1. You're not broken. You were never broken.

If you've been called lazy, selfish, immature, difficult, this diagnosis is not your failure. It's the start of understanding what's been happening underneath your entire life.

You didn't fake being unwell. You faked being okay.

That's what masking is. That's what surviving without a name for it does.

2. You don't have to tell anyone.

Seriously. This is yours.

You can share it, keep it to yourself, write it on a wall, or whisper it into a notebook. You don't owe anyone an explanation for who you are.

And if you do choose to tell someone, it should be because you want to, not because you feel pressured.

3. If you decide to tell someone, keep it simple.

You don't need to convince them. You don't need a presentation or a pile of research. You don't need to have it all figured out.

You can say something like:

"I've been diagnosed with ADHD and autism. It explains a lot. I'm still figuring it out, but I wanted to be honest."

That's it. You don't need to add anything unless you want to.

4. Prepare yourself: not everyone will get it.

Even people who care about you might say something that hurts. They might try to downplay it. They might talk about their own struggles instead of listening to yours. They might avoid the topic altogether.

It's not fair. But it happens.

If it feels like rejection and it is. That's not in your head. That's not you being too sensitive.

But that rejection is not proof that you were wrong to speak.

5. If it starts to go bad, you can stop the conversation.

You can say:

"I'm not trying to argue. I'm just sharing something real."

Or:

"If this is uncomfortable for you, I get it. But I need to step away if I'm not being heard."

You're allowed to protect your energy. Especially now.

6. The people who get it will stay.

Some people will surprise you. They'll ask questions. They'll thank you for trusting them. They'll try, even if they don't fully understand.

Those are the people worth keeping around. You'll feel the difference immediately.

7. Grief is part of this too.

There's often relief, but it comes with grief. You'll think about all the years you struggled without knowing why. The relationships that broke down. The jobs that didn't work out. The labels that stuck to you.

That grief is real. Let it come.

But don't let it convince you that it's too late. It's not. You're here now. That counts.

8. This is your life now. But it doesn't have to be heavy forever.

You'll learn. You'll adjust. You'll find people who speak your language. You'll figure out what works for you, at your pace, not theirs.

You don't have to become a spokesperson. You don't have to educate everyone. You just have to keep showing up as yourself.

That's enough.