I have spent my whole life feeling like I didn’t belong anywhere. I have felt disconnected and lonely while being surrounded by people. I have felt out of place and uncertain in social situations because I never understood social rules and cues and people’s expectations and intentions. I didn’t understand when I was being made fun of. I didn’t understand why people were mean to me. I took everything literally. I trusted people unequivocally. I loved everyone wholeheartedly. I didn’t understand that people didn’t always mean what they said and say what they meant, because I always did and I assumed that others did too. I didn’t understand the games people played and why they played them.
It was only after my son was diagnosed with autism and I could relate to him easily, unlike others who found it very hard to understand him, that I began wondering if it might be because I was autistic too. This thought was only consolidated further over the years as I guided my son through experiences and challenges similar to those that I had gone through as a child.
Now that I have been diagnosed with autism, it is no wonder that I found it so easy to connect with my son and understand his needs, and I’m so grateful for that.
Love,
Preeti
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