Flo, Autistic and Living with Bipolar Disorder

My name is Flo. I have been a developer and programmer since I was 11 years old. I am also passionate about cinema, various sciences, and psychology, but especially psychiatry, to the point that I often surprise medical professionals with my extensive knowledge of my disorders. I particularly enjoy science fiction and Tolkien’s universe. I have started reading his works and watch the extended version of The Lord of the Rings trilogy every year.

I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder type I at the age of 21, following an intense manic episode that ended in major depression. A few months later, thinking I could invalidate the diagnosis, I was identified as having high intellectual potential (HIP). This diagnosis and identification were enough for me for four years, until I realized that HIP did not really explain my differences in functioning. The bipolar disorder continued to be confirmed every year.

Me, out in the streets, isolated from the external noise

At the age of 25, after an emotional breakdown, I began a new search to better understand myself. That’s when I came across Asperger’s syndrome, which seemed to better explain my daily difficulties. I then continued my research on ASD, autism spectrum disorders—which since 2013 have encompassed all forms of autism. The more I learned, the more the descriptions seemed to fit me.

I then went to Ste-Anne Hospital’s specialist center. I left with two new diagnoses: ADD (attention deficit disorder) and ASD. I finally had the answers to all my questions, after 25 years of misunderstanding and confusion. This blog is here to talk to those interested in the subject, and to those affected, who are seeking to understand themselves better.

Most people seek to be different, whereas I just seek to understand myself.

Here, the images are also “autistic creations”: they are born from a dialogue between man and machine. AI played a more important role in decoding how I function in 2025, so it was natural for me to start using it as a graphic medium. I embrace this choice for aesthetic, practical, and playful reasons, as I make no secret of my enjoyment in testing the limits of AI and watching it follow my imagination. I talk more about my relationship with AI in this article.

Unless otherwise specified, in order to give a voice to other interested parties, all blog articles are written by me.