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After lots of thoughts, emotions, and time, yesterday, I was diagnosed with autism! Saying I'm #ActuallyAutistic still feels weird - but I'll get there!
Here are 15 things I want you to know:
(1/17)
Here are 15 things I want you to know:
(1/17)
1. Though it was diagnosed yesterday, but it’s not a new ‘thing’. I’ve been autistic since birth and will always be autistic. Autistic people exist over the age of 18, despite lack of representation in mainstream media.
(2/17)
(2/17)
2. Getting a diagnosis hasn't been easy. It’s not a case of ‘everyone is diagnosed these days’. It can take years. There has been lots of form-filling, writing, talking, and discussions between professionals and people who know me well.
(3/17)
(3/17)
3. Being diagnosed as a 20-something years old does not mean that I “didn’t struggle” when younger. I did. It just wasn’t diagnosed as autism at the time.
(4/17)
(4/17)
4. Autistic girls often aren’t diagnosed as early/often as boys (I’m unsure about other genders). This probably isn’t because incidence of autism is lower in girls, but is more likely down to diagnostic tools used and myths/stereotypes around autism.
(5/17)
(5/17)
5. Knowledge around autism is improving, but there continues to be a lot of stigma, discrimination and invalidation. I’ve been at the end of this even when it was a ‘working diagnosis’. It’s not okay. Please call it out when you see it. We need allies.
(6/17)
(6/17)
6. The #ActuallyAutistic tweeters are amazing. I’ve learned a huge amount from people like @ItsEmilyKaty, @commaficionado, @NortherlyRose and others. Their threads explain things clearly. They’ve helped/continue o help me to understand myself better.
(7/17)
(7/17)
7. Please try to listen to autistic people when learning about autism. Things that caregivers/professionals say aren’t invalid and may well be useful, too, but autistic people live it day in, day out.
(8/17)
(8/17)
8. Functioning labels aren't helpful.
(9/17)
(9/17)
9. Autism is not a bad thing. It literally just means that my brain is different to a neurotypical brain. I am not ‘blessed’ to ‘only have it a bit’ (which isn’t even a thing). It’s not a ‘tragedy’.
There are actually lots of good things about autism!
(10/17)
There are actually lots of good things about autism!
(10/17)
10. We’re not ‘all a little bit autistic’. The spectrum might not be as you think.
More on that here
Short(ish!) cartoon: https://the-art-of-autism.com/understanding-the-spectrum-a-comic-strip-explanation/?fbclid=IwAR3cbPK2Pod2kqRMKf78Cx5t1dHmB_FN9AFd1KKj7Yw5HPxGsk-Uewhlb4c
Longer piece of writing: https://neuroclastic.com/2019/05/04/its-a-spectrum-doesnt-mean-what-you-think/
(11/17)
More on that here
Short(ish!) cartoon: https://the-art-of-autism.com/understanding-the-spectrum-a-comic-strip-explanation/?fbclid=IwAR3cbPK2Pod2kqRMKf78Cx5t1dHmB_FN9AFd1KKj7Yw5HPxGsk-Uewhlb4c
Longer piece of writing: https://neuroclastic.com/2019/05/04/its-a-spectrum-doesnt-mean-what-you-think/
(11/17)
11. ‘Looking autistic’ isn’t a thing. Please don’t tell me that ‘I don’t look autistic’.
(12/17)
(12/17)
12. Autism affects all areas of my life. You might chat to me and think I ‘don’t seem autistic’, but what you don’t see is the prep before and the wind-down after. I cope with a lot of things at home, in my own time and space.
(13/17)
(13/17)
13. I find communication exhausting, to the point that I often nap if I’ve had too much of it. Part of this is because I have to translate everything people say and then translate my response to reply.
(14/17)
(14/17)
14. I'm still me!
(15/17)
(15/17)
15. I have so much unlearning and learning to do. But this finally feels ‘right’. And I finally feel like I at least have a place to start. Personally, I feel positive about diagnosis.
(16/17)
(16/17)
Finally - I'm incredibly lucky to have some amazing friends, family members, colleagues, and health/education professionals who've supported me with this up to this point. It's been a lot for me (and probably them!) and I'm immensely grateful.
(17/17)
(17/17)
