For years, I felt like a pink elephant in a flock of pink flamingos. Autistic, yes, but not quite “autistic enough.” Something was missing. After two burnouts and decades of silent struggles, I finally discovered what had gone undetected all these years: ADHD, along with dyslexia, dyscalculia, and hyperacusis. Getting all my diagnoses wasn’t just about validation on paper—it was about finally belonging to myself. Today, I feel more equipped, seen, and, above all, legitimate.

Burnout is more than an individual crisis—it’s a systemic failure, particularly for autistic adults whose experiences remain misunderstood and unsupported.