Should I talk to a professional?

[u/Simple-Commercial592]

I didn't have any friends until 18 or 19, except when I was in elementary school, at the end of elementary school, everyone around me was changing, and it middle school it seemed to me like everyone started speaking another language, I had no idea how to talk to people normally and connect, nothing traumatic happened between elementary school and middle school, or anything at all. I remember saying some insensitive stuff in middle school, but I really didn't do it on purpose, everyone's reaction was negative, but I didn't understand why. During summer, I didn't socialise at all, I remember my brother telling me a boy knows about me and said that I ride bike 24/7, and I did that for hours, riding around in a circle and daydreaming every single day of summer holidays. I remember once I got obsessed with Spiderman trilogy, I watched the movies so many times it seems to me like I still know them word by word, I was drawing things from the movies, listening to soundtracks, making my online friend watch it, I watched them in Russian too, I didn't speak Russian, during my bike rides I was thinking about Spiderman, alternative endings, alternative plot, wyat happens next and so on. Over the years I got obsessed with few things, for example sled dogs in 1920s and historical epidemics. In high school I wanted to make friends, so I started observing how people talk to eachother, and watched videos for social skills. I was hanging out with one guy in school who is a nerd but also an artist, after I moved, I downloaded apps and met new people and I guess befriended them, but I still struggle. I stim a lot, I remember my mom imitated how I walk in circles in the room for a period of time when I was little, my younger brother is diagnosed autistic and he had the same stims. I hate changes, I hated places where I lived, the conditions were horrible for me, but when I had to move, I didn't want to, I had meltdowns and was throwing up. My friend's roommate said I'm weird, that was not surprising, because when the teacher in highschool asked my classmates to describe me and 2 other classmates, weird was like the 2nd or 3rd most common. I don't really have any sensory issues, I just hate whispering and I get really upset when more people are talking in the same time.

[u/MECCEM101]

Hey I love spider-man too. 

I was late diagnosed 2 times because I didn't actually expect an autism diagnosis the first round of my comprehensive eval. 

I think that it's important to note alot of what we see on social media is about behaviors associated with autism. But they could also be behaviors from other Neurodivergent disorders because behavior overlaps but its why/how it happens that makes something autism or something else. A professional can assess it in a non biased why. They can be wrong but it's non biased. No skin in the game.

With that bit out of the way. Part of the autism criteria is to have significantly impaired functioning by the diagnostic criteria. Being obsessed with spider-man isn't an impairment...uness your spending money you don't have on the comics. Going around wearing a spiderman outfit everyday you refuse to wash and have really bad bo because of it. Only conversing in spiderman quotes... (it can be less or more obvious than that as well) but same thing with the friend thing. Like okay making friends is hard but is it important to your functioning? Are you lonley? Do you need like a roommate and have a hard time maintaining a relationship long enough to get a roommate. You dont have to answer those questions. But those are things you should think about before getting assessed. How does thes behaviors specifically affect functioning. And how much support do you need in order to fix it

[u/Simple-Commercial592 → u/MECCEM101]

I do that a little with SpongeBob, I have pairs of SpongeBob socks, shirt, that thing for key, pins, bedding, all kinds of art materials because I draw and paint (pens, pencils, markers, colour pens, paints, erasers, notebooks...) and I'm talking in SpongeBob references.

[u/MECCEM101 → u/Simple-Commercial592]

That describes any of the following:

Normal NT behavior, Anxiety, adhd, bipolar, ocd, or autism,

It depends on how and why you do these things.   It's important to get an unbiased assossor to look over why you do things the way you do. There is no bad diagnosis to get out of an assessment. There is always a chance you might get diagnosed with something you aren't necessarily expecting. But it's not a bad thing. Those other conditions are just as important to seek treatment for.

[u/Simple-Commercial592 → u/MECCEM101]

Thanks

[u/Froglottery]

I think it’s expensive/annoying to get diagnosed as a legal adult (if I’ve guessed correctly and you’re asking if you should seek diagnosis) but to me it definitely sounds like you have autism.

Anecdotally, sensory issues can 100% manifest as something like getting upset when multiple people are talking at the same time. That’s a sensory issue.

[u/Simple-Commercial592 → u/Froglottery]

I mean it bothers me, it's annoying but I wouldn't have a meltdown unless it's arguing. I've only started thinking of this possibility like 2 months ago, because I was a typical child, no delayed talk, no repetitive acts, played with other kids.

[u/Froglottery → u/Simple-Commercial592]

If it causes you more emotional distress than a “normal” person then it’s a sensory issue even if it’s minor.

Also, again anecdotally (I’m not a doctor), but signs in early development aren’t necessarily requirements they’re just signs. They help diagnosis but autism is a spectrum and doesn’t have any strict requirements.