In my personal experience, it's both difficult but somewhat rewarding. I have certain qualities that I probably wouldn't have if I wasn't autistic. For example, I feel more observant of my surroundings and of others. It helps guide me in life and allows me to think through situations in ways others can't. But it also makes communication difficult as I struggle from time to time with speaking my mind

Its like being in the backseat of a bus and a street has a pothole and you feel the bump of the pothole.

FINALLY A QUESTION I CAN ANSWER! Short answer: like you have no idea what’s going on and why you have to try ten times harder than everyone else, but you have a diagnosis at least so u know you aren’t making it up. LONG ANSWER: I cry every day. I know it’s not like that for everyone, but I don’t understand why everything is so hard? I just want friends but I dont know how. As a kid, my mom would sometimes say “why do you have to make everything so hard?”. I came back from school, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, crying to my mom so often saying I was scared my best friend at the time would leave me. I thought so cuz she would hang out with other people too, not just me. All I’ve ever wanted is to feel secure. Socializing is amazing, but no one wants to listen to me. I don’t want to listen to anyone. I want to go home. Why don’t people invite me places? Oh shit I spent 17 hours on my phone today. God I hate my parents. I’m terrified my mom is going to die. I miss my family. I don’t want to do wilderness therapy. I wanna go home. I’m scared. Wilderness is for the best. Wilderness fixed me. Why do I have to go to a residential? I’m fixed now. I’m traumatized. I can’t do this. I’m never going home. I hope that helped! That helped me to write, so thank you. I’ve been in treatment for over a yr and a half, and I’m doing okay, I think. All the love ❤️

It just hurts not being able to do certain things without doing something else or not doing it at all

It hurts having people baby you once they know, it hurts not being able to do certain things, similar to being undiagnosed. Most people point out that you have symptoms of it they won't let it go and you still have the same struggles when you're undiagnosed. When I got diagnosed I finally felt closure and understanding but it's really affected my life because I can't get anything to transition medically I can just socially transition (trans male). Sucks ig :/)