The video overall is quite well done. I would like to point out though that Aspergers and Autism are the same thing, Aspergers has not without reason been removed from the DRM-5 and instead been put into a whole overarching term of 'autism spectrum disorder'. Simply because it was a very narrow view and limited in actually diagnosing the people which have to deal with it. While the general notion of autism being pattern-based thought direction upholds to a vast degree those results have mostly come from older studies and experiences, often overlooking the whole category of the former 'high functioning' people which haven't been diagnosed before, people which often managed to even keep a job or despite not being lazy simply couldn't hold one because they have autism. The main issues related to the examples is that it generalizes, a 'gifted' person might simply have a high IQ, which is after all a measurement of pattern-recognition speed and the ability to use and replicate those patterns in actuality, something in which autistic people thrive at times... and others utterly fail. If we add the ability of masking as well as the double empathy issue to the whole concept it becomes extremely difficult. Giftedness is often masked autism, leading to built up mental stress by ignoring the signs of mental fatigue long-term, especially since it's highly likely that masking will hide that fact. So while they might seem like a genius short-term in a area... it'll easily fall off when their mental strain passes a point. Which is why especially for gifted people it's so important to make 100% sure that they are just smart and not have other conditions which will make them reach burnout. Because if they have autism then for the love of everything that is good... treat them entirely different, namely according to how they can thrive but not mentally break apart over time.
This is going to help me so much with my research. I'm writing as essay about the consequences of gifted children getting misdiagnosed with ADHD and Autism.
Great video! It makes me think, I don’t cope brilliantly in chaotic places like cities, but now I understand why I am so enraptured when say standing by a waterfall in nature. There’s not ‘too’ much going on, but the sensory stuff that is there, is felt deeply and acutely so that it feels sublime. Absorbing the subtle stimulus that nature provides is easier than absorbing the crassness of city stimulus.
It’s important to not focus so much on stereotypical examples that have been overly used in the history of autism. Hyper focus on trains is so over used and neglects the fact that many hyper focus on people/movies/celebrities not the typical trains, math, science. I know there is only so much time for a video, but I think it’s really important to highlight a more nuanced perspective of autism. Or the info starts to feel very outdated.
Thank you for covering this! I've actually been extensively researching this very topic the last couple months because I've had multiple people comment on a video on my channel telling me I'm describing autism, not giftedness. There is so much misinformation in the general public that makes living as a gifted person much harder, so we need more videos like this for greater clarity! Because I've been doing so much research into both the autistic and ADHD experiences, I just wanted to point out that your presentation of autism seems to be based on outdated stereotypes that the autistic community is actively trying to correct. For example, an autistic person's hobby could be basketball, Dungeons and Dragons, or computer coding, not something obscure like model trains. There's also a relatively recent theory of autism called Monotropism that explains the autistic experience as the inability to focus on or experience more than one thing at a time, and many autistic people deeply resonate with the theory. To me, the theory makes more sense because autism seems to be so much more than just a person's sensory issues. Thank you for your content! I'm 1.5 years into my own journey of giftedness discovery, having never been identified as a kid. You've helped clarify a lot of things I've experienced!
Very clear information, thank you! Though now I'm wondering if I'm more then just gifted and the thought of being a tad Autistic too is somewhat shocking. Thank you again for the clear breakdown.
This video is amazing, as for the last 5 days I’ve been 95% convinced I am autistic. However, after researching giftedness I have found the answer to my questions and this video has really helped to highlight the difference in the overlapping generalized symptoms of the 3 conditions. I am still due to discuss my experience with a professional, so perhaps there is more under the hood, we’ll see :) I would like to add a thought which relates to misdiagnosis. To be completely honest I felt a little disappointed when I concluded that in my case the condition is giftedness and not autism. In a sense it probably comes from the feeling that I would feel much more positive about my self-image if I were to be diagnosed as autistic and feel like I was able to overcome and deal with the difficulties that come with it. Perhaps it’s the trap of giftedness that likes to find a reason as to why we struggle in some areas (mainly social) while being brilliant in others, and this can lead us to develop a bias as to why that is. I think the ego is more protected if you are a person who succeeds from struggling rather than a person struggling from success. The story of the underdog is all around us and ingrained into our psyche. Gifted people are perceptive, so if they’ve convinced themselves of something they can find ways to make it present as true, especially if the diagnostician is not experienced and unaware of giftedness. I only had a strong confirmation that I am not autistic after taking the GADC Checklist which differentiates giftedness from Asperger’s Syndrome. You can find it here towards the bottom of the page: www.davidsongifted.org/gifted-blog/a-unique-challenge-sorting-out-the-differences-between-giftedness-and-aspergers-disorder/ This is just my thought as it relates to my situation and it’s simplified, so the comment is not too long.
YAYYY!! ever since I found your channel I've binged every video and waited (im)patiently for the next one!! you're helping me and this community so much, thank you!
Thanks for your kind words! I took a break from making content for this channel this summer while I created videos for my membership program, but that's all set now so I'll be back to a regular posting schedule in the fall :)
Awesome video Lisa🙏 I’ll need to watch it a couple more times and take some notes to really grasp everything(2E here…), but it’s packed with valuable insights as always!
Thanks for this amazing video 🌞 Could you explain the difference between sensory processing and sensory regulation or overload you mentioned in Autism emotional intensity pls?
Sure! Sensory Processing is how the brain interprets sensory input. Sensory Regulation is how a person manages and responds to that sensory input. And Sensory Overload is when the sensory input becomes too much for the brain to handle, which can lead to intense emotional reactions. Hope this helps!
Such a great video. Thank you . IQ tests are part of the picture to determine giftedness which can also really harm gifted people as well those who have a high IQ ( intellectually gifted ) who are also autistic, ADHD or have an LD and in the 2E category place can give the impression the persons is more capable and they are just not trying hard enough.
I am intrigued by the idea of giftedness as a sibling neurodivergence to autism and adhd, but after some research, it seems like giftedness is just a method for discussing autism or adhd (or both) in a more positive light and socially generous place (or from within a "social model of disability" that is not aware of itself as such...) this feels especially true in the way sensory differences were handled in this video. Why is it "trouble filtering" for adhd'ers, but "intense perception" for gifted folks? Maybe I'm just both and so I can't see the difference between those things, but the sensory experiences sound like the same to me... All this is to say, I appreciate the generosity of the giftedness model, but I am confused about why it is considered a separate neurodivergence, rather than a social and educational MODELfor thinking about neurodivergence when the symptoms/characteristics are SO similar.
It's always hard to find the right words to describe the invisible ways our brains work. And while there are definitely overlapping behaviors between giftedness, ADHD and autism, there are some significant differences. In the case of intense perception vs. trouble filtering, the subtle difference is that gifted folks have the ability to notice more granular detail about the world around them, (which is what drives their ability to make connections between pieces of information that aren't obviously related), while folks with ADHD notice the typical amount of detail, but have difficulty tuning the unimportant stuff out. So if a person with ADHD notices items A, B, C, D and E in their environment, the gifted person in the same environment notices items A, a, B, b, C, c, D, d, and E, e. The person with ADHD might need to focus on A, but might get distracted by B and irritated by C. The gifted person, on the other hand, notices the pattern linking A, a, B, an b, and comes to conclusion XYZ, which is not obvious to the other people around them. (My apologies for the convoluted example -- as I say, it's hard to describe what's going on inside the brain!)
You make such a great point! There is so much negative talk in talking about ADHD (and also ASD). It hurts to hear people describing the need for a deep connection to the world around us as a kind of drug seeking behavior (dopamine seeking etc.) All brains need and seek certain hormones, but human behavior and the human experience is so mich more meaningful than that. This is not much different is neurodivergent people. I hope the way we are going to talk about this in the future is going to change because this is so one dimensional and from the perspective of someone who has not experiences this themselves. Common knowledge about neurodivergence has already grown so much because of crowdsourcing and social media and I think it's amazing. Although some misconceptions are also being spread. But it's certainly better than it was before. When I was young ADHD just ment young boys being hyperactive and agressive. So as a young girl and woman I never thought being smart, having a very high EQ, being very quite and daydreaming a lot and being very talented at artistic skills could fit this mold. It is only in the last 5 years or so I learned SO much about ADHD and in particular, being a woman with ADHD, which has very different characteristics. I still find myself in negative self talk because other people and professionals mostly talk about ADHD as it being a bad thing. Thoughtful wording is very important. And although this video and it's creator is full of good intentions, there is also still a lot to learn. It's easy to fall into negatively perceived stereotypes when giving examples (ADHDers just seeking dopamine and interrupting people, ASDers just seeking patterns and being fascinated by trains, etcetera.) While this could potentially be worded in such a different and more original manner that is way more fitting to the authentic experience. It would be a good thing to think about what these wordings mean for just a while longer. Because they have so much impact on how neurodivergents view themselves and neurodivergents around them and their place in society and other social structures.
@@detandenfee All very good points. I think using a neuroaffirming approach and viewing differences through the lens of the neurodiversity paradigm goes a long way in depathologizing neurodivergence. It is unfortunate that many professionals and institutions have not yet picked up on these frameworks, but I think things will continue to move in a positive direction as more neurodivergent folks seek community, share their experiences, and work towards self acceptance and affirmation. When we see ourselves as whole humans who deserve to be seen and have our needs met like anyone else, it is easier to work towards common goals of wider understanding and inclusion for all. Of course, we cannot do all of this work by ourselves. We need folks in the neuromajority, especially those in positions of authority and influence, to be our allies in this fight for equity. TBH, I stopped watching the video less than 30 seconds in after Asperger's was mentioned. That term is out-of-date and reeks of functioning labels. But I'm glad I came for the comments. 💜
The video overall is quite well done.
I would like to point out though that Aspergers and Autism are the same thing, Aspergers has not without reason been removed from the DRM-5 and instead been put into a whole overarching term of 'autism spectrum disorder'. Simply because it was a very narrow view and limited in actually diagnosing the people which have to deal with it.
While the general notion of autism being pattern-based thought direction upholds to a vast degree those results have mostly come from older studies and experiences, often overlooking the whole category of the former 'high functioning' people which haven't been diagnosed before, people which often managed to even keep a job or despite not being lazy simply couldn't hold one because they have autism.
The main issues related to the examples is that it generalizes, a 'gifted' person might simply have a high IQ, which is after all a measurement of pattern-recognition speed and the ability to use and replicate those patterns in actuality, something in which autistic people thrive at times... and others utterly fail. If we add the ability of masking as well as the double empathy issue to the whole concept it becomes extremely difficult. Giftedness is often masked autism, leading to built up mental stress by ignoring the signs of mental fatigue long-term, especially since it's highly likely that masking will hide that fact. So while they might seem like a genius short-term in a area... it'll easily fall off when their mental strain passes a point. Which is why especially for gifted people it's so important to make 100% sure that they are just smart and not have other conditions which will make them reach burnout.
Because if they have autism then for the love of everything that is good... treat them entirely different, namely according to how they can thrive but not mentally break apart over time.
This is going to help me so much with my research. I'm writing as essay about the consequences of gifted children getting misdiagnosed with ADHD and Autism.
Great video! It makes me think, I don’t cope brilliantly in chaotic places like cities, but now I understand why I am so enraptured when say standing by a waterfall in nature. There’s not ‘too’ much going on, but the sensory stuff that is there, is felt deeply and acutely so that it feels sublime. Absorbing the subtle stimulus that nature provides is easier than absorbing the crassness of city stimulus.
It’s important to not focus so much on stereotypical examples that have been overly used in the history of autism. Hyper focus on trains is so over used and neglects the fact that many hyper focus on people/movies/celebrities not the typical trains, math, science. I know there is only so much time for a video, but I think it’s really important to highlight a more nuanced perspective of autism. Or the info starts to feel very outdated.
Thanks for the insight - I'm always trying to learn :)
Thank you for covering this! I've actually been extensively researching this very topic the last couple months because I've had multiple people comment on a video on my channel telling me I'm describing autism, not giftedness. There is so much misinformation in the general public that makes living as a gifted person much harder, so we need more videos like this for greater clarity!
Because I've been doing so much research into both the autistic and ADHD experiences, I just wanted to point out that your presentation of autism seems to be based on outdated stereotypes that the autistic community is actively trying to correct. For example, an autistic person's hobby could be basketball, Dungeons and Dragons, or computer coding, not something obscure like model trains. There's also a relatively recent theory of autism called Monotropism that explains the autistic experience as the inability to focus on or experience more than one thing at a time, and many autistic people deeply resonate with the theory. To me, the theory makes more sense because autism seems to be so much more than just a person's sensory issues.
Thank you for your content! I'm 1.5 years into my own journey of giftedness discovery, having never been identified as a kid. You've helped clarify a lot of things I've experienced!
Thanks for the updated information - I'm always trying to learn more :)
Very clear information, thank you! Though now I'm wondering if I'm more then just gifted and the thought of being a tad Autistic too is somewhat shocking. Thank you again for the clear breakdown.
This video is amazing, as for the last 5 days I’ve been 95% convinced I am autistic. However, after researching giftedness I have found the answer to my questions and this video has really helped to highlight the difference in the overlapping generalized symptoms of the 3 conditions. I am still due to discuss my experience with a professional, so perhaps there is more under the hood, we’ll see :)
I would like to add a thought which relates to misdiagnosis. To be completely honest I felt a little disappointed when I concluded that in my case the condition is giftedness and not autism. In a sense it probably comes from the feeling that I would feel much more positive about my self-image if I were to be diagnosed as autistic and feel like I was able to overcome and deal with the difficulties that come with it. Perhaps it’s the trap of giftedness that likes to find a reason as to why we struggle in some areas (mainly social) while being brilliant in others, and this can lead us to develop a bias as to why that is. I think the ego is more protected if you are a person who succeeds from struggling rather than a person struggling from success. The story of the underdog is all around us and ingrained into our psyche. Gifted people are perceptive, so if they’ve convinced themselves of something they can find ways to make it present as true, especially if the diagnostician is not experienced and unaware of giftedness. I only had a strong confirmation that I am not autistic after taking the GADC Checklist which differentiates giftedness from Asperger’s Syndrome. You can find it here towards the bottom of the page: www.davidsongifted.org/gifted-blog/a-unique-challenge-sorting-out-the-differences-between-giftedness-and-aspergers-disorder/
This is just my thought as it relates to my situation and it’s simplified, so the comment is not too long.
YAYYY!! ever since I found your channel I've binged every video and waited (im)patiently for the next one!! you're helping me and this community so much, thank you!
Thanks for your kind words! I took a break from making content for this channel this summer while I created videos for my membership program, but that's all set now so I'll be back to a regular posting schedule in the fall :)
This video was great, super clear, thanks!
Awesome video Lisa🙏 I’ll need to watch it a couple more times and take some notes to really grasp everything(2E here…), but it’s packed with valuable insights as always!
Thanks! :)
Thank you for the video! It gave me even more ideas to consider.
Thanks for this amazing video 🌞
Could you explain the difference between sensory processing and sensory regulation or overload you mentioned in Autism emotional intensity pls?
Sure! Sensory Processing is how the brain interprets sensory input. Sensory Regulation is how a person manages and responds to that sensory input. And Sensory Overload is when the sensory input becomes too much for the brain to handle, which can lead to intense emotional reactions. Hope this helps!
Thank you ❤
Such a great video. Thank you . IQ tests are part of the picture to determine giftedness which can also really harm gifted people as well those who have a high IQ ( intellectually gifted ) who are also autistic, ADHD or have an LD and in the 2E category place can give the impression the persons is more capable and they are just not trying hard enough.
*Screams in all three*
I am intrigued by the idea of giftedness as a sibling neurodivergence to autism and adhd, but after some research, it seems like giftedness is just a method for discussing autism or adhd (or both) in a more positive light and socially generous place (or from within a "social model of disability" that is not aware of itself as such...) this feels especially true in the way sensory differences were handled in this video. Why is it "trouble filtering" for adhd'ers, but "intense perception" for gifted folks? Maybe I'm just both and so I can't see the difference between those things, but the sensory experiences sound like the same to me... All this is to say, I appreciate the generosity of the giftedness model, but I am confused about why it is considered a separate neurodivergence, rather than a social and educational MODELfor thinking about neurodivergence when the symptoms/characteristics are SO similar.
It's always hard to find the right words to describe the invisible ways our brains work. And while there are definitely overlapping behaviors between giftedness, ADHD and autism, there are some significant differences. In the case of intense perception vs. trouble filtering, the subtle difference is that gifted folks have the ability to notice more granular detail about the world around them, (which is what drives their ability to make connections between pieces of information that aren't obviously related), while folks with ADHD notice the typical amount of detail, but have difficulty tuning the unimportant stuff out. So if a person with ADHD notices items A, B, C, D and E in their environment, the gifted person in the same environment notices items A, a, B, b, C, c, D, d, and E, e. The person with ADHD might need to focus on A, but might get distracted by B and irritated by C. The gifted person, on the other hand, notices the pattern linking A, a, B, an b, and comes to conclusion XYZ, which is not obvious to the other people around them. (My apologies for the convoluted example -- as I say, it's hard to describe what's going on inside the brain!)
You make such a great point!
There is so much negative talk in talking about ADHD (and also ASD).
It hurts to hear people describing the need for a deep connection to the world around us as a kind of drug seeking behavior (dopamine seeking etc.)
All brains need and seek certain hormones, but human behavior and the human experience is so mich more meaningful than that. This is not much different is neurodivergent people.
I hope the way we are going to talk about this in the future is going to change because this is so one dimensional and from the perspective of someone who has not experiences this themselves.
Common knowledge about neurodivergence has already grown so much because of crowdsourcing and social media and I think it's amazing. Although some misconceptions are also being spread. But it's certainly better than it was before. When I was young ADHD just ment young boys being hyperactive and agressive.
So as a young girl and woman I never thought being smart, having a very high EQ, being very quite and daydreaming a lot and being very talented at artistic skills could fit this mold.
It is only in the last 5 years or so I learned SO much about ADHD and in particular, being a woman with ADHD, which has very different characteristics.
I still find myself in negative self talk because other people and professionals mostly talk about ADHD as it being a bad thing. Thoughtful wording is very important. And although this video and it's creator is full of good intentions, there is also still a lot to learn.
It's easy to fall into negatively perceived stereotypes when giving examples (ADHDers just seeking dopamine and interrupting people, ASDers just seeking patterns and being fascinated by trains, etcetera.)
While this could potentially be worded in such a different and more original manner that is way more fitting to the authentic experience.
It would be a good thing to think about what these wordings mean for just a while longer. Because they have so much impact on how neurodivergents view themselves and neurodivergents around them and their place in society and other social structures.
@@detandenfee All very good points. I think using a neuroaffirming approach and viewing differences through the lens of the neurodiversity paradigm goes a long way in depathologizing neurodivergence. It is unfortunate that many professionals and institutions have not yet picked up on these frameworks, but I think things will continue to move in a positive direction as more neurodivergent folks seek community, share their experiences, and work towards self acceptance and affirmation. When we see ourselves as whole humans who deserve to be seen and have our needs met like anyone else, it is easier to work towards common goals of wider understanding and inclusion for all. Of course, we cannot do all of this work by ourselves. We need folks in the neuromajority, especially those in positions of authority and influence, to be our allies in this fight for equity.
TBH, I stopped watching the video less than 30 seconds in after Asperger's was mentioned. That term is out-of-date and reeks of functioning labels. But I'm glad I came for the comments. 💜
I was diagnosed with ADHD/ASD but what you said about giftedness feels more accurate than ASD. The ADHD is there tho for sure. 🥴
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