Can Anybody Else Tell When Somebody Is Autistic Or Not?

Page 2 of 4 [ 58 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4  Next

jesstheflautist3
Butterfly
Butterfly

Joined: 15 Aug 2018
Age: 23
Gender: Female
Posts: 9
Location: I come from a land down under

15 Aug 2018, 5:31 pm

I can tell if someone is autistic if they have similar behaviour to me, for example a friend I have wouldn’t keep eye contact in group discussions and always left the conversation to take a break, but didn’t tell anyone where she was going. I assumed she was autistic, and she later told me she was, so I guessed right for that, but I guess I could possibly get it wrong?



LadyLucifer
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker

User avatar

Joined: 11 Aug 2018
Age: 28
Gender: Female
Posts: 60
Location: Sixth Circle

16 Aug 2018, 3:19 am

With men, I can tell within minutes. Women take me a couple of days. But yes, I have a built in "autsim-alarm system"


_________________
Special Interest: Abnormal/Sexual/Developmental Psychology, Metal Music, Depressing Documentaries, the Occult, True Crime, Cults/Conspiracy Theories, Naruto, House MD, Fetishes, Hannibal Lector Quartet and Disney Princesses and Villains
Totems: Cacti, snails, tarot, rubber ducks, overstuffed/fat animals, devils, fairies, leather and Baphomet.


Pjscrab
Velociraptor
Velociraptor

User avatar

Joined: 9 Jul 2018
Gender: Female
Posts: 472

19 Aug 2018, 7:54 am

Mythos wrote:
Pjscrab wrote:
But when I see a hand flapper I wonder. I thought I had autism until I went to get official diagnosis and the doc said The anxiety and lack of social-life was because I never went out there. He just basically said my problem was not autism but that I was an introvert. And that my high IQ and ADHD could make it seem like I am autistic while I am not. Well funny coz I even have synesthesia.


You need a second opinion is my thought here. Female autism is often far harder to diagnose, that being the kind that women commonly have and that men can sometimes exhibit. This is why more clarity is needed as to what is considered on the spectrum, where many go undiagnosed due to greater subtlety.


Well I did go to quite a few psychologists. They said I had nothing to gain from a diagnosis even if I have it. Which is true. I am 31 and have gotten by just fine. I went to one because when I first read about aspergers it seemed to describe me very well. Now when I go to therapy sessions with my daughter who is on the spectrum I keep wondering if I am on the spectrum. And her therapists say it’s most likely just anxiety. My quizzes I take online say I have both the traits and score more towards the neurodiverse side.


_________________
RDOS quiz —

Your neurodiverse score: 107/200
Your neurotypical score: 135/200

You seem to have both ND and NT traits.


RandomFact
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker

User avatar

Joined: 11 Aug 2018
Age: 49
Gender: Male
Posts: 51
Location: California

19 Aug 2018, 10:54 am

This perceived ability to rapidly determine someone’s autistic status (or any other trait) based on limited observations is a well-known phenomenon. It is called confirmation bias, and it is considered to be a kind of error. You can read more about it on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias.

Over in the Other Psychological Conditions forum, there has been a poll running on misdiagnoses. It is well worth the read. The exact same “ability” to make a snap-judgment diagnosis is what led therapists to render some of the misdiagnoses described in the responses to that poll.



AspieUtah
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 20 Jun 2014
Age: 61
Gender: Male
Posts: 6,118
Location: Brigham City, Utah

19 Aug 2018, 11:11 am

Having read the DSM-5 criteria (and many exemplars for 18 months) before my ASD Clinic visit, I surprised my two diagnosticians by bringing along a big stack of papers describing myself with clinical and subclinical behaviors, characteristics and comorbids. Having "done so much of the work" for them, they offered to refund a portion of my fee. I continue to read research papers which show new discoveries in autism.

As for considering others' possible autism, I believe that it is easier for me to see some behaviors, characteristics and comorbids similar to my own than those unfamiliar to me.

I have no problem "hinting" about others' possible autism by mentioning my own autism. It usually relieves them (having not wanted to presume), and we talk about it. Even if they don't believe that they are autistic, they are fascinated by talking.


_________________
Diagnosed in 2015 with ASD Level 1 by the University of Utah Health Care Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinic using the ADOS-2 Module 4 assessment instrument [11/30] -- Screened in 2014 with ASD by using the University of Cambridge Autism Research Centre AQ (Adult) [43/50]; EQ-60 for adults [11/80]; FQ [43/135]; SQ (Adult) [130/150] self-reported screening inventories -- Assessed since 1978 with an estimated IQ [≈145] by several clinicians -- Contact on WrongPlanet.net by private message (PM)


nephets
Deinonychus
Deinonychus

Joined: 3 Feb 2017
Gender: Male
Posts: 336
Location: North Yorkshire

19 Aug 2018, 12:11 pm

Well, you can't always tell. can you? Nobody can. Some of us are good at passing as NT. I'm not and was once told by a Line Manager that I was fairly obviously ASD. However, he then told me of another diagnosed Aspie I work with. I had not spotted him. I had spotted several others. The former boss of my Dept. was obvious (dull, monotone voice, repetitive speech patters, poor eye contact, tendency to talk too much on pet subject, unusual gait etc.) Some of his colleagues are good at blending in, however.



ShadowProphet
Toucan
Toucan

Joined: 12 Sep 2016
Gender: Male
Posts: 291

03 Nov 2018, 12:07 pm

bumpalicious



Prudolph
Pileated woodpecker
Pileated woodpecker

User avatar

Joined: 24 Oct 2018
Gender: Male
Posts: 181
Location: UK

03 Nov 2018, 12:22 pm

I was diagnosed young due to not developing speech until I was 4, and not talking at an age appropriate level until I was about 6/7. But I am a very anxious and introverted person, yet I also have ADHD. This basically means that if I'm around people I am very familiar with (family and a couple of friends I have knwon for over 10 years), or if it is talking about something I am very passionate about, then I can talk non-stop (but usually in a very monotone voice and with a lack of meaningful eye contact/facial expressions). Otherwise I tend to just fade into the background and just observe any conversations rather than actually join in. So in certain situations it is probably easy to tell, but in other situations people would probably just mistaken me for just having social anxiety.

I assume that this also applies to many other people on the spectrum as well. The more extroverted someone on the spectrum is, the easier it is for a stranger to probably realise there is something amiss.


_________________
Take car. Go to mum's. Kill Phil, grab Liz, go to the Winchester, have a nice cold pint, and wait for all of this to blow over. How's that for a slice of fried gold?

AQ-49 of 50
EQ-7 of 60
RDOS:
Neurodiverse (Aspie) score is 183 of 200.
Neurotypical (Non-autistic) score is 31 of 200

INTJ-T Personality type


sand and stars in a bottle
Tufted Titmouse
Tufted Titmouse

User avatar

Joined: 1 Nov 2018
Gender: Female
Posts: 42

03 Nov 2018, 3:05 pm

I've singlehandedly identified and helped to seek a diagnosis a few females I met who were undiagnosed autistic and had had a lifetime of not knowing why certain things were so difficult for them. And I was right.

So.…...yes.

My father is autistic and has a certain overall gait, flicks his fingers. That is Aspie. I do it. That can be distinctive for an autistic person. But there are a huge number of other subtle behaviours that are all telling but that people who know nothing about it would never pick up on, sadly

I had to really fight for my diagnosis as a female, and in mental health services with a bunch of arrogant ignoramuses who didn't want to admit that they'd been wrong (ARGHHHHHHHHH!!)

I had a psychiatrist in my early twenties who missed it consistently, and let me down tremendously. He had no knowledge to pick up on the huge number of signs there.

One rather amusing and single example of this is, he asked me one time ''What turns you on? Do you like to cook, etc. etc.'' meaning, what interests me greatly.
Due to my literal interpretation of language I sat there unable to answer because it seemed sexual. And no he didn't mean it sexually.

Someone talking for long periods about their own interests and poor eye contact are of course indicators. There are many



IstominFan
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 25 Nov 2016
Age: 59
Gender: Female
Posts: 11,114
Location: Santa Maria, CA.

03 Nov 2018, 3:39 pm

I have seen the entire spectrum of autism. I have seen very severely affected people and those more like myself, whose main problem may be more along the lines of an anxiety disorder. I used to one of the socially anxious types, but that is improving.



Lil_miss_lois
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker

Joined: 13 May 2018
Gender: Female
Posts: 73
Location: South Yorkshire

03 Nov 2018, 4:43 pm

Absolutely. I can tell a mile off almost immediately. I don't understand how NTs are so blind to it!


_________________
Your neurodiverse (Aspie) score: 175 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 32 of 200
Personality type: “The Logician” (INTP-T)


ASPartOfMe
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 25 Aug 2013
Age: 66
Gender: Male
Posts: 34,237
Location: Long Island, New York

04 Nov 2018, 3:22 am

Lil_miss_lois wrote:
Absolutely. I can tell a mile off almost immediately. I don't understand how NTs are so blind to it!

I can't see people a mile away never mind knowing they are autistic. :D


_________________
Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013
DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity

“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman


Lil_miss_lois
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker

Joined: 13 May 2018
Gender: Female
Posts: 73
Location: South Yorkshire

04 Nov 2018, 3:52 am

ASPartOfMe wrote:
Lil_miss_lois wrote:
Absolutely. I can tell a mile off almost immediately. I don't understand how NTs are so blind to it!

I can't see people a mile away never mind knowing they are autistic. :D


:lol: :lol: ah see... I must just have a better autism-dar :wink:

(Gay-dar >> autism-dar??? Yea or nay?)


_________________
Your neurodiverse (Aspie) score: 175 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 32 of 200
Personality type: “The Logician” (INTP-T)


rowan_nichol
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 28 Jul 2016
Age: 60
Gender: Non-binary
Posts: 769
Location: England

04 Nov 2018, 7:55 am

I remember this thread coming up, and how it seemed to become derailed into some sarcasm and misunderstanding.

I have some familiarity now with my own traits and those which are common in ceratainly the part of the spectrum where my own profile plots. That came about from the reading up and reflection i did in between first forming a suspicion and two year later seeking assessment.

I do think it possible that familiarity aids a screening process. I have also had the feedback from others on the spectrum following my own assessment that they did not realise I hadn't been assessed as I appeared pretty autistic to them.

I do know that in my assessment the profile was identified by a recognised diagnostic tool, and also my assessor, on the spectrum themselves spotted it intuitively as well - "Could spot it a mile off" was their quip at the end of the assessment when feeding back the results.

The intuition is not infallible. There is a youtube televised talk at a conference under the auspicies of the NAS where one person who carries out assessments spoke of women attending for assessmnt and they were thinking "What are you doing here ? No way" and yet, on going carefully through with the screening tests and then the diagnositic method, it turns out the person is indeed autistic and just masking it incredibly well.



sand and stars in a bottle
Tufted Titmouse
Tufted Titmouse

User avatar

Joined: 1 Nov 2018
Gender: Female
Posts: 42

04 Nov 2018, 9:42 am

Lil_miss_lois wrote:
Absolutely. I can tell a mile off almost immediately. I don't understand how NTs are so blind to it!


They're not blind to it, otherwise they wouldn't abuse us continuously. They pick up on it without knowing what ''it'' is



TW1ZTY
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 26 Sep 2018
Gender: Male
Posts: 6,115
Location: The US of freakin A <_<

04 Nov 2018, 9:48 am

Sometimes I think I can but I never ask them about it because I don't want to make them feel uncomfortable.

But some people give off a strong vibe. Also when you have the condition yourself you tend to pick up on some of those behaviors in other people because NT's are constantly reminding you that your own behavior isn't "normal".