Like many autistic women, my resting face isn’t naturally smiley. I’d call it neutral, but some people make judgements. One morning, I was walking home with a bag full of lovely local produce for lunch and dinner, enjoying the sunshine and in my own little world. I saw a man up a ladder, cleaning windows, and was about to say good morning to him when he shouted, “cheer up love! It can’t possibly be as bad as that!”
Continue reading »late-identified autism
Refers specifically to autism identified/diagnosed in later life rather than in childhood. When autism is unidentified, autistic people may experience a range of challenges, may be judged for their differences, and may receive no support to adapt to a world that is not built for them.
The sensory challenges of festival time
It’s summer music festival time again. Here on the Isle of Wight we’ve had our own annual event which brings an additional 50,000+ people to the Island. We live in one of the ferry ports, and our road is on the turning circuit for the fleet of buses that carry incoming festival-goers to the site. In a way, I enjoy the festival feeling, but you’ll never find me there, and the reasons are mainly sensory.
Continue reading »Start here
I’ve known for sure that I’m autistic since 2021, shortly before my 70th birthday. I had already spent over three years on reading, research and completing online questionnaires, so confirmation wasn’t a surprise. I was I fortunate to find a team of clinical psychologists who are careful to make the connection with lived reality while still working rigorously within the official diagnostic framework. They’re leaders in the field and many are autistic themselves.
Continue reading »