Autism Missed in Adults? Here's Why Clinicians Get It Wrong
Conquering Your Fibromyalgia
2,359 views
Autistic adults can spend years masking their traits, compensating socially, and appearing to cope—while experiencing profound exhaustion, confusion, sensory overload, and burnout beneath the surface.In this interview, Donna Henderson, co-author of Is This Autism? A Guide for Clinicians and Everyone Else, explains what clinicians, families, and autistic adults need to understand about autism in adults who mask.Donna discusses:• Why autism may be missed in adults, especially women and late-identified adults
• The difference between social interest and social energy
• How masking requires ongoing executive-function effort
• Why autistic traits may become more visible during middle school and other life transitions
• Diagnostic blind spots and the risk of misdiagnosis
• “Pink flags” that can point toward an autistic neurotype
• Why autistic patients may be dismissed or misunderstood in healthcare settings
• Neuro crash, autistic burnout, and the need for recovery time
• Differences in communication across neurotypes
• Sensory sensitivity and misophonia
• The emotional impact of receiving an autism diagnosis later in life
• How Donna’s books can help autistic people, clinicians, and loved ones build better understandingIf you have ever wondered, “Could I be autistic?” or felt that your internal experience was invisible to the people around you, this conversation offers a compassionate and clinically informed place to begin.Please remember that this video is for educational purposes only. It is not a diagnosis or a substitute for individualized medical or mental-health care. Questions about autism, diagnosis, treatment, and support should be discussed with a qualified professional.Share your experience in the comments: What do you wish clinicians and other people understood about autism and masking?#AutismInAdults #AutisticMasking #LateDiagnosedAutism #InvisibleIllness #Neurodivergence
13 Comments
My daughter was diagnosed at 19 with Aspergergers. I was diagnosed with same in my late 50s, but the changed the name by the.
Her son was her's through marriage, (her partner's child), not born of her. She ended up with him and his sister in the divorce. He was diagnosed at 18 months. She had ABA therapists in the home until he aged out. They told her at diagnosis he would need to be in a hospital enviorement, unable to meet his own needs. With her care and Alta and ABA, he lived at home, went to school, graduated from high school with a B average (with acomodations) due to her hard work.
Thank you.🙏 🙏
ASD/HSP+ADHD+CPTSD=BPD
Of course, there are nuances, so not everyone that fits the formula will have BPD, but everyone with BPD will fit the formula. For instance, for BPD, the CPTSD will involve emotional neglect/childhood abandonment. And very likely the ADHD will include RSD.
Autism Missed in Adults? Here's Why Clinicians Get It Wrong
Conquering Your Fibromyalgia
2,359 views
Autistic adults can spend years masking their traits, compensating socially, and appearing to cope—while experiencing profound exhaustion, confusion, sensory overload, and burnout beneath the surface.In this interview, Donna Henderson, co-author of Is This Autism? A Guide for Clinicians and Everyone Else, explains what clinicians, families, and autistic adults need to understand about autism in adults who mask.Donna discusses:• Why autism may be missed in adults, especially women and late-identified adults
• The difference between social interest and social energy
• How masking requires ongoing executive-function effort
• Why autistic traits may become more visible during middle school and other life transitions
• Diagnostic blind spots and the risk of misdiagnosis
• “Pink flags” that can point toward an autistic neurotype
• Why autistic patients may be dismissed or misunderstood in healthcare settings
• Neuro crash, autistic burnout, and the need for recovery time
• Differences in communication across neurotypes
• Sensory sensitivity and misophonia
• The emotional impact of receiving an autism diagnosis later in life
• How Donna’s books can help autistic people, clinicians, and loved ones build better understandingIf you have ever wondered, “Could I be autistic?” or felt that your internal experience was invisible to the people around you, this conversation offers a compassionate and clinically informed place to begin.Please remember that this video is for educational purposes only. It is not a diagnosis or a substitute for individualized medical or mental-health care. Questions about autism, diagnosis, treatment, and support should be discussed with a qualified professional.Share your experience in the comments: What do you wish clinicians and other people understood about autism and masking?#AutismInAdults #AutisticMasking #LateDiagnosedAutism #InvisibleIllness #Neurodivergence