April is Autism Awareness month and this week is Autism Awareness week.
I have autism. I have known since the age of 13 I was nearly 14.
It’s a spectrum I am known as high functioning by professionals . I can do a lot for myself such as cook all my meals, clean, write, read, speak to people, load clothes in the washing machine and put them into the tumble drier , tidy up, make my bed, pay bills monthly, socialise with family and friends in small groups.
I am also creative I paint, draw, deco patch, create stickers, use pro create, create stickers on cricut, diamond painting, painting by numbers, embroidery, and quick at learning new things on technology. I enjoy reading books and writing stories. I am a quick reader as I am told by a lot of people such as my friend.
I have support needs due to my mental health not my autism. I have care 24 hours a day by support workers to keep me safe 7 days a week.
It’s to do with my moods they are unpredictable and my self harm. If I had the chance when I feel depressed or low in mood I would cut myself with sharp items and I probably would do some serious damage to myself and probably not think straight and attempt to do other things.
What I find difficult is;
Loud noise/unexpected noises, crowded places, using eye contact with people I don’t know mostly, new situations, changes even planned ones like holidays, anything to do with maths, making conversations with people I don’t know well, some one unexpected touching me, phobias such as sick, long complicated words I don’t know the meaning of, my routines being broken, not being able to say how i feel sometimes , speaking on the phone to unknown people or unexpected phone calls, emotions building up.
Meltdowns happen with those with autism even adults. It happens with me occasionally now when emotions, feelings build up when I cannot express how I feel, or a change is coming up or after being to a crowded place. It sometimes results in self harm.
I have sensory issues I was diagnosed with sensory processing disorder a few years ago. It’s to do with auditory and touch. I dislike it a lot and causes anxiety.
I have had so many special interests over the years such as;
TY Beanie babies when I was a child I collected around 100 original TY beanie babies by going to fairs and shops to buy them.
The story of Tracey beaker I was quite old when I stopped watching the programme. ‘The SIMS computer game I would spend hours on it. social media such as MySpace and bebo.
Tamagotchis
Furby
the wizard of oz video/DVD
Disney movies
Skoobies
Jacqueline wilson books would always be wanting one..
Harry Potter books
Gameboy/Nintendo DS ~ loved games such as Super Mario.
Now these are my special interests;
Art/crafts/anything creative
Computers and technology such as iPhone/iPad...etc
Musicals on television and at the theatre.
I get obsessed over things easily such as subjects , items, phobias, thoughts, the past.....etc
it’s all I can think abo
I once was thought I had an eating disorder because I had an obsession over calories after I put on some weight due to an anti depressant i was taking so I starved myself. It turned out to be an obsession which the eating disorder psychiatrist thought it was. I was very underweight.
Autism is a big part of me I even have the autism puzzle piece on a butterfly on my foot. It shows autism is a big spectrum.
Those with autism is different in how they are, what they like, what difficulties they have. They may have the same difficulties I’m the diagnostic area but its The way they react is the difference.
AUTISM AWARENESS 💕