the world
Yeah. That layered with the lack of community/ peer support Can make it very difficult. You kind of have to brave through it and it’s not easy at first. I don’t care anymore if I embarrass myself or if anyone thinks I’m odd. I am odd lmao. I just don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing
I agree. We are all odd, and those that aren't are quite frankly dull. I watched your video and was impressed by how honest it was. I think that anyone on the spectrum, or any perceptive person, would realise that the delay at the start was you lining your thoughts up. So, from the beginning, you were showing us what being on the spectrum actually looks like. Throughout the video, you were remarkably open.
As you were speaking about feeling like a burden you reminded me of my daughter, who is also on the spectrum. For a long time, it didn't matter what my wife or I said to her. If we pointed out the many ways she contributed to the household and our happiness, she didn't seem to take it in. When our self-esteem is critically low we seem to have an amazing capacity for filtering out compliments and positive messages. We can even resent them because they do challenge our distorted vision of ourselves.
Overall, what you did with your video was to tell the world what autism looks like for you, and by extension what it looks like for other young women, or anyone on the spectrum. I can tell you this, we have all felt, and have at one time or other been made to feel, like a burden. I will leave a comment on your video expressing this so people realise how common this is. As you pointed out yourself, feeling that way isn't restricted to the ASD community. My wife is physically disabled and relies on me, and increasingly our daughter, for almost everything. She regularly tells me that she feels like a burden.
There are times when I can handle that properly and remind her of all the ways she has helped me, but at others, especially if I'm overloaded I simply ignore it or brush it off. At such times she may see that as confirmation. I don't know. It's often difficult to know how to respond and we don't always get things right.
The point is, and I promise I'll get there now, that you got me thinking deeply. THat's how I responded and I'm sure how others will respond too. So, if you do decide to start your channel, know what a contribution you'll be making for the community as a whole.