Are Adults Self Diagnosing Autism?

Autism is becoming a more prominent discussion in many areas of life, especially in regards to children and parenting. But one trend on the rise is adults self diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Now, more than ever, adults are recognizing signs of autism in themselves, leading to contact with a professional who may diagnose them with autism or some form of ASD.

But what is adult autism… and is it really autism?

The Definition of Autism

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, autism is:

• Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction
• Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities

Sensitivity to stimuli (such as large crowds, loud offices, or too many lights) is also a major component of autism and ASD. Intense interest in a specific subject, project, or idea is often another marker. But social discomfort, inability to read social cues, and anxiety in public situations is often the hallmark of the autism spectrum.

Disclaimer: This is a basic overview. If you want to learn more about autism, visit https://www.autismspeaks.org/.

“Adult Onset” or an Imbalance?

With the rise in adult autism diagnoses, the question is, “What caused these symptoms to manifest?” If social struggles, rigid routines, sensitivity to stimuli, and nonverbal interaction have always been a problem, odds are it is truly autism or an ASD.

But what if you did not always struggle with those things? What if, in recent years, you’ve become more obsessed with routines, less communicative, and more sensitive to external stimuli? What if a recent trauma or life change has made these symptoms worse, or created those coping mechanisms?

If that’s the case, is it autism… or could it be an emotional imbalance?

Emotional Imbalance Symptoms

Emotional imbalance can manifest in many different ways, some more obvious than others. We feel “off” when we’re not fully balanced. We might feel sad and not know why, or we might feel especially anxious. We might even be lethargic, moody, or just plain down. But what happens when that imbalance gets worse or goes on for a long time?

We begin to see more dramatic symptoms. Social anxiety, crippling panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, severe depression, and a strong disinterest in many things we once enjoyed. Put this filter on the “adult autism” diagnosis. What if what we are seeing are severely imbalanced adults who need:

• To return to their passions?
• Improved ability to cope in social situations?
• More flexibility in their daily life?
• The confidence to interact?
• The focus to “tune out” the noisy world?

When you look at it through that lens, a lot of our problems might not be what we think they are. Our emotions are incredibly powerful; so powerful, in fact, that it can throw our whole system into the gutter if not on track.

If we worked slowly to return to an emotional state of balance, we could see:

• Increased interest
• Improved outlook on life’s challenges
• Better flexibility
• Higher confidence
• More focus

If you’re worried that your symptoms are not actually autism, maybe you need to look at healing yourself from the “ground up.” Our foundation is our emotional health/mental health - how we feel, negative thoughts, positive thoughts - this is where it begins. We can self diagnose all day long, but take some time to sit and think.

What are we doing, or not doing, that may be making us unhappy, or lackluster? Do we feel stuck at the moment? What is it you want to be doing. When you hear the answers to these questions, you will realize, you may be off your path. Your mind and soul, and possibly your physical body is telling you that you are off course, or that its time for a change. Reflection is needed. Life becomes mundane, its just life. When we are there, our focus wanes, our passion dips. If you know what you really want, you have achieved half the battle. Now what is the plan that can take you there, remembering you are never stuck, just need a creative plan! First there is the realization, there there is the plan. That’s where flower remedies come in.

How Flower Remedies Return Us to Balance

Flower remedies, extracts made from flowers, have incredibly subtle yet powerful abilities on our mental wellness. Because the extract contains the natural power held in the flower, the remedy harnesses those properties without scent, side effects, or interactions. You can request a consultation to highlight what areas you need help with and a blend of flower extracts will be provided.

When you use your blended flower remedy (or multiple remedies), you will finally feel a shift in those negative emotions, and, most importantly, feel a desire to see change. Soon, you’ll notice that you feel less rigid, more flexible, and more capable in social settings. Whatever your mind is telling you in the negative, is your imbalance that needs to be reversed using the remedies.

While not every concern about autism should be written off as a simple imbalance, it is worth an honest look at your situation. If you’re concerned that you have autism, you should still seek medical advice. But you can use flower remedies in conjunction with any other medication, modality, or therapy.

That means you can start supporting your emotional health today, which in turn, calms your ADD, brings a positive state of mind and moves you back to achieving your goals, which of course bring purpose and passion! Life does not have to be so difficult when we have been given these great tools from our earth to help!