Laura, an employee of Aspire, a not-for-profit company in Salford, shares her diagnosis journey, the challenges and barriers she has faced and her dreams and aspirations for the future. Laura is a huge advocate for neurodiversity and championing how autistic individuals have unique ways of thinking, perceiving and behaving.
 

Laura, when did you receive your diagnosis? 

I was 34 years old, and it was just after COVID in November 2020. COVID had a big impact on my mental health, which partly led to receiving my diagnosis. 
 

What was life like before your diagnosis? 

I struggled a lot! I still do at times with my meltdowns, but I now can recognise my triggers – as can those close to me. At times, I tell myself something’s not right, but I try to ‘mask’ it and convince myself things are okay. Masking has a huge impact on my mental health and wellbeing. 

Academically, I was a high achiever. I was always top of my class with the highest grades but had been bullied from an early age, starting in primary school. The older I got, the more socially isolated I became, particularly in secondary school. The only thing that kept me going was my schoolwork. 

I feel lucky that when I was growing up, social media wasn’t like it is now. I feel if it had been, I wouldn’t be here now, living. I don’t think I would have been strong enough to cope with it and what might have been said, and it doesn’t bear thinking about what could have happened.
 

Did a diagnosis make a difference? 

Getting a diagnosis was a relief – to know and understand why I was different from others, particularly my sister. My sister has always been protective of me, even though she is just over a year younger. She would often be my ‘mouthpiece’, advocating and speaking on my behalf. It was more an instinctive thing rather than her realising I had difficulties. 

I can sometimes put myself under too much pressure and be hard on myself. For example, if I don’t get what I set out to achieve, I feel disappointed in myself. I then have a guilt trip, thinking I’ve let myself down. I’m starting to recognise that not everything/everyone is perfect and that you don’t always get it 100% all the time. 

I am now in control of my diagnosis rather than the other way around because I know what it is. I have a better understanding of what is happening to me, and therefore, my meltdowns are less dramatic. 

As well as feeling relief, at the same time, it was a worry as I didn’t know how others would react to my diagnosis. 
 

What do you think when someone says, ‘I’m a little bit autistic’? 

You’re either autistic or not. There’s no in-between. It can often be said as a flippant comment, but when someone understands autism and the challenges people face, then they become more tactful and mindful. 
 

As an employee, what challenges and successes have you had? 

I’ve always worked, even when I was at college and uni. I’ve worked at a bingo hall. I taught French and German at secondary school – I was out of my depth in this role and recognised this wasn’t the career path for me. I went into customer service for ten years. In my last appointment before Aspire, I lived and worked in London, where I was constantly surrounded by the latest headlines. This was at the time when COVID hit, and because I was living away from my family, it led to the decline in my mental health and wellbeing. 

After my diagnosis, I returned to work but felt barriers were put in place, which impacted my productivity in the workplace. I don’t think they felt having someone autistic was the right image, but that’s only my view. 

I returned home in February 2022, and my Aspire journey began.  

Aspire saved my life!  

I started temporarily as an Administration Officer in one of the day centres and quickly became permanent following a short secondment in the same role but at the respite unit. I was home, feeling confident and had a job that I could get my head around and be successful at. I haven’t looked back. During this time, I also met my fiancé – he’s the most wonderful person ever, and he ‘balances’ me. 
 

How has Aspire supported you in your role? 

Generally, I am quiet, but I have become more sociable. I have learned to cope better with myself and how to approach things. Sometimes, I may go the long way round to explain things, but people around me accept this. I don’t really need to make too many adjustments; I get a lot of reassurance from my colleagues and support when it’s needed. 

I feel that a lot of my colleagues have a good understanding of autism. Aspire supports individuals in a personal way, and autistic colleagues should be treated the same as I have been. This is really important, as no two autistic people are the same and have different needs. 
 

What does the future hold for you? What are your dreams and aspirations?

Work-wise, I’d like to continue as I am. I am now a representative for the staff partnership forum. 

Personally, I have moved into our own home (my fiancé and I). I have got engaged and set a date for our wedding in 2025. After that, who knows… 
 

What advice would you give to others if they think they are autistic? 

That it’s not a bad thing to be different from what is ‘seen’ as the social norm of how or what a person should do/act/think. We all have challenges, and the world we live in is adapting to how the neurodiverse are living in a neurotypical world.