Growing Up With An Autism Diagnosis - Did It Help?

What was it like growing up with an autism diagnosis? In this video, I explore my childhood autism experiences and open up about how I felt about my autism diagnosis. But also did it help being diagnosed with autism?

Often in the autism community online, I see other autistic people who had a late autism diagnosis in adulthood saying that they wished they got a diagnosed or wished they or someone realised sooner. As someone who was fortunate to get a diagnosis in childhood, I wanted to share my own reality about growing up as an autistic person in the 90s in Newcastle, UK. Not to brag about my autism diagnosis but to just highlight that even when you have the support in place etc. It doesn't mean that it is any easier.

*Disclaimer: This video is based on my experiences & in no way can I speak on behalf of the autism community as a whole.

☑️ = Affiliate link - Any items purchased through the links with the click mean I received a commission or % of the product cost.

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My social media:
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🔊Intro & Outro song: Golden (YouTube Music Library)

🔊Other music:

Fast Lane - Lakey Inspired
Track Name: "Fast Lane"
License for commercial use: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported "Share Alike" (CC BY-SA 3.0) License.

Eternal Structures (YouTube Music Library)
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*ABOUT ME*
Videos on autism from the perspective of an autistic adult. Sharing my autism experiences to help other autistic people and autism families to improve understanding of autism.

Hello indie people, I'm Andy and I have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). I make videos on autism from the perspective of an autistic adult. Sharing my autism experiences to help other autistic people and autism families to improve understanding of autism.

This channel is focused on raising autism awareness & acceptance of autism. To try and change attitudes towards autism, to educate people about autism for those who are new to the autism world.

***New Videos Weekly: Tues & Fri***

So if you are on the spectrum, know someone with autism or are working professionally in the autism field and want to learn more about autistic people then consider subscribing and turning on the notification bell to see all future videos.

Useful links:

#autism #indieandy #autistic

[IndieAndy]

Hi indie people! Do you feel having an autism diagnosis helps you?

[mushroomexists]

My parents told me I was autistic at age 8 when I started to question why I was in therapies, why I was different and why it was so hard to play with other kids. Having that label felt empowering and reassuring that it’s not my fault, but I sort of fell into a state of half depression and giving up, half fix-it mode. Now that I knew the “condition” I needed to suppress, it became easier to suppress it. A while after, I found the autistic community online and started embracing my diagnosis.

[lauraembleton]

I'm autistic myself I was diagnosis with autism at the age of 7 and growing up having autism was hard it was hard making friends in school and some of the time I was just by myself but now things are good for me I have friends who are autistic they have always been there for me when I needed them and all so they have supported me with stuff and a long with my autism :) I am proud to be different and autistic my autism makes me who I am and I wouldn't change it for the world :)

[FangirlVsWorld]

I loved that intro! That was fun! Every time I see that bridge it makes me think of Byker Grove 😂 Even though I was diagnosed late, I’m still really glad that I found this community! 👍🏻

[DavidJVMusic]

Hey Andy, I got an LD diagnosis at nine. Which I'm sure was not very thorough. They told my parents and me is small room in my school and asked what we wanted to do about it.

(AUGH!! I just bit my tongue, chewing my veggies in my Thai - Pad Phet lunch. I had my birthday dinner with the roommates last night and this was the leftover/takehome Thai. It was and is still good but I can't eat now, My tongue is bleeding....)

Anyways, The guy asked what we wanted to do about the LD and he didn't give us any explanation or information about "LD/ Learning Disability." My parents were dumbfounded, (Me too, I guess). So the guy says, ";you could try *drugs.*" He didn't say medication, he said "drugs" and to me at that age, we were being taught to say "no" to drugs. So my parents asked this 9 year old if I wanted drugs, I said "no."
Side note- my parents don't even remember any of this even happening. (I recently asked if they remembered it and they said no. lol)
I should should also note that I grew up in the country, the least populated state in the USA and It was not full of the best or brightest of any profession. lol...
oh, and youtube thot I would like this vid so I hit play, cus of the thing and no working.. I'm watching a lot of youtube.
Thanks for reading if you did and sorry if it seemed like I was rattling on and it's ok if you didn't read this and sorry if it all sounded ADHD, I did cut out a lot of non esential brain thots. Thanks for your videos!

[aspiewithattitude]

Trying to mask our autism doesn't do the job. In the 90's I grew up as a teenage kid, mimicking the neurotypical driven society, wanting friends and grew obsessed to dressing up like a CHAV.

Since I started YouTubing and watching your videos especially, we had learnt that embracing autism is also another way we could educate autism to the general public.

I grew a new belief in the last couple of months that if anyone wants to learn more about and understand more about autism, learn it from other people who are autistic.

[ReiverBlue]

The break has obviously done you good and stepped up your game! Good job sir! It's always good to be able to see someone else's perspective from the inside. There are so many things that go unsaid or assumed that can make a hell of a difference. Thanks ;)

[classicnobody]

Hi, I know how late I am but I love how blunt and raw you are about your true feelings as a kid knowing you have Autism . Super refreshing video . When I was about 5 I began to notice I was different, I taught it was Aspegers until I was properly diagnosed with Autism at 8 . The diagnosis for me has brought attention to me eg Stigma or ignorance . I no longer have sensory issues or act immature/ cold hearted . Other than that I'm still the same , I still can't bantiter

[StephanieBethany]

Beautiful video! Thank you so much for making this. Seeing what kind of extensive programs some of these children are going through did make me wonder how they feel about it and such. I really appreciate you sharing your point of view having been diagnosed as a child!

[BikerNic]

Hi Andy. Thanks for being brave and open about autism. I understand that it must have been very difficult. My youngest daughter is also autistic(aspergers) and were made fun of and bullied a lot with school teachers not doing anything because in their "educated" opinions she was the naughty one because she lost her temper often when the bullies teased her. I hope the medication helps her cope better from now on.
Stay awesome!

[Sinraiser]

Thank you for sharing this video, I understand what it's like since I have it too. My concern is how a child of mine would have it too or a different kind of condition that I myself have never face before. the more channels I stumble upon now the algorithm on my feed shows more videos like this knowing I'm not the only one but nobody talks about does avoiding children or wanting children.

[JadeDRail]

I like the theatrical aspect of this video. Well done.

[feelingfineatamanda]

Keeping it real you do amazing videos. Be proud 🙌🙌🙌👍👍👍👍

[rambow-zebra]

Thanks for sharing your experience you are very brave to share your life story.

[JenniferTayloe]

Thank you for sharing your story. I don't know if a diagnosis is good or bad. For my autistic son his diagnosis (ASD and IDD)has made our life a bit easier because of the therapy and accommodations. Also with all the awareness that family have provided for society, it's much better for autistic individuals. Or at least that's been my experience.

[BlueIris]

Love the style of this video! 💙 Well done! ☺️

[muppetjedisparklefeet]

Awesome video, thanks for sharing! I really don’t know if it would have been better for me to know why I was different as a kid. I don’t know if it would have made me feel better or worse. I think we just have to move through the life we have and make the best of it! Otherwise I spend too much time wondering what if and imaging the grass is greener on the early diagnoses side :)

[forge]

I didn't get diagnosed until 35. I would have liked to know younger just for my own peace of mind.

[munkhzulnergui]

Hi Indie! In what age you started talking?

[DJ-kyfk]

I like your kitchen, Andy. Perhaps you can do a video in a different location next time?