Having Autism Doesn't Make Me Superhuman

People with autism have many capabilities. Many of us can drive a car, work and live on our own. But we still have autism. That’s never going to change for the rest of our lives.

I don’t want to be looked at like I’m superhuman just because my autism might not be severe. I don’t think anyone with autism wants to be looked at like that. Nobody in the world is Superman, let alone someone with autism. Not everyone is capable of doing everything in the world and that’s also true of someone with autism.

There will be times when we struggle. There will be times we need a break from the world. There will be times we need to slow down when we are doing too much or too much is going on. When I say “I need to slow down,” I mean it.

Things may take a toll on us more than people realize, and some things may be harder for us than for someone without autism. For example, if an unexpected life change or event happens, it may take a bigger toll because many people with autism struggle with change. We may deal with anxiety and anger, and battle depression. Bear with us.

I am definitely not superhuman when an unexpected life change happens. Will I be OK in the end? Most likely, but you have to give me time to recover.

Like anyone else, most people with autism love having family, friends and even significant others. We understand that other people have needs too when it comes to being in each other’s lives. But we have to work together to understand and support each other because no one is superhuman. Please try to understand us in all aspects, including this one.