YouTuber Savannah Brown's Autism Diagnosis: A Journey of Self-Discovery and Acceptance

Savannah's autism diagnosis brought closure, explaining lifelong social struggles and self-perceived oddities.

### Savannah Brown's Autism Diagnosis: A Journey of Self-Discovery

* 🗣️ Savannah Brown, at age 26, received an autism diagnosis, a revelation that profoundly impacted her despite initial confidence in the outcome.
* 🤔  The diagnosis provided closure and a path forward from lifelong struggles stemming from her autistic traits, which she describes as causing her significant pain since childhood.
* 📝  A detailed self-assessment, including a statement from her father highlighting her early childhood social differences, was pivotal to the diagnostic process.
* 👧  Savannah's childhood was marked by social difficulties, sensory sensitivities, emotional intensity, and a feeling of being fundamentally different from her peers.  She quotes her father's description of her as a child:  "As a very young child, Savannah wasn't interested in unnecessary interaction with others."
* 💔  The social challenges intensified during middle school, leading to feelings of isolation, anxiety, and a sense of being fundamentally "bad" due to her autistic traits.
* 💪  Savannah describes coping mechanisms developed to mask her autism, including the curation of a personality that she felt was socially acceptable.  This resulted in a sense of exhaustion and even thoughts of not wanting to be alive.
* ✨ The diagnosis brought immense relief and a sense of self-acceptance, providing explanations for past struggles and experiences like online grooming and an eating disorder.
* ❤️  Savannah now focuses on self-compassion, utilizing sensory-regulating tools, and embracing her autistic identity, highlighting the positive aspects of her personality and finding community online.

i'm not an alien i'm just autistic :)

Savannah Brown

Savannah Brown announces her autism diagnosis at age 26.

She describes the diagnostic process and her emotional response to the confirmation.

Initial sadness followed by a sense of closure and moving on from past pain.

She reflects on a lifelong feeling of being different from others.

A detailed essay was written as part of the diagnostic process, describing her childhood experiences.

Childhood Experiences and Social Difficulties

Her father's account of her childhood highlights her disinterest in social interaction and unusual reactions.

Savannah describes her childhood quirks, emotional sensitivity, clumsiness, and social anxieties.

Her behavior chart from 2000 is mentioned, showing common autistic traits.

She recounts struggles with social interaction and communication in middle school.

She describes school as traumatizing due to social difficulties and lack of understanding from her parents.

Savannah describes creating a curated personality to fit in and avoid social rejection.

She discusses thoughts of not being alive, not due to depression or anxiety, but exhaustion from masking.

The diagnosis brought relief and an explanation for past experiences.

She connects past experiences like online grooming and an eating disorder to undiagnosed autism.

She acknowledges the challenges faced by those diagnosed with autism at a young age.

Post-Diagnosis Reflections and Life Changes

She discusses the positive impact of leaving school and finding community online.

Savannah reflects on a previous video about loneliness, recognizing it as a symptom of autism.

She analyzes her past misconceptions about what constitutes a normal life and social relationships.

She describes experiencing meltdowns triggered by intense social situations.

She mentions a possible correlation between autism and fetishes.

Positive Aspects of Life and Self-Acceptance

Savannah highlights her happiness, curiosity, and strong sense of purpose.

She describes feeling comfortable living alone and enjoying simple pleasures.

She describes experiencing intense emotional reactions and sensory sensitivities.

She discusses overcoming shame associated with repetitive behaviors and using them as self-regulation tools.

She explains how the diagnosis changed her perspective on perceived failures and self-criticism.

Addressing Fears, Masking, and Future Outlook

Savannah discusses fears of negative reactions from others upon disclosing her diagnosis.

She addresses the topic of masking and its usefulness.

She reflects on the ongoing learning process of self-discovery and acceptance.

She emphasizes the positive impact of her diagnosis on her relationships with others.

She shares her feelings about seeing others receive similar diagnoses and expresses empathy for those who have gone through similar experiences.