What might it look like for an Autistic, non-binary person who lives with mental illness to live well and with hope?

In this book, author and advocate Yenn Purkis reflects on their experiences of life as an Autistic non-binary person who has a diagnosis of atypical schizophrenia. Exploring the intersecting areas of mental health and illness, neurodivergence and neurodiversity, and gender non-conformity, the narrative follows Yenn through experiences of incarceration, psychosis, employment, therapy both helpful and not, medication, diagnosis, stigma and anxiety.

Illuminating reading for students of disability studies, Autism studies, queer studies, and related social sciences, this book will also bring important perspective to those in practice and in training: doctors, psychiatrists, policy makers, teachers, and social workers. Yenn will describe a life well-lived, with and alongside Autism and mental illness, that will provide a vital perspective to anyone studying or working people who share these social identities.

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Dedication
• Copyright Page
• Acknowledgements
• Abstract
• Table of Contents
• Content warning
• Learning objectives
• Introduction
  • What’s in the book, and who is it for?
  • A word about words
    • ‘I have schizophrenia’ or ‘I am schizophrenic’?
  • Without further ado…
• 1 What is Autism?
  • About Autism
    • Neurodiversity
    • Common Autistic characteristics
      • Autism and functioning labels
      • Autism as a foreign culture
    • The Medical Model vs. The Social Model
  • My story: Autism
    • The journey to accepting my Autism
    • My Autistic characteristics
    • I am not 'high-functioning’
  • Next …
• 2 Mental health
  • About mental health and mental illness
    • Society and attitudes about mental health
    • Intersection of Autism and mental health
  • My story: Maintaining mental health
  • Next …
• Content warning
• 3 Anxiety
  • About anxiety
  • My Story: Anxiety
    • Employment and stress
    • Non-clinical support
    • Reaching insight about my anxiety
    • A solution at last
  • Next …
• Content warning
• 4 Depression and other mood issues
  • About depression
  • My story: Depression and mania
    • Depression
      • ‘I can’t be anywhere …’
      • ‘I will be like this forever’
      • A period of reprieve
    • Mania
    • Mixed state
    • Keeping my mood stable
  • Next …
• Content warning
• 5 Psychosis
  • About psychosis
    • Chronic and acute psychosis
    • Autism and psychosis
    • Psychosis and drugs
    • Stigma, social inclusion, and de-pathologizing psychosis
  • My story: Psychosis
    • The onset of psychosis
    • Second psychotic crisis: missing the warning signs
    • Third psychotic crisis: experiencing psychotic anger
    • How I experience psychosis
  • Next …
• Content warning
• 6 Self-harm
  • About self-harm
  • My story: self-harm
    • The cycle of incarceration as self-harm
    • Spectrum: Overcoming self-harm and self-destruction
    • Self-harm as a trauma response
    • Lasting scars
  • Next …
• Content warning
• 7 Suicide
  • Important note
  • About suicide
    • Protective factors
  • My story: Suicide
    • First attempt
    • Second and third attempts
    • Overlap of suicide and self-harm
    • 2019–21
    • Stay alive – the crisis passes
  • Next …
• Content warning
• 8 Medication
  • About psychiatric medication
  • My story: Medication
    • Side effects
    • The ‘I don’t need it’ delusion
    • Managing depression and anxiety with medication
    • The wrong medication
    • Reflections on medication
  • Next …
• Content warning
• 9 Alexithymia and interoception
  • About alexithymia and interoception
    • Alexithymia
    • Interoception
  • My story: Alexithymia and interoception
    • Alexithymia, interoception, and emotional control
    • Psychosis and interoception
    • Strategies I use to address alexithymia and interoceptive issues
  • Next …
• Content warning
• 10 Psychiatric hospital
  • About psychiatric hospital
  • My story: Psychiatric hospital
    • Not like the movies, but not perfect either
    • Lack of agency
    • Autistic people in hospital
    • Hospital can help
  • Next …
• 11 Diagnosis and misdiagnosis
  • About diagnosis and misdiagnosis
  • My story: diagnosis, misdiagnosis, and denial
    • Stigma and diagnoses
    • Diagnosis denial
    • Diagnosis, misdiagnosis, and Autism
  • Next …
• Content warning
• 12 Attitudes and stigma about Autism and mental illness
  • About attitudes and stigma
  • My story: attitudes and stigma
    • The fearful radiographer
    • The dismissive employment support
    • Institutional stigma in prison
    • Micro-aggressions
    • Workplace stigma
    • Self-stigma
    • Positive experiences
  • Next …
• 13 Intersectionality and privilege
  • About intersectionality
    • Privilege
    • Lateral violence
  • My story: intersectionality
    • White privilege – my experience
    • Criminal history
    • Power imbalances
  • Next …
• Content warning
• 14 The impact of clinicians
  • About clinicians
    • Power imbalance
    • Difference in impact
  • My story: Clinicians
    • Addressing ignorance
    • Encountering new clinicians
    • Power dynamics
      • Redistributing power and self-advocacy
      • Educating clinicians
    • Health ‘care’ in prison
    • The positive impact of clinicians
  • Next …
• 15 Advocacy and activism
  • About advocacy and activism
  • My story: Advocacy and activism
    • Why I advocate for Autism rights and awareness
    • Advocacy activities
    • Opposition to activism and advocacy
    • Mental health advocacy
    • Self-advocacy
    • Reflections on progress
  • Next …
• Content warning
• 16 Engaging in education and employment
  • About education and employment
  • My story: education and employment
    • The struggle to belong
    • Education interrupted
    • Figuring out employment
    • Ongoing challenges
    • Disclosing at work
  • Next …
• 17 Pride and empowerment
  • About pride and empowerment
  • My story: Pride and empowerment
    • My attitudes now
    • Pride, achievement, and self-worth
    • Pushback to pride
    • Role models for pride
  • Next …
• Content warning
• 18 Acceptance and denial
  • About acceptance and denial
  • My story: Acceptance and denial
    • Schizophrenia – 25 years of denial
    • Accepting my identity
  • Next …
• Recommended further reading and helpful resources
• Suggested discussion topics
• References
• Index

Yenn Purkis (they/them) is an author, public servant and passionate advocate for Autistic people and their families. Living with diagnoses of Autism, ADHD and atypical schizophrenia, Yenn is a frequent speaker on the topic of mental health, and facilitates a support group for Autistic women and non-binary people. They have a number of awards for their work, including the 2016 ACT Volunteer of the Year and the 2019 ACT Chief Minister’s Inclusion Award.