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What was your life like before you knew you were autistic?

Homebird

There have been quite a few comments recently since the recent documentaries about the experiences of those of us who are older. This made me wonder how my life would have been like had I known why some things were difficult. I spent a lot of my life wishing I could relate to others more easily, like others I came in contact with.  I guess since knowing I have wished less to be like others and tried to accept how I am. 

I had some interesting experiences in my younger days, including a few trips to interesting places abroad. I am glad I have those memories. However today I find a lot of ordinary things challenging and am happy to be at home a lot of the time. I have always found home to be my safe place, but occasionally managed to go beyond my comfort zone.

How have others found the change since knowing they were autistic?

Parents

  • Hi, life before autism awareness was always a bit of a struggle, same as most older autistic people, I always knew I was different but never thought it was autism. I went on my first flight when I was 17 , I stayed with family in California. To be honest I spent most of my time in my room watching the original Star Trek, everything around me felt too different. The autistic boy watching Star Trek all day! How didn’t I see the signs?

    School was always uncomfortable, I’ve just started watching ‘A Kind of Spark’, watching autistic people navigate school, all the slamming locker doors, multiple conversations and general nastiness by some students actually started triggering me, a had to watch it in bite size pieces.

    starting work was not easy, I just never seemed to fit in. I think I was more adventurous when I was younger, anxiety was always running in the background, now it is much more prevalent. Looking back I can now see how many things I did were pure autism. I do manage life  a lot better now, I know what is likely to cause most stress or over stimulation and adjust myself or environment. On the whole I mange better knowing I’m autistic. It would have not been helpful to have been labelled autistic in the 70’s or 80’s at school, it would have been a label and there was no understanding of autism.

Reply

  • Hi, life before autism awareness was always a bit of a struggle, same as most older autistic people, I always knew I was different but never thought it was autism. I went on my first flight when I was 17 , I stayed with family in California. To be honest I spent most of my time in my room watching the original Star Trek, everything around me felt too different. The autistic boy watching Star Trek all day! How didn’t I see the signs?

    School was always uncomfortable, I’ve just started watching ‘A Kind of Spark’, watching autistic people navigate school, all the slamming locker doors, multiple conversations and general nastiness by some students actually started triggering me, a had to watch it in bite size pieces.

    starting work was not easy, I just never seemed to fit in. I think I was more adventurous when I was younger, anxiety was always running in the background, now it is much more prevalent. Looking back I can now see how many things I did were pure autism. I do manage life  a lot better now, I know what is likely to cause most stress or over stimulation and adjust myself or environment. On the whole I mange better knowing I’m autistic. It would have not been helpful to have been labelled autistic in the 70’s or 80’s at school, it would have been a label and there was no understanding of autism.

Children
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