Actress Tisha Campbell is reminding us it’s never too late to get diagnosed. The former Martin star recently found out she’s on the autism spectrum, which she shared during a guest appearance on Way Up with Angela Yee.
After seeing specialists and undergoing intense testing, the 57-year-old received an AuDHD diagnosis, a term used for individuals with both autism and ADHD.
“I actually saw two specialists, and I took 12 tests each. They all vary from oral tests to written tests to just Q&As. And so I took all 12 twice, and I just got my diagnosis back,” she explained.
The My Wife and Kids actress also added that she’s level one on the spectrum. That means support is required for socializing and flexible thinking, but they can otherwise live life independently. Level one individuals can easily fly under the radar because they appear neurotypical.
“I have a lot of autistic tendencies, and I’m level one,” she explained to Yee. “So for me, I may not look like I need support, but I have earphones to block out sounds because I, too, have audio processing differences. Like, everything comes at me all at once.”
Some people don’t think a diagnosis later in life can be helpful because you’ve already learned to navigate the world without one. But Campbell shared that getting diagnosed has put puzzle pieces together, providing clarity for many of her life experiences. One being her hyperfixation on acting and music, which led to her undeniable success over the past few decades.
“A lot of autistic people have, they used to call them obsessions or fixations, but we call them special interests now. And my special interest was always acting and music,” she explained.
Campbell’s diagnosis couldn’t be more timely. She released her memoir The A Word: A Mother’s Journey Through Autism and Love on September 15. The book documents her experience raising her autistic son Xen, who was diagnosed at 18 months. However, the memoir doesn’t contain her personal experiences with autism since she was only recently diagnosed.
“I got the diagnosis after I wrote the book, so that part’s not even in the book. So I’m actually talking to you about this. My newer diagnosis, this just happened this year.”
If you follow Campbell, you know she’s been a staunch advocate of autism awareness over the years, shedding light on the disorder, which one in 31 children and one in 45 adults across the country have. Core messaging around autism awareness is that a diagnosis and services are there to support versus change who autistic people are. The actress said getting diagnosed has helped her gain more self-awareness.
“I feel like I know myself so much better,” she said, adding that she’s been hiding her stimming—repetitive body movements, sounds, or object uses to help self-regulate over the years.
Campbell’s diagnosis is a full-circle moment as she’s gone from advocating for her son over the years to also advocating for herself. Other celebs like SZA and Chrisette Michele have also been diagnosed with autism as adults.
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