You missed the stage where you don’t want to openly identify as autistic because of the stigma surrounding both autism itself as well as self-diagnosis
I’m just entering that stage after a seeing how some of my friends have started treating me once I told them. With these friends in particular, now everything I do is somehow an autism conversation starter.
Example 1
Me: I spent last learning about abiogenesis. Have you guys looked into that?
Them: omg, that’s so autistic
Example 2
Me: I cut it off with the [autistic] girl I was dating. She had some red flags that really turned me away.
Them: Okay, so you’re both, which means you guys have communication deficits.
It’s like I stopped being me with personal characteristics, preferences, and interests. Now, I’m an autism case without any individuality outside of autistic traits. Also, to them, I’m not autistic. I have autism. This has really strained the relationship to the point that I don’t really desire to spend anytime with them. It’s sad, because I’ve known them for over 5 years, and up’til now, they had been pretty cool.
You missed the stage where you don’t want to openly identify as autistic because of the stigma surrounding both autism itself as well as self-diagnosis
I’m just entering that stage after a seeing how some of my friends have started treating me once I told them. With these friends in particular, now everything I do is somehow an autism conversation starter.
Me: I spent last learning about abiogenesis. Have you guys looked into that?
Them: omg, that’s so autistic
Me: I cut it off with the [autistic] girl I was dating. She had some red flags that really turned me away.
Them: Okay, so you’re both, which means you guys have communication deficits.
It’s like I stopped being me with personal characteristics, preferences, and interests. Now, I’m an autism case without any individuality outside of autistic traits. Also, to them, I’m not autistic. I have autism. This has really strained the relationship to the point that I don’t really desire to spend anytime with them. It’s sad, because I’ve known them for over 5 years, and up’til now, they had been pretty cool.