Summary
In this fascinating autism podcast episode, host Anna Kennedy interviews Dirk, a German-born man who discovered his autism diagnosis at age 45 through an unexpected source – a computer game called “Our Life.” Dirk’s story reveals how playing this visual novel became a mirror for his own experiences, leading to profound self-recognition when the main character was revealed to be autistic. His journey from struggling through school with severe sensory sensitivities to becoming a hermit for six years, and eventually finding understanding through gaming, offers unique insights into late autism diagnosis. Anna also shares exciting updates about her charity work, including her new role as ambassador for Autism Allotments and receiving an outstanding charity award, while discussing valuable resources like Dan Jones’ book “Autism for Adults” and recent neurodiversity research from the University of Birmingham that examined 1,000 UK adults across the spectrum.