The autistic Writer

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Part 11: Autism: Is Self-Diagnosis Valid?

Hello, and welcome back to The Autistic Writer. One of the most hotly debated autism-related subjects on social media is that of self-diagnosis. Powerful arguments are regularly made both in favour of and against self-diagnosis. But many of these debates miss a central point. Here, I will examine the most robust positions on either side of the debate, but more importantly, I will suggest a…

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Part 10: Autism and the Jigsaw Piece

Hello, and welcome back to The Autistic Writer. There is a desire in the autistic community for social acceptance. One of the key elements of social acceptance for autistic people is the need for autistic voices to be listened to, and for us to have agency regarding our place in society. Autistic people must be involved in decision-making about autism, for acceptance to be realised. One widely…

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Part 9: Do Vaccines Cause Autism?

Hello, and welcome back to The Autistic Writer. One of the most provocative questions about autism is: Do vaccines cause autism? The answer to that question involves one of the biggest scandals in the history of the autism field. my story During the Covid-19 pandemic, I worked in an NHS hospital. As a key worker, I could not just stay at home. I would travel to work on public transport, as…

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Part 8: Empathy and Autism

Hello, and welcome back to The Autistic Writer. One of the most damaging myths about autism is that autistic people lack empathy. Here, I will be unpicking that myth. my story Some time ago, I listened to an audiobook, a novel by Mike Gayle, titled Half A World Away. I always enjoy losing myself in a good novel, some more than others. But now and again, a novel comes along in which I become…

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Part 7: Theory of Mind

Hello, and welcome back to The Autistic Writer. There are many inaccurate and harmful myths about autism and autistic people. Some of them spring from research and publications in the fields of psychology and psychiatry that have since been strongly disputed by professionals in the field. The Theory of Mind (ToM) deficit model of autism is something most people have never heard of, although it…

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Part 6: Autistic Burnout Explained

Hello, and welcome back to The Autistic Writer. Today, I am discussing one of the most important problems faced by autistic people: Autistic burnout. my story Around the time I turned 50 years old, I was beginning to struggle to function in all areas of my life. Something – I didn’t know what – was seriously wrong. I had been diagnosed with depression repeatedly throughout my life, but this…

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Part 5: Autistic Masking Explained

Hello, and welcome back to The Autistic Writer. Wearing a mask is a way of changing or hiding your appearance.  It can be done for fun, for example, when going to a costume party, or it can be done with bad intentions, such as someone covering their face when carrying out a crime. Autistic masking is neither of those things.   my story Various people have asked me questions along the lines of,…

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Part 4: What is The Autism Spectrum?

Hello, and welcome back to The Autistic Writer. What is the autism spectrum? The word spectrum is used frequently in relation to autism, and the most common label currently used in autism diagnostics is Autism Spectrum Disorder (or Condition). In casual conversation about autism, spectrum is often mentioned, but frequently the term is misinterpreted. It is common to hear the phrase “on the…

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Part 3: What is Autism (the complex answers)?

Hello, and welcome back to The Autistic Writer. In the previous instalment, I explained the various ways in which autism is defined by health authorities, diagnostic manuals, and leading autism charity, The National Autistic Society. This time, I will go into detail regarding the more nuanced understandings of what autism actually is. my story When I found out I was autistic (a formal diagnosis…

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Part 2: What is Autism (the simple answers)?

Hello, and welcome back to The Autistic Writer. What actually is autism? My story When I found out I was autistic, back in 2019, I threw myself into learning everything I could about autism. Sadly, the first things I learned tended to be the common myths and stereotypes attributed to autism. But as I persevered, I began to develop a more nuanced understanding. When it comes to defining what…

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Part 1: Why Should You Even Care About Autism?

Welcome Hello, and welcome to The Autistic Writer. With this website, it is my hope to explain what autism is, what the real lived autistic experience is, and to dispel the many harmful myths about autism. my story At 50 years old, my life from the outside probably looked like a success story. Married, a son from a previous relationship with whom I was (and still am) very close, a mortgage, a…

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