Lydia’s story

My diagnosis hasn’t put me in a box. It has liberated me from one. I used to think everyone had the same challenges as me and I was just really bad at coping with them. I used to force myself to pour all my energy into fitting in, so much so that masking became an unconscious practice in my life. Now I know that my experience of the world is different from others, I truly know that I can be myself. I have the language to communicate my differences and finally feel understood. I feel empowered to ask to have my needs met. 

The National Autistic Society is here to support autistic people to feel comfortable and happy being their true authentic selves, and to challenge society to break down these attitudes and misconceptions. We’d love you to help.