When I was told I had Autism I just felt confused
Jenny Brooks is showing that having Asperger’s syndrome is no reason to put limits on life.
Hi, My name’s Jenny, I’m 20 years old and I’m from Derbyshire.
I am in my second year at De Montfort University, and I study English Language and Creative Writing. I love writing dark poetry, reading and playing the piano. And, oh yeah: I was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome when I was 13 years old, along with several other related conditions.
There is plenty of awareness about Asperger’s syndrome, but I feel that a lot of it is quite general.
When I was told I had Autism I just felt confused. It took me a very long time to accept what I have. It’s something you are born with, so it’s hard to imagine thinking about what not having Autism feels like.
I guess I found it so hard to accept, because although I was given information about what it was, it was very general and aimed at males. I’d meet other people with the same condition, and think that my consultant had got it wrong with me; I act completely different from anyone I had met with it, however, I’ve come to realise that no one with Autism is exactly alike, and that it effects everyone differently. But it does in no way must stop you from having a full life.
Over the summer of last year, I produced a spoken word film with the charity Fixers. My aim of this was to raise awareness of how the condition affects girls and to spread positivity. I have done activism for mental health before, but never for my Asperger’s Syndrome, so I was very nervous.
I hope by sharing my own story, I will make people see how massively varied Asperger's is from person to person.
I think having completed my project has not only raised awareness for the condition, but it has also given me closure. I used to be scared that I’d somehow been given the wrong diagnosis or somehow made up my Autism, but now I can finally accept it as being part of my life.
So, I’m Jenny, I’m Autistic, and I hope that if you are, my film can give you closure too!
