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The original was posted on /r/autism by /u/Severe_Drawing_4667 on 2024-11-12 16:41:06+00:00.

I was recently diagnosed with level 1 ASD , ADHD and OCD. The diagnosis answered so many questions about myself and brought me some peace. I wanted to tell everyone that I was autistic , but my logical side warned me of unseen dangers, therefore I resolve to get some advice from my uncle to gauge his response and get his opinion if I should tell my extended family. His response shocked me, I was unprepared for what he had to say. He started off by saying autism is very common and not a big deal, that people are getting worked up for no reason, he was surprised that I even brought it up. When I explained to him about some of the challenges I go through on a daily basis, he dismissed it, saying I need to focus harder on things and if I was having difficulty with connecting to others that I just needed to be around more people. I explained that I have difficulty identifying and feeling emotions, and even more difficulty expressing emotions. His response was that was probably because I was male. My uncle is a good person and I love him dearly, but the whole experience left me feelings alone, misunderstood and feeling like I don’t matter. Am I overreacting to this? Is there something I’m missing?