Supporting a Sibling Through the Journey of an Invisible Disability

In this heartfelt episode, Niraj speaks with sisters Aleen and Atiqa about their journey of realising Aleen is autistic and how that’s shaped their relationship. Aleen opens up about her mental health crisis in 2020, how burnout and sleep struggles led her to explore neurodivergence, and why self-diagnosing autism helped her better understand her needs. Atiqa shares what it’s like supporting a sibling with an invisible disability—dealing with change, learning to be patient, and finding new ways to communicate. Together, they reflect on the ups and downs of unmasking, and how they’re building a more neuro-affirming relationship. This episode gives a rare insight into the sibling experience, and what support, trust, and growing together really looks like.

To get connected with Niraj, find him on Instagram.

To follow along with all of The Forgotten Generation Podcast series, you can also find the podcast on Instagram.

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If you have any questions, please email Lily Mott at lily@bethechangepodcast.org.