Former Love Island star Dr. Alex George revealed that he was recently diagnosed with autism.
On Tuesday, Feb. 3, the 34-year-old posted the news about his health on Instagram, admitting that he’s “still trying to get my head around it.”
“I am autistic,” he wrote. “I was diagnosed recently after going through the in-depth assessment process. Sitting and reading the 300-odd-page report was the most surreal and strange experience of my life. I had to take some time to let it all sink in.”
“I can’t explain how weird it is to be able to understand what I never could see,” he continued. “I feel a little unnerved, confused and unsteady I guess. Not because I think it’s a bad thing or even a good thing, it’s just a lot, you know?”
He added, “I can finally see and begin to understand why I am the way I am. I have all the pieces of the jigsaw at last. It only took 34 years.”
The Mayo Clinic defines autism spectrum disorder as “a condition related to brain development that affects how people see others and socialize with them,” noting, “this causes problems in communication and getting along with others socially.”
While signs of autism — which varies broadly in symptoms and severity — can begin to present in early childhood, signs can be missed because autism is a spectrum and pediatricians may want to give a patient time to develop before making a diagnosis, the Child Mind Institute states.
George said he thinks his diagnosis will help his relationships, and hopes others might better understand him. He admitted that it felt like he was “keeping a secret” and he’s glad to finally go public about his autism to help others not feel alone.
“I am still figuring out what that means for me but right now I just wanted to let you know, I am autistic,” he said, thanking his doctors and family for their support during his assessment. “This is still so raw and new to me. I have a lot to process so I do need time for this to sink in fully.”
“I will leave you with this thought,” he concluded. “The greatest gift we can give ourselves is the gift of acceptance. And for that to happen, we need to know who we truly are.”
George, a practicing doctor who was born in Wales and lives in London, rose to fame in 2018 as a cast member on Love Island season 4 in the U.K. He has since dedicated his social media platform to documenting his overall health journey.
The comments section of his Tuesday post was soon filled with messages praising his transparency.
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The reality star later posted on his Instagram Stories and thanked his followers for the supportive messages since revealing his diagnosis. He said that it’s “such a relief to be honest.”
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“Completely and utterly overwhelmed (in a good way) by your response. I was really nervous and worried about sharing it and got in my own head about it,” he said. “And you have just made me feel so much better.”
“Weight off my shoulders,” George added. “Thank you.”