The 4 Ways I'm Beating Autistic Imposter Syndrome (Diagnosed In Middle Age) 

It's also important to remember that your diagnosis doesn't take anything away from anyone else. Diagnoses are not a finite resource, you aren't stopping other people from having a diagnosis by having one yourself.

Your videos makes me feel part of the community, even though I am a late undiagnosed autistic women in my early 60s. Thanks again.

I’m SO glad your channel is being discovered by more people- we need your perspective! I am 40, and wonder how autism will affect me in the future- you are like an older sister who can give me some idea of what might be ahead. Also, I love the idea of taking care of your younger self!! I also love all the creators you highlighted- they’re really awesome people!!

Thank you!😊❤ i appreciate the shout out and i am enjoying getting to know you. I love the way you described my videos. Very cool...indie vibe. I like that❤

Really beautiful image of parenting your child self. I would tell my child self that it really IS too loud, she ISN’T being a little drama queen and that some things ARE really harder for her. She’s not a lazy selfish brat. She’s brave and hard-working and worthy of unconditional love.

I really feel this thing with the younger self! 100%! I feel so responsible about my younger self & I want to go back in time to help her so badly. Thanks for putting it into words 🥺🙏 I watched a comic series of Peter Pan when I was younger and in one of the last episodes there was something like that but also different. Where a person talked to her younger self and I think about that from time to time.

This was so needed ❤ recently diagnosed in my late 40s and trying to piece together everything and it all makes so much sense but still struggle with imposter syndrome at times. School was a stressful experience and life in general has been and it’s so nice to feel part of a non judgmental community here and have great creators like you who share their experiences 🩷

I'm a bit older than you (57) and agree that the school system was very unkind to pupils who did not conform to norms. Children with visible disabilities were still being sent to "special" schools, all other children were just expected to fit in and behave normally. My experience with school was mixed, I hung around with the misfits but didn't really have any real friendships. The best part of school was the library and I got made a librarian which was a lifesaver for me! I don't really suffer imposter syndrome in relation to being missed as being autistic at school because there just wasn't the understanding or awareness of the full spectrum of autism, or that girls could be autistic, heck they had only just started to recognise dyslexia! What I struggle with is getting my GP to approve my referral for an assessment - they've agreed I meet the criteria but are dragging their heels with actually putting in the referral 🙄 They're basically ignoring any messages I send asking about updates and when they do contact me I feel like their tone has because very condescending. My imposter syndrome takes the form of being scared that when eventually I get an assessment they'll say "oh you're not autistic at all" 🙈 but I know that I am, I've done a lot of research on it.

The community here is really unique. ❤ Thank you for showing up so vulnerable and honest. I’m 42 btw.

As a 57yr old recently diagnosed after my kids coming into adulthood all recently diagnosed suggested I do the same… lol… I find your videos very comforting 😊

Just because they're autistic doesn't mean someone can't also be dealing with trauma as most everybody will at some time. Trauma often separates us from our authentic self, a deep disconnection in some cases. Everyone has trauma, we all heal at our own speed. May revelations of truth be bestowed on each of you.

I really love this video. When I was self diagnosing I did go through imposter syndrome, it was 1.5 years. After the diagnosis I felt at peace with it, meaning that there is no doubt this was it. It's as though a door was closed to this life long mystery. As a child I wished I had a sibling close to my age (I have a half sister that's 7 years younger), not because I was lonely but because I wished I had someone who was like me. Your channel has been very helpful to me, maybe because we are close in age. I feel like we are all on this same journey together. It's funny that I felt like an alien who thought differently from everyone else. Then suddenly I am part of a community where we all think similar to one another even though we are from different parts of the world. It's wonderful.

Disgnosed in mid-March this year - what you said about co-morbid conditions really resonated with me, my AuDHD diagnosis is like shaking up a kaleidoscope and all the pieces making a coherent picture at last - I don't have many formal diagnoses (I'm female, 55, I'm very large bodied, and pretty much everything I've ever sought help with gets answered with it's your age or it's your weight - and AuDHD even offers insights into my disordered eating (always treated as just lack of willpower by medical and others) and weight - and I think that gets in the way of other things unless they're really obvious) but I have a lot of health issues and just problems being in the world. And your framing of caring for your younger self is one I really need to think about - need to sidle up on because it feels very large, somehow, and like it will open a can of worms in my head, and I have to somehow hold things together enough to keep working and paying the bills! (my diagnosis came after a period of sick leave for a breakdown/neurodivergent burnout and I'm on thin ice with work now I'm back which makes it hard for me to do the work I need sometimes - I'm very short of spoons). Sorry for the ;long comment - I do appreciate your openness and courage in sharing this journey

I didn’t expect to get teary-eyed but here I am! I can really relate to wanting to go back and take care of yourself as a child. For me, I especially think of myself as a teenager, supposedly doing my A-levels, but actually wandering the streets like a lost soul because I couldn’t bring myself to go to the sixth form college. Re channels, I really like Autistic not Alien, I am Mindblind, and Musings of my Audhd Mind.

You should not feel silly wanting to travel back to parent your child self. This is actually something that I have done myself and is part of some types of therapy its usually referred to as Parts work or Internal family systems. It is highly effective and a wonderful experience when guided by a trauma informed practitioner.

Thank you for putting together this video. I can completely relate to wanting to go back in time and be there for my younger self. This often came up for me during counselling sessions. I always wanted to reach through the veil of time and give the little boy a hug and tell him its going to be ok, I've got you. I'm reminded of a lovely acoustic version of 'Loving the Alien' by David Bowie which I related with myself and the little boy as the alien. The song was written with a different meaning in mind, but it'll always remind me of this. Guess that's the magic of songs, you can interpret them in so many ways! I think in a way I've been fortunate to show or demonstrate this to my youngest son which is nice. I always wondered why I am so gentle to him in particular and I think this explains part of it. I am self-diagnosed and have a strong inclination that I am autistic, only realising this in the last couple of years. I always felt different, but thought everyone felt a bit different at times so didn't pay much heed. Even now I'm still double-checking and battling with myself over it, so it's good to know I'm not the only one. I hope you and your younger self get to be at peace with it all one day. Sending a big hug your way.

The issue of self-worth/-esteem is particularly interesting in this context. Despite (or perhaps due to) childhood neglect and abuse I resorted to radical self-reliance which, after leaving home at 16, didn't afford a lot of space outside my hypervigilant subsistence lifestyle for vulnerability (although journalling remains a crucial and highly effective outlet for self-development/-awareness.) My overall psychological dynamic seems to be more defiant than apologetic, so my imposter concerns post-diagnosis are less critical, less a question of worth/authenticity, rather more existential i.e. "Is this (experience/trait) what that (autism) means?" That said, I think the relationship with one's inner child is extremely important to one's post-diagnosis identity processing; everything we've done to protect ourselves and survive contributes to and affirns our "new" lives as late-diagnosed autistics. Imposter syndrome seems to be a necessary but temporary part of the process: as one wrestles with one's pre-diagnosis life review the uncertainty/vulnerability of the "new" self *does* begin to fade, like a moulted dragonfly's new skin hardens.👍

You don't sound bonkers. It makes perfect sense.

Thanks for the channel recommendations. I totally understand what you are saying about being a caregiver for your younger self. I have spent a fair bit of time trying to do that, usually during relaxation when I listen to ambient music to relax and I relive/visualise hard circumstances/memories I have and then imagine myself, as I am now, giving my younger self hugs, words of encouragement etc. It is a very emotional thing but good for me. I am sooooooo tough on myself everyday, whereas I am not with others, it drives me nuts. I have a constant inner critical voice...I am trying to work on that too. Thanks for sharing it does help us feel less alone for sure. I am glad to have found your channel.😊

Autistic not alien youtube channel lizzie, i love neil's dry humour and the way he packs in wit wisdom and the serious point he is making in to such short videos. 🙋‍♂️

This is such a good video! Oh, the things I wish I had known as a child! It was certainly a struggle, but I know I need to give myself grace and not be hard on myself for the things I can't change. Thank you for the video! 💞

Hearing that loud and clear. When I think about my 3 much older siblings carrying me out of the circus when I was a young child kicking and screaming and terrifiied b/c of the loudness of it all it really brings tears to my eyes b/c they just didn't know.

I feel so seen listening to you talk about problems standing in school

I just recieved my ASD diagnosis last week at 41

ok i will be watching Russian Doll now :D

❤❤❤❤

I also take care of my younger self. I believe it is healthy, expected and necessary. That is not just my opinion as psychology also purports that. Especially for abuse victims. Even those who are not victims, and who isn't, should invoke that practice, I believe. You are doing good for yourself, keep up the good work. 🫂

one channel to try for you: Embracing Awkward embracing_awk