Why are so many autistic adults undiagnosed? | Kip Chow | TEDxSFU

Comments · 744

• QU

  @queensittingduck · 3 years ago

  I'm mourning my life I could have had. I'm so angry. If I even mention autism, someone with a "real" autistic family member will shut me all the way down. I have been masking my whole life. I have such a hard time with social interactions. It's just like you said, for years I have been encouraged to just change and then I will be accepted, but its a lie, they still don't accept me and I damn near have no idea who I really am at this point. Thank you for this talk. I am a brown woman with ancestors from the African continent. They refuse to allow me any accomodations so I can also function, it's always you have to do it the way everyone else does it or you are wrong and invalid. I hate being forced to conform so much. It has caused me so much depression. Thank you again!

  290

• DR

  @DresdenDoll79 · 5 years ago

  I LOVE that they analogize autism as simply running a different OS as opposed to being broken or deficient. I've used this analogy for years to help people better understand what autism is actually like. Never have had a problem with anyone understanding when I frame it that way.

  952

• SI

  @sinthiafs · 5 years ago

  I had a relationship with an autistic person but he was diagnosed only after three years we were together and the reason he seeked medical help was depression. He was the most surprised one, but many things started making sense.He's doing super fine now.

  549

• HY

  @hyper-mediatv · 5 years ago

  Exactly right - inherently different but never less. A square peg in a round hole.

  174

• MA

  @mamique · 5 years ago

  This was wonderful.  As a woman in my 40s who only recently realized that I might be autistic, I appreciate your efforts to bring awareness to the lack of diagnostic tools available for adults.

  952

• EZ

  @ez209 · 5 years ago

  I was 51 when I was diagnosed. Two sth. months ago.<br>I agree with you: a lifelong feeling out of place and misunderstood, listening to people call you all sort of things and not understanding why.

  327

• JE

  @jesskegley1055 · 4 years ago

  Is no one gonna mention how they said &quot;thank you for coming to my TED Talk&quot; and then winked? &nbsp;A cute ending to an accessible, informative talk.

  103

• CH

  @cheetocairo · 5 years ago

  I was recently diagnosed with ADHD. &nbsp;I have Kaiser insurance here in America. &nbsp;The process was simple. &nbsp;I called the psychiatry department, they gave me an appointment for two weeks later, I met with the psychiatrist for an hour and that was that. &nbsp;A few weeks later, I was thinking about ASD and it connected a lot of dots for me. &nbsp;I watched videos of people who have both ADHD and ASD and it made my life make sense. &nbsp;So, I called the psychiatry department back thinking it would be the same simple process. &nbsp;However, I was instead met with confusion and questions. &nbsp;&quot;An autism assessment? &nbsp;Oh, we don&apos;t really do that. &nbsp;You weren&apos;t diagnosed as a child? &nbsp;Why do you want this? &nbsp;Ok, well, we will leave a note for the psychiatrist.&quot;. I have no idea why there was such resistance for them to schedule another visit for me to meet with the psychiatrist 🤷‍♀️.

  346

• SI

  @sisfantasto7004 · 5 years ago

  My own mother couldn&apos;t accept me being different and told me no one could love me the way I was. I have been in hiding and masking myself for 46 years. <br>Music was/is the only place &nbsp;I feel safe. Autism is also about acceptance/tolerance of diversity. &nbsp;<br>You have diversity everywhere, why can&apos;t you &nbsp;( as society) accept diversity in human personalities? <br>I am done with masking and hiding now. I am done with keeping my mouth /emotions shut down in order to keep everyone else comfortable. This Earth has room for everyone no matter what you think, feel or look like.

  70

• DA

  @daisyfruity3040 · 4 years ago

  I thought I was just depressed then found out I might be autistic accidentally. Now I can’t shake it off, I keep researching because I just resonate with most experiences

  22

• ME

  @MenosProblemos · 5 years ago (edited)

  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcSCi-XDyeU&amp;t=936">15:36</a> I love your playful body language. For example when you say &quot;Are you ready?&quot; you have such a friendly, energetic bounce in your body, and combined with your gentle voice I feel all NICE inside.^^<br>I bet children often like you 😄

  97

• JO

  @josheyyoshi8277 · 4 years ago

  The fact that it costs so much to get tested for autism is what&apos;s stopping me from getting a diagnosis as a 26 year old. I have a suspicion that I might be autistic because of the behaviours and thought patterns I exhibit but its always met with a comment like &quot;you don&apos;t need to get tested because you function just fine and we&apos;re all on the spectrum.&quot; The fact that these barriers exist is what stops so many potentially autistic adults receive a diagnosis.

  76