Hollyoaks Steph Davis' adult autism diagnosis ‘is biggest relief’ - here she explains why

ok.co.uk:

Stephanie Davis has spoken of the “relief” she felt after being diagnosed with autism at the age of 26.The former Hollyoaks actress said she had felt like an “alien” throughout her life and that the diagnosis had finally helped her accept herself.

The now 29-year-old was diagnosed with high-functioning autism (HFA) back in 2019 after hitting a low point in her life. She traces the first signs of her autism to her early childhood but her diagnosis only came after two decades and a suicide bid.The mum-of one told OK!, “I was so low I was drinking myself to death.

I got dragged to rehab by my parents and they said, ‘Please help her because she’s going to die’. "My mental health was so bad, it wasn’t just addiction.That’s when a consultant psychiatrist recognised my traits and told me I had high-functioning autism, as well as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. “When I got the diagnosis, I didn’t really understand what it meant, but as soon as I did my research I was like, ‘Whoa, that is me.’ Everything jumped out and it made me feel more at ease because I felt, ‘It’s not just me.’ It made me accept myself for the first time and start to look forward.

It was the biggest relief.” Stephanie – who found fame in 2010 as Sinead O’Connor in Hollyoaks and was the runner-up on Celebrity Big Brother in 2016 – has autistic traits that include a deep fear of social situations and a desperate need to follow rigid plans.