Wishing you weren't autistic

Until the age of 20 (having been diagnosed at 8), I didn't really embrace the fact I'm autistic. I still treated it as like a disease and a separate entity to me. 

Eventually, I managed to feel a bit more comfortable with it and learnt more about it over the years. I was firmly on the "autism is great" train for a while, exploring autistic joy and so on.

These last few months, I've felt differently. I've spoken about my massive screw-up a few months ago quite a bit here. I saw a comment from someone who questioned if I'm actually autistic. Many doubtlessly thought I was using autism as an excuse.

As a result, I've begun wishing I wasn't autistic all over again. I do believe that none of that would have happened if I wasn't autistic.

Not being autistic would turn me into a different person, but I think I'd rather be a different person. The person I am is forever tainted and considered the lowest of the low.

Admittedly this is somewhat contradicted by the fact that I've begun wearing my sunflower lanyard when I go out and about sometimes, but I do it because I don't really care about what people think about it.

I do often forget that I'm autistic and don't ask for support when I need it and things end up going wrong, but I don't know what I'd rather. Ignoring it didn't work, but embracing it meant I got myself into situations which led to this avalanche.

I wish I could completely start my life again sometimes.

Parents
  • There seems to be a lot of wisdom, and balance, in the way you talk about your experiences, that you are trying out different things and acknowledging when sometimes you could have done better, and feeling appropriate feelings around that. You may not see it yourself, but to me, you seem like a ray of hope, for the world, for yourself and for autism in general. 

Reply
  • There seems to be a lot of wisdom, and balance, in the way you talk about your experiences, that you are trying out different things and acknowledging when sometimes you could have done better, and feeling appropriate feelings around that. You may not see it yourself, but to me, you seem like a ray of hope, for the world, for yourself and for autism in general. 

Children
  • I went through a somewhat traumatic event earlier in the year which has really split my life in half. It has definitely changed the person I am.

    I'm still grappling with it. I feel like I'm no longer welcome in the world as an autistic person because of all those errors I've made.

    I appreciate your kind words though.