Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi. Young autistic guy here.
I just recently signed up here and I'm not used to writing in forums at all, but with this subject I find myself really eager and passionate to write about it.
Maybe I haven't dug deep enough on the internet, but I see less resources for people who have both mental illness and autism. I have both. There's a stigma surrounding it, where it seems 'impossible' to have both be co-morbid, to basically have both at the same time. The fact is, both are possible. If anyone's needed to read that, who feels invalid, or a complete fraud/fake, you're not. Many factors can create mental illness. Trauma, loss, bullying, etc. Even non-autistics can have one or more mental illnesses or physical ailments.
Why is it important to have more resources? Because from my own personal experience of being made to feel as if I'm lying about having both, you can feel so, so misunderstood. The mental health side gets put on the back burner and gradually things deteriorate for those affected, because there's not enough discussion and resources about mental illness and autism being both common together.
Welcome to the forum! Thanks for posting about this issue, I think it's a really important one to look at.
I have autism and also depression, anxiety and ocd (waiting on a diagnosis for that one). I've found it can be very difficult to talk to neurotypical GPs and mental health staff about how I'm feeling. They sometimes say I don't present as being distressed/upset from my facial expressions - I think a better understanding of autism would definitely help in these situations!
Have you ever come across this book?
The Guide to Good Mental Health on the Autism Spectrum https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1849056706/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_sOEQDbRJDB72D
I've not read it but had it recommended to me.
Wishing you all the best :-)
Thank you for the welcome!
I have to majorly agree with you there about what some neurotypical professionals do way too often. They have an idea of what's expected of an autistic person, so that can mean how they act, speak, dress, etc. If you don't fit into those small-minded boxes, when autism in itself is a spectrum, they send you on your way. Yes, with a better understanding, neurotypicals won't use stereotypes to define what autism really is, nor deny that mental illness actually is possible together with it.
There's always going to be a good person among the ignorant ones who will help, but you have to dig deep. I'm still on that journey myself in finding someone who wants to help. The best of luck to you!
I haven't seen that book before, but I'll go and check it out! Thank you!