Welcome to Female Autism! Please read this post first!META

submitted by Kehra[M] - announcement from self.femaleautism

We are glad you're here. Autism is a difficult disorder to navigate, especially for females. We are under-diagnosed, unknown (but getting closer!), and so many of us are confused about our varied symptoms.

Since this sub is brand new, it is still under construction. The plan is to provide more information on female autism in this post. Rules will be expanded. Please bear with us while we work on it.

About Me

I created this sub because I am part of the autism and aspergirls subreddits and there wasn't one here. I am 41, and I went looking for a diagnosis at 38. I read an article in the news about autism, which I only had a passing familiarity with up until then, and it sounded so much like me that I started researching.

Unfortunately, I fell into the same hole so many other females get dumped in. I was diagnosed with Social Pragmatic Language Disorder by the only autism specialist in the area. This is the unhelpful way to say I have autism. I can get no disability, no help, nothing, with that diagnosis. In the future, I will be seeking a proper diagnosis. My husband, currently the only other mod, is in Psychology and has helped me understand so much about myself that I never would have found on my own.

Links with More Information

Spectrum News - Provides the latest information on Autism

NBCI - Article that gives information on a possible gene for Aspergers. This gene is just a candidate, not a verified quantity.

Science Daily - Autistic and non-autistic brain differences isolated for first time (Website also contains related links you can look at!)

MIT News - Brain waves reflect different types of learning (Not Autism specific, but does relate to the way we learn)

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[–][deleted] 7 insightful - 2 fun7 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 2 fun -  (8 children)

is there a difference between Man and Female Autism?

[–]Kehra[S] 6 insightful - 2 fun6 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 2 fun -  (6 children)

There is a huge difference in the way we present. Female roles in society can mask our symptoms. We are supposed to be the social creatures, and all the pressure we get from others to be social make many females "mask". That means we basically mimic what we see others do rather than knowing that's what we are supposed to do. Our special interests are harder to see, sometimes because of the masking.

Some females do present like males, and of course our levels are the same as theirs. In fact, the only reason we started getting attention is because of the females that presented like males.

If you check out that first link, you'll find some more information.

[–]Snow 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

How dare you use "we" to speak for a group of people? I wonder how many of them self identify as cis female. Therefore, the name of this sub looks messed for me.

[–]Kehra[S] 8 insightful - 3 fun8 insightful - 2 fun9 insightful - 3 fun -  (4 children)

Okay I'm not trying to be an ass. I'm a female with autism. If you just want to start shit you can go somewhere else. If you want support stop being offended.

[–]Snow 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

It just you, not "we".

[–]grelb32BS in Psychology, RBT[M] 6 insightful - 2 fun6 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

As a sub, we're trying to promote a broad overview of all females with autism. Though we appreciate and encourage any subgroups who also fall under the category, we still are going to use language that reflects the broad group as a whole. If you would like to use any specific terms that refer to a specific group, we are happy to do so either on posts that relate to that specific subgroup or on a subgroup that specifically applies to that subgroup. Otherwise, we will simply assume that subscribers and their posts apply to the broad group itself and the language that applies to this subreddit. Hopefully this helps, and thanks for the discussion!

[–]Snow 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

I think I have to open a anti psychiatry sub.

[–]grelb32BS in Psychology, RBT[M] 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

You are more than welcome to do so! Autism is such a multifacted and eclectic topic that the more specific one can get, the better support they can find. As a broad topic, it can be very challenging to find others who have gone through the same experiences as oneself.

[–]Snow 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

The numbers of fitting the standard of psychiatry industry.

[–]HeyImSancho 4 insightful - 4 fun4 insightful - 3 fun5 insightful - 4 fun -  (14 children)

Vaccines, food, and pollution?

[–]Robin 4 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 2 fun -  (4 children)

The vaccine connection comes up at https://wikispooks.com/wiki/Autism

[–]Kehra[S] 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (3 children)

I feel like that CDC page titled Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism should be posted all over the place at this point.

[–]bobbobbybob 3 insightful - 3 fun3 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 3 fun -  (2 children)

next to the ones that say:

DDT is safe!

Smoking is GOOD FOR YOU!

[–]Kehra[S] 3 insightful - 3 fun3 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

Smoking reduces stress! ;)

Seriously, I'm not debating that one!!

[–]Tom_Bombadil 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

Exactly.

[–]Kehra[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (8 children)

Would you like to expound on this in some way?

[–]HeyImSancho 4 insightful - 3 fun4 insightful - 2 fun5 insightful - 3 fun -  (7 children)

My body is diseased, I've been to the allopathic doctors. They literally lump me in a very broad box. 10 years ago, that box didn't exist, and now it's one of the biggest 'boxes' out there.

I do read up on the vaccines, and what they do, I do see the results(opinion), the food is crap, we don't get any nourishment, and they're even stating Autism could be caused from bacteria in the gut(which makes me comprehend why people are drinking bleach/mms for a cure).... From there, pollution is over the top, most companies before launching any service, or product do risk management figuring in future legal fees, and settlement awards to their bottom profit line.

Does that clarify my position, or opinion on the matter enough for you?

Also, I try to comment to help boost, or foster communication. You actually spent time on your original post, so agree, or disagree, I just wanted to participate ;)

[–]Kehra[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

I do agree on the food issue. Trying to eat healthy is practically impossible. It doesn't help that my relationship to food is weird to begin with. I just sort of eat one thing for months at a time until I get sick of it then move on to the next thing.

I feel like the bacteria in the gut is a given since so many of us have issues. I have IBSD.

I never considered the pollution thing, which is kind of funny considering I grew up in the era of refineries finally getting dumped on for the crap they spew.

Thanks for explaining, I can never tell what people mean when they respond with just a couple words to things.

[–]HeyImSancho 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Thanks for explaining, I can never tell what people mean when they respond with just a couple words to things.

I agree 1000%, but I usually write way way too much, lol.

[–]Tom_Bombadil 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

If you suspect that the root cause of your condition may be the result of a deficiency in your intestinal microbiome (poop snake), then there may be hope for your condition. The lesser understood viral biome is also an unacknowledged factor, and they're interwoven.

What is Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT)?.

This video focusses on treatment for clostridium , however this treatment surely has numerous applications.

It's worth investigating this treatment option.

I wish you the best of luck. :-)

[–]Kehra[S] 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

I have heard of this. Considering it in the future.

[–]Tom_Bombadil 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I realize that it's far from the most appealing treatment, but if it helps...

[–]Airbus320 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

It will