Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi, newbie here!
I have been lurking on online autism communities like Reddit's autism subreddits and elsewhere. I have been given the diagnosis of autism 3 times by 3 different psychologists. However, I don't relate to the majority of autistic experiences ( at least, those discussed online). There is a very strong emphasis on sensory issues- I was a very hypersensitive child, but as an adult, I'm *hypo*sensitive to sound and a lot of other stimuli. I'm quite sensory seeking too- I'm always running my hand over surfaces and touching things, so the hallmark autistic experiences of overstimulation and hypersensitivity are quite alien to me, at least as an adult. ( Of course, I'm not saying these experiences aren't valid! They absolutely are!)
Conversely, I don't see much discussion about the autistic traits that I experience to a significant degree- the need for things to be very predictable and always the same, especially in work situations (which has made most jobs a very bad fit for me- I need to do repetitive tasks that seldom change), difficulty with tasks that aren't part of my regular routine, and getting meltdowns when unexpected tasks arise.
It does make me feel kind of lonely when my manifestation of autism isn't all that common ( at least as far as I can see) and I can't find all that many people who experience what I experience. It's like I don't fit in neurotypical world or the autistic world. Am I just some kind of mutant?
Hi Newbie
I started a thread recently called 'the commonalities of autistic adults ' as I was trying to put together a list of the things we have all experienced, and was also trying to make more sense of the standard diagnosis criteria, plus adding in a couple more of my own. So I'm copying that list below:
Social communication examples:
- Replying to a question such as "How was your weekend?" with a lengthy monologue, then noticing that the other person's face has gone blank and they don't appear interested.
- Rehearsing what you are going to say in your head, or writing it down to help you remember.
- Hating phones / preferring to send emails
Social interaction examples:
- Feeling overwhelmed by strong emotions in yourself or others
- Being bullied, teased or made fun of, or feeling you have been misunderstood
- Not having your ideas listened to
Repetitive and restrictive behaviour examples:
- Feeling extremely stressed if you are in the middle of a task and are suddenly told you must do something else - now!
- Cannot "hot desk"
Sensory under or over sensitivity examples:
- Hearing sounds others don't notice, like the ticking of a clock or the hum of a machine
- Over sensitivity to heat or cold (may make you feel unwell or register as pain)
Highly focused interests or hobbies examples:
- Obsession about a hobby or topic; thinking about it when you should be doing something else
- When absorbed in your hobby, losing track of time or of physical needs (thirst, hunger, tiredness etc)
Extreme anxiety examples:
- Feeling highly anxious in a "normal" situation, such as a supermarket checkout queue.
- Gastro-intestinal issues
Meltdowns and shutdowns examples:
- Loss of emotional control, leading to anger or crying
- Loss of the ability to speak, function or even think properly
Learning differences examples:
- Difficulty in catching a ball / tying laces, clumsy (possibly gross motor skills dyspraxia)
- Hyperlexia (advanced reading skills) or dyslexia
Which ones apply to you?