Stages of autism realization

Hahah I recognize every one of these spaces I'm another late-diagnosed adult, and the weird thing about it is that I didn't start having these conversations with myself until after being diagnosed

Masking is a hell of a drug

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

"Wait, there's a term for that thing I do with my hands?"

You're forgetting the future stages:

• holy crap! im autistic
• hey everyone, im autistic
• okay, i guess it just explains everything
• nobody seems to care that much
• alright, i'll go find a good-paying tech/accounting/science job now
• proud to be ASD, if anyone cares