Demi's Story

I was diagnosed at 26, and at first it was hard to accept. Social situations can be exhausting for me, even if I seem outgoing - despite being very energetic and talkative, I spend more time in my own head thinking about what I should or should not say, or trying to keep up with the conversation. My mum is amazing at helping navigate interactions and explain to me when I may have misinterpreted something. I wish people understood that autism presents differently in different people, there is no set checklist that tells you who is autistic, and masking is very much real. Being autistic means I experience and process the world differently. I will hear things that others may not pick up on, and I will not go anywhere new on my own until I have done a trial run and know step by step how I am getting there. It really makes such a difference when I surround myself with people who understand that I am autistic and understand. Autism shapes both my challenges and my strengths, and I’m learning to just be me.

Demi, 28