Written in April 2026
Today is World Autism Awareness Day. 2026 marks ten years since I first became aware of my own autism. My 8 year Autiversary (that’s the anniversary of my official diagnosis) falls on the 19th of April.
When I look back to this time a decade ago I can barely remember what life was life. That’s sort of typical for autistic people; our memories for facts, important information and things we care about can be incredible, but remembering events from our own lives? Not so much.
Thinking back to my life at that point, I really am drawing a blank. I know I was still working as a butcher, managing a high street shop pretty much solo, and Brexit hadn’t happened at that point. Things must have seemed pretty good at that moment in time, and I had no idea what was going to come…
I’m not talking about Brexit here. I mean the burnouts, the meltdowns, the learning curve (more like a sheer cliff-face) and everything that I would have to wade through to get to where I am now.
I’m not saying I have everything sorted, but ten years on from gaining that awareness am in a much more secure place with my emotional experience, employment and health. I’ve only been able to reach this place since I became aware of my autism, and aware of the impact it was having on me. Before that awareness came I was just blaming myself for being crap at dealing with life.
Now I am aware of the impact of much more of the world on me, from understanding how simple things like clipping up my wet hair during and after showers reduces my sensory processing burden, to being aware of the signs of burnout coming, and having the courage and conviction to act on them before things really fall over the edge.
I know that as a community we want to move towards Autism Acceptance from society, not just awareness, but it is important to celebrate how becoming aware of our own autism can change the worlds of autistic individuals (and the people around them).