S2 EP11: Being Autistic and living a good life

In this episode Andy talks to Ginya about being Autistic. They acknowledge increasing education around language and neurodiversity and discuss the stigma and misunderstandings that remain societally. Andy calls for people to talk to autistic people about their individual needs and recognise that if they’ve met one autistic person, they’ve met one autistic person, and should not then form broader assumptions.

Please note: Andy is talking about his own experience and not on behalf of other autistic people. Andy shares some of his knowledge from Medical School too. He shares scientific snippets which are part of a wider context and his training. Should you require clinical advice around this topic please contact a medical professional.

We understand that functioning differs from person to person. The spectrum includes individuals who may be higher functioning, without disorder of intellectual development and with mild/no impairment of language - and also individuals with intellectual disorder and an absence of functional language. 

In this podcast we discuss a the creation of personaility based on brain differences however it is important to note that there are other factors which can shape the development of our brains and personality. Different brains and genes interact with different environments which in turn shape the development of the brain and personality.

Glossary of terms:

• Autism: Autism is a lifelong developmental disability which affects how people communicate and interact with the world. It is a neurodevelopmental difference, part of the neurodiverse community which includes other neurodevelopmental differences, for example, ADHD.
• Neurotypical: a term that's used to describe individuals with typical neurological development or functioning.
• Neurodivergent/neurodiverse: Neurodivergence is the term used to describe when someone's brain processes, learns, and/or behaves differently from what is considered "typical". Neurodivergent conditions include Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia. 

This podcast is based on personal experience and not professional research: if you are struggling, please seek professional help.

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