A gifted masker! Yes! That statement says so much. I have had people challenge my diagnosis because I have a degree, had a legal career, and now run my own businesses. But the effort it took, and the cycles of burnout, overwhelm, and constant dysregulation were immense before my diagnosis!

I also functioned only professionally and still do on many levels. I had no partner, no children, and very limited social interactions. For so many years, I felt like I was acting out a part in a play, and then I'd go home and collapse.

Nobody sees what's happening behind the scenes, do they? That's the real lived experiences and the consequences of the extra effort and energy it takes to get through an average day, in a society not designed for us. I don't know about you, but I used to feel like I'd run an army assault course at the end of each day!

Thankfully, post-diagnosis, life is much calmer, as I made a lot of changes in the wake of understanding my neurodivergent self. The challenges are still there, but I don't force myself to endure the unnecessary these days!