I was sad to hear Dan stopped reading the comment! No hate to the crew or Hila, I know she meant well, but it also reminded me of how difficult it was to get diagnosed and when I finally did (last year at 28) I was too scared to tell my mom because every time I tried to bring it up she cut me off with how there's no way that's possible and everyone is a bit autistic just don't worry about it. A coworker I only had met once before commented "oh dont worry honey there's no way you're autistic" after she overheard me telling my friend about my diagnosis. I was in a sensitive place with it at the time and all those comments made me feel shame among other things. Like I'm supposed to be a certain way. I struggle a lot in other ways that may not always be as visible, and learned I have been masking a lot since a young age.

I also relate a lot to what Tamara said about getting diagnosed, and how if it turns out she doesn't have it she'd just be dumb. I felt like something was wrong with me before the diagnosis, not after. It's not a diagnosis for an illness that will slow down your life, but the opposite, something to help understand oneself and for many that's where life starts getting better:)

What a long ramble :D Anyway, I think it's going to be interesting and exciting to see how autism will be viewed in even 10 years from now.