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Hello!

Niall

New Member
Hey Everyone,

I'm Niall, a 22-year-old University student from Florida. I have not been diagnosed yet, but I have recently realized that I probably have ASD as it seems to explain my entire life (special interests, difficulties with social communication, stimming, etc.), and my score on the AQ test was 38. My parents do not believe that this is possible because, as they see it, there is nothing "wrong" with me, so if any of you have any advice on how I can start to educate them and give them a better understanding of ASD, it would be much appreciated.

I'm into music, theatre, writing/reading, history, and astrophysics. The main reason I joined this forum was so I can learn more about myself and meet some other people on the spectrum. I look forward to getting to know you!
 
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Welcome, Niall! You sound like an interesting person, I hope you feel at home here and share some more about yourself:)
 
Hi and welcome. Sorry to hear your parents don't have a good understanding of autism, but that isn't unusual. I think you will find plenty here that will help you research and inform others, and hopefully understand yourself better along the way, and feel accepted and validated.

Many of us experience the issues you mention, and although we often work and have partners and families, many of us would benefit from autism being better understood by others. Most of us do our best to fit in but it's rather a waste of energy for us and it would be so much better if autism was better understood and people respected our differences and stopped either denying we are different or trying to train us to do things in a neurotypical way.

I hope you enjoy it here, and find the discussions useful and supportive.

:shavedice::oden::pizza::watermelon::coffee::cookie::strawberry::icecreamcone::cherries::stew::sake:
 
Hi. Assuming your parents want the best for you, maybe you can come at it as seeking an explanation for why you are who you are. Having a diagnosis will not change who you are but it should help you to get the most out of your many interests, skills & abilities. Bear in mind that your parents may well be in denial with strong feelings of guilt and could need time to adjust, so keeping communication routes open could be key.
Best of luck.
 
Hello & welcome.
My parents do not believe that this is possible because, as they see it, there is nothing "wrong" with me,...
So often, that is because "the apple doesn't fall very far from the tree..." :redapple: ;)
 
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Welcome to the forum @Niall :) I'm sorry to about your parents disagreement with your own assessment. I think others have said before that this is common. Perhaps you could present them with a book or checklist of traits to show them more about autism? Or see a specialist doctor or psychologist who might be able to support you or talk to them. I also understand through reading others experiences that in the US it's not always easy (possible?) to get a diagnosis and that getting one comes with negatives as well as positives so have a think about that too. I wish you the best and once again, welcome to the forum.
 

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