What I Would Say To My Undiagnosed Autistic Self
To my undiagnosed autistic self…
I would love to tell you that you are autistic, because knowing that about yourself would take so much of your guilt and shame away. Unfortunately you won’t know that for years, so for now I will tell you these things instead.
What OCD Is
OCD is constantly running late because you had to tap your steering wheel fifty times before you left or you would have a car crash.
OCD is cancelling meeting up with your friend because of your intrusive thoughts that you might hurt them.
Relationship OCD
Relationship OCD is when someone is consumed with doubts about their relationship, including obsessing over whether they are attracted to their partner, whether they love their partner and whether their partner loves them.
The History of Personality Disorders - A Brief Overview
The history of personality disorders can be traced back to 400BC, when Hippocrates described four personality patterns. These were choleric (meaning irritable), melancholic (meaning sad), sanguine (meaning optimistic) and phlegmatic (meaning apathetic). He believed that…
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…
Symptoms of Depression That No One Talks About
1. Complete mental exhaustion from fighting your brain constantly. This can lead to a lack of concentration, forgetfulness, chronic fatigue, missing deadlines, withdrawing from socialising, insomnia and a higher susceptibility to physical illness.
2. Dissociation. Feeling like you’re moving through life but aren’t…
The Differences Between Autism and OCD
Autism and OCD have many traits which they can appear to share, or which are difficult to distinguish from each other. The overlaps between the two mean that misdiagnosis is common. People with OCD are four times more likely to later be diagnosed with autism. However, autistic people are also…
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?
Talking To Your Child About Self-Harm - From Both a Parent and Child's Point of View
I know that talking to your child about self-harm can be exceptionally daunting. You and your child are probably both experiencing a lot of difficult emotions, and it can be hard to know how to deal with it. I hope that my Mum and I can offer some words of advice and comfort for you.
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…
Autism and Borderline/Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder - Overlaps and Misdiagnosis
From my own experience of being diagnosed with both Autism and Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder, and from many conversations with others in similar positions, I often question the validity and reliability of diagnoses when it comes to Autism and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)…