Source : PERTHNOW NEWS
A chart-topping singer has revealed he has been diagnosed with autism at a recent clothing event.
Robbie Williams is an multi-platinum selling English singer who has gained global acclaim for his catalogue of number one hits over the past three decades.
Speaking at a Q&A at the latest launch for his clothing brand Hopeium on Thursday, Williams stunned fans by revealing he had recently been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
After making the announcement, the star shed some light on his autism and the hidden benefit he claims he has found from it.
“I have ADHD but I just found out I have a bit of autism as well, which I actually f***ing love because it explains so much,” he told the audience at the launch.
“It is my get-out-of-jail free card now, and all that weird s*** I do, I just say ‘Sorry, I’m autistic’.”
The Better Man singer also told the crowd that he had been battling intrusive thoughts since receiving the diagnosis, with Williams sharing a recent “insane” experience he faced.
“I was sitting on a plane and thought ‘what if I can have telekinesis and my intrusive thoughts tell the plane to crash itself?’,” he said on-stage.
“That’s the kind of level of insanity I’m dealing with.”
The 52-year-old has previously spoken about his struggles with ADHD, but Thursday’s event marks the first time he has confirmed an autism diagnosis.
It’s not the first time the English singer has spoken about possibly having the condition, though — with the star previously telling a podcast in October that an online test convinced him he did not have autism.
“I thought I had autism but it turns out I’m not, but I’ve got autistic traits,” he told the I’m ADHD, You’re Not podcast.
When host Dr Mine Conkbayir questioned Williams on why he believed he had autism, the singer said it was about “understanding why I feel so uncomfortable in my skin”.
“It was awful through my 20s, bad through my 30s, my 40s started to get better and I’m on an upward curve, but I’m still uncomfortable in my skin,” he explained.
“I have sought out medication to fix this, but I’m constantly still looking for the reason and whys.”
Robbie Williams has not publicly shared any more information about his diagnosis, only that he has received one.
Autism Spectrum Disorder, commonly referred to as autism, is a neurodevelopmental disorder that impacts how a person’s brain develops and functions.
It is often associated with socialisation and communication issues, in addition to sensory sensitivities and repetitive behaviours — however the condition can present differently from person to person.
According to Autism Spectrum Australia, at least one in forty Aussies will be diagnosed with autism in their lifetime.
