Posted on by Answer Wall

Dear Answer Wall, Lately I’ve been wondering if I might be autistic

Dear Answer Wall, Lately I've been wondering if I might be autistic, as I have some of the classic signs: I've often felt out of place in social situations (i.e. I rarely make jokes for fear of being misunderstood, and at parties, I can be found standing awkwardly in the corner); despite usually having an exceptional memory, I often forget people's names; I engage in some repetitive behaviors, like cleaning my nails even when there's nothing stuck under them; and I do tend to ramble about my sometimes-niche interests, even to an uninterested crowd. At the same time, I have a few good friends, am doing exceptionally well in my classes, and have no...
Dear Answer Wall, Lately I’ve been wondering if I might be autistic, as I have some of the classic signs: I’ve often felt out of place in social situations (i.e. I rarely make jokes for fear of being misunderstood, and at parties, I can be found standing awkwardly in the corner); despite usually having an exceptional memory, I often forget people’s names; I engage in some repetitive behaviors, like cleaning my nails even when there’s nothing stuck under them; and I do tend to ramble about my sometimes-niche interests, even to an uninterested crowd. At the same time, I have a few good friends, am doing exceptionally well in my classes, and have no…
...sensory issues of any kind Part of me is afraid that these wonderings come from a perverse desire to feel special, but that's the same thing I worried about when I was wondering if I was asexual and I am totally ace. I've looked at online tests that are supposed to give you an estimate of whether or not you might be autistic, but I always back out before taking them, becuase I worry that my expectation might bias the results. My questions for you are: Is there a definitive way to find out if I am autistic? Would there even be any point in finding out, given that I'm in my twenties and doing mostly fine? P.S. I am female, if that matters.
…sensory issues of any kind Part of me is afraid that these wonderings come from a perverse desire to feel special, but that’s the same thing I worried about when I was wondering if I was asexual and I am totally ace. I’ve looked at online tests that are supposed to give you an estimate of whether or not you might be autistic, but I always back out before taking them, becuase I worry that my expectation might bias the results. My questions for you are: Is there a definitive way to find out if I am autistic? Would there even be any point in finding out, given that I’m in my twenties and doing mostly fine? P.S. I am female, if that matters.

Thanks for sharing your candid & discerning disclosures. As you know, “autism” describes a broad spectrum of conditions (bit.ly/nimh-autism). You may or may not have a particular set of behaviors that would result in a diagnosis on this spectrum. Whether or not you are diagnosed, setting the process in motion could help you (and a professional) create a treatment plan that could address some of the behaviors you’d like to change, or it could just give you peace of mind to know for certain. You could begin the process either with Counseling Services (bit.ly/bc-counseling) or with your own primary care physician, and ask for a referral for testing. (BTW, your skepticism about online tests sounds healthy.) Whatever you do, I’m sure you’ll find a way to know yourself better.