So You Think You’re Autistic: A Workbook for the Confused Person Who’s Just Trying to Figure Things Out

by Samantha Stein

If you've had thoughts that you (or perhaps a loved one) might be autistic, there is often no clear advice on what to do next.

It can be really hard to understand the diagnostic criteria and, more importantly, figure out how they might relate to you and your life.

This workbook is a way to work through all those swirling thoughts in your head in a guided and organised way, so you can figure out:

What are my autistic traits and how do they fit in with the diagnostic criteria for autism?
Have I been "masking" all this time?
Do I want (or need) a diagnosis?
How do I work through imposter syndrome or talk to others about this?

Genres: Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Nonfiction, Health

108 pages, Paperback

Published November 14, 2022

Reviews

[Elis R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started reading and working through this pre diagnosis and now finally finished it 2 years or so after.
I think it is a good one to collect your thoughts and confront your own behaviours and traits that you might not realize you have. It does a good job at making you understand your autism more.
I feel like it is definitely more aimed at higher masking individuals with lower support needs but it still did me a lot of good as someone who is moderate support needs and cant mask for my life.

[Chris Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

During the six or so months before I was officially diagnosed with Autism, I, like many late diagnosed autistics, searched for confirmation to support my self-identify as being on the spectrum.

Along with countless google searches where I entered in a characteristic or trait of mine and asked, “do autistic adults do this”, I started reading every book on autism in adults that I could find including “So You Think You’re Autistic?” By Samantha Stein.

As the cover says, “So You Think You’re Autistic?” is a workbook for the confused person who is just trying to figure things out, and it certainly a great workbook for anyone who suspects they are on the spectrum as well as a journal that can be used to support your argument for a autism assessment.

The book is divided into 8 main sections: social interaction/communication, other behavior/activities, Imposter syndrome, Masking, diagnosis, other identities, and talking to others.
Each section starts with Stein giving you a brief overview of the section followed by several questions) related to that topic, designed to help y0u collect information that will support your suspicions of autism.

The book is created to be written in, and the section entitled “talking to others” will help you prepare for a time of if, or when, you want to share your suspension or diagnosis of autism with others.

The book also includes online resources and a list of other books that will help you through your journey.

This book is not only a good starting point to help you keep track of all the reasons you suspect that you are on the spectrum, it is a great resource to take with you when you talk to your doctor about why they should refer you to an autism assessment.

I found it very helpful, and at times it brought out some emotions as I wrote my answers to Stein’s questions, as I searched for validation that I was on the spectrum months before I was able to get assessed for autism.

[WildArtemis87 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book helped me to focus on what I needed to tell my psychologist to help me get a diagnosis. It was very helpful to have easy to follow sections to fill out myself.