I am 33 years old, diagnosed with autism five years ago. I have struggled with my weight since puberty, as food has served many functions for me over the years, especially emotional eating. I am looking to connect with someone who can relate to my struggles and help guide me through my ongoing weight loss journey.
Since my diagnosis, I have only been able to see challenges, which has led me to resent all my autistic traits because they make navigating life as a working adult extremely difficult.
In an ideal world, I wouldn't work and would volunteer at a cat sanctuary or be a companion to lonely elderly people. Sadly, that lifestyle wouldn't support a mortgage or help maintain a marriage.
Adulting is hard. Doing it as a high-functioning autistic person is even more so. With the high-functioning label, there's an assumption that you're coping as well as a neurotypical person. It's only really apparent that you have autism during a meltdown or shutdown, when it feels like your secret identity is exposed without your consent.