Imagine looking at yourself in the mirror growing up and you can’t see the animation in your eyes or your smile, and you don’t understand why.
And as you clean your face daily, and as you look in the mirror, you keep going back to the same thought process, and every time you see your eyes and your reflection in the mirror, you know you're dealing with something. You struggle to learn, you struggle with school, and you don't understand why.
Autism cuts 'you off'
There is a big difference between those who learn about autism and those of us who live with it. It is a difficult disability to live with, because the nature of what autism is, means it has the ability to cut you off mentally, emotionally and physically, so you're continually living with your thoughts, 'on your own.'
When you finally get your autism diagnosis, how do you cope with it?
These would be my tips:
Everyone should understand their disability
It is important all children understand their disability growing up. It has to be age appropriate, so he or she is able to understand as they grow, exactly what they deal with. Inclusivity is an important part of that.
Autism like any other disability needs to be normalised, and siblings need to be involved, because autism will go on to affect them too.
This is an honest and down to earth blog written from your own perspective, but full of advice for others, so typical of your approach to your diagnoses.
If your disability was dealt with as a child, there would have been more understanding from others on what you had to deal with around your neurological issues.
I am sure you are only now beginning to understand your life around autism, and writing as you do will certainly help others too, late diagnosis or not.
Thank you. Yes, and yes. 58 years in and yes I am beginning to understand. The enormity of it is often too difficult for me to comprehend.