I’m not sure if you have answered this in previous videos, but does autism/ aspergers prevent us from driving. I have aspergers, and I find it frightens me to be behind the wheel. Is there a way to over come that?
Hi! Depression and anxiety was the only reason I got my autism diagnosis- I got it this fall, I'm 20- would you ever do a video with tips on how to treat these comorbid conditions when they are so interlinked with autism? Like how does one handle suicidal thoughts without unhealthy stimming/self harm?
@@mahavishnustravinskij I'm curious. How did depression and anxiety lead to you getting diagnosed? It happened to me that way, tho' I'd suspected Autism for years.
I feel like many people who are on the spectrum do not get diagnosed or treated because they are "too intelligent" or they appear to be very smart but are really just high functioning but do have the disorder.
This is something that can occur because or lack of training. Thank you so much for the comment! Please subscribe to my channel to see more videos from me :).
@@tabethahernandez1230 if you're in the U.S. you can write a formal request to evaluate your son for IEP or 504 status. By law under the IDEA they have to do the evaluation, and evaluate all aspects of functionality not just intelligence. Good luck. I'm going through this with my son as well. My son is in kinder and academically around the 3rd grade intellectually, but struggles with social and other basic functions in school.
@@Kandrida, you can also just schedule an appointment with a psychologist for IEP evaluation. Then take the results to the school and then they will provide the assistance. That's what I did... No need to write letters.
that obsessive interests thing is such a huge part of my life. i dive deep into new interests like once every few months, and i've found it actually makes finding a career super difficult because I go full force into a new interest or skill, and then 7 months later i've lost interest in it
Very comforting to know There are other people like me. If I’m not all in, it’s difficult for me to do something. I may be all in and do real well for a while, then I have no interest in something I was obsessed with a few months earlier.
My mom hates that I start projects and I obsess over something for a while and then drop it. She wants me to follow through with something and I can't. I find something else and it's over. I'm on to the next thing to obsess over.
Is this actually a common thing? I do this a lot and it does my head in when I come across my half finished project months later. I do sometimes pick them up again and obsess about them for a month then drop it again... Some of them are unfinished for nearly 20 years at this point. :/ I don't have a diagnosis but I'm currently researching and thinking of asking my doctor for an assessment.
Yes! I feel so bad for my mom because I spent $600 dollars on a digital drum set to play it once or twice. This is why I have given up on most things. It might sound sad but I'm not going to have any money to spend if I pick up another expensive hobby. EDIT: For clarification, I feel bad for her because I was really enthusiastic and I was really excited to play drums. There was no sign that I would abruptly stop. I still have them but they are just standing in the corner of my room...
I had an obsession on learning German to the point I bought books and everything, it then shifted to learning Norwegian, with the same outcome of buying books and such, I would become deeply invested for a couple of months then out of the blue just lose all interest. I can't see things through to the end usually before I develop an obsession with something else.
The only one that is not me is #4 I am a very adventurous eater. As for the ones I do have #1 I have learned to accept variation and to be open-minded to new experiences #2 Mine is luckily not intrusive and not noticed by most people #3 This is still very much present but I make myself engage in social behavior, I have gotten to the point where I don't have to have people like me. #5 I deal with this through talk therapy and psychiatric assistance #6 I try to make sure people I know get my full attention before they engage me so that my STM is actively engaged. #7 I got past this issue by taking a speech class and had an excellent instructor. #8 I still have them and take great joy from them, I let people know that when I am talking about this passion that they are absolutely free to tell me to shut up and they are not interested. I will then happily change gears. I function quite well as an Aspie. Our other ableness does not mean we are victims to the cause we can overcome when we so choose.
@Nikki Bentley Is My Angel I see. Please describe your medical acumen that I might marvel at someone who, with a single sentence, dismissed an incredibly large body of research (detailed in the DSM) dating back to at least the 1950s. I look forward to reading your peer-reviewed papers and academic articles.
Voice volume is probably common. I speak quiet because I can hear my own voice and think i am louder than i am. My cousin who also has autism speaks loud.
Same. People used to tell me all the time that I had to speak up and I was advised to project my voice when I greeted customers. I didn't think I was that quiet because my voice is louder in my head! 😂 My autistic housemate has NO concept of his own volume! 😂 He's so loud! 😂
I scream talk to everyone thinking I'm speaking normally... I come across harsh and cross. Sometimes, I will even loudly say things or make sounds and not realize how loud I am. The other day I was at a burger counter and was told that I almost screamed an Mmmmmmm noise I thought I had kept to myself 😂 never a dull moment. I'm that person to whom people will often tell to calm down, meanwhile I'm thinking I'm calm as a cucumber.
If you tell me your name, I will not remember it 5 minutes later, but I can remember stuff from when I was 3 years old in perfect detail. Thanks for all the likes!!!
I have the same issue with face recognition, which can be quite awkward socially. I have to spend a lot of time with someone to remember his or her face.
how to be awesome Gomez Jannerbo I’m very good with numbers but not names. I remembered a full license plate of someone harassing my place of work but I can’t remember a name. It took me several videos to realize what Dans name was
I recently got my diagnosis from my therapist and I got a little bit scared... I'm amazed of how well you have taken this whole thing and how easy you stand and talk about it. From a person from Mexico who's "starting the path" Thank you 🤙🏻
I have two speeds, fully absorbed & hyper focused or exhausted & ready to sleep. Interacting with people who share a common interest feels productive but I don't like small talk. I'm misunderstood by most people so socializing isn't fun. Loud sounds, bright lights, strange smells & unexpected interruptions are challenging to tolerate. Being alone is my default simply because it's easier to control the environment & not bother others. I've struggled my whole life & only recently learned... why. I really appreciate your channel (& a couple of others) because you provide tremendous insights of enlightenment & support to this community. Learning I'm not just being difficult, it isn't my imagination & I'm not alone, are all incredibly uplifting. I'm grateful for your courage to speak out & your ongoing efforts to contribute such valuable information. Thank you!
I had a conversation with a carer the other day who tried, very badly, to convince me ppl with an asd can't get depressed or anxious. She claimed that because you were so honest you were always upfront with your feelings. I've not known her long and before she worked for my care agency she claimed that she used to care for special needs kids. Mostly asd kids. I've had friends on the spectrum for years. I'm no expert but to say kids on the spectrum can't have depression or anxiety is so ignorant.
If you treat others as different and take their opptunitys away, isolate them and not deal constructivly with their Lads they will get depressed as life becomes pointless.
Yeah that's crazy how she got it so wrong. I think maybe young aspies are upfront with feelings but you eventually learn you have a hard time determining what feelings and thoughts are appropriate or acceptable to share and eventually (at least in my experience) begin to bottle most things up which caused me to feel extremely depressed and anxious.
As a person with ASD who has ongoing depression and social aniexty. I dont know what planet shes on but she sure isn't on earth. That woman has no clue what she is talking about. Really too bad these people are working in jobs they don't know how to do. Thats why kids dont get the support they need and our school system is falling apart
I listen best and contribute most to the conversation when im looking 90° away from center of the person talking face. Everyone thinks im rude but they dont understand how tuned in i am to what they are saying
@@natas12rm same.. i listen better when i just look at a random spot on a wall.. it makes me able to focus completely on what someone says instead of also having to contemplate their facial expressions and other body language
So true. My mother was physically and verbally abusive. My father was layed off work a lot (1950's)He new I was different and let me do hands on learning using tools and fixing things. People kept telling me to smile so I just learned to smile at everyone, I still laughed at the wrong time and timing in conversations was off so I didn't talk much.
@@gloriabrown8669 Exactly my point. People with lasting trauma won't admit or show they've got ASD at their jobs, in relationships... and some will stay in bad jobs or relationships because they're afraid this is "all they've got" and there's no hope for anything better. Therapy is quite helpful, as Dan often explains. 🐯
I thought when people talk of obsessive traits it meant they had the same one for life, but for me I have had so many special interests and its always one right after another, my main one I would say at the moment is watching documentaries but they can be on anything pretty much, but I just love the documentary format and have always loved learning and feeds my obsession for wanting to know why. So hearing this is brilliant. I find myself questioning my diagnosis sometimes, but then hearing things like this reinforces (in a good way) that I am indeed an Aspie. Thanks for your channel.
whenever I stutter, more often than not it's because i'm trying to find an appropriate word to fill in the blank that i'm currently stuttering over if i haven't already preemptively selected a word, and even then, i've had scenarios where i have mentally prepared and visualized the convorsation, and leading up to a complicated or specific word, i forget and then spend the next 5-10 seconds trying to remember the word i was going to use, if i'm lucky and the context fits, i can sometime think of a suitable substitute word before my main word, and then 5 minutes later i'm like "damn, why didn't i remember it for then but i remember it now?"
Yes I know that exact feeling!! I’m with you on that! Ooh did you get my free ebook on how to turn traits into super powers? Https://www.theaspieworld.com/ebook Thank you so much for the comment! Please subscribe to my channel to see more videos from me :).
Whenever I get overwhelmed with things in work situations or with friends I can’t say words. My mind is running too fast for me to process. So I end up not saying anything and people just take it the wrong way. I end up not replying and they get mad at me. It’s a real issue and caused me to loose my past job.. my boss yelled at me and terminated me right on the spot because I couldn’t explain to him how I was feeling. He yelled at me saying I wasn’t respecting him and I never got the chance to tell him how I was really feeling that day, probably never will. I’m a good kid and I am a hard worker. I would never intentionally disrespect someone. It hurt me because I was frozen and couldnt speak when what he said went against everything that I am. I’m currently trying to find a new job I needed a new one the old one was too overwhelming and stressful hours and such the reasons for me leaving without realizing I needed to put in a 2 week notice. I’m still guilty about my past job circumstances. But deep down I know he was probably proud of my hard work when I was working there. And I shouldn’t beat myself up for something in the past. Can you touch in one of your videos a way to combat the frozen feeling when emotions overwhelm an aspie?
I've gone through this too. It's terrible to sit in a disciplinary meeting where they tell you nobody likes you and nobody likes the expression on your face. That was the review. Nothing actually about my work. (Which I'm very good at.) And I had no idea what they were talking about. It was shocking and offensive and really really upsetting and confusing. I think the only way to fix this is for more education for businesses and just people in general that not everyone communicates or is able to communicate the same way. They didn't actually say I said anything rude. Just 'nobody likes me'. At first you feel bad, but after a while it just gets really frustrating. I'm so sick of working for people, of trusting them and then being disapointed.
Try the naval tactical breathing 4 seconds in then 6 seconds out in any given anxious situation. It'll.give some time to think Its helped w_ my speechless moments. Before a large anxiety filled situation try the naval box breathing technique. 4 seconds in, hold 4, 4 seconds out, hold 4. Repeat.
OMG! I totally get that! I have been a server many times and I hated it because the more overwhelmed I got, I started to freak out and sweat and panic. Because I'd be in the middle of a relatively "simple" order but freeze up. I would literally blank out and not have words. This happens during conversation in everyday life too. Like I never know how to wrap up a conversation or I'll forget what to respond with and it's so fucking awkward. I hate it. I am painfully aware of my awkwardness which is why I prefer texting.
My Asocial tendencies have lead to me losing a lot of friends over the years. My social anxiety makes it extremely difficult to interact with people, let alone make new friends. A combination of those 2 things makes for a lot of recurring depression episodes. When I was younger I was extremely picky with foods, and would always have the same 3 meals per day. I'm terrible at remembering a lot of things short term, unless I can give it enough importance and it's given to me in written form (I'm terrible at registering audio information as that's the sense I have the most issues processing - loud noises or a lot of different sounds around me make me panic and overwhelm me).
Loud noises or lots of noises or a lot of different sounds... Lucky you dont have my job. i have to listen to 3 difrend radiostations, 2 asembly lines, a machine shop, customers and colleagues.
Definitely got the terrible short term memory and everything in memory is in picture form, had no idea that was an Autism trait so on the long list it goes! Does anyone have the thing where someone is talking to you and you're sort of zoned out but you hear all the words and you've no idea what they mean until you snap out of it and re-played them in your head?
@@RaymondOreFineArt Ah OK! I can't think of any way of viewing a memory other than by images so hence my query. Even words I remember are auditory and visual (I see the word as well as hear it).
@@MrSubstance I can't see words in my head which means I can't spell out loud I have to write the word down first as a best guess then correct it, nightmare on paper.
Thanks so much for making videos and being so far ahead of the curve and helping reduce the stigma surrounding autism. Can't believe you've been on RUclips for a decade, quite the accomplishment. Anyway, It's not much but just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your content.
That repetitive behavior and reliance upon routines thing is pretty much my baseline personality. If I can plan a thing into a routine, then I can do it. If you take away my routine or spring an unexpected activity or obligation at me, I become overwhelmed. It's like I prepare myself for a specific amount of stimulation and socialization and measure it out appropriately, so that when someone messes up that system, I have no reserves. Then, it's a struggle not to either shut down or freak out until I can get home and relax. I have had 3 major depressive episodes in my life. I don't eat fruit. I have a mild interest in socializing, but I definitely prefer solitary pursuits or socializing one-on-one or in small groups. Sometimes I feel like I socialize or try to make friends out of a sense of duty or because it's expected, not because I really want to do it. The memory thing also perfectly describes the way my memory works. I can remember years and years ago very well, but yesterday is a mystery. I don't stutter and I don't think I have tics or stims, but I definitely get obsessed or go overboard when I'm interested in a subject. You're basically describing me. As an adult female in the U.S., though, I'm not really sure what to do about it. Wouldn't a diagnosis be difficult to come by? And wouldn't therapy be expensive?
Sometimes when I get distracted by my surroundings during a conversation, I literally forget what I was just about to say mid sentence. Can get a bit weird when that happens at work. 🤷♀️
I do it all the time, I end up just talking about what I'm distracted by so conversations can still flow but then I have to ask what we were just talking about
I'm very tired of finding half-written items on my semi-public paperwork that I have to do for my job. Sometimes I can't even remember what I was in the middle of writing. 😥
Thanks. I never thought of stuttering as being part of it. At times I get hung up on what I'm trying to say . When under emotional pressure the words come out in a most bizarre and difficult fashion.
When I'm under a lot of stress sometimes i stutter so much that my words kinda sputter out like a ketchup bottle only the ketchup bottle is filled with cement
@@fortheloveofnoise then you're both asocial and antisocial? I don't think there's a word for being both I genuinely can't tell if I'm just not understanding the question or if this is a joke (I have delusions and autism so it's hard for me to tell)
I don’t know if I have ASD, but I remember how when I was a young kid I was always called “different” but I was also recognised as having inconsistent genius when it came to creativity and knowledge.
My boyfriend thinks im not paying attention to him because im always forgetting things he just said even if i had a conversation with him about the topic im still likely to forget within a few minutes.
Ahhh yes!! I have been there! It is tough, but they have to understand how autism works. Thank you so much for the comment! Please subscribe to my channel to see more videos from me :).
Found you because I have been thinking my boyfriend is on the spectrum since I met him over a year ago. I have a bachelors in speech therapy so I have had lots of education on this but I am still learning so much from you! My boyfriend actually brought it up to me last week that he thinks he might be autistic (which I already thought-but I was scared to bring up) so I’m sending him your videos so he doesn’t feel alone. Thank you!
I think you mean asocial, not necessarily antisocial. When I'm around people I feel like a fish trying to walk on land, surrounded by animals where walking and coexisting is innate and comes naturally to them.
Yeah that's why i know I'm supposed to be a human but I feel like a literal space alien much of the time and I often find myself thinking "silly humans" when I get confused by people's behaviors, or feel out of place in certain abstract or physical social situations (life, pretty much).
@@AnthonyMazzarella my mum once told me when I was younger to try and marry within my culture so I get less shocked. However I never felt like I had any connection to any culture and ended up marrying a foreigner because its easier when the partner is expecting differences.
I find if I talk about something I'm super interested in I can talk extremely fluently. Other times it feels like it takes me forever to get words out cuz I stutter so bad over them. I can definitely relate to many points in this video! Keep up the awesome work Dan!
I got my diagnosis yesterday and i was in shock at first... But decided to look back in my childhood and it was honestly so obvious... I was the smart quiet child, and I've never broke rules because i couldn't understand why someone would want to... And i remember everything about my childhood, even things my family can't explain how i remember that... And i couldn't relate to others sadness and still don't... It made my life so hard while growing up... I hope that now with therapy i can get better at many aspects that make my life difficult...
Dan, I really want to thank you for all of your hard work. I am 72+ and I definitely feel like I have most if not all of the 'traits' and then some. I've got journals that go back to my early teens. Thankfully, I don't throw bunches of stuff away. I have lived most of my life feeling like I'm from another planet.. Growing up in the 1950s I thought I felt so different because I was gay and now I'm seeing just how much damage was done because people just didn't know what they know now.
I just got diagnosed with ASD. I stumbled across one of your videos a few months ago and I saw some striking similarities to myself. I asked my psychiatrist on Wednesday, July 3rd and said "so I saw a video on RUclips about the signs and symptoms of autism and I showed a lot of them, could I be autistic?" And she said "oh yes, you're definitely on the spectrum. I've known that since you came in here the first time." She said if it was still in the DSM she would diagnose me with Asperger's syndrome. She made sure not to diagnose me on paper so I don't get barred from management positions and self insurance. I didn't think I was anything except weird until I saw that video. Now I'm beginning to understand my differences and quirks. It's so enlightening and freeing.
Just found you and I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS, I was diagnosed late with Autism (Asperger) last year in july 1 month after I turned 27 years old, it's been a real struggle my whole life.. I also was diagnosed with Adhd when I was 18, trichotillomani and dermatillomani and OCD when I was 20.. Bipolar 2, cronic depression, and cronic anxiety when I was 21, It's been a bumpy ride whit a lot of medication that still hasnt realy worked, and my Autism Spectrum diagnosis was a lifesaver made EVERYTHING about me crystal clear.. And your videos are realy helping me to NOT feel so alone, to know that there is people out there that gets me.. Thank you! :)
I am autistic person who is 19 years old and strangely enough (related to your video), I have a lack of emotional regulation. I can go one minute from being hyperactive/ overexcited to being either tired, anxious, depressed, stressed to an extreme of having an emotional "meltdown". I fortunately have been getting counseling for all of that. Talking of topic obsessions, I have a really big passion in computer programming and am currently studying the sector. Hopefully, I will be able to get into that sector one day after catching up my school work (I fell behind my 19 year old counterparts because of lack of resources where I live in France). With my basic knowledge of computer programming, I have designed a concept called the "My Essentials Book". Basically, the analogue format consists of a 5 tab A4 notebook. Within this 5 tab notebook, each tab is designed for each emotional regulation problem (tab 1 is for writing down important appointments, tab 2 is for "doodling" for example any personal plans that you need to jot down in order not to forget it and to look at it later, tab 3 is handy for example any comments from professionals like psychologists towards the young person, child or young adult that could help the young person, child or young adult cope with a change of situation for example if the person has difficulty talking or talks in a different way to neurotypical people, tab 4 is for comments from the parents of the young child, young person or young adult with autism spectrum condition and tab 5 is for logging mood changes which can be personalised to the person's needs). Currently, I am trialing the concept on myself and I find that it's helping keeping my mood or unforeseen changes of situation under control. I also have developed a web based version of this concept which the menu tabs are named the same as the content in the Essentials Book. Also, the Essentials Book has a page for emergency contacts in case the inevitable happened.
Obsessive interest may be the strongest of the traits I have from the ones presented in this video. It takes so much place in my life that I really have to fight to do anything else like cooking, sleep enough or play with my children. But it is also something awesome because it allowed to learn so many things ! By the way, seeing you swinging from a foot to the other helps me keep focused on what you said. It was really nice 👍
wow! the long term memory thing is so true in my case. I can remember odd tidbits of conversations I had with people 20 years ago, but I put something down and immediately forget where I put it.
That might be a strange question, but I’ve always wondered how having long term memory but no short term memory works. Do you remember the stuff that you didn’t remember a day after it happened a few years after the incident? Or how do you reclaim the memory? I’m genuinely curious :)
I found this very helpful to help me understand myself and teach my family about autism. I'm also from the UK and i would love to see a video about apps 😁
Dan this is the first time I've heard another person mention alopecia. I suffered from it from teens till my 30s when I finally started to understand my differences and prevalence for depression. Being a girl w bald spots all over lead to some major body image issues. Thankfully its better but it does still happen from time to time. Thanks for sharing!
just thandie This is me too. I have had alopecia since I was 4, but my stress and emotional overload definitely make my alopecia go into overdrive. When my dad died I ended up bald. It’s crazy how more and more things are falling into place after realizing I had so many aspergers symptoms.
I was diagnosed in my late teens but i never asked a professional if not being able to look at your reflection or get pictures taken of yourself ,or more like when I see myself it really weirds me out and makes me either uncomfortable or depressed, I'm not an ugly person I dont understand where it comes from
Ah yes I get like that if I look in a mirror for longer than a few mins. Thank you so much for the comment! Please subscribe to my channel to see more videos from me :).
its probably because we see the system in everything. and i can see mistakes in everything really fast. so i guess we just see the mistakes and focus on them ? theres no wrong or right face but it‘s just how my brain works
I'm the same way but more so with audio. If I hear my own voice in a recording it makes me so incredibly uncomfortable and squirmish. I also have trouble letting people take pictures of me because of it.
Impish Rebel I think it’s on the same level of switching which side you’re laying on and immediately forgetting what you were thinking about. Your brain senses an extreme change and you forget what was on your mind.
The difference here for me, is that I don't need to walk through a doorway. Sometimes it happens to me consciously mid thought. I can literally feel it fade while I am trying to remember. What sucks most is when the memory is like a school of fish darting about in my head trying to escape. The more you try to remember one part of the thought, the more of the other parts get away.
AKA The Portal Problem. When this happens to me, I retrace my steps to where I was when I started, and often something there will trigger the memory of what I was doing. Teapot! That's where I left my teacup!
So glad I found this or this channel found me. I'm 33 and have just begun the process of being diagnosed after doing my own research for years and years trying to figure out what was "wrong with me" So thank you for sharing!
My son has Asperger and ADHD, he is a bright 9 year old who loves to talk at you about his interests. Thank you for the video and keep spreading the word and doing the videos.
Sometimes I’ll be in the middle of a sentence and I’ll just totally forget what I was talking about. I also do a lot of repetitive behavior and I get stressed out a lot when I can’t do that.
Hi Dan! I just wanted to say that your videos are awesome! They helped me to accept my diagnosis (I have Asperger syndrome) and are really fun to watch ❤️
It's interesting, but my obsession is (and always has been) psychology. I recognized all these idiosyncrasies that seemed counter-conventional very early (thus began the mimicry of such to understand the world and belong to it). Anyway, the interesting part is that I made it my profession (I am a therapist). My obsessive analysis in human functioning yields a perspective that most colleagues do not see. I tend to not focus on the emotive part of therapy (which seems extremely unpopular, though to say I neglect it is very untrue) because the way we think dictates emotional processes. I may miss certain cues, but I rarely miss details within the roadmap of analysis. This sounds arrogant, so please forgive my forthrightness. Anyway, I could go on and on. Enjoy your vids and insight!
When I was 7 years old, I watched the wedding of Charles and Diana on TV, and it led to a long-term interest in the Royal Family. I'm not as into them now, but I still know the birth dates of most of the key members (and some of the minor ones, as well). 😆
I've had anxiety my hold life, ever since 7 years old. Spontaneous, intense and frequent anxiety attacks which lasted for years, starting at 7 years old. As a boy, I was immediately drawn to video games, and never favored social contact between my siblings (I've always preferred to be alone). I lived in a vivid "daydream" as a child. I was never in tune with reality; as I always lived in an imaginary world in my head. Social ques were non existent. I've never had friends. My whole life I thought I had anxiety and adhd, and later depression (and commit no life thoughts at one point), but my adult life habits align with those of Asperger's Syndrome. I have a very repetitive schedule, never changing. I hate new situations, especially social ones. I eat a very simple set of meals which never really change. I have a really hard time with eye-contact with everyone. I HATE small talk, I find it pointless and impossible almost. I always enjoy speaking about intellectual concepts, or of interesting things. I have a thirst for facts, ever since I can remember, this has not at all changed throughout my life. I have perfect pitch and I am a musician. I have tics; I touch the tips of my fingers and toes alot because I can noticeably feel the air on them at it bothers me all the time. I have horrible short term memory loss! It's so bad that I can forget things I've mentioned just a second ago mid conversation; which makes me forget the whole purpose of the conversation immediately! I am horrible with names, and remembering important dates and events. I have a stuttering problem, because I find it hard to articulate my thoughts into words. I'm sorry for writing all this. I'm 22 years old and it wasn't till last night that I realized I might have Asperger's or ASD. Ty for the info
Dan do a video on apps! Please! I personally use google calendar, and I record stuff like school holidays and my first lesson of the day, and then I ask google home at the start of everyday “today’s calendar” and it tells me what is going on!
One thing that has caused me a great deal of woe is that because I focus so deeply I do not sense elapsed time. 5 minutes and 5 hours feel the same. Since kindergarten my worst problem is getting anywhere on time. I always think I have enough time to do "one last thing". I know better, but I'm still trying to defy the laws of time & space. lol
Haha, same. As a kid I could play for the whole day without noticing the time. But now as an adult I'm almost the same, which can be an issue. Sometimes I see that I have half an hour left and think that's a lot and start doing something. And the next time I look in the clock it turns out I should have already left several minutes ago. Sometimes I feel like I just don't get time. :D
See my problem is that I always end up too early to places. And my sense of how long it takes to get places is off like I'll say it takes 30 mins when it really takes 15.
@@Evija3000 its weird, I experience that as well, but that's only for me when I'm accomplishing tasks. Driving places and going places, I have a skewed idea of how long it takes to get places and distances too.
I always thought with the obsession thing, it was always one single thing that you were obsessed with for a long long time (from what i’ve seen in movies and tv shows and such). I always have these huge obsessions, but i usually find something new after a few years that is my new «area of interest». So i thought it wasn’t the same.
Yeah you know obsessions can change month to month to!! Thank you so much for the comment! Please subscribe to my channel to see more videos from me :).
I’m constantly changing my obsession. I wish I could stick to one and get good at it because I’m the jack of all trades master of none type deal. I quite literally have an absorbent amount of different/varied knowledge
You are doing a fantastic job in your videos educating people with aspergers - and also for people with loved ones who have aspergers, brothers, sisters, parents, relationships - so please keep on doing what you are doing. Great stuff!
I am 28 and recently figured myself out, I'm 100% sure I have aspergers/ASC. It makes me giggle at myself looking back at this chick carrying around her visual diary, that drew obsessively at work on smoko, lunch breaks and when hanging out with friends. One of my ticks, tapping my pen on my shoulder, pen stains on all my tee shirts. I have figured out how to cope with most things and how to be social in a way that I'm more comfortable. But, I haven't figured out coping strategies for my depressive states. I could go on and on about this but tying to keep this as short and sweet as possible. My current issue is studying, questions are not literal enough and my brain can not make sense of them (really easy questions when my coach explains it to me). This makes me feel really dumb but I've come to terms with that feeling and I'm getting better at understanding and disregarding that feeling (sort of). So my question: Is it worth seeking a diagnosis?
I'm 40 years old and have struggled my whole life I have had many wrong diagnoses ranging from ADD to bipolar depression but none of them fully fit how I truly felt I'm just now realizing I might have borderline aspergers all of this you have talked about I can totally relate to and is giving better understanding why I do what I do and I feel how I do thank you this is an awesome resource.
Omg! I’ve always wondered if I’m on the spectrum. I’ve pulled my hair since I was little, get freaked out if my routine is interrupted, I love researching and would rather keep to myself. I have terrible social anxiety and struggle with depression since I isolate. So helpful!
I am undiagnosed, but I'm sure I have Asperger's. I eat the same breakfast every day. Travelling is very stressful because I can't maintain my routine. Other people love to travel and I never understood why I didn't. This really helps. 👍
Shoshana Fox even when a trip is fun, I'm feeling out of sorts until I have my McChicken Biscuit and USA Today. On a vacation I hate ppl trying to fill every moment. But, I get bored with myself too.
I was significantly bullied growing up, because of this a lot of my symptoms have been hidden. I make minor rocking movements with my head, besides I have pretty much tamed all my tics. The one thing that drives up a wall when I'm interacting with people is the exhaustion I feel trying to make my behavior match theirs. I have a pretty tight grip on my symptoms till I get overwhelmed or upset. Then it all unravels, I just have a bunch of spaghetti falling out of my pockets. I'm so thankful to have come across this youtube account because it's help me see there's so many different people experiencing this.
So glad I stumbled upon this channel. I work with children with special needs and have a few experiences with adults with autism. I find it fascinating and am a strong supporter of the community. The large number of diagnoses were what caused me to switch career paths. I wanted to give back in any way possible. I have more personal reasons I wont share here, but thank you for providing insight for those of us who dont fully understand. I see those traits in so many of the kids I work with. The tics, i did not put together with a particular student until now. He is so cool, love him! He has the most imaginative stories and good at drawing.
I was only recently diagnosed with aspergers, after I went through a very bad part of my life when I had depression and anorexia. Before that, while I was in school, I was often called a 'difficult child'. Which was wrong because I never made trouble, I was just hard to understand or communicate with. After I got diagnosed with ASD and started looking for advice my life has gotten so much better. It's also a lot easier on family too because they now understand why I react the way I do, and what is likely to cause problems. I really good at hiding the fact I'm autistic but I definitely show a lot of the signs mentioned here.
actually i started to watch this video because i want to educate myself more about autism. My sister, 12 years old, is on the autism spectrum and was diagnosed at 3. Aspergers syndrome is something i don't have that much knowledge of and it kinda shocked me to notice that actually a lot of those traits i am able to see inmyself. Some of them only in a way that is not "extreme" you could say (like i do stutter and sometimes have a hard time reading out loud, but it is not the norm for me) and otheres where i have to say "damn, that is 100% me" for example the obsession thing. I watch a movie or read a book and a month after that i just know everything about it. Asocial behavior, depression, also i have this thing where i bounce with my leg all the time... the only things on the list i do not see on myself are the first one, repetitive behavior and the good long term memory (but i do have a bad short term memory, my long term memory i would consider not out of the norm) Anyways, this made me think a little and i guess i should mention this next time to a therapist or doctor, just in case.
Great channel. I was diagnosed in my 30's and i hope to advocate and assist others like us! I think earlier diagnosis leads to happier and healthier aspies. Love!
I got a 48 out of 50. I took a test at the doctors but did not answer honestly because I was scared of an Autism diagnosis. But, I buckled down this time, answered truthfully at my doctor, and got a 48 out of 50. I now feel so free and comfortable in my own skin.
Yes! Apps! I love your vids 🥰 I have a 9 year old son who is diagnosed with ADhD (yes, small h) and Asperger's syndrome, and I get sooo much useful insight into my son's view of the world; and his reactions to it! I can better understand what I can do to minimize his overall stress so he can focus better in school, and feel more secure in social situations. Thank you so much for what you do! All the best, Anneli and Rasmus 👍👍👍💖
A weird thing is I am very hesitant to watch a new season of a show I really really love because I will be depressed when I finish...but a show i just like i can go and watch without the hesitation.
Mine is with books. I would keep reading the second to last chapter or re read the whole book. I don't read much because it takes over my life. I get sucked in and forget about everything else then get sad when the story ends.
holy cats. i do the same thing! i also avoid the last book of a series because once i’ve read it, there is no more. i stopped watching tv a couple of years ago, because it started to feel obsessive, and now i find tv overwhelming.
My friends refer to me as the lore master because I’ll remember inane bullshit years after it happened. I’m ambiguously neurodivergent and I had never thought it could have anything to with that.
I'm from Port Talbot UK. These are excellent, really helpful not only to me but for sending links to people who think they know what they are talking about but in reality clueless.
I'm watching from windsor, ontario, Canada. I haven't been diagnosed... however, between this video and a few others of yours and other people.. I've pretty much got all the symptoms of having aspergers. I've trouble finishing things. I'm also adhd, hard of hearing, have depression, anxiety, ptsd, sleep apnea as well as a form of apnea that is in the narcolepsy area, .. and only realized a couple of years ago that I'm dyslexic. I'm 48... how different life would have been had these things been found out as a child. On the upside.. I taught myself how to lip read at 3-4 years old. I'm very artistic, I can build and fix things, I rewired my house, fixed structure, invent things all the time.. and basicly learn anything I set my mind to. Thank you for the videos and for listening. Kelly, from the other side of the world 😊
I wish people would STOP calling Non-Social behavior, Anti-Social behavior! I am Non-Social, I see no reason to have friends ( I do have some), I don't and never have been lonely (I wish I could be alone). But I am not Anti-Social, I don't go around trying to stop other people from have social interactions, I'm not waging a war on social interactions.
@@bbbelt1070 the two words are easily confused, but: Asocial people generally don’t feel a need to attack, provoke or terrorise others, they just prefer their own company or limited socialisation. Antisocial people are aggressive and take pleasure in terrorising or attacking others, often targeting people who just happen to be there, they don’t even have to be provoked.
chanteuse1978 I have ADHD multiple autistic traits, especially relating to socializing, but I don’t experience those specific traits. I’m still struggling to figure out what’s what.
@@litchtheshinigami8936 Do you remember where you read this? I know i am late to this comment but i have adhd and being tested for asd so this is intersting to me.
@@chi6801 not really it was a while back and i get alot of info from all kinds of sources so it's possible i found it just browsing around or noticed it on a news site..
Hi! I'm a first time viewer and a psycjotherapist - grateful indeed for your excellent videos. Since so many brilliant artists, writers, musicians, Greta Thunberg, for example show these traits, I understand why Dr. Asperger who discovered the syndrome (or whatever you call it!) said that any talented person might just benefit from a "little Asperger's to stay focused". Kudos for that, especially as they suspect everyone from Beethoven to Mendelssohn to Elvis Presley (the list is long) was born with what Greta says is a gift. My 17-year-old grandson, a joy in our lives, has all of these traits with very high intelligence and an extraordinary sense of humour. Do you, like him, see the ridiculous and the ironic in many things? I also note that nearly every young person on the complete spectrum relates intensely to animals, especially dogs. They seem to communicate so well on the unconscious level and bonding is easy on both sides. I shall continue to follow you - you're teaching this old pro a lot! Also, you're so affable and approachable - much goodwill to you!!
I am a big dog lover and have my own dog. I do indeed see the ridiculous nature in everyday things it is funny! I have a free autism coping secrets master class you can watch it here: www.copingsecrets.com/masterclass Thank you so much for the comment!
Thank you for including depression among the indicators. None of the online questionaires ask whether we're prone to depression and I've been taking it for granted it doesn't figure as a diagnostic trait. Anxiety yes, but not depression. I'm on anti-depressives and they contribute to my masking by making me seem more able to cope with meltdowns. Instead I have shutdowns, but I'm actually still as anxious as ever underneath. At 71, I've had decades of practice at pretending I'm on top of things, but anxiety, depression and psychological exhaustion aren't among them.
People in my class say I'm fakeing my aspersers, anxiety and depression or that my autism isn't the reason for my Shawn mendes and marvel obsessions so bc of that all I do now is lock myself in my room either drawing or listening to Shawn mendes or watching marvel movies
I hit all of these traits and when you mentioned the memory one, I think my jaw hit my chest it dropped that much lol I really need to be tested and I think my sister should be too...
Oh wow that’s super interesting. Best of luck with an assessment!! Thank you so much for the comment! Please subscribe to my channel to see more videos from me :).
I just found out I have Asperger's, at 31. It really has made sense out of my entire life. I really appreciate your vlog. you have no idea how helpful this is for me, and others, who have just discovered they have it. lol This is also a new subject for me to hyper-focus on 😂😂
I have adhd, generalized anxiety disorder, CPTSD, panic disorder, and I’m an aspie/ASD semi diagnosed. I just haven’t seen the specialist, my psychiatrist agrees with me that I am on the spectrum. I also stutter or straight up lose the ability to speak if I have a panic attack or get too anxious
I can relate to most of this. Im currently in waiting for a ASD assessment. Ive always known i was different from a young age. My teachers always stated in my end of year reports how withdrawn i was from my peers and struggled to concentrate.
My son was acting strange and We didn t know why? When I saw your first video I understood or better said; I suspected that my son has Asperger, so after many visits to a mental clinic and last a Psychiatrist he was Diagnosed with Asperger.
Hi, Dan! This is great content! I have a friend who has Asbergers and who lives breathes and pours radio. He has his own online radio station and he can tell you the artist of just about anything he hears in like ten seconds. We are both totally blind, and in January he is going to college to take some broadcasting/sound-editing classes. He is excited about it but he’s really nervous too. I truly wish him the best.
8:16 my brother was diagnosed with sensory processing disorder when he was three, and the doctor said he’d grow out of it. After I got diagnosed with Autism (at 15) my parents got him diagnosed (at 20).
I identify with almost all of these traits. I’m now 65 and just becoming aware that I might be on the spectrum. My husband (now ex) used to call me from work and say, please tape the golf for me. I’d put down the phone and instantly forget and when he came home and asked where it was, I would feel absolutely HORRIBLE but I still forgot the next time. I still feel bad about it 30 years later. Also, I eat the same thing all the time and only change some element of it when I find a new obsession. I’m also obsessive about diving into researching things or at one stage it was embroidery and have suffered most of my life from depression. Today my work colleague told me that I live in my own world! I can go on and on. Thank you so much for making me laugh and feel like there is a community out there that I might fit into.
In my life I have had so called friends but now I realize that they only befriended me because I was very trusting of peoples motives and easily manipulated. I never realized that I was on the Autism spectrum and struggled to maintain employment. This was because I would follow rules religiously in order not to be disciplined. So when I instructed to do things differently I would argue the point thus leading me to be labelled pedantic and inflexible which eventually lead to my dismissal. Which in turn lead to my suicide attempts.
I have aspergers, ocd, add, anxiety, depression, ptsd and sensory integration/processing disorder. I agree with all of these! But with me I’m super social and anti social. I love being with friends but I also need my quiet times. I also lack some communication aspects. Also sensory processing can lead to anxiety. Not so much stuttering though for me
I'm 57 years old I just had surgery 3 months ago for prostate cancer I lost my job 3 weeks before my surgery. never held down jobs. I believe I may be on the Spectrum I've had trouble my whole life socially and financially .and have many of the traits that you just spoke of on your video. I have two children and a wonderful wife she just thinks I'm a hypochondriac and a procrastinator who never finishes anything .it's just because I have so many interests .every time I have a new one I rename my RUclips channel. when I got cancer I renamed it again. Thanks for the video I liked it
i am almost thirty, i was diagnosed with adhd and manic depressive disorder when i was 11. i don't know if im actually on the spectrum, but everything you listed off felt like you were describing my mental state. well, except for ticks, i don't really know if i have any of those as i cant really see what i doing, and the short term/long term memory issues. i just have plain memory issues. some times i can remember things from a long time ago, but it usually has to be brought up by someone else, and then my brain is like "oh yeah, that happened, didn't it?" and promptly tosses it back out the proverbial window. as for short term, that barely exists. i can follow simple directions, but anything complicated i have to see it, write it down and/or do it multiple times before it really stays
the last one explains a lot. i always thought it was strange for my interests to be intense and then change on a dime. like two years ago, i was really into languages, i was learning 9 at once. now i can barely motivate myself to do one language, but i absolutely love chemistry.
Your videos are helping me so much right now. I'm 22 and recently found out I might have high functioning autism (undiagnosed as of yet but I'm female so it's gonna take a while) and these videos are helping me find the language to express issues I've had my whole life. I especially have connected with SPD and special interests. Thank you so much for what you do. ❤️
yes, if aspergers have antisocial, there should be 2 words, because of the major quality difference to real antisocial behaviour/´trait.Coping behaviour, exhaustion behaviour is different from real antisocial.
I have the worst issues with memory. I remember my childhood and my mom understands that I remember being born. However I have the worst present memory. My mom has always told me, "Hey Lila remind me to do this later today or tomorrow or by next week" and I can't do it. Also hey, stutteringggggg. I stutter soooo much. I repeat whole statements mostly like a glitch.
People always talk about stuttering like it's one sound at the start of words that gets repeated, but I find I'll repeat the the first one or two words several times rather than the first sound. Is this the same thing?
This video showed up on my feed for no apparent reason and I am SO glad! Until I met my husband, who is an Aspi, I had never heard of Aspergers. I have begun to wonder if I might have it to some degree as well. I was diagnosed with ADHD in second grade (1991/92). Lists like this set off a lightbulb in my head. Thank you!
i had no idea that stuttering was a trait. i stuttered a lot when younger and am now going through the process of autism diagnoses. its all beginning to make sense. super cool video man.
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The trouble with short term memory got my attention.
Can you address that in another video, or give us some ideas on how to deal with it?
😘😘Hey,my Sekai Sensei From Estonia Recommendation 😍🌹♥
I’m not sure if you have answered this in previous videos, but does autism/ aspergers prevent us from driving. I have aspergers, and I find it frightens me to be behind the wheel. Is there a way to over come that?
Hi! Depression and anxiety was the only reason I got my autism diagnosis- I got it this fall, I'm 20- would you ever do a video with tips on how to treat these comorbid conditions when they are so interlinked with autism?
Like how does one handle suicidal thoughts without unhealthy stimming/self harm?
@@mahavishnustravinskij
I'm curious. How did depression and anxiety lead to you getting diagnosed? It happened to me that way, tho' I'd suspected Autism for years.
I feel like many people who are on the spectrum do not get diagnosed or treated because they are "too intelligent" or they appear to be very smart but are really just high functioning but do have the disorder.
This is something that can occur because or lack of training. Thank you so much for the comment! Please subscribe to my channel to see more videos from me :).
I am currently going through this with my son. The school won’t help because it isn’t affecting his academics. 🙄
@@tabethahernandez1230 Don't give up. Sending positive vibes.
@@tabethahernandez1230 if you're in the U.S. you can write a formal request to evaluate your son for IEP or 504 status. By law under the IDEA they have to do the evaluation, and evaluate all aspects of functionality not just intelligence. Good luck. I'm going through this with my son as well. My son is in kinder and academically around the 3rd grade intellectually, but struggles with social and other basic functions in school.
@@Kandrida, you can also just schedule an appointment with a psychologist for IEP evaluation. Then take the results to the school and then they will provide the assistance.
That's what I did... No need to write letters.
that obsessive interests thing is such a huge part of my life. i dive deep into new interests like once every few months, and i've found it actually makes finding a career super difficult because I go full force into a new interest or skill, and then 7 months later i've lost interest in it
Very comforting to know There are other people like me. If I’m not all in, it’s difficult for me to do something. I may be all in and do real well for a while, then I have no interest in something I was obsessed with a few months earlier.
Same. I don't finish a lot of what I start. I haven't gotten to the career part though yet :/
@@Kaloris24 I had a career. Ruined it.
Me too
Ritright
My mom hates that I start projects and I obsess over something for a while and then drop it. She wants me to follow through with something and I can't. I find something else and it's over. I'm on to the next thing to obsess over.
Is this actually a common thing? I do this a lot and it does my head in when I come across my half finished project months later. I do sometimes pick them up again and obsess about them for a month then drop it again... Some of them are unfinished for nearly 20 years at this point. :/
I don't have a diagnosis but I'm currently researching and thinking of asking my doctor for an assessment.
Yes! I feel so bad for my mom because I spent $600 dollars on a digital drum set to play it once or twice. This is why I have given up on most things. It might sound sad but I'm not going to have any money to spend if I pick up another expensive hobby.
EDIT: For clarification, I feel bad for her because I was really enthusiastic and I was really excited to play drums. There was no sign that I would abruptly stop. I still have them but they are just standing in the corner of my room...
@@syfico yesss I don't remember the last time I picked up my Bass. I spent $600 on a new amp and pedal last year and it's been since then...
I had an obsession on learning German to the point I bought books and everything, it then shifted to learning Norwegian, with the same outcome of buying books and such, I would become deeply invested for a couple of months then out of the blue just lose all interest.
I can't see things through to the end usually before I develop an obsession with something else.
Me too. A co-morbid condition can even be ADHD which may be the case with me. I am yet to be officially diagnosed with anything though.
I kinda cried while watching. I always just thought I was weird but it's great that I can relate to people with this stuff
Ditto jay. Now I understand more and can help myself and my son.
me too. i grew up made to feel like i was a freak, so knowing i’m not alone makes me so relieved, i can barely put it in words
same here . i never thought i could feel this understood by anybody
Same
I know it me to and I'm 35 and always wondered why any therapy didnt help me cause I'm not being helped for the right thing
Common Asperger's symptoms:
1 repetitive behavior
2 tics
3 antisocial behavior
4 fussy eating
5 depression
6 short term memory loss
7 stuttering
8 obsessive interest
The only one that is not me is #4 I am a very adventurous eater.
As for the ones I do have
#1 I have learned to accept variation and to be open-minded to new experiences
#2 Mine is luckily not intrusive and not noticed by most people
#3 This is still very much present but I make myself engage in social behavior, I have gotten to the point where I don't have to have people like me.
#5 I deal with this through talk therapy and psychiatric assistance
#6 I try to make sure people I know get my full attention before they engage me so that my STM is actively engaged.
#7 I got past this issue by taking a speech class and had an excellent instructor.
#8 I still have them and take great joy from them, I let people know that when I am talking about this passion that they are absolutely free to tell me to shut up and they are not interested. I will then happily change gears.
I function quite well as an Aspie. Our other ableness does not mean we are victims to the cause we can overcome when we so choose.
@Nikki Bentley Is My Angel OK boomer
I have everything except 2 and 4
@Nikki Bentley Is My Angel That can be an incredibly destructive point of view.
@Nikki Bentley Is My Angel I see. Please describe your medical acumen that I might marvel at someone who, with a single sentence, dismissed an incredibly large body of research (detailed in the DSM) dating back to at least the 1950s. I look forward to reading your peer-reviewed papers and academic articles.
Voice volume is probably common. I speak quiet because I can hear my own voice and think i am louder than i am. My cousin who also has autism speaks loud.
Yes very good point!! Thank you so much for the comment! Please subscribe to my channel to see more videos from me :).
Same. People used to tell me all the time that I had to speak up and I was advised to project my voice when I greeted customers. I didn't think I was that quiet because my voice is louder in my head! 😂
My autistic housemate has NO concept of his own volume! 😂 He's so loud! 😂
Me too, people say I'm mumbling and it's kind of annoying
That's exactly what I have. I think I speak loud but in reality I ain't.
I scream talk to everyone thinking I'm speaking normally... I come across harsh and cross. Sometimes, I will even loudly say things or make sounds and not realize how loud I am. The other day I was at a burger counter and was told that I almost screamed an Mmmmmmm noise I thought I had kept to myself 😂 never a dull moment.
I'm that person to whom people will often tell to calm down, meanwhile I'm thinking I'm calm as a cucumber.
If you tell me your name, I will not remember it 5 minutes later, but I can remember stuff from when I was 3 years old in perfect detail.
Thanks for all the likes!!!
I have the same issue with face recognition, which can be quite awkward socially. I have to spend a lot of time with someone to remember his or her face.
I have similar experiences, and it drives me crazy. I've learned to be selective about who I share with.
how to be awesome Gomez Jannerbo I’m very good with numbers but not names. I remembered a full license plate of someone harassing my place of work but I can’t remember a name. It took me several videos to realize what Dans name was
Eliza Simmer we can be awesome at trivia though
Same
I recently got my diagnosis from my therapist and I got a little bit scared... I'm amazed of how well you have taken this whole thing and how easy you stand and talk about it. From a person from Mexico who's "starting the path" Thank you 🤙🏻
I have two speeds, fully absorbed & hyper focused or exhausted & ready to sleep. Interacting with people who share a common interest feels productive but I don't like small talk. I'm misunderstood by most people so socializing isn't fun. Loud sounds, bright lights, strange smells & unexpected interruptions are challenging to tolerate. Being alone is my default simply because it's easier to control the environment & not bother others. I've struggled my whole life & only recently learned... why. I really appreciate your channel (& a couple of others) because you provide tremendous insights of enlightenment & support to this community. Learning I'm not just being difficult, it isn't my imagination & I'm not alone, are all incredibly uplifting. I'm grateful for your courage to speak out & your ongoing efforts to contribute such valuable information. Thank you!
I had a conversation with a carer the other day who tried, very badly, to convince me ppl with an asd can't get depressed or anxious. She claimed that because you were so honest you were always upfront with your feelings. I've not known her long and before she worked for my care agency she claimed that she used to care for special needs kids. Mostly asd kids. I've had friends on the spectrum for years. I'm no expert but to say kids on the spectrum can't have depression or anxiety is so ignorant.
Liz Dyson That’s weird. I’ve heard the exact opposite, that people with an ASD are prone to suffer from depression.
As someone with ASD I'm also depressed, mind you I just feel like doing nothing all day, but it's depression all the same.
If you treat others as different and take their opptunitys away, isolate them and not deal constructivly with their Lads they will get depressed as life becomes pointless.
Yeah that's crazy how she got it so wrong. I think maybe young aspies are upfront with feelings but you eventually learn you have a hard time determining what feelings and thoughts are appropriate or acceptable to share and eventually (at least in my experience) begin to bottle most things up which caused me to feel extremely depressed and anxious.
As a person with ASD who has ongoing depression and social aniexty. I dont know what planet shes on but she sure isn't on earth. That woman has no clue what she is talking about. Really too bad these people are working in jobs they don't know how to do. Thats why kids dont get the support they need and our school system is falling apart
Regarding short term memory: I can forget what I'm saying halfway through my sentence. I have all of these except maybe tics.
melissa thompson same i did have tics as a kid but not so much anymore..
Same with that first one 😂
I zone out while I'm talking and completely forget what I'm on about 😂
I have quite a few tics though
I listen best and contribute most to the conversation when im looking 90° away from center of the person talking face. Everyone thinks im rude but they dont understand how tuned in i am to what they are saying
@@natas12rm same.. i listen better when i just look at a random spot on a wall.. it makes me able to focus completely on what someone says instead of also having to contemplate their facial expressions and other body language
I switch subjects mid sentence lol
What about people with ASD who grew up in poverty and were abused? They often become *experts* at masking symptoms. 🐯
i bet some people spend a lot of effort hiding mistakes
So true. My mother was physically and verbally abusive. My father was layed off work a lot (1950's)He new I was different and let me do hands on learning using tools and fixing things. People kept telling me to smile so I just learned to smile at everyone, I still laughed at the wrong time and timing in conversations was off so I didn't talk much.
Who says you need to grow up in poverty or be abused to become an expert in masking systems?
@@seanmcclenahan6975 You don't. But IME, this tends to happen very frequently. It's a survival mechanism. 🐯
@@gloriabrown8669 Exactly my point. People with lasting trauma won't admit or show they've got ASD at their jobs, in relationships... and some will stay in bad jobs or relationships because they're afraid this is "all they've got" and there's no hope for anything better. Therapy is quite helpful, as Dan often explains. 🐯
I thought when people talk of obsessive traits it meant they had the same one for life, but for me I have had so many special interests and its always one right after another, my main one I would say at the moment is watching documentaries but they can be on anything pretty much, but I just love the documentary format and have always loved learning and feeds my obsession for wanting to know why. So hearing this is brilliant. I find myself questioning my diagnosis sometimes, but then hearing things like this reinforces (in a good way) that I am indeed an Aspie. Thanks for your channel.
My special interests change too. Although most I end up going back to eventually.
whenever I stutter, more often than not it's because i'm trying to find an appropriate word to fill in the blank that i'm currently stuttering over if i haven't already preemptively selected a word, and even then, i've had scenarios where i have mentally prepared and visualized the convorsation, and leading up to a complicated or specific word, i forget and then spend the next 5-10 seconds trying to remember the word i was going to use, if i'm lucky and the context fits, i can sometime think of a suitable substitute word before my main word, and then 5 minutes later i'm like "damn, why didn't i remember it for then but i remember it now?"
Yes I know that exact feeling!! I’m with you on that! Ooh did you get my free ebook on how to turn traits into super powers? Https://www.theaspieworld.com/ebook Thank you so much for the comment! Please subscribe to my channel to see more videos from me :).
Whenever I get overwhelmed with things in work situations or with friends I can’t say words. My mind is running too fast for me to process. So I end up not saying anything and people just take it the wrong way. I end up not replying and they get mad at me. It’s a real issue and caused me to loose my past job.. my boss yelled at me and terminated me right on the spot because I couldn’t explain to him how I was feeling.
He yelled at me saying I wasn’t respecting him and I never got the chance to tell him how I was really feeling that day, probably never will. I’m a good kid and I am a hard worker. I would never intentionally disrespect someone. It hurt me because I was frozen and couldnt speak when what he said went against everything that I am.
I’m currently trying to find a new job I needed a new one the old one was too overwhelming and stressful hours and such the reasons for me leaving without realizing I needed to put in a 2 week notice. I’m still guilty about my past job circumstances. But deep down I know he was probably proud of my hard work when I was working there. And I shouldn’t beat myself up for something in the past.
Can you touch in one of your videos a way to combat the frozen feeling when emotions overwhelm an aspie?
Ooh that’s a very good point!! I call it the bucket of cold water scenario! I will cover this!!
Exactly! Words just disappear, there’s only a raw mix of shocked emotions that go anywhere.
I've gone through this too. It's terrible to sit in a disciplinary meeting where they tell you nobody likes you and nobody likes the expression on your face. That was the review. Nothing actually about my work. (Which I'm very good at.) And I had no idea what they were talking about. It was shocking and offensive and really really upsetting and confusing. I think the only way to fix this is for more education for businesses and just people in general that not everyone communicates or is able to communicate the same way. They didn't actually say I said anything rude. Just 'nobody likes me'. At first you feel bad, but after a while it just gets really frustrating. I'm so sick of working for people, of trusting them and then being disapointed.
Try the naval tactical breathing 4 seconds in then 6 seconds out in any given anxious situation. It'll.give some time to think Its helped w_ my speechless moments. Before a large anxiety filled situation try the naval box breathing technique. 4 seconds in, hold 4, 4 seconds out, hold 4. Repeat.
OMG! I totally get that! I have been a server many times and I hated it because the more overwhelmed I got, I started to freak out and sweat and panic. Because I'd be in the middle of a relatively "simple" order but freeze up. I would literally blank out and not have words. This happens during conversation in everyday life too. Like I never know how to wrap up a conversation or I'll forget what to respond with and it's so fucking awkward. I hate it. I am painfully aware of my awkwardness which is why I prefer texting.
My Asocial tendencies have lead to me losing a lot of friends over the years.
My social anxiety makes it extremely difficult to interact with people, let alone make new friends.
A combination of those 2 things makes for a lot of recurring depression episodes.
When I was younger I was extremely picky with foods, and would always have the same 3 meals per day.
I'm terrible at remembering a lot of things short term, unless I can give it enough importance and it's given to me in written form (I'm terrible at registering audio information as that's the sense I have the most issues processing - loud noises or a lot of different sounds around me make me panic and overwhelm me).
Make friends with others on the spectrum... I didn't connect the dots until recently but my handful of close friends are all diagnosed!
Same with me
Loud noises or lots of noises or a lot of different sounds... Lucky you dont have my job. i have to listen to 3 difrend radiostations, 2 asembly lines, a machine shop, customers and colleagues.
Shit sucks honestly
Do you know me? You are describing me to a T! Good to know there are others with these traits. The short term memory quirks are a huge drag.
Definitely got the terrible short term memory and everything in memory is in picture form, had no idea that was an Autism trait so on the long list it goes!
Does anyone have the thing where someone is talking to you and you're sort of zoned out but you hear all the words and you've no idea what they mean until you snap out of it and re-played them in your head?
Omg yes that happens to me I'm not diagnosed yet but 100% sure I have Aspergers
In picture form as opposed to?
@@MrSubstance Words, sounds. I struggle with those
@@RaymondOreFineArt Ah OK! I can't think of any way of viewing a memory other than by images so hence my query. Even words I remember are auditory and visual (I see the word as well as hear it).
@@MrSubstance I can't see words in my head which means I can't spell out loud I have to write the word down first as a best guess then correct it, nightmare on paper.
Thanks so much for making videos and being so far ahead of the curve and helping reduce the stigma surrounding autism. Can't believe you've been on RUclips for a decade, quite the accomplishment. Anyway, It's not much but just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your content.
Thank you so much!!
That repetitive behavior and reliance upon routines thing is pretty much my baseline personality. If I can plan a thing into a routine, then I can do it. If you take away my routine or spring an unexpected activity or obligation at me, I become overwhelmed. It's like I prepare myself for a specific amount of stimulation and socialization and measure it out appropriately, so that when someone messes up that system, I have no reserves. Then, it's a struggle not to either shut down or freak out until I can get home and relax. I have had 3 major depressive episodes in my life. I don't eat fruit. I have a mild interest in socializing, but I definitely prefer solitary pursuits or socializing one-on-one or in small groups. Sometimes I feel like I socialize or try to make friends out of a sense of duty or because it's expected, not because I really want to do it. The memory thing also perfectly describes the way my memory works. I can remember years and years ago very well, but yesterday is a mystery. I don't stutter and I don't think I have tics or stims, but I definitely get obsessed or go overboard when I'm interested in a subject.
You're basically describing me.
As an adult female in the U.S., though, I'm not really sure what to do about it. Wouldn't a diagnosis be difficult to come by? And wouldn't therapy be expensive?
Sometimes when I get distracted by my surroundings during a conversation, I literally forget what I was just about to say mid sentence. Can get a bit weird when that happens at work. 🤷♀️
Oh interesting! Thank you so much for the comment!
Me too.
I do it all the time, I end up just talking about what I'm distracted by so conversations can still flow but then I have to ask what we were just talking about
I'm very tired of finding half-written items on my semi-public paperwork that I have to do for my job. Sometimes I can't even remember what I was in the middle of writing. 😥
Me too. I hate when someone interrupts me during a conversation because I will forget whatever I was trying to say.
Thanks. I never thought of stuttering as being part of it. At times I get hung up on what I'm trying to say . When under emotional pressure the words come out in a most bizarre and difficult fashion.
When I'm under a lot of stress sometimes i stutter so much that my words kinda sputter out like a ketchup bottle only the ketchup bottle is filled with cement
Yes! I call this "episodic stutter" to differentiate between stuttering as a speech impediment.
that's actually asocial behavior not anti social
anti social is aggression towards society/people
asocial is closer to anxiety towards society/people
Thanks for the input there!! Thank you so much for the comment! Please subscribe to my channel to see more videos from me :).
What if you are both? (me)
@@fortheloveofnoise then you're both asocial and antisocial? I don't think there's a word for being both
I genuinely can't tell if I'm just not understanding the question or if this is a joke (I have delusions and autism so it's hard for me to tell)
@@fortheloveofnoise I'm both too
Severe shyness/social inhibition can also be avoidant personality disorder.
I don’t know if I have ASD, but I remember how when I was a young kid I was always called “different” but I was also recognised as having inconsistent genius when it came to creativity and knowledge.
My boyfriend thinks im not paying attention to him because im always forgetting things he just said even if i had a conversation with him about the topic im still likely to forget within a few minutes.
Ahhh yes!! I have been there! It is tough, but they have to understand how autism works. Thank you so much for the comment! Please subscribe to my channel to see more videos from me :).
Found you because I have been thinking my boyfriend is on the spectrum since I met him over a year ago. I have a bachelors in speech therapy so I have had lots of education on this but I am still learning so much from you! My boyfriend actually brought it up to me last week that he thinks he might be autistic (which I already thought-but I was scared to bring up) so I’m sending him your videos so he doesn’t feel alone. Thank you!
Oh hey!! Glad to have you here! Thank you so much for the comment! Please subscribe to my channel to see more videos from me :).
I think you mean asocial, not necessarily antisocial. When I'm around people I feel like a fish trying to walk on land, surrounded by animals where walking and coexisting is innate and comes naturally to them.
It's like being in a unframilar culture with no ability to integrate.
AnthonyMazzarella precisely
Yeah that's why i know I'm supposed to be a human but I feel like a literal space alien much of the time and I often find myself thinking "silly humans" when I get confused by people's behaviors, or feel out of place in certain abstract or physical social situations (life, pretty much).
@@AnthonyMazzarella my mum once told me when I was younger to try and marry within my culture so I get less shocked.
However I never felt like I had any connection to any culture and ended up marrying a foreigner because its easier when the partner is expecting differences.
So relatable i sometimes feel like an alien in a foreign land trying to understand these silly humans but not being able to
I find if I talk about something I'm super interested in I can talk extremely fluently. Other times it feels like it takes me forever to get words out cuz I stutter so bad over them. I can definitely relate to many points in this video! Keep up the awesome work Dan!
Thank you so much for the comment! Please subscribe to my channel to see more videos from me :).
@@TheAspieWorld Already am :)
It gets easier and happens much less. I barely stutter anymore
I have lots of daily routines to get me through the day. They are soothing, productive, and pleasurable. They create order and a feeling of control.
Yes!! I totally agree here!! Thank you so much for the comment! Please subscribe to my channel to see more videos from me :).
I got my diagnosis yesterday and i was in shock at first... But decided to look back in my childhood and it was honestly so obvious... I was the smart quiet child, and I've never broke rules because i couldn't understand why someone would want to... And i remember everything about my childhood, even things my family can't explain how i remember that... And i couldn't relate to others sadness and still don't... It made my life so hard while growing up... I hope that now with therapy i can get better at many aspects that make my life difficult...
Dan, I really want to thank you for all of your hard work. I am 72+ and I definitely feel like I have most if not all of the 'traits' and then some. I've got journals that go back to my early teens. Thankfully, I don't throw bunches of stuff away. I have lived most of my life feeling like I'm from another planet.. Growing up in the 1950s I thought I felt so different because I was gay and now I'm seeing just how much damage was done because people just didn't know what they know now.
I told a psychologist I feel like I'm an alien in human skin. I guess he misunderstood me, cos he diagnosed me with schizoid affective disorder. 😠
I just got diagnosed with ASD. I stumbled across one of your videos a few months ago and I saw some striking similarities to myself. I asked my psychiatrist on Wednesday, July 3rd and said "so I saw a video on RUclips about the signs and symptoms of autism and I showed a lot of them, could I be autistic?" And she said "oh yes, you're definitely on the spectrum. I've known that since you came in here the first time." She said if it was still in the DSM she would diagnose me with Asperger's syndrome. She made sure not to diagnose me on paper so I don't get barred from management positions and self insurance. I didn't think I was anything except weird until I saw that video. Now I'm beginning to understand my differences and quirks. It's so enlightening and freeing.
Oh hey!! Welcome to the club :) Thank you so much for the comment! Make sure you are subscribed and have the notifications turned on :).
@@TheAspieWorld I subbed and I hope to learn a lot more from you. Thank you for taking the time to respond!
Just found you and I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS, I was diagnosed late with Autism (Asperger) last year in july 1 month after I turned 27 years old, it's been a real struggle my whole life.. I also was diagnosed with Adhd when I was 18, trichotillomani and dermatillomani and OCD when I was 20.. Bipolar 2, cronic depression, and cronic anxiety when I was 21, It's been a bumpy ride whit a lot of medication that still hasnt realy worked, and my Autism Spectrum diagnosis was a lifesaver made EVERYTHING about me crystal clear.. And your videos are realy helping me to NOT feel so alone, to know that there is people out there that gets me.. Thank you! :)
Oh hey!! Super happy to have you here!! Thank you so much for the comment! Please subscribe to my channel to see more videos from me :).
I am autistic person who is 19 years old and strangely enough (related to your video), I have a lack of emotional regulation. I can go one minute from being hyperactive/ overexcited to being either tired, anxious, depressed, stressed to an extreme of having an emotional "meltdown". I fortunately have been getting counseling for all of that. Talking of topic obsessions, I have a really big passion in computer programming and am currently studying the sector. Hopefully, I will be able to get into that sector one day after catching up my school work (I fell behind my 19 year old counterparts because of lack of resources where I live in France). With my basic knowledge of computer programming, I have designed a concept called the "My Essentials Book". Basically, the analogue format consists of a 5 tab A4 notebook. Within this 5 tab notebook, each tab is designed for each emotional regulation problem (tab 1 is for writing down important appointments, tab 2 is for "doodling" for example any personal plans that you need to jot down in order not to forget it and to look at it later, tab 3 is handy for example any comments from professionals like psychologists towards the young person, child or young adult that could help the young person, child or young adult cope with a change of situation for example if the person has difficulty talking or talks in a different way to neurotypical people, tab 4 is for comments from the parents of the young child, young person or young adult with autism spectrum condition and tab 5 is for logging mood changes which can be personalised to the person's needs). Currently, I am trialing the concept on myself and I find that it's helping keeping my mood or unforeseen changes of situation under control. I also have developed a web based version of this concept which the menu tabs are named the same as the content in the Essentials Book. Also, the Essentials Book has a page for emergency contacts in case the inevitable happened.
Hey that is awesome!! Thank you so much for the comment! Please subscribe to my channel to see more videos from me :).
Wow! I’m 53 and have just realized in the past year that I have many Asperger traits that I’ve been compensating for most of my life.
Obsessive interest may be the strongest of the traits I have from the ones presented in this video. It takes so much place in my life that I really have to fight to do anything else like cooking, sleep enough or play with my children. But it is also something awesome because it allowed to learn so many things !
By the way, seeing you swinging from a foot to the other helps me keep focused on what you said. It was really nice 👍
wow! the long term memory thing is so true in my case. I can remember odd tidbits of conversations I had with people 20 years ago, but I put something down and immediately forget where I put it.
The Gluten Free Lab yes. I remember details for no reason but I can’t remember names.
Wow. This is very relatable. I haven’t been diagnosed, but I’m getting tested soon.
Samee
My short term memory is just a little bad but I do remember odd stuff like that all the time
That might be a strange question, but I’ve always wondered how having long term memory but no short term memory works. Do you remember the stuff that you didn’t remember a day after it happened a few years after the incident? Or how do you reclaim the memory? I’m genuinely curious :)
An app video would be great! Thanks for everything you do.
I found this very helpful to help me understand myself and teach my family about autism.
I'm also from the UK and i would love to see a video about apps 😁
My 11 year old son has Asperger's. I'm in Pennsylvania, USA. You are a great asset to me in helping me understand my son's diagnosis. Thank you ☺️
Dan this is the first time I've heard another person mention alopecia. I suffered from it from teens till my 30s when I finally started to understand my differences and prevalence for depression. Being a girl w bald spots all over lead to some major body image issues. Thankfully its better but it does still happen from time to time. Thanks for sharing!
just thandie This is me too. I have had alopecia since I was 4, but my stress and emotional overload definitely make my alopecia go into overdrive. When my dad died I ended up bald. It’s crazy how more and more things are falling into place after realizing I had so many aspergers symptoms.
Did you ever think of having an integration unit made for yourself?
I was diagnosed in my late teens but i never asked a professional if not being able to look at your reflection or get pictures taken of yourself ,or more like when I see myself it really weirds me out and makes me either uncomfortable or depressed, I'm not an ugly person I dont understand where it comes from
Ah yes I get like that if I look in a mirror for longer than a few mins. Thank you so much for the comment! Please subscribe to my channel to see more videos from me :).
its probably because we see the system in everything. and i can see mistakes in everything really fast. so i guess we just see the mistakes and focus on them ? theres no wrong or right face but it‘s just how my brain works
I'm the same way but more so with audio. If I hear my own voice in a recording it makes me so incredibly uncomfortable and squirmish. I also have trouble letting people take pictures of me because of it.
@@WeAreHereToTakeThisDown same:(
This is something that is rarely mentioned. I wonder how common this is.
Walking into rooms and forgetting what you were doing is called the "doorway effect", it's been studied even in neurotypical people.
Impish Rebel I think it’s on the same level of switching which side you’re laying on and immediately forgetting what you were thinking about. Your brain senses an extreme change and you forget what was on your mind.
The difference here for me, is that I don't need to walk through a doorway. Sometimes it happens to me consciously mid thought. I can literally feel it fade while I am trying to remember. What sucks most is when the memory is like a school of fish darting about in my head trying to escape. The more you try to remember one part of the thought, the more of the other parts get away.
the42the42 I get that too. Not fun.
AKA The Portal Problem. When this happens to me, I retrace my steps to where I was when I started, and often something there will trigger the memory of what I was doing. Teapot! That's where I left my teacup!
So glad I found this or this channel found me. I'm 33 and have just begun the process of being diagnosed after doing my own research for years and years trying to figure out what was "wrong with me" So thank you for sharing!
Yay a super happy to have you here 😃🔥✌🏼. Make sure you are subscribed and have the notifications turned on :).
My son has Asperger and ADHD, he is a bright 9 year old who loves to talk at you about his interests. Thank you for the video and keep spreading the word and doing the videos.
Sometimes I’ll be in the middle of a sentence and I’ll just totally forget what I was talking about. I also do a lot of repetitive behavior and I get stressed out a lot when I can’t do that.
YES!! I get that to! Thank you so much for the comment! Please subscribe to my channel to see more videos from me :).
I do that all the time!
Hi Dan! I just wanted to say that your videos are awesome! They helped me to accept my diagnosis (I have Asperger syndrome) and are really fun to watch ❤️
Yeh
Same here Apple juice
It's interesting, but my obsession is (and always has been) psychology. I recognized all these idiosyncrasies that seemed counter-conventional very early (thus began the mimicry of such to understand the world and belong to it). Anyway, the interesting part is that I made it my profession (I am a therapist). My obsessive analysis in human functioning yields a perspective that most colleagues do not see. I tend to not focus on the emotive part of therapy (which seems extremely unpopular, though to say I neglect it is very untrue) because the way we think dictates emotional processes. I may miss certain cues, but I rarely miss details within the roadmap of analysis. This sounds arrogant, so please forgive my forthrightness. Anyway, I could go on and on. Enjoy your vids and insight!
When I was 7 years old, I watched the wedding of Charles and Diana on TV, and it led to a long-term interest in the Royal Family. I'm not as into them now, but I still know the birth dates of most of the key members (and some of the minor ones, as well). 😆
my counselor told me to watch you. Changed my life and ended up with my diagnoses of mild autism at 30. You are such a hero thank you so much
I've had anxiety my hold life, ever since 7 years old. Spontaneous, intense and frequent anxiety attacks which lasted for years, starting at 7 years old. As a boy, I was immediately drawn to video games, and never favored social contact between my siblings (I've always preferred to be alone). I lived in a vivid "daydream" as a child. I was never in tune with reality; as I always lived in an imaginary world in my head. Social ques were non existent. I've never had friends. My whole life I thought I had anxiety and adhd, and later depression (and commit no life thoughts at one point), but my adult life habits align with those of Asperger's Syndrome. I have a very repetitive schedule, never changing. I hate new situations, especially social ones. I eat a very simple set of meals which never really change. I have a really hard time with eye-contact with everyone. I HATE small talk, I find it pointless and impossible almost. I always enjoy speaking about intellectual concepts, or of interesting things. I have a thirst for facts, ever since I can remember, this has not at all changed throughout my life. I have perfect pitch and I am a musician. I have tics; I touch the tips of my fingers and toes alot because I can noticeably feel the air on them at it bothers me all the time. I have horrible short term memory loss! It's so bad that I can forget things I've mentioned just a second ago mid conversation; which makes me forget the whole purpose of the conversation immediately! I am horrible with names, and remembering important dates and events. I have a stuttering problem, because I find it hard to articulate my thoughts into words. I'm sorry for writing all this. I'm 22 years old and it wasn't till last night that I realized I might have Asperger's or ASD. Ty for the info
I actually appreciate long write ups.
Dan do a video on apps! Please! I personally use google calendar, and I record stuff like school holidays and my first lesson of the day, and then I ask google home at the start of everyday “today’s calendar” and it tells me what is going on!
One thing that has caused me a great deal of woe is that because I focus so deeply I do not sense elapsed time. 5 minutes and 5 hours feel the same. Since kindergarten my worst problem is getting anywhere on time. I always think I have enough time to do "one last thing". I know better, but I'm still trying to defy the laws of time & space.
lol
Haha, same. As a kid I could play for the whole day without noticing the time. But now as an adult I'm almost the same, which can be an issue. Sometimes I see that I have half an hour left and think that's a lot and start doing something. And the next time I look in the clock it turns out I should have already left several minutes ago. Sometimes I feel like I just don't get time. :D
See my problem is that I always end up too early to places. And my sense of how long it takes to get places is off like I'll say it takes 30 mins when it really takes 15.
@@MsLPSFOREVER That's interesting because people have a tendency to think things will be easier and take less time than they actually do.
@@Evija3000 its weird, I experience that as well, but that's only for me when I'm accomplishing tasks. Driving places and going places, I have a skewed idea of how long it takes to get places and distances too.
its the same for me where 3 years feels like just yesterday
I always thought with the obsession thing, it was always one single thing that you were obsessed with for a long long time (from what i’ve seen in movies and tv shows and such). I always have these huge obsessions, but i usually find something new after a few years that is my new «area of interest». So i thought it wasn’t the same.
Yeah you know obsessions can change month to month to!! Thank you so much for the comment! Please subscribe to my channel to see more videos from me :).
@@TheAspieWorld I already did^^
Your videos made me realize that a lot more stuff I do I related to my aspergers than I originally thought.
Had the same problem. Now I just boil my obsession down to facts and video games, I really like interesting facts (mostly law and history).
Wow, me too!
I’m constantly changing my obsession. I wish I could stick to one and get good at it because I’m the jack of all trades master of none type deal. I quite literally have an absorbent amount of different/varied knowledge
You are doing a fantastic job in your videos educating people with aspergers - and also for people with loved ones who have aspergers, brothers, sisters, parents, relationships - so please keep on doing what you are doing. Great stuff!
I am 28 and recently figured myself out, I'm 100% sure I have aspergers/ASC.
It makes me giggle at myself looking back at this chick carrying around her visual diary, that drew obsessively at work on smoko, lunch breaks and when hanging out with friends. One of my ticks, tapping my pen on my shoulder, pen stains on all my tee shirts. I have figured out how to cope with most things and how to be social in a way that I'm more comfortable. But, I haven't figured out coping strategies for my depressive states.
I could go on and on about this but tying to keep this as short and sweet as possible.
My current issue is studying, questions are not literal enough and my brain can not make sense of them (really easy questions when my coach explains it to me). This makes me feel really dumb but I've come to terms with that feeling and I'm getting better at understanding and disregarding that feeling (sort of).
So my question: Is it worth seeking a diagnosis?
I'm 40 years old and have struggled my whole life I have had many wrong diagnoses ranging from ADD to bipolar depression but none of them fully fit how I truly felt I'm just now realizing I might have borderline aspergers all of this you have talked about I can totally relate to and is giving better understanding why I do what I do and I feel how I do thank you this is an awesome resource.
Omg! I’ve always wondered if I’m on the spectrum. I’ve pulled my hair since I was little, get freaked out if my routine is interrupted, I love researching and would rather keep to myself. I have terrible social anxiety and struggle with depression since I isolate. So helpful!
I am undiagnosed, but I'm sure I have Asperger's. I eat the same breakfast every day. Travelling is very stressful because I can't maintain my routine. Other people love to travel and I never understood why I didn't. This really helps. 👍
Shoshana Fox even when a trip is fun, I'm feeling out of sorts until I have my McChicken Biscuit and USA Today. On a vacation I hate ppl trying to fill every moment. But, I get bored with myself too.
Thank you for respecting the diagnosis by saying you don't have it, and saying you're sure you have it and not stating as if you know you do.
I was significantly bullied growing up, because of this a lot of my symptoms have been hidden. I make minor rocking movements with my head, besides I have pretty much tamed all my tics. The one thing that drives up a wall when I'm interacting with people is the exhaustion I feel trying to make my behavior match theirs.
I have a pretty tight grip on my symptoms till I get overwhelmed or upset. Then it all unravels, I just have a bunch of spaghetti falling out of my pockets.
I'm so thankful to have come across this youtube account because it's help me see there's so many different people experiencing this.
So glad I stumbled upon this channel. I work with children with special needs and have a few experiences with adults with autism. I find it fascinating and am a strong supporter of the community. The large number of diagnoses were what caused me to switch career paths. I wanted to give back in any way possible. I have more personal reasons I wont share here, but thank you for providing insight for those of us who dont fully understand. I see those traits in so many of the kids I work with. The tics, i did not put together with a particular student until now. He is so cool, love him! He has the most imaginative stories and good at drawing.
repetitive behavior 3:45
tics 4:46
antisocial behavior 6:10
fussy eating 7:47
depression 9:04
short term memory loss 10:23
stuttering 12:10
I was only recently diagnosed with aspergers, after I went through a very bad part of my life when I had depression and anorexia. Before that, while I was in school, I was often called a 'difficult child'. Which was wrong because I never made trouble, I was just hard to understand or communicate with.
After I got diagnosed with ASD and started looking for advice my life has gotten so much better. It's also a lot easier on family too because they now understand why I react the way I do, and what is likely to cause problems.
I really good at hiding the fact I'm autistic but I definitely show a lot of the signs mentioned here.
actually i started to watch this video because i want to educate myself more about autism. My sister, 12 years old, is on the autism spectrum and was diagnosed at 3. Aspergers syndrome is something i don't have that much knowledge of and it kinda shocked me to notice that actually a lot of those traits i am able to see inmyself. Some of them only in a way that is not "extreme" you could say (like i do stutter and sometimes have a hard time reading out loud, but it is not the norm for me) and otheres where i have to say "damn, that is 100% me" for example the obsession thing. I watch a movie or read a book and a month after that i just know everything about it. Asocial behavior, depression, also i have this thing where i bounce with my leg all the time... the only things on the list i do not see on myself are the first one, repetitive behavior and the good long term memory (but i do have a bad short term memory, my long term memory i would consider not out of the norm)
Anyways, this made me think a little and i guess i should mention this next time to a therapist or doctor, just in case.
Great channel. I was diagnosed in my 30's and i hope to advocate and assist others like us! I think earlier diagnosis leads to happier and healthier aspies. Love!
I got a 48 out of 50. I took a test at the doctors but did not answer honestly because I was scared of an Autism diagnosis. But, I buckled down this time, answered truthfully at my doctor, and got a 48 out of 50. I now feel so free and comfortable in my own skin.
Yes! Apps! I love your vids 🥰 I have a 9 year old son who is diagnosed with ADhD (yes, small h) and Asperger's syndrome, and I get sooo much useful insight into my son's view of the world; and his reactions to it! I can better understand what I can do to minimize his overall stress so he can focus better in school, and feel more secure in social situations. Thank you so much for what you do! All the best, Anneli and Rasmus 👍👍👍💖
A weird thing is I am very hesitant to watch a new season of a show I really really love because I will be depressed when I finish...but a show i just like i can go and watch without the hesitation.
I AM THE SAME!! 💯 #twinning 😅
Mine is with books. I would keep reading the second to last chapter or re read the whole book.
I don't read much because it takes over my life. I get sucked in and forget about everything else then get sad when the story ends.
holy cats. i do the same thing! i also avoid the last book of a series because once i’ve read it, there is no more. i stopped watching tv a couple of years ago, because it started to feel obsessive, and now i find tv overwhelming.
The memory thing.... too true!
My friends refer to me as the lore master because I’ll remember inane bullshit years after it happened. I’m ambiguously neurodivergent and I had never thought it could have anything to with that.
I'm from Port Talbot UK. These are excellent, really helpful not only to me but for sending links to people who think they know what they are talking about but in reality clueless.
I'm watching from windsor, ontario, Canada. I haven't been diagnosed... however, between this video and a few others of yours and other people.. I've pretty much got all the symptoms of having aspergers. I've trouble finishing things. I'm also adhd, hard of hearing, have depression, anxiety, ptsd, sleep apnea as well as a form of apnea that is in the narcolepsy area, .. and only realized a couple of years ago that I'm dyslexic. I'm 48... how different life would have been had these things been found out as a child. On the upside.. I taught myself how to lip read at 3-4 years old. I'm very artistic, I can build and fix things, I rewired my house, fixed structure, invent things all the time.. and basicly learn anything I set my mind to. Thank you for the videos and for listening. Kelly, from the other side of the world 😊
When I was a kid, I enjoyed drawing, and I often drew the same subjects again and again.
I wish people would STOP calling Non-Social behavior, Anti-Social behavior! I am Non-Social, I see no reason to have friends ( I do have some), I don't and never have been lonely (I wish I could be alone). But I am not Anti-Social, I don't go around trying to stop other people from have social interactions, I'm not waging a war on social interactions.
You’re misinterpreting the word
@@bbbelt1070 no I am not. Look up the definition. That is my point.
@@bbbelt1070 the two words are easily confused, but: Asocial people generally don’t feel a need to attack, provoke or terrorise others, they just prefer their own company or limited socialisation. Antisocial people are aggressive and take pleasure in terrorising or attacking others, often targeting people who just happen to be there, they don’t even have to be provoked.
A lot of traits overlap with ADHD so how do you differentiate?
Sam Patrick i am pretty sure i read somewhere that they have started putting ADHD under the autism spectrum aswell..
Folks with ADHD don’t tend to have the sensory issues or repetitive behaviors. They struggle more with impulsivity
chanteuse1978 I have ADHD multiple autistic traits, especially relating to socializing, but I don’t experience those specific traits. I’m still struggling to figure out what’s what.
@@litchtheshinigami8936 Do you remember where you read this? I know i am late to this comment but i have adhd and being tested for asd so this is intersting to me.
@@chi6801 not really it was a while back and i get alot of info from all kinds of sources so it's possible i found it just browsing around or noticed it on a news site..
Hi! I'm a first time viewer and a psycjotherapist - grateful indeed for your excellent videos. Since so many brilliant artists, writers, musicians, Greta Thunberg, for example show these traits, I understand why Dr. Asperger who discovered the syndrome (or whatever you call it!) said that any talented person might just benefit from a "little Asperger's to stay focused". Kudos for that, especially as they suspect everyone from Beethoven to Mendelssohn to Elvis Presley (the list is long) was born with what Greta says is a gift. My 17-year-old grandson, a joy in our lives, has all of these traits with very high intelligence and an extraordinary sense of humour. Do you, like him, see the ridiculous and the ironic in many things? I also note that nearly every young person on the complete spectrum relates intensely to animals, especially dogs. They seem to communicate so well on the unconscious level and bonding is easy on both sides. I shall continue to follow you - you're teaching this old pro a lot! Also, you're so affable and approachable - much goodwill to you!!
I am a big dog lover and have my own dog. I do indeed see the ridiculous nature in everyday things it is funny! I have a free autism coping secrets master class you can watch it here: www.copingsecrets.com/masterclass Thank you so much for the comment!
Thank you for including depression among the indicators. None of the online questionaires ask whether we're prone to depression and I've been taking it for granted it doesn't figure as a diagnostic trait. Anxiety yes, but not depression. I'm on anti-depressives and they contribute to my masking by making me seem more able to cope with meltdowns. Instead I have shutdowns, but I'm actually still as anxious as ever underneath. At 71, I've had decades of practice at pretending I'm on top of things, but anxiety, depression and psychological exhaustion aren't among them.
Shutdowns! That's me. I don't have meltdowns because as a woman they're not socially acceptable.
People in my class say I'm fakeing my aspersers, anxiety and depression or that my autism isn't the reason for my Shawn mendes and marvel obsessions so bc of that all I do now is lock myself in my room either drawing or listening to Shawn mendes or watching marvel movies
Katie's world seen avengers endgame yet??
@@Anna-nl9qr YASS I CRYED ALOT
I loved it. Yeah very sad but it finished their characters so well
The shawn mendes obsession is too relatable
I've noticed you've been repetitively making videos on the Asperger's symptoms. :D
Yes but they are not carbon copies they are all different
@@TheAspieWorld I think he was being cheeky ^^
That's a cute comment!
I hit all of these traits and when you mentioned the memory one, I think my jaw hit my chest it dropped that much lol I really need to be tested and I think my sister should be too...
Oh wow that’s super interesting. Best of luck with an assessment!! Thank you so much for the comment! Please subscribe to my channel to see more videos from me :).
I just found out I have Asperger's, at 31. It really has made sense out of my entire life. I really appreciate your vlog. you have no idea how helpful this is for me, and others, who have just discovered they have it.
lol This is also a new subject for me to hyper-focus on 😂😂
I have adhd, generalized anxiety disorder, CPTSD, panic disorder, and I’m an aspie/ASD semi diagnosed. I just haven’t seen the specialist, my psychiatrist agrees with me that I am on the spectrum. I also stutter or straight up lose the ability to speak if I have a panic attack or get too anxious
Yeah I hate it. People think I’m drunk or on some type of drugs making me slur my words horribly. I just get nervous and can’t speak straight
I can relate to most of this. Im currently in waiting for a ASD assessment. Ive always known i was different from a young age. My teachers always stated in my end of year reports how withdrawn i was from my peers and struggled to concentrate.
My son was acting strange and We didn t know why? When I saw your first video I understood or better said; I suspected that my son has Asperger, so after many visits to a mental clinic and last a Psychiatrist he was Diagnosed with Asperger.
Hi, Dan! This is great content! I have a friend who has Asbergers and who lives breathes and pours radio. He has his own online radio station and he can tell you the artist of just about anything he hears in like ten seconds. We are both totally blind, and in January he is going to college to take some broadcasting/sound-editing classes. He is excited about it but he’s really nervous too. I truly wish him the best.
8:16 my brother was diagnosed with sensory processing disorder when he was three, and the doctor said he’d grow out of it. After I got diagnosed with Autism (at 15) my parents got him diagnosed (at 20).
I identify with almost all of these traits. I’m now 65 and just becoming aware that I might be on the spectrum. My husband (now ex) used to call me from work and say, please tape the golf for me. I’d put down the phone and instantly forget and when he came home and asked where it was, I would feel absolutely HORRIBLE but I still forgot the next time. I still feel bad about it 30 years later. Also, I eat the same thing all the time and only change some element of it when I find a new obsession. I’m also obsessive about diving into researching things or at one stage it was embroidery and have suffered most of my life from depression. Today my work colleague told me that I live in my own world! I can go on and on. Thank you so much for making me laugh and feel like there is a community out there that I might fit into.
In my life I have had so called friends but now I realize that they only befriended me because I was very trusting of peoples motives and easily manipulated. I never realized that I was on the Autism spectrum and struggled to maintain employment. This was because I would follow rules religiously in order not to be disciplined. So when I instructed to do things differently I would argue the point thus leading me to be labelled pedantic and inflexible which eventually lead to my dismissal. Which in turn lead to my suicide attempts.
I have aspergers, ocd, add, anxiety, depression, ptsd and sensory integration/processing disorder. I agree with all of these! But with me I’m super social and anti social. I love being with friends but I also need my quiet times. I also lack some communication aspects. Also sensory processing can lead to anxiety. Not so much stuttering though for me
I don’t suffer from short memory lost
I only keep important information
The not so important information I forget
✌🏼Thank you so much for the comment! Please subscribe to my channel to see more videos from me :).
Not on the spectrum here. But live with it. Took me 2 frustrating minutes at the beginning to get what you were doing with the edits. Clever. New fan.
I'm 57 years old I just had surgery 3 months ago for prostate cancer I lost my job 3 weeks before my surgery. never held down jobs. I believe I may be on the Spectrum I've had trouble my whole life socially and financially .and have many of the traits that you just spoke of on your video. I have two children and a wonderful wife she just thinks I'm a hypochondriac and a procrastinator who never finishes anything .it's just because I have so many interests .every time I have a new one I rename my RUclips channel. when I got cancer I renamed it again. Thanks for the video I liked it
A huge THANK YOU, Dan❣. You have taught me so much. Love your videos ❣. From South Africa ❤️🐸❤️
Melany Todd hey!! Thank you!!
😘😘💕💕
i am almost thirty, i was diagnosed with adhd and manic depressive disorder when i was 11. i don't know if im actually on the spectrum, but everything you listed off felt like you were describing my mental state. well, except for ticks, i don't really know if i have any of those as i cant really see what i doing, and the short term/long term memory issues. i just have plain memory issues. some times i can remember things from a long time ago, but it usually has to be brought up by someone else, and then my brain is like "oh yeah, that happened, didn't it?" and promptly tosses it back out the proverbial window. as for short term, that barely exists. i can follow simple directions, but anything complicated i have to see it, write it down and/or do it multiple times before it really stays
the last one explains a lot. i always thought it was strange for my interests to be intense and then change on a dime. like two years ago, i was really into languages, i was learning 9 at once. now i can barely motivate myself to do one language, but i absolutely love chemistry.
Your videos are helping me so much right now. I'm 22 and recently found out I might have high functioning autism (undiagnosed as of yet but I'm female so it's gonna take a while) and these videos are helping me find the language to express issues I've had my whole life. I especially have connected with SPD and special interests. Thank you so much for what you do. ❤️
6:10 isn't asocial the right word?
not really ahh!! Perhaps! Dang it I missed the correct name 🤦🏻♂️ thanks for the correction bro!
Asocial = Basically doing something alone.
Anti Social = Doing something that is harmful to or violates the rights of others.
yes, if aspergers have antisocial, there should be 2 words, because of the major quality difference to real antisocial behaviour/´trait.Coping behaviour, exhaustion behaviour is different from real antisocial.
Technically, but it's more socially acceptable to call it antisocial (ironic). It's the commonly used term even if it's not technically correct.
I have the worst issues with memory. I remember my childhood and my mom understands that I remember being born. However I have the worst present memory. My mom has always told me, "Hey Lila remind me to do this later today or tomorrow or by next week" and I can't do it. Also hey, stutteringggggg. I stutter soooo much. I repeat whole statements mostly like a glitch.
Whaaaaaaaaat you remember being born? Ive never heard that before
People always talk about stuttering like it's one sound at the start of words that gets repeated, but I find I'll repeat the the first one or two words several times rather than the first sound. Is this the same thing?
Yep, I think that’s stuttering too. I catch myself doing that quite a bit.
This video showed up on my feed for no apparent reason and I am SO glad! Until I met my husband, who is an Aspi, I had never heard of Aspergers. I have begun to wonder if I might have it to some degree as well. I was diagnosed with ADHD in second grade (1991/92). Lists like this set off a lightbulb in my head. Thank you!
i had no idea that stuttering was a trait. i stuttered a lot when younger and am now going through the process of autism diagnoses. its all beginning to make sense. super cool video man.