I am lucky.

I went through school as an undiagnosed autistic person. I was bullied a lot. I hated myself and wanted to be someone else. I left home at 17 and got involved with dangerous people. I found myself in trouble with the law and ended up in jail. The experience was so traumatic that I self medicated with illicit drugs. The resulted in me becoming homeless. I also had a psychotic episode which morphed into a schizophrenia diagnosis which I still have 26 years later. I was abused and manipulated repeatedly. I spent twelve years in poverty. I lived in public housing where my neighbours were mostly alcoholics. I developed an alcohol problem due to my friendship with my neighbours. I had a neighbour who was a stalker and was fixated on me and was violent and controlling. I have been unwell with psychosis on multiple occasions. It…