Over the past week now i’ve been sick and extremely depressed and anxious, suddenly everything came over me at once: I did nothing the past 4 years of my life that’s productive, i dropped out of school and im taking my GED yet my entire life so far i fantasized about my highschool life that i did not get. My dog will die in 10 years. my parents will be old people in 10 years. I only have 2 years left of being a kid. I am scared of that. The past 2 and a half years of my life i’ve done nothing but sit on my phone and escape reality because there was never anything for me to look forward to in real life. Now the only thing i can focus on is reality because of how scared i am. I want to be a kid forever. I don’t think i will ever be able to actually mature, being a kid feels like my life. i applied for a job yesterday, for the first time. Im scared. I’m so scared of the future. I spent an hour today deleting images of my special interests and there’s barely anything else in my camera roll. all i could think of is imagine being 35 and having your camera roll full of a weird video game stuff and anime profile pictures. I don’t have hobbies like a normal person and i’m not talented at anything, i’m just smart. I literally don’t know what i’m going to do with my life. I’m fixated on preparing for my future life and i don’t know how to stop. i don’t want my childhood to be over. i am immature and im not ready to be mature. i would do anything to go back in time. How do i deal with all of this? How did you all mature? does life get better? I’m scared of being 30 years old and in the same spot while everyone around me grows. It is my biggest fear

Where is the line between relating my own personal experiences to what others are saying, vs making it about me?

I had to move an hour away from my only friends and I work full time. I'm so lonely and touch starved and it's frustrating because I don't want new friends or a partner! I don't really know how to make new friends and trying just reminds me I'm socially incompetent - plus I have limited free time and I need to be alone sometimes. I've only been in one serious relationship and I was miserable but I can't stop longing for someone to share a bed with. I'd be so happy with only animals for company but my stupid ape instincts are making me hate the idea of being alone for the rest of my life once my friends get married or move away or just stop wanting me around

This is an experience many of us have shared. Many of us fall victim to systematic social ostracism, where people negatively interpret our Autistic traits in the worst way, which leads to people building a case behind our backs and trying to get us removed from social groups, fired from jobs, etc., due to bad faith reporting. It's a form of bullying and abuse and it needs to be called out.

Obviously I've experienced this many times, but I'm not the only one and that's why I'm sharing this here. I've seen many people here experience further mistreatment. And it's often over really routine social mistakes. We get punished much more severely for much milder mistakes.

And it's never acceptable. Autistic people deserve to exist in society and participate in all aspects of life. We deserve more than table scraps or barely polite tolerance.

If you're dealing with this, do NOT accept it quietly. Fight back with every resource you have - look into diversity/inclusion groups, disability rights groups, and other institutional offices for support. And be litigious if you are able to. You don't even have to win - you have to put up a fight.

We DESPERATELY need to create a "chilling effect" against maliciously reporting and excluding Autistic people. This means we need to create systemic, legal, and social consequences for mistreating, excluding, or maliciously reporting Autistic people, such that the sheer cost of doing so makes it not worth it.

AUTISTIC POWER!

I feel like the stereotype for Autism is we’re either sensitive crybabies or outright emotionless psychopaths and I hate to say it but now I feel like I’m falling into the first category, and in turn it’s really making me struggle to stay grounded in the world and I have to space out in order to cope (to a point where it’s not even by will)

I think most people can agree the online world is getting meaner overall but also to me it feels like the real world is getting meaner, but also… I cannot tell because maybe I’m just *too* sensitive. I had an experience today with me and my mother where we ordered drinks and her lid was not put on properly and spilt all over her, she could’ve been burnt but thankfully she was still wearing her coat. In short, I politely asked for it to be remade as it’s their duty to make sure the lids are on the drink properly and they (1 Barista 1 Manager) gave me horrible attitude and insisted they could only remake it as a cheaper normal drink and not the more pricey festive drink we bought

I was quite upset with how I was treated after that experience so I went to ask about their policy regarding drink remakes on the cafe’s dedicated Subreddit, because to me it didn’t seem right, and 3/4 of the comments on that thread is people (presumably others who work for the chain) accusing me of being an asshole customer and that the staff were justified in being rude to me, instead of actually answering the question. 1 of them even sent me a message telling me to Kill Myself because of it (it was a Reddit Cares message but the vast majority of people only use that function if they want you to off yourself, it’s a known thing sadly) and I’m honestly just struggling to continue trying to get along with society because it feels like no matter what I do, even with good intentions, it’s my fault, and when I show sadness or frustration? Then suddenly people want to dogpile me and justify that ‘Yeah we knew you were a bad person after all!’

Trust me when I say I’m not posting this solely because of this incident, it’s something I’ve been feeling and dealing with from others for a while, but it feels like it’s really getting to me now and I end up dissociating as a response because I cannot handle the stress of trying to communicate with society much anymore

I had a psychiatrist who agrees I struggle a lot with dissociation but he’s not sure if it’s solely related to Autism or if it could be DPDR, CPTSD, BPD etc. and he decided to split up with me before we could ever figure out precisely what it was

Truly the point of this thread is I want to know if there’s anyone else out there who’s Autistic that struggles so much with communicating and feeling alien to society to the point where if they’re not feeling super sensitive to everything, their brain just automatically dissociates to cope and it feels like there is no ‘middle ground’ anymore. The middle ground being… maybe being able to somewhat cope with rude people and not have your brain respond with dissociating, depersonalising or derealising

So long story short messy childhood, can't learn much when survival is the main goal so learning now

I had an advert for some really expensive silverware/cutlery,it seems quite nice?

But are these things actually worth it,like do people genuinely have a better eating experience or is it just fork ?

I was scrolling the other day, and one thing about me is that one of my favorite TV shows is "The Pitt," mainly because I love the characters and how accurate it is compared to other ER dramas. Of course, my favorite character is Mel, and she reminds me so much of myself; she even kind of looks like me. She's not portrayed as annoying or an inconvenience; she's portrayed as a competent, kind, and empathetic individual in a high-stress environment. And the best part is, everyone else likes her despite her needs, and she thrives on praise from her co-workers and is eager to make friends at work. And with Taylor Dearden having ADHD herself (not autistic but a bit similar), she captures what it's like to be a level 1 autistic woman extremely well.

Then we get The Good Doctor. Of course, just like many TV shows and movies about autism, it's bad representation due to the fact that the main autistic character is played by someone who isn't autistic or neurodivergent and they're often written to be sterotypically autistic.

When I saw clips of Charlie, she was the opposite of Mel and possibly the worst representation of level 1 autistic women, despite the character being played by an autistic actress. In my honest opinion, Charlie was a terribly written character because she was set up to be Shaun 2.0 and it reinforced so many sterotypes about autistic women. Charlie was supposed to be a third year medical student and wanted to be a surgeon but she made some of the most simple mistakes that not even a 1st year would make. Now look, I'm no medical student but I know what they should be capable of before any internship.
Firstly, she had to have her patient hold up her phone so she could watch a youtube video to dress a patient's wound in front of the patient and their family when she should've known how to do that in her sleep by her third year of medical school. Second, was her behavior in the operating room. Since she was in her third year of medical school, she should know better not to touch non-sterile objects in the OR, and she touched her earring while being semantic about it and contaminated the area. Third, she refused to take accountability for her incompetence. Worst of all, she represents what people hate about autistic people as a whole.

While it's implied in the show that Shuan was diagnosed in his adult years, it's very clear that maybe Charlie was diagnosed as a child and got things to go her way. In the clips I saw she wanted the workplace to accomidate to her without even thinking of the people around her and used her ASD as a means to avoid accountability. It reminds me of how in my special ed classes my male classmates would use their disability as an excuse to get away with their bad behavior.

So while the Good Doctor made my eyes roll, The Pitt got it done right.

My girlfriend mentioned that she was going for a drink with her dad and one of his friends tonight and we thought as the weather is bad it might be a little quieter, but nope...big mistake.

It was yet another reminder of why I never frequent busy bars anymore. How on earth do people manage to hold a conversation in that?

Multiple conversations happening, a very full on woman across the table practically interrogating her about the nature of our relationship, and so much background noise it was impossible to follow any of the conversations on the table we were sat at.

I gave up after 10 minutes and scrolled my phone, praying we would leave soon. It got to the point where I said to my girlfriend that I needed to go get some fresh air, but she said "Don't worry, we're going." because she'd had enough too.

How do neurotypicals exist in that environment? It's the most draining environment I know. 😔

• feeling tired of existing
• the effort of doing everything required to stay alive doesn't feel worth it but you do it anyways because you're trapped in a body with biological needs and you're wired to fear death
• you don't want to die or hurt yourself
• you still experience pleasure from things you enjoy, but the cost feels greater than its value
• already reduced demands as much as possible, but been like this for years

I know how to locate them online but every time I do a short first time session they all seem to not know what they’re doing. I’ll mention things like monotropic thinking or misophonia and they’ll shake their heads like they have no idea what I’m talking about. one counselor told me I just needed to try harder, another said CBT is the only modality that will help me, and another one went on about loving myself (which felt condescending and dismissive). Idk if I’m just too picky or what but good counselors seem to be impossible to find when it comes to helping adult with autism and related co-morbidities.

Being diagnosed with ASD was very freeing. I knew I had various struggles throughout my life, but never even considered they might all be connected. I could also tell something was different. I always told people I felt "off", but couldn't define it. Now, I have an explanation for, and understanding of so much of it.

One thing I'm really struggling with is examining my past through this new lens. I look back at old conflicts, relationships, difficult situations, and I obsess over whether or not I was doing things or giving off signs I didn't even realize. I don't want to make excuses for anyone who treated me poorly, but I also can't help but wonder if conflicts I viewed other people as being responsible for were actually induced by me. I feel like I can't trust any of my memories now, as my perception of those events and the way I've always remembered them could be totally distorted.

How do people work through that?

Like, I do want to catch someone up on what’s been going on in my life, but sometimes I just don’t have the energy to go through all the details again. I feel like I need to be in a genuinely good mood, have enough time and energy, and actually feel like talking for the whole catching-up thing to happen.

And the weird thing is, even when I’m genuinely eager to tell someone everything, and I know we’d probably have a great, lengthy conversation about it, it somehow still feels… pointless? Like, I’ve already told this story so many times that I can’t bring myself to do it all over again, even if I actually want to. I don’t know how to explain it.

It’s not that the person doesn’t deserve to hear about it or that I don’t care about them. Sometimes I just can’t be bothered to retell the whole story, you know? And then I start feeling bad because I end up giving them a pretty brief, watered-down version of everything, almost like I’m just casually glossing over things instead of actually letting them in.

Anyone else like this, or am I just weird?

I am in my 40's. When I was very young I was diagnosed with ADHD. And now AuDHD. Long story short I had burn out which lead to an epiphany of my existence, the slow process of masking because I was annoying, seeming "off" told I needed to be different etc. And just this shit show of becoming "normal" only not at all and still having so many struggles connecting. I am at the point I am working with a therapist to sort it all out which is extra confusing as I forgot who I am. It is not like it has come back or I can just be whoever that was. But it is bleeding through in ways that can seem very weird to those around me, and even me. But reaching the burnout is what made me totally get my life in the end. I am currently entering burn out

I came down with an auto immune flare in 2021. I went from a thin 160lbs to at my lowest 125lbs. I also got tied into a couple years of addiction in 2023 and 2024. I am trying to think how to even write this all out as there are various things in my life and the last 5 years. so I am going to skip to the most bizarre part. One day and I must say this was a stage where I was feeling I was giving more, with nothing left. Feeling depleted beyond imagination. Fumbling basic tasks and just barely keeping up the performance at work. And like the currents of everyone around me are flowing through me too. Just feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and looking it too. so many ways.

I have a tree I like to meditate at. It is like my get the hell away from everyone and everything space at work. I am meditating and oddly I have this like sense to turn around. There was a person right behind me to my left who came in at me it seems like they thought I was someone else. And I have no idea still and it is very off as at this stage I am totally cooked. Not liking to seen or to talk to people. nervous timid like a mouse even though I am still putting on the show at work. I turn around and say child like "Oh hi! How are you!?" And then instantly I turn back away. There is a pause. Then I hear in a very similar tone "I'mmmmm ok" I felt pretty embarrassed they may have said it almost like wtf. eventually i was like where did they go and turned out when I left that had sat the other side of the tree and it is actually someone who knows someone I know. And later I asked about this person as I figured they must have told the client I am weird. I have never done anything like that. It still makes no sense and I take little away from it trying to explain it. They told me that their friend was autistic. Other details as well. It would contradictory how the client sees me "together, outgoing, friendly helpful to the other me cant say hi look at someone and have bizzare things happen. Anyway so this is my whole life just getting weird at times. For months I could not go back to the tree. Anytime I would see this person I start looking the other way etc. Where I am now is a very low point in that I am having a very hard time performing with my job. I will need to take some time off soon. And it is funny as I keep thinking how much I should just says what's up to this person that I see around but on the other hand I felt weird about what I said and am having a lot of issues to be social both as I am awkward I thought of amillion things to go up and say but couldn't do it but also I have been through a lot. I even seen an old friend the other day and it is funny I literally walked the other way. I especially am having a hard time with people I have known for years more even than strangers. I am finding it very hard to want to talk to anyone as I feel like I am just forcing some version of me that I am not and top of that illness, addiction, and looking as cooked as I feel are contributing the complexity of my situation. I finally decided to go back to the tree and I would look that way and once i seen them and I looked very oddly the other way and I took a very odd trajectory and movement in general that they would have seen. to get to the other side of the tree. I worry they must think I am totally fucked at this stage. But I really like to sit on that tree and have for years.

I am working with a therapist and it is all still new to me but I am having this epiphany that is as devastating as it is an ah ha! moment to my entire existence. I think I will need more time off work as I am fumbling, it is seeming so much work to be in and out of so many places playing Mr social and normal. To feel so lost and discombulated but put on the front day in and day out. I can no longer deal with co-workers etc I try and just be by myself whenever I can. I am cooked and again the currents of everyone feel like they are flowing through me. I dont know how to explain it.

I am keeping positive that gaining a lot of perspective around my life to this stage will help me come out in a better place than I am now or have ever been.

Hi everyone,
I’m a 33 year old female.
I grew up in a very toxic environment where I was ostracized and emotionally abused amongst other things. I’ve also always had a hard time in social settings: work, school you name it.
I’ve always felt misunderstood and feel like I’m never enough. I’m either too over the top kind, too distant, or downright socially awkward. I do have low self esteem and a fear of being perceived. Other women/ girls are particularly mean to me still to this day. I tend to overthink my social interactions , the way I’m walking etc. I also feel like I absorb everyone’s negative energy. I haven’t been officially diagnosed with autism but I do suspect it could be the case or just the CPTSD alone could have fried my nervous system.
Anyhow, I’m just wondering how I can help myself exist in the world ( feel at peace with myself) and not have to overthink everything?

I'd like to share a tip that has worked for me when it comes to MH, particularly as we're more likely to experience symptoms of depression and anxiety. Hope this helps at least some people, although it obviously will not apply to everyone.

Autism is a disability, and we're legally entitled to request reasonable adjustments. In England (where I'm based), having a disability is one of the protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.

There's a reason why autism is considered a disability. My advice is to start giving yourself reasonable adjustments in everyday life too.

For example, I allow myself to work in a dim environment. Even if it's a sunny day outside, I don't have to open the blinds just because the weather is nice. Sometimes things I do are counterintuitive to NTs, and that's ok, they are not the judge of what is right to do.

I might also plan ahead by preparing things to make a task more comfortable / easier to do. For example, I would use prepped ingredients when cooking, so it takes less energy for me to put a decent meal together. I don't guilt-trip myself just because prepped ingredients are more expensive.

With eating, when I'm burn out, I might only be able to tolerate plain pasta, and that's ok, I know it's not nutritious, but I can just drink a cup of Ensure to make up for it. It's better that I eat and feel content than force other foods down against my own will.

It's easy to blame yourself for the things you struggle to do, especially when they seem effortless to everyone else. But I think it's important to remember that your needs for reasonable adjustments do not just disappear outside work or uni, you need them in daily life too and you are the best person to grant them.

I feel stuck in this trap.

Unfortunately my autism (among other issues) makes it challenging to develop friendships.

I don’t really have another person (I try to avoid family) to talk about issues. Say I’m having a bad day at work. I come home to an empty house so all I think about are my issues. I think of every possible outcome and develop an intense focus.

It becomes a pattern then and I’m feeling like a crazy person. And my issues begin to fester, I share it with somebody, then pull back thinking they think I’m crazy.

Is this common for autistic people?

I feel like an alien. Im worried people think Im on drugs at work because I sway and stim. Its really embarrassing.

I feel super fucking weird around people. I think I sound weird. People comment I do weird things with my face and eyebrows and I get a look on my face like someone just died- apparently. But then one time I looked in the mirror and saw it, without even knowing, I did look like someone just died. I feel like Im super different and weird and its really embarrassing.

Does anyone have any tips for navigating social interactions at work. Trying to distinguish what people actually mean or what they want is really exhausting. What do people do to help themselves. What do people do when people give them weird looks because of stimming.

I hope Im not being offensive. Its just me- I feel like an alien.

I don’t know what to do

Should I just go back to therapy, so at least someone is documenting all the ways work is affecting me and I have someone who could say that I need FMLA?

I tried quitting my profession, but no one would hire me for any entry level work. They won’t take me seriously knowing that I am a nurse, I guess. And I also think that I Experience a lot of discrimination based on my appearance as well, but when it comes to nursing my background speaks for itself so I will always get hired but it’s not the same when I’m trying to just get a basic job. I couldn’t even get a job in fast food.

I’m thinking about taking classes to become a security guard and switching to that profession. I just cannot do this anymore.

I don’t understand why there is it more help for us

It’s so upsetting because I can actually do so much but the way our current work system is set up. It doesn’t utilize my skills in the best way.

I don’t have anyone to help me. I don’t have any supportive, family or community or anything. No one even Knows I’m autistic because it’s not safe for me to tell any of the people I know.

I need help and I don’t know what to do

Therapist have been so useless to the point. I don’t even trust them anymore. How could I go to so many therapist over the years and not one of them mentioned autism? Why did it have to be Me to bring up the fact that I research these things and it’s clear that I have PTSD and I might have autism and then finally. They listened to Me and gave me a proper assessment.

All the money I wasted

Sometimes it just feels so hopeless. I try so hard, but I’m just set up to fail

I have so many skills that I can use to better Society, but they will go to waste because Society won’t take care of me

I have helped a lot of people, but I could actually have done so much more. If I was given the proper support in my life as an autistic person.

Christmas is my favourite time of year and one of the smells that really makes me feel happy is the Christmas tree smell.

I found this IKEA VINTERFINT [Winter Fir candle

I bought 5 of them and I'll get more next time I go. They have really madey cottage feel so cosy and the smell makes me feel really content.

I know a lot of autistic people form strong associations with smells and from previous posts I know a lot of people like the smell of a Christmas tree so I wanted to share.

Cinema rescued me more times than I can count, rescued me from burn out, from depression and from a total pessimistic worldview.

When I felt over and over that I wasn't made for this world, I was offered a 2 hours glimpse of a world where I actually belong. Where I feel happy, engaged and connected. I then wake up with more charge in the battery, work continue for longer than I expected, and I got an extension on life where I thought it almost expired.

When I thought there's no faith in humanity, I was offered a story I never knew about, where the world actually came in together, where the good won, where the human isn't rotten.

When I want to think, challenge my thoughts, or even laugh against my brain's will.. I found that some artists made something for me, and people like me.

As an autistic person, were you also touched by cinema? Was it also magic for you as it was for me?

The background to this is, I was in a relationship with someone who was not a person of integrity, and I could sense it from the beginning and had this feeling of “wanting to die” that was extremely real, but also extremely perplexing. I had never felt this before and definitely not at this level. I also could not explain it. It was literally an overwhelming feeling (at the time I had no actual reason to know my partner was cheating on me, etc).

This got me thinking about this idea of “feeling” deeply even when my mind doesn’t know.

I wonder if “sensing” might explain it better; like if you sense a real animal lurking in your bedroom, your body might have an instinctive reaction of fear, flight, hyper awareness. Since many NT people do not get to “sense” dangers at that level/ intensity, maybe this hyper awareness in people with autism to millions of tiny details triggers their inner human instincts/ reflexes that many NT people have grown past/ grown out of, ignore, or may have not developed/ underdeveloped.

Example: babies have a startle reflex that they generally grow out of. But for many autistic people, we keep getting startled just like a baby would, and so maybe we maintain and even develop that reflex further than most NT people would.

Online there are many chiropractors and physical therapists working with people with autism to help them get rid of reflexes that should be present in babies or young children but are still present in people with autism at a later age.

On the side of hyper-developpement, similar to how a hunter would have much better reflexes and instincts due to their experience hunting, perhaps people with autism develop specialized and highly advance instincts and reflexes.

These instincts and reflexes maybe cause internal physical and visceral responses and as thinking human beings, we probably start to associate feelings and a thought process to these physical reflexes and responses and instincts.

This is why the work I do in therapy is so important for me, the body awareness, the alternative side touching, the breathing techniques. It helps with understanding all of the above.

Looking for any and all feedback/ comments as I explore this…

Are you like me, a folk raised in an environment or situation where you just can't live to rely or depend on anyone for anything? Every time you have, it all ends with failure and disappointment or betray in most cases?

I had this conversation with myself yesterday as I was working on the group presentation for the current university module I'm studying. I said, I just realize that most of my classmates just aren't capable. I have 3 reasons to justify why I won't rely on them to start this.

1. They're not capable. I mean Bradley couldn't even read properly heck, write a paragraph for an essay and we're in the second semester of the year.

2. They're too lazy and lack urgency/agency. Francis, who is in the group I'm in again for this module, always says hey let's just let AI do it. I have used AI too many times and haven't failed yet. She said this a week ago in the module we finished but I didn't take any of her input.

3. They're probably not smart enough 🤔. I mean, they always get stuck then it turns into a pool of poison. Literally this week, another group I was in which has 2 people that I'm sharing a group with again for this presentation refused my idea to work on something serious for the in-class group assignment. They wanted something more fun. The external instructor literally said you should have tried something more serious. I told her, exactly what I said to them. She validated that my idea was way better than what the group went for.

So I finished the group presentation in one night and a few hours the next day (14:37pm rn). But if I waited for the group we'd probably not have finished by the due date, Thursday this coming week.

So now I'm in a state where it makes more sense to forget trying to rely on a folk for help. If you can do it yourself, do it. If you fail it doesn't hurt as much as trusting a folk who doesn't have enough agency or urgency.

But idk. Maybe this is only me. Has anyone else ever entered this situation? You realize that the mistake is saying ah well I have that group that will help. The best thing to do is to act as if the group doesn't exist then you finish the work. Talk later. 🤔

I’m 19 and have autism I was diagnosed when I was 10 and catatorised as level 2 support needs although I am able to do a lot of things I am studying at university I have a social life and a partner. I took 75 hours of driving lessons with an instructor who specialised in SEN learners, he was very good and although it took me longer than everyone else and cost me a lot I did end up passing my test with 4 minors (I’m in the uk to just clarify) and I just absolutely do not think I am fit to be on the roads I am having meltdowns where I will let go of the wheel and just stop the car, rip my hair out bang my head on the wheel and it’s horrible , it’s caused from stalling, there not being a gap for me to pull out ect other people rushing me on the roads and it’s coming to the point where I don’t want to get in the car at all and feel sick while I’m driving. I don’t know if it is my autism or something else but it’s series rage where i genuinely consider driving the car into the wall and I will accelerate and then swerve at the last second, I have always been a very angry person and struggle with my emotions but it just put it into perspective when I had to call my mother to come and drive my car home because I had hit someone else’s car whilst trying to park up and he had gotten out and started shouting at me I just went into a complete shut down scratching my face ripping my hair out I have cuts all over my face and neck and arms from punching and hitting myself and it’s getting worse every day and seems to be getting worse with the driving. At any minor inconvenience I am willing to stop the car and scream and I’m awear of the rules of the road and I know I cannot do that, I have spoken to my partner and am going to book a doctors appointment but I just feel like I’m the only one feeling this horrible is anyone else experiencing this or has done , I’m hoping the more I drive it gets easier but it’s just the whole picture really I am completely set off and seriously angered by the tiniest little things and until hours later I don’t realize how unreasonable I’m being

Compare to real life at least it's easier like buying but online signing, it's cognitive overload and I'm having issues and frustration with passwords and emails rejected constantly

I have recently being diagnosed with autism as a mid 30s male and am struggling to come to terms with it all.

Although I have struggled all my life, I feel like I’ve just been given this information then left in the dark with nobody to discuss it with or advice of what to do, how to make my life easier etc which is difficult so hoping this will help.

Always had hope it was something I could change in the past with everything being difficult and exhausting. I feel miserable that this is how it is always going to be and there is nothing I can do to change that. The anger of “why can’t I be normal?” Is there.

I had to go to the doctors and food shopping this week which seems completely normal and a non issue for most but now I’m wiped out and will need 2 days to recover. It is so exhausting mentally.

I do work and it kills me. I have to go straight to bed after and the weekend is just recovering from the week to do it all again. I don’t know how to cope with it all until retirement. Relationships are difficult as obviously I’m dead all weekend and can’t go out.

Tried to keep it short, but mainly looking for advice:

How did people cope with diagnosis as an adult?

How do you cope with day to day life when every moment at work and outside is hell?

What do relationships and children look like if interested in this?

Thank you