Difficulties in discovering my neurodivergencies
One of the main reasons I didn't realize I was autistic sooner was because I grew up in a small religious town with a family that was agnostic. People treated me differently, sure, but it's the small town.... right ? And then I moved to a big city, nothing changed. Now I've moved again and come to accept that I am neurodivergent. It's made making friends easier because I understand myself more. But it really sucks to know that to most I am "offputting" and always will be...
@reinwuvsu I love the part where you say you understand yourself more and that this has made it easier for you to make friends. Even in the best of circumstances, there are judgmental people in the world. You are enough, and embracing those who look beyond the things that make you unique are the people worth spending time with. I wish you all the best!
@reinwuvsu
Oh my gosh! Your post reminded me of something I haven't thought about in 40 years. I was in high school and some teachers who knew I was "different" (girls weren't diagnosed with autism back then) were checking in on me to see how I was doing. And I was telling them how frustrated and tired I was of never fitting in. They assured me that when I went to college and moved away from our small city that things would be better.
How I wish they would have been right! All my life I have been off-putting to others and couldn't seem to "fix" it and be normal! After I was diagnosed with autism (just a couple of years ago), things made more sense. I started paying attention to people around me who have autistic-like traits but I didn't realize before that what it was (like the friend who interrupts me constantly, but in a good way, because she's listening and wants to know more or is already trying to figure out the end of the story!).
I'm spending more time celebrating and supporting when people are similar to me, and less time trying to decode what "normal" is. 'Cuz it will never be me! 😄
Hope that is helpful!
