Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

Unmasking Autism: The Power of Embracing Our Hidden Neurodiversity by Devon Price

8 reviews

linblythe_pub22's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced

5.0

This book has helped me immeasurably. It taught me new and deeper ways of unmasking with the help of what felt like a parasocial relationship with autistic community via the extensive interviews and sources used in the book. It doesn't give you any copout answers; Dr Price lays out the small thing autistic folk like me can do for ourselves but more significantly, the systemic changes we must fight for if the world is to be safe, free and joyful for everyone.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism and Medical content

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Bullying, Chronic illness, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Stalking, and Transphobia

zosiablue's review against another edition

hopeful informative medium-paced

4.0

I read this because a friend suggested I might recognize myself and I did. While I don't need to lean into another diagnosis, I felt seen by many of these autistic/neurodivergent traits (especially as a kid), and also disabused of what autism is typically depicted as (white, male, middle class, nerdy). Mostly, whether it's autism or anxiety or what, this helped me pay attention to how I mask in the world, the ways I've adapted so I seem quirky but not off putting, bubbly but not annoying, and self-preserved but not too distant. I wonder what it would look like if I stopped the balancing act? Would I have more energy? Would I feel less cognitive dissonance? This is a good book to help you figure that out. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism

Moderate: Addiction, Chronic illness, and Eating disorder

katharina90's review against another edition

hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

A really wonderful resource that I imagine is super validating and affirming for folks on the spectrum. Lots of great exercises. 

I really appreciated the suggestions on how to make public spaces more sensory-friendly and how to make our world more accessible in general.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Racism, Bullying, Drug abuse, Ableism, Chronic illness, and Transphobia

returningb00kworm's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Chronic illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Racism, Alcoholism, and Eating disorder

zombiezami's review against another edition

hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Bullying, Ableism, and Eating disorder

Moderate: Chronic illness, Confinement, Medical content, Sexism, Torture, Transphobia, Colonisation, Mental illness, Biphobia, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Medical trauma, Racism, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Classism, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Colonisation, Sexual harassment, Pandemic/Epidemic, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Vomit, Cursing, Domestic abuse, and Police brutality

jenny_librarian's review against another edition

challenging informative inspiring medium-paced

4.5

A very interesting book about being autistic and learning to unmask and accept yourself.

Seeking an autism diagnosis as an adult is extremely difficult. Most people who don’t realize they are autistic before adulthood have low support needs, and have been masking all their life. It makes it incredibly hard then to figure out which parts of you are the mask and which are your true self. Despite the numerous green sticky notes I used when relating to autistic traits mentioned, I gaslighted myself throughout the whole thing, figuring that since I didn’t have it “that bad”, I must be appropriating an identity that wasn’t mine.

This book was illuminating on some points, but should definitely be used as part of a larger research if you think you are on the spectrum. It did include BIPOC and queer perspectives as well as those from people with other disabilities, something that not enough books and research do.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Child abuse, Ableism, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, Eating disorder, Medical content, Gaslighting, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Genocide, Homophobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Chronic illness, Dysphoria, Transphobia, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Classism, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Racism, Emotional abuse, Police brutality, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Infertility, Suicide, and Slavery

crybabybea's review against another edition

challenging informative inspiring medium-paced

4.0

Unmasking Autism is an intersectional look at autism, and is an empowering read for those in the autistic community and their allies. Dr. Devon Price explores the outdated stereotypes of autism, brought on by a bias in research of rich, cishet white men. They challenge the reader to challenge these stereotypes, and dig deeper into the ways neurotypical expectations and misconceptions have affected their self-worth, identity, and behavior. Masking is a well-known term in the autistic community, referring to the camouflaging and compensatory strategies autistic people develop to fit in to neurotypical society. More and more research has come out pointing to masking as a cause of many comorbidities that autistic people experience, such as anxiety, depression, people-pleasing, and self-worth issues. Dr. Devon Price takes us through a psychological approach called “Values Based Integration”, developed by autistic life coach Heather R. Morgan. Through this exercise, we are taught how to identify what matters most to us, and given the confidence to center those things in our lives.

Unmasking Autism takes a compassionate, acceptance-based approach to exploring autism and undoing the years of masking many autistics develop for survival. Dr. Devon Price is also incredibly welcoming to self-diagnosed, or self-determined autistic people, acknowledging the difficulties that women, gender nonconforming folks, and Black, Brown, Indigenous, and non-Black people of color face when seeking a diagnosis. Instead of following typical ABA masking advice, the author argues that autistic people practice centering their autistic traits and accepting them. Special interests, routines, stimming, and sensory sensitivities are all important parts of the autistic experience, and have long been demonized and shamed by neurotypical society. The author encourages the autistic reader to embrace these traits with confidence and love.

The book does have an increased focus on the parallels between autistic masking and the internal struggles that LGBTQIA+ folks experience, thanks to societal conditioning that certain traits are bad and shameful. It makes sense that the author, a trans queer person, would focus more on this part of their experience as it has shaped them.

While this book could be off-putting to those who are not progressive enough, it’s an important read for autistic people, allies, and neurotypicals alike. The author makes a plea that our world move towards acceptance rather than shame, so folks of all walks of life and neurodivergencies can feel comfortable to be their authentic selves. They also make a case for reworking society, suggesting universal basic income and overhauls of the current welfare system to be beneficial for everyone, not just disabled or neurodivergent people. Similarly, Unmasking Autism takes autistic people through an internal evaluation in an attempt to separate conditioned shame and fear and accept themselves. Overall, Unmasking Autism is an important perspective on the autism movement, and an important book for acceptance and love. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Addiction, Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Fatphobia

missrosymaplemoth's review against another edition

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Ableism, and Addiction

Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Chronic illness, Classism, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Sexism, Dysphoria, Grief, and Transphobia

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Self harm, and Fatphobia