British songbird Susan Boyle has been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome.
The Britain’s Got Talent star (52), who wowed and surprised the world when she auditioned for the hit show, says she’s “relieved” at the diagnosis – one that went unnoticed for more than half a century.
“It was the wrong diagnosis when I was a kid,” she says.
“I was told I had brain damage. I have always known that I have had an unfair label put on me. I have Asperger’s.
“Now I have a clearer understanding of what’s wrong and I feel relieved and a bit more relaxed about myself.”
Asperger’s syndrome is a form of autism, which affects how a person makes sense of the world.
While they can struggle with social interaction, they often have higher-than-average IQs, with Susan saying her intelligence is above average.
Susan visited a Scottish specialist last year who diagnosed her with the syndrome, which has helped the singer move on from the cruel taunts and bullying she suffered as a child.
Dubbed “Simple Susan,” she felt “different” and an “outsider”, struggled as a child and young adult, and suffered from depression.
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