13 autism symptoms in adults (you're not just a 'highly sensitive person/hsp')

This video examines the concept of "are hsp's just code for autism?" alongside hsp traits and 13 symptoms that differentiate high masking autism from being "just a highly sensitive person." We explore the similarities and differences between hsp and autism and how to begin understanding the differences for yourself if you believe you might be autistic, but also identify as highly sensitive.

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RESEARCH ARTICLES:

[Whoever]

I’m now in my mid 50’s and I have always felt different. I never understood how I was different, just that I was different to others. I’m very sensitive and I remember as a child my older sister laughing at me and mocking me, particularly in front of my relatives. I remember how embarrassed and humiliated she made me feel. To this day if I see someone being mocked or teased I see the discomfort that person is feeling and I try to distract them in a nice way so that they don’t feel embarrassed or humiliated. My son has been diagnosed with ASD and ADHD. I understand that both are hereditary and I believe I too have both. I have not had contact with my siblings for almost eight years because I finally realised that I don’t deserve to be poorly treated by those that I have known all my life simply because they are related to me.

[jaeljade]

My psychiatrist was not very nice when I brought this up. I brought up ADHD first and he responded with "everybody has ADHD now and you can't even get the meds because everybody is taking it". He made me feel so uncomfortable that I didn't even bring up the autism. I had a full sheet of paper to go over with him, but he made me feel so dumb that I didn't bother. He sent me out for ADHD testing and once I'm through with that, I'm switching doctors.

[TeresitaSolis-]

After so much struggles I now own a new house and my family is happy once again everything is finally falling into place!!

[ariellas.]

I found out I have autism by such a test. It explains alot now at age 60. All my life I felt misunderstood.

[PaxilRose]

Being significantly disregulated by the hyper materialistic, insular, isolated society we've built seems like a healthy human response . We need extensive family groups and connection to nature. Instead we've encased ourselves in concrete with a bunch of chemicals. Fewer and fewer are thriving in this.

[DominikPavel-fkwb]

I was severely traumatized years ago as a teenage, got diagnosed with Bipolar, spent my whole life fighting bipolar. Not until my wife recommended me to psilocybin mushrooms treatment. psilocybin treatment saved my life honestly. 8 years totally clean. Much respect to mother nature the great magic shrooms.

[magiegainey]

This is so my life. I have always been the odd one out. Been accused of being annoying, needing structure, rocking side to side or swinging my foot, can't handle being in large groups of people very long without becoming agitated, over sharing, sensitive to materials and food textures, etc., and never knowing Why! Until my son was diagnosed with high functioning autism. When I was researching, trying to help my son, I came upon all of this information and I just, wow, this is me, too! I always tried to hide it because I was made fun of a lot by my 4 older sisters. I'm 68 years old now and can say, I'm me and I'm not putting that mask on for anyone any more. It's been a ride! 😊

[Celta]

As a person w aspergers, diagnosed by a doctor when I just turned 20 in year 2001... it truly has been a journey of acceptance....

[jeddklampitt]

I am an introvert. I was a very quietly spoken child and teenager. I rarely talked to anyone because I lacked social skills and the ability to express myself openly. I was a passive naive young person. I preferred to be alone and do what I wanted in my spare time. I am not a misanthropic person because I have dealt with my inner demons and come to terms with who I am. The fact that I grew up in a toxic family who physically, emotionally, and verbally abused me made me hate everyone until I became an adult.
I never knew what an introvert was until I read Dr Carl Jung's books about different personalities and archetypes. I also read Emotional Intelligence and other self-help books which improve myself.
I dislike being classified into various labels, negative stereotyping and being pigeonholed into a category by certain therapists.

[MRRS-eecd]

IT IS NOT A DISORDER, it’s a different way in which a brain is wired.

[madazaboxofrogzz]

Thank you for being available on YouTube Kim, I'm attempting another doctor tomorrow I will keep you all posted.... I'm 50 and all my life felt like I'm not from here (my soul took a wrong turn & landed on earth) my daughters are autistic Asperger's & ADHD xx

[Maarjaanaa]

I survived 😅, I'm 70 and this is my best time. I'm strong and free, at last 🙂

[Me-hfii]

I’ve detached from “normal life” and chose to be a stay at home mom because it was the most I could do in the world without living in shutdown/meltdown. It’s the only way I could function with any Grace. Still many days I get overwhelmed, which lead me to try to understand why. As I have started homeschooling, I’ve also noticed things in my children that I did - and because they are being homeschooled, they aren’t treated as bad or wrong or disordered for doing them. Just recognized and accommodated and then we work thru the things that are disruptive so they can have a better experience and give a better experience to others (which is something highly sensitives want, even tho ASD sensitives may not inherently know how to achieve.)

This lead me to research autism, which lead me to Embrace Autism.

Been down the rabbit hole for a bit today.

My results:
MQ 4.7 (221/235) - more monotropic than 95% of autistic people and 100% of allistic people.
RAADS-R: 193 (highest autistic score is 227 and anything over 160 is highly indicative of autism)
Aspie Quiz: 160 of 200 (100% probability of being atypical)
AQ score: 45 of 50 (“a score of 32 or higher tends to identify respondents with clinically significant levels of autism-related traits.”)

This makes my entire life make so much sense. It actually kind of feels liberating - even though I know no one is going to believe it and everyone is going to think it’s a cop out. So I will just keep this information for me. Allow it to help me develop kinder tools to assist myself and my children, and be a better mother and wife.

[QuitCut]

I’ve always felt off and different from people in society. I’ve been misdiagnosed in the past. At first I got told I just had general learning disabilities. Then as an adult I got diagnosed with adhd. But I truly think I’m mildly autistic. The over sensitivity to everything hits home. The social difficulty resonates a lot with me as well. Told I’m annoying, I over share, I’m weird. My entire life lol. I’m married now, and have learned how to function most days, but the over stimulation and needing an off day, is so true for me.

[lisaweatheral]

My parents thought when my pediatrician said I had minimal brain dysfunction in 1963 they thought he was telling them I was mildly retarded. (Words used back then) So that was how I was treated. Like there was no hope for me and no one wanted to waste their time with me. I also had seizures. I had many behaviors and sensory issues that is normally associated only with Autism but I was higher functioning and had language. I had really bad sensory issues. I had my downs. Everything you said about autism applies to me. But didn’t find out till my mid life. Cognitively my IQ rest they gave me in grade school showed I was in the superior intelligence level but my mom said I could not use my intelligence when I asked about it a year later. I was one confused and lonely child. Although I absolutely prefer being alone more times than not I still craved humanity interactions. Because of the seizures and the TBI I had at birth people didn’t let their kids play with me because they thought I was as mentally ill and retarded. People were so ignorant to seizures back then.
I was born in 1960 and people didn’t understand a lot of things that they do now in the 21st-century. I’ve never been able to keep friends. I’ve had two close friends my whole entire life. I do everything alone with no problem. But I have phobias up the ying Yang. Oh I have written too much but I get so stimulated when another piece of the puzzle falls into place for me. Thank you for taking the time to make that video.

[cartermusic]

Also high intelligence can impact the traits that are mentioned here.

[realmofroses]

I am a 58 year old woman, and have read and watched so many things surrounding this topic since a health crisis a few years ago blew everything wide open and provided me with greater awareness of myself, and clarity about my whole life. I want to thank you for your work, and for this video, which finally absolutely confirms to me my suspicions of autism. Ticking every box here. It makes my whole life make sense, and will hopefully make the rest of it a little easier, with greater self compassion. This was a genuine gift to me . Thank you, with all my heart, Dr. Kim.

[marlenebrown]

5 minutes in. I feel overwhelmed. Maybe I can listen to this at half speed. Some other time.

[mindfulmaximalism]

OMG, you mentioned the satin on the blanket!
I'm 45 and still sleep with my baby blanket because of the feeling of the satin trim on it. It's so shredded and worn, but man, I have never found a satisfying replacement. Also, squeezing BIC lighters in my hand. I haven't smoked in 11 years, but that feeling of a BIC lighter in my hand helps me enter a highly creative trance state. I don't know anyone else like me in this way.
I just took the Autism Spectrum Quotient test you recommended and scored a 38.
I am new to following you, and now I think you are so cool for making this video. Thanks

[isabellammusic]

I'm highly sensitive and AuDHD and this video is very good! I labeled myself as highly sensitive for a while before I started listening to content creators and psychologists and it was mind blowing to me. It felt like everything I experience and struggle with was validated and it has become a passion to understand more. It's very fascinating and now I understand why I've always felt like I'm a very complex person! Thank you so much for talking about it!