Those recognising #autistim later in life, was there something that helped you realise?
I used to joke "I'm a bit autistic". My partner and I would note how I'm like Sheldon from Big Bang Theory, but I didn't take this seriously until..
First we broke up and I looked in depth at that relationship, how hard it was and why. That got me ready..
Then I watched #TheAccountant, it's a thriller but includes autistic characters inc the lead.
Boom! I saw my traits.
@actuallyautistic #ActuallyAutistic
For me the big thing that helped was when I began reading accounts and stories told by autistics themselves. That's when all the info I had learned before that became much more immediate and real. Those accounts made me understand that my way of thinking and my sensory experiences were much like theirs.
@IzabelaKaramia @actuallyautistic Thanks Iza. I've started doing that after realising!
Although, only five accounts in, I'm not finding that much relevant to me even though the accounts are very interesting. I'm reading #DifferentNotLess" by #TempleGrandin.
Can you suggest anything else, particularly with some reference to #DemandAvoidance?
Were there particular traits for you, and if you don't mind 
I'm curious why you think it took you a long time to realise?
In my own particular flavor of autism, I feel one of its central ingredients is rejection sensitivity which probably ties in with something like demand avoidance. That sensitivity was not helped any by how it can create vicious cycles of traumatic reinforcements. A lot of stuff got tangled up into a thorny knot and it was very difficult for me to seek help.
Plus with how descriptions of autism often pathologize autistics, it was scary. But learning about
neurodiversity and that while society makes my autistic life difficult, I'm also fortunate enough to have some gifts and I need to understand myself as a whole complex being to make use of those gifts.
Not sure if this will be useful to you, but it's up in front of my mind today because I just watched it this morning:
It's a 18 minute talk by Hannah Gadsby and how her life and thinking are fundamentally autistic.
@IzabelaKaramia @actuallyautistic Thanks, I'll make time to watch it this week.