‘Anxiety Recovery’ whilst Autistic
I spent my teenage years chasing the idea of ‘anxiety recovery’ that I later discovered didn’t exist. I wanted a life without anxiety, because all I understood was that it was limiting, destructive, painful, and stole too much from me. I also thought that was what I was meant to want. At church, year after year, people prayed for my anxiety to go…
Why You Are Not ‘So OCD’: OCD Myths
I have lost count of the number of times I have heard people say ‘I’m so OCD’ when they just want something to be tidy, clean, arranged in a particular order or done a certain way. Or, how many times I’ve seen phrases like ‘Obsessive Cat Disorder’ on mugs or prints. Or, how often I’ve been frustrated by people declaring they wished they…
The War In My Mind: Fighting Anxiety
Anxiety is not just an emotion for me. It's a daily state of being. It's a feeling that lives within me that I can't quite describe. It never goes away. I don't know what life is like without anxiety as a companion. I don't know what it's like to not be at war with my mind.
Autism and Anxiety
You know that feeling where your racing heart-rate won’t slow down, your face feels sweaty and your insides are churning? Where your thoughts are spinning around your head in endless circles? Where you feel dread and complete nausea from everything? I live with that every day.
Anxiety isn’t intrinsic to autism. Not all autistic people even experience anxiety, but…
Do Any Autistic Children Get Through School Untraumatised?
I don’t think any autistic children get through school untraumatised, and that makes me so incredibly sad.
Autistic children are much more likely to be bullied than non-autistic children. In-fact, I don’t think there are many autistic people who weren’t bullied at some stage. Other kids can tell we’re different, and that…
What I Need From You On A Bad Day
1. Patience. Everything will require a hundred times more energy than usual today. I may not be able to do everything you expect of me. I may not be able to accept your rational answers to what I’m struggling with. Please don’t get annoyed. I’m trying.
Symptoms Of Anxiety That No-one Talk About
1. Constantly needing to go to the toilet. This is especially common if someone is experiencing a period of heightened anxiety, or a panic attack. This is because our fight or flight response is triggered, which can cause a need to urinate. Diarrhoea is also common.
The High Prevalence of Mental Health Problems Among Autistic People
Research shows that 80% of autistic people experience mental health problems during their lives, the most prevalent being anxiety. There is also a high prevalence of eating disorders, OCD, psychosis, depression, among others.
Some theorise that this is because autistic brains are different, making them more susceptible to…
My OCD Story
When my OCD first arrived, it tricked me into believing that it was my friend. It told me that if I did certain things then I didn’t need to worry about the anxious thoughts which had been ruling my head since early 2015. Finally, I thought, this was a way to control my panic attacks.
Why Phone Calls Can be Incredibly Difficult for Autistic People and People with Anxiety
The sound of the phone ringing can immediately evoke anxiety for some people, especially for autistic people and people with anxiety. If the call hasn’t been agreed in advance, many of us find ourselves simply unable to answer it and let it go to voicemail. Why is this?
Reasonable Adjustments in Schools for Autistic Students and Students with Anxiety
Schools have a duty under the Equality Act to make reasonable adjustments for students who otherwise are at an unfair disadvantage to their peers due to a disability or mental health condition. It is important to note that students do not need an official diagnosis in order for these to be put in place. A needs-based…
Back To School Advice for Autistic Students
Dear Autistic Students,
Going back to school after the holidays can be very overwhelming and daunting, let alone going back to school after the events of this year. So firstly let me tell you that no-one is expecting you to find it easy.