Published on 12, July, 2020
I have recently been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
I'm 25, so it was a bit of a shock to find this out so late, it's something that i have considered now for a few years, but as I have my friends and interests and was getting by I didn't feel it was important.
Until things seemed to get harder and harder, and I just felt more and more alienated and lonely and mainly a lack of understanding/misunderstanding, towards the way people behave. I'm quite a sensitive person and this is something that has got in the way of loads of things
I hate being so negative but I feel ashamed of it, ' autism ' and I am worried that my friends and family and the world, in general, will view me differently ( although I've chosen to keep it to myself mainly, I don't know if this is the best approach feeling the level of shame and anxiety I do.
At the moment I'm in denial and I just wish I could wish it away, but in the same breath I don't because I feel it makes me who I am too, I love art and music and poetry and view the world in a very artistic and abstract way due to these wonderful interests that im fortunate to have.
I want to feel like I can talk to people without panicking ( because I LOVE people ) and I have always accepted them for their differences and loved them for it, so it's hard with having a past of being called 'weird ' and ' a bit odd ' to have faith in humanity currently!
Can anybody offer me any advice?
From Me... I am adding support to exactly as everyone else has said (positive) so far. An Autism diagnosis is not easy to gain, and so You are lucky to have gained one. And Yes, You need not tell it to anyone, yet it gains access to a lot of specialist support in LAW.
...So, keep on using Your own good judgement, and those who truly support You will continue to support You... In case You have a meltdown or shutdown or unexplained-reactions or "coping mechanisms", or any scary thing that might happen... and state Autism as the reason for it happening against wanting to state having Autism. Autism is a Shield yet can also be wielded like a Sword in LAW and in SKILLS.
...No-One upon this Forum has any idea of how just weird/odd I Myself *really* am... and do not put faith into *all* of "humanity" - put faith into People who *Prove* Themselves to be worthy of Good Faith... (That is what I say.) Keep expectations real & within One's own experience. & Good Luck!