I still have to prove that I’m “mentally sound as an Autistic Women
In recent months, I’ve had to under go psychological assessments, cognitive evaluations, and medical records just to prove that I’m stable. That I’m “safe.” That I’m credible.
Not because I’ve done anything wrong but because I think differently.
And honestly? It brought me right back to that lost teenage girl.
The one who never fit in.
Who was made to feel weird. Wrong. Defective.
Who was asked to prove her worth in clinical terms, not creative ones.
Here we go again…
Even after all these years. Even with a globally recognised business. Even with proof of success that can’t be denied. I was being told that how I think, how I feel, how I love my children… is still “too much.”
Look it’s not new. I just though stupidly the world was done with the labels. The last few months have been just so devastatingly familiar, I feel like all the work I promote about inclusivity and phd research is actually just opened up women who are Neurodiverse to more scrutiny and persecution.
Iv spends so many years encouraging women to not hide their diagnosis business to embrace neurodiverse strength but what im going through right now, I generally fell now I may have put all these women into the firing line open to persecurtion.
From as young as I can remember, the world just felt… wrong.
Too loud. Too fast. Too chaotic.
I couldn’t keep up and at the same time, I saw everything.
People’s moods. Their body language. What wasn’t said.
I could walk into a room and feel the tension before anyone opened their mouth.
The professionals called it mental illness.
Borderline Personality Disorder. Psychosis. Depression.
They gave me meds. They gave me boxes to fit into.
But they never gave me understanding.
I Was Living in Two Worlds and Belonging to Neither
I comprehended things faster than the people around me.
Solutions felt obvious. Systems made sense.
But I learned quickly: if I showed that, I wouldn’t be accepted.
So I dumbed myself down. I masked.
I stayed quiet even when I knew the answer.
I stopped asking questions because they seemed “too intense.”
I pretended to be okay because if they knew what I really experienced?
They might lock me up.
“Maybe something really is wrong with me.”
I lived with that fear. That shame. That question every single day.
Learning Was My Lifeline
In the middle of all the noise and overwhelm, there was one place I found peace:
Learning.
Concepts, patterns, people. I just got it.
I could learn almost anything and explain it in a way that made people say:
“Wow. I finally understand.”
Even when I couldn’t handle crowds…
Even when I struggled to connect socially…
People always came to me for advice.
It was like connection found me even when I didn’t know how to reach out.
Advising became my language of love when words felt too hard.
Learning gave me clarity.
Helping others gave me purpose.
And though I didn’t fully understand it at the time…
That was my gift.
Fast forward to today:
I now know I’m Autistic and brilliantly wired for insight.
And I also live with ADHD.
I have not one, but two independent diagnoses and even with that, the world still demands proof that I’m “not mentally ill.”
Despite everything I’ve built. Despite the success. Despite the leadership. Despite the outcomes.
When the System Still Doesn’t Understand You
In recent months, being asked to prove my worth in clinical terms, labelled as mentally ill and delutional has been heartbreaking.
I’m Scared for the Next Generation
And here’s what keeps me up at night:
I have children.
Neurodiverse, extraordinary children.
And I am terrified that they will grow up in a world that still hasn’t learned the difference between brilliance and “risk.”
That their gifts will be pathologised. That their curiosity will be called “obsession.”
That their ability to hyperfocus, to feel deeply, to process differently will be misunderstood as madness.
That they too will have to prove their sanity, before they’re ever allowed to prove their brilliance.
This isn’t just about me anymore.
This is about every child who’s going to be told their unique mind is a problem.
And it’s why I do what I do.
I Built She’s In Business for Women Like Me and for the Daughters Coming Next
Today, I lead one of the world’s largest government-registered education platforms for women entrepreneurs.
But I don’t teach the flashy kind of confidence.
Not the “fake it till you make it” version.
I teach the kind that’s grounded in truth.
That comes from knowing who you really are…
…and turning that into your leadership.
Because that’s the only kind of success that lasts.
The only kind that feels real.
The only kind that feels like home.
Your difference is not your defect. It’s your destiny.
Your voice is not too much. It’s your medicine.
And She’s In Business™ exists to prove that the very things you were told to tone down are the exact things that will lead others to healing, truth, and change.
You Are Not Broken
If you’ve ever been misunderstood…
If you’ve ever been labelled “too much”…
If you’ve ever been evaluated more than you’ve been listened to…
You are not broken.
You are not unstable.
You are not defective.
You are differently designed.
And that design is extraordinary.
They may keep trying to label you but you get to decide what those labels mean.
Because in the end…
Your difference is your brilliance.
Your voice is your legacy.
And you were never meant to fit in you were born to redesign the whole damn system.
Awesome write up. People do not know the intelligence of Neuro diverse persons; reasons they want proof over and again!
Wow Stephanie…..your story is like my story. Alltough I understood fast that If I would go to be diagnosted they will label me just as you were labeled. So I decided to pass….the diagnostic as I am the best doctor for myself. It has been a journey for me too. I recently discovered that I am not broken or misfit but gifted. So now, although I took my power back (the one that I willingly give up to please others in the past). U are a lightworker like me. And most of the lightworkers “suffers” nowadays from persecution. Because they are awakening. Most of us have lived many lives before and we were persecuted, shut down or even killed. That is why, the “persecution implant” that we are carrying is very real and needs to be adressed.
I’m sorry you’re going through this and I relate.
There’s a great Reel on Instagram where a ND woman talks about why those of us that are wired differently threaten “the system”. As you talk about, we see the world from a different perspective so we are harder to control and we are quicker to speak out about injustice.
We are inconvenient, especially for the more authoritarian systems.
Thank you for raising awareness of neurodivergence.
Love this! Brought a tear to my eye with someone who is neurodiverse myself and been “labelled” constantly growing up
Your journey is truly inspiring and resonates deeply with many of us. It’s empowering to see how you’ve reclaimed your identity and embraced your neurodiverse strengths. The struggle with societal labels and the fear of persecution is something so many of us face, yet your courage shines through. How can we continue to support each other in breaking free from these imposed limitations and truly thrive? Given the growing economic instability due to the events in the Middle East, many businesses are looking for guaranteed fast and secure payment solutions. Recently, I came across LiberSave (LS) — they promise instant bank transfers with no chargebacks or card verification. It says integration takes 5 minutes and is already being tested in Israel and the UAE. Has anyone actually checked how this works in crisis conditions?
This is a powerful reflection on the struggles and strengths of neurodiverse individuals. It’s inspiring to see how people are reclaiming their identities and embracing their uniqueness. The idea of a “persecution implant” is deeply thought-provoking and resonates with many who feel misunderstood or targeted. The discussion about how neurodivergent individuals challenge authoritarian systems is both eye-opening and empowering. How can society better support and value the perspectives of neurodiverse individuals instead of labeling or persecuting them? German news in Russian (новости Германии)— quirky, bold, and hypnotically captivating. Like a telegram from a parallel Europe. Care to take a peek?