I often talk about my medication adherence because it is a very important part of independently as an autistic person. It is a responsibility that must be adhered to. Doing so ensures the quality of life that is desired. When you battle mental health conditions that co-occur with being autistic, you must be educated and aware of medication. It is essential not only in staying independent but also in doing the things that you do.

I have discovered a reality. When you are not taking care of your mental health, others close to you know. They can sense when things about yourself are just not right. When you are not in the right frame of mind, this can make you angry. I have been in this state several times, as it has with me. Being told things that are wrong with yourself is never easy to digest. Still, knowing that you were not doing what you need to do can be just as hurtful. Yet, it serves as a lesson. You need to do what is right, even when you feel it is not.

Initially when things do not seem right to others, it can be hard to see that in yourself. It can be hard to see your actions as outside the norm. This is because you do not perceive them as a bother to anyone. But often those close to you see things through a different lens. They show more concern than what you believe. When they share these concerns with you, it can be hard to accept. For me last summer, when the concerns were brought to my attention, I realized I was flirting with disaster. I had to do what was right once and for all. While it took some time to get back on track, I eventually recognized the dangers. I then started to do the right thing.

It can be hard when others share their concerns about you. You can think that they don’t actually know what they are talking about. You become dismissive of what they tell you because you want to believe that everything is normal. As hard as it can be for you to do what is right, the sometimes flawed thoughts produced create struggles. Still, you eventually know that things will get harder. The crash will happen. You know you don’t deserve the hard parts of the mental illness you are experiencing. You need to do whatever is necessary to get back on track.

When you do what is right, people see that too. They know that you are doing what is right. Even if they don’t say that they are proud of you, you need to be proud of yourself. Be proud for taking the steps necessary to care for your mental health. Do whatever needs to be done. People often share concern about you because they genuinely care about you. Although it can be hard to see, they genuinely care. They don’t want you to face the consequences of neglecting your mental health. Even if you don’t want to believe it, one instance can make things very detrimental for you. It can reach a point where the things that bring you comfort can be gone. They do not want that for you. They want you to be well and do what is right. That is what I had to discover in myself instead of it being something negative.

In the end, doing what was right paid off. I handled myself much better for the most part when challenging situations arose over the past year. I did not crash and burn like I did before. From those candid conversations I learned how serious taking care of my mental health really is. Others were concerned about it. I also discovered how valuable tools like psychotropic medication are in my mental health recovery.