Autism

So yesterday was World Autism Day. Why am I writing about this?

Well I have Autism. Autism is not an illness, not a disease, not a lifestyle, not a trend. Its a neurodevelopmental disorder, that affects the way affects a person's communication, social interaction and non-verbal communication.

There are several types of Autism such as Classical Autism, PDD-NOS, Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism. I have High Functioning Autism, I was diagnosed at the age of 4 and I attend a specialist school where I receive support.

I'm not sufferer, a victim or member of Autism, I'm a person who has been given that label by psychologists.


One of the ways my Autism affects me is my obsessions. I can remember all my obsessions that I've had through out my life. I'd be here all day if I wrote them out. When I was 8 I had a pretty random obsession - Supermarkets. Whenever I saw friends of mine, relatives or family friends I would ask them where they did their food shopping. Once they gave their response, I would lecture them through my opinion on the supermarket, why it was better than others and what my favourite product from there was.

 Of course they probably thought I was a bit weird for asking this and I ended up boring them silly. 

  

 

To be honest in the last year I've managed to curb my obsessions so much to the point that I no longer get obsessive about stuff. 

Oh how I'd love a gorgeous man like Tom Hiddleston to clap for me! 

However those around me might argue that my current obsession is food. 

 

  

 

I love food so much that one of my "unrealistic" dreams is to be a restaurant critic. 

Of course I do have more "realistic ambitions". 

Even though I'm nearly 18 I'm sitting my GSCE's this year. NOT A-LEVELS. I won't go into detail because its a long story. 

So after I've sat my GSCE's I'm going to spend next year learning Lifeskills and preparation for working life. But after that I'm hoping to do an Art diploma before going to University. Even though I'm Autistic I can still go to University, I'm allowed to have dreams and goals as much as anyone else. Just because you're autistic it doesn't mean that you can't have dreams. It doesn't stop you studying a trade or degree, buying you're own home, falling in love, getting married, starting a family etc. 

It may happen a little later but wouldn't you rather it take a bit of time and be happy with the end result than it taking a small amount of time and be miserable with the result?

Enjoying my Easter Holiday

So over Easter I managed to get a fair bit of chocolate plus money. I was almost as excited as I am on Xmas morning as I was on Easter morning. I couldn't wait to get the chocolate eggs. There is just something about Easter eggs that makes them special and exciting. I think its the fact they're hollow and big and you can bite into them and get a big chunk of chocolate in you're mouth!

On Easter Monday my parents took me to look at where I hope to go to university - UCA Farnham, I did some artwork the following day, I treated myself to a Starbucks Strawberries & Creme Kreme Blend on Wednesday and on Thursday I had a girlie day out with my friend Hannah. We had our lunch in ASK where we shared some meatballs for our starter, I had a spicy pepperoni for my main and we shared a chocolate lava cake for dessert. Of course I washed down my meal with a still Sicillian raspberry lemonade.

Over the holidays I have been trying to revise each day and I've been taking photographs for my Photography project. It's good to do revision in small chunks each day and then relax after, I find.

One thing I can happily is say that I feel like I've really enjoyed this holiday so far. Whereas I look back on other school holidays and think I could've enjoyed them more. I feel I was way too stressed over the February half term, very unhappy over Xmas and I felt that I wasted last summer holiday by being stressed and upset all the time! Well it's time that I started enjoying my holidays.

My counsellor told me to enjoy my Easter and eat lots of chocolate and I think her kind words really helped. I can't wait for next week. Hopefully I'll get to go to an art gallery and next Saturday I'm meeting Hannaha and a mutual friend of ours named Poppy. My mum also said that next week she'd like to come to the cinema with me to see My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, it's been a while since I saw the first film but I look forward to seeing the 2nd. I also want to see Zootropolis at some point.

This holiday I have felt that I've been eating well. I've had fruit most morning for breakfast, vegetables with all my dinners and a glass of fruit juice at breakfast time. Yesterday I had sweetcorn and chicken soup for lunch and later on I smacked on Brie with crackers before tucking into prawn and vegetable stir fry at dinner time. I've discovered that it's better to have a little bit of Brie or another cheese on a cracker than a bag of crisps because although cheese contains fat, it is more filling than crisps and crisps are higher in salt!

I've been helping my mum in the kitchen by chopping vegetables and tonight I had medium-rare rump with straight cut chips, onion rings, mushrooms, garlic mushrooms, peas and peppercorn sauce. Twas very nice. I feel like I've done well with food, positivity and life so far this Easter break.