How Autism Changed My Life

My life has been full of difficulties and problems that I have had to deal with, and ultimately, overcome. When I was younger, I was diagnosed with High-functioning Autism and ADHD and it has impacted my life to this day. I also had severe anger issues growing up which made it hard for my siblings to have their friends over. Every day is a new challenge that I have to deal with. My Autism and ADHD has really defined my life as it changes how I react to my peers, bosses, and faculty. I tend to be a lot more anxious especially when there is a change going on. This was especially apparent during the holiday time growing up when my siblings would come home for the holidays and when I would have more of my outbursts. This last year I have learned different ways to combat changes since I work in an industry that is constantly evolving.
My autism has also hindered my ability to have lasting friendships. While it is easy for me to meet people and talk with them, it is a whole different story when I try to hang out with …show more content…
They started when I was eight or nine and really manifested during middle school to early high school. These aren’t your normal anger outbursts. I would throw things at my parents, punch holes in walls… It eventually got so bad that my parents no longer take me on their summer trips. It has gotten much better in recent years, partially because they aren’t home as much, but also because I have finally learned some skills to combat the dilemma. These skills were taught to me by my therapists and other professionals that now make me realize they were talking about the Comprehensive Soldier Family Fitness program or a version of it. They taught me that my anger, doesn’t have to define me, or is just “a fork in the road” (92), but just learn from it. After they said this, it really made me realize that I am who I am and I don’t have to let my thoughts or feelings define