I’ve found that I am likely Autistic, and I found that out through TikTok. I get alot of info about it through autistic tiktokers and I found a site called Embrace-Autism.com from one of them and have been able to learn from that site aswell as take quizzes on there which has lead me to discovering this.
It started with a few videos about autistic traits that I found that I did and didn’t know why, and I’ve been learning alot about myself from this. and since learning about this I’ve found that I’ve been able to learn why certain things happen to me and how I’m able to help myself with them. As an example i bought Bose Earbuds with Active Noise Canceling and found that I’ve been experiencing overstimulation in situations, and using them seems to help me so far (I haven’t gotten to try them alot but one situation with alot of people they seemed to help alot)
I haven’t gotten a formal diagnosis, but I feel I have enough information to come to this and am still learning more.
Hey Bryan, I’m really happy for you! I can relate to this a lot. It’s such a relief when we finally find an answer to these questions that have always been burning in the back of our minds for years. The best part for me is the sense of closure you get when you can finally have it confirmed that you face a different set of problems to the people around you, despite how it looks. It’s hugely relieving to be able to say to myself “well, it wasn’t my fault that I found this so hard after all.”
Do you see yourself seeking a formal diagnosis? I ask because I’m sure that you could be offered support and guidance through a psychiatrist that wouldn’t be possible with personal research alone. An expert will be able to hone in on the specifics, and you’ll be able to use that information to reduce some of the unnecessary barriers in your life. There’s also the possibility of being provided additional support in work and study contexts, which otherwise might not be available without an expert to vouch for you. It’s totally up to you, there are benefits and costs to weigh up.
Regardless of what you choose, it seems like you’re learning about yourself and taking steps to make your life easier. The noise-cancelling earbuds are a great idea, overstimulation is crippling and so anything that helps is an amazing find. All around this sounds like great news! Keep it up Bryan 
All the best
Ricky
From: Mamadien
Welcome back to the support wall. It sounds like you have been trying to work on your mental health, and that is a good thing. May I encourage you to see a doctor and have a formal evaluation done to confirm a diagnosis? There are a few good reasons to do this. While we can learn a lot from online sources, they don’t replace the expertise of a well trained doctor and an in person evaluation. Another thing a formal diagnosis can do is make it possible to get the proper treatments and services for your diagnosis. Those treatments and services can do so much to help you. I am glad that your Bose earbuds are really helping you when noise becomes overstimulating. And that is something you can continue to do for your own self care. I wish you well in pursuing further care. Please let us know how you make out.
From: Aces MCL36M
Hallos! First of all I wouldn’t really trust the surveys or Tiktok as there is a lot of miss information on stuff like Autism I would highly recommend speaking to a doctor to get a diagnosis as if you think you’ve got it it’s always best to check it out. Sometimes having some of the symptoms doesn’t necessarily mean you have it but it’s good to try and get a diagnosis as it could be something else. Even if you have Autism it is not a disability it’s a different ability you will still be as capable as other people without autism. You are loved, valued, and respected
From: Micro
Hey Bryan,
It’s amazing to hear that you are on this journey of trying to understand yourself better. I imagine that looking after those resources was not done randomly but the result of noticing some potential patterns and struggles that you’d like to understand better. Diagnosis of any kind hold a very powerful potential for healing, and just being willing to seek that knowledge and growth is absolutely wonderful. Well done for this!
On a different note, I would like to really encourage you to seek a formal diagnosis with a professional. As much as it is amazing to feel like we can put words on our personal experiences, it is important to keep in mind that mental health/our minds are very complex, and it’s actually very easy to mistake a condition for another one. The Autism spectrum alone is about realities that are shared by people who face other specific conditions, such as PTSD/C-PTSD, ADHD, some personality disorders, etc. If you compare it to physical health, it’s easy to seek information online and realize that we have the symptoms for multiple illnesses at once, while really we are actually doing well. With mental health, it’s the same: diagnosis are complex and actually a process in themselves. By seeking formal help, you would have the possibility to share who YOU are, what is YOUR story, and not just your potential symptoms. Because whether there is a specifid condition behind what you relate to, there is also how it affects YOU personally, and that understand can only be met within the time and space share with a professional.
Keep us updated regarding your next steps, if that is okay for you? I’d love to hear more from you in the future. Take care. 
From: Dark Weeb 666 (Matt)
Hi Bryan. I am glad you have decided to seek support here 
. I think its is very important to care about ones physical and mental health. I think its great that you do that. Good job 
. However seeking informationcan be misleading. Especially on sites like TiKTok. There is a lot of misinformation floating around and people who dont really have skills necessary for diagnosing someone. I am not saying that you dont have autistic traits but just by having some traits does not make you autistic. Moreover you might suffer from something else like PTSD which can have similar traits. In your place I would try to do two things. Try to get an official diagnosis from your doctor. They will evaluate you and they will figure out what those traits mean and where on the autistic scale you are. Secondly I would try to get information from more then one source. There are videos on youtube from professionals and likes who know about those subjects. There are other sources too. Try to keep it varried. I hope you will get evaluated and that you will get the help and support you need. Good luck 
If I may build on Micro’s statement:
My husband is on the spectrum. I am not. However, I have a lot of behaviors that are similar to how ASD presents, because I suffered from mental abuse growing up. For example, I am absolutely trash at eye contact. It is extremely difficult for me to maintain eye contact with anyone for any length of time. I am easily overwhelmed by external stimuli, I tend to call it sensory overload and it always leads to panic attacks. I tend to very literal most of the time. And I /hate/ being touched.
A lot of these things are common in ASD but that doesn’t mean I have it. At the same time, I’ve never sought a diagnosis because I know all of those things can be explained by the abuse, so who knows I guess.
Either way, having a diagnosis can be a great step towards understanding yourself better and getting treatment should you want it, but I would caution against self diagnosis.
I look forward to hearing your progress as well. Keep us updated if you want. Hang in there.
a formal diagnosis is helpful to pinpoint exactly what you have. Some conditions can present in similar ways, so it’s always better to have a professional walk you through it.
I’m glad you’ve been finding some relief from the site, but diagnoses should come from a qualified professional who knows you and not just a list on google.
Embrace-autism.com is ran by autistic doctors, and has good information and tests you can take. You’re also able to get an online evaluation from them
Test that they have on the site are: AQ-10, AQ, EQ, SQ, RADDS-R, Aspie Quiz, CAT-Q, RBQ-2A and other tests. They also rate them for accuracy and other factors.
I’m still really glad you’re finding some personal clarity and I hope that’s helped you to make some adjustments to make your life easier. That’s huge! It’s very good news.
I think everyone here has touched on some important points regarding professional assessment. Autism in particular can be very difficult to diagnose due to the overlapping nature of its presenting symptoms with other conditions. I don’t doubt the veracity of the psychometric tools you’ve listed, however I’m not confident that you can receive concrete answers without their administration by an expert. These tests are the tip of the iceberg in terms of confirming a diagnosis.
That isn’t to say that you’re wrong. I have no doubt that you’re in the right ballpark and that you’ve been guided to these resources by an intuitive sense that’s certainly worth listening to. My concern is regarding treatment. The autism spectrum is wide and diverse, and treatment options are adjustable to specific presentations and challenges in a way that can only really be determined by a trained and experienced professional. The overlapping nature of multiple conditions in this area presents an additional challenge, being that treatment can differ greatly between them. I would hate to see you go without specific kinds of support that you deserve and may benefit greatly from.
I’d encourage you to focus on specifics and outcomes rather than focusing too much on diagnoses. Whatever the name is for your unique set of challenges, you’re equally as worthy of support and validation, and you’ll still have a lot in common with the people and communities I’m sure you’ve observed in your own research. It just really matters that you get the help that you specifically need. That all said, I think you stand to gain a lot from consulting a psychiatrist about this. I can tell there’s some resistance to this idea, and that’s understandable. It’s entirely up to you how you choose to proceed, these are just my thoughts. Does what I’ve said connect with you much at all? No matter what, you’re learning and growing, and that’s great.
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