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Autism April

“Autism Saved My Life” By Becca Lory, CAS, BCCS

April 20, 2017 Spectrum Women

For 36 of my 40 years, I was disabled. I was cut off from the world but for the tiny bubble that was my bedroom. Barely able to care for myself, angry, scared and lonely, I felt hopeless and broken. Suicidal thoughts were a daily reminder of my inadequacies and failures. I was certain there had been a mistake. I was clearly not meant for this existence. That is until autism entered my world and saved my life. I’m certain you must be wondering how a deeply depressed and suicidal, disabled person could have been saved by an autism diagnosis. […]

Autism April

Pieces of April… Peace of April (Poem) — Christine Jenkins

April 16, 2017 Spectrum Women

Every spring the showers start Fresh ideas tumble from my mind and heart Like a basket of mewling kittens I turn each one over with care Make sure they are alive and well I’m tired of the autism war — of the name calling; of the taking sides; of fighting over funding; of folk assuming the autistic one I love is not me I’m sad it took five decades to find my identity How I must compete to be the worst victim To qualify for supports I’m not ageing out; I’m ageing out of sight. Orphaned by the death of […]

Autism April

THE SENSORY WORLD – Renata Jurkevythz

April 14, 2017 Spectrum Women

One thing very common to autistic people (but not exclusive to our type of brain) is the so-called “Sensory Processing Disorder”. Being perceived as a disorder, people tend to only refer to the problems it brings… there are indeed many (some very difficult ones), but overall I personally do not like the term “disorder” very much. I prefer calling it a different way to perceive the world through your senses. It might be better or worse, depending on your levels of sensitivity and the situation you are in. It is indeed very different from the “regular” way of processing your […]

Autism April

How I Learned To Love Having My Period as an Autistic Woman – Kate Ross

April 13, 2017 Spectrum Women

VAGINA!! Now that I’ve got that out of the way, we can get down to business. This article will be using blunt and factual language which may make some readers squeamish, but my aim is to help start a conversation and not to offend. As women, we all share the commonality of experiencing menstruation, more colloquially called periods. However, for some crazy reason, we are restricted to talking about this in hushed tones away from anyone we might possibly offend by talking about this perfectly natural process. As I write this, Eve Ensler’s one-woman show The Vagina Monologues is playing […]

Autism April

Autism and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) -12 Management Tips- Linda Wemyss

April 12, 2017 Spectrum Women

Having Autism or a Physical Disability on their own can be hard enough to deal with in a world that is as ableist as this one is. Having both together can be downright infuriating and frustrating. There are some real concerns when it comes to physical disability for autistic people. Autistic people die, on average, 18 years younger than our neurotypical peers (http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/03/people-autism-spectrum-die-18-years-younger-average). While some of this can be accounted for by higher rates of drowning (for those also with intellectual disability), and epilepsy, there is also concern that people with autism may have issues with expressing their concerns to […]

Autism April

How I Feel – Tina Richardson

April 11, 2017 Spectrum Women

Emotions, they are such complicated feelings that others usually expect me to be able to verbalise exactly in words what they are. Yet do these words that others use for how they feel actually relate to how I feel? How I feel usually is an intense mix of things that tumble all in together. I feel something but I’m not sure if I am angry or sad, confused or upset. Maybe I’m hungry or tired, I do not know. My husband asks me am I okay, “What is wrong?” How do I answer that? I can go many hours without […]

Autism April

Walking Africa for Autism – An Inspirational Interview with Abby Brooke

April 10, 2017 Spectrum Women

I met the exceptional, creative, and compassionate Ms. Abby Brooke quite a few years ago on Facebook through some other autistic women friends and we immediately formed a friendship. Abby resides in Kenya and has founded an organization to raise much needed autism awareness and acceptance by walking on foot with her camel companions to different communities. In the non-Western world, there is not very much information, let alone much awareness about autism, and Abby hopes to change that in her country and throughout Africa by educating others in a positive and encouraging way. She is also an artist, outdoors […]

Autism April

Through My Eyes as an Autistic Mum – Elle Cook

April 9, 2017 Spectrum Women

When I was asked to write a piece for The Spectrum Women Magazine I was blown away by the invitation. Who me? Little ol’ me? What would I have to offer any other Autistic woman in the world? I know that many Autistic women may feel similar. The world today doesn’t look kindly on us and our eccentricities. We are forced into wearing a “normal” facade that doesn’t fit us. It’s obvious that it doesn’t fit us, and yet we are made to wear it day after day. But what is so bad about being different? I mean really? Autistics […]

Autism April

Attracting the Kind of Life that You Want and Stepping out of the Bubble – Rudy Simone

April 8, 2017 Spectrum Women

There are people in the world who spend their whole life chasing happiness from without. They buy boats, cars, planes, trains, corporations, islands, trying to amass as much stuff as they can to see where the happiness lies. Maybe they have a great time, but if wealth (and fame) were everything, so many rich people wouldn’t be overdosing in hotel rooms across the globe, entering rehab, and/or psychotherapy. Sometimes people spend all their time and money searching and when they don’t find it in material things, they do a 180 and search for a higher power—doing good works, praying, lunching […]

Autism April

My Autism Utopia – Nelle Frances

April 7, 2017 Spectrum Women

Do I have an Autism Spectrum condition; am I Autistic, or am I a person with Autism? After 26 years on this journey I still don’t know. Do I want to Light it up Blue for autism awareness / acceptance / understanding / action? Or do I want to be Autism Aware every single day? Are we born Autistic or do we “get” Autism from vaccinations, food colourings, gut issues, nut allergies or gene defects? Do I want research to focus on the cause of Autism? Or should I want research to find a cure for Autism? Or do I […]