Category: Adult Autism

Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria and Autism

January 31, 2025

Adult Autism, Autism and Co-Occurring Conditions, Late-Diagnosed Autism

Episode #40 is here: Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria and Autism.

In this episode, I dive into rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) and how it connects to both ADHD and autism. I explore the intense emotional responses that come with RSD, the common triggers, and the ways it can impact relationships and self-worth. I also share some therapeutic approaches that might help and explain why it’s so important to understand RSD — whether you experience it yourself or want to better support someone who does.

Watch this episode on YouTube.

Take the Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria test. If your score is 45-60, the website recommends that you “see a trained mental health professional as there is a possibility that you may be experiencing symptoms of rejection sensitive dysphoria.”

If you’d like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, check out:

“Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria in ADHD and Autism” by Debra Bercovici

“New Insights Into Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria” by William Dodson

“Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Case Series” by William W. Dodson et al.

“Associations Between Autistic Traits, Depression, Social Anxiety and Social Rejection in Autistic and Non-autistic Adults” by Emine Gurbuz et al.

“Recognising and Responding to Physical and Mental Health Issues in Neurodivergent Women” by Clive Kelly et al.

“What to Know About Autism and Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria” by Amy Marschall

“Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria and Autism Unveiled” by Ralph Moller

“Effects of Rejection Intensity and Rejection Sensitivity on Social Approach Behavior in Women” by Violetta K. Schaan et al.

Transcript

Kristen Hovet
Patient one was a 29 year old single male who was diagnosed with ADHD in the fifth grade and again in his first year of engineering school. Patient one made adequate grades to get into engineering school. His father forbade the use of medications for ADHD because he thought that the problem was that the patient was just lazy and unmotivated. For his entire life, patient one viewed his main problem as his episodic attacks of physical and emotional pain, intense shame, and feeling ostracized anytime he perceived that someone else had withdrawn their love, approval, or respect.
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Former Teacher Finds the Diagnosis Her Therapists Missed

September 13, 2024

Adult Autism, Autistic Experience, Interview With An Autistic Person, Late-Diagnosed Autism

Episode #37 is here: Former Teacher Finds the Diagnosis Her Therapists Missed

Today, I’m speaking with Sarah, a musician, gardener, and former teacher based in Pennsylvania. Sarah spent much of her life in therapy and struggling with others’ misunderstandings and insensitivities. Now, in her 60s and with a handful of mental health diagnoses behind her, she is finding that autism might explain so many of her experiences.

A series of back-to-back crises set the stage as Sarah wrestles with her newfound autistic identity.

Watch this episode on YouTube.

Transcript

Kristen Hovet
Today I’m speaking with Sarah, a gardener, musician, and former teacher in Pennsylvania. But before I share our conversation, I’d like to thank Roberta for buying me a coffee through the buy me a coffee link. Roberta, I really appreciate it. I’d also like to thank the Patreon patrons who sponsor the show and in return get some bonus content. There’s also a link in the show notes to Patreon. For a few dollars a month or any custom level that you set, you can become a patron of the show. Speaking of a few dollars a month, I have a correction to make from the last episode. When I was promoting The Other Autism’s Patreon, I said for a few dollars a day, you can support the show. Obviously I meant for a few dollars a month, maybe some wishful thinking on my part. And with that, please say hello to my guest for today, Sarah.
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Do Autistic People Lack Empathy?

August 7, 2024

Adult Autism, Autism News, Research

Episode #36 is here: Do Autistic People Lack Empathy?

Many think that autistic people lack empathy, but do they?

Join me as I explore empathy in the context of autism research and the origins of the autistic empathy deficit idea. In this episode, I cover the double empathy problem with help from a friend. How does the double empathy problem explain misunderstandings and communication breakdowns between autistic individuals and neurotypicals?

I also talk about how I personally think of empathy (and how my notions of empathy are surprisingly close to the very first usage of the word!).

Watch this episode on YouTube.

If you’d like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, check out:

“A Reflective Guide on the Meaning of Empathy in Autism Research” by Caroline Bollen

“Autism and Empathy: What Are the Real Links?” By Sue Fletcher-Watson and Geoffrey Bird

“Autism in an Age of Empathy: A Cautionary Critique” by Patrick McDonagh (chapter in Worlds of Autism edited by Joyce Davidson and Michael Orsini)

“On the Ontological Status of Autism: The ‘Double Empathy Problem’” by Damian Milton

“The ‘Double Empathy Problem’: Ten Years On” by Damian Milton et al.

“Object Personification in Autism: This Paper Will Be Very Sad if You Don’t Read it” by Rebekah White and Anna Remington

“A Dual Route Model of Empathy: A Neurobiological Perspective” by Chi-Lin Yu and Tai-Li Chou

Transcript

Kristen Hovet
Today I’m talking about empathy and the double empathy problem in the context of autism. I’m also going to get into the problem of defining empathy and I’ll discuss how the myth of autistic empathy deficits came about.
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Is It Autism or Trauma? Or Both?

April 27, 2024

Adult Autism, Autism and Co-Occurring Conditions, Late-Diagnosed Autism

Episode #34 is here: Is It Autism or Trauma? Or Both?

Don’t miss out on this deep dive into trauma, attachment disorders, and autism! Join me as we explore how these intertwine and differ, with a focus on familial mental health challenges and their impacts.

Send in your questions or thoughts via audio recording for a chance to be featured on the show! Email your audio clips to kristen.hovet@gmail.com through WeTransfer. Your voice matters.

Get clarity on trauma, autism, and PTSD with insights from researchers and therapists working in the field. Understand the overlapping traits and characteristics between these conditions and gain a deeper understanding of attachment disorders like reactive attachment disorder (RAD) and disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED) in children.

Delve into the impact of mental health challenges in families, explore the connection between autism and attachment disorders, and uncover the unique traumas that autistic individuals may face. Learn about the resilience displayed by autistic individuals in the face of adversity.

Watch this episode on YouTube.

If you’d like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, check out:

“Autism and Attachment Disorders — How Do We Tell the Difference?” by Claire Davidson et al.

“Parental Psychiatric Disorders and Autism Spectrum Disorders” by Elina Jokiranta et al.

“The Long-Term Impact of Parental Mental Health on Children’s Distress Trajectories in Adulthood” by Christina Kamis

“Exploring Potential Sources of Childhood Trauma: A Qualitative Study With Autistic Adults and Caregivers” by Connor M. Kerns et al.

“Autism and Reactive Attachment/Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorders: Co-occurrence and Differentiation” by Susan Dickerson Mayes et al.

“Genetic Overlap Among Autism Spectrum Disorders and Other Neuropsychiatric Disorders” by Yoshiro Morimoto et al.

“PTSD and Autism” by Megan Anna Neff

“Family History of Mental and Neurological Disorders and Risk of Autism” by Sherlly Xie et al.

Transcript

Kristen Hovet: 1:06

Today I’m talking about trauma, attachment disorders, and autism; how they overlap and how they differ; as well as familial mental health challenges or the mental health diagnoses that often run in families where there is autism. I’ve touched on some of these topics before, but mainly as parts of episodes on other topics, so I wanted to do a deeper dive this time around. While you’ll find a lot of content about all of this on YouTube, on podcasts, and in other locations online, there’s always new information coming out and always new ways of synthesizing or putting the information together, so I wanted to try my hand at covering it. Before we get into this topic, you’ll probably notice I don’t have my Other Autism neon sign behind me. I’ve packed it away. I’m getting ready to move in June and I’ve just started doing a lot of packing beforehand in preparation, because I know it’s going to be a really busy time.
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Kristen Hovet on the Autistic Tidbits and Tangents Podcast

September 30, 2023

Admin Update, Adult Autism, Autistic Experience, Interview With An Autistic Person
Kristen recently joined Dr. Kara Dymond and Bruce Petherick on the Autistic Tidbits and Tangents podcast. They discuss difficulties navigating medical care for autistic people, self-advocacy in medical settings and in general, what it means to be disabled, and much more. Check it out:

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What Is Autistic Impostor Syndrome?

August 16, 2023

Adult Autism, Autism Diagnosis, Late-Diagnosed Autism

Season 3, episode 5 is here: What Is Autistic Impostor Syndrome?

Feeling like a fraud or a fake autistic is so common in those who are diagnosed as autistic in adulthood. In this episode, I talk about impostor syndrome and how it relates to autistic impostor syndrome. I also talk about the impact of impostor syndrome and some strategies on how to cope with it.

Be sure to stick around right to the end. Toby is super chatty. And so is Google… It gets weird.

Want to watch this on YouTube? You can do that now.

If you’d like to know more about topics discussed in this episode, check out:

“Prevalence, Predictors, and Treatment of Impostor Syndrome: A Systematic Review” by Dena M. Bravata et al.

The Impostor Phenomenon: Overcoming the Fear That Haunts Your Success by Pauline Rose Clance

“Introducing Autistic Impostor Syndrome” by Natalie Engelbrecht

“Feel Like a Fraud?” by Kirsten Weir

Transcript

Kristen Hovet: 1:06

Today we’re talking about impostor syndrome as it pertains to autism and being diagnosed or identified as autistic. Before we get into it, I wanted to say thank you to everyone who voted for the Other Autism in the People’s Choice Podcast Awards. You did it! The Other Autism Podcast has made it to the final slate of the 18th Annual People’s Choice Podcast Awards in the education category.
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