HIGHLY SENSITIVE PEOPLE & AUTISM: THE HSP PROFILE OF AUTISM (CPTSD & ASD SERIES)

Me and my sister grew up in the same traumatic household. I am HSP and she is not. I have strong “autistic” traits and she does not. I would say my “autistic” behaviorisims originate from my hypersensitive nervous system, not the other way around (ie not I have hypersensitive nervous system because I am autistic). The way my sister recalls experiencing our traumatised childhood and how she has barely carried it into her adult life is completely different to my experience. For me, because of my hypersensitivity, I experienced the trauma as deeply debilitating and overwhelming and I still carry it with me.

This is probably the best video online about the overlaps of cPTSD, Autism and Hypersensitivity. I might be a bit hypersensitive as well as ADHD and for once I felt like someone understood all of the jigsaw pieces of me.

Kind of ironic that researching HSP and Autism has become my special interest lol😄

Learning that I wasn't just the shy, oversensitive, clumsy, skinpicking, chaotic, shutdown, awkward kid has been a turning point in my life. As a result of surviving 38 years with the deep core belief that there must be something thoroughly wrong with me (bc my uneducated environment didn't know that I actually needed support and some level of compassion) I naturally developed CPTSD. I also have diagnoses of ADD, Dispraxia, Depression, Anxiety and an autoimmune disorder. My psychiatrist told me I can't be autistic because I "feel too much". And even though my sons are rn in the process of getting diagnosed with autism and ADHD I'm unsure if I should still try to get an official autism diagnosis for myself. What would it even change? I am neurodivergent. I am not a failure. I am surviving in a society, that is not fit to accomodate me. I'm working hard on myself. I know unlearning these core beliefs will be an ongoing journey. And I grief the childhood and adolescence I could have had, had I been diagnosed earlier. Yet I am also looking forward to everything that is still left to uncover. To learn about the neurodivergent brain. To spread the awareness. Thank you for your work, Dr. Sage. ❤

It’s like my life has been a war, to stay afloat, and I did, and did well, and then it all collapsed. I got more than burnt out, scorched beyond repair. I tend to isolate because it’s all masking otherwise. I’m tired. Very tired.

I seriously believe that HSP is another aspect of the autistic spectrum. I have never heard anyone say that and it's so refreshing to hear it from you! Thank you, thank you! I am a woman, self-diagnosed, over a year ago, at age 68. It was incredibly horrid to go through a lifetime of not knowing what was wrong with me. And such an overwhelming relief now to finally discover who I am. Will be 70 in 2 months, and now have a whole new outlook on life, and dealing with everyday challenges. Thank you, Dr. Kim. These videos are so important ❤

I self diagnosed high masking autism, HSP, ADHD and CPTSD. Former psych major. My therapist confirmed. It was missed as a child due to being highly intelligent.

I'm so pleased that you're going over HSP CPTSD and undiagnosed autism. Public needs education on how our needs are different. Acceptance of others even though "different".

I am thankful that I've found you. I've been researching my entire adult life and have burned out and given up how figuring out what's going on with me. I've been misdiagnosed numerous times and drugged needlessly for 10 years or more. I'm shutting down now and I don't want to give up but I'm tired of these. This is no way to live.

I am a 67 year old female. I was diagnosed as Autistic at the age of 64. I am a dentist. My trauma started early, as early as kindergarten, due to teachers misunderstanding me, and my vulnerability to the attention of dangerous men. I had learning differences, as well. In order to get through college I had to tape all of my college classes, then go home afterwards and write out each lecture word for word. My career has been a series of corporate positions in which my patient care was valued until a misunderstanding would happen with staff and then with the duress of being confronted by a director, I couldn’t find the words to defend myself appropriately. Every 2.5 years, or so, I would be let go. This in itself, especially as a single parent, left me moving out of state, several times, or living in 2 places, in order to keep working. This has been a traumatic lifestyle. I know of no other dentist who has had these experiences. I was always valued for my proficiency as a diagnostician and what’s been called my “beautiful dentistry”. Overall it’s been a very traumatic highly masked life. The last position that I was let go of lead to me deciding to retire. This decision was so difficult to make as I am talented and still have much to give but just don’t want to go through what is kind of like being bullied. I’m still licensed in 2 states and even though I have paid on my student loans for over 29 years, the interest ballooned. Thank you for your videos. Also both of my daughters are Autistic, one officially diagnosed. They both have experienced the trauma of being raised by a single stressed mother, just trying to earn an income. BTW I’ve had years of, pretty much continual, CBT, along with DBT. I’ve been fortunate to establish relationships with some wonderful therapists. I can’t imagine that I would of lived without these people. Yet, none of them were able to recognize the Autism. I have been diagnosed with Cyclothymia (took Lithium for a year), situational anxiety, PTSD. Anyways, thank you for Your videos, Jane

Yes, Dr. Kim, I believe I have both. IQ of 140, poor social skills (avoidant). CPTSD from Alc. Father, and Sciz. Mother. I am 65 now- disabled RN-. No one noticed my problems but blame and shame. I did the best I could. Now I isolate and am happier.

I am so thankful you are researching this intersection of "disorders." I am late 50s female. Along with all you described regarding high sensitivity and trauma, I have always been soothed and fascinated by watching things move in certain ways, such as a front-load clothes washer (or an agitating washer before the safety lock feature) and the percolator bulb of a stovetop percolating coffee maker. There are lots of other weird things beginning from my earliest memories that I did that are classic stims, most of which I hid because I knew no one else did them. I have been misdiagnosed and placed on useless and even harmful medications so many times that I gave up years ago seeking any intervention. A couple of years ago I had to quit a "good job." My sensitivities and low threshold for becoming upset are more severe than ever, I think from years of coping. I really feel disabled. I was born well after my siblings, so my parents were pretty old when I was born. I have one daughter who is very smart but doesn't function well at all, is diagnosed with ASD, born when her dad and I were pretty old (especially dad). In a way I am sad that these things are just now being understood, and in another way I am thankful to at long last have some answers.

Thank you so much! I finally found out what is 'wrong' with me. Ironically, growing up I was blamed for being just 'too darn sensitive' by my mother as if I had a choice to turn it on or off. I go through the life feeling like I have PTSD while I can't pinpoint the exact trauma that would've caused it. I certainly reacted stronger than most to scolding, fighting parents, and other emotional events, but my strong reactions made my mother angrier for me being too sensitive. I didn't know there is a clinical term for people like me and others who feel in a similar way!

I finally received my ASD diagnosis this year, at 49 years old, after going through my life struggling as a Highly Sensitive Person. I suffer from complex PTSD, and I was also diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) in the past year. I went to countless therapists throughout my life that gave me diagnosis after diagnosis (depression, anxiety, bipolar, epilepsy,OCD), but not one single therapist ever mentioned Autism. As a woman, I feel that my Autisitc traits were simply overlooked as sensitivities, especially since I am able to mask so well in public. I appreciate this video so much, thank you.

OMG! You’ve hit so many nails on the head for me with this video that I’m a little gob-smacked. I figured out several years ago that I’m an HSP and only recently realized that I’m also an ASD person. Talk about boxes being ticked! I’m very much enjoying and learning from your videos. I hope you’re able to continue making them, but I also hope they aren’t too expensive for your mental health as well. Thank you for what you do. ❤

It’s not by coincidence I found you at the time I did…. I identify so much with this!! I’m grateful that I’m currently not working and can work on myself even more!! Ty for trudging where others haven’t and seeking your truths which definitely helps others like me!! Blessings and Hugs

This explains SO MUCH for me and my lived experience...! God, I wish everyone in my life, professionals, friends and family could see this! My special interest has definitely been, people watching / psychology my WHOLE LIFE, and I am hyper-empathic. As a highly-masking person, who discovered I am Autistic after experiencing burnout, this is literally, my story. Very excited to see this fabulous psychologist working in this now! Such a respectful presentation and very strength based ❤️

I'm not sure if I'm HSP or autistic, but the articles I've read that distinguish the two make me believe HSP is a better fit. I hope you will also present those thoughts, as the two videos I've listened to by you would lead the listener to believe HSP & autism are synonymous. We need objective, equally weighted arguments in this conversation!

You are shedding light on my challenges that have me extremely overwhelmed at nearly 60! You have hit the nail on the head. Thank you isn’t enough!!!

HSP is autism without the stigma and I will die on this hill. Our society has a bias about what autism looks like because of media portraying it as only young white men with savant skills. This is a more palatable rebranding of autism for women. I think autistic folks are born with more sensory/emotional sensitivities, making the threshold for traumatization lower. There is so much overlap. I'm excited you are bringing attention to this topic. Women and BIPOC folks going undiagnosed/unsupported is causing so much harm.