• Question: I currently suffer from Autism and I find it hard to cope. What advice could you give to help me cope and help my family cope with it too. I know they find it hard too

    Asked by modmichaela to Psychiatry Ward Team, Neel - Psychiatrist on 7 Feb 2019.
    • Photo: Sheffield Psychiatry Ward Team

      Sheffield Psychiatry Ward Team answered on 7 Feb 2019:

      Hi, Emma here

      I’m so sorry to hear you are struggling, but well done for recognising that you and your family might need some extra support right now.

      You will need help from a team that work specifically with autism. If you are under a CAMHS/specialist team then I would suggest contacting your key worker, or asking for your next appointment to be brought forward. Alternatively see your GP who could be able to refer you to the specialist autism team.

      There are some really good charities out there who can help, it might be worth you (or your parents if you would prefer) getting in contact with them – here are some resources I’ve found from places I personally would trust:

      https://www.autism.org.uk/get-involved/about-us/contact-us.aspx
      https://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/Autism%20support%20groups/LocationSearch/310

    • Photo: Neel Halder

      Neel Halder answered on 8 Feb 2019:

      Hi each individual is different so different things work for different people. I would focus on your interests and strengths and see if we can build on that. For example I helped someone with autism who loved trains and had an amazing memory. A lot of others including family were focussing on the negatives and what he couldn’t do. In the end I helped him get a job in the train station changing the train tracks. He actually memorised the whole timetable so he not only loved the job but he was the best person they ever had in that department. There are charities out there that help specifically with autism and their families. You should look up Temple Grandin who had autism and ended up making a huge difference and went on to get a PhD.

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