Reading: #144: Sarah Nannery (Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder At Age 31)

“I had a wonderful childhood,” says Sarah Nannery (sarahnannery.com). “But I could never figure out why I didn’t fit in. I played differently and didn’t pick up social cues. I didn’t get the point of jokes. All through college, I studied different things.” She also struggled with prioritization and sudden changes in the workplace. Two years ago, Nannery was diagnosed with autism which she says, ”is quite a journey as an adult.” For Nannery, who decided to share her story in the new book, What to Say Next: Successful Communication in Work, Life, and Love–with Autism Spectrum Disorder, the diagnosis of her son with autism was the turning point. “I started to notice his heavy dependence on routine…Going to school he would ring the doorbell to get in, wait for the teacher to open the door. [Once] another family rang the doorbell and he had the biggest meltdown.” Knowing how she also gravitated towards quiet and order and shied away from peers who were messy or not following the rules, Nannery decided to check herself out. “Diagnostic tools have evolved a lot,” she says. “They’re still missing women and girls and women of color. It’s still based on white boys as is all of the medical system.” What Nannery hopes her book will accomplish? “We have to let go of preconceptions. We’re not all ‘Rain Man’. We’re very diverse. I’m still me before and after the diagnosis. I know who I am. Now.”