Am I Neurodivergent?

Tik Tok has me wondering whether I am autistic… no, it’s not entirely Tik Tok’s fault, I’ve been wondering about it before Tik Tok… but the constant barage of content that gets suggested to me - ADHD, AUDHD, Autism, Neurospicy, Neurodivergent…

A part of me is fascinated from a healthcare point of view. Another part of me is genuinely wondering, “Am I ticking off these things for me?”

Where is the line between high functioning and effervesently masking?

Growing up between two cultures, Taiwanese origins and Australia, I’ve often wondered within myself, “Is this because I’m trying to navigate two cultures or is this actually autism within me?” Have I slipped through the cracks of societal norms and expectations because I’m simply being shrugged off as “Aussie and quirky” by the Taiwanese community and simply being this “other” foreign seeming Asian Australian by the Australians?

Some days, I come across content that makes me smile to myself, “I think I am neurodivergent…” As an umbrella term, perhaps, it fits me, if I were to self-diagnose. But to be ticking off more symptoms, to be fully identifying with other spectrum experiences - I can’t say yes completely. Sometimes, it’s just not that extreme for me.

Where is the line between a neurotypical meltdown and an autistic meltdown? Where is the line between neurotypical burnout and autistic burnout?

Do I feel burnt out from the corporate world? Absolutely. Do I feel burnt out from retail? Consultations? Yes. 100%. I’m not even going to go into it and what’s on my resume for the past ten years. I’m burnt out. But am I autistically burnt out or neurotypically burnt out?

Or, am I also, immigrant citizen burnt out in Australian society?

Alright, I'm going to ask Chat GPT to help me write the rest of this - what is the DSM-V list of symptoms for Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Here is a list of symptoms for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5):

1. Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, including at least two of the following:

- Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity

- Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction

- Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships

2. Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, as manifested by at least two of the following:

- Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or speech

- Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behavior

- Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus

- Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the environment

3. Symptoms must be present in the early developmental period (but may not become fully manifest until social demands exceed limited capacities, or may be masked by learned strategies in later life).

4. Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning.

5. These disturbances are not better explained by intellectual disability (intellectual developmental disorder) or global developmental delay. Intellectual disability and ASD frequently co-occur; to make comorbid diagnoses of ASD and intellectual disability, social communication should be below that expected for general developmental level.

Note: This list is not exhaustive and is only intended to provide a general overview of the diagnostic criteria for ASD. It is important to note that the DSM-5 criteria for ASD are currently being revised and may change in the future. If you have concerns about your own or someone else's mental health, it is important to speak with a qualified mental health professional.

Yeah, I don't know if I can relate to that completely... of course, this should be assessed and diagnosed by a professional.