@darrellpf @KatyElphinstone @autistics Until very recently (and it's still extremely common to think of it this way), autism was defined in terms of how it impacts other people (usually parents and teachers) rather than how it impacts us. Therefore, if we've learned how to mask well in public or have removed ourselves from society, we no longer qualify under those old criteria.

@Oscii Oh, I'm so sorry -- that is tricky. One thing that I've found interesting and beneficial is Internal Family Systems/parts work. Very briefly, the idea is that we all have internal parts that want to help us, but sometimes they work against us. For example, anxious parts may be trying to protect us, and once we show them they don't have to fill that role anymore, they can relax. Of course, parts work should be done with a knowledgeable practitioner, and it may not work for everyone, but it could be one option worth checking out. The book No Bad Parts by Richard C. Schwartz describes it, though I think it's more beneficial to have it explained/demonstrated before reading the book.@KatyElphinstone