Tag: Autism

NICOLE’S STORY

Published on by Aimee EddyLeave a comment

Listening to others’ stories about how they struggled with mental illness and worked their way to recovery encourages and educates people. Nicole Galloway Miller is a friend I met years ago when I was self-injuring and struggling with my mental illness. Nicole was struggling too. We became a strong support system for one another. We saw each other through some rough times. In the years I’ve known her I have seen her at her worst and now at her best. She has an inspiring story to tell.

I decided to interview Nicole because her story is very encouraging. Below is my interview with her.

Aimee: What mental illnesses do you struggle with and when were you first diagnosed?

Nicole: Autism, ADHD, anxiety, depression, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and PTSD. I was first diagnosed in first grade.

Aimee: How did mental illness affect your life at such a young age?

Nicole: Mostly, I just remember always having intense anxiety and trouble sleeping. It is hard for me, because I assumed everyone was like me and was much better at coping than me. I did not understand then like I do now that my brain works differently. I just always thought I was terrible at coping with stuff and lazy.

Aimee: How has having autism affected your mental health?

Nicole: At its core, autism is a central nervous system disorder. That means my body has much more intense emotional and physical reactions to stress and environmental stimuli like noise, lights, and scratchy fabrics. As I learned that my reactions were normal for me and not everyone experienced the world that way, it improved my depression and anxiety some, but there are other challenges.

My brain processes information differently, too. I went to therapy as a teenager; therapy did not really work until I found a therapist who worked with autistic people. That is the first time I ever made progress in therapy. I was 26.

The key to therapy was actually to not try so hard and constantly push myself, but to take breaks and give my brain and nervous system more rest and recharge time.

Aimee: Tell me about when you hit rock bottom of your illness and how you pulled yourself up?

Nicole: One of my hardest struggles has been employment. I have been trying to maintain a job for longer than one year since I was twenty. I am now forty-three. The last opportunity I tried was an organization that employed autistic people in corporate roles. Unfortunately, my manager there did not know anything about autism. This opportunity ended in a hospitalization where I was having extreme attacks of paranoia so intense I believed my boss was spying on me through my phone and car. I had to resign and I felt like a failure.

However, after getting treatment, resting, and regrouping I have decided to start my own business. This is going well so far. I am working hard and custom orders and opportunities keep coming to me. The biggest lesson autism has taught me is not to give up, but to keep trying.

Aimee: What unhealthy coping techniques did you develop while struggling?

Nicole: I was a cutter. Now I am a smoker.

Aimee: What healthy coping techniques did you learn to cope with your illness?

Nicole: There are so many. Some of my favorites are yoga, deep breathing, meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation. The last two really help me with sleeping. The coping skill I use the most is knitting and crochet. It helps me regulate my emotions, relax, and can be socially acceptable in public places. I even knit standing in lines. I am always trying new coping techniques, too.

Aimee: How did you pull yourself up to where you are happy and functioning in society?

Nicole: In some ways I think I am lucky. I have struggled with this illness for as long as I can remember. There has not been a time when I have not. For me, it has always been about making tomorrow happier and healthier than today has been. I am happy to report that my forties truly have been the happiest years of my life. Every decade of my life, I have struggled a little less and made progress.

Aimee: What advice would you give others struggling with mental illness and working towards recovery?

Nicole: We have a saying in the autistic community that if you meet one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism. Everyone’s journey is unique. Some of us take longer to do things. Your recovery journey is personal to you and will be done on your own time. Don’t compare your journey to anyone else’s, and above all celebrate the victories. Sometimes, when you are depressed, brushing your teeth is tantamount to climbing a mountain. Celebrate that and give yourself credit.

Below are my thoughts after my interview with Nicole:

We all have stories to tell about our struggles with mental illness. If we talk about our journey, we can help others and educate the world. The more we speak out, the bigger chances we have of spreading light on mental illness and showing the world it is an illness like any other illness. Your story can inspire others to fight for recovery.

By Nicole telling her story, she was able to reflect on her journey and see how far she has come. This helps her stand tall in the light of recovery.

SPEAKING OUT

Published on by Aimee EddyLeave a comment

This week I have a special guest for my blog post. I joined podcast groups on Facebook and received a request to be interviewed for my blog. The young man I interviewed is Kadin McElwain. His answers to my questions impressed me. He is a true example of rising above bullying and a challenge people don’t understand. I can relate to him in some ways with my learning disability and bullying. Please welcome Kadin McElwain.

Aimee: Tell me about yourself.

Kadin: I’m an autistic college student, writer, and activist who is on a mission to raise as much awareness as possible by telling my story.

Aimee: When were you diagnosed with autism? Tell me about autism and the things you struggle with:

Kadin: I was diagnosed when I was two years old, coincidentally after getting the smallpox vaccination. It of course didn’t cause autism, but I always find that funny since that conspiracy theory is there. Throughout my life, I was told I wouldn’t amount to anything because I had autism. But thanks to a supportive set of parents and my own work ethic, I proved the naysayers wrong. The main struggles are with the social stuff. I take things literally, I have a hard time understanding facial expressions, and I have a hard time making friends and maintaining relationships. But I have been working on the latter two during my time in college.

Aimee: What are some things you do to work around your disability to get through school, college, and your life?

Kadin:I wouldn’t call autism a “disability” per say. I like to refer to it as a different ability. But to answer this question, I started therapy in September to help me better manage stress when it comes to things like academics and work. I also have testing accommodation (i.e. extended time on tests, a private room to take said tests, that kind of thing). But historically, throughout grade school, I had an IEP, which is a plan for people like me that’s made to help them succeed in school. But mainly, I’d say my parents have been my biggest tool, if you will, to help me manage this journey of being an adult with autism.

Aimee: When did you first face bullying because of your disability? How long did the bullying go on for?

Kadin: Well in elementary school, I was safe from bullying, and I was actually pretty popular. But in middle school and high school I started getting bullied for autism. Of course, everyone has experienced bullying in high school at some point. That’s everyone’s worst nightmare. But add someone with autism or someone who’s neurodivergent into the mix, then you become more vulnerable. Now to be fair, I did unintentionally put myself into a lot of those bullying situations. I would always tell on people for petty stuff, such as being on their phone in class. But these students should’ve known that I was on the spectrum. Quite frankly, the instructors should’ve told the class that as well.

Aimee: How has bullying impacted your life?

Kadin: I wouldn’t say it impacted my current life. I’m fine. But at the time, it hurt to be bullied and rightfully so. Thanks to that, I had a hard time making friends and I honestly lost trust in people for a while after the bullying. Quite frankly, I still do.

Aimee: Did you struggle with any mental health issues because of the bullying?

Kadin: I don’t know if this counts, but I just had a hard time embracing this gift of autism that I had thanks to the bullying. But I wouldn’t say it caused any mental well-being challenges. It was mainly low self-esteem.

Aimee: If you have struggled with mental illness because of bullying, what type of illness and how did you cope and work through it?

Kadin: My family helped me cope with my self-esteem.

Aimee: How did you rise above bullying? Tell me about how you prove people wrong and your accomplishments.

Kadin: I learned not to give the people who are bullying the time of day, and I also made it a part of my mission. I hope that schools and workplaces can implement mandatory autism training programs for students, teachers, and parents to take before they even enroll in the school. The parents’ part is because I believe everything starts at home.

Aimee: Tell me about what you write? Do you have a book(s) published, stories or poems published? Do you have a blog? What genre do you write? (If you have a blog or any books published you can include a link to them.)

Kadin: I mainly specialize in sports journalism. I write for a site called The Sports Column and I’ve published over 400 articles between 2019 and 2024. I have been working to branch out into motivational writing and op-eds by telling my story.

Aimee: Tell me about your work as an activist and how you work to raise awareness about autism.

Kadin: My activism began with a class project for my freshman year of college. The assignment was to work with a group to help the community. So, my group and I set up a GoFundMe for The Autism Society of America, and we ended up raising $1,085 for it and winning a contest with it. But unfortunately, as typical with my generation (The Participation Trophy Generation), my group only did the assignment to get the grade and the prize we got for winning the contest. To put it simply, their hearts weren’t truly in it. So, I thought “If no one else is going to take this cause seriously, I might as well be the one to do so.” So that project led to me speaking to political officials and people in power in school districts about autism, setting up fundraisers within my community for autism organizations, and appearing on various media platforms to tell my story. It’s not an easy thing, but I believe in the cause. If there’s gonna be change in the world, you definitely have to be outspoken about the issue.

Aimee: What advice do you give to others struggling with autism?

Kadin: I would say that you are extremely important in society, and you have amazing things to bring to the table, regardless of what you’re going through. If people can’t see that, don’t give them the time of day. They’ll be missing out on an amazing person.

Aimee: What advice would you give about facing bullying and/or mental illness?

Kadin: Don’t let these people bring you down. You are stronger than them and you deserve to be treated with kindness and to be around people who would never try to change the you that you are.

Aimee: Is there anything else you would like to tell my readers?

Kadin: Keep spreading positivity.

Kadin has embraced autism and risen above bullying to tell his story and become an inspiration to many. He stands in the light of success and strength.