Emma Louise Bridge - Autism, Anxiety and Me: A Diary in Even Numbers

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AUTISM
ANXIETY
AND ME

A Diary in Even Numbers

EMMA LOUISE BRIDGE

FOREWORD AND COMMENTARY BY PENELOPE BRIDGE

Jessica Kingsley Publishers
London and Philadelphia

First published in 2016

by Jessica Kingsley Publishers

73 Collier Street

London N1 9BE, UK

and

400 Market Street, Suite 400

Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

www.jkp.com

Copyright Emma Louise Bridge 2016

Foreword copyright Penelope Bridge 2016

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (including photocopying or storing it in any medium by electronic means and whether or not transiently or incidentally to some other use of this publication) without the written permission of the copyright owner except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or under the terms of a licence issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, Saffron House, 610 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. Applications for the copyright owners written permission to reproduce any part of this publication should be addressed to the publisher.

Warning: The doing of an unauthorised act in relation to a copyright work may result in both a civil claim for damages and criminal prosecution.

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Names: Bridge, Emma, author.

Title: Autism, anxiety and me : a diary in even numbers / Emma Bridge ;

foreword by Penelope Bridge.

Description: London ; Philadelphia : Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2016.

Identifiers: LCCN 2016003681 | ISBN 9781785920776 (alk. paper)

Subjects: LCSH: Bridge, Emma. | Autistic people. | Autism spectrum disorders.

| Social anxiety.

Classification: LCC RC553.A88 B745 2016 | DDC 616.85/882--dc23 LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2016003681

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 978 1 78592 077 6

eISBN 978 1 78450 336 9

I would like to dedicate this book to my family. I have a wonderful and understanding immediate family. I also have a rather large extended family who have always been very supportive.
This book is also dedicated to my hamster Piggy/Moley. I love to have her near me when I write, stuffing her fat little cheeks with food and providing a relaxing and reassuring noise of gnawing and scrabbling.

CONTENTS

FOREWORD

My name is Penny Bridge and I am Emmas mum. I am a mother of three young adult children, a son and two girls with Aspergers syndrome, or autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) as it is more commonly called now. Although I have worked with children with special needs, including autism, within a primary school setting for a number of years and trained as an occupational therapist, my input in this book is based on our experience as a family and draws on what we have tried and found helpful to enable Emma and her siblings gain more independence and cope in what can be a very confusing and worrying world.

Emma told me she wanted to write this book to give an insight into her mind to anyone who was interested in autistic spectrum disorder and social anxiety. It is not a text book or a book designed to impart knowledge in an academic way. It is designed to give an honest and open insight into the thinking of her mind, her fears, her anxieties, her struggles to find what is normal Where do I fit in? Why am I different? It highlights issues that are faced by people, especially teenagers and young adults, on the autistic spectrum as they interact with the world and the people in it; as they struggle to be accepted and learn how to fit in, but also to be themselves.

The commentaries following each diary entry are not designed to be definitive or academic in nature; they are just thoughts and ideas as to how we have coped and dealt with issues as they have arisen, not only for Emma but for her sister too. Autism is a spectrum and everyone is an individual so these comments may not be helpful, but they may encourage or give ideas or just spark something in the readers mind.

The book is easy to read, honest and open and will appeal to a wide audience those who are living with someone with Aspergers syndrome/autistic spectrum disorder; those who want to understand a bit more how the autistic mind thinks from someone who should know; or those who think they may be on the spectrum or just feel different and for whom the book may trigger the thought that sounds like me.

Penelope Bridge

INTRODUCTION

My name is Emma Louise Bridge. Most people just call me Emma or Miss Bridge. I always feel bad for my middle name because it rarely gets used.

Top Five Things About Me:

I am short 5ft 3" (three inches below average but not particularly small).

I have strawberry blonde hair, which most people call ginger, although someone once called it spun gold. I dont get how that is possible but it sounds nice.

I have worn glasses since before my first birthday.

I used to have braces but I dont now, although I still have an overbite.

Currently my list of favourite things is: the Minions (including the two Despicable Me films), Disney, Horrible Histories, the Monarchy and Harry Potter. With secondary favourites being: Sharks, Marvel and History (AncientWWII), especially mythology. My favourite hobby is writing.

I had a hard time at school because of the first things on that list. Apparently, ginger hair with glasses and braces is a bullys dream. I am not sure if that means they literally dream about that sort of thing because that would be weird. I have severe social anxiety and autism. If you look at my important file box, there is also a diagnosis for dyslexia, dyspraxia and visual processing issues, but that is not really that important for this book.

I have had autism since birth, although some people dont know this and assume I have only had it since I was diagnosed. I have had social anxiety since secondary school. It started as a result of bullying and then got worse with the death of a friend at 16 and then an incident at 19 that isnt appropriate for this book. I wanted to write this book because I love to write. The reason for the book is that my sister and I still struggle because of other peoples lack of understanding of the condition. Plus I love to help people and hope that this book can broaden peoples understanding but also offer advice that can be of use. I am sure I am not the only one who finds the world a scary and confusing place sometimes.