Poll please just open and vote

[LastLoveSong]

I dont have it i just want to see though

 

[LoiteringClouds]

When I was 20 my mom said I'm autistic, but later it turned out that it wasn't the case.
I was terrible at communicating because everybody had laughed at me and I had never be taken seriously.

Now I feel much more comfortable with it, because I have much less toxic people in my life. And this community is really a godsend for me!

 

[rozeske]

When I was 20 my mom said I'm autistic, but later it turned out that it wasn't the case.

Some parents have a habit of labeling their child autistic if they don't turn out the way they expected them to.

Am not autistic either but when I was a kid I made a simple suggestion to solve a problem we were having and my mom said she was so relieved as she thought I was autistic and wasn't capable of critical thinking. Sad thing is I was so happy and so proud because that was the best compliment I ever received.

 

[snow-angel]

I was diagnosed at 26 years old. I feel life may have been easier/different had I received a diagnosis in childhood

 

[FuneralCry]

Yes. I'm certainly not meant to exist in this cruel, disgusting world and I wouldn't ever wish to either. Being conscious and aware is a curse to me, existence has only ever caused me to suffer.

 

[ijustwishtodie]

Yes, I have it. It's absolutely awful

 

[Alex Fermentopathy]

I don't know. I had two online tests at different times. One said my autistic traits are moderately expressed. Another said they are slightly elevated. I do not consider it as my problem.
Does anyone know, does it qualify as having autism?

 

[LifelessStranger]

Probably? I don't really know.

 

[justcallmeJ]

Just got an official diagnosis a few weeks ago at 25, another reason to ctb ;(

 

[sanitystruggle]

Formally diagnosed at 30. Also have bipolar and C-PTSD.

 

[Throwawayacc3]

Some parents have a habit of labeling their child autistic if they don't turn out the way they expected them to.

Am not autistic either but when I was a kid I made a simple suggestion to solve a problem we were having and my mom said she was so relieved as she thought I was autistic and wasn't capable of critical thinking. Sad thing is I was so happy and so proud because that was the best compliment I ever received.

My boomer mum did the opposite. She said to me recently "put it in a box in your head and push it aside" really healthy lmao. All she was interested in was my attendance at school (some days I was horribly sick and still went in - to me it was "normal" but in reality it was really fucked up). And grades.

At my age now she now says "everyone has a bit of autism" "this woman I know her children got to 18 and don't have any support". So first it's just completely disregard it. Second it's : no point having a diagnosis as there is no help.

Fuck. I want to do it for me. I've had to become a bloody doctor and studied it in order to show the GP. What world do we live in where to get a diagnosis I need to be more knowledgable (medically) than a bloody GP. It's maddening. Had to use him to sign off letters and stuff as that's the "system". Still waiting from the National Autistic Society. Going to be a bloody long wait.

 

[Throwawayacc3]

I don't know. I had two online tests at different times. One said my autistic traits are moderately expressed. Another said they are slightly elevated. I do not consider it as my problem.
Does anyone know, does it qualify as having autism?

I did a few of those tests (just so that there was enough varied data). Scored high on all of them. You either have to pay £3800 to have a diagnosis done or go through the NHS. Best that you read up on some studies/papers because the GPs have no knowledge on it apart from the name itself.

 

[sanitystruggle]

I did a few of those tests (just so that there was enough varied data). Scored high on all of them. You either have to pay £3800 to have a diagnosis done or go through the NHS. Best that you read up on some studies/papers because the GPs have no knowledge on it apart from the name itself.

This sadly is true. When I had my diagnosis I was told by the local NHS trust that they have no adult services for autism, diagnostic or otherwise. It cost me £3100 to go privately almost 15 years ago. Not sure in hindsight it was really worth it other than for the peace of mind that comes from having it independently confirmed.

 

[Linda]

Autism is not a Yes/No thing. I don't consider myself to be autistic, but when I took the AQ test recently I scored 26. 32 or more is usually regarded as autistic, but the average allistic person scores just 16. So it seems I'm somewhere in the middle.

 

[sserafim]

Yeah. I was diagnosed with Asperger's/autism level 1 at 15 (as well as ADHD and social anxiety)

 

[Anhedonico]

Yes, I am in the boundary of ASD and I got my diagnosis when I was 30.

 

[alltoomuch2]

Yes. Late diagnosed with autism at age 60

 

[lita-lassi]

having ptsd/cptsd, ocd, bpd, gad, adhd and any number of other conditions will increase points or seeming likelihood of asd symptoms as well. its complicated and annoying

 

[penguinl0v3s]

All my friends turned out to be autistic and diagnosed late (happens with women).... and y'know what they say about birds of a feather. They're also commonly misdiagnosed with personality disorders and that's what I'm going through rn. I honestly don't know how to feel about this label, to me it means significantly less than other diagnoses because I don't consider autism a true disorder in that I don't think it's a disease that needs to be cured.

 

[Adûnâi]

Surprised only 28% are autistic in this space. I'm Ukrainian, so American mental health doesn't reach us that much, but I did get the Asperger badge of honour in June 2023. (I don't mind it, I am evidently dissimilar to normies.)

 

[AnxietyHangover]

O did that AQ test thing and I scored 30… It says 32+ is definitely autistic so I'm there… Am I surprised? Not really.

 

[Darkover]

Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ)
Your score was 38 out of a possible 50.
Scores in the 33-50 range indicate significant Autistic traits (Autism).

i've not been diagnosis

 

[ijustwishtodie]

I don't consider autism a true disorder in that I don't think it's a disease that needs to be cured.

Why not? Having autism is absolute hell for most autistics, including me. Just because a few people are okay with it doesn't mean that it doesn't need to be cured. My entire reason for being on this site to begin with is because I have autism. This world wasn't made for me at all and I'm suffering so much as a result of it

 

[penguinl0v3s]

Why not? Having autism is absolute hell for most autistics, including me. Just because a few people are okay with it doesn't mean that it doesn't need to be cured. My entire reason for being on this site to begin with is because I have autism. This world wasn't made for me at all and I'm suffering so much as a result of it

Hmm it's true that autistic people don't feel the same about their issues. But if I remember correctly, more autistic people than not consider Autism Speaks a hate group because they seek to cure autism, while they want to be known as different but not lesser. Neurodivergent people do know social cues, they are just different from those of neurotypicals.

 

[tsumihoroboshi]

i was misdiagnosed with aspergers when i was 18 and i got a re-diagnosis a couple years later and it turned out to be a plethora of other issues instead. some of them have the same symptoms as autism but heavier side effects. a lot of my friends have autism though. what i do have though is schizoeffective (used to have schizotypal (it has similar symptoms to aspergers which is why the misdiagnosis) and bipolar, but they got married so it's this now), borderline, generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder, learning disabilities (like dysgraphia, dyxlesia, dyscalculia) and trying to get a DID diagnosis but it's proving difficult, anddd possible aspd.

sorry if i'm conflating aspergers with autism, when it comes to the argument i'm not positive if they're supposed to be the same thing or completely different things based on many online arguments about it

ETA: i took that AQ test and "Your score was 19 out of a possible 50.
Scores in the 0-25 range indicate few or no Autistic traits." so definitely not.

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

I don't think I do, I'm just a manchild.

My sister has a very severe low-functioning form of autism and my dad likely has some undiagnosed Asperger's but I was evaluated at a young age and apparently they found I was normal.

 

[Silent_cries]

Some parents have a habit of labeling their child autistic if they don't turn out the way they expected them to.

Am not autistic either but when I was a kid I made a simple suggestion to solve a problem we were having and my mom said she was so relieved as she thought I was autistic and wasn't capable of critical thinking. Sad thing is I was so happy and so proud because that was the best compliment I ever received.

What makes her think that us with autism aren't capable of critical thinking? As an autistic myself I can right away say that we are indeed capable of critical thinking. Now I can't speak for everyone of course, but I am very much capable of critical thinking myself. I might me slower sometimes sure, but I can find solutions to problems too. Like when I stayed off of facebook for two days after being rly pissed to avoid doing something stupid out of anger like cussing everyone out or something. I'm not saying you are autistic, nor am I mad at you or your mom or anything. I just don't like it when ppl thinks that we aren't capable of certain things just bc of our diagnosis or the fact that we are socially awkward, so I felt the need to clarify it for you. I hope you understand where I'm coming from. No hard feelings, okay?

 

[Ash’Girl]

There are so many different diagnoses that overlap across the mental health umbrella. Essentially I was told I have borderline personality disorder, but I'm aware that a lot of my core traits overlap with autistic traits, and I'm aware that often people are misdiagnosed or late diagnosed - as well as possibility of having multiple overlapping conditions.

Nobody in a professional capacity has ever suggested I have autism, the online test I score 31, so it's possible but it's possible I don't meet diagnostic criteria but have high traits.

Honestly I have no idea.

 

[Throwawayacc3]

Had to do a case study on myself (have a folder) that I had to bring to the GP because they are so useless but love throwing Sertaline at you. National Autistic Society emailed GP for grant last week approx. It's been 5 months since initial contact from me/GP to the NAS. Getting any diagnosis is impossible without money.