I was diagnosed with autism at age 20, but I want to be seen as a normal person, not a special needs person.

[starlight1364]

I am a 26 year old man with an autism diagnosis, but I don't want that diagnosis to define me for the rest of my life. I want to completely dispel this whole idea that I am just this helpless, autistic, special needs person who can't take care of myself, and who needs to be kept under the control and the supervision of others. I want everyone to recognize that I am a competent adult who can function at the level of a normal person, and who can live a fully independent and successful life!

I don't mean to demean or dehumanize special needs people, but I don't want to be put into the same category as those people. I want to be seen as a person of competence, not a person of special needs. Is that really such a bad thing for me to want?

 

[Kitsune Faye]

As an autistic adult, we’re never gonna be seen as normal people. Either embrace and make your own name out there and prove people wrong, or refuse to accept that we’re always gonna be seen as special needs, and take it out on the world and innocent people. And get some help and services while you’re at it. I don’t mean to sound insensitive, but as an autistic adult myself, you need a lot of help, especially now that you’re officially diagnosed. If you don’t, three thing are gonna happen: you’re gonna be in/out of jail, you may end up in a state hospital indefinitely, or the graveyard. Get some help, clean yourself up, and learn how to navigate this neurotypical world. Ik it’s not easy, but it can be done. Swim or sink.

 

[Kleng]

Emulate the functioning adults around you.

 

[Cider]

I got diagnosed at roughly around that age as well.

 

[Kitsune Faye]

I got diagnosed at roughly around that age as well.

I was almost 4 when dx’d, and I’m one of the handful of girls to not only be dx’d with autism, but also be correctly diagnosed (mid 90s); my son was 18-20 months when diagnosed. You got this. ^_^