An Unique Mind

It common.

That’s right. Autism is one of the most common disorders.

In fact, autism seems to be getting more common every year. In 2007 (the year I graduated high school), The Center For Disease reported that only 1 in 150 children received a diagnosis. In 2021, the CDC reported that 1 in 44 children in the US were diagnosed.

This leads me to believe that the population of affected individuals are higher than reported because autism looks different within each affected individual. Also, boys are more likely to be diagnosed than girls. Due to autistic girls masking (hiding) their autistic traits, autism will be harder to detect. Lastly, children of color are less likely to be diagnosed than white children.

With this perplexing disorder becoming more and more common, I truly hope that early intervention becomes more available so that every community (black, white, Asian, Muslim, LGBT, etc) has the opportunity to receive it after diagnosis.

Everyone’s experiences and views on autism are different.

No two affected individuals’ experiences on autism are alike. There are affected children who are the smartest in their classes and those who struggle with school. One may be well organized while another is messy. An autistic adult may love being in public (like I do) while another is a home body, even though it’s more likely they are home bodies. Same disorder, different functionalities. That’s what makes autism so unique from other disabilities. Yes, it’s hard to live with, but intriguing at the same time.

The world would be a boring place if everyone was the same. Wouldn’t it?

Speaking of autistic people with two different experiences…

My twin sister’s autism is more severe and is unable to work without adult supervision and maintain her own home. She must rely on another to assure that she gets what she needs. I wish I knew how she feels about living with her diagnosis, but I don’t. If I ask her, she will put on a smile and say that she is alright. For that reason, I just took her words for it. All I know is this: I wish that I could take the daily challenges she faces away. I feel that if I had the ability to do that, she would have as normal of a life as I do. I know I am being touchy, but it’s the truth. And another thing: She does not adjust very well to change, which is very unfortunate because there are times in life where change beyond our control happens. The good news is that she will adjust once she gets the hang of things.

I on the other hand am much more independent. Paying bills, maintaining an apartment, working, going to the fitness center, and writing are what my life is made up of at the moment. I do hope something new happens along the way however (like shed a few pounds or maybe get a job in the fitness industry). Hey, this is odd to hear from someone who’s autistic. Change is not something we’re good at adjusting to. Now that I am older and more independent, I do not mind change happening. Life changes after all.

As far as my feelings about being autistic: It’s definitely not a walk in the park. It has an emotional toll not only on me, but my family as well. Yes, there are hardships about living in a body that has a mind of its own. This explains why I decided to be open about my experiences. Meanwhile, there’s something about autism that fascinates me. That is the various different symptoms and experiences affected individuals live with everyday. Jessica and I’s symptoms are completely different, even though we are twins.

Interesting isn’t it? Intriguing. The differences between Jessica and I encouraged me to research autism more and not just go off of personal experiences. My experiences may not be another affected person’s experiences.