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diff --git a/content/entry/the-importance-of-early-autism-diagnosis.md b/content/entry/the-importance-of-early-autism-diagnosis.md index ebe5988..78a22b7 100644 --- a/content/entry/the-importance-of-early-autism-diagnosis.md +++ b/content/entry/the-importance-of-early-autism-diagnosis.md @@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ It's very common for people like myself with low-to-moderate support needs autis **Getting an autism diagnosis mostly hasn't changed the way people treat me**. Even after diagnosis, the people who were jerks to me before are still jerks. The people who downplayed my symptoms and denied my condition before still do. And the people who were nice to me before are still nice. -The crucial difference is that **getting diagnosed has completely changed how I think about myself**. My past now makes sense because I have the correct context with which to interpret it. Even though it's hard for me to keep a job or maintain relationships, at least now I know why and I don't have to blame myself any more. I don't have to feel guilty for not meeting others' expectations of me because those expectations were never reasonable to begin with. I now have a way to advocate for myself. My condition is legally recognized and I'm afforded certain protections under the law. +The crucial difference is that **getting diagnosed has completely changed how I think about myself**. My past now makes sense because I have the correct context with which to interpret it. Even though it's hard for me to keep a job or maintain relationships, at least now I know why and I don't have to blame myself anymore. I don't have to feel guilty for not meeting others' expectations of me because those expectations were never reasonable to begin with. I now have a way to advocate for myself. My condition is legally recognized and I'm afforded certain protections under the law. ## The Importance of Early Diagnosis I got diagnosed this year at 24 years old. I'm just now teaching myself basic emotional intelligence skills, skills I desperately needed but was never taught because I wasn't diagnosed early. I consider myself lucky to have been diagnosed at all, but I can't help imagining what life would've been like for me if I'd been diagnosed earlier and gotten early intervention. A lot of pain, struggling, and confusion could've probably been entirely avoided. |