How complete a guide could a book written by an NT about autism be? (Is that good grammar?)
I no longer read much at all written by NTs on the subject, with the exception of stuff by Baron-Cohen.
I love the cover.
Me too. :grin:
I'm not sure - he's certainly a world authority on autism. I went to a conference here this year where he was one of the speakers. My employment advisor and I asked him why it was that I was developing increasingly severe sensory issues.
He asked if I was under a lot of stress - I said "yes" and he said "you just need to relax". I thought that was rather self-evident.
That said, I haven't read his books and will get around to doing it one of these days. He said he believed he was mildly on the spectrum himself and I think that would be true.
Tenaciouscj, if your sensory issues are increasing in severity, I think you need to see a qualified medical neurologist, and don't waste your time asking the opinion of some "autism expert" who has no medical training whatsoever (as far as I can tell from his CV). AS/autism is a neurological condition, not a psychological one, and troublesome neurological conditions such as epilepsy are often found in autistics, and can also be difficult to diagnose.
Lili Marlene, I have had 2 meltdowns in the doctor's surgery 2 days running and it was because they said I shouldn't get upset by noise and that it was my problem if I was.
They can only suggest the mental health system and some counselling to cope with the noise. They won't listen when I said I've tried all that before and it didn't work.
About the only thing that will help (and luckily the 2nd doctor had the sense to do a sick certificate for a few days) is a break from work. I coped okay with part time work but they keep on saying I have to work full time because otherwise I would undo the gains I made.
Well, how is it a gain to have worked full time 2 years and had continuing issues with self care and sensory overloads to the point where I am now having a breakdown?
Despite it looking like a mental illness, I don't think it is.
Lili Marlene, I'm eating okay but don't sleep too well because noises easily wake me up.
To show how f'ed up the system is, the doctor I saw on Friday said if I were getting obssessive thoughts about harming myself, I needed to see the emergency department of the hospital or phone the Mental Health people.
I since found out that this would have been mostly useless - that the only ways to get access to the Mental Health people would be to go to the emergency department and hope somebody would be on who understands enough to refer me on or to have a doctor's letter.
The sensory issues at work were getting worse and worse and it was getting to the point where I was nearly yelling at people to shut up.
Anyway, I can hardly believe that the doctor just sat there drumming her fingers for 5 minutes or so while I caused a fair bit of damage to myself.
She wanted to see me tomorrow to get the pap smear done but no way.
Even my employment advisor (who is quite nice) was expecting me to go back to this same doctor and I have already told her about 20 times that I don't want to go back. I'm now starting to get panic attacks again. She's also kind of making excuses for the people at work but at least she has done a really good thing by liaising with the 2nd doctor and getting me 2 weeks off work.
That would be enough to calm down but I fear the sensory issues are all going to be made my own fault: ditto with being sent to Coventry by some co-workers. I mean, it is going to be made look as if I'm making it all up. My manager is really nice, so hopefully he will believe some of it.
There is nothing proper in this city for people with autism, especially adults. :twisted: :evil:
It would be good to see more stuff written about Aspergers in girls and women as we are a minority within a minority.
How complete a guide could a book written by an NT about autism be? (Is that good grammar?)
I no longer read much at all written by NTs on the subject, with the exception of stuff by Baron-Cohen.
And I have engaged directly with S B-C, and maybe he's as smart as me? But he evades my direct questions?
It would be good to see more stuff written about Aspergers in girls and women as we are a minority within a minority.
Yes , i absolutely agree. I think that this would be so helpful to us.
Especially since autism can manifest somewhat differently in girls and women.
I'm surprised no-one has asked "How complete a guide could a book written by a male about autism in females be?" I thought as much when someone encouraged me to read Luke Jackson's "user guide to adolescence", quite apart from the fact that I had long ceased to be an adolesecent by the time I was diagnosed!
I've never read it, so I can't pass judgement on its contents. And regarding autistic females, I do think that it would be best if someone who was actually an autistic female, or was at least an understanding female expert of autism, wrote the book.
Some people say we don't even exist and that is really annoying.
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We have the added issue that our behaviour and thought processes often don't conform to societal stereotypes for how women "should" act. We often tend more towards comfort and pleasing ourselves rather than continually self-sacrificing as women are often expected to do.
I found that men want a little bit of emotional attachment but that's all.