If you’ve ever looked at the shelves in a bookshop, there are SO many books on autism that it’s really difficult to know which ones help or which ones are so full of terminology that we can’t fully understand what we’re reading. So here I’ll share with you four books I’ve found really useful in learning more about myself and my autism. All these books are written by fellow autistic people, so you’re in safe hands.
Different Not Less by Chloe Hayden
Chloe’s book Different, Not Less was a real eye opener for me. She was able to clarify parts of autism that I’d heard of but not fully linked to my own. I was really enlightened as it made me look at my own traits and that was when I realised what I did to fit in, which may not have been very good for me.
I will warn that there are some triggering bits in here too, but Chloe highlights where those bits are so you can always skip those bits.
Looking After Your Autistic Self by Niamh Garvey
Niamh Garvey’s book Looking After Your Autistic Self was really helpful in understanding what signs your body may give off when you’re overwhelmed, managing scenarios that may be triggering towards sensory overloads, shutdowns and burnouts. She goes into detail what these all mean and putting in place a plan for yourself to prepare before, what to do during and then to recover after a event you may have coming up. Not all that she suggests will suit everyone, but the idea behind the suggestions give you space to find something that suits you.
Taking Off The Mask by Dr Hannah Louise Belcher
Hannah Louise Belcher’s book Taking Off the Mask talks about what masking behaviours we autistic people use to fit into a society not made for us. Using experiences she has of being autistic herself, Hannah guides us through identifying in ourselves how deep the masking goes and letting us know we don’t have to get to a point where we don’t mask any traits if that doesn’t feel safe for us. It’s finding a balance of being able to be ourselves and not burning ourselves out in the process.
Unmasked by Ellie Middleton
Ellie Middleton’s book Unmasked is really insightful for those who are autistic, an ADHDer (in Ellie’s phrase) or both. She wrote this book after receiving a late diagnosis of autism that then followed an ADHD diagnosis. She goes into depth autism understanding and ADHD understanding, but makes note that there’s not just these two under the neurodiversity umbrella. Ellie noticed there wasn’t a guide to help those between diagnosis and the figuring yourself out, so this is what she wrote to fill that void for others.
I hope these books will be really helpful in understanding autism better. Are there other books that you’ve read that you found really useful? Please write them in the comments below. I’d love to hear what other books people have found useful.