A Day in the Life: Navigating autism into adulthood

‘A Day in the Life:’ Navigating autism into adulthood by Phil Martin

Video credit: Andy Feliciotti

[G-host]

Diagnosed at 34, after failed relationships, failed careers, feeling like a failure my whole life. Being seen as different, weird and funny and then choosing to accept myself and not fit in was the best decision I ever made. I was a triangle trying to fit into a square hole 🕳

[AndyFeliciotti]

Phil is one of the kindest people I know! Happy I got to film his story

[Jaskal]

i am a 25 yo black woman & was just diagnosed recently. i was shocked at how much of a spectrum it really is across all types of genders/ages/races/etc and how it can be similar/different for each person. i dropped out of high school & got my GED in a weekend. i am now in college. academics were never the issue…. it was everything else about school that drove me into meltdowns and ended me in the psych ward multiple times labeled “moody” and given 17 different meds from the age of 6-23 and not once did that ever think to test me for autism… they failed me as they do so many other minorities. glad i understands myself now. glad you do too.

[justinadventures]

I'm 27 and never considered myself autistic, have struggled everyday of my life to be around people and engage with people, I learned quick how to fake it but never felt I fit in anywhere. I always assumed I was just different and everyone was, it got so bad I started abusing drugs, became addicted and just couldn't handle life anymore.i have found great coping mechanisms but to relize I am not alone and this is a thing others experience has forever changed my life.

[FrescoStevens]

I didn’t even finish school man it was too difficult, I couldn’t even walk past large classrooms, the lunchroom, I would skip school everyday just like you man.. except I never went back or finished I kinda just dropped out & stopped going & without a mother or father I just kinda did my own thing at my aunt Gloria’s house & started making beats.. luckily I started making good money with my beats.. I don’t date or leave the house I just work on my beats day in & day out💪🏾 hope everybody reading this stays positive out there.

[morgzlavy]

Ive been embarrassed to have autism so me even clicking on this video is a massive step for me i have really bad anxiety too so relationships and friendships are very hard to maintain i just keep myself to myself ive tried to take my own life too cos ive felt like im not accepted because of having the comdition im in the uk and i just feel so alone cos no one understands me not even my own family do im 22 years old and i struggle everyday my job is the only thing that keeps me going

[bradleysims]

appreciate this phil. i’m currently 17 and in college in the UK, no one seems to understand me and i feel out of place in the world. every day is a struggle and i just wish people could hear what we have to go through and try and be a bit more lenient or inclusive.

[autumn.breann]

I am 23 years old and I was diagnosed with Autism at age 3. To this day, I am still struggling as an adult with this disability and I get frustrated because I have the hardest time making friends, keep eye contact, and get anxiety socializing with many people. I had to mask my symptoms, especially someone who is currently working at Disney mainly because no one will understand my disability. I am still having a hard time maintaining conversations, keeping eye contact, understanding sarcasms and tones, become sensitive to loud noises, difficulty regulating my emotions, and maintaining friends. It’s a blessing overall to have this disability and I will share my story to those struggling.

[devinevisionary]

I skipped school too on the bus. Felt so weird and isolated . Lunch time was horrible. It was the bright lights for me couldn’t focus in class. I’m just upset because now that I look back I can tell my teachers knew something was wrong, but none of them did anything . It really saddens me how I never got the help and support I needed . I basically suffered through teenage years, never graduated dropped out . Today I still struggle a lot, learning to just be myself and let go . I’m getting better it just took a long dreadful time. I’m glad I found these vids

[sarahbishop]

I am worried about the adults with autism that can’t work. From what I been hearing there are tons of them and homeless people with autism. Please cover this.

[bridgetdraper]

I deeply appreciate this man. I have been caring for my Autistic son for 24 years. My son is far more severe than this man. I thank ypu for this insight.

[sheilamoore]

I work with people who have disability, I started off assisting with young children then later adults. A young man asked me how was he different than I. I asked him what was his disability? He said you have to remind me of things a lot. I told him you have to remind me of things a lot to. He smiled! I explained to him, not his difference but our difference is we learn things differently than others, but that's ok.

[rossmurrayfam]

as someone who is 26 and suffered with autism for life, being autistic doesnt make someone any less human ❤

[anthonygreenfield]

Being properly socialised at a young age is crucial.

[pirhannayt]

As someone who has ADHD autism and dyslexia, nothing is impossible just don't stop believing in yourself I'm 19 I used to work as a personal trainer for about a year but didn't really like it, so I left and tried film I'm currently 4 months into my diploma and plan on continuing into my bachelor's.
Everything you think you can't do is just you lying to yourself don't give up.

[thenobleone-]

Social Anxiety was a struggle when I was young. I do feel like over the yrs I've improved

[frost]

I feel love for this man. Such a genuine good guy. He loves his son so much and I know he’s a great father.

[neomiroberts]

My 2 year old got autism diagnosis she’s non verbal and watching this make me hopeful because I believe she’s going to be great person

[huckmarchant]

I was diagnosed with autism when I was 9, I’m 23 now and I still am struggling to figure out my purpose in this world and struggling to find my own self. Growing up as an Asian American in an all white school was difficult as I was one of the only minorities and dealt with verbal racism/bullying that has lead to trauma and depression and anxiety in my early 20s. I would get upset or annoyed when a kid would say something racist to me and would keep my feelings to myself because I didn’t want to be the snitch kid. I vividly remember telling my parents that I hate my life at age 13 and started seeing a psychiatrist which didn’t really do much for me at such a young age. My sister died in a car crash in 2018 and nothing has ever been the same, she was only 16. I get flashblacks often of her funeral and everyone that showed up, it was the saddest day of my life. I didn’t really realize that I had been dealing with depression and anxiety my whole life, and now it’s hitting me like a freight train. Most days I have no motivation and I rarely want to socialize with my friends or do any activities. I’ve been on and off working part-time jobs these last few years and haven’t been able to stick with a job that I feel comfortable with. I feel awkward at times in social situation which definitely made some of the jobs I was working at harder where you have to interact with customers most of the time as well as relationships with co-workers. In 2020 I had a lot of suicidal thoughts and questioned whether I wanted to be alive. I started smoking marijuana a couple years ago and it has helped with my depression and anxiety to a certain extent. Now I want to try to quit and ease off of smoking because I sometimes I get more anxious from being high. I feel like there is a hole inside me that I can’t patch up. My 14 year old cousin recently tried to commit suicide because of her depression partly stemmed to my sisters death. I’ve had so much shit going on in my mind along with trying to figure out adulthood and getting a job/being independent. I’m starting to understand my autism more and am feeling a little better that I know there are other people in similar situations. I just hope I can find my path in life and just be more happy because right now I can’t find my happiness.

[DevelopmentRobco]

What a genuinely great and normal guy. Would never guess as with many he had autism.

Some people just can't fit into this strange high paced society that developed so fast around us without considering a people first society.

Autistic people aren't weird, the modern world is.