Very helpful, from a diagnosed and experienced advocate point of view. By the time I got halfway into your article here, I could already deduce that you are autistic (not excluding ADHD; I happen to be both: AuDHD).

If an undiagnosed autistic person were to read this they could identify with any number of experiences to suspect they too could be autistic. The reason for this was, to no surprise, your objectivity and clarity. You were confident because you trusted your judgment enough not to hold back your deductive reasoning. Reasoning that ended up being correct.

As unique and different as each autistic person is to each other, there are similarities as well as shared experiences. In what I refer to as ‘comparative analysis,’ we can learn from each other to self-evaluate our likelihood of being autistic, or if after a formal diagnosis, to learn more about it.

Because, unfortunately, the mental health profession as a whole is woefully inconsistent and, in some cases, prejudiced towards even the mere prospect of neurodivergence. Persist. Never forget who you are.

In formal research terms, each of us represent the best type of research source: primary source. We have firsthand lived experience that is irreplaceable. We constitute half of what is empirically needed to codify the understanding of autism. Autistic (and in some cases non-autistic) PhDs are the other half.

You are on the right track. I commend your progress thus far and encourage you to follow my journey into the new year and beyond.