Managing a Late Autism Diagnosis

I’ve found it helpful to look back and examine what were autistic traits of mine. It helps me process and understand myself better. A lot of feelings came up for me after realizing I was autistic and I dodged them for a time. It was upsetting to know that I missed out on accommodations and was punished for things that are simply a part of me but it was important to feel those feelings. Therapy, journaling and talking to folks with similar experiences has been beneficial to me as well. Working on accepting myself was also key. Out of everything I feel the most stigma around my autism. I’m still working on stimming more freely and lowering my masks. Buying some stim toys was a big and useful step for me.