I hate hypocrisy, yet I’d been living it for much of my life.

I’d always thought hypocrisy was an intentional thing; I wasn’t even aware I’d been masking. Though I felt like I was in survival mode all the time, I don’t recall conceiving a deliberate plan to be evasive.

And now, it’s quite clear I’ve concealed many things and have been a pretender.

Many times I’ve thought, “Who can I talk to? Who can I trust?”

There’s so much misinformation about ASD and ADHD, even today. After years of research and better understanding, there’s still a stigma attached.

Okay, let’s back up here.

I’ve lived with this all my life, but I didn’t get a proper diagnosis until I was older. I don’t know if they ever really tested girls when I was growing up, for either ASD or ADHD. We didn’t know what it was then.

Also, there was little understanding of the comorbid nature of many neurological conditions, but it made perfect sense to me when I found out about it. Maybe that’s because of my long-time interest and study in how the human body works. Turns out, my life was a textbook case.

I decided it might be easier to blog about my experiences than to attempt writing a book. Many people asked me to write my life story, but it seemed daunting, so I will start with this one area. It was a major factor in everything that took place.

I started this post by saying I recognized I hadn’t been honest with myself or others. This really cuts deep. I prize honesty regardless of personal cost.

I’ve come to a place where I don’t care what anyone thinks of me. God didn’t make any mistakes when he formed me, and I have nothing to be ashamed of in that.

The wounds have healed, yet I bear many scars. Many of the old, unhealthy ways I’ve viewed myself are vanishing. It is a work in progress, but I’m up to the task.