Aspies on Mental Health: Speaking for Ourselves

by Natasha Goldthorpe (Contribution by), Christopher Wilson (Contribution by), Dean Worton (Editor), Luke Beardon (Editor), Lynette Marshall (Contribution by)

Overview

People with Asperger Syndrome (AS) can be particularly at risk of developing mental health difficulties such as anxiety and depression. Here, adults with Asperger Syndrome speak out about their own experiences of mental health issues, offering sound advice for other Aspies and providing valuable insights for family, friends and also for mental health professionals.

Touching on everything from difficulties at work and college to coping with low self-confidence, self-harm, alcohol, misdiagnosis, sectioning, counselling, medication and battles with mental health services, the book provides a window into how people with AS experience mental health issues, and what can be done to help. The individual accounts describe innovative coping strategies and methods for maintaining emotional and psychological wellbeing as well as practical advice on things like how to stay positive and deal with day-to-day stress and meltdowns.

This is essential reading for adults with Asperger Syndrome, and their families and friends, and will be a useful resource for psychologists, psychiatrists, mental health service providers and other professionals who support adults with Asperger Syndrome.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781849051521
Publisher:	Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Publication date:	03/15/2011
Series:	Insider Intelligence
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

E. Veronica Bliss has over 20 years' experience working with individuals on the autistic spectrum, and has been working as a solution focused psychologist for the past six years.

Chris Mitchell was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome in 1998, when he was 20 years old. Having completed an MA (Hons) in Information and Library Management, he currently works at Durham County Council. He is an active advocate for raising awareness of the positive aspects of AS, giving talks, seminars and workshops throughout the UK. He also offers mentoring and support services for school leavers and students entering higher education with AS. Chris has written an autobiography of his own experience of AS, entitled Glass Half-Empty, Glass Half-Full: How Asperger's Syndrome Has Changed My Life and practices meditation in his spare time.

Table of Contents

Introduction Luke Beardon 7

1 Mental Health Services and Me: What Worked, and What Didn't Janet Christmas 17

2 Coping with Depression: Positive Advice for Aspies Debbie Allan 37

3 My Fur-lined Bucket: Alternative Methods for Dealing with Mental Health Issues E. Veronica Bliss 47

4 This Aspie Life: The Undiagnosed Aspie Experience 8Ball 53

5 A Colourful Rainbow: Embracing Autism as a Neurological Difference, Rather than a Mental Health Disorder Melanie Smith 69

6 Getting the Right Diagnosis, and Its Impact on Mental Health: Is This the Best the NHS Can Do? Cornish 75

7 Positive Mental Attitude: Coping with Setbacks, Knowing Your Own Strengths, and Finding Happiness Any Way You Can Dean Worton 85

8 'It's All in Your Head': The Dangers of Misdiagnosis Neil Shepherd 99

9 A Fairytale Life It Isn't (aka Chapter Nine): Alcohol, Self-harm, and the Benefits of Exercise Alex Brown 113

10 'Getting My Life Back': A Mother's Struggle to Get Mental Health Services for Herself and Her Son Anne Henderson 125

11 A Week in the Life Of: Strategies for Maintaining Mental Health as an Aspie Steve Jarvis 131

12 My Plastic Bubble: Dealing with Depression, Anxiety, and Low Self-confidence Wendy Lim 139

13 The Art of Being Content: Asperger Syndrome, Buddhism and Me Chris Mitchell 149

14 A Journey Looking for Answers About the Way I Am Anthony Sclafani 153

15 A Label that Fits: Diagnoses, Self-harm and Mental Health Natasha Goldthorpe 159

16 Through the Looking Glass into Lynette Land: Making Humour Work Lynette Marshall 169

17 Mental Health and the Workplace: Dealing with Criticism, Coping with Stress, and Taking Control of Your Environment Dr Christopher Wilson 177

Contributors 189

Editorial Reviews

I found this book hard to put down and in fact read it in one sitting, only pausing to replenish my tea mug... I enjoyed every account and found many to be both painful, informative and sometimes seriously funny with an enormous amount of self-deprecating humour and exceptional awareness of their own differences...This book is a gem and has much to teach us all however experienced we might feel ourselves to be, in an easy to assimilate format. All the accounts are well-written and all have a purpose. Buy it, enjoy and pass it on, particularly to mental health professionals.

ASTeens

People who have Asperger's syndrome are at greater risk than the general population of developing a mental health problem. At last the story can be told of how life experiences, and especially being bullied, misunderstood and feeling lonely, can cause mental health problems for children and adults who have Asperger's syndrome. This book is essential reading for all staff employed in psychiatric services. Ignorance of Asperger's syndrome is no longer a valid excuse.

Tony Attwood

At last a book that honestly declares the reality of a population's Mental Health status. It will only be as we take the named issues seriously and act upon these that our mental health outcome for all involved, especially those with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC), has an opportunity for prevention rather than cure. Certain environments can be conducive to health, others not so. As professionals we dare not miss the messages contained within this book. To do so would be detrimental to the future of humankind.

Dr. Wendy Lawson

I found several of the stories relevant to my own life and helpful in my understanding both of myself and of the situations - reading someone else's story gives you that bit of objectivity and so allows you to see the overall perspective more clearly. Well worth a read if you find such stories useful.

Asperger United

I found this book hard to put down and in fact read it in one sitting, only pausing to replenish my tea mug... I enjoy every account and found many to be both painful, informative and sometimes seriously funny with an enormous amount of self-deprecating humour and exceptional awareness of their own differences. Many of the contributors offered their own solutions, either revealed as part of their story or laid out in bullet points. The accounts are well written, each with their own style and character, all having needlessly suffered through the ignorance of those around them. A recurring theme is that trying to make someone on the spectrum into a neuro-typical person is harmful and damaging... It is an interesting read in its own right simply as a human interest book but is a must for anyone dealing with Aspergers professionally or personally, particularly mental health professionals. Anyone on the spectrum would probably relate to most of the accounts and feel comforted to hear their own experiences mirrored, particularly those with anxiety and depression. I also feel that it has much to offer all professionals who work with or may encounter those on the spectrum, helping them to understand why someone may react in a particular way. This book is a gem and has much to teach us all however experienced we might feel ourselves to be, in an easy to assimilate format. All the accounts are well-written and all have a purpose. Buy it, enjoy it and pass it on, particularly to mental health professionals.

BFK Books