According to the generally accepted classification, autism is a general developmental disorder, a person’s inability to maintain and initiate social connections. In addition, people with this diagnosis often have limited interests, and the very causes of the disorder are still unknown.
The struggle for a diagnosis was a long, grueling one – we went to different clinics, I was examined by different experts, and I had no idea what was going on – it was quite a frightening process. Eventually I was diagnosed, and looking back, I realize how important it was.
As the guy explained, it took him a while to learn the nuances of his diagnosis, but he soon realized there was nothing wrong with it. On the contrary, he learned to see the beauty in his disease.
That’s the magic of autism. We are all so unique, so beautiful, but there were difficulties.
The biggest challenges for him, he said, were anxiety and communication.
I couldn’t deal with any of them for years-they rolled in like a tsunami wave, knocked me down and completely overwhelmed me. I worried about the little things, but for me they were the biggest and completely took over my whole being. As soon as anything bothered me, I would get dizzy and get sick frequently. I had migraines and even swollen parts of my body.
He explained that whenever he communicated with a stranger, he felt like the other person was communicating in a foreign language – this demotivated the guy and made it very difficult to communicate. According to the young man, every time he struggles with himself to do basic things.
In recent years, I’ve learned to manage my anxiety and I’ve learned how to communicate. I still struggle with myself every day, and I probably always will, but with a little love and patience I’m doing much better. If we were all a little kinder to each other, life would be a lot easier for someone with autism.
He recalls school life with horror, because teenagers were never tolerant of him and constantly bullied him.
I went through a decade of terrible bullying, I went to school with over a thousand students, and no one even bothered to acknowledge me or say hello. Those were the dark days that made me try to say goodbye to life five times, the first time when I was 15.
Guy insists that people with autism are often incredibly intelligent, but those around them refuse to acknowledge it. After high school, he tried to go to university, but dropped out after three weeks because of anxiety-induced psychosis. However, the guy did not give up – a few months later he started professional photography, which he has never regretted.
A year later he had his own photo project, which continued to gain popularity.
