16 Comments
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Lorant Dankahazi IFLAG SRL's avatar

I love your post. This post is really personal, and you mention few difficulties and the positive experiences

I think this post can empower many of us who are on the spectrum or caring or living together with kids and adults on the autism spectrum.

Happy to read more sharing about this topic.

I particated in an open space unconference in November with techies. We had every day topics about neurodivesity, burnout, social challenges, toxic leaders, dyslexia etc. It was a super experience how people opened up and tried to listen, help each other.

Jurgen Appelo's avatar

Great to hear! ❤️

Gordon Mullan's avatar

As a self-diagnosed neurodivergent individual (initially primary inattentive ADHD, now suspect actually AuDHD) so much of this resonates with me - struggling with friendships with normies/NTs, being unbelievably grateful for finding and marrying somone who accepts me and my brain as I am, inadvertent bluntness, etc.

Thanks for sharing your story - it helps us all feel less weird and alone.

Jurgen Appelo's avatar

Awesome! 💪🏻

Laurent Alt's avatar

Great ! And you probably also have this "cognitive clarity" superpower I recently read about, that is so useful these days when we are all overwhelmed with emotionally loaded information :

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/rise-autistic-leader-mark-van-vugt-oyqre/

PS : "Autism is my superpower and my kryptonite" I love this sentence ! Just afraid it could be too much pigeonholing, though.

Jurgen Appelo's avatar

Great, I will read that today.

Nicolas Lamoureux's avatar

Great share.

Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them. — Albert Einstein

Al S. Brown's avatar

Beautiful post. Thanks for sharing your story. I respect that you seem to have avoided the shame that some feel when given the label of "autism." I have children on the spectrum, at different levels and capabilities. Thanks for speaking up and normalizing this diagnosis.

Jurgen Appelo's avatar

I'm sure your kids are awesome! 💪🏻

Al S. Brown's avatar

Yes, they are!

Alex Randall Kittredge's avatar

The power of neurodivergence. Thank you for sharing your story Jurgen.

Jurgen Appelo's avatar

Thanks for reading!

Phil Vuollet's avatar

Hello "Jurgen Appelo, ASD" I think in visualizations and often need concrete examples to understand abstract thinking. Is it the same for you? Do you need to invent translations to process information, resulting in longer processing time?

Jurgen Appelo's avatar

Yes, I think in visualizations, but this is also related to my number-form synesthesia.

Phil Vuollet's avatar

This guy https://youtube.com/@autismfromtheinside was diagnosed as an adult and made a video series about it. I found it insightful.

Jurgen Appelo's avatar

Thank you too! I never realized that synesthesia correlates with autism. I learned something today. 🙂