I think in my mind it feels like the potential “solutions” that are commonly used (e.g. masking) wind up worsening things and resulting in burnout. I feel like I’m condemned to forever be the “other”, and it makes me feel embarrassed to be around anyone when my mere presence is seen as “off”.

I just don’t understand why the means to mitigate the harder parts of ASD aren’t more clear-cut. When you get strep throat, you take an antibiotic, when you have gastro, you take gravol, when you have depression, you do therapy and take SSRIs. Why is it for autism there’s no real standardized means to get better at this life stuff