This guest post is by Tyler Obert, a young man who was diagnosed with autism at 8 and plans to attend the Mount Saint Joseph University. Tyler is applying for the Spring 2023 Making a Difference Autism Scholarship via the nonprofit KFM Making a Difference started by me, Kerry Magro. I was nonverbal till 2.5 and diagnosed with autism at 4, and you can read more about my organization here. Autistics on Autism: Stories You Need to Hear About What Helped Them While Growing Up and Pursuing Their Dreams, our nonprofit’s new book, was released on March 29, 2022, on Amazon here for our community to enjoy featuring the stories of 100 autistic adults.
I have known I was on the spectrum since the third grade. I was kind of happy about it because it was disability week at my school and it made me feel special. And I kind of knew I was different, so finding out that I had autism helped explain a “method to my madness” and why I was the way I was. This has helped me be a more devoted worker and has helped me understand and learn more effectively because teachers are more understanding of my condition and they help me out. Having autism helps justify my different way of learning and it helps me to not feel bad for being different. However, that does lead me to the notion that my autism can make me feel and act in ways that are completely unreasonable and having to use my autism as an excuse makes me feel bad. I also have less control of my emotions and talking to people is a lot harder for me. But learning how to effectively handle my emotions has been one of my greatest accomplishments.
When I was little, I would have tantrums frequently and have trouble expressing my feelings. But thankfully, I got help from my parents and teachers and my psychologist. I learned to pick up on my triggers and being able to realize when I was becoming angry was a big turning point in my life. Taking the steps I needed to get better is something I take great pride in. Seeking therapy to talk about my feelings is one of the best choices I have ever made. Being able to control how I handle my emotions is one of the most uplifting feelings ever. This has even allowed me to hang out with my friends without worrying about scaring them away.
So my best advice to anyone without autism is to just be patient. It is harder for those with autism to talk and communicate, so just be patient. That being said, don’t feel sorry for me for having autism. There are ways that I have benefited from being on the spectrum. First of all, I believe that my autism is part of the reason why I have always been good with numbers. I comprehend the concepts of math very well and find it easy to understand in general. As a child, I had a fascination with counting and was able to appreciate the how math and finance keeps many things balanced in the world. Since I plan to pursue a math or accounting degree in college, having this skill will prove to be very beneficial to me in my studies. Another positive outcome from being on the spectrum is that I am able to have empathy for others with disabilities. I understand firsthand many of the challenges they face and I feel like I can be there for them and help them if needed. I feel like speaking out is hard for most introverted people, and while I do consider myself introverted, I am able to speak up for myself and other introverted people if, or when it is necessary. I understand why people might feel shut in or outcast because I am similar, but I am very down to earth. I can be on the same level with people if they need someone to listen to what they have to say. That set of skills will help me diversify whatever environment, including college, I may become involved in.
So even though being on the spectrum can present many challenges, it can also provide many opportunities to make the world a better place. It’s all about perspective.
Follow my journey on Facebook, my Facebook Fan Page, Tiktok, Youtube & Instagram.
My name is Kerry Magro, a professional speaker and best-selling author who is also on the autism spectrum. I started the nonprofit KFM Making a Difference in 2011 to help students with autism receive scholarship aid to pursue post-secondary education. Help support me so I can continue to help students with autism go to college by making a tax-deductible donation to our nonprofit here.
Autistics on Autism: Stories You Need to Hear About What Helped Them While Growing Up and Pursuing Their Dreams was released on March 29, 2022 on Amazon here for our community to enjoy featuring the stories of 100 autistic adults. 100% of the proceeds from this book will go back to our nonprofit to support initiatives like our autism scholarship program. In addition, this autistic adult’s essay you just read will be featured in a future volume of this book as we plan on making this into a series of books on autistic adults.
