Celebrities sent love to director Jason Paul Laxamana after he disclosed that he was diagnosed with autism.
Jason shared that his psychiatrist diagnosed him with Asperger’s Syndrome, a type of mental health disorder of the autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD is also simply referred to as autism.
He said this in an Instagram post on August 6.
“Yesterday, I got a diagnosis that I am on the autism spectrum. I have Asperger’s Syndrome,” Jason said.
The filmmaker also recalled his reaction after learning of his condition.
“I cried after my session with the psychiatrist, not because I am sad, but because I am relieved to finally know how I’m built as a human being, and relieved to finally understand my experiences in life for the past decades, especially those times I suffered mentally and felt like an odd entity in society,” Jason said.
“Now I can finally take care of my special needs, assert and demand them as much as possible, and avoid situations that do not serve my best interest,” he added.
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Jason’s colleagues in the industry later showed him love and support through the comments section of his post.
“This Stella is very proud of you!” Bela Padilla said.
Stella is the name of Bela’s character in “100 Tula Para Kay Stela,” a film that Jason directed.
“Sending my love and so proud of all your accomplishments direk!” Miss International 2016 Kylie Verzosa said.
Janella Salvador left a heart emoji under his post.
Jason Paul Laxamana gained prominence in the Philippine film industry after he won multiple awards for his movies “He Who Is Without Sin” (2020), “The Coffin Maker” (2014), and “Astro Mayabang” (201).
People with Asperger’s Syndrome, meanwhile, share the same symptoms and signs as other individuals with autism.
“People with ASD often have problems with social communication and interaction, and restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests. People with ASD may also have different ways of learning, moving, or paying attention,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States (CDC).
Aspeger’s, in particular, is considered a “high functioning” type of autism.
“They’re just as smart as other folks, but they have more trouble with social skills. They also tend to have an obsessive focus on one topic or perform the same behaviors again and again,” an explanation from the medical website WebMD said.
