The epithet wasnât reserved solely for teachers. Many employers reflexively perceive individuals who struggle with invisible disabilities as lazy or incompetent. Even the father of one ex-girlfriend used to regularly yell at me with the line, âIâm tired of hearing about autism! Just learn how to do some hard work!â Like a lot of people I know who arenât neurologically privileged, I reacted to this by pushing myself extra-hard to prove my value. My co-workers, girlfriend, friends and family like to joke that Iâm a workaholic, but it really isnât as simple as that. Iâm just terrified that one day all of the progress Iâve made will count for nothing and that damnable l-word will be applied to me again.
Why I work myself to death - Salon.com









