I have a question for all you late diagnosed adult.....

10-15 years ago, lighting really started changing from natural sources (filament heat inside halogens/incandescent) to far more unnatural lights: CFLs, LEDs. And while Fluorescents have been around for a while, they were usually tempered in shops or locations with natural lighting. For those of us with light sensitivity, it's become increasingly difficult to drive at night, go out at night, deal with shops without natural light. The change in society is forcing a biological response in those who feel attacked by these changes. And since covid, most public transport and station toilets have these installed lights which are absolutely blindingly painful.

Society is changing and it isn't helpful for those of us with very sensitive sense-perception. There's also a noticeable change in sociological structures in the west. The guardian just released an article about behaviour at concerts: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/sep/14/behaviour-music-gigs-live-shows?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR3duCI9Ba-AZDryy2lnRdIJkJ_6i4dhn7gipz314BqgMXSNOgAMjMERuuI#Echobox=1694683181 I'd even be inclined to say there's an Americanisation of the West changing fundamental values on the whole. Humans can be easily influenced by what they're exposed to. To an extent. 

So as you've been growing up, the world has been changing in ways that I believe are become much less easy for autistic thinking and being to inhabit. But, there's a few other factors. One is Autistics mature slower due to language differences. We don't use vocabulary as a fluid representation which is subject to change. In fact, we often rely on words having a stable function or underlying interpretation, and when they don't can be accused of being too pragmatic or worse, pedantic.This difference has an incredible impact psychologically on how most create Defence Mechanisms, which are an aspect of 'civilised behaviour' one matures into. If we were raised with good values in a supportive environment which didn't change, we may have felt acceptance to some degree, perhaps we were 'quirky but kind' and when peers have the time to get to know someone with - even middle class values, let's say - one might not think much of your differences. 

But when there is sudden change, transitions in life, a great many things which once were overlooked may suddenly become noticeable. When I was younger I was taught that stress and hardship is where we learn much about ourselves. Or as one mentor said, the dark room is needed to reveal the image. 

10-15 years ago, lighting really started changing from natural sources (filament heat inside halogens/incandescent) to far more unnatural lights: CFLs, LEDs. And while Fluorescents have been around for a while, they were usually tempered in shops or locations with natural lighting. For those of us with light sensitivity, it's become increasingly difficult to drive at night, go out at night, deal with shops without natural light. The change in society is forcing a biological response in those who feel attacked by these changes. And since covid, most public transport and station toilets have these installed lights which are absolutely blindingly painful.

Society is changing and it isn't helpful for those of us with very sensitive sense-perception. There's also a noticeable change in sociological structures in the west. The guardian just released an article about behaviour at concerts: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/sep/14/behaviour-music-gigs-live-shows?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR3duCI9Ba-AZDryy2lnRdIJkJ_6i4dhn7gipz314BqgMXSNOgAMjMERuuI#Echobox=1694683181 I'd even be inclined to say there's an Americanisation of the West changing fundamental values on the whole. Humans can be easily influenced by what they're exposed to. To an extent. 

So as you've been growing up, the world has been changing in ways that I believe are become much less easy for autistic thinking and being to inhabit. But, there's a few other factors. One is Autistics mature slower due to language differences. We don't use vocabulary as a fluid representation which is subject to change. In fact, we often rely on words having a stable function or underlying interpretation, and when they don't can be accused of being too pragmatic or worse, pedantic.This difference has an incredible impact psychologically on how most create Defence Mechanisms, which are an aspect of 'civilised behaviour' one matures into. If we were raised with good values in a supportive environment which didn't change, we may have felt acceptance to some degree, perhaps we were 'quirky but kind' and when peers have the time to get to know someone with - even middle class values, let's say - one might not think much of your differences. 

But when there is sudden change, transitions in life, a great many things which once were overlooked may suddenly become noticeable. When I was younger I was taught that stress and hardship is where we learn much about ourselves. Or as one mentor said, the dark room is needed to reveal the image. 

“Stress and hardship is where we learn much about ourselves” Possibly but I’m not sure how you do it if your reaction to stress and hardship is clinical depression.