As someone with autism and ADHD, daily life often feels like everyone has an invisible manual, except you. When people sigh: "but you know that yourself, right?", I think inside: "no, I don't know that". That creates a feeling of constantly running behind the facts and not being aware of obvious expectations. To compensate for that, you start masking and overcompensating at school, your work, and in your relationships. You try desperately to fit in, while the outside world often misinterprets your intentions, as if you are being difficult or exaggerating. It can be complicated to explain what is really going on inside you, because people rely on your behaviour and often cannot/will not look further.
In search of (re)recognition
That is precisely why I signed up for the Autism Experience Circuit of Autism Central. The circuit consists of ten interactive tasks designed to make the emotional world of autism tangible, each linked to a concrete tip. I participated from a dual perspective: as an expert by experience seeking (re)recognition, and as an artist and coach exploring how the world looks through an autistic lens with immersive experiences.
The tasks came unfiltered and impactful inside. There was an exercise where a flood of stimuli came at you while you had to listen to a story and solve a puzzle at the same time. This is exactly how the outside world feels to me every day, and why seemingly simple tasks sometimes consume so much energy that you become exhausted. Another task with deliberately vague instructions made painfully tangible how often I have to guess what is expected of me. Another confronting task was the taste task, which summed up that lonely feeling of not being believed, or starting to doubt your own perception.
Thanks to the expert and empathetic guidance of the teacher, a warm, safe atmosphere was immediately created. I dared to be vulnerable because it was palpable that all participants - parents, teachers, and caregivers - were there with the sincere intention to truly understand autism. It was beautiful to see everyone experience the tasks from their own context, which led to valuable insights. I also greatly appreciated that the teacher made room for discussion, questions, and opinions.
The greatest relief for me was in the core message of the day: first get to know the person and really listen, before making assumptions. In daily life, so many well-meaning but unnecessary adjustments are made that are of no use to you, while it starts with simply asking what someone needs. For me, it was an enriching and healing experience. The circuit forms a crucial bridge between theory and lived reality, as it provides exactly that missing context needed for true mutual understanding.