JDS49
New Member
Hi everyone,
I’m Josh — 36, married with kids, living in Israel, originally from London.
I’ve been meaning to rejoin an autistic community for a long time. I grew up on WrongPlanet in the early 2000s, and I really miss the old long-form, thoughtful conversations that used to happen there. More than anything, I miss being around people who understand that thinking deeply isn’t a pathology — it’s how we make sense of the world.
A bit about me:
• Diagnosed autistic as an adult in Israel, diagnosed in England when I was very young.
It explained years of burnout, masking, and constantly being misunderstood.
• I speak very directly and precisely.
I don’t use filler words. I think before speaking. This is normal for me, and I’m trying to build a life where that’s not treated as a flaw.
• Married, two kids, navigating neurodiverse family life.
My wife is wonderful and very different from me. We’re in couples counselling learning how to bridge the ASD/NT gap without me having to erase myself.
• A survivor of a damaging “life coach” experience.
Years of manipulation, gaslighting, and pseudo-spiritual nonsense. I’m still untangling the effects of that period and rebuilding my confidence.
• Complex history with childhood institutions.
I spent years in special-ed environments that were poorly run, traumatizing, and frankly abusive. Ketamine therapy has helped me process a lot of that.
• I think a lot about philosophy, culture, and systems.
I write, I analyze, I connect dots. I tend to think in decades and long-term models. My brain is built for pattern recognition and big-picture synthesis.
• I'm here for connection with people who think in similar ways.
Not for memes or “neurospicy aesthetics”, but real conversation — the kind that actually helps you feel less alone in the world.
What I’m hoping to find here:
• a space where clear, slow, deliberate communication is normal
• others who live in their heads without apology
• people who can talk about ASD honestly — the strengths and the difficulties
• other late-diagnosed adults juggling marriage, kids, work, identity
• conversations that go deeper than “10 signs you’re neurodivergent”
What I can offer:
• thoughtful dialogue
• a good ear
• a brain wired for analysis and empathy (yes, we have our own style of empathy)
• real experience navigating ASD in adulthood
• and hopefully, a bit of humour
If you’ve read this far, thank you.
I’m looking forward to meeting people who speak my language — maybe different accents, but the same wavelength.
— Josh
I’m Josh — 36, married with kids, living in Israel, originally from London.
I’ve been meaning to rejoin an autistic community for a long time. I grew up on WrongPlanet in the early 2000s, and I really miss the old long-form, thoughtful conversations that used to happen there. More than anything, I miss being around people who understand that thinking deeply isn’t a pathology — it’s how we make sense of the world.
A bit about me:
• Diagnosed autistic as an adult in Israel, diagnosed in England when I was very young.
It explained years of burnout, masking, and constantly being misunderstood.
• I speak very directly and precisely.
I don’t use filler words. I think before speaking. This is normal for me, and I’m trying to build a life where that’s not treated as a flaw.
• Married, two kids, navigating neurodiverse family life.
My wife is wonderful and very different from me. We’re in couples counselling learning how to bridge the ASD/NT gap without me having to erase myself.
• A survivor of a damaging “life coach” experience.
Years of manipulation, gaslighting, and pseudo-spiritual nonsense. I’m still untangling the effects of that period and rebuilding my confidence.
• Complex history with childhood institutions.
I spent years in special-ed environments that were poorly run, traumatizing, and frankly abusive. Ketamine therapy has helped me process a lot of that.
• I think a lot about philosophy, culture, and systems.
I write, I analyze, I connect dots. I tend to think in decades and long-term models. My brain is built for pattern recognition and big-picture synthesis.
• I'm here for connection with people who think in similar ways.
Not for memes or “neurospicy aesthetics”, but real conversation — the kind that actually helps you feel less alone in the world.
What I’m hoping to find here:
• a space where clear, slow, deliberate communication is normal
• others who live in their heads without apology
• people who can talk about ASD honestly — the strengths and the difficulties
• other late-diagnosed adults juggling marriage, kids, work, identity
• conversations that go deeper than “10 signs you’re neurodivergent”
What I can offer:
• thoughtful dialogue
• a good ear
• a brain wired for analysis and empathy (yes, we have our own style of empathy)
• real experience navigating ASD in adulthood
• and hopefully, a bit of humour
If you’ve read this far, thank you.
I’m looking forward to meeting people who speak my language — maybe different accents, but the same wavelength.
— Josh
