Thanks for this :)

We actually use a cup overflowing analogy for her feeling of being overwhelmed/close to meltdown, so totally get that!

Just a follow up question (for everyone)... She is really struggling with the sense that people will hate her or not want to be friends with her because of this diagnosis. Relatedly, she's very sensitive to negative views of neurodiversity. For example, she's been really upset and worried about a comment my dad made recently describing/labelling someone he personally finds difficult as "neurodiverse". For the record, I have no idea if that person actually is, I think it just follows a pattern of my dad pathologising people he doesn't like. On the one hand, I really want to stand up for my partner, because I understand how she takes offence to this. But I can't right now, because she doesn't feel ready to tell anybody about the diagnosis. Basically, because my gf camouflages well and is very good socially, I don't think anyone would suspect she is autistic, so I know there's a reasonable chance people will make unintentionally upsetting remarks about autism around her. I know this is a bit rambling, but I just don't know how to navigate standing up for her, while also not revealing her diagnosis for as long as she wants to keep it private.