Over the years, there have been many times when my brain wanted me to quit. This happened because things changed or made me feel uncomfortable. It was due to anxiety or fear that I was experiencing. I couldn’t see that I was acting out of fear. I also couldn’t see that I was unwilling to recognize how good things really were. I have focused on making 2026 meaningful. I realize now that thinking of quitting is just a way of seeking attention. It also affects others negatively, but life offers much more than what I see during my hardest times.

It can be hard to be rational when we become dysregulated as autistic people. Our thoughts focus on becoming regulated. We aim to find the best solution for our current mindset. The last time that I was at my worst, I was unwilling to accept the need for day services. There were various reasons for this unwillingness. My mid-life crisis led me to believe I didn’t need them anymore, considering how long I had been there. I neglected to realize the importance of continuous self-improvement, even beyond the current requirements.

I wasn’t thinking clearly at the time. I wasn’t seeing the whole picture because I was not well. This also happens when we are dysregulated. We lose all of the things we work hardest to develop as autistic folks to exist in this world. We see that things are worse than the change being made. We can feel pressed to step outside our comfort zone or even do something new or different. We are often more than our thoughts. I was often dysregulated and irrational because I wasn’t caring for myself. I couldn’t see that running away from what made me uncomfortable was not the solution I needed. I had other reasons as well. I needed to calm down first and see things for what they are.

Granted things like anxiety and change are not easy things to deal with when you are autistic like me. You often think about the worst things that can happen, even the most unlikely scenarios. This happens because you are unwilling to see that things are more than what they are. Be patient and take time to understand things for what they are. Your feelings will eventually pass if you process them in a healthy way.

Being patient and understanding can be difficult. But, it is often the best thing to do while things work out. Instead of being childish and immature by wanting to quit, reconsider. Don’t run away from uncomfortable situations. Try seeing how good things really are. As hard as it can be to be patient, doing what is right and thinking rationally is often best. Weigh things to their fullest extent. See if indeed a decision has to be made or if it’s just the way of thinking. Move past constantly thinking about quitting to avoid discomfort in your life.