It was a dark Friday, I was still an art student and I was at an art centre overwhelmed struggling to complete my practical assignment. As I was painting all my eyes saw was the colour red I noticed that my hands were shaking, I couldn't stabilise the grip of my brush. Immediately I dropped my brush and left the art studio, I was going through an anxiety attack though no one noticed because I was masking it. I remember I left the studio with a certain art tool called a "lock knife" I rushed to the washrooms and had a meltdown. While crying I had suicidal thoughts, held on to the lock knife and placed it near my wrist. I wanted to end it all, I reached for my phone and called my then boyfriend and told him that I'm leaving and I just want to say goodbye because I sounded like I was from crying he quickly rushed to the art centre. I was in a crisis, fighting with my thoughts and the constant urge to want to harm myself. Immediately He came for me and took me to where my sister was and that's when I broke down more, I snapped out of that episode and she held me so tight. I was tired of being Autistic, I just wanted to be normal. I wanted to travel to the other end because I knew that any other planet was more accepting and accommodating than here on earth. The constant pressures of the Neurotypical world took a toll on me. My sisters took me under their care and I was guided and supported and with time I was me again. Little did I know that my fight wasn't over a few months later I was a pageant winner and I became an ambassador representing Kenyan Autistics through my experiences, to date I spread awareness on Autism. I'm winning every single day, networking with my community and changing the narrative. changing my story as an author;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; #Actuallyautistic #Suicidalpreventiondmonth#You'renotalone