This is an historical post from an earlier blog, Adopted Son of the Autism Family, which I had before this current blog. It is re-posted without modification (other than this introductory sentence).

Editor’s Note: Welcome back, Neha! If you missed it, here is her excellent first guest post here, sharing her unique perspective as an autism sibling.

No matter how much I try to explain what autism is and how it affects my life, it can never be enough. Writing about it and explaining in personal can only teach others so much. Only through actually seeing how it manifests with your own eyes will you understand what autism really is. Only by visiting an autism household randomly (we’re skilled at last minute clean ups and faking smiles) will you see how the constant mess, craziness, and stress takes a toll on every single member. Some days, you can literally feel stress in the ait. It chokes you and strangles you, as if the very air around you is trying to close your throat, but you have to continue gasping for air. You have to keep gasping until the night is finally complete with the hope that the next day will bring a fresh start. At times, you have to continue gasping and fighting for days on end. Worry not, eventually you shall be able to breathe freely again. The muscles around your neck have strengthened, your body is stronger and is able to free you from the hands of tension that once attempted to choke you. Your determination shines through the haze of depression that surrounds you. Others may not see the warrior within you that faces the constant battles until they understand what autism is. Then, they will see how truly amazing each member of an autism family is.

I wrote the paragraph above on a day where that wasn’t as stressful as the days that followed. But no matter how much I try to explain this view of autism, no one will fully understand until they’ve seen it and been through it. I wish other people could see how hard working some of these autism parents are, how they battle every day, how siblings are the shaky understudies of these heros. I realise this post may be a bit depressing to read, but it’s honest. Sometimes, you have to confront the bad and cancel it out with good (or greatness or brilliance, you choose). We have to start somewhere if we want a better future for autism families!