I’m a psychiatrist and here are 5 signs you might have undiagnosed autism

A psychiatrist has revealed five secret signs that you may have autism.

Dr. Sohom Das is finishedorensic psychiatrist, van Londonwho also leads one YouTube channel called A psych for painful mindswhere he shares content about crime, mental health issues and other topics.

Dr. Describing in the video how he has encountered people with autism over the course of his particular career, Das said: “I am an expert witness – I have reviewed thousands of cases in court in my career. I give evidence in court. I judge people in prisons, mostly offenders.

‘I wouldn’t say autism is a common diagnosis among the people I see, and in fact the vast majority of people with autism obviously don’t commit violence, but every now and then in my career I come across someone who already has violent tendencies such as antisocial personality disorder. Having autism can exacerbate these traits, so it doesn’t cause it, but it does exacerbate the underlying tendency towards violence.”

In the video titled 5 SECRET Signs You Might Have AUTISM – PSYCHIATRIST explainshe first defined the condition and described it as a disorder related to brain development. He added: ‘What I’m saying is it’s been there since birth. It’s not something you can catch.’

According to Dr Das, the symptoms of autism can be ‘broadly divided into three areas, namely social interactions and communication, inflexible or repetitive thoughts or patterns or behavior and hypersensitivity to sensory stimulation’.

He described how this theory can be applied practically and gave examples from each of the three categories. He said: ‘Category one for autism in adults is social interactions and communication. This can therefore cause problems when having a conversation. It can be difficult to maintain close friendships, discomfort making eye contact during conversations.

‘It can be problems understanding sarcasm, whatever, or idioms, and it can be problems understanding facial expressions and body language. And in addition, problems can arise when reading other people’s emotions. All of this can understandably lead to social anxiety.”

Moving on to the second category – inflexible or repetitive thoughts, patterns or behaviors – he said: ‘These individuals may have repetitive movements, or that may be routines or interests, or they may say the same thing over and over again for no discernible reason.

‘But specifically, they may have trouble dealing with change, and may need to arrange things in a certain order. They may have a narrow interest, so only a few activities, so they do those things intensively, and they may prefer solitary activities.”

For example, the third category of autism in adults, sensory processing, might manifest as “a hypersensitivity to sensory stimulation, such as sounds or smells that don’t seem to bother other people, or bright lights.”

Dr. Das also noted: Autistic people can excel in certain areas, certain subjects, so typically things like math, art, science or music. And they can be very strong auditory or visual learners, and they can learn and remember things in great detail, and retain information for a very long period of time.”

He then moved on to five secret signs you may have autism.

Dr. Sohom Das (pictured) is a forensic psychiatrist and content creator, with a YouTube channel called A Psych for Sore Minds, based in London

1. ‘The smell of a croissant is intoxicating’

Dr. Explaining this point, Das said, “It is clear that I am talking about sensory sensitivities. People with autism therefore often have heightened, sometimes reduced, senses, which can lead to sensory overload and avoidance.

‘So this can manifest insensitivity – not just to sounds, but also to textures and smells. So basically it’s almost like you’re a human mood ring.

“So here’s an example. You and your friend go into a cafe, and you both get a double mocha cappuccino and you both get a croissant, and you both enjoy it. But your girlfriend, she takes a few big bites like a slob.

‘She talks with a mouthful. Bits of crumbs are flying everywhere, and she continues to drone on […] She spits crumbs all over the table, and it’s sacrilege, and it ruins your mood, because from your experience, the smell, the textures that, that flakiness in your mouth […] are all great for you, and you want to enjoy them.’

He went on to explain that the reason you feel this way is because of “your heightened sensitivity to sounds and in this case to the textures, the tastes and the smells.”

2. “You get really upset when you have to take a new route to work.”

According to the expert, this deep sense of distress could be related to the “disruption of your deep, beloved routine.”

He explained, “So you have a strict schedule for everything. Everything has a time and a place. From your morning routine to your snacking habits.’

Dr. Das added that any deviation from this could be worrying.

“While most people are used to and may even enjoy their routine,” he said, “autistic individuals thrive on predictability and routine. So changes to their daily schedule are not only a bit of a nuisance, they can be overwhelming and quite unsettling.”

3. “Only a few of your friends understand your jokes”

According to Dr. Das, what he means by this is that “your jokes are so deep in your ears that only a few of your friends get them.”

He added, “But that’s okay because you find them hilarious. Maybe you don’t even care what other people think […] Autistic individuals may have a unique sense of humor, or they may have difficulty understanding the humor of others, especially if it relies on social cues or implicit meanings.

4. ‘You have a deep bond with animals’

In the video, Dr. Das said, “The number four, hidden, subtle sign that you might have autism is that […] you have a deep bond with animals.

“Your understanding of empathy is different from other people’s. So you believe that animals understand you on a level that humans never will. They are not just your pet. They are your silent confidantes, and your furry best friends.”

He added: ‘So while autistic individuals can certainly experience empathy, they may experience it differently, and may have difficulty understanding other people’s emotions. ‘

Do you feel uncomfortable with large crowds, loud noises and people bumping into you? According to the expert, this could be a secret sign that you are autistic (stock image)

5. ‘You secretly hope you don’t get into the club’

“The number five, secret sign that you may have autism is that you’re kind of secretly hoping you don’t get into the club,” Dr. Das said.

‘So you had a great time in that old man’s pub […] around the corner. The jukebox was broken. It was half empty. It was perfect for you. The toilets smelled a bit, but there was plenty of space and plenty of free seating.’

He continued, “So basically what I’m saying is that you’re a fan of the quiet life. Loud noises, crowds around you, people bumping into you, spilling your drinks – that’s your kryptonite.

‘You prefer the peace of your own company, or perhaps one or two friends. Autistic individuals may prefer solitude or small social groups because of their sensory sensitivities, and separately also because of difficulties with social interactions.”