Why so many people are discovering they are neurodivergent later in life

Why are there so many undiagnosed adults who are only now discovering they're either autistic or otherwise neurodivergent?

I have an explanation...

In the 70s, 80s, and 90s, the general understanding of autism and other neurodivergent conditions revolved around obvious and extreme signs (mostly seen in young white boys).

So anyone who didn't display those obvious signs slid under the radar. Instead of being seen as having challenges and needing support, they (we) were seen as stubborn, defiant, lazy, incapable... and SO much more.

At first, we didn't know how to not stand out... so we became targets.

Bullies harassed us, tormented us, and verbally assaulted us whenever adults weren't looking... and out of desperate self-preservation we did whatever we could to adjust ourselves so we wouldn't continue standing out.

And as we learned the hard way... and the extremely painful way... which behaviors we had to change to not be targets, we became "experts" at masking our differences. 

And we learned to fit in just enough. But only just enough. (Many of us were still seen as "weird.")

Then as we got older and finished school, many of us got jobs, got married, had kids, made and sustained friendships... 

But all the while we still struggled immensely to manage our daily challenges... ones that had been there the entire time. Hidden. Masked from the world.

In the meantime, the DSM was updated to include more hidden traits of autism and other neurodivergent conditions and the general understanding of those conditions evolved.

Practitioners started identifying autism and other conditions in children with less obvious traits and parents started seeing those same traits in themselves.

Social accounts (like mine) started spreading awareness of the less obvious traits... and general exposure to what the different conditions ACTUALLY are became more mainstream.

And suddenly, all of us undiagnosed neurodivergent adults (and there are MANY of us) started realizing that there's a REASON for our struggles. That our struggles have NEVER been our fault. And that we are not alone.

And as someone who went through this myself, I must say, it's been the single most healing experience of my life.

If you've recently discovered your own autism, I sincerely hope what I share here helps you find that same healing. Also, welcome. I'm so glad you're here. 🤗❤️