"I experience a form of fatigue about 80% of the time." - Linsey

My name is Linsey and I am 34 years old. I work as an Experience Worker in mental health and I am also studying Social Work. I love travelling, music, photography and looking up information on all kinds of topics that interest me.

For me, being autistic mainly means that I always have to take into account how I process information. I feel that a lot comes in and I also remember a lot of things. I therefore find it difficult to prioritise and keep the overview. I need more time to recover from activities than the average person and I experience a form of fatigue about 80% of the time. It is also difficult for me to 'turn my brain off' because my thoughts keep flowing. I benefit from a certain amount of clarity and structure. Without that external structure, I barely function, if at all, and I find that annoying.

I am proud of the fact that I have worked hard to get where I am today. My perseverance and courage have helped me do that. Despite setbacks, I have been able to pick myself up again and again, learning valuable lessons and moving forward. I appreciate myself for being able to tune in well to other people and for being good at cheering others up. I also pride myself on continuing to develop myself and not avoiding challenges.

I would say to other autistic people: you are just okay. Don't let anyone tell you that you are not good enough the way you are because some things may be different for you. Everyone follows their own path in life and you know best which paths suits you best.