Holly Madison's Journey to Understanding Autism

TV personality Holly Madison recently opened up about her autism diagnosis, sharing her struggles to find medical help and her journey to self-understanding. Last year, the former Playboy House Bunny revealed she had been diagnosed with autism after a lifetime of difficulty with social interactions. Speaking on the Talk Tuah with Hailey Welch podcast, Madison discussed how she finally found a doctor willing to diagnose her over Zoom. "It was tough to find a doctor who would even consider diagnosing an adult, " Madison said. "We had seven Zoom sessions where they tested me in various ways. " The process included interviews with her mother and ex-husband to gather insights into her behavior. Madison admitted she'd always felt different but couldn't quite put her finger on why. "I always knew there was something a bit off, " she said. It was during her divorce a few years back that her ex-husband and mother started talking about her behaviors. That's when her mom mentioned she'd always suspected Holly was on the autism spectrum, using the term Asperger's, which is now less commonly used. Madison realized the symptoms described her perfectly. She also reflected on her past relationships, saying that knowing she's on the autism spectrum helps her understand why she connected more with older, manipulative people like Hugh Hefner rather than peers. Madison is currently taking medication for depression but not for autism.