The 2nd of April is Autism Awareness Day 2020 so dates-n-mates Aberdeen Director, Sarah is chatting with us about her thoughts on her own Autism.
How long has it been since you were diagnosed with Autism?
Its been 20 years since I got diagnosed with Autism.
Please explain in your own words what Autism means to you and how it has affected you in life?
Autism to me means being unique in your own way.
When I was younger, I would never talk but as I got older, I have learnt to speak up whenever I had a problem or needed help.
I struggle with sensory overload and that is always an everyday challenge for me.
Please tell us about an achievement you are proud of in your working life
I am really proud of working with people who have went through similar situations as me… I have been able to help and encourage them to try new things and that’s when I see them happy and become more sociable.
Please tell us about an achievement you are proud of in your personal life
I am proud about the fact that I have moved out and began to be more independent. I like to have my own routine and get things done.
The current Coronavirus situation is stressful for everyone, but it could be even more difficult for someone with Autism.
Please tell us how you are feeling in this situation and how you are coping with any anxiety?
At this moment, I feel safe because I don’t leave the house much anyway, I like to stay at home and relax. But I am feeling anxious and upset because I can’t see anyone, and I can only speak to people on the phone. I don’t want to leave the house to go food shopping due to high anxiety. I have been struggling to sleep as well.
The only way for me to cope just now is working from home, colour therapy, playing games, cleaning and watching videos.
Thank you Sarah, for taking the time to honestly share your experiences. If you would like to know more about Sarah’s personal story, please have a look at her previous posts here.
She will also be sharing a series of videos with her anti-stress ideas in our dates-n-mates Facebook Group (for members) during this period of lockdown in the UK.
We encourage you all today to celebrate your uniqueness and your achievements, to support others with Autism or a learning disability… or people in general. Although we are social distancing just now to keep safe, we still need to stick together and support each other online!
