Autism and empowermentAutism and empowerment
All In The Mind
Sometimes people with autism develop mental illness too, which can cause misunderstanding and misdiagnosis. Hear one woman's story as she shares her insights to empower others.
28:50•12 Jun 2016
Autism, Misdiagnosis and a Different Kind of Normal
Episode Overview
- Late autism diagnoses can clarify lifelong feelings of being different and support more effective mental health strategies.
- Autistic people are at high risk of anxiety and depression, often linked to constant sensory bombardment and social misunderstanding.
- Clinicians may misinterpret autistic communication and affect, leading to incorrect diagnoses such as psychosis or personality disorder.
- Mindfulness, pet relationships and practical tools like communication cards can help autistic people manage distress and fixated thinking.
- Resilience can grow through small, realistic challenges and by reframing autism as a difference rather than a tragedy or deficit.
“Autism is a difference. Some of the things that come with it can be a deficit, but it's not in and of itself.”
Ever wondered what it means to be a "different kind of normal"? This episode of All In The Mind follows autistic authors Jeanette Perkis and Dr Emma Goodall as they talk frankly about late diagnosis, mental illness and finding ways to live well. You’ll hear Jeanette describe growing up as the "least popular child", pushed towards bullying, crime and a terrifying relationship that led to prison and a diagnosis of Asperger’s she initially rejected.
She speaks openly about psychosis, schizophrenia-like symptoms and using marijuana to self-medicate, stressing that for her, "it can usher in things like psychosis and schizophrenia" and still affects her life decades later. Emma shares how researching autistic students made her realise she was "just like these girls", leading to an adult diagnosis that suddenly explained lifelong confusion around friendships, conflict and social cues.
She outlines how autism can be missed or mistaken for schizophrenia or personality disorder, especially when clinicians don’t understand autistic communication or sensory overload. The pair’s book, *The Guide to Good Mental Health on the Autism Spectrum*, written with psychiatrist Dr Jane Nugent, aims to give autistic people, families and clinicians practical tools for better understanding and support.
Ideas include using "communication business cards" to explain stress responses, rethinking anxiety in light of constant sensory bombardment, and leaning on mindfulness and pet relationships to ease fixated thinking and low mood. Jeanette also talks about building resilience through small, realistic challenges and shifting from wanting to fail to wanting an "ordinary" life with work, study and stability.
Her key message to parents is simple but powerful: "Autism is a difference… a child is a blessing… it’s not necessarily a deficit." If you’re curious about autism, mental health and how acceptance can change a life, this conversation might prompt you to rethink what you consider "normal" and how you respond to difference.
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