Before we begin, I'd like to introduce myself, but not as I normally do in real life. You see, in real life, I skim over the details. I tell you the bits that you want to hear, not the bits you don't like. I try to impress you, to pretend that I'm normal, but that isn't what this is for. This is a time for honesty. So, here goes.
My name is Jess. Short for Jessica. I'm 25 at the time of writing this, a published author, care support worker, two-time emotional abuse survivor ... and I'm Aspergic.
Yep, I said it. I have Asperger's Syndrome. Bit of a badly-kept secret, since anyone who knows me is aware that I have it, but it's there. You'd be amazed at the number of people who think it means I've got some venereal disease! I also have borderline personality disorder and PTSD from the two emotionally abusive relationships I've had in the last 4 years.
Again, yes, I said it. Not one, but two emotionally abusive relationships. Both my baby's father and the man after him turned out to be emotional abusers - one simply called me names and derided me in public, the other ... well, he was and is a narcissist. If you know anything about narcissists, you'll know what I'm on about. If not ... I'll tell you the story in my first proper post.
So what else is there to know about me? I have four siblings - two brothers and two sisters - and I live in Kent. I have a gorgeous son and three cats, and I save lives for a living. In between all that, I write books and I'm a self advocate. Basically that means that I go around telling it like it is about my Asperger's. I'm not one of these ableist people who says I've succeeded "in spite of" my Asperger's - I'm someone who succeeds because of my Asperger's. Without it, I wouldn't be me.
So that's me in a nutshell. As you continue through my posts, you'll find out a bit more about how I view the world. I must stress that I do not speak for the autistic and Aspergic community - all views are strictly my own.
