Dear Doctors…

Dear Doctors,

"Calm down", "don't worry" or "relax" are not valid answers to an Autistic person who asks the question, "Can you explain my illness to me, please?"

These orders achieve nothing but the precise opposite of what they intend.

The question of the Autistic person may be driven by anxiety or a need for certainty, but it is most likely coming from a place of curiosity, or even a special interest in disease.

Regardless, assuming the emotional state of the Autistic person asking, and then commanding them to feel different to the perceived emotion, helps no one.