Susan Boyle, who rose to fame back in 2009 after wowing audiences (and hard-to-please Simon Cowell) as a contestant on "Britain's Got Talent," recently revealed her relief at being diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder.
The 52-year-old Scottish singer opened up to the Observer about being bullied in school and struggling with her studies, as she had learning difficulties as a child and was called "Susie Simple" by her classmates.
"I have always known that I have had an unfair label put upon me," said Boyle. "I was told I had brain damage. Now I have a clearer understanding of what's wrong and I feel relieved and a bit more relaxed about myself. I went to seek a diagnosis from a Scottish specialist. Nobody told me to. I thought I had a more serious illness and couldn't function properly."
Boyle also suffered from depression and mood swings, and is happy to report that today, she has a great support team around her, and maintains that her diagnosis will not confine her.
"It will not make any difference to my life. It's just a condition that I have to live with and work through," she said. "I think people will treat me better because they will have a much greater understanding of who I am and why I do the things I do."
Boyle's shy, soft-spoken demeanor coupled with her powerhouse voice has earned her thousands of devoted fans. She's sold more than 14 million records around the world, recently released her fourth studio album, "Home for Christmas," and made a cameo appearance alongside Meryl Strep in the film "The Christmas Candle."
