PERSONAL NARRATIVE
and has many Asperger ’ s syndrome traits . I have always got on really well with him , and I am just like him in many ways , such as the clothes I wear and the music I listen to . We often enjoy going shopping together and singing all of his old ' 50s rock and roll songs around the supermarket .
Some of the things that have really caused problems at home have been certain sensory issues , such as the ticking radiator that nobody else seems to notice but drives me crazy . I also have to have all of the labels taken out of my shirts , and my Grandma even has to fix my socks , as I can ’ t stand the seams . My sisters and I have never really got on , and this all started from when we were very young . For a lot of people with autism , it is probably easier to be an only child .
When I was at primary and secondary school , I used to bottle my stresses up until I got home , as I felt a lot more secure there . All of the stresses that I had from the day at school were all crammed up inside me like a bottle of cola . When I got home , one little incident that for most people would not have even been a bother would make me explode . That one small incident would make that final little thread of string inside of me snap , and I just could not think of anything else or see any way out of the anger . After about one hour , I would usually go to my room and just cry , as I did not want to get angry at my parents but saw no other way of dealing with my stresses . Two things that used to calm me down were chocolate and children ’ s television . I used to be more frustrated when I was hungry , and so chocolate just took that frustration out of me . I have always liked watching children ’ s television , and as soon as my mum put on a children ’ s program , I used to instantly feel relaxed . All of the stresses and worries would just go in an instance , and I would become glued to the television . It must have felt like magic to my parents .
A lot of people with Asperger ’ s syndrome struggle in social situations , but for me , this has been an area where I feel my Asperger ’ s has really helped . From a very early age , I really enjoyed talking to and being around adults . When I went into a restaurant , I would always insist I would have to eat off of the adult menu , as I was a very good eater and would try all sorts of weird and wonderful foods . When we used to go on holiday , I would always prefer going and looking around wool shops with my grandma than playing on the beach with my cousins , and I could always keep up with adult conversations even though , at the time , I would have only been around nine or ten years old .
My Uncle Tim has always been one person I could always — and still can — rely on to calm me down whenever I was stressed . Like many people with Asperger ’ s , I have a subject that I am obsessed with football . My uncle would always be taking me to football matches on the weekends up and down the country , and this was a huge stress reliever . If ever I
36 | Autism Parenting Magazine | Issue 65