Avoiding Anxiety In Autistic Adults

One of the biggest challenges for the parent of any autistic child is how best to support and guide them through the situations in life which might cause them greater stress, anxiety and worry than if they were neurotypical. Dr Luke Beardon has put together an optimistic, upbeat and readable guide that will be essential reading for any parent to an autistic child, whether they are of preschool age or teenagers. Emphasising that autism is not behaviour, but at the same time acknowledging that there are risks of increased anxiety specific to autism, this practical book gives insight into the nature of the anxiety experienced by autistic people, as well as covering every likely situation in which your child might feel anxious or worried. It will help you to prepare your child for school, to monitor their anxiety around school, and also to be informed about the educational choices available to your child. It will give you support to help make breaktimes less stressful for them and how to help them navigate things like eating at school and out of the house. Educationally, this book will take you and your child right up to the point of taking exams and leaving school; socially and emotionally it will cover all the challenges from bullying, friendships, relationships, puberty and sex education. It will give suggestions for alternatives in the scenarios that might cause anxiety or confusion in your child; it will also give a full understanding of your child's sensory responses and such behaviours as masking, or echopraxia. As the parent of an autistic child, you may find their path to adulthood different to the one you had expected to take, but as this book makes clear, autism should be celebrated and affirmed. Avoiding Anxiety in Autistic Children helps you to do just that, with practical strategies that will help happiness, not anxiety, remain the over-riding emotion that colours your child's memories of their early years.

One of the biggest challenges if you are an autistic adult (or suspect you might be) is navigating the situations which to the predominantly neurotypical population might appear completely benign but which cause you huge stress, anxiety and worry. At work, at university, in social situations, in friendships, relationships, in shops, in unfamiliar environments - there are a wealth of things that can make you feel overwhelmed if the world is full of things that you feel nobody else notices but which cause you huge distress. Dr Luke Beardon has put together an optimistic, upbeat and readable guide that will be essential reading not just for any autistic adult, but for anyone who loves, lives with or works with an autistic person. Emphasising that autism is not behaviour, but at the same time acknowledging that there are risks of increased anxiety specific to autism, this practical book gives clear strategies that the autistic person can adopt to minimise their anxiety and live comfortably in a world full of what may seem to be noise and chaos. At the same time, Avoiding Anxiety in Autistic Adults this book gives clear guidelines and mission statements to those who live or work with autistic people that they, too, can implement to accommodate needs that are different to their own, taking a radical new step towards a genuinely inclusive world in which autistic people don't just survive, but in which they thrive.

If you've recently been diagnosed with ASD, or think you might be, or you are close to someone with ASD, one of the things you will like most about this book is the way in which it challenges the idea of autism as a 'disorder' or 'impairment'. Instead, Dr Luke Beardon will help you to reframe what you feel, and challenge what you know, about being on the spectrum. He explains how autism impacts on the individual, and what purpose a diagnosis might - or might not - serve. There is a lot of myth-busting, and dismantling of the stereotypes and clichés around ASD and areas like communication, social interaction and relationships. Practical tips for undiagnosed adults will help you navigate things like school, work, study, parenthood and even to understand what happens when autistic people break the law. Above all, this book is a celebration of what it means to be autistic - of the passion, honesty, humour, lack of ego, loyalty and trustworthiness that make you, or your loved one, such an amazing person.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been shown to be effective for treating mental health problems such as anxiety and depression in individuals both with and without autism spectrum disorders. This book bridges the gap between research and practice and shows adults on the spectrum practical ways to manage their emotions. Many adults on the autism spectrum experience isolation, interpersonal difficulties, anxiety, depressed mood, and coping problems. By applying theory and concepts from autism research, this book will help adults on the spectrum to understand their challenges. The author takes the best of CBT self-help strategies, to encourage self-analysis, and to help adults on the spectrum make better decisions in activities such as employment or relationships. This is an essential self-help guide for adults on the spectrum looking for ways to cope with emotional challenges, and will also be a useful resource for clinicians, psychologists, therapists, and counselors working with them.

"To think of PDA as merely involving demand avoidance is to me akin to thinking of tigers as merely having stripes." This book is a unique window into adult Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), exploring the diversity of distinct PDA traits through the voices of over 70 people living with and affected by the condition. Sally Cat, an adult with PDA, has successfully captured the essence of a popular online support group in book form, making the valuable insights available to a wider audience, and creating a much-needed resource for individuals and professionals. Candid discussions cover issues ranging from overload and meltdowns, to work, relationships and parenting. This is a fascinating and sometimes very moving read.

Asperger Syndrome and Alcohol exposes the unexplored problem of people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) using alcohol as a coping mechanism to deal with everyday life. Alcohol can relieve the anxiety of social situations and make those with ASDs feel as though they can fit in. Ultimately, however, reliance on alcohol can lead the user down a path of self-destruction and exacerbate existing problems. Utilising their professional and personal experience, the authors provide an overview of ASDs and of alcohol abuse, and explore current knowledge about where the two overlap. Tinsley explores his own personal history as someone with an ASD who has experienced and beaten alcohol addiction. He discusses how the impact of his diagnosis and his understanding of the condition played a huge part in his recovery, and how by viewing his life through the prism of autism, his confusion has been replaced by a greater understanding of himself and the world around him. This inspiring book on an under-researched area will be of interest to professionals working with people with ASDs, as well as individuals with ASDs who may be dealing with alcohol or substance misuse, and their families.

Drawing on her own experience and using examples to explain how autistic people think, the author distinguishes between meltdowns and tantrums, showing how each begins, and most importantly, how to identify triggers and prevent outbursts from happening in the first place. Practical and simple solutions to avoiding anxiety are offered throughout.

The diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has evolved greatly since Asperger's day. And as our clinical understanding of this spectrum of disorders has grown, so has recognition of the connections between anxiety disorders and ASD—a welcome development, but also a source of confusion for many in the field. The Handbook of Autism and Anxiety brings together leading experts to explain this comorbidity, the diagnostic similarities and differences between the two disorders and the extent to which treatment for each can be coordinated for optimum results. Focusing on repetitive behaviors, social difficulties and fears as core components of anxiety disorders as well as ASD, contributors discuss specific symptoms in depth to aid in diagnosis. Assessment and treatment issues relevant to the autism-anxiety connection are considered in clinical and school contexts. And an especially timely conclusion details how key changes in the DSM-5 affect the diagnosis and conceptualization of each disorder. Key topics addressed in the Handbook include: Phenotypic variability in ASD: clinical considerations. Etiologic factors and transdiagnostic processes. Social worries and difficulties: autism and/or social anxiety disorder? Implementing group CBT interventions for youth with ASD and anxiety in clinical practice. Autism and anxiety in school settings. DSM-5 and autism spectrum disorder. The Handbook of Autism and Anxiety is an essential resource for researchers, clinicians/professionals and graduate students in child and school psychology, psychiatry, social work, education, clinical counseling and behavioral therapy.