Longly knowing that I have been challenged, I have always known that I am different. The world has since evolved from being aware or having acceptance of those with challenges like mine that I know that it is perfectly acceptable to as for help or to take care of myself when I need it, but it takes me to know when to step aside and care for myself or get the help that I need to make my experience more enjoyable.

One of the biggest fears am asking to have my needs met is the act of being rejection or not being understood as to why I need to do or have something that provides me comfort or ease. I do realize that my challenges are defined as a disability by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), therefore I shouldn’t experience any shame when needing to access things or be able to have the space that allows me to be able to regulate myself when there are challenges present that I need to either step away of having accommodations when things are challenging to relay to others of what I need. I am realizing that it is perfectly acceptable to have my own tools at my disposal to aid in explaining things that may otherwise be difficult for me in times of distress.

Understanding that it is perfectly acceptable to ask for help is one thing that I must be willing to work on my own and not being ashamed in doing so. It Is important for me to work at realize that because of my disabilities that it is no different than anyone with a visible disability, it just may be hard to understand because from the outside it is more challenging for others to see the challenges in communicating that I may experience, especially when I am overwhelmed. I am understanding that I too must do my part in knowing to have to communicate my needs to others effectively when things do become too overwhelmed for me to be able to withstand situations that may be unfamiliar or too much.

While it is July as of this writing and it is the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is also knowing since I was first diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome along with other challenges in the 1990s, with the massive help and advances of the Internet and technology that there is the opportunity to be able to learn of better ways to access the tools to best aid in not only communicating when challenges with speaking effectively arise, that my emotions are not elevated thus causing a disturbance in an environment that may be too much and cause further anguish.

As is with anything, learning to do things, as with learning how to communicate when things are too much for me or when I need reasonable accommodations under the disability umbrella, it is important that I must be patient and learn and understand new ways that can help me best stay regulated while not being ashamed to ask for assistance because it is apparent that I am autistic and I do experience challenges. Therefore, I should not be frustrated when seeking assistance when others want to help me or use gentler words that may seem as if I am a little more special than the general populace.