How to change my family's point of view on autism?

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When I was a child, I was misdiagnosed as being hyperactive instead of autistic. Only now has my autism been recognized. My stimming, tantrums, inability to communicate, conflicts, and such were all labeled as merely hyperactive behavior. Now, it has been recognized that it is *not* hyperactivity, but autism.

This happened in post-Soviet Russia - the medicine was very backward back then there and was falling apart. My pediatrician never referred me anywhere (ex: a psychologist, psychiatrist, etc.) despite a speech delay, and my family was simply told to "wait", even though such advice is incredibly harmful - early interventions are crucial. My family was uneducated on what autism is and what its symptoms are, thanks to the backward medicine and backward medical education. They interpreted it all as mere egoism and immature behavior, and they still can't accept my autism diagnosis (actually, diagnoses, since I have been diagnosed with that more than once). They still think that the fact that I can't communicate is because I'm egoistic and don't want to hear other people's feelings, and that I only want to talk about my own topics, and such.


How to change my family's opinion on this topic? I believe I will still have to live with them for the next ~5-10 years or so, since I can't be financially independent and have to complete my higher education. How do I change their point of view? Whenever I bring up autism, they start saying stuff like "not again", "you don't have it", "you're just an egoist", etc. This is really getting on my nerves. Is there a way to change this? I'm 19 years old by the way, to give you a context.

It might be easier if you focus on something more concrete, i.e. tell them what you'd like them to do/not do.
Since you're 19, I presume that the decision as to what, if any medical/psychological help you get is between your local healthcare system and yourself, not your family. If so, it doesn't really matter what they think about autism and whether you are autistic or not - as long as you can get along living together without too much trouble, until you're able to live independently.

Real, deep understanding between family members is a beautiful thing, but cannot be forced. Sometimes, for certain issues it can be easier to find a "sympathetic ear" among unseen strangers on the 'net than in one's own family. Whether that's true in this particular case, I cannot know. YMMV.

I just find it easier not to talk about it with certain people....there are some people that just never seem to get it no matter how many times you try and explain it. So I just try to keep in mind I know what is true about my condition, so I don't take it to heart when people are making inaccurate statements about it and don't get it. It can be hard because I always want to explain and try and convince them of the facts....but it just results in arguing.

So usually I just don't try and explain it, if someone wonders why I do something I attempt to explain that...aside from that sometimes I just have to let people think what they're going to think and get on with my life.

I'm sorry but I just can't resist... In Soviet Russia Autism diagnoses you!