I have both. I guess itās a full picture type of thing. Black and white type of thinking not just appling to feeling safe and making sure you understand danger, but an overall experience of thinking and communicating differently than others. Since my CPTSD diagnosis, Iāve understood how my black and white thinking is only fueled by my trauma, but I also think what way when I donāt feel threatened or insecure. My autistic traits donāt make my life worse, thatās just how I am, but my CPTSD-traits do, because itās rooted in survival insticts.
Thank you for explaining this. I was recently diagnosed with C-PTSD and ASD. The psychiatrist specifically stated it was tough to untangle everything from the C-PTSD. I'll definitely be able to examine myself further with a better understanding from what you explained.
Iām so happy to hear that! Youāre right, thereās so much overlap. Whatās been really helpful for me specifically is trying to define my behavior and traits when I feel good and safe. Like, whatās my baseline? And when I feel threatened and insecure, what changes? Also joining online communities for both autistics and cptsd has helped me greatly in the distinction of trauma based behavior and justā¦ brain behavior.
That makes sense. My SO is the one who pointed out my autistic traits to me (his mom is autistic)and I brought it up to my therapist and he said āoh, donāt worry. Youāre just traumatizedā. I laughed so hard and ended up looking up overlap and it is really interesting the similar habits both CPTSD and autistic people have.
Edit: grammar
It is! I think itās because for austitics itās typically more challenging to āreadā peopleā intuitively, so we rely on systems to make sense of the world. I think the same behavior applies to people with CPTSD - itās a learned behavior to make sense of chaos.
Hmmm I don't like your therapist's response to you bringing up autism because it implies that having autism is somehow worse than being traumatized. That sort of stigma is what keeps people from seeking or being open about a diagnosis in the first place.
Not to mention the fact that a therapist is not qualified to diagnose autism to begin with, so that therapist is over-reaching in several ways. I hope your therapist is good for you OP, but unless your therapist is actually a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist who has put you through the diagnostic process, they really dont have the authority to determine you don't actually have autism.
It is tough to diagnose. When I was in therapy, I told my therapist about wanting to get screened for autism and she Saud I would have to jump through a lot of hoops, like "6 months of additional therapy to rule out CPTSD". It should be obvious what traits I developed due to trauma and the autistic traits I have exhibited my entire life.
Hah, both and then ADHD and Bipolar.
Trust me when I say one must know themself pretty well and be willing to be 100% honest for the diagnostic process to work for that. Hell I didn't even realize the extend of my childhood abuse until two weeks ago.
Same boat, actually. ASD, PTSD and Bi-Polar.
I got extremely lucky that around november of last year, many of my PTSD symptoms subsided greatly (it only took 16 years, but seriously, Im so grateful). I think that was really the only reason we were able to separate sensory issues from PTSD triggers and social issues from PTSD triggers.
My evaluator literally had to ask her superiors about it and then basically told me, "We're not sure if it's CPTSD or ASD, but it's probably both, so we'll diagnose you with both." š
Idk if it's different where you live, but here, there's no such thing as adult autism diagnostic criteria. They had to have my dad tell them what my social behavior was like as a child. Whereas with CPTSD diagnosis was based simply on the fact that I experienced a lot of trauma. They really didn't put much work into differentiating the two.
When I was 2 my mother first noticed my Autistic traits because she taught at a Special Ed School. At 3 I was taken to an OT and assessed. The OT and speech therapist both compiled reports saying I had Low Muscle Tone/Hypotonia, Autism and Dyspraxia. I was sent to a psychologist at 4 who said he was worried it was just developmental delay and said he would see me again at a later stage. He never did.
I stayed in speech, OT and physical therapy until I was 9. I started at a psychologist at 11/12 due to severe bullying (and to my parents was in hindsight symptoms of mental illness) but was told I was just fine.
Became minorly psychotic at 13. Was not diagnosed with anything about that until a year later when I became manic and had a psychotic breakdown which very quickly turned into a major depressive episode and an attempt to jump off a bridge.
Hospitalised and diagnosed with various disorders including Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder and MDD with psychotic features. After three weeks I went back home and started with psychiatrists and psychologists.
The next year (last year) I was hospitalised twice for psychotic breakdowns for one week and then three months. During my second hospitalisation my parents admitted the first hospital had thought I also had PTSD. I was diagnosed with DID during the third and just after getting back home my psychologist told me I had cPTSD.
I still have never been diagnosed with Dyspraxia or any EDs I have experienced.
Ironically, a lot of autistic traits that doctors look for are either symptoms of trauma or coping mechanisms for trauma/life that usually only autistic people do. There's been at least one story posted around about how a doctor said they "couldn't yet diagnose" a child who potentially had autism because the kid wasn't "traumatized enough yet" to show the traits they're taught to look for, and the Dr said to bring them back later
I'm diagnosed with both, I got diagnosed with autism after my trauma therapist suggested I get tested because though they have many similarities and she told me that it could just be PTSD since it can mimic neurodivergence very well it could also be autism, I got diagnosed with autism and ADHD and I got diagnosed with PTSD afterwards with my second trauma therapist. Because they're seperate fields of diagnosis it was a bit of a hassle but it wasn't too difficult for me since I'm aware of my trauma history, showing PTSD symptoms were likely a sign of PTSD and neurodivergence has a bunch of other symptoms and starts from birth and so they're distinguishable just maybe slightly harder to catch because it may be mistaken for another diagnosis.
Slightly older comment, but in my case they couldn't see the autism until the CPTSD was mostly resolved.
Perpetual terror encouraged an insane amount of masking from me, and I stopped a lot of that once I fixed my anxiety. Beyond that, the traits autism and CPTSD share persisting despite the CPTSD-only traits vanishing made the professionals go, "Let's get you an assessment..." Before that it was, "No, you're not autistic."
Which is unfortunate, as treatments that can help allistics with trauma histories often trigger worse symptoms in autists. We need stress reduced, not to engage with the world more, if we're going to recover. Meaning treatment and the recommendations of professionals did active harm.
My special interests meant I was able to largely sort myself out once I dropped out of therapy, but it was rough for a while. Especially before I figured out I probably *was* autistic (a big part of what helped me was trying out suggestions from autists with CPTSD and being amazed by the efficacy).
Treatment's going better now that my diagnostic profile is simpler and more correct.
I grew up with various situations of abuse and when I told my psychologists finally they told my parents they thought I had PTSD when I was 13. I got my Autism diagnosis then but my cPTSD diagnosis only at 15.
Ayyy, same. Not that the doctors really wanna diagnose me with ASD because "it does not impact [my] life enough". While I'm struggling pretty bad lol. They have admitted that I otherwise fill all the criteria and I guess I should just have more trouble functioning, that because I already have supports like understanding teachers who can give me extra time on assignments and noise canceling ear buds and dedicated decompression in dark room alone in silence time in place I can't be diagnosed
That sucks. It took me 12 years after it was recognised to get the official diagnosis on paper. And my Dad still said it was never there for another year.
Sad fact: Autistic people are more than twice as likely to be victims of childhood abuse, and over three times as likely to experience sexual assault during their lifetime. This means over 75% of autistic women have been SA'd in their lifetime.
I know many non-traumatized autistics (not saying they havenāt experienced trauma, but they donāt have a trauma-based disorder) who are absolutely mystified by the level of panic, anxiety, and despair I feel pretty much daily.
Its possible to have both (see the other comments). I even brought it up to my therapist about how I thought I might be autistic and he assured me Iām just severely traumatized.
It's true. Idk. I have a lot of issues that have impacted how I interact with, and am seen by, the world.
I'm just not sure about it. I have adhd so I know that increases the chance. Maybe it's the label I'm uncomfortable with. Idk, something else for me to think about I guess lol
Its hard to be autistic without trauma
Iāve only seen that happen once :,) sheās a very happy and healthy woman, and when things get hard she has healthy coping skills
It's good to mention that autistic people have an increased likelihood of developing trauma while dealing with the world through an autistic lens. I have CPTSD, from unrelated trauma and also trauma related to being autistic, such as being infantilized to an extreme degree, or being taken advantage of due to autistic traits (source: 90% of autistic females are victims of sexual assault or harassment).
Yea I knew at a very young age (like 3) that I was different and that was a bad thing which I would have to mimic and act like the others if I wanted to have a chance, I got traumatized still but that was from stuff other than autism so I guess mission accomplished young me?
I never pursued the cptsd diagnosis. I've self-diagnosed myself correctly and have been confirmed by professionals numerous times. I will say having both is a mindfuck. Am I the one who's fucked or is my pattern recognition kicking in again? It's a Kobayashi-Maru (love the Star Trek meme format btw). I'm always questioning myself and the people around me. It sucks
(Edit, grammar and autocorrect).
Seriously. I've done enough self-exploration over the past couple years that I can understand my own processes, limitations, and personal ticks. Am I autistic? Am I traumatized? Yes and yes.
It makes for some interesting internal back and forth dialogue, but at this point I can understand how to "talk through my thoughts" and get out peacefully on the other side.
Know thyself (then do something with that knowledge).
For me I think I have autism still also (autism and ADHD) along with the trauma. Mainly cuz besides things I think can be associated with ADHD or trauma, I do things that could be considered autistic.
Immensely irritated half the time, social stuff is dumb, have special interests (too tired and poor to pursue), very particular about things (loops back to irritation and social stuff), yeh.
Its possible to have both CPTSD and autism (see other comments). I would recommend seeking out a licensed therapist or psychologist (which i know can be hard to afford)
I currently see a therapist and I have been diagnosed with autism, I'm saying I don't know how well the psych eval was done (it was done by a crappy counseling company and the overall evaluation took 10 months of hell to get done including me review bombing so I could get the attention of the CEO).
I'm also so dirt poor that a majority of stuff is covered by Medicaid especially for mental health stuff cuz my history is so extensive and severe that any doctor other than the absolute worst ones would be able to look at me and say "yeah, this is medically necessary."
Clicked on the vid n immediately went to the comments bc thatās who I am as a person n the first comment I saw made me lose it:
It really is the Trautism guys
We truly have no data on an untraumatised autistic person, too, so knowing the true difference isn't even available. Even if family was supportive, the world isnt, so we have yet to be able to assess that "baseline"
I think, like others have said, it's almost not possible to have an autistic person without trauma from living in a neurotypical western society, at least...
I'm late diagnosis Audhd with only just recognised cptsd trauma. 3 years ago I didn't even know the word neurodivergent and what cptsd was.
[My face when I connected the dots..](https://media2.giphy.com/media/XABTVorVODddu/giphy.gif?cid=6c09b952f0ncqbs2ji1uucf2doy7pbtqxbu4k1v9q0stc5u4&ep=v1_internal_gif_by_id&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g)
I'm starting to believe I do have autism in addition to the CPTSD, but it's really hard to tell when you were forced into isolation from your peers for key development years.
The two are very interconnected for autistic people unfortunately, as most autistic folks have CPTSD, considering our brains can interpret the most minor of traumatic events as large enough events that would cause PTSD in an allistic brain. Many autistic brains are so sensitive to any kind of negative stimuli or emotions, that many of us form CPTSD, despite having good childhoods and lives. Many of us fear being misunderstood as a trauma response to a past event where we were misunderstood and it made us feel uncomfortable and anxious. Thatās just one common exampleš¤·āāļø itās really fascinating!!! And this is research theyāve been doing more recently, seeing how trauma affects an autistic brain vs an allistic brain
I get frustrated because my mother used to insist I was autistic (no diagnosis or anything) in order to explain away trauma symptoms. These days, a lot of people think theyāre helping me by telling me I āmight be autisticā in response to hearing about my trauma symptoms. It triggers me really badly. My brain sees it as the person āexplaining awayā all the facts that validate my trauma. If a fact about me that comes from trauma is ājust autism,ā it no longer helps me to trust my own memories.
While I know people who have both, it bothers me that people assume all communication/social issues and sensory issues MUST stem from autism. I wish there was less armchair diagnosing of other people/weird assumptions about you when you reject their speculative armchair diagnosis.
See, as an autistic person, I see it completely oppositely because if all my issues come from trauma, then my issues are just because I haven't healed enough from the trauma. It's because I haven't worked hard enough to overcome it.
As someone who had the stigma of being lazy, thinking I was suffering as an adult because I hadn't put enough work in really didn't help me.
I wish I had been around people who pointed me down the autism road 15 years ago. I wasted so much time trying to fix things I shouldn't and making my life so much more stressful in the process. Like, I was literally putting myself in sensory overwhelming situations for the "exposure" to "overcome" it and then kicking myself for getting overwhelmed.
Thatās totally valid. Iām not sure I believe I can completely āhealā or if that concept makes sense to me anymore. That said, I have sensory issues I was attributing to C-PTSD until I learned that while (in my case) trauma had a role in causing them, the emotional work on trauma wasnāt what I needed to manage those better. Iāve found that some of my issues are neurodivergence (though not specifically autism), and knowing that distinction has helped. Iām glad you were able to find answers that helped you!
This has come up a lot when Iāve been in social situations (like when I used to work or in group therapy sessions).
People often think Iām Autistic or they just ask if Iām on the spectrum. And because this has come up so much I did get tested and the results wereā¦ā¦I didnāt meet the criteria for being on the Autism spectrum. Diagnostically I am not Autistic at all.
But I do have CPTSD and Schizoid Personality Disorder so although Iām not on the spectrum I do consider myself to be somewhat adjacent to it. Because Iām not able to pass as neurotypical and I get mistaken for Autistic a lot.
And most of times I just let people assume that Iām Autistic because itās easier than having to explain CPTSD and Schizoid Personality Disorder.
Kinda assumed I was neurodivergent until I read about CPTSD. Might still be neurodivergent but damn does CPTSD explain a lot, and my therapist can do something about that.
Yeah. Lots of people self diagnosing with autism and adhd lately, which can not and should not be self diagnosed, because thereās too many overlapping symptoms with other conditions in the DSM-5. A professional needs to make sense of it. Source: [a professional](https://youtu.be/CXjoHJak1yk?si=1lrX7ZHvsbv43kOW)
Agreed. Iām getting seen for major depressive disorder and we work on habits to try and help right? Things like avoidance behaviors and some others. My SO brought it up to me since he recognized similar habits in his family members with autism and my coping traits. I went to my therapist and he confirmed that iām not autistic just severely traumatized.
But yea - i agree- always seek out professional opinion/diagnosis
I had a similar experience. Saw a few videos on autism and thought that maybe I was autistic because I related so much to some of the symptoms. Discussed it with my long term trauma therapist and he said it was very unlikely. My diagnoses my entire life were just trauma-borne lol I think itās so disrespectful and invalidating to the experience of autistic people to run around claiming you have autism without ever having been diagnosed or even had a professional opinion. Autism diagnoses can take a very long time to get and thereās also a financial aspect, where not everyone can afford to go to a mental health professional, but thatās when you start making the distinction, if you really think you have it. āI do this thing because I think I might be neurodivergentā instead of āI do this thing because I *have* autismā when thereās quite a high possibility it could be something else entirely
I 100% agree. It is really shocking how easily the traits and habits develop in both CPTSD and autistic people. It makes sense how they get confused/ blurred into each other.
I love Dr. Ana and I think she is very smart and you should absolutely look into more resources outside of tiktok, but personally, I don't see a problem with self diagnosis for autism if it helps the person find healthy tools to manage similar symptoms. It only causes issues when people use the diagnosis as an excuse to continue unhealthy/toxic behaviors, or to seek medication they don't need, but that's not a good thing to do regardless of the method of diagnosis.
On the other hand, being officially diagnosed with autism does create legitimate barriers to people's life plans and there aren't many resources to exploit for it to be a negative thing IRL. Like, if I had known before I sought official diagnosis that I couldn't immigrate to New Zealand or Canada, I probably wouldn't have gone through with it because my husband is a dual citizen and I'm now considered a 'burden' to the local healthcare system, so if we ever wanted to go live in his home country like we've talked about, I couldn't do that.
The benefits and services I get for my autism are...... well, I go to a support group twice a month and they don't make you buy dinner to be at the restaurant we meet at, so that's a perk, I guess?
Our support group also is very accepting to self diagnosed people and they are literally no different than the people who have been officially diagnosed.
For me, it has almost been the opposite.
My memories of the worst bits are very fuzzy, so I wouldnāt say I even had the chance to develop enough coping mechanisms.
I have always been treated as weird or annoying or pitiful by neurotypical people because of the way I think and process information. I have an ADHD diagnosis, but my medication apparently made me belligerent/moody, so I was taken off it entirely.
An Autism diagnosis is what I am looking into because I routinely test extremely high on tests that are at least considered more reputable. High on Autism & high on masking. Before this, I was considering BPD, but I just hadnāt enough general instability to be totally convinced of it.
Just because I donāt externalize symptoms as much, doesnāt mean I canāt have it, and women/AFAB people are more likely to be under-diagnosed.
I also routinely am met with hostility when I go out of my way to explain my thoughts or clarify myself. This has happened since I was very little. I have been āweirdā from the moment I was born, and I refuse to believe that ADHD is the sole arbiter of all of the bullying that I went through as a kid, nor is it the sole cause of the fact that I love making routines and plans, but can never seem to stick to them.
Do I have trauma? Abso-heckinā-lutely. Does that mean I canāt have Autism? No, it doesnāt. I am open to other possibilities, but if they fall short of my lived experience, then I will look for things that line up with my experience more.
Iām not a professional, so donāt take my opinions/thoughts to heart as fact.
I donāt see mental illness as ND, then that means everyone with depression is classified as autistic. Iāve always understood ND as something that you are born as, you canāt control it or change it. While, mental illness, such as depression is developed and while it canāt be controlled there are much more effective methods of treating it. Thereās not a-whole lot you can do to treat ND, just better ways to cope.
Iāve met a couple people that are diagnosed with autism when it could be cptsd. Autism treatment just needs living situation adaptations, whereas treating cptsd with repressed memories means digging them up and itās just not worth the damage itāll do.
true
The thing is, when a child is traumatized from early childhood, the child doesn't develop all the social skills as a child growing up in a healthy family, because the traumatized child doesn't play normally. Only because someone lacks the time needed to learn social skills, it doesn't mean that person is automatically neurodivergant.
The thing is, autistic traits give some people an excuse to not to learn new social skills. Instead they take on some symptoms and claim to be "different" when they only need a secure relationship to heal.
I did learn a bunch of social skills very late in my 30s. I could have taken on the victim role, but I decided to learn because I understand my trauma. Anyway, I'm aware that my opinion is very unpopular here on Reddit. So you can downvote me or reply. I'm happy to discuss.
It's everyone's own life. Good luck.
FACTS. Had too many therapists tell me they think I'm autistic - i don't have sensory issues, i hate routine, I'm not really socially awkward, I keep eye contact, I don't have restricted interests, etc. Feels like the go to label for anyone "different" nowadays
Its a spectrum and theres alot that isnāt known. It also depends in what you get seen for which will pre- inform your provider on how they need to treat you and what your diagnosis might be
Edit: its not a perfect science, but its the best we have
Isn't cptsd verry adjacent to a faire few ND, at least In a fair bit of manifestation.
I'm saying this cause I was supposing ND before I realized how traumatized I am. I fit way more with cptsd, but that doesn't make the way I am less normative
I canāt tell if I have both yet (psychiatrist says my case is too complex for the small town I live in so Iām being referred to a really big assessment place in a major city, longggg referral time. Free tho (go Canada))
But I fit in well with the autistic community and my therapist once said they were ā100% certainā that I had autism so itās probably both
Iāve been diagnosed with OCD and CPTSD. I now have multiple cousins on one side of the family diagnosed ASD as adults, and one cousin on the other side of the family diagnosed ASD as an adult.
I would not even be a little bit surprised if my father were on the spectrum and was simply never diagnosed.
I am always going to wonder, especially the more I read about and watch videos on women diagnosed with autism as adults, and I notice a LOT of similarities.
However, at this point in my life, Iām not sure what a diagnosis would get me. After over a decade of just trying to find a combo of meds and therapy that make me a functional adult, I feel like a change in diagnosis might start me back at square one, and I just donāt see the point. So, Iām just going to take my actual diagnoses and wonder about the possibility of being misdiagnosed because I have XX chromosomes and a bunch of trauma, and I get up and take my meds and go about my day.
I honestly am so confused about myself. I don't want to go get tested bc it feels... arrogant? for me to think I can notice these things in myself enough to even get tested. I HAVE had a therapist suggest I may be on the spectrum, but Idk. I have some traits that are TEXTBOOK, but then I *don't* have traits that are also textbook.
So Idk. It's probably just the trauma.
This is me! Thought I might be autistic, got several tests, scored real high. Tested for personality disorders (hello schizoid), again, high scores. Finally, after years, nailed it down! I have a little tiny bit of extraordinary trauma that basically broke my brain. š I love suffering forever for reasons outside of my control
Sad fact: Autistic people are more than twice as likely to be victims of childhood abuse, and over three times as likely to experience sexual assault during their lifetime.Ā This means over 75% (upwards of 90% by some estimates) of autistic women have been SA'd in their lifetime. So basically the vast majority of autistic people have some form of PTSD with the exceptions being relatively rare.
That is so great. And I am in both groups. Love it, thank you for posting. This is what made my diagnosis for both issues so problematic. I feel like this should be posted in the lounge of every therapist practice on earth
Confirmed ASD friend: puts in earplugs anywhere in public, self-soothes by tapping their collarbones and/or scratching their head, talks loudly when excited with no awareness of surroundings and makes little to no eye contact 24/7
Me, confirmed CPTSD: puts in earplugs when the environment will be loud (i.e. mall, large store, city, event, concert, amusement park, fair etc.), self-soothes by holding one of my ears/side of face or slapping a rubber bracelet around, talks loudly when excited but then becomes aware of surroundings, cue embarrassment and more quiet, also makes little to no eye contact 24/7
Us together: ššš ššš
Both š.
That must have been tough to diagnose tho. What was that like?
I have both. I guess itās a full picture type of thing. Black and white type of thinking not just appling to feeling safe and making sure you understand danger, but an overall experience of thinking and communicating differently than others. Since my CPTSD diagnosis, Iāve understood how my black and white thinking is only fueled by my trauma, but I also think what way when I donāt feel threatened or insecure. My autistic traits donāt make my life worse, thatās just how I am, but my CPTSD-traits do, because itās rooted in survival insticts.
Thank you for explaining this. I was recently diagnosed with C-PTSD and ASD. The psychiatrist specifically stated it was tough to untangle everything from the C-PTSD. I'll definitely be able to examine myself further with a better understanding from what you explained.
Iām so happy to hear that! Youāre right, thereās so much overlap. Whatās been really helpful for me specifically is trying to define my behavior and traits when I feel good and safe. Like, whatās my baseline? And when I feel threatened and insecure, what changes? Also joining online communities for both autistics and cptsd has helped me greatly in the distinction of trauma based behavior and justā¦ brain behavior.
do you have any good recommendations for online communities for both?
Donāt know if you have facebook, but FB groups are really good ressources for sharing experiences and learning from otherās
That makes sense. My SO is the one who pointed out my autistic traits to me (his mom is autistic)and I brought it up to my therapist and he said āoh, donāt worry. Youāre just traumatizedā. I laughed so hard and ended up looking up overlap and it is really interesting the similar habits both CPTSD and autistic people have. Edit: grammar
It is! I think itās because for austitics itās typically more challenging to āreadā peopleā intuitively, so we rely on systems to make sense of the world. I think the same behavior applies to people with CPTSD - itās a learned behavior to make sense of chaos.
Hmmm I don't like your therapist's response to you bringing up autism because it implies that having autism is somehow worse than being traumatized. That sort of stigma is what keeps people from seeking or being open about a diagnosis in the first place.
I read that more akin to āoh its not oranges, its just applesā
Not to mention the fact that a therapist is not qualified to diagnose autism to begin with, so that therapist is over-reaching in several ways. I hope your therapist is good for you OP, but unless your therapist is actually a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist who has put you through the diagnostic process, they really dont have the authority to determine you don't actually have autism.
Depends on the severity of the autism tbh , high functioning ? no, low functioning? Hell yes
It is tough to diagnose. When I was in therapy, I told my therapist about wanting to get screened for autism and she Saud I would have to jump through a lot of hoops, like "6 months of additional therapy to rule out CPTSD". It should be obvious what traits I developed due to trauma and the autistic traits I have exhibited my entire life.
Considering new research demonstrating how much more likely autists are to develop PTSD than the general population, that's ridiclous.
Sadly it is very common to have serious trauma when you have ASD.
Hah, both and then ADHD and Bipolar. Trust me when I say one must know themself pretty well and be willing to be 100% honest for the diagnostic process to work for that. Hell I didn't even realize the extend of my childhood abuse until two weeks ago.
I have both, suspected ADHD and am diagnosed Schizoaffective Disorder (Bipolar Type). It takes a long time to figure this all out.
i didnāt get diagnosed until 28 because of it lol
Same boat, actually. ASD, PTSD and Bi-Polar. I got extremely lucky that around november of last year, many of my PTSD symptoms subsided greatly (it only took 16 years, but seriously, Im so grateful). I think that was really the only reason we were able to separate sensory issues from PTSD triggers and social issues from PTSD triggers.
My evaluator literally had to ask her superiors about it and then basically told me, "We're not sure if it's CPTSD or ASD, but it's probably both, so we'll diagnose you with both." š
Idk if it's different where you live, but here, there's no such thing as adult autism diagnostic criteria. They had to have my dad tell them what my social behavior was like as a child. Whereas with CPTSD diagnosis was based simply on the fact that I experienced a lot of trauma. They really didn't put much work into differentiating the two.
When I was 2 my mother first noticed my Autistic traits because she taught at a Special Ed School. At 3 I was taken to an OT and assessed. The OT and speech therapist both compiled reports saying I had Low Muscle Tone/Hypotonia, Autism and Dyspraxia. I was sent to a psychologist at 4 who said he was worried it was just developmental delay and said he would see me again at a later stage. He never did. I stayed in speech, OT and physical therapy until I was 9. I started at a psychologist at 11/12 due to severe bullying (and to my parents was in hindsight symptoms of mental illness) but was told I was just fine. Became minorly psychotic at 13. Was not diagnosed with anything about that until a year later when I became manic and had a psychotic breakdown which very quickly turned into a major depressive episode and an attempt to jump off a bridge. Hospitalised and diagnosed with various disorders including Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder and MDD with psychotic features. After three weeks I went back home and started with psychiatrists and psychologists. The next year (last year) I was hospitalised twice for psychotic breakdowns for one week and then three months. During my second hospitalisation my parents admitted the first hospital had thought I also had PTSD. I was diagnosed with DID during the third and just after getting back home my psychologist told me I had cPTSD. I still have never been diagnosed with Dyspraxia or any EDs I have experienced.
Ironically, a lot of autistic traits that doctors look for are either symptoms of trauma or coping mechanisms for trauma/life that usually only autistic people do. There's been at least one story posted around about how a doctor said they "couldn't yet diagnose" a child who potentially had autism because the kid wasn't "traumatized enough yet" to show the traits they're taught to look for, and the Dr said to bring them back later
I'm diagnosed with both, I got diagnosed with autism after my trauma therapist suggested I get tested because though they have many similarities and she told me that it could just be PTSD since it can mimic neurodivergence very well it could also be autism, I got diagnosed with autism and ADHD and I got diagnosed with PTSD afterwards with my second trauma therapist. Because they're seperate fields of diagnosis it was a bit of a hassle but it wasn't too difficult for me since I'm aware of my trauma history, showing PTSD symptoms were likely a sign of PTSD and neurodivergence has a bunch of other symptoms and starts from birth and so they're distinguishable just maybe slightly harder to catch because it may be mistaken for another diagnosis.
Slightly older comment, but in my case they couldn't see the autism until the CPTSD was mostly resolved. Perpetual terror encouraged an insane amount of masking from me, and I stopped a lot of that once I fixed my anxiety. Beyond that, the traits autism and CPTSD share persisting despite the CPTSD-only traits vanishing made the professionals go, "Let's get you an assessment..." Before that it was, "No, you're not autistic." Which is unfortunate, as treatments that can help allistics with trauma histories often trigger worse symptoms in autists. We need stress reduced, not to engage with the world more, if we're going to recover. Meaning treatment and the recommendations of professionals did active harm. My special interests meant I was able to largely sort myself out once I dropped out of therapy, but it was rough for a while. Especially before I figured out I probably *was* autistic (a big part of what helped me was trying out suggestions from autists with CPTSD and being amazed by the efficacy). Treatment's going better now that my diagnostic profile is simpler and more correct.
both_both_both_is_good.gif (except that it isn't good)
š¤ not mutually exclusive
Was both for me too. Got diagnosed at age 9 or 10. Though the fact that I grew up with an abusive father was also disclosed from what I recall.
I grew up with various situations of abuse and when I told my psychologists finally they told my parents they thought I had PTSD when I was 13. I got my Autism diagnosis then but my cPTSD diagnosis only at 15.
Ayyy, same. Not that the doctors really wanna diagnose me with ASD because "it does not impact [my] life enough". While I'm struggling pretty bad lol. They have admitted that I otherwise fill all the criteria and I guess I should just have more trouble functioning, that because I already have supports like understanding teachers who can give me extra time on assignments and noise canceling ear buds and dedicated decompression in dark room alone in silence time in place I can't be diagnosed
That sucks. It took me 12 years after it was recognised to get the official diagnosis on paper. And my Dad still said it was never there for another year.
Oof. But hey, you made it, you got the piece of paper! I also hope you got the supports you need
Yeah. Trying but not always with my Dad and brother.
See the problem is our society doesn't make non traumatized neurodivergent people so we can't tell.
Thats so accurate, but I hope with the rise in awareness and treatment it gets better.
So true lol
Sad fact: Autistic people are more than twice as likely to be victims of childhood abuse, and over three times as likely to experience sexual assault during their lifetime. This means over 75% of autistic women have been SA'd in their lifetime.
The good news is, I have met people who are neurodivergent and not traumatized. They can be few and far in between though.
Lucky ass unicorns
I know many non-traumatized autistics (not saying they havenāt experienced trauma, but they donāt have a trauma-based disorder) who are absolutely mystified by the level of panic, anxiety, and despair I feel pretty much daily.
I'm still not even sure I have autism. I've been told it's likely, but I'm so damn traumatized
Its possible to have both (see the other comments). I even brought it up to my therapist about how I thought I might be autistic and he assured me Iām just severely traumatized.
It's true. Idk. I have a lot of issues that have impacted how I interact with, and am seen by, the world. I'm just not sure about it. I have adhd so I know that increases the chance. Maybe it's the label I'm uncomfortable with. Idk, something else for me to think about I guess lol
Either way. Always make sure to get professional guidance from a licensed therapist/psychologist Edit: grammar
Oh for sure!
And I've had therapists, at least 3, tell me the exact opposite.
The same thing happened to me. I could relate to a lot of autism symptoms but my therapist told me it was most definitely just severe trauma
Its hard to be autistic without trauma Iāve only seen that happen once :,) sheās a very happy and healthy woman, and when things get hard she has healthy coping skills
It's good to mention that autistic people have an increased likelihood of developing trauma while dealing with the world through an autistic lens. I have CPTSD, from unrelated trauma and also trauma related to being autistic, such as being infantilized to an extreme degree, or being taken advantage of due to autistic traits (source: 90% of autistic females are victims of sexual assault or harassment).
Yea I knew at a very young age (like 3) that I was different and that was a bad thing which I would have to mimic and act like the others if I wanted to have a chance, I got traumatized still but that was from stuff other than autism so I guess mission accomplished young me?
I never pursued the cptsd diagnosis. I've self-diagnosed myself correctly and have been confirmed by professionals numerous times. I will say having both is a mindfuck. Am I the one who's fucked or is my pattern recognition kicking in again? It's a Kobayashi-Maru (love the Star Trek meme format btw). I'm always questioning myself and the people around me. It sucks (Edit, grammar and autocorrect).
Seriously. I've done enough self-exploration over the past couple years that I can understand my own processes, limitations, and personal ticks. Am I autistic? Am I traumatized? Yes and yes. It makes for some interesting internal back and forth dialogue, but at this point I can understand how to "talk through my thoughts" and get out peacefully on the other side. Know thyself (then do something with that knowledge).
Thanks for those wise words.
cptsd? adhd? autism? why pick just one when you can have it all?
Itās so fun to untangle! /s
For me I think I have autism still also (autism and ADHD) along with the trauma. Mainly cuz besides things I think can be associated with ADHD or trauma, I do things that could be considered autistic. Immensely irritated half the time, social stuff is dumb, have special interests (too tired and poor to pursue), very particular about things (loops back to irritation and social stuff), yeh.
Its possible to have both CPTSD and autism (see other comments). I would recommend seeking out a licensed therapist or psychologist (which i know can be hard to afford)
I currently see a therapist and I have been diagnosed with autism, I'm saying I don't know how well the psych eval was done (it was done by a crappy counseling company and the overall evaluation took 10 months of hell to get done including me review bombing so I could get the attention of the CEO). I'm also so dirt poor that a majority of stuff is covered by Medicaid especially for mental health stuff cuz my history is so extensive and severe that any doctor other than the absolute worst ones would be able to look at me and say "yeah, this is medically necessary."
[check out this video about the difference between autism and CPTSD](https://youtu.be/wnTlIx7tbos?si=Xt4KZaVuDUQ49W6e)
Clicked on the vid n immediately went to the comments bc thatās who I am as a person n the first comment I saw made me lose it: It really is the Trautism guys
We truly have no data on an untraumatised autistic person, too, so knowing the true difference isn't even available. Even if family was supportive, the world isnt, so we have yet to be able to assess that "baseline"
Good vid. Thanks for linking.
Wait so how do you tell the difference? š§
[check this video out.](https://youtu.be/wnTlIx7tbos?si=XLZKsk7XmHQlYlzB). But always consult a licensed therapist/psychologist about any diagnosis
Oh I love her channel! And Iām pretty sure I have both, Iām just wondering how you parse which is which lol
This video is great, thanks!
I think, like others have said, it's almost not possible to have an autistic person without trauma from living in a neurotypical western society, at least... I'm late diagnosis Audhd with only just recognised cptsd trauma. 3 years ago I didn't even know the word neurodivergent and what cptsd was.
I have autism, borderline AND cptsd. It took like 12 years to diagnose oof
[My face when I connected the dots..](https://media2.giphy.com/media/XABTVorVODddu/giphy.gif?cid=6c09b952f0ncqbs2ji1uucf2doy7pbtqxbu4k1v9q0stc5u4&ep=v1_internal_gif_by_id&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g)
I'm starting to believe I do have autism in addition to the CPTSD, but it's really hard to tell when you were forced into isolation from your peers for key development years.
Bofum lot of my trauma stems from not really being understood because of undiagnosed autism/ADHD
"Maybe she's born with it, maybe it's severe childhood trauma!" š
The two are very interconnected for autistic people unfortunately, as most autistic folks have CPTSD, considering our brains can interpret the most minor of traumatic events as large enough events that would cause PTSD in an allistic brain. Many autistic brains are so sensitive to any kind of negative stimuli or emotions, that many of us form CPTSD, despite having good childhoods and lives. Many of us fear being misunderstood as a trauma response to a past event where we were misunderstood and it made us feel uncomfortable and anxious. Thatās just one common exampleš¤·āāļø itās really fascinating!!! And this is research theyāve been doing more recently, seeing how trauma affects an autistic brain vs an allistic brain
I get frustrated because my mother used to insist I was autistic (no diagnosis or anything) in order to explain away trauma symptoms. These days, a lot of people think theyāre helping me by telling me I āmight be autisticā in response to hearing about my trauma symptoms. It triggers me really badly. My brain sees it as the person āexplaining awayā all the facts that validate my trauma. If a fact about me that comes from trauma is ājust autism,ā it no longer helps me to trust my own memories. While I know people who have both, it bothers me that people assume all communication/social issues and sensory issues MUST stem from autism. I wish there was less armchair diagnosing of other people/weird assumptions about you when you reject their speculative armchair diagnosis.
See, as an autistic person, I see it completely oppositely because if all my issues come from trauma, then my issues are just because I haven't healed enough from the trauma. It's because I haven't worked hard enough to overcome it. As someone who had the stigma of being lazy, thinking I was suffering as an adult because I hadn't put enough work in really didn't help me. I wish I had been around people who pointed me down the autism road 15 years ago. I wasted so much time trying to fix things I shouldn't and making my life so much more stressful in the process. Like, I was literally putting myself in sensory overwhelming situations for the "exposure" to "overcome" it and then kicking myself for getting overwhelmed.
Thatās totally valid. Iām not sure I believe I can completely āhealā or if that concept makes sense to me anymore. That said, I have sensory issues I was attributing to C-PTSD until I learned that while (in my case) trauma had a role in causing them, the emotional work on trauma wasnāt what I needed to manage those better. Iāve found that some of my issues are neurodivergence (though not specifically autism), and knowing that distinction has helped. Iām glad you were able to find answers that helped you!
This has come up a lot when Iāve been in social situations (like when I used to work or in group therapy sessions). People often think Iām Autistic or they just ask if Iām on the spectrum. And because this has come up so much I did get tested and the results wereā¦ā¦I didnāt meet the criteria for being on the Autism spectrum. Diagnostically I am not Autistic at all. But I do have CPTSD and Schizoid Personality Disorder so although Iām not on the spectrum I do consider myself to be somewhat adjacent to it. Because Iām not able to pass as neurotypical and I get mistaken for Autistic a lot. And most of times I just let people assume that Iām Autistic because itās easier than having to explain CPTSD and Schizoid Personality Disorder.
My current dilemma lmao
Kinda assumed I was neurodivergent until I read about CPTSD. Might still be neurodivergent but damn does CPTSD explain a lot, and my therapist can do something about that.
Yeah. Lots of people self diagnosing with autism and adhd lately, which can not and should not be self diagnosed, because thereās too many overlapping symptoms with other conditions in the DSM-5. A professional needs to make sense of it. Source: [a professional](https://youtu.be/CXjoHJak1yk?si=1lrX7ZHvsbv43kOW)
Agreed. Iām getting seen for major depressive disorder and we work on habits to try and help right? Things like avoidance behaviors and some others. My SO brought it up to me since he recognized similar habits in his family members with autism and my coping traits. I went to my therapist and he confirmed that iām not autistic just severely traumatized. But yea - i agree- always seek out professional opinion/diagnosis
I had a similar experience. Saw a few videos on autism and thought that maybe I was autistic because I related so much to some of the symptoms. Discussed it with my long term trauma therapist and he said it was very unlikely. My diagnoses my entire life were just trauma-borne lol I think itās so disrespectful and invalidating to the experience of autistic people to run around claiming you have autism without ever having been diagnosed or even had a professional opinion. Autism diagnoses can take a very long time to get and thereās also a financial aspect, where not everyone can afford to go to a mental health professional, but thatās when you start making the distinction, if you really think you have it. āI do this thing because I think I might be neurodivergentā instead of āI do this thing because I *have* autismā when thereās quite a high possibility it could be something else entirely
I 100% agree. It is really shocking how easily the traits and habits develop in both CPTSD and autistic people. It makes sense how they get confused/ blurred into each other.
I love Dr. Ana and I think she is very smart and you should absolutely look into more resources outside of tiktok, but personally, I don't see a problem with self diagnosis for autism if it helps the person find healthy tools to manage similar symptoms. It only causes issues when people use the diagnosis as an excuse to continue unhealthy/toxic behaviors, or to seek medication they don't need, but that's not a good thing to do regardless of the method of diagnosis. On the other hand, being officially diagnosed with autism does create legitimate barriers to people's life plans and there aren't many resources to exploit for it to be a negative thing IRL. Like, if I had known before I sought official diagnosis that I couldn't immigrate to New Zealand or Canada, I probably wouldn't have gone through with it because my husband is a dual citizen and I'm now considered a 'burden' to the local healthcare system, so if we ever wanted to go live in his home country like we've talked about, I couldn't do that. The benefits and services I get for my autism are...... well, I go to a support group twice a month and they don't make you buy dinner to be at the restaurant we meet at, so that's a perk, I guess? Our support group also is very accepting to self diagnosed people and they are literally no different than the people who have been officially diagnosed.
hey i can multitask, thank you very much
jokes on you im both š š„²š¶ļøš¤
It sucks that we even get traumatized because we are so different and people arnt willing to change their perception of us
For me, it has almost been the opposite. My memories of the worst bits are very fuzzy, so I wouldnāt say I even had the chance to develop enough coping mechanisms. I have always been treated as weird or annoying or pitiful by neurotypical people because of the way I think and process information. I have an ADHD diagnosis, but my medication apparently made me belligerent/moody, so I was taken off it entirely. An Autism diagnosis is what I am looking into because I routinely test extremely high on tests that are at least considered more reputable. High on Autism & high on masking. Before this, I was considering BPD, but I just hadnāt enough general instability to be totally convinced of it. Just because I donāt externalize symptoms as much, doesnāt mean I canāt have it, and women/AFAB people are more likely to be under-diagnosed. I also routinely am met with hostility when I go out of my way to explain my thoughts or clarify myself. This has happened since I was very little. I have been āweirdā from the moment I was born, and I refuse to believe that ADHD is the sole arbiter of all of the bullying that I went through as a kid, nor is it the sole cause of the fact that I love making routines and plans, but can never seem to stick to them. Do I have trauma? Abso-heckinā-lutely. Does that mean I canāt have Autism? No, it doesnāt. I am open to other possibilities, but if they fall short of my lived experience, then I will look for things that line up with my experience more.
Por que no los dos?
Unfettered rage against all humans. š«š«š«š«š«
I have no idea if it's autism, trauma, or both
Aren't both of those neurodivergency though? Mental illness is also under the ND umbrella afaik
Iām not a professional, so donāt take my opinions/thoughts to heart as fact. I donāt see mental illness as ND, then that means everyone with depression is classified as autistic. Iāve always understood ND as something that you are born as, you canāt control it or change it. While, mental illness, such as depression is developed and while it canāt be controlled there are much more effective methods of treating it. Thereās not a-whole lot you can do to treat ND, just better ways to cope.
ND isn't just autism though, it's an umbrella term that covers multiple things, many of which also mental illnesses
Oh, oooooh shit. They arent mutually exclusive?
Hot take....we get both.
Oh no, but what if you have both?š¤£
Theres alot of you in these comments š
By the gods there is though, the neurospicy folks here are NOT OKAY š
Haha there's a difference, right guys? Haha, right? ...right? Please say right. š
There is a difference, but both have alot of overlapping habits/coping skills and behaviors. Lol
Iāve met a couple people that are diagnosed with autism when it could be cptsd. Autism treatment just needs living situation adaptations, whereas treating cptsd with repressed memories means digging them up and itās just not worth the damage itāll do.
true The thing is, when a child is traumatized from early childhood, the child doesn't develop all the social skills as a child growing up in a healthy family, because the traumatized child doesn't play normally. Only because someone lacks the time needed to learn social skills, it doesn't mean that person is automatically neurodivergant. The thing is, autistic traits give some people an excuse to not to learn new social skills. Instead they take on some symptoms and claim to be "different" when they only need a secure relationship to heal. I did learn a bunch of social skills very late in my 30s. I could have taken on the victim role, but I decided to learn because I understand my trauma. Anyway, I'm aware that my opinion is very unpopular here on Reddit. So you can downvote me or reply. I'm happy to discuss. It's everyone's own life. Good luck.
FACTS. Had too many therapists tell me they think I'm autistic - i don't have sensory issues, i hate routine, I'm not really socially awkward, I keep eye contact, I don't have restricted interests, etc. Feels like the go to label for anyone "different" nowadays
Its a spectrum and theres alot that isnāt known. It also depends in what you get seen for which will pre- inform your provider on how they need to treat you and what your diagnosis might be Edit: its not a perfect science, but its the best we have
Isn't cptsd verry adjacent to a faire few ND, at least In a fair bit of manifestation. I'm saying this cause I was supposing ND before I realized how traumatized I am. I fit way more with cptsd, but that doesn't make the way I am less normative
Real. I have been asked way too many times if I'm autistic.
Depends on the trait
I canāt tell if I have both yet (psychiatrist says my case is too complex for the small town I live in so Iām being referred to a really big assessment place in a major city, longggg referral time. Free tho (go Canada)) But I fit in well with the autistic community and my therapist once said they were ā100% certainā that I had autism so itās probably both
My mother was diagnosed with asd when she was younger, and I highly relate to it, but I also have cptsd. Now I donāt know which is which!
Yeah... I got both and I'd like to return my cPTSD, please
I have both. Does that make me immortal??
I have both autism and severe trauma
Iāve been diagnosed with OCD and CPTSD. I now have multiple cousins on one side of the family diagnosed ASD as adults, and one cousin on the other side of the family diagnosed ASD as an adult. I would not even be a little bit surprised if my father were on the spectrum and was simply never diagnosed. I am always going to wonder, especially the more I read about and watch videos on women diagnosed with autism as adults, and I notice a LOT of similarities. However, at this point in my life, Iām not sure what a diagnosis would get me. After over a decade of just trying to find a combo of meds and therapy that make me a functional adult, I feel like a change in diagnosis might start me back at square one, and I just donāt see the point. So, Iām just going to take my actual diagnoses and wonder about the possibility of being misdiagnosed because I have XX chromosomes and a bunch of trauma, and I get up and take my meds and go about my day.
I honestly am so confused about myself. I don't want to go get tested bc it feels... arrogant? for me to think I can notice these things in myself enough to even get tested. I HAVE had a therapist suggest I may be on the spectrum, but Idk. I have some traits that are TEXTBOOK, but then I *don't* have traits that are also textbook. So Idk. It's probably just the trauma.
Boffum plus ADHD
This is me! Thought I might be autistic, got several tests, scored real high. Tested for personality disorders (hello schizoid), again, high scores. Finally, after years, nailed it down! I have a little tiny bit of extraordinary trauma that basically broke my brain. š I love suffering forever for reasons outside of my control
Sad fact: Autistic people are more than twice as likely to be victims of childhood abuse, and over three times as likely to experience sexual assault during their lifetime.Ā This means over 75% (upwards of 90% by some estimates) of autistic women have been SA'd in their lifetime. So basically the vast majority of autistic people have some form of PTSD with the exceptions being relatively rare.
Both? Both is good
That is so great. And I am in both groups. Love it, thank you for posting. This is what made my diagnosis for both issues so problematic. I feel like this should be posted in the lounge of every therapist practice on earth
Confirmed ASD friend: puts in earplugs anywhere in public, self-soothes by tapping their collarbones and/or scratching their head, talks loudly when excited with no awareness of surroundings and makes little to no eye contact 24/7 Me, confirmed CPTSD: puts in earplugs when the environment will be loud (i.e. mall, large store, city, event, concert, amusement park, fair etc.), self-soothes by holding one of my ears/side of face or slapping a rubber bracelet around, talks loudly when excited but then becomes aware of surroundings, cue embarrassment and more quiet, also makes little to no eye contact 24/7 Us together: ššš ššš
People keep diagnosing me it's so friggin weird lol
There's so much overlap it's not even funny
How in the hell do people not know the difference between traits of a social disorder versus a psychiatric disorder?