Timara (she/her)
A
thread 1/9
A year or two ago, while in therapy, I inquired about whether I may be on the spectrum. My therapist wasn't trained to diagnose, so she gave me a few options for those who could.

And each and every single one didn't take insurance. It was also expensive as hell.
09:37 PM - Sep 16, 2023
Avatar Avatar Avatar
0
12
7
Timara (she/her)
A
thread 2/9
So I found what I thought was a reliable website that offered a reasonably price assessment. And took it.

I had my concerns. I'm a Black woman. I know Autism doesn't present the same way for us and a lot of people aren't adequately trained to truly diagnose us.
09:39 PM - Sep 16, 2023
1
2
Timara (she/her)
A
thread 3/9
While I knew something was off, I mean it had to be in order for me to even think I may be on the spectrum, I left it in the hands of the assessment. I knew, if anything, I would be considered high functioning.

But the results came back as me NOT being on the spectrum.
09:40 PM - Sep 16, 2023
1
2
Timara (she/her)
A
thread 4/9
So I left it at that. I told my therapist, a Black woman, the test results and that was that.

But I stumbled across another test today on Spoutible and decided to take it. If anything, it would confirm I'm not on the spectrum. Right?
09:42 PM - Sep 16, 2023
1
2
Timara (she/her)
A
thread 5/9
Wrong! This test said my symptoms are moderate.

Um, WTF!

I mean, it makes sense but then it doesn't. Because how could I, at 37, have gone that long without some type of diagnosis? Or, better yet, support?
09:45 PM - Sep 16, 2023
2
2
Timara (she/her)
A
thread 6/9
Now I'm sitting with the uncomfortable truth that I may need to see this through and get a definite diagnosis. I also know that path is going to be hard as hell because most assessments aren't created equally for us.

So I leave you with some articles as food for thought while I decide what's next.
09:48 PM - Sep 16, 2023
2
3
Timara (she/her)
A
thread 7/9
“Black women and girls live as racialized beings. Their bodies are policed, their knowledge subjugated, and their health ignored. The narratives that pathologize Black women and girls are rooted in a larger set of historical processes that have the predictive power to determine...outcomes.”
09:50 PM - Sep 16, 2023
1
2
Timara (she/her)
A
thread 8/9
"This feels like a good time to remind everyone that girls, Black people, and yes, even Black girls can be autistic, too. Just because it looks different for us does not mean we aren’t autistic. There is no such thing as being “more” or “less” autistic than another person."
09:51 PM - Sep 16, 2023
1
3
Timara (she/her)
A
thread 9/9
09:52 PM - Sep 16, 2023
0
2

 

{{ notificationModalContent }} {{ promptModalMessage }}