Christine McGuinness - her Autistic traits?

[missbunnyrabbit]

Firstly, this is not meant to be offensive at all. I am fascinated by this woman.

I've had a terrible struggle all my life. I've seen all the things I've struggled with listed as traits of Autism on mumsnet, so I am going to pursue an assessment. However, Autism has never occurred or been suggested to me as a reason for my struggles.

I read about Christine being diagnosed and was very surprised, as she is successful and seems fine socially and confident. Very diifferent to my own experiences of Autism in family members, though i am aware the spectrum is very wide. I've been reading and watching her interviews about her Autism and her difficulties.

All the things she says, about struggles with food and making friends and being a recluse in her twenties and hiding from people and not liking large crowds etcetc sounds like a minor version of what I'm like.

Yet, I have always put my struggles down as extreme awkwardness and shyness and being antisocial and introverted, plus being very fussy with foods and textures and clothes.

Obviously what she says is just a snapshot of her life, but it sounds exactly what I go through but not as bad!! Yet she has a diagnosis of Autism.

So when do all those traits I listed become Autism? Does that make sense? As I said, Autism has never even be suggested to me, despite living a life no one would recognise as any life! Is being a social recluse and fussy with foods considered Autism now?

Hope this doesn't offend anyone. I am just so confused.

So when do all those traits I listed become Autism?

They don't. You need to meet the criteria for diagnosis which refers to impairment/defecits in social communication.

Op that's what I have been wondering lately! Autism seems to run in my family and last week a relative of mine suggested I might be autistic, some of my traits are:

I have OCD
I have hEDS (often associated with autism for some reason I don't understand)
I like to walk on tiptoes when barefoot
I can't stand loud noises
I don't like being touched, hugged, kissed, stroked, patted by anyone even dp
I don't like foods touching or anything wet like gravy touching my food I like beige plain food, aka I could live off just Yorkshire pudding forever if I could.
Certain colours upset me and make me physically sick.
Hate giving eye contact or having anyone look at me or listen to my voice.

These are just a few of what my relative thinks aren't normal.

This thread hopefully becomes really interesting and we can learn a lot from. Is a diagnosis worth pursuing? If you get one will it change how you feel about yourself?

Is a diagnosis worth pursuing? If you get one will it change how you feel about yourself?

It was life changing for me. I see a lot of these threads and I do think for posters who say they are not going to bother pursuing a diagnosis because they are managing well etc maybe they wouldn't get a diagnosis anyway. If all the things don't impact your daily life you probably would t meet the criteriaZ

In my case it made sense of my whole life. It made me understand my bad decisions. Realise my vulnerability (which for me was vital, I have been in far too many bad situations thinking I was cool) and it has meant I can ask for help or accommodations if I need to. That's the short version of course.

See this current thread, it discusses a lot of what you're asking. www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4435636-how-do-you-know-if-you-re-autistic?pg=1

Diagnostic Criteria
www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/diagnosis/diagnostic-criteria/all-audiences

"The DSM-5 Manual defines autism spectrum disorder as “persistent difficulties with social communication and social interaction” and “restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviours, activities or interests” (this includes sensory behaviour), present since early childhood, to the extent that these “limit and impair everyday functioning”.

It's the present since early childhood, to the extent that these limit and impair everyday functioning part that you need to satisfy to be diagnosed. As santaclothes has rightly said, traits alone aren't enough.

Christine's diagnosis as shown on TV was not represented accurately, she downloaded and completed the AQ form then gave it to Baron-Cohen and he diagnosed her on the spot.

Adult autism assessment is a lot more complicated than that, the AQ itself is just a guide to say autism is a possibility, then the professional or sometimes team of professionals interview you and give you different tests, score them, add their personal observations then decide if a diagnosis is appropriate for you. Each person with autism has a different presentation so it's important for the professionals doing the testing and evaluating to recognise people who are autistic and those who aren't.
The tests are based on male presentation of autism, so for women it's best to ask to be referred to someone who is experienced in diagnosing autism in women.

I have recognised whilst researching asd for my son that I have a lot of the traits of autism and I am considering pursuing a diagnosis next year. Yes Christine mcguiness seems confident and sure of her self and not the things we typically associate with autism but I guess a, we don't see full picture on TV and b, she may be good at masking.
The test she did is called AQA it's available online. I filled it in and coincidentally scored the same as her.Which has helped on my decision to be assessed .

@autieok

I have recognised whilst researching asd for my son that I have a lot of the traits of autism and I am considering pursuing a diagnosis next year. Yes Christine mcguiness seems confident and sure of her self and not the things we typically associate with autism but I guess a, we don't see full picture on TV and b, she may be good at masking. The test she did is called AQA it's available online. I filled it in and coincidentally scored the same as her.Which has helped on my decision to be assessed .

In fact she talks in the programme about masking.

I think it's interesting you saying OP that no-one has mentioned it/suggested it. Do you meant you think other people should have noticed? Or that you have sought a diagnosis and been told you don't meet the criteria?

You would need to pursue a diagnosis yourself. And diagnosis for women is still really poorly support d as women don't meet a lot of the assumptions/misconceptions about autism.

What hit home for me was when Christine said she was fab at small talk but developing relationships and friendships further than that she found impossible. I am the same, I’m great at small talk but I have no friends and I’m not bothered, friendships feel like an immense amount of pressure on me that I can’t cope with. Romantic relationships the same, I’m twice divorced and both exes feel that they never really knew me.
I don’t feel fully comfortable or 100% myself around anyone except for my son who has Down Syndrome and autism.
Anorexic from the ages of 15-40, I’m feel I’m now recovered.
Diagnosed with anxiety and depression at the age of 24, been on antidepressants on and off since.
OCD in my 20’s about germs, I would wash my hands until they cracked and bled, I wouldn’t eat out, takeaways or any food I hadn’t prepared myself.
As a child I used to have to do things 4 times or something bad would happen.
As a child, young woman and now a middle aged woman I’ve always felt awkward. So very awkward around others.
Never went clubbing in my 20’s, I sometimes went out with a couple of acquaintances from work but would leave the pub by 9.30 as I’d had enough and wanted to go home, too noisy, too busy, I felt like I wanted to scream.
In front of others I come across as very self assured and confident, inside I’m a mess.

Girls have a different masking strategy to boys.
For ex.: They observe a popular girl and copy the outward behaviour.
DD now actively switches to 'NT girl' which works for a while but is exhausting.

I was diagnosed with autism last year at 26 and I present very similarly to Christine. A lot people questioned this diagnosis and when I went to the sessions you have following a diagnosis it turns out I’ve just mastered masking who I am. And it’s something I now don’t know how to not do

I also wondered after seeing Christine, I have hEDS and my son is autistic . I had similar childhood struggles but in my teens took drugs so a lot of the sensory and social difficulties were less difficult. Anyway I don't think I'm autistic, I have (an adult) diagnosis of dyspraxia and there are some similar traits to autism within that, especially executive function difficulty, rigid thinking and anxiety etc.

Hm. Personally, my life has significantly been impaired by my poor communication - not having any skills to talk to people or make friends has had a huge impact on my mental health.
Unlike Christine, I can't even do small talk.

I do wonder why no one at my secondary school picked up on it. I was exceptionally quiet, no friends, no eye contact, sat in the library by myself for years and years, never left the house except for school or dental appointments for years. I was a complete recluse.
Even now, I avoid everything social, I don't have friends, only my boyfriend and mum which is all I feel I need. I mask everyday at my job, performing how I've learnt to over the last few years.

I just think - if Christine McGuinness, who seems so much more advanced than me, receives a diagnosis if Autistic rather than just shy or reclusive, why on earth did no one think of assessing me?

Sorry if this makes no sense. I'm just posting my thoughts.

I just think - if Christine McGuinness, who seems so much more advanced than me, receives a diagnosis if Autistic rather than just shy or reclusive, why on earth did no one think of assessing me?

No one thought of assessing her either though.

@santaclothes

I just think - if Christine McGuinness, who seems so much more advanced than me, receives a diagnosis if Autistic rather than just shy or reclusive, why on earth did no one think of assessing me?

No one thought of assessing her either though.

That is true. I guess maybe that's my point. When did our behaviours, being shy and reclusive and 'fussy', become enough for autism?! That is surely a recent thing.

I'm really struggling because, I think if she got a diagnosis, then surely I would, because I'm worse than her description of herself! I can't even do small talk or look at people properly!
But, would I ACTUALLY be autistic though, even with a diagnosis. It's just not my experience of autism at all. Loads of people are shy and awkward and don't like big crowds and like being by themselves...don't they?!

I think you should go for an assessment.

@ShaneTheThird

Op that's what I have been wondering lately! Autism seems to run in my family and last week a relative of mine suggested I might be autistic, some of my traits are:

I have OCD
I have hEDS (often associated with autism for some reason I don't understand)
I like to walk on tiptoes when barefoot
I can't stand loud noises
I don't like being touched, hugged, kissed, stroked, patted by anyone even dp
I don't like foods touching or anything wet like gravy touching my food I like beige plain food, aka I could live off just Yorkshire pudding forever if I could.
Certain colours upset me and make me physically sick.
Hate giving eye contact or having anyone look at me or listen to my voice.

These are just a few of what my relative thinks aren't normal.

This thread hopefully becomes really interesting and we can learn a lot from. Is a diagnosis worth pursuing? If you get one will it change how you feel about yourself?

This is my 20yo Dd apart from the ocd. She has eds and I’ve read before about this being associated with autism which I don’t really understand.

When she was little and we were invited to birthday parties at the village hall she would never go inside the hall. We had to sit in the porchway outside. Even when she was 8/9yo she wouldn’t go in the main room, too noisy, too loud, too many kids. She was quite happy sitting with me in the porch and watching. I do think she’s maybe autistic.

And actually I wonder if I might be as well.

I totally have to “act” small talk. I must have been in my late 20s when I realised what I had to do to make small talk. A lot of it now is like a script I’ve learnt but also (this is going to sound bonkers) I’ve realised I actually need to say what I’m thinking.

So prior to this if someone was telling me they’d bought a dog, I’d nod and think to myself “what sort of dog, how old is it, is it settling in”. But I wouldn’t actually say it. So I’m sure people thought I was odd and not interested. Now I make an effort to actually speak what I’m thinking. But it’s easy to forget sometimes, it definitely takes effort.

Just to add, those "autistic traits" aren't typical in everyone with autism. My 7 year old has "classic autism". He's non verbal and goes to a special needs school, he was diagnosed at 2.5, which I'm always told by professionals is very early.
While he can be very fixed on certain things (spinning and whipping scarves for an hour for example), his eye contact is perfect, he doesn't mind large crowds, he has no problems with food, he doesn't mind multiple noises on (radio, washing machine, drill outside...). He loves being hugged and kissed, and will seek out affection himself.
Just wanted to say those things are believed to be typically autistic but they're not always