Thank you Sam. I fully agree with what you said. It's a blessing and a curse at the same time. But it's part of our identity and I wouldn't want to miss it! In my opinion it has more advantages than disadvantages. And NT friends who are worth that name accept us the way we are and vice versa. Thanks for being an ambassador to the community.
Can you please expand on hypermobility and autism? It's the first time I ever heard about that connection and I don't think it's very known? Thank you :)
My symptoms seem to be getting stronger with age. Does anyone else have any experience with this?
4 года назад
@@chessic4 yeap! I'm not an expert, just someone who got diagnosed today. But in my case I think maybe it's both things: the traits get stronger, and the person has more data to make an informed view of the situation.
"This can also be why autism is missed in girls, especially if their special interest is appropriate for their age or gender." "Yeah like my horse obsession that I haven't gotten over since 2002 huh." "Like horses-" *SPITS OUT DRINK*
Mine was dogs. I once brought a woman to tears because I correctly identified her magnificent puppy as a Leonburger. I was the first person to have done so. I studied dogs and service animal training in particular for almost 10 years because I'd convinced myself that having a service dog would be my salvation. I was wrong, but I'm grateful I rescued a lovely dog from a shelter who was well-socialized and well-trained as well as very loving. He's made it much easier to socialize because he's terribly cute; my skills in that area have really blossomed. I was very interested in horses when I was younger, but once the nearby riding stable shut down and it became painfully clear that I wasn't ever going to have one my interest waned.
@@tamarajessup1398 If it makes you feel any better I have so much Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron merch that I will die with it. Technically THAT's my special intrest along with horses.
Strangely, I don't feel stigma with autism. When I discovered it I felt relieved, and that translated to a positivity about myself. I was also told I was too sensitive, but then I was being psychologically bullied every school day for eight years, sometimes physically too. I was appalled at the sheer unfairness of my treatment, and perhaps this eventually led to my developing schizophrenia too, as well as acute depression. I don't feel like a victim, I feel like an enlightened survivor. Love to you all, Euan, proud autistic schizophrenic.
Yes! Fellow proud autistic! The amount of illogical BS we’re told to accept as logical is truly astounding when you think about it. EXAMPLE - Them: Any person older than 5 is less likely and anyone older than 10 is almost never autistic if they’re able to hold a conversation, make eye contact, or make friends. Them: It’s critical that autistic children are identified as early as possible and intervention can begin giving them the best chance at having a normal life (sometimes phrased “living independently”). Treatments will begin with speech and behavioral (ABbleh) therapy where they’ll learn how to properly converse and even make eye contact.
As an autistic railway enthusiast, I know there are NTs who are experts in train timetables too! I'm not, but I had quite a discussion about the mentions of model railways in my diagnosis report, as it came across to me as being seen as an obsession, when I know there are far more obsessive NTs out there. The distinction between NT hobbies and autistic special interests can seem a bit blurry!
I'm so happy to have found this channel, it's very educational and I love to hear what an actual autistic person thinks of autism and not just hear neurotypical people talk about it (not that neurotypical people can't have good knowledge on the subject). In any case, keep up the good work, you're doing a great deal of good for both autistic and non-autistic people.
U did a great job explaining autism in nutshell, that's not easy. It's the perfect video to be sharing and sending around. I just send it to old friends and family, even to people I didn't talk to for years. 90% of those people don't know I'm autistic. It's giving me anxiety at the moment, but I felt I needed to do this. With this video u offered a nice way to handle this, I wouldn't know otherwise where to start. Yaay I'm exited about this week, it's so important for autism and for society! (exited hand clapping)
The thing you said about executive functioning is very important. My attention at school was way above normal, I've always listened to my teachers, never talked or interrupted. I was very organized with homework, subjects, books and exams. I found it easy and didn't understand why my peers struggled so much with it. But since I graduated from school, I've been struggling so much with executive functioning. Not having a structure that I simply need to follow, it's very difficult for me to build one up. Having said that, I love routines, and once I have it, it's easy for me to stick to it.
Having to create a schedule on my own but not being able to completely do whatever I want is impossible. I don’t do “middle grounds” well, at all. I need copious amounts of information. NEED. And I’m a mom now. And I have no help now, of any kind. And multiple stressors have increased. And still, no help. Etc, etc, etc. The more simple, straightforward, direct and honest I am, the MORE difficult it becomes for NTs to both understand AND believe me. It’s mind boggling but true. It’s their communication style. Worse, it seems only those with fairly healthy self-worth and/or confidence, a very strong desire/curiosity to understand the information you have, are very good at instructing others step-by-step or debate, or are emotionally/psychologically mature/healed/unwounded in the area(s) of life where humility, curiosity, generosity, patience, requiring/wanting info for an opinion (opposing assumptions) etc are required. In addition, there’s far more evidence that it is the NT that is rigid and inflexible, often extremely so and seemingly pathological. It’s actually pretty customary for an NT to project their own emotional reaction, particularly one viewed as a shortcoming (which is any strong emotion that’s unplanned and lasts longer than [socially agreed upon min in public here for age/gender/event]) onto anyone that isn’t ‘behaving’ properly in order to shame and ostracize them. This is done to other NTs as well.
I have written a movie script about my life ages 6 to 13 where I educate about autism, but only in an ambiguous way. I show the social isolation I faced as well as discrimination from teachers who didn't fully understand my ability to store a lot of information:"Why are you getting a perfect score on the test when your classmates don't? How are you cheating?" There are some other factors to the story. If it wasn't for the other factors I would title the story "Misunderstood." I wasn't diagnosed with autism until I was 40 and going through therapy. Finding out explained so many things. I still struggle in some ways and my journey is so far from an end. I do thank those who try to educate non autistics. Perhaps they can help a parent understand why a child can't wear wool ( an early rift between me and my mother. BTW, I still can't wear wool). Keep up your good work.
@@garyfrancis5015 I compare it to having a sixteen room house. In every room there are three outlets. A few of the outlets in the house won't work no matter what you do.
Gary Francis There’s the difference between how well something stays in memory once it’s stored and how easily it gets in in the first place. Shopping lists and the like also aren’t really emotionally charged, so they require more deliberate focus to get encoded into memory.
I found out I had Hypermobile EDS in 2020, Psoriatic arthritis in 2021. I met many autistics in a support group for EDS, and then discovered I was possibly on the spectrum last summer. I have finished all my testing and am highly autistic, ADHD, alexithymia. This video will help mom mom understand more as well as others. Thank you so much. And for mentioning "hypermobility" :)
1:28 The only way I “grew out” of my sensitivities was by learning to dissociate and thereby fall out of touch with myself and dull my entire existence The only trains I’m into are in trolley problems 😁 I did play a war train video game, though, and got into 20th century military technology in middle school like tanks and planes
I really really love the way you talk about autism because it's the first time I've really seen myself and the way my autism presents represented! I am still on my journey towards an official diagnosis, so hearing you talk about the way we experience the world is always incredibly reassuring.
I absolutely love the way you speak about autism! You hit all the points so perfectly, while addressing a lot of the stereotypes people have. Happy Autism Awareness Week!
I was diagnosed with ADD and autism in March of 2019. I had just turned 33. So much in my life suddenly made a lot of sense. I have masked a lot in my life without even understanding that is what I have been doing. I'll say that I have been lucky in my life. Even if I have constant anxiety, have eating disord and most of the time have a constant inner stress, I have been lucky. Lucky that I meet an awesome husband at the age of 19, lucky that I even with my diagnosis been able to manage life with 3 kids, lucky that I by chans find a work that I really love which have turned in to one of my special intrestes. Which means that I'm extremely awesome at what I do for a living. Which means that I have been able to get better and better work positions. So yes I have days when everything is so bad that I don't even want to get up from my bed. But I at the same time I have a life that I love. Everyone is awesome at something you just need to find your place ❤️
Thanks to you and your incredibly helpful channel I gained the courage to find out if I'm Autistic too - now I'm in therapy to help me implement all the fundamental changes I face. But all in all, I am so happy I finally found all the answers to my confusing brain. Thank you so much, I hope your channel will reach many many more people in the world. Your videos are so educational and easy to understand.
This is such a great video! I’m 26 and just found out I’m autistic! This video is perfect for showing someone when you’re trying to explain what autism is. I love your videos thank you so much for helping me through realizing why I’m “different” from every one else lol keep up the great work
Thank you for your videos. I have been coming to accept that I have Autism over the last couple of months, after one of my infrequent meltdowns forced me to look at the suggestion of a few of friends (two Autistic persons and two therapists) that I was probably autistic. Your videos have helped as I came to see many of my behaviors as typical for who I am. Your videos have helped as I have come to terms with what it means moving forward for improving my life.
Thank you so much for speaking for us❤️ you can explain what I‘m not able to. It even helps me, to understand myself better. To hear you is like medecine. Thanky you so so much for helping me to get back a little of my self-esteem an to remember me that I‘m not a wrong person, that my brian just works different. Big kisses😘
Awesome Video Sam! I was just diagnosed a few weeks ago and I will definitely share your video on my social media so that the people in my life that I don’t talk to on an everyday basis can ideally better understand what Autism actually is!
Thank you for this wonderful video! I struggle to find ways to explain my intense experience of the world, along with the various obstacles we face everyday as autistics; this sums it up beautifully, I'm going to share it with my NT friends!
I feel like this was the video I was looking for. seems to have a nice general and concise explanation of everything, compared to some other videos Ive seen
All of this hits home alot, I'm pretty sure that I am autistic but I never got tested... I was always looked at strangely for bringing noise-cancelling ear plugs to school, or dreading pep-assemblies... I also was told I was too sensitive as a child, my parents were upset with me when I cried over a TV show or when someone took my food without asking, or asking 'dumb' questions because I genuinely didn't understand. I plan on getting assessed in the future- hopefully I can get some answers- Oh just a fun fact when I was younger i was obsessed about getting glasses to the point where I yelled once getting a pair of fake ones for my birthday
I really enjoy watching these videos and have learned a lot from this channel. As someone with autism I know what it’s like, I struggle with executive functioning, social interactions, have specific interests, and have lots of sensory needs. I agree that no two people with autism are the same as I have friends on the spectrum, and believe that each person with autism should be treated as having their own specific condition as we are all so different, and everyone’s brains are structured differently. Keep up the good work.
I loved Spice Girls and as a dude I was bullied for it. Not by guys but by Spice Girls-loving girls, for some reason. Anyways. You're one of my heroes and you helped me in ways that noone else did. Which is so weird because you're a woman from I don't know where, we never met and probably never will but you have helped me find myself and come to terms with it. You're brave, I guess? Dunno about the details but I just wanted to say you rock, you're cool, and you help people. Hope you're doing amazing and omg you did a video on emdr, I'm gonna watch it now so bye.
Am I the only one that finds the term "special interest" cringe worthy and a bit demeaning? My interests are focused, not special. My nt friends with similar interests just have interests but because I'm nd and those interests are focused they're "special"? Okay...
Yes, spot on!! When speaking of or accommodating someone, whether it’s a patient/coworker (employee or superior)/best friend/spouse/child/parent/etc, even when the person speaking has known the person intimately for decades, what last Monday was described as “excellent focus” when still known as NT, is described as “hyper-fixation” next Wednesday when known as autistic. What was listed as “specialist in the field of” has been edited to show “special interest in”. What had been thought of as one of a group of people preferring no strong perfumes/colognes at the office is now thought of as “special accommodations”. The list goes on… Once you begin to notice it, you’ll see it everywhere. The consistently misleading and conflicting info posted on specialists’ websites (including the information and assistance consistently missing, just as telling), ready made responses for any/all questions about their procedures or lack thereof, and more, and most of all, the phrasing is all the same/similar and all factually incorrect. 🤦🏾♀️
Thank you! I started a playlist on my channel with my (only) video on adult aspergers, and others that explain it well so that my friends and family can try to understand. Yours are really great and to the point. I appreciate it very much.
i’m a 17 year old girl and i just had my first meeting yesterday as part of my autism assessment i’m excited to finally get some type of answer to the struggles i’ve dealt with all my life
Thank You for this vid. People really need to hear about forms of autism that allow to function like average person, but are resulting in unique difficulties in everyday life. I plan to do somethong like this for my country, because here understnding of autism is still very low. In Poland people with autism are apparently dangerous adults - an unpredictable threat for their families and neighbours or a miserable child you can help by sending some money to charity.
What's funny about your spice Girls example is that was me...with Hanson...however...I did it because I had a couple friends who did that kind of stuff...and felt like that was the normal thing to do. It's not like I didn't enjoy learning about them and listening to their music, and buying every magazine with even the tiniest picture, then cutting those pics out, even the tiny ones, and taping them to my wall in one giant fan obsessed Hanson mural. I did. It's just my motivation was literally to mask, because I thought my friends actions were normal. Otherwise...I don't think it would've gone to that extent. Then again...I literally have a ton of Game of Thrones stuff, currently wearing a shirt and a robe lol, and that had nothing to do with masking. Just my pure intent interest in the books, the lore...everything. Everyone says I'm way too obsessed. Frankly, I don't give a damn lol.
Love. the. sequinnz, Love. also. the. sequence---of this video. I think u have the tone spot on :) Thanks for your work looking forward to the rest of the week !!!
wouldn't you agree that the bluntness/directness of an autistic person could be sublimated into a paranoid fear of conflict? I think this is more the case with me, as I am constantly trying to evaluate if what I'm saying is rude or not before I say it. I meet the criteria for autism, but I havent been given a diagnosis because I've been considered too socially competent. I believe I have practiced very hard to recover from years of bullying, and when I finally got some friends at around 16 I had to actively learn and study how people interacted, and it became a special interest to reflect on my behaviour for a few years. I feel the talents that my sensory sentivities, special interests and hyperfocus lead to me developing talents that is at the core of meaning of life to me, which makes me sensitive to not getting the opportunity to use those strengths, since I suck at so many of the normal things people do.
I never noticed or understood my absolute obsession with Pokémon when I was young was my special interest.. If anyone had a question or needed help identifying any of them, I was the go-to person for that... now I realize that... and my new special interest is animated Disney movies, I can act out or recite word for word many of them.
If you dont understand the uncomforts of a autistic person, remember you have personal uncomforts of your own and imagine your mind not allowing you to deal with them easily
I can relate to all of this, except the executive functioning, to an extent. I have such an urgent need to do well, and to get praise, that executive functioning at school and work were not huge issues. Now living on my own, having to do all the cooking, cleaning, shopping, and organizing, as well as taking care of my personal schedule, it all gets to be quite much.
Many thanks Sam! As always a video to the basic points. I wish I could translate it and make it in Spanish Language, for all my family and friends, so they get to know what is autism about. In Spain they are still with the typical unsocial stereotype...
I totally agree with everything you say in this video. However, I am interested in the study you talk about with autistic people communicating just as well with each other as NT people, only because this is not something we see at all at the SEN/D school I work at. Sure, some of the kids get along, but others struggle hugely to communicate and interact with each other and find refuge instead interacting with the teachers/staff...
I believe this was a study done with autistic adults. That probably makes a big difference, especially when you consider autism as a developmental delay (so autistic kids might catch up with neurotypical peers eventually)
I took it that she meant among "high functioning" adults, the communication was more direct, specific & precise. No need to "read the room" all the time & try to figure out the rules/ettiquette and/or motives of everyone all the time because people will just tell you
Funnily enough I became much more aware and accepting of my own tism during the awareness/acceptance month without even knowing that was the month for that lol.
We might be a bit too honest at times, but at least people will know straight away what you mean as autistic people generally don't use indirect language unless it is learned behaviour to fit in.
Unfortunately, the NT community dislikes this kind of honesty. In the eyes of NT people straight forward communication isn't "politically correct". It couldn't keep me from going my way, no matter what other people thought. It's tough (and you don't make many friends) but it's worth it. I've never done anything "to fit in". If NT people don't like me because of this attitude, well, so be it. It's part of my identity and I don't want to pretend to be someone else.
@@p.m.5141 I kinda got lucky as the people i usually hang out with don't mind the honesty, even if they don't like how direct i can sometimes be with that... I do get the part of not making friends, but at least they prefer me being honest over being nice. Never paid that much attention to whether or not they are NT or not though...
One time I was at my cousin’s graduation party and my uncle asked if I wanted seltzer water. I hate this drink, so I said “ No I don’t like that drink”. My uncle didn’t say anything and my brothers started to try to tell him I wasn’t trying to be rude. I apologized to him. I don’t know saying a drink that my uncle didn’t make was seen as rude. If he made it I would pretend to like it and say I’m full after drinking a decent amount.
Hi Sam i agree with everything you said, all those things happened to me apart from the Spice Girls, for me it was always Gary. Numan and one other Chris Packham who are fellow Aspis love your videos and big thanks for this one, take care see you soon bye,.
Only thing I have a question mark about. In my experience communication between an autistic girl or woman, and an autistic man, can also be problematic. Indeed between autistic girls it was always great for me; but I have known many autistic men, and communication seems to even be much more difficult than between me and an NT!!! For the rest: amazing video. Can help a lot, I think,
-Lotus- Oh yes, that's why I follow autistic women channels mainly. The communication is masking like a NT. The best male autistic RU-vidr is Andy. He display his autism more like a women. He open minded. And he happy with different opinions even if he doesn't agree with it. I was pretrade more like a aspergers male 10 years ago. I come along way as people tell me. I was selfish and narcissistic. I only saw things from my view point. Which as my family said at the time is aspergers.
my interests seem common, a teen girl who plays the sims and listens to BTS is nothing out of the ordinary, but i was way more passionate than other people. I would spend an entire day building a house in the sims and i would listen to BTS all the time. I researched everything about the sims, when someone would ask me a question i would go on and on about the sims. If someone asked me what my favorite songs by BTS were i would talk non stop about the music, lyrics, and the members. It seemed like i was obsessed with these in a way
Oh God, the Spice Girls thing really struck home with me. I didn't really see it as obsessive but I was very aware of my need to know and document everything, and that other people didn't do this despite liking them with equal or greater intensity. I just couldn't settle for an incomplete set of facts!
Wow this is so me...... I go to Adult literacy cause of executive order thingy you mentioned. I suck at journaling, reading, writing, I quite my job and started lawnmowing yet suck at that, I’m having trouble getting unemployment benefits cause it’s done on line, passwords, downloading Apps give me great anxiety.😟, I ask for help getting paperwork to send off but getting an envelope written a address and postal stamps are over me...... people try to help but there’s always another barrier to block.
I am autistic and everyday I feel like have dissociative identity disorder or imposter syndrome cause I feel like I have to put an act or mass all day but when I fully trust a person I am altogether a different person ,and people misunderstand and misinterpret
Mentioning chewing your lips as a stim at the very moment I was doing so. I've always had issues with chewing on stuff. My lips, pencils*, and even my shirts at one point. *It took mechanical pencils to get me to stop. I would even chew the metal and eraser when at school.
I was wondering and observing for quite a long time and figured that impulsive drinking and smoking when stressed can be hidden stiming. Also unpopular opinion, neurodivergents are not the majority of the population. I see everyday so many signs that a lot of people around me are probably autistic in some degree even complete strangers at the streets or work or in the public transport.
I have always believed & still do! If someone doesn’t want to communicate then that’s because they don’t want to. Leave them alone! However, that doesn’t mean they don’t want to communicate in their own way. Whereby, people have to pay attention! It’s up to the communicator & the interpretation! Interpretation can be vastly creative but not necessarily correct. Hence, we can fail. Therefore, I understand this... but nerotypicials do not ! = problem!
Big thumbs up I am Higjy sensory processing sensitive (or HSP as it is popularly know) I would never have said I was autistic in the sense of Rainman ish (however I am very non-linear in my life history - twice dropped out of school and I was the social four in my class because I had a chameleon super power I could make the geeks (autists with special interests valid and communicate and participate in social gatherings because I was a social butterfly and played with everyone Now I am 41 and having to find a social life after building my own work environment around me since the normal work life stressed me out and I couldn’t fit in I have had tremendous success- because I didn’t have boundaries and I was socially awkward but I made it work for me - and this has put me in a position to have met Price Harry, Governor of East Azerbaijan in Iran been appointed a SDG Hero 🦸♂️ and presented by UN and NGO forums as a “best practice for the world” - worked with top ministers of my parliament in Denmark and played games with them in the room where we made our constitution to make new social enterprises As well as building a company that will help make the planet green for the future - because one of my special interests and my gift of “green fingers”. My Matrix brain 🧠 can pretty much be given any task and you can expect It to solve any issue - give a bit of time - 48hrs usually Especially if you allow me to hyprfocus, give me playful information, physical activity/ sports and love/ social acceptance - anything can happen I wish I had been able to find the tools I needed a lot earlier - but I wouldn’t have wanted the stigma of a diagnose such as pathological autism as a dysfunction Perhaps a school for gifted would have been more appropriate - but it wouldn’t have helped me develop my bottom up empathic approaches in life I prefer accepting and coming to terms with the purpose of the fate that I had Even if suffered societal exclusion for a few decades and family stigma of not being “safe” and making the right choices for myself Thanks 🙏🏻 For being clear and explicit for people around to understand us and us each other :)
I’m on Tiktok if anyone is interested on how much I struggle with this or rather people. Same name. I just can’t explain everything as essential or easy as others. I try but people don’t get it! I’m so stressed by this! I understand! Yet I cannot make others understand my understanding and that I understand, but still have a tuff time actually understanding! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
I have a question about sensory sensitivity. It is kinda like sensory processing disorder (spd), right? I asked because people with spd can be sensitive or not sensitive. For example they may not feel touch much. Can people with autism be sensitive to somethings but be abnormally not sensitive to same other things. I hope this does make sense.
You should use the DSM5 to you shouldn't diagnoses yourself from Samdy video. You need 6 criteria of DSM5. If you had PDA ODD profile it still be autism spectrum disorder. Condition will never be in DSM. Because disorder means defected mind. And you need something wrong with you to see a psychologist in the first place.
I have ADHD, but often suspect there might be something more. I can relate to much of what you described but wonder why you consider ADHD as a comorbid condition?
You weren’t asked for a correction, so don’t “correct” people who didn’t ask for it. And also there are definitely more than 2 genders, so you are wrong and she is right.
@Kiwi Chips I was talking about correcting people's grammar. And even if not, I couldn't care less if people want or not to have their transphobia corrected.
