“I put on a show for the sake of others, all the while denying myself the opportunity to live authentically.”
‘I spent my whole life trying to fit in, suppressing the things about me that made me different.’: Woman diagnosed with autism at 41
‘I think you may have Asperger’s,’ my boyfriend said nervously. He broke up with me, unsure he wanted to see me anymore.’: Woman diagnosed with autism in adulthood learns to ‘umask’ and embrace authentic identity
“I didn’t know what to think. Immediately after our conversation, I started googling… and very quickly, it became apparent to me that for the first time ever, my life was finally starting to make sense.”
‘Scott was in bed Googling autism. ‘This is me, isn’t it?’: Mom urges ‘radical’ acceptance after whole family diagnosed with autism, ADHD
“I was now the only neurotypical person in the house.”
‘If you can empathize with others, you’re not autistic.’ I wondered if I was an alien.’: Nonbinary person shares long journey to autism diagnosis, urges ‘knowledge about autism can save lives’
“‘You’re not trying enough.’ They gave me even more diagnoses, so I worked on them a lot. But nothing helped. It made me hopeless. Now, I know I was working on the wrong disorders.”
Living with Autism, I Have a Fear of Being ‘Found Out’
“I deleted the hashtag, and it hasn’t gone back up since. On the same day, I posted about autistic pride. I was still afraid. Maybe if I pretend I don’t have autism, it won’t be an issue in my professional life.”
‘She’s out of CONTROL.’ Mom refused to take me to the hospital, despite being covered in blood.’: Autistic woman learns self acceptance after years of abuse
“By the time I was 10, I’d been banned from swimming lessons, a children’s club, and multiple play groups. They told my dad to bring me back once I could ‘behave like other girls.’”
‘Do you want to be my friend?’ They’d laugh and walk away. There were unwritten rules to friendships.’: Nonbinary person shares autism diagnosis
“I remember thinking, ‘How is it so easy? Do you just go up to someone and say you want to be friends?’ I didn’t understand what I was doing wrong.”
‘After a life of pretending to be normal, I finally let myself be me.’: Woman diagnosed with autism, ADHD as an adult
“It felt my identity had been built up like a Jenga tower. I started removing bricks and at the same time, I was piling new bricks on top. It led to a complete collapse. I broke.”
‘Why are you seeking a diagnosis?’ They didn’t believe me. I was an imposter living a neurotypical, picture-perfect life.’: Woman diagnoses herself with autism after decades of ‘masking’
“When I was out during the day, I was being who people needed me to be, then I would come home and put my dukes up. I felt like an imposter in the life I had built.”
‘DON’T let it hurt him like it did your brother.’ I can still smell the hospital and hear him cry. My son would be SUCCESSFUL.’: Sister of brother with autism becomes single mom to special needs son
“I had a front-row seat to how the world treated my brother. I knew how cruel the system could be. He was constantly told he could not achieve his goals and desires, but he told the world, ‘Just watch me.’”
