Olivia, a recently diagnosed autistic individual, shares her top 10 autistic traits that affect her daily life. These traits include:
1. Sensory issues, such as heightened senses and sensitivity to certain textures and smells.
2. Anxiety and depression, which are common among individuals on the autism spectrum.
3. Inflexibility and difficulty with change, leading to meltdowns when routines are disrupted.
4. Difficulty socializing and making eye contact, despite being able to understand and respond to social cues.
5. Selective mutism, which can make it physically impossible for her to speak in certain situations.
6. Black-and-white thinking, making it hard for her to understand gray areas or nuances.
7. Gut issues, such as constipation and stomach aches, which are common among autistic individuals.
8. Superior long-term memory, but poor short-term memory.
9. Meltdowns, which can be triggered by seemingly minor things.
10. Difficulty with empathy and understanding others' emotions, which can make her appear insensitive.
Olivia hopes to raise awareness about autism, especially among females, who are often misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed. She shares her experiences to help others understand and accept autistic individuals.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Olivia was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) three weeks before the video was made.
2. Olivia wants to raise awareness about ASD, specifically for females with ASD.
3. Many females with ASD go undiagnosed, misdiagnosed, or diagnosed later in life.
4. Olivia was misdiagnosed and diagnosed later in life.
5. Autism is a spectrum, and not everyone has every trait.
6. No two autistic people are alike, just like no two neurotypical people are alike.
7. Olivia has sensory issues, including heightened senses.
8. Olivia needs to wear earplugs to the movies because the sound is too loud.
9. Olivia needs to wear sunglasses or squint because her eyes are sensitive.
10. Olivia has a sensitive sense of smell and can smell cigarette smoke.
11. Olivia has sensory issues with certain fabrics and needs to wear soft, loose, thin fabrics.
12. Olivia has a hard time eating certain foods due to texture issues.
13. Olivia is a picky eater and has never eaten meat in her life.
14. Olivia deals with anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses.
15. Olivia has inflexibility and an inability to change, and needs routine.
16. Olivia has a hard time socializing and making eye contact.
17. Olivia struggles with facial expressions, social cues, and body language.
18. Olivia has selective mutism and sometimes cannot speak.
19. Olivia is a logical thinker and sees things in black and white.
20. Olivia has gut issues, including severe constipation.
21. Olivia has a superior long-term memory and poor short-term memory.
22. Olivia never forgets a face, but can't remember names.
23. Olivia has meltdowns, similar to a toddler's temper tantrums.
24. Olivia struggles with empathy and understanding feelings.
25. Olivia has a hard time showing empathy and putting herself in another person's shoes.
Note: These facts are based on Olivia's personal experiences and may not be representative of all individuals with ASD.