Did you go through a phase of denial?

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One thing I've noticed to be very consistent among autistic young adults who are academically achieving is that they almost always go through a phase where they think this Autism thing is a load of hockey, and that they were probably mis-diagnosed, or that the whole thing is just a natural difference and that Autism as a thing is wrong.

I definitely went through that phase when I was 24. I was rather angry with my parents for having wrongly labeled me, too.

I recently noticed this same rejection of the label with one 20 year old woman who is very significantly affected by her autistic symptoms - has great difficulty with social communication and huge problems with sensory overload - but is plugging away through collage with significant support from both parents and school. She is experiencing thoughts that the Autism diagnosis doesn't really fit her.

I was wondering if this is also common with young adults who are more significantly affected by autism - people more likely to be labeled with Autism 2 or 3.

If any of you fit this category and have insight into this, I'd love to hear from you. Or if you are a parent of an adult child who has done so, that would be good, too.

Nope....there was no denying that there was "something wrong with me" for as long as I can remember.

I read about Asperger's pretty early, actually, perhaps even in the 1980s. The whole "syndrome" resonated with me. It answered many questions.

I would say that I am both officially diagnosed and "self-diagnosed."

I was diagnosed with autism at age three, then I had various diagnoses--including "brain-damaged." I went to a "brain-injured" nursery school. My parents were members of the New York State Association for Brain-Injured Children. Then I went to a school for kids with various types of "emotional problems."

There was no hope of "denial" then.

I hope we can talk about your experiences being a Special-Ed teacher some day.


But I get where you're coming from.

I had. But I was just 10-14 or so due to some obvious stigma and ignorance.

I only suspected oddity, but not something with a diagnosis.

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LOL....I'm not one who purloins other people's methods and call them my own.

The only thing I've done is to observe some Special-Ed classes, and to administer some speech therapy, during my Undergrad practicum in speech pathology.

I would read your blog with interest.

In my observations, I found much cynicism and weariness amongst Special-Ed teachers.

I'm sorry. I'm the one that misinterpreted.

You said "throwing all my hard-earned experience into the wind." This I interpreted as meaning that you fear that someone will appropriate your "hard-earned experience" after all the hard work you've done.

I thought you felt reluctant to reveal information so that others might take your methods and use them for your own.

I misinterpreted. I'm a fool sometimes. LOL

My reference to throwing things to the wind is about my not being able to find it again when I come back to forums like this one. Things get old quickly, and scrolled out of sight. My ideas aren't really that unique that I would worry about them being stolen, lol.

That's cool. Have you started your blog yet?

Phase?, More like 15-20 years of denying indications of Autism, although there was never or could be denial about being different. In the late 1990's my boss told me I might be a little bit autistic. I chalked it up to him trying to bully me in a weird way. By the 2000's Aspergers was in the public domain enough that I recognized I had the traits. I thought it mildly interesting but denied the importance. I had to crash and have what is unofficialy known as Autistic burnout and even then I needed a sibling intervention. When I was disgnosed I embraced it.

I went through a period of denial when I was 18. I was convinced that I was cured or misdiagnosed.

Never any denial from me, probably because I was diagnosed at 18, at a time when I desperately trying to find a reason behind my suffering.

You're a man of So Many Spoons...and nary a Forked Tongue.

My son was diagnosed with Aspergers at age 15 or so, but refused to accept the diagnosis. He's made his way through his 20s with some achievements (advanced degree, one child) but also some mistakes and misjudgments that were so major that they would be funny if they weren't so sad. I'm waiting to see if he ever comes around to the truth.