Autistic girl community on Sidechat | If you got diagnosed after 18, what experiences/symptoms/feelings led you to seeking out a diagnosis? I fear a diagnosis could be worth my time and money but curious about other situations!

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Autistic girl community 2d

If you got diagnosed after 18, what experiences/symptoms/feelings led you to seeking out a diagnosis? I fear a diagnosis could be worth my time and money but curious about other situations!

Anonymous 2d

look up autism symptoms in women because women (and people raised female) generally present differently than males! a content creator that i watched before i seeked a diagnosis was I’m Autistic, Now What? she has some videos on autism and adhd traits and symptoms, but keep in mind that autism presents differently for many people and she is not a medical professional! for me, i’ve always been looking for explanations for the feeling of alienation i’ve felt since i was younger

Anonymous 2d

Commenting because I wanna know this too

Anonymous 2d

“Autism is a spectrum doesn’t mean what you think” was a really helpful article I found that clearly described autistic vs non autistic traits Early on, it helped me to listen to autistic women content creators It helped me to know that a lot of autistic people struggle with recognizing their feelings. I then could recognize when I wasn’t understanding my feelings and practice introspection, which helped a ton

Anonymous 2d

Honestly, my therapist spotted it in me based on things I’d say and my experiences. I had friends with ADHD assume I had it too, and then get surprised that I didn’t know at the time. Lots of feelings of just something being different about me, like I can’t “human” right. Constantly being misunderstood. The many ways I stimmed without realizing. The many social issues.

Anonymous 1d

I was in therapy for BPD and my therapist was like “let’s just tack that on there”

Anonymous 1d

• friends growing up would conspire on if i was autistic or not • i have an autistic sibling and i was the one in the family who understood him best • i became an RBT and had some very STRANGE realizations!! i related to the clients better than my coworkers. let me tell you, it is *very* bizarre to realize you’re relating more to children than adult peers 🧍‍♀️

Anonymous

#2 2d

I started noticing my sensitivity to sound a year before I got diagnosed. I only noticed it then, but still didn’t realize it was a sensory sensitivity issue, related to autism. You might notice you’re not just emotionally sensitive, but sensitive to sound, taste, smell, texture, touch/pressure, light. I only started noticing when I really paid attention to times my body seemed to ‘react’ to certain things; Flinching at sounds, squinting my eyes outside, etc.

Anonymous

#2 2d

Oh and the meltdowns! Realizing I wasn't just having panic attacks. The way sadness or anger can almost feel unbearable and painful, at times. I really started considering it when I heard the experiences of many other, late-diagnosed, autistic women on insta.

Anonymous

#3 2d

I resonated deeply with disabled content creators even though (at the time) I didn’t have any disabling diagnosis. I resonated with the spoon theory of spending energy. I had to accommodate myself even though I wasn’t yet diagnosed with anything that would warrant that. It was so terrible cuz I didn’t have a diagnosis that would be disabling and yet I had to carefully plan my days around my energy and use tactics to conserve my energy in order to get through the day, just like disabled people.

Anonymous

#3 2d

It made me feel selfish. Like I was simply lazy and like I was using something not meant for me in order to make my life easier ☹️

Anonymous

#4 2d

i was diagnosed 3 months before my 18th birthday, so i wasn’t technically diagnosed after 18, but i thought this would help!

Anonymous

#6 1d

furthermore, i’ve always been freaked out by big crowds. i noticed certain sounds caused physical cringing. i seem to be the “odd man out” no matter the social situation. i found bullying as a friendship pursuit. i was 22 years old when i realized people are nice to you when they like you