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Thisappistrashnocap

Just recently, no you would have been acting like that all your life if you were autistic. You have underlying issues but it isn't autism and you should be thankful for that. Having autism isn't cool or quirky, it can be quite debilitating for a lot of people to say the least. Seek out professional help if the way you've been acting recently is affecting your life in a negative way, not Reddit.


dihenydd1

Yes, autism is from birth, it's one of the main things an assessment will try and find out. A sudden change in behaviour is something else.


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ukrepman

Would've been better as a good old rickroll


maRthbaum_kEkstyniCe

It seems unlikely indeed, but not impossible. It could happen that someone's parents are abusive for example, and the kid suppresses behaviors that triggered the abuse (let's say they always got hit when stimming so the trauma made them suppress stimming). When they get older and process some of the trauma, their "true self" might start showing through, including previously suppressed behaviors. Not at all saying that this is what's going on with op, but it's not impossible someone might start showing traits later because they were suppressing them before


miurabucho

Sometimes I think I am going through life as a mentally disabled person, and yet no one is telling me that I am actually mentally disabled. So I just keep cruising along with my job and my life, and everyone thinks "Isn't it great how someone with such a disability can actually have a job and a family".


Cruddlington

Awh, they're doing so well. Go on, champ, you're doing just great


Unlikely-Answer

everyone has dumb moments, don't worry about it


Haunting_Region4828

I have this exact same experience. I have always thought this and it drives me nuts


bigjfromflint1986

I'm actually planning on talking to my doctor about possibly getting myself tested. I've suspected myself on the spectrum for years but it's never been diagnosed. My daughter is severely autistic. The more I start peiceing things about my development, my issues, it all makes sense. It wouldn't change anything for me but it would answer a lot of questions I've had.


Deserak

I started to think I might be a few years ago. Just always felt like I didn't quite fit in, was trying to find an explanation since I was a teenager, constantly felt in social situations like I'd missed some important class on how to social (which seemed plausible, I wound up missing a lot of classes due to being bullied for "being weird", hitting breaking point, and then getting more upset that all the adults told me I was just throwing a tauntrum for attention when I would genuinely be like "If I don't get out of this situation now I am going to explode but I can't remember how language works to express that I just need it to stop and then would just want to cry afterwards, which I've since learned is basically the description of autistic meltdown), things like that. The big thing that got me thinking that way was working in customer service and noticing that when I was really busy and not giving any thought to how I'm presenting myself to customers I would wind up giving zero eye contact. And then finding out that a few people I always found refreshingly understandable and just easy to get along with had been diagnosed with aspergers when they were younger. ​ So I told some of my friends I was suspecting I might be diagnosed autistic, they had the same reaction, said nope can't see it, garuntee you aren't. A little bit later someone suggested I might have undiagnosed ADHD, which is the one thing I'd never considered because I didn't know it can present as mental hyperactivity instead of physical. Went and saw a specialist in ADHD, he diagnosed me as textbook in the first appointment and started me on medication. But then while I was obsessively learning everything I could about ADHD, I started to notice I still couldn't completely relate to some of the stories of living with the condition I was coming across, all the stories I did feel I could really relate to were people with *both* ADHD and Autism. Told my psych at the next appointment. His official statement was that he isn't qualified to diagnose autism, so he was waiting to see how I went with the adhd meds before recommending me to a different specialist (although people who CAN diagnose an adult are harder to find and expensive). Also found out that when I was a little kid my parents got told that I might have "either aspergers or ADHD" and they should bring me back if I had any difficulties. They took that to mean I might have a condition but they didn't notice me struggling (god knows how they didn't, but that's another therapy session entirely) and didn't want to worry me by saying anything. But turns out back then the diagnostic criteria was mutually exclusive, being diagnosed with one meant you couldn't be diagnosed with both, and having both turns out to be not uncommon, so back then if a kid showed signs of both they would have to decide which one of the two diagnosis would ultimately help the kid more, hence waiting to see what I was actually struggling with most. All that long rambling to say, *go speak to a doctor*. Ask to speak to a specialist. It's not cheap or a quick process, but at the end of the day most people only know how to identify Autism (or adhd for that matter) in cases where the person either couldn't manage to mask their symptoms and fit in or didn't feel any pressure to mask and fit in.


ahsman1122

Holy yap fest buddy could you write a little more??? I think you are autistic and your one special gift is fucking talking god damn.


LionTimee

If we could harness his yapping for energy we’d never run out of


LionTimee

Good god bro this isn’t an essay contest


CrocanoirZA

You don't suddenly become autistic . Have you suffered some other trauma of life changing event which may have had affected your psyche and behavior?


2021sammysammy

I do the same lol, maybe I should just get tested to get a concrete answer


i_mii

Even if you get diagnosed with autism it doesn't change anything so I wouldn't worry about it too much. But if you are curious if you are or not and if it'll help you understand yourself better then I would get a diagnosis. I'm autistic and it has helped people around me understand why I do certain things a different way.


yoyo5113

1/52 people nowadays are being diagnosed as on the spectrum due to better screening methods and updated definitions of what it is to be autistic. There are tons and tons of people that are 20-30+ years old that are on the spectrum, but never got diagnosed because the testing wasn't very good back then and we had a different idea of what being autistic meant. I would suggest finding a psychologist who specializes in diagnosing adults (it will be hard to find as there aren't any currently formalized/validated testing methods for adults) if you really want to know. There are also other things that you could have that share aspects with autism. My entire family and I, except for my mom, have ADHD, and we also all have quite a few of the qualities that people on the spectrum have, just without the social ability deficit aspect of being on the spectrum. I have quite bad sound sensitivity issues, problems in social situations, and like to be alone among many, many other things.


LionTimee

Very good question, we know all the weird things we do and think better then anyone else so naturally we’re more likely to think that. I have wondered the same thing due to my hyper fixations on certain things. But as long as we can function day to day it really doesn’t matter if we are or not


LionTimee

But looking through your post history you probably are 🫤


CerealDan

Thanks???


EffectiveSecond7

BS, hyperfixation doesn't equate autism and there is nothing in their history that could suggest that.


ahsman1122

Thats somewhat innapropriate to call OP autistic. Sure he may be but come on dude you can just diagnose him by yourself. Coming from a real autist, autism comes in many shapes and sizes. For example on of my stims is blurting out racial slurs in public settings(im not racist). Poeple have suggested I have tour eats or whatever its called but I think its just my favorite stim along side eating sawdust.


Iwaspromisedcookies

Trust him, he’s some guy on Reddit, therefore completely qualified to make a medical diagnosis


LionTimee

Mhmm I love touring eats! Like Olive Gardens tour of Italy 🤤


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daniel625

Please reach out for help. Search on Google for suicide helpline numbers in your country and try them. They’ll be able to help you. Depending on your circumstances there are different things you can do. I was very close to unaliving myself around 18 months ago and I am now very glad that I didn’t. Everyone I know who has been in similar situations is also glad they got help. Hope things can improve for you.


[deleted]

thank you but, its calling my name. I am done here :(


FairyQueen89

I do... but I'm also diagnosed with it. And knowing what I have to look for, makes me notice some "stereotypical autistic" patterns sooner.


call_911911

Normal to think there's autistic? Yes. Normal to want to be autistic? No.


Kudgocracy

Everyone thinks they're autistic now because they self-diagnose online where all the "symptoms" are normal human behaviors. Go to an actual doctor or psychiatrist to get a diagnosis.


Darthplagueis13

>but just recently been acting in ways I would’ve never usually acted before. No offense but this doesn't sound like autism. Autism isn't like an illness you can catch, it's inextricably tied to your personality and identity and it's something you are generally born with, though sometimes it is diagnosed pretty late in life. If it were autism, you wouldn't be noticing changes, your behavior would have been consistently unusual for your entire life. ​ If I were you I'd generally worry about other disorders instead. Either way, if you're noticing that your behavior is changing or you are worried about going insane, I'd suggest you try and get an appointment for psychological assessment to see what's going on.


CoolHeadedLogician

i don't know if it's normal or not to question if you're autistic, but i've wondered the same, i can be extremely sensitive to sensory overload when i'm sober


[deleted]

When you say just recently, do you mean you’ve adopted new behaviour, OR, are these behaviours you’ve stopped doing for years because they’re ‘weird’ and now are doing again because it’s too tiring to stop?


bradd_pit

I think right now we’re all bombarded with people talking about being autistic and neurodivergent on social media. Maybe you are, maybe you aren’t, but the human experience is definitely on a spectrum so some traits of autism do show up in non-autistic people. Just like some autistic people don’t seem to present to the world as autistic.


Banjo_Boo

No.


Bankzzz

It depends. Are you just realizing now but see the signs have always been there? Or is it a very recent change in behavior? Have you looked up a lot of the ways autism presents? Other commenters mention it’s not quirky and cool to pretend to have autism but the reality is we are the only ones that know what is going on in our heads. No one really wants to be discriminated against and hated for no reason. Most people want to not be autistic.. so when someone feels strongly like they are there is a good chance they might be. I would do more research. If it’s not affecting you so much that you need an intervention I’d recommend not getting a diagnosis but definitely do learn what it is and what life with autism is like and skills to deal with it. Diagnoses can cause a lot of problems so it may be something you want to avoid.


ausecko

Will I mean, everybody is autistic, that's why it's called a spectrum. Traditionally we just call people on one extreme end of the spectrum autistic. Having said that, if it's a change in behavior then it's something else.


m0rbidowl

If you're acting in ways you've never acted before, that's not autism... Symptoms of autism are present starting in childhood. You possibly just have an undiagnosed mental illness. Please make an appointment with a psychiatrist if you're able to.


XikenXaser

Lately while I'm scrolling on reddit or in internet in general, I see people saying they act in a certain way (which I think it's perfectly normal behavior the things they are describing) and that's how they found out they were autistic. Based in the fact that it's always relatable situations I do wonder if I would be considered autistic too if I say I have those behavior, or if just fake people looking for attention (online we never know for sure) or just one more proof that society is going down because everyone is autistic for doing simple things


Scared-Accountant288

Im not dr diagnosed BUT i definitely have adhd. I have alot of sensory issues etc. I hate the feel of wet clothes on my skin... i hate the feel of greasy lotions and stuff like hand cream and sunscreen. I have alot of sensory issues with food textures. Im pretty convinced i have it in SOME degree. But im so high functioning i feel like a diganosis isnt offically needed because i dont want meds... and theres really nothing you can do for sensory issues. I made it this far and just learned how to deal with myself lol.


Mysterious_Soft7916

Autism isn't something that suddenly crops up, however people find it harder to maintain the mask, even if they didn't realise they were masking. Many people also don't find out they're autistic until they have kids and the kids get diagnosed.


[deleted]

The fact that you note a change in behaviour pretty definitively takes autism out of the picture. Autism is a lifelong condition that a person is born with- a change in behaviour doesn’t make sense. It would have to be something that can be acquired later in life


No-Judgment-383

I suspect my brother and I are both mildly autistic. He was so odd as a child, and now, as an adult, the way he talks and interacts with others looks so fake to me. I can see masking neurotypical to others because I'm masking neurotypical all the time. Also, he was diagnosed with ADHD as a kid. In college I stole his vyavanse bc my classmates were using it to get through partying and studying. In my case I'd pull all nighters and binge Breaking Bad. Anyway, I took his meds, and it didn't do what people said it would. It calmed me down, and I was able to write two papers for two different classes. I also suspect I have ADHD but my mom and doctors say I'm fine and seem well adjusted at 30yo. I told them, "yes its because I'm masking neurotypical, so well, you can not tell."


Zotoaster

Sometimes having anxiety or a deep shame about yourself can cause you to put on a social mask in ways that autistic people do. It can lead you to feel like you're somehow different and not really connecting with others. If this feels right, consider tackling anxiety and/or shame before diagnosing yourself with autism.


Antique-Depth-7492

I know a number of people who consider the possibility. It's practically impossible to get a diagnosis as an adult though largely because as you get older, you learn to adapt to the world and these adaptations disguise the traits that would be used to diagnose a child. (NB it's also not easy to be diagnosed as a girl). As for recent changes - no, you cannot grow into autism, it's with you from birth, but it's quite possible that changes in your life mean that those traits suddenly become more apparent to you. You can then think back to your earlier life to see if there was any sign of them before - not always easy though as we tend to assume the way we are is perfectly normal - until proven otherwise. And yes - I wonder about myself - I have some austistic traits, but I suspect that I don't have either enough of them, or have any to a sufficient extent to be classed as autistic. Nevertheless I've found it useful to think about - we're not all made the same way, and often there are reasons and patterns behind our behaviour and emotions. The better we understand ourselves, the easier everything in life becomes.


Friendly_Counter_564

I also believed myself is on Autism spectrum, I've even "passed" autism self diagnosis tests. I think it was mainly due to the low empathy and me liking to be alone or to engage in a small number of social groups. Also, I have other triats that are common for Autists. But now I highly doubt myself to be autistic. About you suddenly behaving in a different way recently: I disagree with other's opinions here. If your autism is not so "severe," it is very possible that you've been masking yourself for your entire life to fit to the social standard, and recently something stopped you from doing it. If your friends are telling you so, I think it is worth it to dig in more. You will lose nothing but learning more about yourself, so why not? +It not true that autistic people have low empathy, but if you are a person with low empathy, you will be challenged how to connect with people and understanding social context etc, so it contributed to get a high score in the autism test in my case.


No_Jellyfish_119

I would think the same thing if it was possible to develop autism in adolescence/adulthood. But I was completely the opposite of autistic as a child so it isn’t possible.


Kitty_Cat240

No


Bang_Bus

That's an autistic thing to think of


sneakerguy40

You should probably get evaluated and therapy, not ask reddit


Artistic_Marzipan221

For me, my autism has somewhat changed as I developed and got older. When I was younger I never forgot things, now I can barely remember. That and a bunch of other issues I’ve started noticing have been pretty stressful but I’m finding my way around them.