Finding community when you always feel like the odd one out
I used to leave social events and replay every word I said for hours. I always felt like the strange one, the person who missed the joke or took things too literally.
Finding online spaces full of autistic and ADHD adults felt like someone turning the lights on. People were talking about things I thought only I did. The headphone breaks in the bathroom, the scripts for small talk, the crash after a busy day.
It did not fix my life overnight but knowing I am not alone has made the heavy days lighter. Community is not about pretending everything is fine. It is about sitting with people who get it and say 'me too'.
Finding online spaces full of autistic and ADHD adults felt like someone turning the lights on. People were talking about things I thought only I did. The headphone breaks in the bathroom, the scripts for small talk, the crash after a busy day.
It did not fix my life overnight but knowing I am not alone has made the heavy days lighter. Community is not about pretending everything is fine. It is about sitting with people who get it and say 'me too'.