I used to be a child therapist years ago and several of my clients had autism. One in particular loved your videos and was always talking about you (which is why i started watching your videos, to understand him better). Such a smart kid but he struggled with accepting his diagnosis and had trouble being okay with himself. I'm willing to bet he still watches your videos 7 years later and when he sees this, I can only imagine how much it'll mean to him that one of his idols, a genuinely good person, also has autism and can do so much in/for one community.
WELCOME TO THE AUDHD CLUB JACK!! Don’t look for cliques though, we still haven’t figured those out.. especially after the space one got into a literal war over Pluto’s reclassification years ago. Tim lost an eye…
@infinitylord1524 audhd. Autisim+adhd. It’s a pretty common thing actually, and I also have it. He’d definitely got the adhd side, you can tell if you’ve been watching for a while but the autism now is officially diagnosed. Hes likely on the “lower” end of the spectrum like me, what used to be called Aspergers, until people realized the guy it was named after was a german scientist in the 40s. Now we’re just “on the spectrum”.
heck yesss congrats on the diagnosis and im late af but thank you so much for sharing, it does help people a lot to see ppl like them and relate and learn more about ourselves and undo some internalized ableism/stigma around certain experiences appreciate you sm :> i am more parasocial than i realized bc hearing about this made me very excited tbh Oops and happy for you youre so right about the importance of speaking up about experiences to undo the stigma and normalize and help ppl understand themselves and other people more learning about stimming and masking and reading about stuff like that is so wild bc it is So Specific and experiences over your whole life start to make more sense and i notice myself stimming in some ways that i never had noticed as consciously before also learning more about how you work does make it a lot easier to be nice to yourself which is something i always struggled with, it has been a whole Journey learning about myself and autism and im sure it is for a lot of people it makes me very happy that you wanted to share your diagnosis to be uplifting for people who are bullied for it and to go against people who make it out to be shameful or cringe or whatever, its very weird and mean to paint it out like its a bad thing to say youre autistic
The whole "I have autism" "We knew" "Why didn't you tell me?!" interaction is basically a late diagnosis staple at this point. I was gently pushed to get tested by two of my closest friends at the time who were both autistic after they found out I didn't know I was. Because that's usually the thing - and it develops more the longer you have your diagnosis - for autistic people that know they are autistic it becomes SO OBVIOUS to us when someone else is that it's easy to forget that not everyone knows that about themselves. I had no clue because to me I was just me and that's how I was. I also figured that a lot of what I was experiencing was normal because I wound up hanging out with other autistic people and for some reason it never clicked that I was likely hanging out with them and not allistic (non-autistic) people because I could relate more. In fact, it never even occurred to me that I had more autistic friends than not - often, again, because people usually either don't know and thus don't see it or they DO know and can spot autism a mile away and forget that undiagnosed people usually can't so they don't think to mention it. I usually wind up trying to mention it to people I pick autism vibes up from because of this and because of how much my diagnosis helped me and it's been pretty much the same reaction every time: relief and gentler self-treatment. Turns out, a condition that affects communication can make communicating about it pretty tricky. Who'd'a Thunk?
@@coolman5268as a diagnosed autistic person, I 100% disagree. After reading this man’s story I feel fairly certain he’s one of us. The big giveaway is the “more autistic friends than non autistic friends thing.” And that’s a dead giveaway because I have met very few autistic people who have more non autistic friends than autistic friends. It turns out that when an entire portion of the populous communicates in a very different way to the majority, that that portion tends to find each other because then they understand each other.
Your story is my story. The "it's just how I function and it's normal" swinging wildly to daily, hourly moments of "Oh... Oh wait THIS is what they actually mean by [ENTER AUTISTIC TRAIT]" is wild. It feels a bit insane, but personally it feels like I'm cracking all the concrete layers of masking I'd been taught to build over me. It's so relieving and freeing.
I have Autism as well, welcome to the family lol. I knew I like you for reason other than th Irish accent and blood running through our veins. Oh and Happy Thanksgiving to you and Eveline. I hope I spelled her name right. I wish I could send you a photo of me and my Sam!
Considering autism still has this ''negative'' charge behind it because like you said, it's often misunderstood what autism actually entails. It's really great to see a person of influence like yourself to be open and honest about it and not to try to hide it. Everything you said is very relatable and spot on and I can tell you've definitely studied up a lot on the subject already. The ability to look inwards is really important! Something a lot of people could benefit from in order to embrace who they are. Thank you for sharing this message with the world!
yeah people are saying its because the diagnosis is being thrown around too much , but we haven't even been diagnosing the disorder even in the last century . so i think that more people getting diagnosed is creating a false narrative , where they think they think people don't actually have autism , where the reality is its because we have more qualified individuals dealing with cases such as autism and adhd more so we see it prevalent more .
@charliethechunkygamer1257 yeah, people like that think we live in a stasis and no new knowledge is being discovered and confirmed everyday, somehow the day you formed your worldview, science just completely stopped, that's why older generations refuse to believe autism is not just non-communicative boys playing with trains, because they've been taught to believe it and now it's scary to embrace the change. And who has rigid black and white thinking now, huh? 😄
@@peterpumpkineater6928its nuetral, one with autism is simply different nueologically, while the experiences an autistic person has that correlates to their autistic needs can be negatives. the struggles that come with living in a culture thats ill prepared for its citizens is whats negative and has nothing to do with the autistic person themselves but rather the failures of our society to be inclusive. -an autistic individual who is joyous about my differences
@@breathoffreshair7795 very well said . i have only seen autistic people belittled by people who have no understanding or refusal to understand . the latter more often than not . I wish people were more open to learn .
Oh damn, this is my exact same experience with my own recent Autism/ADHD diagnosis. It felt so good to finally know there was a reason why I didn't fit in, and had struggled so much. Thanks so much for being open about this, representation and increased awareness/normalization is great.
I grew up, an undiagnosed autistic child, watching you, an undiagnosed autistic man. Now, I'm a diagnosed autistic adult human, watching you still. Poetic. Edit: bonus that I also likely have more undiagnosed problems because UK mental healthcare is absolutely horrific :) Edit 2: hello fellow autistics :0
I do not know why you felt the need to specify that you are human, do you have something to hide? Are you perhaps, an alien? A skinwalker? A deer? TELL ME!!!
honestly i was diagnosed as a child but honestly had no idea until i was a teenager what being autistic really meant, even then i was diagnosed yet again with more traits of autism
This is such a humanizing video for autistic people. I've been watching you since I was 12, and now I am 22. I have always struggled in school and was bullied because of being Autistic, and you were one of the few comforts in my life at the time. Thanks for sharing and being a wonderful representation of the diversity of the Autism spectrum that doesn't just encapsulate the stereotypes.
@@THEBIGUN I do hope for you, as I do everyone, turn those boundaries into a map of exactly what you can be adept in. Your 20s are where you really get a chance to shine, technically. (as in technical knowledge) Thanks for passing on/back to everyone.
One of us! One of us! Thanks for sharing 💜 This was great and I appreciate all the things you do as well as how vocal you are about taking care of yourself. We need more of that
I have Autism and ADHD witch is one of many reasons why i love you so much jack. Its so nice to see someone with those difficulties being so happy and funny and fearless to the camera. Thank you Jack 💚
Yes! Thank you! Saying what we're all thinking! Even those in the community who don't have those things, we're all just a big family, regardless of differences 😊
I felt this I have them both and my ADHD is heavily severe which affects my autism I feel I also feel with jack cause I have horrible anxiety and depression I'm even bipolar which doesn't help at all
As a fellow AuDHDer, welcome to the club lol. I. Glad you’ve been able to figure things out! It can be a huge relief to finally have answers for your experiences!
Great message. For the girlies out here: autism and ADHD in girls and women is a lot harder to recognize, even by professionals. We don't always show the same behavior as men, but the symptons are usually based on studies with boys and men. If you suspect having autism and/or ADHD, please try to seek help and ask for someone who is specialised in Autism and ADHD in women. You don't have to struggle all by yourself.
The misogyny that's still staining the medical field like blood makes it nearly impossible to get officially diagnosed, esp in the States -tried last month, the traits are obvious, and the dr just wouldn't listen and was completely ignoring what I was there for
Got tested in the early 2000's as a kid, but because I was a girl my neurodivergent behaviour was swept aside. I first took ADHD meds when I was 28 years old, and I cried for days because finally I could quiet my brain down somewhat, and I was in shock that apparently all 'normal' people's brains worked like that. It's never too late to figure things out for yourself. ❤️🧡💛💚
I have ADD and i take medication that is supposed to help with my anxiety and depression but also helps with bipolar symptoms and that runs in my family as well as autism but idk where to even start with testing for that stuff as an adult woman
As a special education teacher I LOVE how you’re talking about how different autism can be in different people and even different stages of life. All of the love, blessings, and support in the world Sean. ❤️
As a one-to-one Para-educator working with disabled adults (18-22) I think there is a lot of fear from people who don't interact with students like the ones we work with. It's hard for people to look past the communication difficulties, stimming, and development limitations some of them have. I've found that students in my program have an immense capacity for kindness and tend to be far more upfront and honest with you (in general). We have substitute teachers that will not touch a high school classroom with a 10 foot pole (other half of the campus) but will come to help with less than a day's notice for our disabled adult students because of those qualities.
Your autistic experience and how you function and your personality is so extremely similar to mine and I've always felt such a kinship with you since the very beginning of your RUclips career. Thank you so much for making this video and talking so candidly about all of this. So excited to participate in Thankmas this year!!
I will have to fully agree with you, I am EXACTLY the same as him and probably you, and I have the tests for adhd, but not for autism, but how he explains it, I would not be suprised if I have autism as well.
I'm the same way as well, I've been a fan of Jack since before FNaF as well (that's where a lot of us probably found him) and I've always felt close to him in a way
same here. i’ve been a fan since i was 11, i’m 23 now; diagnosed adhd and realized that all along i am very likely autistic too. even the way jack explains his hyperanalazying of others, social masking, and always being introspective and wanting to understand how his brain works: that all describes me to a T. no wonder i’ve resonated with his content so much over the years ❤
I had not heard of the connection between Autism/ADHD and hypermobility before now, thank you. Ive experienced more than 20 subluxations/dislocations over the years and was always told EDS and other connective tissue disorders didnt fit quite well. Its always been something ive still wondered in the background, it feels reassuring to know its probably not some additional underlying condition and more likely just another one of those 'spectrum of symptoms' due to the interconnected nature of the body.
This is why you are my favorite RUclipsr. You are real, upfront, and not afraid to talk about these topics. I wish you all the best in the new year with your goals and breaking down walls!
0:10 - I am glad this was my VERY FIRST thought when I saw the thumbnail of the video. - much love Sean, on this note I have always thought you and Thomas Tomska Ridgewell are very much same text different font.
Seeing Jack self-actualize before our eyes has been a very unique experience. It’s definitely a parasocial thing, but I’m proud of him for being himself, accepting himself, and striving to better understand himself.
It’s only parasocial if you cross certain boundaries, which I don’t think you did! Your comment seems genuine and I actually have to agree with you about witnessing Jack grow and change
Basic empathy isn't parasocial, it's normal. Parasocial is more or less when you think you know them better than anyone, think you're friends with them, etc. I hate that people took "parasocial" and used it to shoot down any instance of caring about another person :/
Hey jack!! I have been a fan since the beginning i also have Autism i was diagnosed at 1 years old im now 17 i was born in the late 2000s and had a majority of my childhood in the Early 2010s im so happy that one of my fav youtubers has Autism Autism is a great spectrum
3:11 THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP HYPERMOBILITY!!! I'm not autistic, just adhd, but autism and hypermobility run in my family. it really needs to be talked about more when connected with adhd and autism! I only found out about it BECAUSE I was diagnosed with adhd at 17, and started to look into connected issues. me and my family are 99% sure it's hypermobile type ehlers danlos syndrome. the only reason my cousin was diagnosed was because I was diagnosed with hypermobility and brought it up, it's insane how not talked about it is when it's so common, ESPECIALLY with neurodivergance.
Me and one of my big sisters (were both aspies) have hypermobility, none of my other siblings have it. Definite connection between autism and hypermobility.
ADHD and Autism are very similar, so much so that some experts think that ADHD belongs on the Autism spectrum. I have ADHD (doctor diagnosed) as well, but many of those symptoms overlap, and it makes me wonder
No really though, I should not have had to learn about that on tiktok cuz no one else mentioned it. Learned I had EDS and that's why I have such an extreme tolerance to any kind of medicine. Like that's important to know if I ever have to go under cuz I can have a tolerance to anesthesia and that's something that the doctor needs to know beforehand but no one knows about it. Now I hope I never have to have surgery 😬
Hey, I’m proud of you for telling us. I have autism too, and I agree that talking about it is helpful and important. A lot of people are told they “can’t have it you act social”, and so they feel imposter syndrome or don’t get diagnosed. It can be a really good feeling hearing people have similar experiences to your own.
the two replies above mine are either bots or extremely stupid people... either way, as a fellow person who is probably autistic albeit not yet diagnosed, i feel very good about the openness and support in this whole community! :)
@@cr1s1s0ff41th I’m glad that you feel good about the community! If you ever venture for a diagnosis I wish you luck, and if not we are here to welcome you with open arms:)
I mentioned to a coworker that I wouldn't be surprised if I were on the spectrum (I have never been tested and don't know that I would at this point) and she looked mildly offended and said "No, you're nothing like my grandson. HE has autism..." and continued to deny any possibility of it being the case... I never said that I was autistic-and never will say so unless I am assessed and subsequently diagnosed-just that I wouldn't be shocked if a professional informed me that I was. Her immediately shutting me down kind of hurt if I'm being honest, but I'm not sure if that was a "valid" feeling for me to have in that moment 😕
Welcome to the autistic community, Jack! We've got fidget toys and cookies by the door and weighted blankets on the couch! We're happy to have you! In all seriousness, I'm really glad that you're contributing to repainting Autism in a positive light using your own gifts and superpowers! As a neurodivergent therapist that specializes in assisting other neurodivergent folks to discovering and understanding who they are, it makes me really happy to see that you're also taking steps to explore this part of yourself! I look forward to hearing more about your experiences and your journey in the future.
Honestly so lovely to hear you talk about how much diagnosis has improved the way you see yourself - I went through the exact same thing when I was diagnosed as autistic. It just made my whole life make sense, helped me understand myself so much better, and has helped me both be kinder to myself and advocate for my needs much more. It's also really good to hear you talk about how you navigate communication as it can be easy to forget that other people go through the same struggles I do of having to almost treat talking to other people like some kind of puzzle, and it's comforting to know other people know what it's like to have to be constantly hypervigilant when trying to talk to people.
Jack having Autism makes me feel so much better about being neurodivergent myself. Like, it’s so nice to have such a huge creator be neurodivergent and showing that you can be just as successful as anyone else and that having Autism or ADHD isn’t bad. God I love this man :)
@@Wizardsaresquishy i actually have a theory about this -- i haven't done much research about it, it's mainly just vibes, but here's my two cents anyway. autistic people can struggle in more social jobs due to overstimulation and/or masking, and people with ADHD can struggle with the deadlines and schedules mandated on them by management. however, if you're a content creator, you don't have those social norms to worry about in your interaction; it's easy to unmask autism. being in control of your work environment helps prevent overstimulation. you can choose your own deadlines and schedules to fit your workflow if you have ADHD. also, many content creators make content off of media, either by consuming or analyzing it. that fits neatly with the fixations that people with ADHD and autism frequently have, becoming a great boon for motivation and general morale. add to that the fact that many neurodivergent people are avid internet users, and there's a massive audience that will tend to relate to you and enjoy the content you create. that's what can help lead to them being successful. so that's my theory, and i think it fits well with how people with autism and ADHD generally function. of course this doesn't hold true for everyone, neurodivergent people very much can hold normal jobs, i just think the content creator life plays well to their strengths and mitigates their weaknesses.
@@zeosummers3984 not really. Every single major RUclipsr I’ve ever seen has some sort of neurodivergency. I’ve seen so many of them that I can’t remember all of their names, but every single one of them has either ADHD, high functioning autism or both. At that point, with several dozen examples, there’s no way it’s a coincidence.
One of us! One of us! One of us! I was also diagnosed late with both autism and ADHD, thanks for sharing your journey with us! Congrats on your diagnosis!
I was diagnosed with Autism at age two. As a result, I've never really felt like I fit in anywhere, and your videos gave me a lot of hope. So to hear that one of my favorite RUclipsrs is on the Spectrum alongside me really warms my heart and gives me a sense of belonging. I stand with you, Sean, and it's nice to have you amongst us.
This comment with like 2 likes appeared at the top of the comment section for me. Ironic because it deserves to have enough likes to belong there. The algorithm simply knows.
I'm still undiagnosed, I probably have either just autism or am audhd. But ever since my friends pointed out I too might be autistic, I've given myself more space wrt what might be masking, social exhaustion and getting overwhelmed from stimuli. I am a social person, but it's been easier to recognise when I'm pushing myself too hard and to draw the line earlier and go "actually I need to bow out or I'll be dead for the rest of the weekend". It IS easier to be kind to yourself when you realise what might set you off and you learn what signs to look out for. I don't necessarily need a label, but it IS nice to have this idea of potentially helpful coping mechanisms, and who I am and why I am the way I am. And that's really a relief and only good for self-care ❤️
I have autism/AUDHD too, I've never felt so seen by a video. having that understanding and prerogative to be gentle with yourself after finally knowing *why*. I'm so happy for you Sean!!! there's nothing quite like having it all fall into place
People tell me to get tested (both for ADHD and Autism), and I tell them that’s never going to happen. At 33yo I don’t see how a diagnosis will make a difference to my life or other people’s lives. Also, people say they don’t but once you’ve been diagnosed people look and think about you differently.
@@angelofmalice0 Jacksepticeye is a year older than you and clearly he benefits from being diagnosed in some way. It probably won't make much of a difference but knowing won't hurt. As for not wanting other people to treat you differently...you don't _have_ to tell them if you've been diagnosed. It's not their business.
@@angelofmalice0 I think I know how you feel. My family and the spaces I grew up in were/are filled with a lot of clearly undiagnosed neurodivergent adults who talk about how, "oh, but everyone deals with this and that and so on, they're giving out too many diagnoses nowadays for normal experiences," or, "we used to just suck it up," and so on. It feels so ironic because they will act supportive yet not really empathize with people who have these diagnoses. It's also so frustrating as someone who has multiple barriers to an official diagnosis, like many people do, so then you're expected to suffer just to tread water like they have.
@@YayaFeiLong I disagree that this has actually been a benefit to him, I’ve watched the same video as you and I fail to see how it is helpful. I dunno maybe we’re just very different people in that respect.
@@angelofmalice0 I was just diagnosed at 31 and it's changed my entire life! I have so much more access to more specialized resources that actually help me. I've learned tons of autistic specific ways of learning and I'm making actual progress in some skills that I stagnated in. I'm starting to learn how to unmask & stim which gave me a peek into joy for the first time since I was a child. And (I know it sounds woo, but it works) I was able to use an "autistic friendly" version of EMDR that actually worked for the first time and I've made progress in my trauma work for the first time in my life! And that's just a few months in. Everyone is different and nobody should be pushed to get a diagnosis if they don't want to, but I wanted to just put some more concrete examples for folks of what could be out there past a diagnosis. (Knowing I'm also super privileged to have access to all of this!)
A popular public person speaking out about their Autism/ADHD is a major victory and freeing thing for many people. If you inspired just 1 person to get diagnosed or to step out into themselves without fear you have changed the world. Thank you Jack for being you and letting everyone see it.
I completely agree with the “getting the answers about myself” part in particular. I felt confused about myself, and my autism diagnosis felt like a weight was lifted and I was able to understand myself better. So cool to hear that it’s a relatable experience. Love you Sean!
Yeah I agree. I've been asked so often "are you REALLLLYYYYYYYYY autistic??" or told "but you dont SEEEEEEEEM autistic" like it's so upsetting to me that (some) people believe you have to be so overtly 'different' to be considered autistic.
meh i never gave a shit if people believe me about anything or not. Fuck what other people think, my life will never revolve around what others think or believe about me.
yeah my mom thinks this way because she helped autistic kids in the 90s who were non-verbal etc. and she thinks they all are like that and i had to explain to her there's different spectrums now😭
ya iots really annoying when you tell someone adn they just tell you nah you don't have it. Like have you spent hours researching autism like I have? or are you just going off of the stereotypes you have heard??
"im autistic" "but you're so social!?" "but you're just like everyone else..." people dont understand that that means we're masking pretty well, and its reinforcing that our mask is solid... which, isnt always a good thing. i hope this DX helps you learn more about you. figuring out i was an AuDHDer, instead of just ADHD, my life flipped upside-down, but in a good way. i finally looked back on many things and it made sense. i wasnt broken, i wasnt stupid, or lazy, or just over-emotional, the picky eating ( STUPID RAISINS >:( ), and every other bad thing we've been told, and tell ourselves. "knowing is half the battle" but, sometimes, it feels like its more than half. knowing literally saved my life, because i couldnt understand why holding a job was so hard, why it felt like no one liked me, even when i had many people who genuinely loved being around me, just one perceived negative reaction to me was enough to send me into a bad spiral. but, now i know, i'm not alone out here, im not the odd one out, and im not broken, just different. i know how to regulate thanks to talking to other autistic adults who knew for longer, i learned to unmask and let myself be. thank you for being you all these years, being open, and making all of us feel so welcome to just exist for a while, and know that its okay to be us here.
@@ElectricChair-00 I like them too, but I bet there is some other food stuff you just cant stand the texture of. Mine is fresh unbaked onions and boiled chicory b.t.w. Not the taste, I like that, but the whole texture feels just wrong in my mouth.
I don't even mask well. Most of my signs got picked up on but dismissed as being rude. I've noticed NT's have this thing where most things need a really basic explanation and then they can forget about it. Like fat people are fat because they eat junk 24/7. Poor people are poor because they're lazy. Their friend is weird because they're introverted. Anyone who complains is just an attention-seeker. That kind of thing. That wouldn't work for me. My autism side, sadly, isn't all that much about trains or math but the world and people. It's never been an option to just find the quickest answer and leave it at that. Like, we all know there are going to be people in these comments who don't believe ADHD and autism are real because the behavior is 'normal' and they never bothered to learn what a disorder is even though if you tell them you have a suitcase that is disorderly they wouldn't go YOUR SUITCASE IS THE SAME SUITCASE AS MINE IT CAN'T BE DISORDERLY.
I feel like you just wrote my same experience... except with the picky eating, I didn't have that. But the masking.... I became a chameleon. To the point I didn't even who my own self was. It's scary. But you're absolutely right, we're not broken. I'm glad you learned to unmask and accept yourself. I'm still working on that part
My son has autism and he loves your videos! Thank you for sharing! Its an important conversation to have. I knew very little about autism until my son was diagnosed. Now I find myself explaining to people that autism is a spectrum. "But he looks so normal". Getting real tired of hearing that. Thank you for talking about it. ❤️ Love your channel even more.
Thanks Sean, you talking about this really does help people with the stigma of autism. I’ve had the thought that I might have autism along with adhd for awhile but I never really acknowledged it. Hearing you talk about your experiences and how your adhd treatment didn’t quite fit made me decide to talk about it with my therapist and it has helped me a lot. I don’t have a formal diagnosis but knowing it’s a strong possibility has allowed me to better understand myself and create better strategies for my mental health. You sharing your struggles really does help people so thank you ❤️
Gosh.. I grew up watching you. I'm also late-diagnosed at 24 as a female. It's really validating to see someone I enjoyed and often helped me cope with a lot of my struggles being diagnosed and speaking up about the stigma and stereotypes of Autism. I love how you put it.. we are the same people, we can see and be gentle with ourselves a little bit more. Thank you so much for the awareness you're bringing ❤❤️
I am in the same boat! i grew up with tourettes and was never diagnosed due to weird complications, but this video has definitely given me insight how to look at it
I got diagnosed for adhd when I was 13/14 and autism when I was 15 i think? And it's honestly so nice to see so many others have it like me, like I did not expect jack to have autism but I'm very happy he talks about it and is always himself no matter what.
I was also diagnosed late with autism (and schizo-affective disorder) at 25 and that was only after I started contemplating suicide. I had no one to turn to and was always told I was making things up or doing stuff for attention and too young to have any problems....it took an aunt I never knew existed who had found out about me through my dad (who it turned out had been complaining to her about me for who knows how long) to recognize that something really wasn't right, realize my family wouldn't do anything about it and convinced me to move in with her so that she could help me get the help she knew I needed. I'm still here today because of her.
In hindsight after posting this, I realize I owe a little thanks to my dad. If he hadn't been bad mouthing me so much, my aunt would've never found out about me so I guess there's my silver lining in that.
14:32 “that’s weakness to me, you’re scared of being alone with yourself and loving yourself” THIS SEAN THISSSSSS! I’m grateful to see a human with a large platform agree with this sentiment. Thanks for being so real and human, it really does maintain hope
When I got my diagnosis, all I could do was cry. I've gone through life knowing that there was something wrong with me. But could never pinpoint exactly what it was. I always thought I was normal despite having anxiety, depression, etc. but finally it dawned on me last year that something was *not* right with me. I didn't process things like everyone else. So when I got tested, which was difficult to even find a place that did autism testing on adults, and spent a lot of money that I really didn't have to have it done and got my results, it was like a weight lifted off of me. Finally, I knew why I was a different, and I could get treated for the symptoms of my autism. Life is still very difficult, but now I know how to handle it one day at a time. You're not alone in this, you've got an awesome community backing you and others out there who are just like you. You've got this. :)
I hope that the people treat you and Jack well. Despite knowing my diagnosis for years now my mother still doesn't treat me well (somehow I'm supposedly able to do everything myself despite saying I can't yet also I don't get to do any decisions either. So the worst of both worlds)
@nikkireigns for me (could be different depending on what country you are in, but still similar) but I was 23 when I was diagnosed and a born female so it's alot harder to get diagnosed sometimes. But it was fine, it is like therapy, they ask questions about your mental health, your childhood, behaviours, patterns, OCD, they go through different diagnosises you could possibly have and they test your IQ as well doing puzzle like tests, maths tests, what you think certain words mean and how you can explain it to them, memory tests, and they also assess your body behaviour and how you react to them during the assessments. It's usually quite pricey but in my opinion it was totally worth it. Am currently in the process of getting ADHD medication since I have mostly innatentive ADHD and can't focus on anything, and I am already diagnosed with autism. If you are looking for answers and want to know yourself better, eve if it doesn't turn out you have it, or wether you do, it is still good to do and good to find out what is going on in your own brain. :D
I'm so proud of you for opening up Sean! 😊 I was diagnosed with ADD at age 8. We hide our tism well because we grew up with it and know our own self best!
My son is so excited that you’re also autistic because he’s a 14 y/o autistic kid and the world is cruel already as a teen let alone an autistic one. He now feels uplifted because a well known RUclipsr also has autism! He already has a RUclips and I keep telling him to stick with it if it makes him happy. So thank you so much for sharing, it has given him new confidence. ❤
My view on autism is like having a "super power", you just need to find your power to thrive in your life, if that makes sense. It takes some time to find your "super powers", but once you find them nothing can stop you. If you have a bad experience early in your life it does not mean your life will not get better at later times. For me it took only one mentor with the right mindset and who does judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree to change my way of thinking, he was a great colleague and a friend while I was working in the same company. Before that the most of the people in my surrounding told me that I will never succeed in my goals, that I was lazy, I was weirdo and various names they could think of. So shortly: 1. Never let people tell you who you are, you define yourself, 2. Do not let your fears to stop you from progress in your life, take them as a challenge and you will always benefit from that, 3. Use all of your frustrations from your life and focus it into something useful from which you can benefit later in life, there is no greater revenge in your life than becoming successful in what you do. This is what helped me. Today I live in a different country doing the job I always wanted to do, I do my hobby for a living. Sometimes the problem does not lie in ourselves, sometimes we just need to change our surrounding to thrive. I found out I have autism only after my 30s, accidently. He is lucky having you to support him.
Thank you Jack for talking about your autism diagnosis, being in the world rn as an autistic person feels so alienating and it makes me so happy to see my favourite childhood RUclipsr come out and talk about being autistic. It explains why I always felt welcomed watching you play games and being in your community as a child; and just not feeling so alone while watching your videos. It was like a safe space of no judgement/ableism for my autistic brain and I’m glad that safe space was well founded. People all too often online show autism to be so negatige or comes out saying the most ableist stuff and it makes other people view themselves negatively in turn and it really needs to stop. Thank you!!!! and welcome to the club Jack!!!!! Xxx
My heart goes out to you my guy. Less than a year after my own "OOOhhhhhh!" moment with Autism I totally get "why did nobody tell me?" I'm 45... If I can offer you one thing to make the coming days easier - don't let yourself start the "If I had known this then" game - it's a painful distraction that has no good to repay you with for the trouble. If you find yourself in that headspace, proactively find something productive or fun (which is a mode of productivity for the human animal - we need it) to occupy your mind before the downward spiral gets a hold on you. Thank you for coming forward so directly and openly.
I'm 30, and it's been hard years trying to accept I'm somewhere on the spectrum, and even so I'm always pushing back an official diagnosis because of how I was raised and the stereotypes that go with it
The pain of looking at the past and what could have been is very real. I had to fight for so long to figure out what was "wrong" with me, that when I finally got my autism diagnosis I not only felt relief, but also a bitter sadness. It is so easy to wish you had known sooner, to curse all those "professionals" who tell you that nothing is wrong with you. I still can sometimes fall into thinking about ‘what if’ scenarios. But we have to look at the now and focus on making a better life for the current us instead, thank you for bringing it up ❤️
@@MonakalizasArt same here, but 26. OCD type thoughts of wanting to experiment with things at 20/21 just before covid hit were really distracting me from the final semester of uni which was already quite difficult and the pandemic timing was a blessing (unfortunate for those who were really affected, lost a family friend to it and a childhood friend apparently took his life because of isolation which hurts). I've been putting it off but maybe this video and reading the comments is making me think I should really chase it during 2025... I have been working a part-time job for nearly 18 months at min wage which isn't what my calling is but I'm struggling to see a way out and I want to find myself this next year... wow I'm having deja vu writing this comment like I did it before somehow
Thank you. Thank you so much. You have no idea how amazing this is to have you publicly say this. You are 100% correct. We need this normalized. Ive had ADHD my while life and a lot of things you said has made me think I need to get tested myself. Even if I'm not, this is just an amazing thing to have you talk about. It also reminds people that all content creators In All factors are real people also
It feels weird but comforting knowing Sean has the exact same diagnosis as me, adhd, anxiety and autism. Funnily enough autism was my last diagnosis since it would come out as other symptoms of my adhd and anxiety and I had gotten good at masking.
Right! I nice to see that so many people like him so much. It really makes me think that maybe I am tolerable and I just don’t see myself that way because of the things I deal with.
Thank you for pushing this conversation forward. I had a similar experience myself. Diagnosed at 13, and I have to thank my mom for being so supportive and accepting because there was still a lot of stigma at the time. Finding out helped me to make sense of my own behaviors and thought patterns which made it easier to accept myself rather than thinking there's something "wrong" with me.
my parents were pushing for an autism diagnosis so they could convince the state that I was incapable of taking care of myself and get money for it. turns out it was just super bad, completely uncontrolled ADHD that I was later officially diagnosed with.
I have diagnosed OCD, and even with it, I always felt like an outcast in between people with OCD. You actually made me research a lot more on how OCD and Autism can occur together! Going to visit a professional soon. Thanks for voicing it out, and encouraging to get the assessment for Autism done
I have Autism ADHD and OCD and my experience is very similar to yours! I’ve known about the OCD for years but it never seemed to explain everything and I felt so clueless until I started researching autism and ADHD and got unofficially diagnosed by my psychiatrist.(He said he didn’t want to give me an official on-paper diagnosis so it wouldn’t bar me from certain opportunities in life or smth)
@@Bubba.mitchell4603 I'm autistic and have OCD :) autistic people are statistically much more likely to develop OCD. The way I explain the distinction between the two in myself is that my autistic routines bring me joy and my OCD routines (compulsions) do not.
Same. I have always felt different around people who only have OCD, like there is something else at play. I suspect i am likely autistic, but i don't want that to be the case because i don't like the idea of having something that never truly goes away.
I’m currently living on my 18 extra year’s! I had just turned 14 when I was diagnosed with all the changes my body was going through just wasn’t ready to hear the diagnosis driving me to the point of standing on a railway bridge thinking I would lessen the burden for myself and my parents if I leaned forward. 31 turning 32 it’s been tough but I now realise I wasn’t a burden and Autism is one of the best things about me my world is such that I don’t judge I embrace difference. Love to all of those diagnosed or not you are perfect in an imperfect world.
You bring up a lot of good points. When I hear the word “autism” it always has to be a negative, but the more you spoke about it, the more I realized it was just an explanation for particular behaviors. The questions you described definitely have answers that might be different in me than in others. I might go get tested because of this. Seán thank you for sharing. Your neurodivergence makes the things you’ve accomplished all the more impressive. I’m grateful for you and your community this Thanksgiving.
As someone on the spectrum I see it as a double edged sword. It’s like a superpower in certain areas and a detriment in others. Although I suppose you could say the same of neurotypical brains as well. We all have our strengths and weaknesses.
I also have Autism, and it is nice to finally be diagnosed. Sometimes having adult diagnosis means we spent a lot of time drowning without help. You and Mark are easily neurodivergent which is why I've always felt safe with you. Thank you for sharing your story
Eeeeeyyy!!! Autism gang, woooo!!!! Thank you so much for talking about this. I super appreciate you explaining some things that are difficult for you because it's so important, as an autistic person especially, to be able to relate to other people. I haven't heard anyone talk about the SHEER AMOUNT of processing it takes to have a single conversation, but I'm so glad you did. It's so difficult to explain to neurotypicals. It's so difficult to get them to understand not only how fast we have to filter information in order to be able to respond at a socially acceptable and/or non-awkward speed, but also *how many filters there are*, like you said, from tone to body language and expressions, to social expectations and rules, to implications and subtext, to-- Then to run your own potential response through almost those same filters to make sure that you come across and will be received exactly how you intend to... Not to mention the amount of brainpower it takes to do that, again, with every interaction... It's so hard. So proud of you, Sean! Here's to a year of self discovery and understanding, being kinder to one's self, and taking a stand against the difficulties of the industry and negative stereotypes against neurodivergency. Thanks for being you. :)
I think I have autism as well and this is exactly how I explained to my mom and brother how much work I have to do daily just to comunicate with people, especially people I don't know like strangers at work or even my coworkers. The amount of mental work I have to do to make sure I am understood and also understand what the other person is telling me is exhausting. Add in sensory issues too much sound, too bright of lights, my clothes feel weird on me...plus physical issues that are causing near constant pain and discomfort. As well as my auditory processing issues, dyslexia, anxiety...everything adds up and too quickly. But those things are near impossible to understand unless you also experience them. I really want to go in and see if I honestly do have autism because at this point if its not autism I don't know what it is. It'd just be nice to know, ya know?!
got me a bit emotional how u said that it's nothing but a win, an answer to who you are, and going easier on yourself. i relate so damn much! got diagnosed with adhd last year, and i'm just 19 but GOD i hated myself SO MUCH. i look back and just get sad you know? how hard i went on myself, and how much i cried when i started researching adhd on my own and being like "oh my god, someone gets it. it ckicked!". it's so great for you to make this video, and be an amazing example of how diverse neurodivergency can be. we love ya jack!! ty :D
As someone with Adhd, I can relate to the self-hatred over it, especially the relief when finding people who empathize completely I was diagnosed with combined Adhd at 7 (my second grade teacher insisted I get tested). By middle school, it finally clicked how different I was. In high school, I hated myself for aspects of my life that were hindered by my adhd. At 19, I found my diagnosis papers, learned about what my exact symptoms were and it explained so much. (Because I was diagnosed young, I wasn’t directly taught what my symptoms were, besides attention-span issues)
@@strxwbxrry_420 How do you handle it? Never been diagnosed but since late teens it's really got severe at times and while I managed to push through and finish a maths degree with a 2:1 grade I've been working part-time jobs but even that I feel has pushed me to the point of where I've handed in four weeks notice so that I can take some time away to find a more definitive career and also find myself
Bro same. The first time someone asked if I was autistic I was like "no, I´m way to social". Now, a few years later, I realise all my social interractions are extremely thought out. I think about how I´m going to form this sentence with every single one I say. I cannot understand people until I have studied them for long enough that I can find patterns and an explanatory model, and I will not feel super comfortable talking to them until I do. As a child I genuenly didn´t understand why none of the girls wanted to hang out with me, and why everyone found me so weird. I am not diagnosed, and I´m probably not gonna go through with getting a diagnosis, since I know how I work and it probably wont do much for me. I´m also kind of scared of trying to get diagnosed, since autism in women often is a lot different than in men, and that they will just dismiss it. I know I have some (a lot of) quirks, but now that I understand them I´ve gotten better at taking care of my own brain, kind of. I love how our generation actually talks more ab how psychiatric stuff isn´t as black and white as people once thought. (My special interest is also psychiatrics and brains, I´m a psych nurse... so seeing the field develope is also super exciting)
It's exactly how I felt brave enough to tell my partner something about me and they looked up OCD and specifically morbid OCD and sent me a link. I thought I was a horrible freak who was going to hurt people and lived in fear all the time about it. Then reading on it, realizing it had a name, had perfect accurate descriptions of exactly what my anxious mind does... it was so freeing. Getting into therapy and learning the reason my OCD is morbid based is because I'm most terrified of hurting others was also validating. Later I got diagnosed with ADHD and Autism and also learned that all 3 can run together or can come in twos. Also a big "Oohhhh!" moment. A diagnosis is an explanation, a reason why x or y happens or how you process it. I could argue that society also needs to stop thinking people are just lazy or whatever too so that even those with out these conditions, but still suffering depression or stress and don't function as well during that aren't treated like less. Laziness doesn't exist, not when your aversion to doing something actually negatively impacts your life quality. Someone not paying bills, not doing dishes, not taking showers is someone who is suffering something and likely doesn't know it. Not wanting to get up to turn off the light and trying to use your foot, that's okay laziness, but also not something most would admonish for either.
I was diagnosed formally a year ago. I'm 40. Thank you for talking about this, Sean. And yes, I did have a suspicion. I started having a suspicion when a speaking professional analyzed your videos over time and was praising how much you improved. And I'm like, that's how I progressed as someone who talks to people all the time now. 💜s to you and I'm very glad you got diagnosed.
My being autistic has also helped so many people. My special interest is anything related to biology, and scored in the 98th percentile in the sciences compared to my peers in highschool. Now I help extremely medically complex people on an advocacy basis. Think blood clotting disorders, Marfans syndrome and hEDS with significant cardiac involvement, rare diseases and mostly people who have severe medical PTSD who are autistic or have severe mental health issues. I can reference almost every research study I've read, in passing information learned from professionals, and can help a PCP come up with a treatment plan for a person who's been wracking their brain for years usually within the first visit. My favorite moment lately was when I was talking about cross allergens, and I remembered a conversation from 2009 where someone mentioned something was structurally similar to something else. The nurse and doctor in the room kinda stopped for a moment, and I could see their gears turning and said out loud "Huh. You're right 🤔". I also work *exclusively* in the LGBTQ+ community on a pro bono basis with the people I'm not friends with. Anyone got any questions about weird medical stuff, I'm your gal.
I wasn't formally diagnosed, as it's very expensive and a long wait time to get tested. But in my psychiatrist's professional opinion she's 100% positive I'm AuDHD. Like I said It's expensive to get tested where I'm from, so I'll probably never get a formal diagnosis, but I'm happy that my Dr sees me. Oh I'm also 40 like you, and was 39 when this happened 😂
I am on the verge of crying. This is exactly what I needed. Thank you thank you thank you so much, Jack. Your openness and honesty is so healing for me right now (and I'm sure for many) as I'm struggling to figure out what's "wrong" with me. The journey to mental health and well-being is so so hard, but I don't feel so alone right now at least. Thank you.
There is nothing wrong with you, love. Nothing. I'm sorry you feel alone. Sometimes we feel like we could scream in the middle of a crowded room and still, nobody would hear us. Well, I heard you, ok? I heard you, and I'm here to tell you that you are not alone.
My favourite saying. “If you have meet one Autistic person, you have only meet one Autistic person.” We are all very different and it is quite common to be both ADD/ADHD/Autistic. I like to refer to Autism as my wiring being different and it shows up in strange ways. I am sensory under load. Only later on in life did I start getting sensory overload. Being female also comes with its differences. Menopause can mess with your Autism and end up how older ladies get diagnosed with autism.
This video made me feel seen! I have been diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, and depression but all the medication hasn’t made me feel like the best me I can be. I feel like you named everything I’m going through as a 45 year old. I’ve been told by others to get checked for autism but was always scared that if I was diagnosed people would look at me differently. Now I know if still be my goofy self. Thank you!
I’m glad you got it professionally diagnosed It’s such a relief to know what’s going on, and makes it a thing that you can see on paper and not just something you don’t know the word for, clears things up a little, you know?
As someone who got diagnosed for autism at two, I must say that your perception of the diagnosis is accurate and I appreciate the fact that you’re also informing people of the variance in scale of the diagnosis. My mom never had the perception you did, unfortunately. Autism was just a word for her. The only time she used it was when it suited her narrative. Like when she called the police on me because I would get mad at her for being dismissive. That led me in a mental hospital more times than I can count. The hypocrisy was the constant and strongest factor. At seventeen, my mom dropped me off at my dad and stepmom's porch, just like that. My weekend visits with them haven't been the best when I was five all the way to fourteen. They were dealing with personal issues at the time. My mom forbid me from seeing them and once again, she suited narratives only for her of how my dad wasn't there for me and how my stepmom was just as bad because of her skin color. I haven't seen them in three years. I didn't know how they would react to seeing me again. I was so scared. I knocked on their door, my dad answered and was confused. She didn't even tell them about dropping me off their porch. It wouldn't take long for him to let me in. My stepmom was just as confused. I would explain to them what happened. After a lot of consideration, they took me in. They gave me all the care my life needed. I got food on the table, a roof over my head, clothes on my back, access to education, and most importantly, guidance. Here I am nineteen years old who graduated high school while recently getting my first job at retail. I would never be in this position without them. On behalf of the people who have this diagnosis, thank you.
The autism stereotype was created in the 70's, 80's, and 90's and up to 2010 because that's how autism was diagnosed, if you were non-verbal and were constantly stemming then that would have meant you were autistic. That might be why your mom thinks that, because it might have been drilled into her head during her whole life. For me though its my brother because of damn TikTok, these offensive memes are being said out in public including the autism stereotype.
I completely agree with you. My son was diagnosed with stage 2 Autism, and over the past couple of years I’m realizing I’m sharing quite a few things with him. I haven’t been tested myself, so I won’t self diagnose, but I agree having Autism is not a “bad” thing and can help improve your self awareness,esteem, e.t.c. I’ve spent a lot of my life beating myself up over things, and I feel if I had grown up around people with a more open mind, life could have been so much easier.
Thank you for making this video my 16yr old son just got diagnosed and was in denial and he’s always watched you. You making it a more positive conversation has helped 🫶🏻
Great job :D it's awesome that as a parent you're ready to learn about disorders and your child deal with his. I think to help him accept his diagnosis, it's important to redefine autism as the clinical diagnosis, instead of the insults and stereotypes he's used to hearing about; so he actually understands what he's diagnosed with. Good luck!
As Someone who grew up basically Antisocial, always kept to myself, when stressed i handled it by isolating myself, my friends are all moving on from video games and i’m still here playing them pretty much all day, you’ve motivated me to schedule an appointment to get tested for both ADD and Autism, I just want to say thank you Sean, you’re a huge inspiration to me and even more now learning that you dealt with some of the same things i had to growing up! Much Love!
I was diagnosed with Autism not till 16. Am now 40 and found peace with it living on my own. Glad channels I have been watching since I was 20 and being honest and still love peope I watch. Jack there is nothing wrong with the way u are. No one is perfect and we need to accept hobbies people choose to have. Make the world more positive and humble regardless how poor or rich you. God will alwas be watching over you.
Thank you for making this video and saying all the right things! Despite being such a common and natural thing, autistic people are seen as aliens by way too many people. And when you brought up that people had asked you "Why do you admit to that?", I really felt that. People close to me had no problems before I was diagnosed when I was 15. But after that, they started talking to me less since the confirmation bias attached to the diagnose made them think I was weird and uncomfortable to talk to. They made no effort to educate themselves about autism, so their ignorance distanced them even more from me. The funny thing is that I got a lot of social training the years after the diagnose and managed to become so much more comfortable in my own skin, but still, my relatives were stuck in their confirmation bias loop. Today, I'm not sure if the diagnose was actually right since I had some childhood trauma, bullying and lack of social training early on that complicates things. But regardless, the diagnose made me learn a lot about autism and the nuances of being on the spectrum. It has made me much more aware of neurodiversity and accepting of those who possess it than I could have been if not for the diagnose. I always try to educate people if they lack knowledge about autism and I stand up for them if someone shows hostility towards autists. I really wish we would have gotten further by now.
Hi Jack, you've been my favourite content creator for the majority of 2020-2024. I also have autism and adhd. I got diagnosed with both few years ago not much sooner I got diagnosed with dyslexia. Hearing your story about feeling left out and I relate to everything you say, I feel like well not a black sheep full of white sheep more like a sheep from another flock. I've had and and still have my struggles with anxiety and depression. Seeing and hearing you talk about it makes me happy and not alone anymore knowing that we're not alone. It's something I've been really happy with you addressing these past months the struggles and how you've been struggling. I find myself relating to you more than anyone. I just straight up accepted upon getting my diagnosis and well worked on that. I have been on medication but last year it kinda just hurted my brain more than helping so I went medication free. Sean I wish you a spectacular day and I hope you read this, since this video has meant a lot to me.
I know a kid whos diagnosed with autism, and he loves trains, thats what I thought of when you said "I like trains." Hes a cool kid, only reminded me of him through seeing this.
I'd say about 98% of people I meet trackside (i obviously like trains) are autistic (mostly like Jack, you can't really tell, but there are certain people I know that have a tougher time). There's a high probability I have autism, but I haven't had a PROPER diagnosis. It's actually wild when you see how closely the two parallel.
@@fullmoonshadow6967 Yeah it is! But there are people who have autism that genuinely enjoy trains a lot! Its a classic special interest from what I understand, to a point that it may be a stereotype. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong of course!)
Glad to be in the soup with ya! Noticing the broth in adulthood myself, I recognize the journey of self hatred, confusion, understanding, and acceptance. Sending all the support your way.
Welcome to the AuDHD club, dude!! Thanks for doing all your "tearing down the Puffing Your Chess status quo". I'm finally getting to a place where my Sense Of Self is developing and settling (at 21), and I've come to realise that I don't want a Status Quo life, because it makes me hurt. You're doing amazing, and I love you for it. Keep going
I’m autistic. I often have panic attacks, I avoid eye contact a lot, I don’t like being in big crowds, I don’t like loud noises, I struggle to make friends and I can sometimes be quite blunt without meaning to. Sometimes I think I’m misunderstood by many people. I really like spending time alone and I often talk about my special interests so much. I often feel like I’m the odd person out in my Family. I really struggle to open up to people because sometimes I think that nobody understands me at all because people always take things the wrong way and their lack of understanding about autism in general. I sometimes feel so lonely even when I’m with people. I often pretend to be interested in things I don’t like to try and fit in with people and pretend to be someone I’m not because I’m scared of being judged and mistreated for being autistic 😔 I usually do my Special Interests to keep me occupied when I feel alone or when I’m bored like hugging my Favourite Plushies, playing My Favourite Video Games and watching My Favourite TV Shows and Movies. ❤️
@@billycurr Why are you describing the rest of us? :) To be honest I'm on the old side close to 50 now, and a lot of the negatives such as worrying about what people think about me isn't a big thing anymore. So don't worry, a lot of those negatives will become less bad as you get older.
" I don't want a Status Quo life, because it makes me hurt" - I have never related to anything so much in my life. All the love in the world to you, friend!
i was diagnosed with autism when i was sixteen. it explained so much. i'm 20 now, and i've found that having an explanation for why i act and think the way i do has made it easier for me to not beat myself up over needing to do things differently than most. my parents have been very accommodating as well, which i really appreciate. i'm glad you were able to get a diagnosis and i hope it continues to help you learn more about yourself
My mom first told me about my autism diagnosis when i was in middle school in a gas station, I'm glad you were told in a much kinder way. Man that was a bombshell, right? lol I was diagnosed at 2 years old but was never really told about it until then. It's never to late to learn about these things.
I didn't know my mom suspected I had ADHD until middle school too! I had just found it online after never hearing about it before, something clicked, and when I suggested it to her she was just like "yeah I've always wondered." Like ???? In her defense, she DID go to get me diagnosed when I was like in first grade, but my pediatrician was like "her grades are good so she's fine" (I was not). And honestly the place I went to school had a really "mental health doesn't exist you're just not trying hard enough, medication is the devil" type mindset. So maybe it was a net positive I got diagnosed later in high school so I never had to struggle with being bullied for it or being uncomfortable with myself. I've always been super okay with talking openly about my mental health and personal experiences and struggles, but I may have been too ashamed if I was diagnosed earlier and ridiculed for it growing up. Still would have been nice to know though LOL I thought I was just insane for the longest time 😭
My parents didn’t tell me about my diagnosis (I was 3). I found out from a school behavior evaluation form. Prior to that, I took quizzes, did research, and questioned my parents why I had different types of therapies that other kids didn’t. They either shrugged off or told me I was normal. Pretty rough to process as a 12 year old.
I have put watching this off cause I knew it would connect with me. I finally watched this today….I was just diagnosed with adhd a month ago and feeling discouraged with my the lack of “revolutionary change” that I thought my meds would have. I am now considering that there is more…thank you for making the “more” less scary.
My husband has autism and feels his autism is always getting in the way. He always enjoys watching you and makes him feel he can be social with people and be happy ❤
He got married to you, that takes an aweful lot of social skills I can imagine? I have it too and I have been with someone for over 15 years. It wasn't always easy, but worth the effort of trying to be normal (he didn't know). Not telling him, in hindsight, was probably how we seperated. My mask was too heavy to carry for such a long period of time and I felt ashamed of my shortcomings. You two started off in a way better place. Don't allow him to do what I did is the best advise I can give you. I wish you a real happily ever after ♥
@@ticiatarotreader1330 You managed to be important to him enough to put aside his social anxiety, pet projects and special interrests, just to spend time with you. You are certainly *very* special to him. (And we autistic people like to spend an inordinate amount of time with our special interests for many decades on end). I think you got a keeper ❤
I have autism and I do wonder that about about my fiancé because of some of the things he does. He was never diagnosed. Sometimes I do hear that it does go undiagnosed.
Thank you for talking about this. As someone who didn’t know he had autism till early adulthood, I definitely relate to the “but you’re so normal!” Conversations. Many of us simply learned how to behave in ways that conform to allistic standards and train/practice to accommodate for educational, communicative or reactive weaknesses we were born with. It can be really frustrating to hear stuff like “how can you be autistic? You’re so good at communicating!” Especially when you’ve put a lot of effort into learning *how* to communicate to the standards of allistic people. Take care out there.
I told my mum a couple months ago that I think I'm autistic and want to seek a professional diagnosis (I'm in my mid-20s). The next day she said she lay awake half the night, thinking about it, and came to the conclusion I'm not autistic, because I'm not all closed off and drawn into myself (basically non-verbal is what she meant, I think). Thanks mum, that really f*ing hurt!
@@sheyri9 I don’t know your relationship with your mom but I do know that, like my psychiatrist told me, know one knows you and how you feel and live, more than YOU do. Do what you believe is best, and I hope you can get what you need. Take care out there.
Ive had no interaction with others who are autistic, other than one person so I have never considered myself an expert. And i appreciate this video so much because when I read the title I thought “but he seems so social and alright with interacting with others he seems normal” but its helped me realize how I dont know shit about autism and ive been following stereotypes when thinking about it. You’ve shattered my idea of someone with autism. Thank you.
thank you for taking the time to learn!!!! this is another reason why this video is so important to not only fellow people with autism or potentially undiagnosed viewers, but also non-autistics!!!! heck yeah, learning and challenging stuff you thought you already knew!!!!!!! thank you!!!!! 💚💚💚
Thank you so much for speaking up about your journey and discovering your authenticity! Authenticity is freedom! I’ll be looking into to autism for myself after watching this (newly diagnosed adhd, longtime MDD). My brother sent this to me because he is discovering himself and is on the spectrum. I hope this helps him not be so hard on himself too ❤ and me too! Even after getting diagnosed w adhd, I struggle. Thanks again for sharing so fearlessly!! 📢📢📢📢📢📢📢
Hi Jack, I gasped when I saw this video. I'm a 33 year old woman and I got diagnosed with autism this year. I want to thank you for making this video. This year has been a ride; trying to understand myself with autism.. and how to navigate life while trying to unmask. You speaking about this.. gives me hope. Neurodivergence is still so stigmatised but knowing people like you.. use their platform to speak up and spread truth.. means so much. Thank you so much! Be kind to yourself! xx p.s. I'm in the process of writing and hopefully publishing my first book! It'll be a fantasy that represents neurodivergence. You've helped ignite my passion even more!
I really appreciate you coming out with this in a video! I myself have been learning more and more about autism and adhd, coming more and more to the conclusion that I'm on the spectrum and just how absurdly my parents and the world view these things. I'm really grateful that you're willing to try and change the industry, and I think you have some very solid points in this video! Explaining mental health to people who refuse to learn is extremely exhausting, but being open about it like this might just help someone learn something new either about others or themselves! I do want to mention that Twitter has gotten extremely toxic, I've moved from there to BlueSky and it was an instantaneous mental health boost! There are people there that genuinely care about what you post and what you're making! Other than that, I really hope Thankmas goes well! You've knocked the previous ones out of the park and I'm sure this one will be no exception! I believe in you and I'm proud of you!
Thank you for making this video. I have autism and it’s not talked about enough, especially when you “don’t look autistic” because you are high masking. ❤
Exactly, & I got chills when he talked ab over analyzing social situations, depression, and joint symptoms bc I thought I might be level 1 before but this resonates… I’ve been too good at masking that I’ve tricked myself too, I believe… Much love
Oh my gosh! I absolutely hate when people say that! I want to say to them “You don’t look stupid so I guess we both lose” but I don’t. There is no “look” to being autistic. Just like there’s no “look” to chronic illness or any invisible disability. I just want to slap those people sometimes!
so true. it’s unbelievable how some people think that autism has a specific look to it. many people have thought that i was joking or faking it when i revealed my diagnosis to them. just because i am high functioning and i don’t fit into every single autism stereotype. i am glad that there is more awareness now and people are finally starting to learn more abt the spectrum. autism is different for each individual!!
I got diagnosed with adhd and autism when I was 16. I grow up knowing something was not right with me and how my brain worked and when I finally got the answer I was thrilled! Don't get me wrong it has been a very hard and long journey since being diagnosed but it has gave me a piece of mind on knowing why things are harder for me!
I think the biggest thing is authenticity. My mental health has improved so much since diagnosis - being kinder to myself and learning how to soothe myself, its made me far less anxious nowadays and far more present - and therefore, happier! I feel like my authentic self now. I don't feel shame for who I am or for how weird I may seem to others. I don't hate myself anymore for feeling like an outsider. I don't push myself for overstimulating situations. I indulge with my interests fully and freely and talk about them without the fear of being told to shut up, like countless times when I was a kid. I'm me - take it or leave it! To whoever reads and resonates, please just be kind and patient with yourself. The modern world isn't built for neurodivergent people.
I got a "seems pretty likely" diagnosis, and it really helped me to allow myself to be kind to myself, too. Especially problems with sensory stimuli have been something I just tried to bury because I thought I was supposed to not be bothered by it like "everyone else", even if it stressed me out
I resonate deeply with this, as someone who went undiagnosed for both ADHD and Autism as a kid, now knowing who I am Ive been able to be so much more kinder and loving to myself, and I don't let people push me into overstimulating situations anymore! Its like finding a piece of me that's always been there that I can finally see, and I can love every part of me now! Diagnosis does come with its draw backs, like in America, its hard to be seen in medical areas because if you have a diagnosis, you can be pushed down the waiting list, deemed as less "important". But, at least for me, getting a diagnosis was crucial in loving myself again and being kind to myself! Plus no longer pushing myself to become something Im not! Thank you for you're comment, its really nice to know there are others out there who feel the same :>
How do you get diagnosed? Is this something that you bring up with your doctor and get appointed to a psychologist or something? I think I might be a bit autistic, but I've never tested. Definitely have ADHD, though (was tested for that as a child).
@@zoeyk1455yes. I asked my primary care (my usual doctor you’d see for check ups) if they could refer me to a psychiatrist or psychologist who could help me get an evaluation for autism. No issues there, she did just that and she made sure they took my insurance as well. I think it depends though on how comfortable you are asking for that help. Thankfully my doctor is very nice and tries to accommodate for me, I can tell. I got calls from primary reminding me to reschedule for the psychiatrist!! Haha…. Ha.. (I already had a ADD diagnosis…)
Growing up watching Jack while also being undiagnosed, now being an adult thats diagnosed brings me a lot of hope that people will try to understand Autism more! :)
"If you knew why didn't you tell me!" I felt that. One of us!
One of us!
One of us!
Yeah no one is surprised about this I think 😅
Well, because I wanted us to fail... OBVIOUSLY I DIDN'T KNOW
One of us one of us *we all say in unison*
Jack is now one with his audience!
Always has been 😎
Ew get out 😭😭@Davidiscool_0
I like trains two
@Davidiscool_0 no
Fr
I used to be a child therapist years ago and several of my clients had autism. One in particular loved your videos and was always talking about you (which is why i started watching your videos, to understand him better). Such a smart kid but he struggled with accepting his diagnosis and had trouble being okay with himself. I'm willing to bet he still watches your videos 7 years later and when he sees this, I can only imagine how much it'll mean to him that one of his idols, a genuinely good person, also has autism and can do so much in/for one community.
❤
This is incredibly sweet ❤
Sweetest thing I've read today. I hope he finds this comment.
That is absolutely adorable. I really hope he's doing well and has seen the video.
This is so sweet :")
WELCOME TO THE AUDHD CLUB JACK!!
Don’t look for cliques though, we still haven’t figured those out.. especially after the space one got into a literal war over Pluto’s reclassification years ago. Tim lost an eye…
He said autism
@infinitylord1524 audhd. Autisim+adhd. It’s a pretty common thing actually, and I also have it. He’d definitely got the adhd side, you can tell if you’ve been watching for a while but the autism now is officially diagnosed. Hes likely on the “lower” end of the spectrum like me, what used to be called Aspergers, until people realized the guy it was named after was a german scientist in the 40s. Now we’re just “on the spectrum”.
@Electric_Bagpipes oh ok, I also have both, but I just didn't know that he also had both since I dont watch him really
YESSS
@@Electric_Bagpipespretty sure he had adhd diagnosed too
One of us
One of us
One of us
One of us
One of us
One of us
One of us
One of us
ONE OF US
One of us
One of us
One of us
One of us
ONE OF US!
ONE OF US!
ONE OF US!
ONE OF US!
One of us
One of us
One of us
One of us
"I like trains." - Jacksepticeye 2024
I’m autistic as well jackaboy
trains are pretty cool, valid statement from jack
He likes trains.
People will remember this quote for centuries in the history books
Asdfmovie moment
"I like trains" -- ASDF Movie nostalgia hits hard
So did the train
“I like bridges”-If you know you know
*train whistle heard in the distance as the train breaks through the wall*
Fr 😂😭😭😭😭😭😭
Plug for nostalgia week?
heck yesss congrats on the diagnosis and im late af but thank you so much for sharing, it does help people a lot to see ppl like them and relate and learn more about ourselves and undo some internalized ableism/stigma around certain experiences
appreciate you sm :> i am more parasocial than i realized bc hearing about this made me very excited tbh Oops and happy for you
youre so right about the importance of speaking up about experiences to undo the stigma and normalize and help ppl understand themselves and other people more
learning about stimming and masking and reading about stuff like that is so wild bc it is So Specific and experiences over your whole life start to make more sense and i notice myself stimming in some ways that i never had noticed as consciously before
also learning more about how you work does make it a lot easier to be nice to yourself which is something i always struggled with, it has been a whole Journey learning about myself and autism and im sure it is for a lot of people
it makes me very happy that you wanted to share your diagnosis to be uplifting for people who are bullied for it and to go against people who make it out to be shameful or cringe or whatever, its very weird and mean to paint it out like its a bad thing to say youre autistic
The whole "I have autism" "We knew" "Why didn't you tell me?!" interaction is basically a late diagnosis staple at this point. I was gently pushed to get tested by two of my closest friends at the time who were both autistic after they found out I didn't know I was. Because that's usually the thing - and it develops more the longer you have your diagnosis - for autistic people that know they are autistic it becomes SO OBVIOUS to us when someone else is that it's easy to forget that not everyone knows that about themselves. I had no clue because to me I was just me and that's how I was. I also figured that a lot of what I was experiencing was normal because I wound up hanging out with other autistic people and for some reason it never clicked that I was likely hanging out with them and not allistic (non-autistic) people because I could relate more. In fact, it never even occurred to me that I had more autistic friends than not - often, again, because people usually either don't know and thus don't see it or they DO know and can spot autism a mile away and forget that undiagnosed people usually can't so they don't think to mention it. I usually wind up trying to mention it to people I pick autism vibes up from because of this and because of how much my diagnosis helped me and it's been pretty much the same reaction every time: relief and gentler self-treatment.
Turns out, a condition that affects communication can make communicating about it pretty tricky. Who'd'a Thunk?
you clearly do not have autism
@@coolman5268 You are clearly not a doctor 😂
@@coolman5268as a diagnosed autistic person, I 100% disagree. After reading this man’s story I feel fairly certain he’s one of us. The big giveaway is the “more autistic friends than non autistic friends thing.” And that’s a dead giveaway because I have met very few autistic people who have more non autistic friends than autistic friends.
It turns out that when an entire portion of the populous communicates in a very different way to the majority, that that portion tends to find each other because then they understand each other.
Your story is my story. The "it's just how I function and it's normal" swinging wildly to daily, hourly moments of "Oh... Oh wait THIS is what they actually mean by [ENTER AUTISTIC TRAIT]" is wild. It feels a bit insane, but personally it feels like I'm cracking all the concrete layers of masking I'd been taught to build over me. It's so relieving and freeing.
No fr the “why didn’t you tell me” is a cannon event. 😂
Many of us do, we’re here for you
I just hope this makes him happier, he seems a lot better in this video, it makez me happy☺️☺️☺️☺️
I have Autism as well, welcome to the family lol. I knew I like you for reason other than th Irish accent and blood running through our veins. Oh and Happy Thanksgiving to you and Eveline. I hope I spelled her name right. I wish I could send you a photo of me and my Sam!
Not me but carry onward.
I have Autism as well.
It's true. I have it too and I don't let it define me
Considering autism still has this ''negative'' charge behind it because like you said, it's often misunderstood what autism actually entails. It's really great to see a person of influence like yourself to be open and honest about it and not to try to hide it. Everything you said is very relatable and spot on and I can tell you've definitely studied up a lot on the subject already. The ability to look inwards is really important! Something a lot of people could benefit from in order to embrace who they are. Thank you for sharing this message with the world!
yeah people are saying its because the diagnosis is being thrown around too much , but we haven't even been diagnosing the disorder even in the last century . so i think that more people getting diagnosed is creating a false narrative , where they think they think people don't actually have autism , where the reality is its because we have more qualified individuals dealing with cases such as autism and adhd more so we see it prevalent more .
@charliethechunkygamer1257 yeah, people like that think we live in a stasis and no new knowledge is being discovered and confirmed everyday, somehow the day you formed your worldview, science just completely stopped, that's why older generations refuse to believe autism is not just non-communicative boys playing with trains, because they've been taught to believe it and now it's scary to embrace the change. And who has rigid black and white thinking now, huh? 😄
So is it positive then?
@@peterpumpkineater6928its nuetral, one with autism is simply different nueologically, while the experiences an autistic person has that correlates to their autistic needs can be negatives. the struggles that come with living in a culture thats ill prepared for its citizens is whats negative and has nothing to do with the autistic person themselves but rather the failures of our society to be inclusive. -an autistic individual who is joyous about my differences
@@breathoffreshair7795 very well said . i have only seen autistic people belittled by people who have no understanding or refusal to understand . the latter more often than not . I wish people were more open to learn .
Oh damn, this is my exact same experience with my own recent Autism/ADHD diagnosis. It felt so good to finally know there was a reason why I didn't fit in, and had struggled so much. Thanks so much for being open about this, representation and increased awareness/normalization is great.
I grew up, an undiagnosed autistic child, watching you, an undiagnosed autistic man. Now, I'm a diagnosed autistic adult human, watching you still. Poetic.
Edit: bonus that I also likely have more undiagnosed problems because UK mental healthcare is absolutely horrific :)
Edit 2: hello fellow autistics :0
I do not know why you felt the need to specify that you are human, do you have something to hide? Are you perhaps, an alien? A skinwalker? A deer? TELL ME!!!
@@StarDustwolf77 ha literally same ToT
honestly i was diagnosed as a child but honestly had no idea until i was a teenager what being autistic really meant, even then i was diagnosed yet again with more traits of autism
Same started watching jack as an undiagnosed 9 year old. Now watching him as an undiagnosed 19 year old
@@Lolgun2it doesn’t really hit until you start understanding and listen to things more. I was the same.
Awesome dude! Welcome to the Diagnosed Professionaly later in Life Club!!
yes!!
Ayy!
As someone who’s been in the club for 17 years. Welcome.
Omg!!! My people!!!
This!
One of us! One of us! One of us!
HE JOINED THE CREW🙏🏾
Exactly
One of us! One of us!
The hivemind expands.
😂😂brilliant comment
I’m not even surprised
Now that that’s out of the way, ONE OF US
ONE OF US
ONE OF US
This is such a humanizing video for autistic people. I've been watching you since I was 12, and now I am 22. I have always struggled in school and was bullied because of being Autistic, and you were one of the few comforts in my life at the time. Thanks for sharing and being a wonderful representation of the diversity of the Autism spectrum that doesn't just encapsulate the stereotypes.
@@THEBIGUN I do hope for you, as I do everyone, turn those boundaries into a map of exactly what you can be adept in. Your 20s are where you really get a chance to shine, technically. (as in technical knowledge) Thanks for passing on/back to everyone.
Same
Everyone has someone bad no one is perfect.
Just accept who you are autistic or not
Being sociopath or Narcist is curse
I am also 22 and completely relate to this comment thank you for putting it into words❤❤
I have autism too Jack. Happy thanksgiving
Aye
*WELCOME TO THE CLUB MAN!!*
Me too
Thanksgiving is only an American thing
I do too.
4:03 this is exactly it - the closure that diagnosis brought me was huge. Thank you for talking about your diagnoses and being so open !!!
Mental illness is not something to boast about 💀
@@erimneL And what makes you say that, exactly?
Hello 👋
IS THAT THE ADHD CAT!?
@@erimneL What
One of us! One of us! Thanks for sharing 💜 This was great and I appreciate all the things you do as well as how vocal you are about taking care of yourself. We need more of that
I have Autism and ADHD witch is one of many reasons why i love you so much jack. Its so nice to see someone with those difficulties being so happy and funny and fearless to the camera. Thank you Jack 💚
Yes! Thank you! Saying what we're all thinking! Even those in the community who don't have those things, we're all just a big family, regardless of differences 😊
Me too I also have those, It’s nice to meet people with the same things too ❤
I felt this I have them both and my ADHD is heavily severe which affects my autism I feel I also feel with jack cause I have horrible anxiety and depression I'm even bipolar which doesn't help at all
I have both too and Jack is Def my favorite seconded by the vanoss crew
I have autism and adhd too, i'm actually happy to see this video 😅
As a fellow AuDHDer, welcome to the club lol. I. Glad you’ve been able to figure things out! It can be a huge relief to finally have answers for your experiences!
Yo fellow ADHD'er
My parents don't believe in mental conditions. It's just laziness to them. I'm 100% confident I've got both too.
The relief comes first, then the resentment.
Fellow Autism and ADHD sibling here!
@@sorackamet5558 its deff a small grieving process if you think about it.
Great message. For the girlies out here: autism and ADHD in girls and women is a lot harder to recognize, even by professionals. We don't always show the same behavior as men, but the symptons are usually based on studies with boys and men. If you suspect having autism and/or ADHD, please try to seek help and ask for someone who is specialised in Autism and ADHD in women. You don't have to struggle all by yourself.
The misogyny that's still staining the medical field like blood makes it nearly impossible to get officially diagnosed, esp in the States -tried last month, the traits are obvious, and the dr just wouldn't listen and was completely ignoring what I was there for
Got tested in the early 2000's as a kid, but because I was a girl my neurodivergent behaviour was swept aside. I first took ADHD meds when I was 28 years old, and I cried for days because finally I could quiet my brain down somewhat, and I was in shock that apparently all 'normal' people's brains worked like that. It's never too late to figure things out for yourself. ❤️🧡💛💚
I fully second that!
‼️‼️‼️
I have ADD and i take medication that is supposed to help with my anxiety and depression but also helps with bipolar symptoms and that runs in my family as well as autism but idk where to even start with testing for that stuff as an adult woman
It’s ok Jack!👍 I have autism too. It basically means nothing. You have nothing to worry about and we’ll still love you no matter what!💪
As a special education teacher I LOVE how you’re talking about how different autism can be in different people and even different stages of life. All of the love, blessings, and support in the world Sean. ❤️
As a one-to-one Para-educator working with disabled adults (18-22) I think there is a lot of fear from people who don't interact with students like the ones we work with. It's hard for people to look past the communication difficulties, stimming, and development limitations some of them have. I've found that students in my program have an immense capacity for kindness and tend to be far more upfront and honest with you (in general). We have substitute teachers that will not touch a high school classroom with a 10 foot pole (other half of the campus) but will come to help with less than a day's notice for our disabled adult students because of those qualities.
Your autistic experience and how you function and your personality is so extremely similar to mine and I've always felt such a kinship with you since the very beginning of your RUclips career. Thank you so much for making this video and talking so candidly about all of this. So excited to participate in Thankmas this year!!
@@ciaklivian so true, because I have autism as well
I will have to fully agree with you, I am EXACTLY the same as him and probably you, and I have the tests for adhd, but not for autism, but how he explains it, I would not be suprised if I have autism as well.
I'm the same way as well, I've been a fan of Jack since before FNaF as well (that's where a lot of us probably found him) and I've always felt close to him in a way
same here. i’ve been a fan since i was 11, i’m 23 now; diagnosed adhd and realized that all along i am very likely autistic too. even the way jack explains his hyperanalazying of others, social masking, and always being introspective and wanting to understand how his brain works: that all describes me to a T. no wonder i’ve resonated with his content so much over the years ❤
I had not heard of the connection between Autism/ADHD and hypermobility before now, thank you. Ive experienced more than 20 subluxations/dislocations over the years and was always told EDS and other connective tissue disorders didnt fit quite well. Its always been something ive still wondered in the background, it feels reassuring to know its probably not some additional underlying condition and more likely just another one of those 'spectrum of symptoms' due to the interconnected nature of the body.
I can’t understand all that
@@EUCvibesnot really 😂
autism and spoonie with EDS here *waves*
@@EUCvibes just labels? doesn't feel like a label to me. feels like a whole lot of rejection and physical pain.
I have the same thing. Dislocate a joint and just be like, “hang on, lemme fix that real quick,” like it’s an everyday thing.
I’ve been watching you sense I was 7. I’m 18 now and I’m pushing to get a diagnosis and this is really encouraging. Thank you
This is why you are my favorite RUclipsr. You are real, upfront, and not afraid to talk about these topics. I wish you all the best in the new year with your goals and breaking down walls!
Promoting Autism, get on a train and exploit it. LOL money, money, money! Must be awful, being worth 67 Million
0:10 - I am glad this was my VERY FIRST thought when I saw the thumbnail of the video. - much love Sean, on this note I have always thought you and Thomas Tomska Ridgewell are very much same text different font.
and tom has adhd also haha
They do both have a thing for trains
700th like
Same font different text
@@ligealucretia And may or may not be autistic (a doctor said he was, another said he wasn't)
Seeing Jack self-actualize before our eyes has been a very unique experience. It’s definitely a parasocial thing, but I’m proud of him for being himself, accepting himself, and striving to better understand himself.
It’s only parasocial if you cross certain boundaries, which I don’t think you did! Your comment seems genuine and I actually have to agree with you about witnessing Jack grow and change
Basic empathy isn't parasocial, it's normal. Parasocial is more or less when you think you know them better than anyone, think you're friends with them, etc. I hate that people took "parasocial" and used it to shoot down any instance of caring about another person :/
he's not making US do anything. he's just talking. it's not that.
Hey jack!! I have been a fan since the beginning i also have Autism i was diagnosed at 1 years old im now 17 i was born in the late 2000s and had a majority of my childhood in the Early 2010s im so happy that one of my fav youtubers has Autism Autism is a great spectrum
3:11 THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP HYPERMOBILITY!!! I'm not autistic, just adhd, but autism and hypermobility run in my family. it really needs to be talked about more when connected with adhd and autism! I only found out about it BECAUSE I was diagnosed with adhd at 17, and started to look into connected issues. me and my family are 99% sure it's hypermobile type ehlers danlos syndrome. the only reason my cousin was diagnosed was because I was diagnosed with hypermobility and brought it up, it's insane how not talked about it is when it's so common, ESPECIALLY with neurodivergance.
Ok
Me and one of my big sisters (were both aspies) have hypermobility, none of my other siblings have it. Definite connection between autism and hypermobility.
For real dude everything hurts
ADHD and Autism are very similar, so much so that some experts think that ADHD belongs on the Autism spectrum. I have ADHD (doctor diagnosed) as well, but many of those symptoms overlap, and it makes me wonder
No really though, I should not have had to learn about that on tiktok cuz no one else mentioned it. Learned I had EDS and that's why I have such an extreme tolerance to any kind of medicine. Like that's important to know if I ever have to go under cuz I can have a tolerance to anesthesia and that's something that the doctor needs to know beforehand but no one knows about it. Now I hope I never have to have surgery 😬
Hey, I’m proud of you for telling us. I have autism too, and I agree that talking about it is helpful and important. A lot of people are told they “can’t have it you act social”, and so they feel imposter syndrome or don’t get diagnosed. It can be a really good feeling hearing people have similar experiences to your own.
Imagine not being able to admit you're just lazy 😂
the two replies above mine are either bots or extremely stupid people... either way, as a fellow person who is probably autistic albeit not yet diagnosed, i feel very good about the openness and support in this whole community! :)
@@cr1s1s0ff41th I’m glad that you feel good about the community! If you ever venture for a diagnosis I wish you luck, and if not we are here to welcome you with open arms:)
@@erimneLbro doesn't know that some people find things more difficult than others 💀
I mentioned to a coworker that I wouldn't be surprised if I were on the spectrum (I have never been tested and don't know that I would at this point) and she looked mildly offended and said "No, you're nothing like my grandson. HE has autism..." and continued to deny any possibility of it being the case...
I never said that I was autistic-and never will say so unless I am assessed and subsequently diagnosed-just that I wouldn't be shocked if a professional informed me that I was. Her immediately shutting me down kind of hurt if I'm being honest, but I'm not sure if that was a "valid" feeling for me to have in that moment 😕
Welcome to the autistic community, Jack! We've got fidget toys and cookies by the door and weighted blankets on the couch! We're happy to have you!
In all seriousness, I'm really glad that you're contributing to repainting Autism in a positive light using your own gifts and superpowers! As a neurodivergent therapist that specializes in assisting other neurodivergent folks to discovering and understanding who they are, it makes me really happy to see that you're also taking steps to explore this part of yourself! I look forward to hearing more about your experiences and your journey in the future.
XD
AND TEA!!! Dont Forget the *TEA!!!!!!!!*
I saw a post recently about someone sleeping with a chainmail blanket 😂 sounds pretty fucking awesome 😂
You forgot the Dino shaped nuggets
@@skoop651I got nothing against hating on the gays but don’t bring my tisms in on this
(I’m joking btw)
Honestly so lovely to hear you talk about how much diagnosis has improved the way you see yourself - I went through the exact same thing when I was diagnosed as autistic. It just made my whole life make sense, helped me understand myself so much better, and has helped me both be kinder to myself and advocate for my needs much more. It's also really good to hear you talk about how you navigate communication as it can be easy to forget that other people go through the same struggles I do of having to almost treat talking to other people like some kind of puzzle, and it's comforting to know other people know what it's like to have to be constantly hypervigilant when trying to talk to people.
Jack having Autism makes me feel so much better about being neurodivergent myself. Like, it’s so nice to have such a huge creator be neurodivergent and showing that you can be just as successful as anyone else and that having Autism or ADHD isn’t bad. God I love this man :)
Tons of people in high positions or media and influencers have autism.
High functioning autists are just very good at masking.
Being neurodivergent seems to be a requirement for successful professional entertainers.
@@Wizardsaresquishy i actually have a theory about this -- i haven't done much research about it, it's mainly just vibes, but here's my two cents anyway.
autistic people can struggle in more social jobs due to overstimulation and/or masking, and people with ADHD can struggle with the deadlines and schedules mandated on them by management. however, if you're a content creator, you don't have those social norms to worry about in your interaction; it's easy to unmask autism. being in control of your work environment helps prevent overstimulation. you can choose your own deadlines and schedules to fit your workflow if you have ADHD. also, many content creators make content off of media, either by consuming or analyzing it. that fits neatly with the fixations that people with ADHD and autism frequently have, becoming a great boon for motivation and general morale. add to that the fact that many neurodivergent people are avid internet users, and there's a massive audience that will tend to relate to you and enjoy the content you create. that's what can help lead to them being successful.
so that's my theory, and i think it fits well with how people with autism and ADHD generally function. of course this doesn't hold true for everyone, neurodivergent people very much can hold normal jobs, i just think the content creator life plays well to their strengths and mitigates their weaknesses.
@@Wizardsaresquishy it's more of a bias. people really only attached themselves once they see it and forget everything else.
@@zeosummers3984 not really.
Every single major RUclipsr I’ve ever seen has some sort of neurodivergency. I’ve seen so many of them that I can’t remember all of their names, but every single one of them has either ADHD, high functioning autism or both.
At that point, with several dozen examples, there’s no way it’s a coincidence.
One of us! One of us! One of us!
I was also diagnosed late with both autism and ADHD, thanks for sharing your journey with us!
Congrats on your diagnosis!
I have both and it does not affect me that much
Me too!
One of uth one of uth 3Head
Hello, fellow AuDHD haver!
I'm 90% sure I have Aspergers, but now I might have Autism. My brother has Autism to.
I was diagnosed with Autism at age two. As a result, I've never really felt like I fit in anywhere, and your videos gave me a lot of hope. So to hear that one of my favorite RUclipsrs is on the Spectrum alongside me really warms my heart and gives me a sense of belonging. I stand with you, Sean, and it's nice to have you amongst us.
This comment with like 2 likes appeared at the top of the comment section for me. Ironic because it deserves to have enough likes to belong there. The algorithm simply knows.
Trump won
❤
just because you have autism dosent mean you cant do anything
@@theneutralexoticlolur not wrong but also that doesnt mean that external factors cant limit you
I'm still undiagnosed, I probably have either just autism or am audhd. But ever since my friends pointed out I too might be autistic, I've given myself more space wrt what might be masking, social exhaustion and getting overwhelmed from stimuli. I am a social person, but it's been easier to recognise when I'm pushing myself too hard and to draw the line earlier and go "actually I need to bow out or I'll be dead for the rest of the weekend". It IS easier to be kind to yourself when you realise what might set you off and you learn what signs to look out for. I don't necessarily need a label, but it IS nice to have this idea of potentially helpful coping mechanisms, and who I am and why I am the way I am. And that's really a relief and only good for self-care ❤️
I have autism/AUDHD too, I've never felt so seen by a video. having that understanding and prerogative to be gentle with yourself after finally knowing *why*. I'm so happy for you Sean!!! there's nothing quite like having it all fall into place
People tell me to get tested (both for ADHD and Autism), and I tell them that’s never going to happen. At 33yo I don’t see how a diagnosis will make a difference to my life or other people’s lives. Also, people say they don’t but once you’ve been diagnosed people look and think about you differently.
@@angelofmalice0 Jacksepticeye is a year older than you and clearly he benefits from being diagnosed in some way. It probably won't make much of a difference but knowing won't hurt.
As for not wanting other people to treat you differently...you don't _have_ to tell them if you've been diagnosed. It's not their business.
@@angelofmalice0 I think I know how you feel. My family and the spaces I grew up in were/are filled with a lot of clearly undiagnosed neurodivergent adults who talk about how, "oh, but everyone deals with this and that and so on, they're giving out too many diagnoses nowadays for normal experiences," or, "we used to just suck it up," and so on. It feels so ironic because they will act supportive yet not really empathize with people who have these diagnoses. It's also so frustrating as someone who has multiple barriers to an official diagnosis, like many people do, so then you're expected to suffer just to tread water like they have.
@@YayaFeiLong I disagree that this has actually been a benefit to him, I’ve watched the same video as you and I fail to see how it is helpful. I dunno maybe we’re just very different people in that respect.
@@angelofmalice0 I was just diagnosed at 31 and it's changed my entire life! I have so much more access to more specialized resources that actually help me. I've learned tons of autistic specific ways of learning and I'm making actual progress in some skills that I stagnated in. I'm starting to learn how to unmask & stim which gave me a peek into joy for the first time since I was a child. And (I know it sounds woo, but it works) I was able to use an "autistic friendly" version of EMDR that actually worked for the first time and I've made progress in my trauma work for the first time in my life! And that's just a few months in. Everyone is different and nobody should be pushed to get a diagnosis if they don't want to, but I wanted to just put some more concrete examples for folks of what could be out there past a diagnosis. (Knowing I'm also super privileged to have access to all of this!)
A popular public person speaking out about their Autism/ADHD is a major victory and freeing thing for many people. If you inspired just 1 person to get diagnosed or to step out into themselves without fear you have changed the world. Thank you Jack for being you and letting everyone see it.
the tests are so expensive that i can never afford to take.
Yea
I completely agree with the “getting the answers about myself” part in particular. I felt confused about myself, and my autism diagnosis felt like a weight was lifted and I was able to understand myself better. So cool to hear that it’s a relatable experience. Love you Sean!
That’s exactly why I’m trying to get diagnosed so hopefully it works out
The diagnosis for me was the most important part of my growth as a person. I finally understood my brain and why it worked the way it does
@@WishGender Same here. When i got mine, everything changed. For the better.
I have autism too, and I've watched his videos since I was a child, I used to watch them any chance I got! He is one of us!
Yeah I agree. I've been asked so often "are you REALLLLYYYYYYYYY autistic??" or told "but you dont SEEEEEEEEM autistic" like it's so upsetting to me that (some) people believe you have to be so overtly 'different' to be considered autistic.
fr
So true
meh i never gave a shit if people believe me about anything or not. Fuck what other people think, my life will never revolve around what others think or believe about me.
yeah my mom thinks this way because she helped autistic kids in the 90s who were non-verbal etc. and she thinks they all are like that and i had to explain to her there's different spectrums now😭
ya iots really annoying when you tell someone adn they just tell you nah you don't have it. Like have you spent hours researching autism like I have? or are you just going off of the stereotypes you have heard??
"im autistic" "but you're so social!?" "but you're just like everyone else..." people dont understand that that means we're masking pretty well, and its reinforcing that our mask is solid... which, isnt always a good thing. i hope this DX helps you learn more about you. figuring out i was an AuDHDer, instead of just ADHD, my life flipped upside-down, but in a good way. i finally looked back on many things and it made sense. i wasnt broken, i wasnt stupid, or lazy, or just over-emotional, the picky eating ( STUPID RAISINS >:( ), and every other bad thing we've been told, and tell ourselves. "knowing is half the battle" but, sometimes, it feels like its more than half. knowing literally saved my life, because i couldnt understand why holding a job was so hard, why it felt like no one liked me, even when i had many people who genuinely loved being around me, just one perceived negative reaction to me was enough to send me into a bad spiral. but, now i know, i'm not alone out here, im not the odd one out, and im not broken, just different. i know how to regulate thanks to talking to other autistic adults who knew for longer, i learned to unmask and let myself be.
thank you for being you all these years, being open, and making all of us feel so welcome to just exist for a while, and know that its okay to be us here.
This
How dare u, I love raisins :0
@@ElectricChair-00 I like them too, but I bet there is some other food stuff you just cant stand the texture of.
Mine is fresh unbaked onions and boiled chicory b.t.w.
Not the taste, I like that, but the whole texture feels just wrong in my mouth.
I don't even mask well. Most of my signs got picked up on but dismissed as being rude. I've noticed NT's have this thing where most things need a really basic explanation and then they can forget about it. Like fat people are fat because they eat junk 24/7. Poor people are poor because they're lazy. Their friend is weird because they're introverted. Anyone who complains is just an attention-seeker. That kind of thing.
That wouldn't work for me. My autism side, sadly, isn't all that much about trains or math but the world and people. It's never been an option to just find the quickest answer and leave it at that.
Like, we all know there are going to be people in these comments who don't believe ADHD and autism are real because the behavior is 'normal' and they never bothered to learn what a disorder is even though if you tell them you have a suitcase that is disorderly they wouldn't go YOUR SUITCASE IS THE SAME SUITCASE AS MINE IT CAN'T BE DISORDERLY.
I feel like you just wrote my same experience... except with the picky eating, I didn't have that. But the masking.... I became a chameleon. To the point I didn't even who my own self was. It's scary. But you're absolutely right, we're not broken. I'm glad you learned to unmask and accept yourself. I'm still working on that part
My son has autism and he loves your videos! Thank you for sharing! Its an important conversation to have. I knew very little about autism until my son was diagnosed. Now I find myself explaining to people that autism is a spectrum. "But he looks so normal". Getting real tired of hearing that. Thank you for talking about it. ❤️ Love your channel even more.
hi, im the 100 th like😅😅😅. my son also is on the spectrum, diagnosed a year ago, age 5. we still love him, maybe more than ever...❤
Thanks Sean, you talking about this really does help people with the stigma of autism. I’ve had the thought that I might have autism along with adhd for awhile but I never really acknowledged it. Hearing you talk about your experiences and how your adhd treatment didn’t quite fit made me decide to talk about it with my therapist and it has helped me a lot. I don’t have a formal diagnosis but knowing it’s a strong possibility has allowed me to better understand myself and create better strategies for my mental health. You sharing your struggles really does help people so thank you ❤️
Gosh.. I grew up watching you. I'm also late-diagnosed at 24 as a female. It's really validating to see someone I enjoyed and often helped me cope with a lot of my struggles being diagnosed and speaking up about the stigma and stereotypes of Autism.
I love how you put it.. we are the same people, we can see and be gentle with ourselves a little bit more.
Thank you so much for the awareness you're bringing ❤❤️
I echo this sentiment, thanks for putting it so well 🌞🙏🏻
I am in the same boat! i grew up with tourettes and was never diagnosed due to weird complications, but this video has definitely given me insight how to look at it
I got diagnosed for adhd when I was 13/14 and autism when I was 15 i think? And it's honestly so nice to see so many others have it like me, like I did not expect jack to have autism but I'm very happy he talks about it and is always himself no matter what.
I was also diagnosed late with autism (and schizo-affective disorder) at 25 and that was only after I started contemplating suicide. I had no one to turn to and was always told I was making things up or doing stuff for attention and too young to have any problems....it took an aunt I never knew existed who had found out about me through my dad (who it turned out had been complaining to her about me for who knows how long) to recognize that something really wasn't right, realize my family wouldn't do anything about it and convinced me to move in with her so that she could help me get the help she knew I needed. I'm still here today because of her.
In hindsight after posting this, I realize I owe a little thanks to my dad. If he hadn't been bad mouthing me so much, my aunt would've never found out about me so I guess there's my silver lining in that.
14:32 “that’s weakness to me, you’re scared of being alone with yourself and loving yourself” THIS SEAN THISSSSSS! I’m grateful to see a human with a large platform agree with this sentiment. Thanks for being so real and human, it really does maintain hope
When I got my diagnosis, all I could do was cry.
I've gone through life knowing that there was something wrong with me. But could never pinpoint exactly what it was. I always thought I was normal despite having anxiety, depression, etc. but finally it dawned on me last year that something was *not* right with me. I didn't process things like everyone else.
So when I got tested, which was difficult to even find a place that did autism testing on adults, and spent a lot of money that I really didn't have to have it done and got my results, it was like a weight lifted off of me. Finally, I knew why I was a different, and I could get treated for the symptoms of my autism.
Life is still very difficult, but now I know how to handle it one day at a time. You're not alone in this, you've got an awesome community backing you and others out there who are just like you. You've got this. :)
Can you give an example of what adult autism treatment looks like? Is it therapy?
Yeah. Hits hard when you finally get understood and get a logical reason
I hope that the people treat you and Jack well. Despite knowing my diagnosis for years now my mother still doesn't treat me well (somehow I'm supposedly able to do everything myself despite saying I can't yet also I don't get to do any decisions either. So the worst of both worlds)
Nothing is wrong with you, nothing so wrong with me or anyone ~ we are all just ourselves and that’s all anyone can do. Be weird, be you
@nikkireigns for me (could be different depending on what country you are in, but still similar) but I was 23 when I was diagnosed and a born female so it's alot harder to get diagnosed sometimes. But it was fine, it is like therapy, they ask questions about your mental health, your childhood, behaviours, patterns, OCD, they go through different diagnosises you could possibly have and they test your IQ as well doing puzzle like tests, maths tests, what you think certain words mean and how you can explain it to them, memory tests, and they also assess your body behaviour and how you react to them during the assessments. It's usually quite pricey but in my opinion it was totally worth it. Am currently in the process of getting ADHD medication since I have mostly innatentive ADHD and can't focus on anything, and I am already diagnosed with autism. If you are looking for answers and want to know yourself better, eve if it doesn't turn out you have it, or wether you do, it is still good to do and good to find out what is going on in your own brain. :D
I'm so proud of you for opening up Sean! 😊 I was diagnosed with ADD at age 8. We hide our tism well because we grew up with it and know our own self best!
My son is so excited that you’re also autistic because he’s a 14 y/o autistic kid and the world is cruel already as a teen let alone an autistic one. He now feels uplifted because a well known RUclipsr also has autism! He already has a RUclips and I keep telling him to stick with it if it makes him happy. So thank you so much for sharing, it has given him new confidence. ❤
You should let your boy know that Kyle Hill, a fantastic science RUclipsr also has diagnosed autism.
This is so sweet, Jack really has such a great influence on his audience and I'm so happy that your son was able to feel connected! :) ❤
My view on autism is like having a "super power", you just need to find your power to thrive in your life, if that makes sense. It takes some time to find your "super powers", but once you find them nothing can stop you. If you have a bad experience early in your life it does not mean your life will not get better at later times. For me it took only one mentor with the right mindset and who does judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree to change my way of thinking, he was a great colleague and a friend while I was working in the same company. Before that the most of the people in my surrounding told me that I will never succeed in my goals, that I was lazy, I was weirdo and various names they could think of. So shortly: 1. Never let people tell you who you are, you define yourself, 2. Do not let your fears to stop you from progress in your life, take them as a challenge and you will always benefit from that, 3. Use all of your frustrations from your life and focus it into something useful from which you can benefit later in life, there is no greater revenge in your life than becoming successful in what you do. This is what helped me. Today I live in a different country doing the job I always wanted to do, I do my hobby for a living. Sometimes the problem does not lie in ourselves, sometimes we just need to change our surrounding to thrive. I found out I have autism only after my 30s, accidently. He is lucky having you to support him.
Thank YOU for being a good mom to him ❤
what's your son's channel?
Thank you Jack for talking about your autism diagnosis, being in the world rn as an autistic person feels so alienating and it makes me so happy to see my favourite childhood RUclipsr come out and talk about being autistic. It explains why I always felt welcomed watching you play games and being in your community as a child; and just not feeling so alone while watching your videos. It was like a safe space of no judgement/ableism for my autistic brain and I’m glad that safe space was well founded. People all too often online show autism to be so negatige or comes out saying the most ableist stuff and it makes other people view themselves negatively in turn and it really needs to stop. Thank you!!!! and welcome to the club Jack!!!!! Xxx
Glad you felt better in here!
My heart goes out to you my guy. Less than a year after my own "OOOhhhhhh!" moment with Autism I totally get "why did nobody tell me?" I'm 45...
If I can offer you one thing to make the coming days easier - don't let yourself start the "If I had known this then" game - it's a painful distraction that has no good to repay you with for the trouble.
If you find yourself in that headspace, proactively find something productive or fun (which is a mode of productivity for the human animal - we need it) to occupy your mind before the downward spiral gets a hold on you.
Thank you for coming forward so directly and openly.
I'm 30, and it's been hard years trying to accept I'm somewhere on the spectrum, and even so I'm always pushing back an official diagnosis because of how I was raised and the stereotypes that go with it
The pain of looking at the past and what could have been is very real. I had to fight for so long to figure out what was "wrong" with me, that when I finally got my autism diagnosis I not only felt relief, but also a bitter sadness. It is so easy to wish you had known sooner, to curse all those "professionals" who tell you that nothing is wrong with you. I still can sometimes fall into thinking about ‘what if’ scenarios. But we have to look at the now and focus on making a better life for the current us instead, thank you for bringing it up ❤️
Yeah I still struggle with that type of rumination after my diagnosis. It's, very surreal reframing almost every moment in your life.
@@MonakalizasArt same here, but 26. OCD type thoughts of wanting to experiment with things at 20/21 just before covid hit were really distracting me from the final semester of uni which was already quite difficult and the pandemic timing was a blessing (unfortunate for those who were really affected, lost a family friend to it and a childhood friend apparently took his life because of isolation which hurts). I've been putting it off but maybe this video and reading the comments is making me think I should really chase it during 2025... I have been working a part-time job for nearly 18 months at min wage which isn't what my calling is but I'm struggling to see a way out and I want to find myself this next year... wow I'm having deja vu writing this comment like I did it before somehow
Thank you. Thank you so much. You have no idea how amazing this is to have you publicly say this. You are 100% correct. We need this normalized. Ive had ADHD my while life and a lot of things you said has made me think I need to get tested myself. Even if I'm not, this is just an amazing thing to have you talk about. It also reminds people that all content creators In All factors are real people also
It feels weird but comforting knowing Sean has the exact same diagnosis as me, adhd, anxiety and autism. Funnily enough autism was my last diagnosis since it would come out as other symptoms of my adhd and anxiety and I had gotten good at masking.
Right! I nice to see that so many people like him so much. It really makes me think that maybe I am tolerable and I just don’t see myself that way because of the things I deal with.
I have the same things
a win for us in the AAA group!!
Unite
Rise up!
Thank you for pushing this conversation forward. I had a similar experience myself. Diagnosed at 13, and I have to thank my mom for being so supportive and accepting because there was still a lot of stigma at the time. Finding out helped me to make sense of my own behaviors and thought patterns which made it easier to accept myself rather than thinking there's something "wrong" with me.
my parents were pushing for an autism diagnosis so they could convince the state that I was incapable of taking care of myself and get money for it. turns out it was just super bad, completely uncontrolled ADHD that I was later officially diagnosed with.
I have diagnosed OCD, and even with it, I always felt like an outcast in between people with OCD. You actually made me research a lot more on how OCD and Autism can occur together! Going to visit a professional soon. Thanks for voicing it out, and encouraging to get the assessment for Autism done
I have Autism ADHD and OCD and my experience is very similar to yours! I’ve known about the OCD for years but it never seemed to explain everything and I felt so clueless until I started researching autism and ADHD and got unofficially diagnosed by my psychiatrist.(He said he didn’t want to give me an official on-paper diagnosis so it wouldn’t bar me from certain opportunities in life or smth)
Actually Autism and OCD is the types of disorders that can’t correlate together because one stems from trauma and the other is naturally how you are.
@ It’s not solely stemmed from trauma, there can be other factors. Regardless, OCD and Autism both fall under the neurodivergent umbrella.
@@Bubba.mitchell4603 I'm autistic and have OCD :) autistic people are statistically much more likely to develop OCD. The way I explain the distinction between the two in myself is that my autistic routines bring me joy and my OCD routines (compulsions) do not.
Same. I have always felt different around people who only have OCD, like there is something else at play. I suspect i am likely autistic, but i don't want that to be the case because i don't like the idea of having something that never truly goes away.
I’m currently living on my 18 extra year’s! I had just turned 14 when I was diagnosed with all the changes my body was going through just wasn’t ready to hear the diagnosis driving me to the point of standing on a railway bridge thinking I would lessen the burden for myself and my parents if I leaned forward.
31 turning 32 it’s been tough but I now realise I wasn’t a burden and Autism is one of the best things about me my world is such that I don’t judge I embrace difference.
Love to all of those diagnosed or not you are perfect in an imperfect world.
You bring up a lot of good points. When I hear the word “autism” it always has to be a negative, but the more you spoke about it, the more I realized it was just an explanation for particular behaviors. The questions you described definitely have answers that might be different in me than in others. I might go get tested because of this.
Seán thank you for sharing. Your neurodivergence makes the things you’ve accomplished all the more impressive. I’m grateful for you and your community this Thanksgiving.
As someone on the spectrum I see it as a double edged sword. It’s like a superpower in certain areas and a detriment in others. Although I suppose you could say the same of neurotypical brains as well. We all have our strengths and weaknesses.
So that's why I vibe so well with this channel!?! Happy thanks giving.
You rock jack.
I also have Autism, and it is nice to finally be diagnosed. Sometimes having adult diagnosis means we spent a lot of time drowning without help. You and Mark are easily neurodivergent which is why I've always felt safe with you. Thank you for sharing your story
"easily"?
Jack I don’t blame you I have the same thing and I’m proud of who I am and you should too!
I have Autism too! Also, just gonna put this out there... Sean's hair is looking good!
Me too
Same Here
Me four!
Same
Me three
Eeeeeyyy!!! Autism gang, woooo!!!! Thank you so much for talking about this. I super appreciate you explaining some things that are difficult for you because it's so important, as an autistic person especially, to be able to relate to other people. I haven't heard anyone talk about the SHEER AMOUNT of processing it takes to have a single conversation, but I'm so glad you did. It's so difficult to explain to neurotypicals. It's so difficult to get them to understand not only how fast we have to filter information in order to be able to respond at a socially acceptable and/or non-awkward speed, but also *how many filters there are*, like you said, from tone to body language and expressions, to social expectations and rules, to implications and subtext, to-- Then to run your own potential response through almost those same filters to make sure that you come across and will be received exactly how you intend to... Not to mention the amount of brainpower it takes to do that, again, with every interaction... It's so hard.
So proud of you, Sean! Here's to a year of self discovery and understanding, being kinder to one's self, and taking a stand against the difficulties of the industry and negative stereotypes against neurodivergency. Thanks for being you. :)
I think I have autism as well and this is exactly how I explained to my mom and brother how much work I have to do daily just to comunicate with people, especially people I don't know like strangers at work or even my coworkers. The amount of mental work I have to do to make sure I am understood and also understand what the other person is telling me is exhausting. Add in sensory issues too much sound, too bright of lights, my clothes feel weird on me...plus physical issues that are causing near constant pain and discomfort. As well as my auditory processing issues, dyslexia, anxiety...everything adds up and too quickly. But those things are near impossible to understand unless you also experience them.
I really want to go in and see if I honestly do have autism because at this point if its not autism I don't know what it is. It'd just be nice to know, ya know?!
got me a bit emotional how u said that it's nothing but a win, an answer to who you are, and going easier on yourself. i relate so damn much! got diagnosed with adhd last year, and i'm just 19 but GOD i hated myself SO MUCH. i look back and just get sad you know? how hard i went on myself, and how much i cried when i started researching adhd on my own and being like "oh my god, someone gets it. it ckicked!". it's so great for you to make this video, and be an amazing example of how diverse neurodivergency can be. we love ya jack!! ty :D
As someone with Adhd, I can relate to the self-hatred over it, especially the relief when finding people who empathize completely
I was diagnosed with combined Adhd at 7 (my second grade teacher insisted I get tested). By middle school, it finally clicked how different I was. In high school, I hated myself for aspects of my life that were hindered by my adhd.
At 19, I found my diagnosis papers, learned about what my exact symptoms were and it explained so much. (Because I was diagnosed young, I wasn’t directly taught what my symptoms were, besides attention-span issues)
This is a good message
@@strxwbxrry_420 How do you handle it? Never been diagnosed but since late teens it's really got severe at times and while I managed to push through and finish a maths degree with a 2:1 grade I've been working part-time jobs but even that I feel has pushed me to the point of where I've handed in four weeks notice so that I can take some time away to find a more definitive career and also find myself
Bro same. The first time someone asked if I was autistic I was like "no, I´m way to social". Now, a few years later, I realise all my social interractions are extremely thought out. I think about how I´m going to form this sentence with every single one I say. I cannot understand people until I have studied them for long enough that I can find patterns and an explanatory model, and I will not feel super comfortable talking to them until I do.
As a child I genuenly didn´t understand why none of the girls wanted to hang out with me, and why everyone found me so weird.
I am not diagnosed, and I´m probably not gonna go through with getting a diagnosis, since I know how I work and it probably wont do much for me. I´m also kind of scared of trying to get diagnosed, since autism in women often is a lot different than in men, and that they will just dismiss it.
I know I have some (a lot of) quirks, but now that I understand them I´ve gotten better at taking care of my own brain, kind of.
I love how our generation actually talks more ab how psychiatric stuff isn´t as black and white as people once thought.
(My special interest is also psychiatrics and brains, I´m a psych nurse... so seeing the field develope is also super exciting)
It's exactly how I felt brave enough to tell my partner something about me and they looked up OCD and specifically morbid OCD and sent me a link. I thought I was a horrible freak who was going to hurt people and lived in fear all the time about it. Then reading on it, realizing it had a name, had perfect accurate descriptions of exactly what my anxious mind does... it was so freeing. Getting into therapy and learning the reason my OCD is morbid based is because I'm most terrified of hurting others was also validating.
Later I got diagnosed with ADHD and Autism and also learned that all 3 can run together or can come in twos. Also a big "Oohhhh!" moment.
A diagnosis is an explanation, a reason why x or y happens or how you process it.
I could argue that society also needs to stop thinking people are just lazy or whatever too so that even those with out these conditions, but still suffering depression or stress and don't function as well during that aren't treated like less.
Laziness doesn't exist, not when your aversion to doing something actually negatively impacts your life quality. Someone not paying bills, not doing dishes, not taking showers is someone who is suffering something and likely doesn't know it. Not wanting to get up to turn off the light and trying to use your foot, that's okay laziness, but also not something most would admonish for either.
Hey, that explains why you are so smart!
Kudos & good health!
I was diagnosed formally a year ago. I'm 40.
Thank you for talking about this, Sean. And yes, I did have a suspicion. I started having a suspicion when a speaking professional analyzed your videos over time and was praising how much you improved. And I'm like, that's how I progressed as someone who talks to people all the time now.
💜s to you and I'm very glad you got diagnosed.
My being autistic has also helped so many people. My special interest is anything related to biology, and scored in the 98th percentile in the sciences compared to my peers in highschool.
Now I help extremely medically complex people on an advocacy basis. Think blood clotting disorders, Marfans syndrome and hEDS with significant cardiac involvement, rare diseases and mostly people who have severe medical PTSD who are autistic or have severe mental health issues. I can reference almost every research study I've read, in passing information learned from professionals, and can help a PCP come up with a treatment plan for a person who's been wracking their brain for years usually within the first visit.
My favorite moment lately was when I was talking about cross allergens, and I remembered a conversation from 2009 where someone mentioned something was structurally similar to something else. The nurse and doctor in the room kinda stopped for a moment, and I could see their gears turning and said out loud "Huh. You're right 🤔".
I also work *exclusively* in the LGBTQ+ community on a pro bono basis with the people I'm not friends with. Anyone got any questions about weird medical stuff, I'm your gal.
@@maggiekelley259 I don't have a question, but that's extremely rad work you're doing
I wasn't formally diagnosed, as it's very expensive and a long wait time to get tested. But in my psychiatrist's professional opinion she's 100% positive I'm AuDHD.
Like I said It's expensive to get tested where I'm from, so I'll probably never get a formal diagnosis, but I'm happy that my Dr sees me. Oh I'm also 40 like you, and was 39 when this happened 😂
I am on the verge of crying. This is exactly what I needed. Thank you thank you thank you so much, Jack. Your openness and honesty is so healing for me right now (and I'm sure for many) as I'm struggling to figure out what's "wrong" with me. The journey to mental health and well-being is so so hard, but I don't feel so alone right now at least. Thank you.
There is nothing wrong with you, love. Nothing. I'm sorry you feel alone. Sometimes we feel like we could scream in the middle of a crowded room and still, nobody would hear us. Well, I heard you, ok? I heard you, and I'm here to tell you that you are not alone.
@@toukie ❤️
My favourite saying.
“If you have meet one Autistic person, you have only meet one Autistic person.” We are all very different and it is quite common to be both ADD/ADHD/Autistic.
I like to refer to Autism as my wiring being different and it shows up in strange ways. I am sensory under load. Only later on in life did I start getting sensory overload. Being female also comes with its differences. Menopause can mess with your Autism and end up how older ladies get diagnosed with autism.
what
*A.D.D. is an outdated term lol, it's just called ADHD type 2 now meaning you still have ADHD just not as hyper*
@@RitsuSakuma69
Or inattentive ADHD
Didn’t know the type with the number but I’ve been calling what I got inattentive.
Autism is a spectrum, and it is indeed not quite a curse that many people see it for. Being autistic isn't all bad. It's different
Is this an American thing?
Plus type 2 makes it sound like a disease.
This video made me feel seen! I have been diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, and depression but all the medication hasn’t made me feel like the best me I can be. I feel like you named everything I’m going through as a 45 year old. I’ve been told by others to get checked for autism but was always scared that if I was diagnosed people would look at me differently. Now I know if still be my goofy self. Thank you!
I’m glad you got it professionally diagnosed It’s such a relief to know what’s going on, and makes it a thing that you can see on paper and not just something you don’t know the word for, clears things up a little, you know?
So THAT'S why I've related to you so much over the years!!! 😅
One of us!! One of us!!
ONE OF US‼️‼️🦕🦖✨🔱🎸
OwOne OwOf UwUs :3
ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US!
One of us!
One of us.. heheh
As someone who got diagnosed for autism at two, I must say that your perception of the diagnosis is accurate and I appreciate the fact that you’re also informing people of the variance in scale of the diagnosis.
My mom never had the perception you did, unfortunately. Autism was just a word for her. The only time she used it was when it suited her narrative. Like when she called the police on me because I would get mad at her for being dismissive. That led me in a mental hospital more times than I can count. The hypocrisy was the constant and strongest factor.
At seventeen, my mom dropped me off at my dad and stepmom's porch, just like that. My weekend visits with them haven't been the best when I was five all the way to fourteen. They were dealing with personal issues at the time. My mom forbid me from seeing them and once again, she suited narratives only for her of how my dad wasn't there for me and how my stepmom was just as bad because of her skin color. I haven't seen them in three years. I didn't know how they would react to seeing me again. I was so scared.
I knocked on their door, my dad answered and was confused. She didn't even tell them about dropping me off their porch. It wouldn't take long for him to let me in. My stepmom was just as confused. I would explain to them what happened. After a lot of consideration, they took me in. They gave me all the care my life needed. I got food on the table, a roof over my head, clothes on my back, access to education, and most importantly, guidance. Here I am nineteen years old who graduated high school while recently getting my first job at retail. I would never be in this position without them.
On behalf of the people who have this diagnosis, thank you.
The autism stereotype was created in the 70's, 80's, and 90's and up to 2010 because that's how autism was diagnosed, if you were non-verbal and were constantly stemming then that would have meant you were autistic. That might be why your mom thinks that, because it might have been drilled into her head during her whole life.
For me though its my brother because of damn TikTok, these offensive memes are being said out in public including the autism stereotype.
Your mom had to be a narcissist.
Congrats on your success! So happy for you and proud of you :)
I completely agree with you. My son was diagnosed with stage 2 Autism, and over the past couple of years I’m realizing I’m sharing quite a few things with him. I haven’t been tested myself, so I won’t self diagnose, but I agree having Autism is not a “bad” thing and can help improve your self awareness,esteem, e.t.c. I’ve spent a lot of my life beating myself up over things, and I feel if I had grown up around people with a more open mind, life could have been so much easier.
Thank you for making this video my 16yr old son just got diagnosed and was in denial and he’s always watched you. You making it a more positive conversation has helped 🫶🏻
Great job :D it's awesome that as a parent you're ready to learn about disorders and your child deal with his. I think to help him accept his diagnosis, it's important to redefine autism as the clinical diagnosis, instead of the insults and stereotypes he's used to hearing about; so he actually understands what he's diagnosed with. Good luck!
As Someone who grew up basically Antisocial, always kept to myself, when stressed i handled it by isolating myself, my friends are all moving on from video games and i’m still here playing them pretty much all day, you’ve motivated me to schedule an appointment to get tested for both ADD and Autism, I just want to say thank you Sean, you’re a huge inspiration to me and even more now learning that you dealt with some of the same things i had to growing up! Much Love!
Same here bro. Much love g
oof the self isolation is so real, i do that often. though it was more when i was dealing with depression
So self isolation is not trauma more than an autism trait?
Asocial.
I was diagnosed with Autism not till 16. Am now 40 and found peace with it living on my own. Glad channels I have been watching since I was 20 and being honest and still love peope I watch. Jack there is nothing wrong with the way u are. No one is perfect and we need to accept hobbies people choose to have. Make the world more positive and humble regardless how poor or rich you. God will alwas be watching over you.
I wish I was like you. I have been diagnosed at 12 and at 19 I’m now embarrassed of it
Thank you for making this video and saying all the right things! Despite being such a common and natural thing, autistic people are seen as aliens by way too many people. And when you brought up that people had asked you "Why do you admit to that?", I really felt that.
People close to me had no problems before I was diagnosed when I was 15. But after that, they started talking to me less since the confirmation bias attached to the diagnose made them think I was weird and uncomfortable to talk to. They made no effort to educate themselves about autism, so their ignorance distanced them even more from me. The funny thing is that I got a lot of social training the years after the diagnose and managed to become so much more comfortable in my own skin, but still, my relatives were stuck in their confirmation bias loop.
Today, I'm not sure if the diagnose was actually right since I had some childhood trauma, bullying and lack of social training early on that complicates things. But regardless, the diagnose made me learn a lot about autism and the nuances of being on the spectrum. It has made me much more aware of neurodiversity and accepting of those who possess it than I could have been if not for the diagnose. I always try to educate people if they lack knowledge about autism and I stand up for them if someone shows hostility towards autists. I really wish we would have gotten further by now.
Hi Jack, you've been my favourite content creator for the majority of 2020-2024.
I also have autism and adhd. I got diagnosed with both few years ago not much sooner I got diagnosed with dyslexia. Hearing your story about feeling left out and I relate to everything you say, I feel like well not a black sheep full of white sheep more like a sheep from another flock.
I've had and and still have my struggles with anxiety and depression. Seeing and hearing you talk about it makes me happy and not alone anymore knowing that we're not alone. It's something I've been really happy with you addressing these past months the struggles and how you've been struggling.
I find myself relating to you more than anyone. I just straight up accepted upon getting my diagnosis and well worked on that. I have been on medication but last year it kinda just hurted my brain more than helping so I went medication free.
Sean I wish you a spectacular day and I hope you read this, since this video has meant a lot to me.
You need to get medicated for laziness 😂
Someone get this to Jack
@@erimneLprocrastinating is my number one hobby🤘🔥
I know a kid whos diagnosed with autism, and he loves trains, thats what I thought of when you said "I like trains." Hes a cool kid, only reminded me of him through seeing this.
I'd say about 98% of people I meet trackside (i obviously like trains) are autistic (mostly like Jack, you can't really tell, but there are certain people I know that have a tougher time). There's a high probability I have autism, but I haven't had a PROPER diagnosis. It's actually wild when you see how closely the two parallel.
I had an uncle with autism that could draw trains accurately from memory alone lol. That's what I thought of lol.
bro same
It's a meme from the ASDF movies here on RUclips, I think.
@@fullmoonshadow6967 Yeah it is! But there are people who have autism that genuinely enjoy trains a lot! Its a classic special interest from what I understand, to a point that it may be a stereotype. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong of course!)
Glad to be in the soup with ya! Noticing the broth in adulthood myself, I recognize the journey of self hatred, confusion, understanding, and acceptance. Sending all the support your way.
Welcome to the AuDHD club, dude!!
Thanks for doing all your "tearing down the Puffing Your Chess status quo". I'm finally getting to a place where my Sense Of Self is developing and settling (at 21), and I've come to realise that I don't want a Status Quo life, because it makes me hurt. You're doing amazing, and I love you for it. Keep going
I’m autistic. I often have panic attacks, I avoid eye contact a lot, I don’t like being in big crowds, I don’t like loud noises, I struggle to make friends and I can sometimes be quite blunt without meaning to. Sometimes I think I’m misunderstood by many people. I really like spending time alone and I often talk about my special interests so much. I often feel like I’m the odd person out in my Family. I really struggle to open up to people because sometimes I think that nobody understands me at all because people always take things the wrong way and their lack of understanding about autism in general. I sometimes feel so lonely even when I’m with people. I often pretend to be interested in things I don’t like to try and fit in with people and pretend to be someone I’m not because I’m scared of being judged and mistreated for being autistic 😔 I usually do my Special Interests to keep me occupied when I feel alone or when I’m bored like hugging my Favourite Plushies, playing My Favourite Video Games and watching My Favourite TV Shows and Movies. ❤️
@@billycurr Why are you describing the rest of us? :)
To be honest I'm on the old side close to 50 now, and a lot of the negatives such as worrying about what people think about me isn't a big thing anymore. So don't worry, a lot of those negatives will become less bad as you get older.
@@macojo2477its a fairly common phrase, since the two tend to go hand in hand
@@billycurr i felt this so much 🫂
" I don't want a Status Quo life, because it makes me hurt" - I have never related to anything so much in my life. All the love in the world to you, friend!
i was diagnosed with autism when i was sixteen. it explained so much. i'm 20 now, and i've found that having an explanation for why i act and think the way i do has made it easier for me to not beat myself up over needing to do things differently than most. my parents have been very accommodating as well, which i really appreciate. i'm glad you were able to get a diagnosis and i hope it continues to help you learn more about yourself
My mom first told me about my autism diagnosis when i was in middle school in a gas station, I'm glad you were told in a much kinder way. Man that was a bombshell, right? lol I was diagnosed at 2 years old but was never really told about it until then. It's never to late to learn about these things.
I didn't know my mom suspected I had ADHD until middle school too! I had just found it online after never hearing about it before, something clicked, and when I suggested it to her she was just like "yeah I've always wondered." Like ????
In her defense, she DID go to get me diagnosed when I was like in first grade, but my pediatrician was like "her grades are good so she's fine" (I was not). And honestly the place I went to school had a really "mental health doesn't exist you're just not trying hard enough, medication is the devil" type mindset. So maybe it was a net positive I got diagnosed later in high school so I never had to struggle with being bullied for it or being uncomfortable with myself. I've always been super okay with talking openly about my mental health and personal experiences and struggles, but I may have been too ashamed if I was diagnosed earlier and ridiculed for it growing up.
Still would have been nice to know though LOL I thought I was just insane for the longest time 😭
I didn’t find out until 9th grade! I was also diagnosed when I was a baby so I feel this
My parents didn’t tell me about my diagnosis (I was 3). I found out from a school behavior evaluation form. Prior to that, I took quizzes, did research, and questioned my parents why I had different types of therapies that other kids didn’t. They either shrugged off or told me I was normal. Pretty rough to process as a 12 year old.
How did that happenstance happen?
@SierNotsruht it just came up in conversation (I honestly don't remember what the conversation was about).
I have put watching this off cause I knew it would connect with me. I finally watched this today….I was just diagnosed with adhd a month ago and feeling discouraged with my the lack of “revolutionary change” that I thought my meds would have. I am now considering that there is more…thank you for making the “more” less scary.
My husband has autism and feels his autism is always getting in the way. He always enjoys watching you and makes him feel he can be social with people and be happy ❤
He got married to you, that takes an aweful lot of social skills I can imagine? I have it too and I have been with someone for over 15 years. It wasn't always easy, but worth the effort of trying to be normal (he didn't know). Not telling him, in hindsight, was probably how we seperated. My mask was too heavy to carry for such a long period of time and I felt ashamed of my shortcomings.
You two started off in a way better place. Don't allow him to do what I did is the best advise I can give you. I wish you a real happily ever after ♥
@capedkat it was challenging at first but 5 years strong and enjoying life ❤
@@ticiatarotreader1330 You managed to be important to him enough to put aside his social anxiety, pet projects and special interrests, just to spend time with you. You are certainly *very* special to him. (And we autistic people like to spend an inordinate amount of time with our special interests for many decades on end). I think you got a keeper ❤
I have autism and I do wonder that about about my fiancé because of some of the things he does. He was never diagnosed. Sometimes I do hear that it does go undiagnosed.
Thank you for talking about this. As someone who didn’t know he had autism till early adulthood, I definitely relate to the “but you’re so normal!” Conversations. Many of us simply learned how to behave in ways that conform to allistic standards and train/practice to accommodate for educational, communicative or reactive weaknesses we were born with. It can be really frustrating to hear stuff like “how can you be autistic? You’re so good at communicating!” Especially when you’ve put a lot of effort into learning *how* to communicate to the standards of allistic people. Take care out there.
yeah it's like
"but you're so good at x!"
"i know; i've spent my whole life practicing"
I told my mum a couple months ago that I think I'm autistic and want to seek a professional diagnosis (I'm in my mid-20s). The next day she said she lay awake half the night, thinking about it, and came to the conclusion I'm not autistic, because I'm not all closed off and drawn into myself (basically non-verbal is what she meant, I think). Thanks mum, that really f*ing hurt!
@@sheyri9 I don’t know your relationship with your mom but I do know that, like my psychiatrist told me, know one knows you and how you feel and live, more than YOU do. Do what you believe is best, and I hope you can get what you need. Take care out there.
@@shaker.of.gates.72 Exactly!!
Ive had no interaction with others who are autistic, other than one person so I have never considered myself an expert. And i appreciate this video so much because when I read the title I thought “but he seems so social and alright with interacting with others he seems normal” but its helped me realize how I dont know shit about autism and ive been following stereotypes when thinking about it. You’ve shattered my idea of someone with autism. Thank you.
i'm glad you are so open minded about it, most people are not or stick with their original views. thanks.
thank you for taking the time to learn!!!! this is another reason why this video is so important to not only fellow people with autism or potentially undiagnosed viewers, but also non-autistics!!!! heck yeah, learning and challenging stuff you thought you already knew!!!!!!! thank you!!!!! 💚💚💚
thank you for being so open minded, its awesome when people take the time to learn instead of just sticking to what they already believe
Aspies!
You’re looking at the extreme high functioning end of it. The type that most doctors miss because it’s so close to “normal.”
Thank you so much for speaking up about your journey and discovering your authenticity! Authenticity is freedom! I’ll be looking into to autism for myself after watching this (newly diagnosed adhd, longtime MDD). My brother sent this to me because he is discovering himself and is on the spectrum. I hope this helps him not be so hard on himself too ❤ and me too! Even after getting diagnosed w adhd, I struggle. Thanks again for sharing so fearlessly!! 📢📢📢📢📢📢📢
Hi Jack, I gasped when I saw this video. I'm a 33 year old woman and I got diagnosed with autism this year. I want to thank you for making this video. This year has been a ride; trying to understand myself with autism.. and how to navigate life while trying to unmask. You speaking about this.. gives me hope. Neurodivergence is still so stigmatised but knowing people like you.. use their platform to speak up and spread truth.. means so much.
Thank you so much! Be kind to yourself! xx
p.s.
I'm in the process of writing and hopefully publishing my first book! It'll be a fantasy that represents neurodivergence. You've helped ignite my passion even more!
We got jackspepticeye Diagnosed with autism before gta6
That’s amazing!!! :D
That’s amazing!!! :D
I really appreciate you coming out with this in a video! I myself have been learning more and more about autism and adhd, coming more and more to the conclusion that I'm on the spectrum and just how absurdly my parents and the world view these things.
I'm really grateful that you're willing to try and change the industry, and I think you have some very solid points in this video! Explaining mental health to people who refuse to learn is extremely exhausting, but being open about it like this might just help someone learn something new either about others or themselves!
I do want to mention that Twitter has gotten extremely toxic, I've moved from there to BlueSky and it was an instantaneous mental health boost! There are people there that genuinely care about what you post and what you're making!
Other than that, I really hope Thankmas goes well! You've knocked the previous ones out of the park and I'm sure this one will be no exception! I believe in you and I'm proud of you!
Thank you for making this video. I have autism and it’s not talked about enough, especially when you “don’t look autistic” because you are high masking. ❤
Exactly, & I got chills when he talked ab over analyzing social situations, depression, and joint symptoms bc I thought I might be level 1 before but this resonates… I’ve been too good at masking that I’ve tricked myself too, I believe… Much love
Oh my gosh! I absolutely hate when people say that! I want to say to them “You don’t look stupid so I guess we both lose” but I don’t. There is no “look” to being autistic. Just like there’s no “look” to chronic illness or any invisible disability. I just want to slap those people sometimes!
so true. it’s unbelievable how some people think that autism has a specific look to it. many people have thought that i was joking or faking it when i revealed my diagnosis to them. just because i am high functioning and i don’t fit into every single autism stereotype. i am glad that there is more awareness now and people are finally starting to learn more abt the spectrum. autism is different for each individual!!
I got diagnosed with adhd and autism when I was 16. I grow up knowing something was not right with me and how my brain worked and when I finally got the answer I was thrilled! Don't get me wrong it has been a very hard and long journey since being diagnosed but it has gave me a piece of mind on knowing why things are harder for me!
I think the biggest thing is authenticity. My mental health has improved so much since diagnosis - being kinder to myself and learning how to soothe myself, its made me far less anxious nowadays and far more present - and therefore, happier!
I feel like my authentic self now. I don't feel shame for who I am or for how weird I may seem to others. I don't hate myself anymore for feeling like an outsider. I don't push myself for overstimulating situations. I indulge with my interests fully and freely and talk about them without the fear of being told to shut up, like countless times when I was a kid. I'm me - take it or leave it!
To whoever reads and resonates, please just be kind and patient with yourself. The modern world isn't built for neurodivergent people.
I got a "seems pretty likely" diagnosis, and it really helped me to allow myself to be kind to myself, too. Especially problems with sensory stimuli have been something I just tried to bury because I thought I was supposed to not be bothered by it like "everyone else", even if it stressed me out
I resonate deeply with this, as someone who went undiagnosed for both ADHD and Autism as a kid, now knowing who I am Ive been able to be so much more kinder and loving to myself, and I don't let people push me into overstimulating situations anymore! Its like finding a piece of me that's always been there that I can finally see, and I can love every part of me now!
Diagnosis does come with its draw backs, like in America, its hard to be seen in medical areas because if you have a diagnosis, you can be pushed down the waiting list, deemed as less "important". But, at least for me, getting a diagnosis was crucial in loving myself again and being kind to myself! Plus no longer pushing myself to become something Im not!
Thank you for you're comment, its really nice to know there are others out there who feel the same :>
How do you get diagnosed? Is this something that you bring up with your doctor and get appointed to a psychologist or something? I think I might be a bit autistic, but I've never tested. Definitely have ADHD, though (was tested for that as a child).
@@zoeyk1455 I don't know if it's different for different people, but that is what I did
@@zoeyk1455yes. I asked my primary care (my usual doctor you’d see for check ups) if they could refer me to a psychiatrist or psychologist who could help me get an evaluation for autism. No issues there, she did just that and she made sure they took my insurance as well. I think it depends though on how comfortable you are asking for that help. Thankfully my doctor is very nice and tries to accommodate for me, I can tell. I got calls from primary reminding me to reschedule for the psychiatrist!! Haha…. Ha.. (I already had a ADD diagnosis…)
this is the kind of talk i needed when i was a kid. i did not have support so i hid my autism diagnosis until this year. thank you.
This explains a lot... like how he is a silly little guy... and one of the best youtubers ever
It explains his 2-3 years he spent uploading twice a day and overworking himself that level of commitment
This video help me out alot Jack, keep the power and honesty coming.
Growing up watching Jack while also being undiagnosed, now being an adult thats diagnosed brings me a lot of hope that people will try to understand Autism more! :)