Social Autism Awareness: Article

[Hannah Capps]

When I've spoken to others, there's often misunderstanding.

Fortunately, there's more awareness, for which I'm grateful. There is still no diagnosis for females with autism who are different; certain aspects are the same, but others are not. Many doctors weren't aware.

Here's the article I was featured in; I hope it's insightful.

SWEAT Autism Article

 

[Antiprosynthesis]

I have aspergers, actually in some ways I call myself an idiot savant. I have a highly gifted IQ but a lower gifted EQ, I have a lot of problems with social interaction and I dont seem capable in fitting in with what is considered to be normal in our society, I have a lot of business contacts but I only have one friend.

I must admitt, I dont want to be normal (wtf is normal anyway???) and I am very rebelious which makes like to provoce ppl, especially dumb ppl who like to show that by loudly saying statements of which you just know its BS, then I start to break his statements down with solid and rational, logic arguments and often supported by scientific study or what the topic fits.

Turns out, such ppl cant debate at all, they feel frustrated someone is publically showing how wrong he is and such ppl are too stupid to react with solid arguments, lose control and they all start a flooding of their favorite false reasoning, the ad hominem.

Now things go downhill fast as the others from his social group also start ad hominem flooding and ridiculing me, if I wasnt a pacifist I would at this point like to go on a killing spree, but I dont, I keep calm, the others, well they are not pacifists and start besides verbal agression also with physical agression, I very subtle and clever start insulting too in the hope that one soon snaps and tries to kick my ass, then I turn into an evil beast with an attack of sub psychotic severe rage, this is when I get real dangerous since I have no limits anymore now, I could easily beat someone to dead! What saves me everytime is that everybody is now too scared to fight with me and out of fear of me severely hurting their friend they break us up and then I start to come back to reality and slowly and relaxed walk away, biting my time, cause believe you me, at least one of such assholes will be killed by me before I die, and that will be the best day ever in my life...

 

[Hannah Capps]

Thanks for your life story! What did you think of the article? Anything insightful? Thank you again...

 

[RUC4]

Interesting. I have Aspergers as well. I was diagnosed when I was 19.
I was delayed in diagnoses so I couldn't take advantage of early interventional care. I've been a distance runner all my life. Running is the only time I feel free. It's the only time I'm not in sensory overload guaranteed. When I'm running with headphones on, I can finally think clearly. It helps my mood. It helps with everything.

Unfortunately, I had a major surgery in January and haven't been able to run since then, and also wasn't able to run in the 8 months preceding the surgery. I may be able to return to it one day, but not at the moment.

It's been super challenging for me to find other ways to get the relief running gave me.

 

[mr peabody]

Just in case this is of interest :

PSYCHEDELIC MEDICINE | AUTISM +70 articles

AUTISM | +70 articles

What one man learned when he treated his autism symptoms with psilocybin by Jesse Noakes | VICE | 20 Dec 2018 "That trip was like an '80s movie starring me. I saw what my life could be like, without computers and all that rubbish. It gave me the most hope I've ever known." The morning after...

bluelight.org

 

[Eligiu]

When I've spoken to others, there's often misunderstanding.

Fortunately, there's more awareness, for which I'm grateful. There is still no diagnosis for females with autism who are different; certain aspects are the same, but others are not. Many doctors weren't aware.

Here's the article I was featured in; I hope it's insightful.

SWEAT Autism Article

There is diagnosis for women and assigned female people for autism (I am a trans man, was assessed at age 26 and met criteria for level 3, though under the old diagnostic criteria i would have aspergers.

Basically, being assessed by someone *with experience* who specialises in the diagnosis of women, trans people, and anyone else not seen as 'stereotypically autistic' is what is needed for people like I assume yourself, who are able to camouflage their autistic traits (at great expense to self over time).

I was assessed by the developmental psychologist in my city with the most experience diagnosing autism in adults (women and trans people), and also differentiating between what is autism and what is likely trauma. Because I was able to easily describe the differences between autistic symptoms and stuff stemming from my trauma I was fine there.

At the end I asked her if I was autistic and her response was 'if you had been less intelligent, or assigned male at birth you would have definitely been diagnosed as a child.'

Granted, there is still limited visibility. I really recommend reading Unmasking Autism by Devon Price.

It took aaaaages for me to talk my parents into helping me get an autism assessment. I legit had to send fucking articles on masking symptoms and autistic burnout (which I've been stuck in for 2 years) for even my mum to accept it.

I just kept being fuckin told by people I was autistic. So I decided to find out and I was shocked at the result having to mask past my ability to cope.

 

[RUC4]

Unmasking Autism by Devon Price

I will most definitely look at this. Very interesting.

I would also be Aspergers under the old definition.

 

[Cheshire_Kat]

There is diagnosis for women and assigned female people for autism (I am a trans man, was assessed at age 26 and met criteria for level 3, though under the old diagnostic criteria i would have aspergers.

Basically, being assessed by someone *with experience* who specialises in the diagnosis of women, trans people, and anyone else not seen as 'stereotypically autistic' is what is needed for people like I assume yourself, who are able to camouflage their autistic traits (at great expense to self over time).

I was assessed by the developmental psychologist in my city with the most experience diagnosing autism in adults (women and trans people), and also differentiating between what is autism and what is likely trauma. Because I was able to easily describe the differences between autistic symptoms and stuff stemming from my trauma I was fine there.

At the end I asked her if I was autistic and her response was 'if you had been less intelligent, or assigned male at birth you would have definitely been diagnosed as a child.'

Granted, there is still limited visibility. I really recommend reading Unmasking Autism by Devon Price.

It took aaaaages for me to talk my parents into helping me get an autism assessment. I legit had to send fucking articles on masking symptoms and autistic burnout (which I've been stuck in for 2 years) for even my mum to accept it.

I just kept being fuckin told by people I was autistic. So I decided to find out and I was shocked at the result having to mask past my ability to cope.

Some of us didn't find out until much later in life (I was in my 50's before I was clinically diagnosed). I find it remarkable how the human psyche can cope. Some of the most intelligent and world changing individuals are autistic but it has it's price in how we react to most others. Personally I've accepted who I am and how often I will be misunderstood, despite my intentions of what would be termed normal interpersonal interaction.

 

[Eligiu]

Interesting. I have Aspergers as well. I was diagnosed when I was 19.
I was delayed in diagnoses so I couldn't take advantage of early interventional care. I've been a distance runner all my life. Running is the only time I feel free. It's the only time I'm not in sensory overload guaranteed. When I'm running with headphones on, I can finally think clearly. It helps my mood. It helps with everything.

Unfortunately, I had a major surgery in January and haven't been able to run since then, and also wasn't able to run in the 8 months preceding the surgery. I may be able to return to it one day, but not at the moment.

It's been super challenging for me to find other ways to get the relief running gave me.

Also, as an aside - I think you and many other women would be surprised to know that they are not level 1 like they have been led to believe having an aspergers diagnosis.

Level 1 is for people who are a fraction above sublinical my younger (male) cousin has an aspergers diagnosis as he was assessed when he was 14, over a decade ago.

He will never live independently. No cognitive difficulties. But he absolutely would be reassessed as level 3 if he had it done.

They changed the criteria to acknowledge the massive variations in functional ability of people with an aspergers diagnosis. Can be anyone from that autistic guy who is just a bit quirky, to someone who is intelligent, sometimes non verbal, and extremely rigid because the old criteria assessed cognitive ability as part of the diagnosis.

Now, I wouldn't ever state I'm as affected as my client who needs 24/7 care, but having been both level 1 and 3 I can state with certainty there is a *massive* difference.

 

[Eligiu]

Some of us didn't find out until much later in life (I was in my 50's before I was clinically diagnosed). I find it remarkable how the human psyche can cope. Some of the most intelligent and world changing individuals are autistic but it has it's price in how we react to most others. Personally I've accepted who I am and how often I will be misunderstood, despite my intentions of what would be termed normal interpersonal interaction.

Yes, that is not uncommon. For me I got a diagnosis because of working as a support worker at the suggestion of a close friend who constantly told me i was autistic. He told me to get autistic clients, and their parents constantly asked if I was on the spectrum.

I then looked back at my sensory issues as a child and was like hmm yeah that I can see, and when I did the RAADS test I scored well above the cut off of 65.

RAADS–R | Embrace Autism

The RAADS–R is a questionnaire designed to assist clinicians with the diagnosis of autistic adults who often “escape diagnosis” due to a subclinical level presentation.

embrace-autism.com

My score now is generally 200-210.

Another factor that made me suspect it was my BPD misdiagnosis. It's essentially a rite of passage for afab autistic people to gets slapped with a BPD label because men having meltdown is autism, women/afab people it's 'BPD hysteria'

But yeah. After reading a bunch about masking and all that... well one thing about my job is I just find it so easy. People tell me I must be amazing for doi f the work I do with autistic people and 'so patient and kind' and I'm like 'lol I'm autistic too'

I really hope more older people have the chance to realise they are neurodiverse. I honestly think my grandma might be.

I think when neurodiversity is more accepted things will be better. Not fixed, but accepting that autistic people are not the sole issue with communication breakdown is important.

The Double Empathy Problem discusses how when autistic people are paired with autistic people they have very few social deficits. However, when paired with a neurological person, BOTH groups display deficits and misunderstanding.

 

[Eligiu]

Some of us didn't find out until much later in life (I was in my 50's before I was clinically diagnosed). I find it remarkable how the human psyche can cope. Some of the most intelligent and world changing individuals are autistic but it has it's price in how we react to most others. Personally I've accepted who I am and how often I will be misunderstood, despite my intentions of what would be termed normal interpersonal interaction.

Interesting point on the autistic people being empathetic note - it's very common for autistic people to display empathy through shared connections - for example, bringing up a similar incident they experienced to show and demonstrate that not only do they conceptually understand but they genuinely emotionally understand how the other person feels.


Unfortunately, most NT people interpret this as an attempt to shift the focus of the conversation to oneself, and innately selfish.

Just one of those things.

 

[Eligiu]

@Cheshire_Kat @RUC4 @Hannah Capps a quote from a book I'm reading about people who are smart who mask their autism.

'Many of these stealthily autistic people fell back on their intellect or other talents to gain acceptance. Others became incredibly passive, because if they toned down their personalities, they wouldn't have to risk being too "intense." Beneath the inoffensive, professional veneers they had developed, their lives were falling apart. Many of them suffered from self-harm, eating disorders and alcoholism [I would substitute addiction in there but the point is made]."

- Unmasking Autism, by Dr Devon Price.

This book covers autism diagnosis in women, transgender people, those without the financial means to be diagnosed as children, and people of colour. Interesting read. I don't agree with all of it, as it frames autism as something we should all embrace' and lacks discussion from and about profoundly autistic people like my client who is unable to communicate at all, and will need all that support (for information about that type of autism from someone who has is I recommend Ido Kedar, a very very interesting read). But great information in there about autism affecting women, and I do recommend it for any women who are struggling with feeling isolated with an autism diagnosis and feel like there is no one who acknowledges that it exists.

 

[Cheshire_Kat]

@Eligiu Just wanted to touch bases with you on this book and some related stuff. I am wondering how many people fell through the cracks the way I did.

Don't think I'm going to read it as I'm in my 80's and have resigned myself to my fate, whatever that is... I am and have been asexual for decades although,I love my wife who is also autistic. We are as devoted as one can possibly be while having separate bodies, but have zero sexual interaction. I try real hard to empathize with with those who are both binary and non binary, but in the end am lost in a whirlwind of confusion due to actual lack of experience. Yes, I went though the motions in my life but it was definately a proxy, almost as if I was an actor expected to behave in a certain manner, but never ever felt the part.

Well at least being in my eighties I won't have as much more time to be in this bothersome puzzle.

 

[Eligiu]

@Eligiu Just wanted to touch bases with you on this book and some related stuff. I am wondering how many people fell through the cracks the way I did.

Don't think I'm going to read it as I'm in my 80's and have resigned myself to my fate, whatever that is... I am and have been asexual for decades although,I love my wife who is also autistic. We are as devoted as one can possibly be while having separate bodies, but have zero sexual interaction. I try real hard to empathize with with those who are both binary and non binary, but in the end am lost in a whirlwind of confusion due to actual lack of experience. Yes, I went though the motions in my life but it was definately a proxy, almost as if I was an actor expected to behave in a certain manner, but never ever felt the part.

Well at least being in my eighties I won't have as much more time to be in this bothersome puzzle.

Yeah, I can understand that. For me personally I don't really see much 'embracing' of my neurodiversity. It's been more of a problem than of a help. And at your age I can definitely see how it is easier to just continue as you are. I'm glad that you have someone like yourself to spend your days with. I'm largely asexual as well, and honestly I can only see myself having another autistic person as a long term partner.

 

[PtahTek]

Hey I do not have a lot to contribute here ATM but been thinking of this for as long as it has become more common (a couple decades).
I have thoughts on this topic and would love to share them here but it is very involved and it would take a while to post them with no thought process involved. Not my strong point I would rather do something about it. Just me.
Thank you for this thread as it makes it very convenient to be able to get perspectives on autism.
Maybe that's why I love BL so much it's like everything is here.
My love, family.