Dear reader, today I will share my thoughts after reading one of the most essential works in the field of Neurodiversity, a book written by Dr. Devon Price - Unmasking Autism. He is a social psychologist, professor and a renowned writer.
The book starts with the author's personal story of how he struggled with personal relationships, social life, sensory difficulties, eating disorder, loneliness and depression though he was doing well professionally. He candidly shares how he dreaded to even think that he may be Autistic. What follows is a journey of self discovery as he learns more about Autism and all his struggles make sense and the revelation changes him on a profound level. He met and interacted with innumerable autistics and that forms the basis of this book.
In this book, the author gives us an indepth look in the 'Masking' that becomes the part of life of late diagnosed autistics - all the people who lived life trying to blend with the society and learnt behaviors and strategies that hid their true self and struggled immensely because of it. In the author's own words:
" Autistic people frequently are stereotyped as immature, unintelligent, cold or out of touch. And each of our masks helps to cover up the Autism stereotypes we felt we needed to resist the most. Behind each mask, there sits a deep pain and a series of painful beliefs about who are and what you must never allow yourself to do."
In the following chapters, he goes on to define Autism as neurological condition associated with a deliberative processing style that is the corner stone of the way Autistics process the world in a diverse style that affects every part of their life. He goes on to debunk the many myths associated with typical autism. The third and fourth chapters are an eye opener. Anyone who believes that late diagnosed autistics are not 'actually autistic' ( I strongly disagree with this but sadly, I have heard this frequently) should read this to truly understand the cost of masking!
The author, in the later chapters, delves deep into the rethinking autism, reframing autistic stereotypes, unmasking and embracing the autistic identity and creating a neurodiverse world, a world where every diversity is part of life, a norm rather than exception, a dream come true!
This book is available on Amazon India
