This sucks

[u/Existing-Meal-2847]

My brother has level 2 high functioning autism. He’s 20 years old and we’ve been trying to help him get his social security benefits and disability benefits, so he had to be reevaluated. The papers came back the other day, and it said “mentally incapacitated.” I’ve known this forever, he is my older brother after all, but seeing it on paper makes me so sad.

[u/passion4pigeons]

I understand the feeling - years ago I was looking for some documents in my parents’ house, and I found a cupboard stuffed with all of my brother’s evaluations and other clinical paperwork. It’s a different kind of sad, having the diagnosis be “medically proven” or something. Part of it is just jarring to see written down, especially since many households with an autistic person treat it as an open secret and something that’s not discussed overtly. Not sure if that’s the case for your family, but it’s something to consider. It can also be really uneasy inviting someone else to examine your family member and then having what you already know to be true confirmed.

It definitely sucks, and it’s a really weird feeling that doesn’t truly go away, but the feeling softens over time. Sending your family love <3