Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), one of the most misunderstood diagnoses in the world today, is a mental condition referring to the wide range of social difficulties that many people of all ages face. Common symptoms include habitual physical behaviors or “tics,” hardships in communicating with others, repetitive speech, and a lack of emotional expressiveness.
You may, like me, have a sibling with autism. If your sibling has just been diagnosed with ASD, chances are you’ll learn all of these through experience over the years, but it’s good to keep them in mind now as well. (Note that all people’s cases with autism are very different. This just happens to be my story, but most of these will be true regardless of the specific manifestations of autism that your sibling exhibits.)
9Your sibling’s needs will almost always come first.
This is especially hitting if you’re the firstborn child who’s suddenly learned their needs aren’t the only needs in the world. Your sibling’s desires will almost always come before yours. Sometimes it’s because your sibling’s needs are more important than your wants, and sometimes it’s just because it’s too draining to put up any sort of fight. Remember that your needs are important, too. Make sure you take time for yourself every now and then to get them met.