“What My Adult Autism Diagnosis Finally Explained”

For New York magazine, Mary H.K. Choi writes about her family and her recent autism spectrum disorder diagnosis: I Was Diagnosed With Autism in My 40s. It Gave Me a Lot of Answers.

For Sam, the diagnosis altered everything. Provided a sense of relief that was oceanic. The framing of our relationship changed. I learned about pathological demand avoidance, a pattern of behavior that is still up for debate in the ASD world but that for me represented a seismic OS update. It explained why I would unfailingly refuse to do something when asked, and why a demand or request would trigger an overwhelming sense of panic and certitude that I would only disappoint the person asking. This was me when Sam knocked on my door.

Let’s just say that paragraph resonated more than a little. See also Hannah Gadsby Talks About Her Autism Diagnosis.

• autism
• Mary HK Choi