Diagnosed with autism
I was diagnosed with autism at 16.
So it happened pretty quickly. I moved, so when I arrived in my new city I needed a new psychiatrist. When my mother found one, we went to the meeting. I came into the room, with my mother, and he asked me a few questions. Then after a few minutes, it was very quick, he said to me "Oh, you may be autistic.". Then I filled out a form, did some tests, and it turns out that yes, I have autism!
When he told me about it, I had NO idea what autism was. I had always heard it as an insult without knowing what it was. Now, I am very well informed on the subject and I know very well what autism is. So, I'm writing an article on it as few people know what autism is. 
What is autism?
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a disability. This disability can impact someone's skills in communication, social relations, management of emotions... The main characteristics are repetitive behaviors and problems in verbal and non-verbal communication.
It can involve any of these symptoms:
- Difficulty with social interactions
- Restricted interests
- Desire for sameness
- Remarkable focus and persistence
- Aptitude for recognizing patterns
- Attention to detail
- Hypersensitivities (to lights, sounds, tastes, etc.)
- Difficulty with the give and take of conversation
- Difficulty in reading body language, facial expression and gesture
- Difficulty with nonverbal conversation skills (distance, loudness, tone, etc.)
- Uncoordinated movements, or clumsiness
- Anxiety
- Depression
All people with autism are different. Just because someone has autism doesn't mean they have ALL of the symptoms.
Autism is not curable. We don't want a cure! We just want to be accepted!
Random facts about autism
- ASD is about 4 times more likely in boys than girls.
- ASD affects children of all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups.
- ASD is a spectrum disorder, which means that every child with ASD has different skills, challenges, and needs.
- While do not know all of the causes of ASD, we have learned that there are likely many contributing factors, including genes, early brain development, and the environment.
- Early identification of ASD helps children get the services they need.
- Autistic girls are different. They find it easier than boys to imitate others and appear "normal".
- Autism is a comorbid disorder with ADHD.
- Don't use the name Asperger! Hans Asperger is the one who created the term "asperger". But he was a horrible psychiatrist who collaborated with the Nazis.
- Do not use the puzzle symbol it is offensive to most autistic people, use the rainbow infinity sign instead. Why is the puzzle symbol bad?
Famous autistic people
- Leonardo da Vinci — Artist
- Vincent van Gogh — Artist
- Steven Spielberg — Director
- Alfred Hitchcock — Director
- Thomas Edison — Inventor
- Alexander Graham Bell — Inventor
- Benjamin Franklin — Inventor
- Henry Ford — Inventor
- Ludwig van Beethoven — Musician
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart — Musician
- Bob Dylan — Musician
- James Taylor — Singer-Songwriter & Guitarist
- John Denver — Singer-Songwriter & Record Producer
- Charles Darwin — Naturalist & Geologist
- Carl Jung — Psychiatrist & Psychotherapist
- Lionel Messi — Football Player
- Samuel Clemens — Writer
- George Orwell — Writer
- Jane Austen — Writer
- Charles M. Schulz — Cartoonist
Autistic creators to support
An advice
If I can give you any advice, it's to adapt to your environment. Don't overload yourself, you are different, your brain processes sound, lights, movement differently and you get tired much faster than others. Buy noise-canceling headphones, if you can't afford them, use headphones without using music. You can sleep with earplugs at night if you are disturbed by noise and a mask if you are disturbed by lights. There are plenty of solutions. Be kind and patient with yourself. It's normal if you have difficulty doing a lot of things. You're not stupid, just different.