“We Didn’t Have Autism or ADHD in My Day”: The Increase in Autism and ADHD Diagnoses
Last week, a superb article was published in The Guardian by Gina Rippon titled ‘Why the antagonism over the rise in autism diagnoses? It’s actually good news’. I am honoured that Girl Unmasked was mentioned…
An Autistic Girl’s Guide to Summer Holidays
It’s the middle of July, which means lots of people are heading off on summer holidays. For autistic people, holidays can be difficult for various reasons, for example due to…
changes in routine
Shortlisted for ITV’s Book bCreator of the Year
Hello, it’s been a while.
Thank you for the messages checking in on me. I do apologise for not responding. Unfortunately due to being unwell, I’ve had to pull out of several things including…
How Social Media Can Influence Identity - from a Neurodivergent Lens
I recently spoke to the young people at Ambitious about Autism’s youth network on social media and identity from a neurodivergent lens. I learned a lot whilst prepping for it that I thought was worth sharing.
Many of us are aware that we spend a lot of time online…
Autism Acceptance Week: What is Autism and What Does Acceptance Look Like?
I was sixteen when the question of whether I could possibly be autistic arose and, at this stage, my understanding of autism was limited. I thought about the TV series Atypical that I had recently watched and about Sheldon from The…
One Year of Girl Unmasked
It is the 28th March 2025 - one whole year since the publication of Girl Unmasked: How Uncovering My Autism Saved My Life. One year ago today, at my book launch, I stood at the front of a room packed with almost everyone I loved and cried for a solid twenty minutes....
There is a Life After Rock Bottom
There is a life AFTER rock bottom. I wish I could have known that there was a life waiting for me away from feeling ‘stuck’ in the system. Away from assumptions. Away from ‘she has EUPD’ and ‘at risk of repeated admissions’ and away from…
The Publishing Process and How I Became a Sunday Times Bestseller
As we approach paperback launch week (which is NEXT week!), I feel a bit like I’m saying goodbye to the hardback era of Girl Unmasked. I know many people prefer paperbacks - they’re cheaper, lighter and have a different feel. I’ve always been a firm paperback lover too, but…
BBC Disclosure: Kids on the Psychiatric Ward - A Reflection
BBC Scotland’s Disclosure ‘Kids on the Psychiatric Ward’ tells the stories of young adults who were patients at Skye House, a children’s mental health unit in Glasgow, between 2017 and 2024. I have just watched the programme and…
Authentically Emily Update - Book Guide, Girl Unmasked Paperback, Giveaway and Talks
Hello and happy Monday!
This is a bit of a rambly post with a few updates rather than my usual blog post.
Autism and ADHD Book Guide
Managing a Trip to Thailand as an Autistic Person
I absolutely love seeing and exploring new places, but when my boyfriend suggested that we plan a trip to Thailand, I was initially hesitant. Being autistic means that some things can be more challenging, and I felt anxious about many things, like…
Things I’ve Learned in 2024
2024, a year of endless growth, authenticity and joy.
Somehow we have reached the end of 2024, despite it feeling like only last week that I wrote my ‘Reflections on 2023’ blog post. I couldn’t be more grateful for the past year: for the people in my life; the release of Girl Unmasked and…
An Autistic Guide to Christmas
Some people love Christmas and some people hate it. I imagine most of us who celebrate fall somewhere in the middle. There have been Christmases where I’ve felt so excited and full of joy. There was also a Christmas when I lay on the sofa in another room, too low to join in…
You Are Allowed To Make Your Own Adjustments: How I Managed a Hen Do as an Autistic Person
It was my friend’s hen do recently and I was worried about how I would manage it. I struggle socialising in big groups, I don’t enjoy bars or clubs and there was lots of things that I felt anxious about, but I really wanted to go and celebrate my friend...
Autistic Masking
I was diagnosed with autism when I was 16. Like many autistic people (though not all), I grew up masking my autism. Doing my best to suppress parts of me I recognised seemed different to other people, parts I grew to be ashamed of as things happened which taught me I should be. I didn’t know that what I was doing was called masking…
The Misdiagnosis of Autistic Distress in the Mental Health System
When I am asked why I wrote Girl Unmasked, I say that I was angry. Which is true. I was angry at finding myself sectioned on a psychiatric unit at the age of 16, at the doctor there telling me I just had high social anxiety not autism, at the fact they described my autistic meltdowns as ‘hysteric attacks when she doesn’t get her own way’…
Autistic Burnout: Your Brain’s Recovery Mode
As an autistic person, life can be a LOT. Research shows that our brains process more information at any one time than non-autistic people’s brains (Brinkert & Remington, 2020). Every day, we have to manage sensory discomfort, overwhelm, social challenges, executive dysfunction, exhaustion from masking, and the…
Reflections on 2023
2023, a year of the highest highs and lowest lows.
The first year of having the comfort of the routine of a 9-5 job and my body no longer being in a constant state of anxiety. The year I learned I have ADHD and started life-changing medication. The first year of…
Challenges for Autistic University Students
Autistic students are more likely to drop out of university or take time out of their course than any other group (North East Autism Society, 2023).
36% of autistic students who enrolled on an undergraduate degree in 2019 did not complete their degree after three years…
Things That A Lot of Autistic People Are Fed Up of Hearing
1. You don’t look autistic. What exactly is an autistic person meant to look like? Do enlighten me. Because you can never tell if someone is autistic just by looking at them.
2. You’re not like my [nephew/son/cousin/friend etc] who has autism. And you’re not like…