survey for autistics!!

here's mine!

1. when were you diagnosed? when I was 5

2. how do you feel about being autistic? growing up I was ashamed to be autistic but now that im slowly unmasking im starting to feel far more proud to be autistic

3. what are your special interests? anime, south park, art, history and archaeology

4. what stims do you have? jiggling my legs, rocking myself, hand flapping, making popping sounds with my mouth, chewing things

5. what are your favourite stim toys? pop its (I like chewing them), orbeez, fidget spinners

6. to you, what is the best thing about being autistic? being unique and having special interests and comfort characters and shows which always cheer me up when im upset

7. to you, what is the worst thing about being autistic? being misunderstood by allistics and being treated like a child when im a whole adult

8. do you have an emotional support pet? if not, would you consider it? I had a cat since I was 5 who unfortunately passed recently :(

9. do you find it easier to socialise with other autistics? 100%, pretty much all my friends are autistic!

10. do you have autistic family members? my dad was diagnosed at age 35 (the same time as me but I was only 5)

1. when were you diagnosed? (if you're self diagnosed, when did you suspect you may be autistic?)
I'm self-diagnosed since getting a diagnosis as an afab person is nearly impossible, but I've suspected I was autistic for almost 3 years now

2. how do you feel about being autistic?
I feel like it's helped me understand myself better and is an intricate part of who I am

3. what are your special interests?
Pokemon, My Little Pony, and cats

4. what stims do you have?
My biggest stims are my vocal ones (quoting memes mainly), raptor arms, or shaky/flappy hands

5. what are your favourite stim toys?
I like fidget cubes a lot, and also those plastic slugs

6. to you, what is the best thing about being autistic?
I think the best thing about being autistic is the fact I experience the world in a completely unique way, and that's fascinating to me

7. to you, what is the worst thing about being autistic?
I think the worst thing for me personally is missing social cues and the embarrassment that comes after I eventually catch on (if I ever do)

8. do you have an emotional support pet? if not, would you consider it?
I did have a cat, but she couldn't come with me when I moved to a different state; though I do plan to get another cat in the future

9. do you find it easier to socialise with other autistics?
Yes because they can pick up on my humor, body language, emotions, and social cues better than neurotypicals

10. do you have autistic family members?
My dad is suspected to also be autistic, but I do have cousin who was diagnosed officially with autism

1. when were you diagnosed? (if you're self diagnosed, when did you suspect you may be autistic?)

about two years ago, i suspected i might have it so i asked my therapist about it, to which she said that i was on the high functioning side of it (i have asperger's more specifically). not an official diagnosis but it's from a healthcare professional so i take it as one

2. how do you feel about being autistic?

it's just another trait of mine. it just kinda explains some of the weird mannerisms i have

3. what are your special interests?

persona, vocaloid (the software and others like it specifically), and fnaf

4. what stims do you have?

rubbing the pad of my thumb against the side of my index finger, index ringer rubbed against thumbnail cuticles, and mouth noises

5. what are your favourite stim toys?

i just use whatever's available. erasers and pens are a favorite

6. to you, what is the best thing about being autistic?

it's pretty swag how into things i can get, research is fun

7. to you, what is the worst thing about being autistic?

i can't read people's tones a good chunk of the time

8. do you have an emotional support pet? if not, would you consider it?

 i don't consider her an emotional support pet, my cat is just a silly little roommate that keeps me company :)

9. do you find it easier to socialise with other autistics?

10. do you have autistic family members?

nope !

1. when were you diagnosed? (if you're self diagnosed, when did you suspect you may be autistic?)

I was diagnosed a year ago. Before I was diagnosed, the idea of me being autistic didn't even cross my mind, but looking back it was pretty obvious lol!

2. how do you feel about being autistic?

I'm pretty proud of being autistic, tho I sometimes can't help but feel like I'll be made fun of for it.

3. what are your special interests?

Honestly I could think of so many, but my top ones are Splatoon, Kirby, Invader Zim and My Life as a Teenage Robot. 

4. what stims do you have?

Leg bouncing, rocking back and forth, tapping on random objects, humming, and sometimes hand flapping.

5. what are your favourite stim toys?

I don't have any stim toys, but I do have a notebook that I draw in to distract myself.

6. to you, what is the best thing about being autistic?

The best thing about it is the hyperfixations. I love it when I'm invested in something even if it comes off as obsessive at times.

7. to you, what is the worst thing about being autistic?

The worst thing I can think of is the constant sensory overload you get. For me, it's mainly with noises and smells. Sometimes it physically causes me headaches. 

8. do you have an emotional support pet? if not, would you consider it?

No, but I do joke around with my family that I have therapy dogs because whenever I start getting angry or sad, they come to me and force me to pay attention to them.

9. do you find it easier to socialise with other autistics?

I'm a little indifferent to whether I find it easier, but I do find it comforting.

10. do you have autistic family members?

Yes. I have an autistic sibling.

1. when were you diagnosed? (if you're self diagnosed, when did you suspect you may be autistic?)

i'm not diagnosed but i and my family have suspected i might be for years, my parents just for some reason believe there's no point in diagnosis bc "it's not like it's treatable"

2. how do you feel about being autistic?

idk, ig i have mixed emotions. on one hand i wish i could have been "normal" so maybe i wouldn't have been bullied so much in school but also i like who i am

3. what are your special interests?

neurology, music, and bus routes

4. what stims do you have?

punching stuff, scratching myself, waving my arms back and forth with my hands flat, just a general variety of stuff

5. what are your favourite stim toys?

i have a fisget cube if that counts, it's neat

6. to you, what is the best thing about being autistic?

i have so much info on my spinterests just. saved in my brain. i can whip it out at any time and its great

7. to you, what is the worst thing about being autistic?

the lack of social skills, sensory issues, and meltdowns

8. do you have an emotional support pet? if not, would you consider it?

no, but i would consider it. i do have 2 cats

9. do you find it easier to socialise with other autistics?

yes, a lot easier

10. do you have autistic family members?

both of my parents likely are and i know a good portion of my mom's side of the family is diagnosed

1. 17

2. Eh. Unsurprising, all of my relatives reacted to the diagnosis with "well no shit you are, have you met yourself?" 

3. Animals, the Unabomber, trees

4. Ohh I pick at my skin, rub my feet together to go to sleep, I make little clicking noises sometimes, I drum with my hands

5. Idk

6. The amount of shit I can commit to memory

7. Either the sensory overload or the reactions you get from people who either go "oh so you must be like my aunt's autistic kid" or immediately think autistic = drooling vegetative state, which is even more ironic because high functioning autism/Asperger's (aka what I was diagnosed with) is often linked to higher IQ scores (which yes ik IQ doesn't necessarily link to intelligence as it simply measures pattern recognition, but you still get the point)

8. I have a dog, I guess he's my emotional support animal, but tbh I consider it to be a symbiotic thing. He's this big, loud, slobbery bloodhound, and I love him to death<3 his name's Thoreau

9. Oh yeah

10. None that were diagnosed, but my dad and his aunt (my great aunt) definitely are

1. when were you diagnosed? (if you're self diagnosed, when did you suspect you may be autistic?)

When I was 13.

2. how do you feel about being autistic?

As a teen I was proud, as an older teen I started to hate it, now days I feel kinda indifferent. Just the typical unfairness of life I have to bear with and overcome.

3. what are your special interests?

I used to be very into astrology and geology. These days depression makes it hard for me to like anything or get into anything. I suppose nowdays I have a weird interest in internet culture, understanding human behavior, and how these two things together cause the social climate online.

4. what stims do you have?

I hum, rock in my chair, twirl and pull on my hair, and tap my fingers on my desk when music plays sometimes.

5. what are your favourite stim toys?

I don't have any but I do mess around with whatever is near me.

6. to you, what is the best thing about being autistic?

My bluntness. I have met people who really appreciate it and they're great friends, it also lets me be myself and lets me have deep conversations with others when they also have things to talk about that most people don't want to hear.

7. to you, what is the worst thing about being autistic?

Bluntness, it's a double edged sword. While I get genuine friends, it's at the cost of most people not wanting to be in my company or even disliking me. I am able to control it and be out of trouble and be on everyone's good side, but as I got older I realized it wasn't worth it, and keeping quiet just to get along with people I disliked and wanted to get away from stressed me. While I am pretty happy with my social life, I sometimes get a little sad knowing I will never be able to be part of things like friend groups or online communities, aside from being the outcast. But being allowed to speak freely on a website is enough to keep me content if the users don't try to run me out.

8. do you have an emotional support pet? if not, would you consider it?

No but I jokingly call my pet cat my emotional support animal. We're both weirdos who act a lil dumb, hate to be touched, but yet crave the attention of people we love.

9. do you find it easier to socialise with other autistics?

Yes and no. If I get along with another autist, it's great. Someone relates to me and we can talk about the things most people find annoying or uncomfortable to talk about. But I have met autists I will butt heads with and cannot stand beign near as a result. So I guess it's like normal people, sometimes you'll get along sometimes you won't.

10. do you have autistic family members?

Not that I am aware of.

1. when were you diagnosed? (if you're self diagnosed, when did you suspect you may be autistic?)

i had my suspicions around 5th grade, but i always got shot down T_T.. my parents agree with me now, we just dont really have the money for an official test

2. how do you feel about being autistic?

its just the way i am!

3. what are your special interests?

robotics and things that go along with it! ex: transformers, animatronics, fnaf, chuck-e-cheese, any robot character that i see really 

4. what stims do you have?

a lot of echoing phrases, also tapping my foot like sonic does LOL

5. what are your favourite stim toys?

i like putty and slime the most!

6. to you, what is the best thing about being autistic?

i like being able to be friends with other autistic people!

7. to you, what is the worst thing about being autistic?

neurotypical people dont really know what to do with me T_T

8. do you have an emotional support pet? if not, would you consider it?

i dont have one, but i would consider it!

9. do you find it easier to socialise with other autistics?

i do!!

10. do you have autistic family members?

who knowssss.. nobody in this family gets diagnosed with anything!

1. I consider myself self-diagnosed although this is my actual first time being open about it. I’ve been considering it since about 16 or 17 years of age.
2. I have mixed feelings - a therapist once questioned me saying: “what would a diagnosis do for you - what would be it’s purpose?” And it made me feel a little silly. Ask me now that I’m older and I’d say that it would just help me understand me better. 
3. Leopard geckos, trains, autism, TMNT (there’s a few more that I’m probably just not thinking of at the moment. I honestly go through strong periodic obsessions - so I listed the ones that I’ve had basically forever)
4. Vocal: repeating parts of a song or funny quotes and reciting commercial jingles, Vestibular: rocking (usually absent-mindedly due to fatigue or anxiety), hand flapping (only in private - I’m very self-conscious)
5. I don’t really have any, but I do like my Tangle! It keeps my hands busy while I try to focus.
6. I’m not sure.
7. Wondering if I’m not “actually autistic” because I don’t fit a lot of criteria I read. (For example: I see that a lot of people with autism report having meltdowns as a result of being over-stimulated. I’ve never experienced that but know another young woman with autism that had constant meltdowns as a child and has recently received an official autism diagnosis. I do find that I’m more prone to shut-downs.) I also struggle with whether or not self-diagnosis is valid. (But this is a debate I’ll save for perhaps another time)
8. My cat! I have three cats - but there’s one that’s definitely my favourite! 
9. Yes! It’s like I finally found someone like me! I don’t have to pretend anymore. 
10. No one who has received any diagnosis. 

1. when were you diagnosed? (if you're self diagnosed, when did you suspect you may be autistic?)

i suspect i was autistic about two years ago? i’m the process to getting a official diagnosis but i was self diagnosed for about a year

2. how do you feel about being autistic?

love it ! the way i’m able to connect to my special interests is one of the biggest highlight of my autism. i do wish at times i wasn’t autistic but i still love autistic self b(￣▽￣*)

3. what are your special interests?

funny enough, autism ! and trigun (1998) (plz friend me if u also like trigun, i haven’t watched the new series but i would love some fellow 1998 lovers) 

4. what stims do you have?

rocking, shaking my leg, quite a lot of vocal stims, flapping my hands, and dancing

5. what are your favourite stim toys?

i had a slug stim toy but he broke. i also had a infinity cube but gave that to a friend but i want to buy another !

6. to you, what is the best thing about being autistic?

the joy of having special interests and indulging in it ! (ﾉ´ヮ´)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

7. to you, what is the worst thing about being autistic? 

my sensory issues and communication problems. i’m not able to really connect with others who don’t share similar interests and i have sensory issues which affect my hygiene and what i can’t and can do ｡:ﾟ(;´∩`;)ﾟ:｡

8. do you have an emotional support pet? if not, would you consider it?

had a dog named bentley who was a really important part of my life but he sadly passed away a while ago ! i still have my cat and i love her a lot !

9. do you find it easier to socialise with other autistics?

if we share similar interests, yes ! most of my friend group is neurodivergent in some sense (^▽^;)

10. do you have autistic family members?

i believe my older brother is autistic but i never mentioned it to him nor has he been diagnosed ! other than that, i don’t really know (ｏ＿　＿)ｏ

1. when were you diagnosed? (if you're self diagnosed, when did you suspect you may be autistic?)

one or two years ago i'm unsure

2. how do you feel about being autistic?

mostly neutral

3. what are your special interests?

music, criminology, gas masks, deers

4. what stims do you have?

rocking, biting my hand/fingers, leg bouncing, walking in circles

5. what are your favourite stim toys?

don't have any

6. to you, what is the best thing about being autistic?

how intensely i feel about music

7. to you, what is the worst thing about being autistic?

sensory issues (mainly noise), executive dysfunction, coming across as rude all the time

8. do you have an emotional support pet? if not, would you consider it?

no, i plan on having dogs in the future but not for emotional support

9. do you find it easier to socialise with other autistics?

yeah

10. do you have autistic family members?

two of them (brother & cousin), my moms possibly neurodivergent in some way

1. when were you diagnosed? (if you're self diagnosed, when did you suspect you may be autistic?)

Self diagnosed but, my family and I have always suspected! When I hit middle school, I researched a lot more for a couple of years before self diagnosing! (I even asked autistic friends of mine and they all agreed I was most likely / definitely autistic)

2. how do you feel about being autistic?

I don't really feel any different, though I am happy to finally "figure out whats wrong with me" (for lack of better words ^^")

3. what are your special interests?

FNAF !!!!, The Amazing Digital Circus, Analog Horror, ARGs

4. what stims do you have?

I rock back and forth, do "happy hands" (idk what to call it), and I do a bunch of verbal stims!

5. what are your favourite stim toys?

My rainbow sensory slug Jerry, anything that makes a clicking noise, sensory jars with gliter

6. to you, what is the best thing about being autistic?

I feel like I understand my self a lot better? I don't know how to explain it

7. to you, what is the worst thing about being autistic?

SENSORY ISSUES.

8. do you have an emotional support pet? if not, would you consider it?

I don't but, I am considering getting a Service Dog (for other reasons)! I do have emotional support stuffed animals if that counts

9. do you find it easier to socialise with other autistics?

YES!

10. do you have autistic family members?

Mhm! I know some cousins of mine are autistic and, my dad is also suspecting of being autistic!

its 11pm guys time for me to do every survey ive ever seen on this website

1. when were you diagnosed? (if you're self diagnosed, when did you suspect you may be autistic?)

self diagnosed since i was an early teenager, though it was still a time where mental illness and neurodivergency was not something to talk about so i didnt rly have a name for it. i got a diagnosis this year tho yipppeeeeee

2. how do you feel about being autistic?

im ok about it! i hate it a lot some times but its just a part of me so theres no point in hating it anymore.

3. what are your special interests?

the naruto universe! and overwatch! and the united states postal service! ive loved naruto since i was a child, overwatch since its release in 2016, and usps since around 2016 as well. we ball

4. what stims do you have?

i dont really externally stim, i am the opposite end of the stimming spectrum; all my emotions go Inside and never Out

5. what are your favourite stim toys?

see above ... although i do pick at my skin a lot so that might be considered a stim

6. to you, what is the best thing about being autistic?

im so very keenly aware of my surroundings and i feel like i have great control over my body, more than any normal person has

7. to you, what is the worst thing about being autistic?

my social life : ( i struggle a LOT to make friends because i speak in a very monotone voice and i get irritated so so so easily, meaning that irl people dont often enjoy being around me

8. do you have an emotional support pet? if not, would you consider it?

i do! her name is diana and she is my little baby kitty. i think shes also autistic

9. do you find it easier to socialise with other autistics?

i do not find it easy to socialize with anyone ... but generally yes its easier for me to talk to people that know im autistic and know how to deal with me (usually other autistic ppl)

10. do you have autistic family members?

not diagnosed, no, but my father is very very very similar to me lol he may or may not have had a room sized world war 2 diorama when he was my age

1. When were you diagnosed? (If you were diagnosed yourself, when did you suspect you might be autistic?) I started to suspect in quarantine, I officially had my diagnosis at the end of last year

2. How do you feel about being autistic? I guess it's good, although many times when I feel too bad I wish I wasn't :/

3. What are your special interests?

snails, my little pony (I have a giant collection), moths, steven universe, monter high, rubber ducks

4. What stimuli do you have?

I think I bite my fingers, I sway sometimes

and when I get excited I flap and jump

5. What are your favorite stimulation toys?

I don't have TT

6. For you, what is the best thing about being autistic?

being able to memorize stupid information xd

like for example ladybugs are cannibals xd

7. For you, what is the worst thing about being autistic?

going into crisis in front of someone, it's horrible not being able to talk

8. Do you have an emotional support pet? If not, would you consider it?

no but I have a cat and pet snails

9. Do you find it easier to socialize with other autistic people? The only autistic person I currently know is my boyfriend's younger sister xd

10. Do you have autistic family members? my dad (diagnosed)

my mom (suspicions)

my maternal grandfather (suspicions)

1. when were you diagnosed? Im self diagnosed and the reason why was because when I hear anything about astronomy I start to over share and because I have lots of other symptoms and I suspected around the time c0vid started

2. how do you feel about being autistic? My parents shame me and my sister for thinking this way ( my sister self diagnosed ADHD ) just because our brother has autism so im very scared to talk up about it

3. what are your special interests? Shifting٫astronomy٫ virology and acting

4. what stims do you have? I do happy hand flapping and I also just around alot

5. what are your favourite stim toys? Im not allowed any because of my parents

6. to you, what is the best thing about being autistic? I can tell someone almost anything about my special interests

7. to you, what is the worst thing about being autistic? I get overstimmed very quickly which causes me to bash my hands against my hips which is very bad especially since im disabled

8. do you have an emotional support pet? if not, would you consider it?It wasn't a support dog but it felt like it I would go to her when I felt overstimmed  but we had to put her down a couple days ago and now I have no one to go to

9. do you find it easier to socialise with other autistics?It depends. I need to trust someone to socialize with them

10. do you have autistic family members? My brother. He gets special treatment while my sister and I dont even get help also both my sis and I have a very high percentage to have because of our genes

1. when were you diagnosed? (if you're self diagnosed, when did you suspect you may be autistic?)
Diagnosed with "likely" high functioning autism around begging of therapy.

2. how do you feel about being autistic?
Nothing different really?

3. what are your special interests?
I've been obsessed with physiology and imaginary worlds I've created in complex detail.

4. what stims do you have?
Chewing air, scratching, playing with bangs, playing with finger patterns (hard to explain), clapping, hand movements

5. what are your favourite stim toys?
Beads! Plushies too.

6. to you, what is the best thing about being autistic?
Knowing I can think differently maybe, not that it's better but that it's a new perspective. 

7. to you, what is the worst thing about being autistic?
Discrimination, subject to a little bit of bullying because I can't socialize well.

8. do you have an emotional support pet? if not, would you consider it?
I just want a pet, I use plushies instead until I can get one.

9. do you find it easier to socialise with other autistics?
I can't socialize with anyone.

10. do you have autistic family members?
Maybe?

1. when were you diagnosed? (if you're self diagnosed, when did you suspect you may be autistic?)

last year, i am 18 now (i was misdiagnosed at 13 with a communication disorder and consistently had a lot of trouble finding testing again)

2. how do you feel about being autistic?

not sure how to answer that

3. what are your special interests?

broadly  sociology, fashion, videogames, music, art

4. what stims do you have?

rubbing my face a lot, rubbing my hands, hitting my head, popping my snakebites in and out (which made them hard to heal lol), biting or picking nails and skin, aligning my feet with tiles or other straight things, counting a looot of counting

5. what are your favourite stim toys?

modeling clay, those squishy things that feel like clay almost and make u want to rip apart but u refrain from doing so, bubble wrap, very soft textures or certain material things

6. to you, what is the best thing about being autistic?

having more to connect with others' experiences and offer my own beliefs based off personal exp.

7. to you, what is the worst thing about being autistic?

stigma, masking, the other conditions that often go hand-in-hand, lack of accessibility, little to no resources or access to proper care. but it depends where you live and how much money you have

8. do you have an emotional support pet? if not, would you consider it?

no, maybe

9. do you find it easier to socialise with other autistics?

yes and no

10. do you have autistic family members?

no not that i know of

1. when were you diagnosed? (if you're self diagnosed, when did you suspect you may be autistic?) I had been self diagnosing as an autistic since the age of 9-10, and I was able to get a professional diagnoses last year when I was 17. 

2. how do you feel about being autistic? I don't know, I've always been me which includes being autistic.  Sometimes, I can feel a bit out of place in a room of people, but I always manage to navigate and adapt!

3. what are your special interests? The history of multiple topics, Aardman Studio films, My Little Pony, and Gravity Falls! (These are off the top of my head, there are many more lol)

4. what stims do you have? I rock back and forth, chew on things, pace back and forth, and fidget with whatever I have on me!

5. what are your favourite stim toys? Chew necklaces, tangles, squishys, and jelly slimes!

6. to you, what is the best thing about being autistic? My knowledge of a lot of different topics has come in handy many times, along with my memory and attention to detail. I am creative and can think of things in a different way than neurotypicals.

7. to you, what is the worst thing about being autistic? Not understanding unspoken social rules, sensitive to many different smells, textures, and sounds, and being bulllied/ignored by teachers.

8. do you have an emotional support pet? if not, would you consider it? I don't have one right now, but I would definitely consider it in the future!

9. do you find it easier to socialise with other autistics? Absolutely, they understand what I've been through and often behave in a similar manner to myself, making me feel at ease.

10. do you have autistic family members? My nephew is.

1. when were you diagnosed? (if you're self diagnosed, when did you suspect you may be autistic?) when i was likkee 12 i think 

2. how do you feel about being autistic? idk not good nor bad 

3. what are your special interests? south park , icp , zombies & vampires , japan 

4. what stims do you have? hand flaps , standing on tip toes , eye rolling , spinning 

5. what are your favourite stim toys? dont have any 

6. to you, what is the best thing about being autistic? being autistic

7. to you, what is the worst thing about being autistic?being autisic

8. do you have an emotional support pet? if not, would you consider it?no , prob not , i dont like animals 

9. do you find it easier to socialise with other autistics? yea 

10. do you have autistic family members? yes