speaks and if you tell a friend or family tell them to not trust them.

Just commenting to send you love, Keara. You're so brave!!

I've been following you for a longggg time, and as an autistic queer person who also seems to attract neurodivergent and queer people into my life, or else be drawn to them - welcome to the party! You're not alone. A lot of the parts of you that you have spent a lifetime burying may come to the surface, and that would be overwhelming for anybody - but you are not alone in what you have experienced, and a lot of the question marks in your life will feel like they settle into smooth lines in time. I was diagnosed a year after I knew, about six or so years ago now, and I remember a long time where my life was just research research and more research, the more I looked into it, the more I found myself. I'm still finding myself, but knowing that I am autistic has helped tremendously in making sense of it - a lot of what I thought was strange, alien, robotic, a performer with a mask, was fundamentally human the whole time. It feels overwhelming, but it changes the narrative. For everyone, this will vary, but for me, I know that being autistic has not solely been a bad thing in my life. I'm exceptionally internally honest - about myself as much as others. This helped me in therapy, and continues to be something that I use to recognise where I'm at, emotionally. I was always drawn to what I could not understand, so that I could mask and survive better - for me, this meant interests in philosophy, psychology, human behaviour, writing, pop culture, spirituality and religion. I came to your channel in the first place because of your openness, and because of the soul and experience you have in your voice. I have always loved to sing, and I've found that being autistic has likely had a hand in my own musical and artistic development, my own soul I have always put into it. There is a lot of pain you've acknowledged might unravel with finding this out about yourself - there may be a lot of pain that feels inherent to being autistic, but there is joy, too. I can't remember a lot of the resources I found six years ago, but here are some of the ones I've found useful more recently: -"i'm not an alien i'm just autistic :)" by Savannah Brown on RU-vid (warnings for religion (Christianity), mentions of grooming, suicidal thoughts, eating disorders), beautiful, poetic and very true to my experiences too: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-RFlrHxn6xcA.htmlsi=sF3vYyJzmcG8Bl49 -"The Reason I Jump" book by Naoki Higashida, recommended by my therapist, written by a nonverbal Japanese thirteen year old, I didn't find it wholly relatable, but the similarities and differences in experiences were interesting: www.goodreads.com/book/show/16113737 -Media representations of autism - they get a bad rep, but I've found a lot of value in seeing elements of myself from the outside. Extraordinary Attorney Woo (heartfelt, with just enough complexity to the simplicity - a South Korean autistic woman's journey self-determination through being an attorney), original Korean Good Doctor (a little outdated, a lot hammy and melodramatic, with some difficult depictions of abuse - but strangely heartfelt, and healing; a kind male autistic doctor heals himself and others through being a doctor), and A Kind Of Spark (a British miniseries about two autistic and one neurotypical sisters, as the main character delves into some of the local autistic history - written and acted by autistic people) are my personal favourites. -Scientifically based research into autism, online "tests" for autism, sometimes, to get a better understanding of myself - ignoring vaccine talk, conspiracies, and Autism Speaks, or anything else that doesn't look thoroughly researched, or that isn't from lived experience of being autistic. -Blogs by autistic people felt like more of a thing, but I think surrounding oneself in autistic-made content can still be helpful in general for normalising being autistic to yourself. I've heard some good things about "Unmasking Autism", but I haven't read it myself yet.

Sending you lots of love Keara! I got got diagnosed with autism at the beginning of this year, and the whole year has been spent actually accepting myself, being kind to myself, advocating for myself, and listening to my body. Wishing you the best on this journey and welcome from a fellow queer autistic ❤

Loop ear plugs is what I have. They are very portable as well they help tune out background noise. Once you heal stimming will come naturally. If you want to make a weird sound do it! If you're excited let yourself be excited let yourself hop around or shake your hands!

i was diagnosed about a year ago and it still feels pretty new to me. when i started unmasking it burnt me out really bad and im still trying to get out of it. theres so much self discovery that comes with finding out your neurodivergent, especially autistic. there was a lot of trauma i had to unpack and im still unpacking to this day. im still coming to terms with the fact that I'm disabled and how much harder life is for me. it can be really hard but when you can get past that you can start to see and accept the beauty of your brain. there are so many people in the same boat and none of us have it truly figured out -a fellow autistic queer :)

Omgosh Keara the timing of this is crazy!!! I just saw a neuropsychologist like two weeks ago and I’m getting evaluated next month! 😭😭😭 like you said, it’s stressful, anxiety-inducing and scary!! Just the evaluation takes 4 hours the doctor said. Simply finding a good doctor took months; I didn’t even know what a neuropsychologist was until a couple weeks ago. And like you said, I’ve also read and hear many ASD individuals get misdiagnosed, so your feelings are soooooo valid. Watching a lot of “Mom on the Spectrum” and “Autism from the Inside” channel videos have been educational for me as well as reading articles from reputable sources. Knowledge is powerful and like you said, knowing myself I know I’m on the spectrum. This realization has opened so much for me. Stay strong Keara! You’re so amazing and so kind! Take your time! It’s your time! Time you chose to waste is not wasted time! (Btw; that breaking exercise was so needed! Thank you).

You’re so awesome Keara and I’ve been told that I was on the Autistic spectrum formerly known as Aspergers.It’s so nice you create such a safe environment for your self and others who view your channel it’s a very nurturing Taurus quality but a Keara quality too .😊 I’m a Leo btw

Ty for explaining exactly how im feeling im confused happy but not happy stressed but annoyed angry and overwhelmed and tired and overstimulated also i just like recently over these 3 years ive been questioning a lot of weather i have OCD or not and it’s hard to navigate through that and getting diagnosed is insanely hard too

OMG ME TOOO WHY AM I SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS 😊❤

i always perceived you as kind. still do. a good looking person with a kind soul. that hasn't changed.

i haven't been able to listen yet but i am too and i also realised an adult! it completely changed my life, it's still hard sometimes mostly because of societal structures but i loveee other autistic people so much ❤ can't wait to hear about you and i hope this discovery only makes things smoother from now on

I love the stockings in the 2nd and 3rd outfit

I started watching your channel a few years ago. And I realized that I’m autistic abt a year ago. I’m not surprised that u r too 😄 Welcome to the club!!

I actually feel like myself now that I'm not hiding and also slowing down is one of the things that has helped me SO much. Even just a normal task slowing it down helps so much. Not feeling rushed because sometimes you feel rushed without even realizing it.

Your safe space podcast should also be a safe space for you. Thank you for sharing this with us 🫶

I know what you are going through I have been diagnosed with ASD and Autism and ADHD and anxiety and depression so seeing someone does help

Hi Keara ! I grew up watching you on Lost & Found when i was 8 and you were one of my favourite characters. I’m 15 now and I have autism too , and I’m lesbian and part of the lgbtq community too so watching you feels really nice and I can look up to you and can relate :)

I’m autistic too and I went through a move when I was in burnout and while I feel so good and much better in my new place now, it truly took me like 4 months to adjust. I don’t mean to scare you but it is very hard to deal with change as an autistic person and moving is definitely one of those things most of us have a hard time with. I also was late diagnosed (self dx) and it took me a few years to truly accept my diagnosis and myself and have more self love. But it’s helped me sooo much and I’m so glad you’ve made this realization. I promise it will only bring good things for you and help you move forward in your life in a way you never have before. Just don’t forget to have compassion and patience with yourself ❤❤❤

Congratulations to the discovery. Knowledge is power and you just unlocked understanding a crazy amount of things about yourself, all for the better. You can only be truly happy if you live your most authentic self. Recognizing your identity is the tough part and you just got closer. Fun fact: I didn't think I could be addressed as bitch in a way that's actually quite lovely. 🙂

You got this 💛💛💛

Im autistic and live in Toronto and I find it soo difficult. I moved here thinking I would have an easier time making friends but I am still so alone. Leaving my apartment is so stressful especially with social anixety. I feel so overhelmed with all the trauma from being queer and autistic and healing social anxiety and I just wish so badly to be a bit better where I have friends and a partner and I can start to have fun. Because as much as I can do things by myself, after years of it, i dont feel satisfied doing it alone. Sending anyone who relates some healing energy. Also if anyone wants autistic resources I have a podcast I did for school where I interviewed queer, racialized, non-men, autistics.

Be grateful because I'm proud of you of who you are. I was diagnosed with autism when i was in my 20's.

Hi Keara!! I myself have also started to explore the journey of discovering whether I am autistic or not. I highly recommend these two books, “Aspergirls” by Rudy Simone (which is AMAZING!!! in my personal opinion), as well as, “Women and Girls With Autism Spectrum Disorder” by Sarah Hendrickx. Some RU-vidrs I would suggest watching would be Charley Rewilding, Purple Ella, Yo Samdy Sam, The Thought Spot, and I’m Autistic Now What. Also, relating to this the stimming aspect that you’ve mentioned, I know a couple brands of stim toys which many have highly recommended. I can’t say for myself as I haven’t used them yet, but I have ordered some and can’t wait! These would be Tangles and the brand SPEKS. I am wishing you a lot of love and luck on your journey!! Self diagnosing is so super valid!!! 💗💗💗

I'm on my journey too, Been in burnout and on sick leave for 4 years. I have ADHD and Autism and I'm waiting to get help from healthcare to get assessment and get it confirmed. It is many emotions , ups and downs. Also searched for money to get a service dog which I'm really hoping for. I haves me Lil kitty Meya but I need more support out in public and to remind me to rest and take my meds! It is hard to navigate in a world that is so messy when all one wants is peace. I hope that you and Lauren will find the coziest place to live. My dream is also to be surrounded by more nature and less neighbours 😹🌳🧚 all the love and hugs for you! We've got this! ❤

I also realised and been diagnose with autism spectrum late in life, when I was 18 so 2 years ago. I really recommend you try to get diagnosed because it really validated me so I’m not having doubts about it as much. And finding a therapist that specialises in the autism spectrum helped sooooo much. She’s the best therapist I ever had and probably the only one that knows how to talk to me. Great episode btw

So glad you are talking about this! 🙏❤️ It's been a few years since I learned about my own Autism. Basically, while talking to a friend who has an Aspergers diagnosis, I went "yeah, I think I might be on the spectrum" and he goes, "oh I definitely think you are". So I did my research (as us autodiadacts are wont to do) I found a 17 page list of traits of AFAB adults on the spectrum (found it on the blog of a psychatrist who specialized in Autistic clients) and I copied and pasted the list into a google doc. Every trait I strongly identified with I highlighted red, moderately identified = orange, slightly identified = yellow, and everything I did not identify with stayed white (I use night mode on my devices to cut down on screen brightness, highly recommend doing this). Nearly the entire document was red, but I had to take a break partway through from crying so much because the list read like a book written about my life. Then I went into denial thinking maybe it was a bogus list, or too general, etc. So I showed the unhighlighted version to my best friend (who is a special needs worker, maybe that should have been my first clue 🤷) and she said she found the list to be "highly accurate and consistent with the traits she sees in her clients". So then I called my aunt (A retired registered nurse who has known me my whole life). She said "Well...I'm not surprised, but I'm actually kind of surprised that YOU are surprised." As if she thought it was something that should have occurred to me to consider much sooner. But honestly until doing my research, I was so uneducated about Autism, I just didn't know what I didn't know, ya know? Anyway, I went to my doctor (I live in Canada too) and I told them I wanted to pursue diagnosis. They sent a letter to a mental health organization they said my province "uses for things like that" on my behalf and told me someone from there would call me. But when they did call me, they said "yeah, we don't triage for Autism, we do triage for Anxiety though. If you want an Autism diagnosis, you have to pay out of pocket to be seen by a psychologist. Here's a list of names." So I had them triage me for Anxiety, cuz at least that was something, and they referred me to a free service that was able to provide me with six months of weekly phone therapy, which helped tremendously! But when I told my doctor what the mental health place had said about not triaging for Autism and having to pay out of pocket, they kind of just went "huh, that's strange. Are you going to do that then?" And I was like, "uhhh, maybe when I can afford to". But I guess in my case there isn't an urgency to get a professional diagnosis because my spouse supports our family financially (I've been out of the work force since becoming a parent in 2007) and I've found enough extremely helpful resources all on my own. I take CBD oil and Ashwagandha for my anxiety (highly recommend). I've saved a folder of all of the Girl With the Curly Hair memes (highly recommend) so that when there is something about my needs or the way my thought processes work that I need to explain to a neurotypical loved one who just doesn't get it, I have the words right there at my fingertips. I have learned to prioritize self-care, minimize my masking (so what if my preferred method of communication with my teen daughters is through meows? they love me, quirks and all!), cut down on sensory stimuli, not force myself into more social situations than I can handle, and I taught myself how to crochet (via watching youtube videos), because it is a much more productive stimming behaviour than many of my previous ones. Anyway, I know that was a long rant, but I remember what it was like to feel like you finally can see the puzzle on the box of the jigsaw masterpiece you've been building your whole life and actually frame your experiences in a relevant context and realize the pieces DO fit together and I'm not broken, I'm just different! Such a cathartic and also terrifying time of upheaval. So I hope some of my suggested tools help and I have a lot more helpful recommendations if you want them. 😊❤ I also highly recommend looking into co-morbidities because you might be surprized what you find! (For example, learning that my clumsiness is actually dyspraxia makes me feel a lot less shame when I spill things or trip over thin air or think back to all the times I choked on my food as a child) (Learning I have hypofantasia [dim, vague, fleeting visual memories] means I'm not just bad at directions or remembering where I put things, but rather, the hyperfantasia [photographic level visual memory] my spouse has makes it a lol easier for my spouse to find the item in the grocery store I'm searching for, because I can't simply recall a picture in my brain of where I saw it last time.) (Heck, even my acid reflux [aka GERD] and chronic constipation are listed as co-morbidities of Autism, so this has pretty much been affecting every aspect of my life without my even knowing about it) Everything becomes so much easier when we have the picture on the box. Anyway, thanks so much, Keara, for sharing this news with us! 🙏😍❤

Wow, this is crazy to me! I relate so freaking much. I always related to you, im queer and nonbinary. I already knew I had adhd, but all of this is so me, this is so crazy omg. I might be on the spectrum, this was so spot on with how ive always felt, omg thank you so much!!❤❤

I LOVE YOU

I’ve got autism too. Though when I got diagnosed they said it was high functioning autism but now they don’t like using terms like high and low functioning.

I'm an autistic (late diagnosed) queer and yep, I thought for years that I was different just because I'm queer and suddenly I learned that there was more going on. It was such a change for the better, learning that I was autistic. Stimming helps me so much. I'm usually understimulated when it comes to touch, so my favorite ways to stim involve petting soft or soothing textures. I also love a good dramatic head bang to a song. Different types of exercise can also involve stimming; an evenly paced, steady walk outdoors in good weather makes a really good stim. In my day to day life, if I keep the socializing to a minimum, as long as I stim a lot I can really reduce the frequency of shutdowns.

it feels comforting to me that since I figured out that im neurodivergent I see that most people I follow on social media and especially youtube are neurodivergent as well

You always know when I need a good breathing exercise 🥲

queer autistics unite 🙌🏼 lol I totally understand where you are at, it’s a complete shift on how you view everything in your past & present, and it’s a huge journey. please please be gentle with yourself as you notice yourself becoming overstimulated more easily than before (you can’t gaslight yourself as much now!) and/or struggling with not being able to do as much as you could before. there are lovely things to finally learning you’re autistic, but it can also be a wild ride. I’d be happy to be a long distance internet queer autistic friend & advice giver if you need any pointers for good info or accommodations😌

my entire life I’ve felt soooo intrinsically different, once I realized I’m lesbian I was like omg that must be why, then years later discovered I’m also nonbinary and was like wow this must be the piece I was actually missing, NOPE! haha it’s only once I started realizing I could be autistic (2 or 3 ish years ago) that I realized THAT was why, that’s when it all clicked into place. I’m about to turn 20 in february, I finally talked to my mom about it in october, now I’m starting to really step into it and be open about it with less fear of invalidation (I’m still only self diagnosed), unmasking and learning what accommodations I need has been and is still a difficult process but everyday I feel more and more like myself again. it’s been very healing for my inner child 💖 relearning autistic joy and special interests is my current hurdle but I know I will navigate my way through that too because I’ve been feeling so much more present within myself and my emotions (including more open meltdowns) so the joy and reconnection to myself has been trickling in bit by bit. there’s different books and journals out there for autistic people that could be helpful for further understanding and identifying certain things in yourself 🫶🏼 I’m planning to buy some

Just found out I'm autistic four months ago (went in to get adhd testing and then they surprised me with the addition lol), there's sooo much to unpack and it is both freeing and overwhelming. Being genderqueer and really sensitive to like all stimuli were the main flags actually

A good pair of earplugs will be your best friend in dealing with sensory overload. I take mine everywhere I go as even just background noise for extended periods of time can be very overstimulating to me.

hi, fellow autistic queer here! i realised im autistic last november and it definitely was really hard mentally to cope and overwhelming and scary. it’s been a year now and its still an ongoing journey but overall i know myself so much better now and can accommodate to my needs better, and that’s changed my life. just know you’re not alone and definitely don’t hesitate to reach out for help ! ❤

as a fellow nonbinary and late realised autistic person, i really relate to your content. i have found that loop earbuds work to help block out city noise, and hopefully that helps with the noise in your building

Welcome to the community. I self diagnosed before I got my professional diagnosis, you don’t need to got a professional diagnosis, if you’ve done the research, I don’t mean just one TikTok I mean actually RESEARCH, self diagnosis is valid. You’re valid. I also think I have ADHD and might be getting diagnosed for that soon. But you don’t need to, it’s hard to get a diagnosis. This sounds genuine so welcome, we love you Keara ❤

I am also on the autism spectrum! I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome when I was 22. I am in my late 30s now. Asperger's wasn't as well known when I was a child in the 90s, so teachers and psychologists weren't sure how to help me! I went to a 2-year program for adults with Asperger's, where I learned social skills, daily living skills, and job skills.

i’m an autistic lesbian as well, and I just found your channel! it’s a pretty cool channel so obv i subbed.

Hi! Enby queer autistic and adhd af with c-ptsd up in here! Wheeeeee. New trauma doors open sesame!

love love love this episode. so proud of you and your vulnerability ❤

I have an ADHD diagnosis and I suspect im also Autistic. Its a lot to process. I'm probably still processing but its been a couple years since my ADHD diagnosis (im 22) and im slowly getting better at being less frustrated with myself and understanding myself. Sorting out meds is still stressful though 😭 We are getting though this together!

What is the mushroom you reccomended? Snd is it eaten, made into a tea or…? :)

I'm autistic too 💜

I’m another autistic non-binary queer person. I feel you a lot. There’s a lot of nonsense that people like us have to face. But I definitely think the most important thing is to be kind to ourselves, and try to accept that part of ourselves.

All the feels, m'lady. One autistic to another. Please seek a formal evaluation. It may not be that easy to get. I had to push and push to get my evaluation. I hope Canada is better than the US on this subject. The diagnosis can be freeing and open doors for you.

If you think you’re on the spectrum it is better to pursue a diagnoses. It can really help.

Yes

I'm so happy for you that you've figured this out!! Yay!!

heyo im autistic too, to be 100% real with you, it doesnt get MUCH better but it can get slightly bearable. being neurodivergent comes with alot of struggles and those struggles will be with you for life, but you can eventually find ways to manage them. you can stim to release emotions, noise cancelling headphones, deep pressure massage for sensory issues, if ur having a meltdown thrash ur head into cold icey water for as long as you need, sounds crazy but it works. stim toys aswell, the more u unmask the less meltdowns ull have its a hard process tho. to be blunt if you mask your gonna feel shit but people will treat you nicer, if u unmask ull feel way better but people wont be as nice to you. so its hard either way but find autistic youtubers and binge reddit content to find shit that helps u. if u cant sleep thats due to autism, get strong and large doses of meds (melatonin, circadin etc) perscribed if u can. find neurodivergent friends so u can unmask around them without judgement.

Didn't know my breath was that short😭 well I have asthma so that makes sense

i think i could be autistic however i dont know how to get the help my friends say they think im autistic and i dont do too well with noise i cant do new faces and i am very quiet and so much more

ok the people on the internet who pretended to have a mental illness have ruined my perception of myself cause I know for certain I'm neurodivergent but I've been gaslighting myself into thinking Im not cause I wasn't diagnosed by a professional and this has been taking a HUGE tole on my mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical well being, it sucks not knowing what you have for sure cause regardless if you see signs and how much you relate to those symptoms you'll never know what you have and you can't help yourself because of it

15:00 yea

I’m not diagnosed with autism or adhd, but I think I have both. I keep going back on autism because my traits overlap. But this video speaks to me!!! And here we are, the autistic queers!!!! 🏳️‍🌈♾️

13:20 here! /)

I'm also Autistic and Queer. Yay! /)

i am non binary & autistic

lmao i literally got diagnosed w autism 2 days ago and now i saw this video of yours lol

14:30 yep

16:20 yea

10:20 yep

Just got diagnosed with adhd.

I'm from Japan and am autistic and have ADHD. I also suspect that I'm asexual but I'm not sure if I'm really ace or not. Because so many autistic traits, such as not being interested in people, restricted interests, sensitivity to touch, smell, etc. overlap, which makes me think or feel I'm ace. Although I've been through a lot as an autistic person, I'm glad who I am and am different. After all, if I weren't autistic, I wouldn't be good at science and I wouldn't be a Ph.D. student. Some autistic traits are sucks. That may be true; however, other traits are definitely beneficial for you. I'm pretty sure that because you have reached your potential, you have so many subscribers, and you might not have been so many of them if you weren't autistic.

I was diagnosed with autism at age 27. After a 3year isolation/depression; Not understanding the world or the people in it... My advice, read read read ;) and talk about what u read ;) Lots of love Lars (45y old)

i understand that you want to understand who you are and be able to define that with a label such as autism, but it can be really damaging for people to self diagnose with things like autism and then just say they have it instead of expressing a suspicion that you MAY have it. i get that the process of being actually diagnosed is long and really flawed, but its the best option we have at the moment

I am also autistic i love u and your content

Fellow autistic, queer, Canadian! Used to live in Toronto and as a neurodivergent human I can tell you that it’s not made for our brains. I have lots of local connections as I’m in school to be a therapist. It’s a lot to post here but if you’d like some support, diagnostic or just general resources feel free to reach out. There’s fantastic ways to connect with other autistics and for me it’s honestly been the best self care!

Your so sweet, kind and so relaxing, you make me feel so much better about myself, oh and I too em gay so "bestie" maybe one of these days you can come to America instead of constantly in Canada. There's this city in California called San Francisco where it's always gay friendly come check America out and see for yourself 🙂✌🏼🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

me too

13:23 ✋

It is said that neurodivergent people are 7× more likely to be queer and vice versa! That seems to be true with me!

I'm recently dxed neurodivergent in other ways (and on the fence about if I might be autistic) but point is I also have auditory sensory issues. I saw you said you got loops and they've been helpful but if you ever find they're not enough (I mean that's if you were going for as hardcore as possible idk what level of noise blocking you wanted) then another good brand to look at is Earaser. They make plugs with all different levels of noise blocking, but their "peace and quiet" plugs filter a LOT of noise (I work in a huge school and found these blocked more than the loop quiets). Thank you for sharing about this in a way that doesn't skip over the complexity of feelings. So often NTs appear to think finding out you're ND (of whatever kind) is way more straightfoward internally than it is.. Having to reassess and reframe your whole life through a new lense means not only are you able to explain so much of your past in ways you never could, but you're also having to come to terms with the fact that the life you've lived has always in one way or another been different from those around you, and you have no concept of if or at what various times this was visible to those said people around you Like myself personally, I never felt different to my peers in any way, but now looking back at different things I'm like omg they must thought I was at least a little odd in x situation. Although autism wasnt the thing I was recently disgnosed with, and I know its different bc autism carries a lot of stigma and stereotypes, its been about 1.5 years since I got diagnosed with a neurodivergent condition and in my experience it does get easier! At first I was like wtf is happening my whole life is a lie but now it honestly does just feel like an intergral part of me as a person, like a factoid if you will. I recently started a new job where its on all my forms and shiz so my boss knows and it's just seen as the way things are, that's just how it is, and that might affect my job sometimes in xyz way but its a part of the package deal lmao (maybe thats bc I work in special education tho). Sorry this was long but the point I wanted to make is that things do get less confusing and the dust does settle. One day being ND will be akin to being Brunette. Obviously the former will have a much greater affect on your life, but it's still a morally neutral fact all the same. That being said I know how confusing this ND journey can be, so sending hugs (unless hugs are ick in which case air hugs) YOU GOT THIS ❤️

No one wouldve guessed lol

They be diagnosing anyone with autism these days I swear

If feels like an honor to be part of your 2nd internet family.

😎😃😊😜😍😘💖🌹

I know all about it