As someone diagnosed as autistic in adulthood, it’s easy to forget that I’m autistic much of the time. What I mean is that “being autistic” isn’t something I consciously have to think about.

Although I write about autism and work with autistic clients, much of the time I don’t notice the impact of my autistic traits and experience of the world. These are the times when things are going well; when I’m sleeping reasonably, when I’m not challenged by anything out of the ordinary, and when I have time to care for myself creatively and physically.

Given the unpredictability of life, inevitably something happens that triggers a response that is so extreme and derailing that it is a sharp reminder that I face significant struggles because of being autistic. The trigger could be anything from making a phone call when I’m tired to coping with a couple of sleepless nights. Anything that involves “messy” situations—the type of........

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