A San Diego woman says receiving an autism diagnosis as an adult helped her better understand herself, build lasting friendships and embrace her identity.
Katie Phelps, 43, was diagnosed with autism in 2022 after years of masking traits that went unrecognized while she was growing up.
“I grew up highly masked,” Phelps said. “Growing up in the ’80s and ’90s, nobody really flagged it.”
Rather than changing who she was, Phelps said the diagnosis gave her the freedom to live more authentically…