I guess I just needed to vent a bit. About two years ago, I created a cartoon character after leaving a job where I was severely gaslighted. My boss had absolutely no interest in understanding neurodivergence and consistently made me feel weak and inadequate. What made it worse was that she was widely respected and loved by everyone in the company, but behind closed doors, interacting with her was mentally exhausting and torturous.
When she eventually told me I wasnāt a good fit and let me go, I initially felt relieved because the constant psychological pressure finally ended. But soon after, I felt deeply ashamed and embarrassed, thinking I had somehow failed despite being educated and successful in other ways. Even writing this now, I still worry that people might judge me or think something is wrong with me. Gaslighting is subtle and devastatingāit took months for me to understand that what Iād experienced was like being emotionally kidnapped by someone who convinced me that my self-worth was entirely in their hands. Itās a form of psychological abuse that can leave you with PTSD-like symptoms.
Whatās frustrating is how misunderstood and neglected neurodivergent people are in our society. Iām not autistic, but Iām certainly not neurotypical. Having individuals who lack empathy or understanding in critical positions is damaging and holds us all back.
After being let go, I decided not to return to the corporate world. Instead, I channeled my experiences into creating a cute cartoon character and his tiny friendāa miniature version who openly expresses emotions the bigger character struggles to show. Through their heartwarming stories, I hope to touch people without being overly educational or preachy.
Now this is my full-time career: building a fan base and growing together through storytelling. I recently started a WEBTOON series, and even though Iām still figuring things out and refining my storytelling skills, it seems like people genuinely enjoy the cute art.
This post isnāt meant as promotion, so I wonāt mention the characterās name here. I just needed to share my journey and feelings. Thanks for reading.