I’ve learned that it’s not uncommon for late diagnosed autistics to start formally studying psychology. More and more openly autistic people are getting into both clinical psychology and psychology research. I didn’t know I was autistic when I started my Bachelor of Science in psychology. I was just trying to learn ways to help my struggling daughter when both educational and medical systems ignored my asking for help. It was 5 years later, I learned both of us are autistic. Another 5 years before diagnosis because the barriers in the mental healthcare system are very real. It’s been a journey.
I’ve been planning and now writing my book along the way. But there’s been an ever-increasing sense to speak out, share knowledge, share resources, and be an advocate. Watching the evolution of the neurodivergent community advocating for change has been inspiring. It’s the social media generation, tiktoks, facebook, instagram, sharing stories and experiences, helping others feel not so alone, isolated, and alienated. The change has also given me hope. Hope that the cultural perspective of people with differences will shift and change.
I started a Facebook page dedicated to sharing articles, resources, memes, and strange autistic humor. I wanted a place to interact with the community, and also share my blog. One of the major misconceptions about Autism, and that I’ve been accused of is ‘anti-social.’ I can only speak to my own experiences but I see it as a social difference. I don’t have the same social needs and often need to recharge after socializing. That does mean the same as I don’t like socializing or being anti-social. Social media has allowed a different avenue for a different types of socialization. My voice doesn’t have to be speaking vocally. I’m finding my voice in writing and now on social media.
The facebook page is The Holistic Autistic. As I’ve been practicing alternative medicine much longer than studying psychology, it seems to fit. Professionally with massage therapy, personally I use many different alternative medicines. As I consider martial arts an alternative therapy, that too is a holistic art. It seemed to be the only word that fit all my diverse interests in my neurodiverse brain.
I hope you’ll join me as my writing journey begins 🙂
Sending you strength to find your voice!
Becca Dove
My Neurodivergent Path 
It never ceases to astound (and aggravate) me how many people confuse the terms “asocial” and “antisocial”. Usually because they are completely unaware that there is a word “asocial”. …One could call it another example of binary thinking, I suppose. From the notion that if one isn’t extremely social, they “must be” antisocial. 🙄😤. The idea that some people just aren’t particularly interested in socializing, unless there’s some specific reason that provides greater than usual motivation, doesn’t even cross most people’s minds!
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I think that speaks to having different social needs. I could see it working as a scale, from social to antisocial. Asocial in the middle.
For me, I enjoy socializing but not in large groups. Can’t count the times I’ve been called antisocial, because that isn’t the “norm”
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Yeah, exactly.
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