Finding My Own 'Planet' After Receiving My Autism Diagnosis

Who am I?

That book “Tuesday,” how could it be called Tuesday when it was in fact Monday? It really annoyed me because it wasn’t accurate. The pictures in the book were equally annoying as they showed pictures of frogs flying. Frogs don’t fly, right?

I was having an autism assessment to try to finally get a diagnosis as an adult. It wasn’t just the book that annoyed me; it was also the picture on the wall of different colored houses. Not only were they different colors, but they weren’t even made of bricks. How could that be so? Of course I pointed it out to the doctor I was seeing.

How to answer his questions posed a challenge as I didn’t always understand what he was asking, and some questions I couldn’t answer at all. What is friendship? I don’t know, haven’t a clue. Is this something I am supposed to know? Do others who are not autistic know the answers to this question? Friendships are a complete mystery to me as I’m always on my own. If I’m in a social situation, I just stand around alone, feeling awkward, not knowing what to say or how to approach anyone. I don’t know how to make conversation. It seems strange to me that everyone is doing it, seemingly without any difficulty. How do they know how to do it and I don’t? Even children seem to know how to make conversation. I obviously don’t belong on the same planet, but which planet is my home? I’m different to others; that seems obvious straight away.

Being asked to make a cup of tea was also a challenge as there was nothing to use to make it. Apparently I was supposed to imagine everything I needed was there, but this posed another problem. If there isn’t anything there, how can I make it? It’s another impossibility.

It was a few weeks later that I had to go back for the feedback. I learned straightaway that I do indeed have autism spectrum disorder. It seems I have found my planet — the autism planet. I do belong somewhere after all. No longer a misfit or an outcast, I have found my home.

Does having a diagnosis really make a difference? Yes, for me it does. I can now understand myself better and why I am the way I am. I am vindicated; misunderstandings of the past are finally over. It wasn’t my fault I had no friends at school, and it’s not my fault that I am not getting to know others at church. I am special, unique.

Please don’t think I am weird if I do not interact like everyone else. Don’t ignore me. I would love to have friends who are willing and take the time to get to know me and accept my differences. I am still me, even if I am someone on the autism spectrum.

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