What are the positive things about my autism diagnosis?

I am going to answer a few questions that people asked me about having Asperger’s. I was asked: What are the positive things about my diagnosis? Here they are:

1. As others I know who have been diagnosed late in life, it’s a sense of relief. A relief that, as someone else said, after a life of feeling somehow different, you now know why and have a real reason for being that way. When I was diagnosed in 2011, it felt that all the pieces of my life, esp the negative side (not fitting in, difficulty making friends), finally all fit together.

2. Because I know I have Asperger’s, and been diagnosed late, I can help others, esp younger autistics. Giving them tips based on how I was at that age, from school to work. I feel that this is a definite positive thing. My blog is one of those. My children’s fiction ‘The Rainbow School’ and ‘The Pet Rescuers’ series are also part of this. Even my children’s picture books ‘The Unlucky Adventures of Sammi Squirrel’ have an autistic character in it, although I haven’t made it as obvious as my fiction.

3. As an adult with Asperger’s, and grown up with it, I have experienced a lot with autism. Most recently my hospital stay in 2021. I can also help adults, especially autistic patients, with how to cope in hospitals. This is something I am working on and want to pursue in 2024.

by Julie Day Author of adult and children’s magical realism at Julie Day

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