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Letting go of being told I am not normal.

mrs.snooks

I've posted this in my other thread, so sorry if this is against the rules. But I woke up at 4.30am thinking that this was still hurting.

Yesterday, in response to coming out as Autistic, I was told "well, not everyone is normal"

I'm really trying to get my head around this, because of course being autistic, for the life of me, I don't know if they mean that:

1. It is okay to not be normal

2. It is not okay to be not normal

3. Being normal is on a spectrum

4. Being not normal makes me a lesser person.

So, please help me understand.

I'm going to ask the advice of a neurotypical colleague of what was meant by this response. Because it is hurting still.

I mean I know I am not normal. I know I am weird (a comment from Wednesday). But I have a lifetime of this trauma to try and cope with.

I don't know whether I should call it out, feel hurt, feel angry or feel like I am 'making a mountain out of a molehill'. (Do love a good metaphor Rolling eyes) I want to improve how we are viewed in the world, but maybe like my husband advised me: I should not come out as Autistic, because it will come at too great a personal cost.

Yours, feeling sad.

Mrs Snooks

Parents

  • I'm so sorry you were on the receiving end of that. It's like when someone says they're sorry to hear you're autistic - not helpful and not what you want to hear. Sadly there's not a lot of understanding when it comes to autism.

    You are normal - there's no such thing as normal, just varying degrees of different. And that's not a bad thing. I hope one day autism will be better understood and recognised by the population.

    I hope you feel a bit brighter now. You are amongst kindred spirits here :)

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  • I'm so sorry you were on the receiving end of that. It's like when someone says they're sorry to hear you're autistic - not helpful and not what you want to hear. Sadly there's not a lot of understanding when it comes to autism.

    You are normal - there's no such thing as normal, just varying degrees of different. And that's not a bad thing. I hope one day autism will be better understood and recognised by the population.

    I hope you feel a bit brighter now. You are amongst kindred spirits here :)

Children