One of the oddest things about trying to integrate the information I may be autistic is that for years I've been feeling a sense of camaraderie with the #ActuallyAutistic community for years, but haven't participated in conversations because up until very recently I believed I only had ADHD and needed to stay in my lane even when I could relate. It feels very strange and disorienting to realize maybe the reason I was relating was because I am autistic.
@spika@actuallyautistic There is lots of overlap between the ADHD and autistic communities. The overlapping group even has a commonly used identifying label: “AuDHD”. I’d say that if you’ve been DX-ed (“official” or self) with one, it’s worth exploring the possibility of the other.
I can’t speak for ADHD-specific communities but there really isn’t a “lane” you need to stay in here, so long as you’re not trying to minimize or otherwise invalidate people’s experiences here.
The lens of my experience up until recently was through the lens of trying to understand my autistic loved ones.
There's still a part of my brain repeating "Oh, I'm not but my cousin and my boyfriend are" trying to distance myself from accepting that I myself am autistic too.
@spika@actuallyautistic I had similar but as a parent... Thought I had autistic kids but wasn't autistic myself, yet I could always understand what was triggering my kid's stress/ meltdowns etc as they also triggered me; I had just learnt to "pull myself to together" and mask my stress. Thought being able to #mask my autism meant I wasn't autistic. But I was wrong. Now I am so happy I know I am autistic 😊
@spika@actuallyautistic
I'd say that's a typical way of discovery for women. Trying to understand loved ones. It can take years before you turn the headlight around and view yourself in that light. Its funny how we all think we have to be a certain way when autism is the most individualistic rainbow kind of thing ever.
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