There was a time when I thought I was simply bad at communication.

I would go silent in the middle of a conversation.
Or snap and regret it immediately.
Or feel tears rising over something that didn’t seem “that serious.”

What I didn’t understand then was this:

I am autistic. I have ADHD.
And my nervous system reaches overload faster than most people realize.

When I’m overstimulated, my brain shifts into protection mode. Language drops. Processing slows. Patience thins.

That is not a personality flaw.
That is neurology.

Once I understood that, I stopped shaming myself — and started building skill.