autzinethe magazine for young people with autistic spectrum disorders

Issue 1

Big Launch Issue!

welcome toautzine

in this issue...Asten’s Update........................Page 3

Mental Health.........................Page 4 Your experiences with the professionals

Interview..............................Page 6Young person with autism

Autism Forum Reviews..............Page 7

Music Column..........................Page 8This issue: Linkin Park Proposed Diagnosis Change.........Page 10Young people’s thoughts

ASDat....................................Page 11A service for people with autism

Interview...............................Page 12Student with autism

Games Review.........................Page 13

Will the real Matt Ellis please stand up?......................Page 14

Activity Page...........................Page 15Wordsearch

Questionaire...........................Page 16Tell us what you think

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asten’s updateWelcome to the first official issue of AUTZINE - the m a g a z i n e written by and for y o u n g people with

autistic spectrum diosrders. I’m Asten, an art student at Suffolk New College with high-functioning autism. I originally created the magazine for my final project in my first year, and everybody thought it was so good that we have decided to publish it on a quaterly basis, and make it available to the wider communitty via the AUTZINE website, www.autzine.suffolk.ac.uk.

I’d like to begin this issue by saying a few thankyou’s to people who have helped me to develop this magazine. I’d like to thank Suffolk New College and Suffolk Mind who have given me the funding for all the equipment and facilities used to produce the magazine. I’d also like to thank ASDat, who are offering business and autism support. There is an article about ASDat further on in this issue. And finally, I’d like to thank everyone who has given interviews for this issue and to everyone who has contributed to the magazine.

At the time of writing this I am about to start my National Diploma in Art & Design. I’m hoping to go to university to study Graphics, which will help

me to develop the magazine further. I’m really looking forward to it, even though the challenge of meeting new people and getting used to a new timetable isn’t always easy. It feels like it has been a long summer - I completed my First Diploma in May. I find that having lots of time off with nothing to do increases my anxiety levels. I have, however, been busy with my two volunteering jobs - working in a charity shop and working with adults with learning disabilities - and I’ve also been involved in making a short documentary focussing on teeangers with disabilities seeking independece.

Here at AUTZINE we really appreciate your contributions and feedback, and it would be really helpful for us if you could complete a short questionaire, which can either be found at the end of this issue or on the AUTZINE website.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy the first issue of AUTZINE!

asten

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Mental HealthIt’s very

c o m m o n for people w i t h Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome t o experince some kind of mental h e a l t h issue at some point in their

lives. Reseach from the National Autistic Society shows that over 70% of children with autism also have a mental health problem. Unfortnately, the correct help isn’t always there when young people need it. The NAS have carried out in-depth research over the past year with children and young people, parents, carers and p ro fe s s i ona l s about what needs to change and how the mental health services can work better for people with autism.

Parents have said that:• Mental health services failed to

improve the mental health of two thirds of children with autism.• 43% of childrens’ mental health

has got worse because they cannot access the services they need.• Childrens’ mental health had been

improved more if an autism specialist was involved in their treatment.• Half of parents think that the

mental health services don’t know how to communicate with their child. • 83% of children had first

experienced mental health problems before the age of 10.• Nine out of ten parents say that

their child’s mental health issues have had a negative impact on the health of the rest of the family.

I carried out some research on autism forum AspiesCentral.com, and it seems that most people agree that the services aren’t offering the support they should be.

“I started seeing a psychologist for g e n e r a l i z e d anxiety and panic attacks,” says whale_bone, 20, from Canada. “They tried classic CBT but it was very frustraring and unsuccessfu l .

Then eventually, the psychologist got the idea that it might be some ‘atypical’ type of Asperger;s, which it isn’t, and then I was referred to a specialist.”

“Professional help is pretty much

Over 70% of children with autism also have a mental health problem.

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useless,” agrees Petrossa, from France. “I had 10 years of cognitive therapy, only to come to the conclusion that AS has more pro’s than con’s. The professionals just want to make you normal - as if such a thing exists.”

But not all people with Aperger’s

have had bad experiences with the professionals. Calvert says: “I don’t have any other mental health problems apart from Asperger’s Syndrome. I did see different doctors and p sycho lo tg i s t s and eventually got my diagnosis from them. There’s nothing I could really fault about them.”

There are many mental health issues associated with autism and Aperger’s Syndrome, including:

Depression: This affects about 1 in 15 people with Asperger’s. It may be linked to a growing awareness of their disability or a sense of being different from peers. It can also be caused by their attempts to make friends which are seen as harrassment. Experiences such as bullying can also result in depression. It can be treated with medication or counselling.

Anxiety: A common problem with people with Asperger’s. It can come as a consequence of the social demands made upon them. Servere anxiety can be treated with counselling.

Obesessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD): This is a disorder that causes a person

to be stuck in a routine which is so strict that they fear somethin bad will happen if they don’t stick to that routine. This has been wrongly linked to common day superstitions. OCD can be treated with medkiacation and/or counselling.

What do you think? Log on to the AUTZINE website and let us know.

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InterviewIan is 18 and

has autism.

How did you get diagnosed w i t h

autism?I got diagnosed at the age of 7.

I was the unusual type at school – I had behaviour problems and I was always getting into t r o u b l e . But I was also very intelligent. I transferred schools soon after I got diagnosed.

How did you feel about your diagnosis?It never really bothered me

until I started to understand a bit more about autism. I felt pretty stressed and uncomfortable at that time, but it some ways it has given me an advantage, for example, I have a talent in art and

this has helped me get a place on an art course at college.

How does autism affect your daily life?When I meet new people,

I get really shy and anxious, so in a way autism does have a negative impact. But other

than that, it gives me a really good c r e a t i v e character.

Are there any other

good things about autism?For sure. It makes me feel

more unique, and it makes me more intelligent.

Ian runs the forum Aspies Central (www.aspiescentral.com). Check out the review on the next page.

It makes me feel more unique.

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Autism Forum Reviews

Internet forums are a great way to make friends and to connect with people in the same situation and/or with the same interests as you. Here’s my review of the best autism/AS message boards on the web.

Wrong Planethttp://www.wrongplanet.net/Aimed at: Anyone with a connection

to autism, but mainly people with AS.Number of members: 39,851Number of forums: 28Topics included: General Discussion,

Off-Topic Discussion, Coping in Life, Topical Discussion, Age/Gender Related Discussion.

Verdict: There are a lot of posts on this website, therefore there is a lot of information on a wide variety of topics. However, the number of members is massive and so it’s not really a “close” community.

Score: 6/10.

Autism Networkhttp://www.autismnetwork.

co.uk/Aimed at: Anyone connected to

autism, mainly families. Number of members: 606Number of forums: 19Topics included: Autism In the News,

Diet, Therapy and Medication, Parents, Siblings, The Good Times, The Hard Times

Verdict: It’s a bit “parent-heavy” and, although there are some people woth autism on this site, most of the posts are pro-cure and “my kid is impossible” types.

Score: 4/10.

Aspies Centralhttp://www.aspiescentral.com/Aimed at: People with Asperger’sNumber of members: 167Number of forums: 13Topics included: General, Obsessions

& Creativity, Help & Support, Education & Employment, Off-Topic, Forum Games.

Verdict: This is the best forum for young people. It’s also a small community, so everyone knows everyone.

Score: 8/10.

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Music ColumnThere are many different genres of music all of which are very different from the next. Some artists mix genres, much like Linkin Park who combine Rock and Rap.

Music is more than just a sound; it is all about the lyrics and the mood that it sets for others. Music can alter the way that you feel; it can make you happy or sad depending on how you personally take the song, because a song that would upset one person could make another feel better - it all depends on how they relate to lyrics and even the beat itself. I know from talking to people with Asperger Syndrome, many like to follow the pattern of the notes and use this to help calm down and focus. Music is a major way of life and to be honest it is a great way to let off steam and tell people how you truly feel, when normal words wont describe it.

One band that’s getting a lot of attention at the moment is Linkin Park due to the fact that they have changed their style of music. All

this discussion is truly showing who the true Linkin Park fans are, because as with all groups and solo artists, if you’re a true fan you will follow them no matter what they do. I really like their new material – let me know what you think by leaving a message on the website.

One of the reason bands do a style change is to try and attract more people into liking and supporting them, although the reason Linkin

Park are in the music industry is out of love for music not for how many fans they may attract or the money.

Lead rapper Mike has a band of his own, which is known as Fort Minor, and so does lead singer

Chester who’s band is called Dead by Sunrise. Both are selling and sold very well but again if you were to ask them they would say that they were in it for the love not the money.

Linkin Park were one of the very first bands to ever experiment

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with rock and rap, let alone to be hugely successful with it. One of the first songs that they released was Papercut which showed the whole rock and rap genre in action. Their first album Hybrid Theory sold really well, so they started a fully fledged new music genre which some artists still try to do, but it my opinion, no artist has ever done it as well as Linkin Park.

To see Linkin Parks new video for “Waiting for the End” check it out on youtube or on our Autzine website at www.autzine.suffolk.ac.uk

More on music

To be a musician means that you need to work with others and you may think that this means people with Autistic Spectrum Disorders can’t do this but you would be hugely mistaken. Despite the fact that they may find it challenging to create something from a purely emotive perspective, they can still write and play music and because they see things differently they create in a different way as well so the work can be very original. Music touches everyone and affects them in different ways, whether it makes them happy, sad or helps to calm them, it can be a major life saver. A lot of the young people that ASDat support use music to help them concentrate and

to manage extremes of emotion. It has the power to bring them out of a low place back into reality and the place that they feel safe again. If you haven’t tried it before give it a go. And not just the current stuff, try lots of different styles until you find something that helps. I know one young person who uses the sound tracks off games as he finds the repetitive quality very soothing.

If you like to create music you may like to look at the apps available on I tunes such as Beat Box and DJ Mixer. They can be really good fun.

This music page is going to be a regular slot in the magazine. Get in touch with me via the website and let me know the type of stuff you like to listen to. Also if you have been to see any gigs perhaps you could write a small review and send that to me – I might be able to publish it in the next issue.

Matt.

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Proposed Diagnosis Changes

The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM-5, is due to be published in May 2013 and there are going to be some controversial changes. If the proposed changes go ahead, there will no longer be a separate diagnosis for Asperger’s syndrome (AS) or Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). That means that everyone on the spectrum will just have a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder.

This was going to be a big subject on many autism websites, so I visited one to find out what people thought of the proposed changes.

A lot of people agreed that Asperger’s

should continue to be a separate diagnosis. “It’s important that people understand that autism is a spectrum and Asperger’s is a form of autism,” says Kempy, 18, from Essex. “Saying that somebody has Asperger’s certainly helps in terms of working out where they are on the spectrum. Ideally, people should be diagnosed with their exact position on the spectrum, and the less categories there are, the more vaguely people will have to be placed. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

“I think Asperger’s should be recognised as a form of autism, but also remain a separate diagnosis,” says whale_bone, 20, from Canada. “My worry is that because people don’t know that autism can look very different in different people, a lot of Aspies would continue to go undiagnosed.”

Some people don’t think Asperger’s should be on the autistic spectrum at

all. “It’s just a type of personality,” says Petrossa, from France. “I don’t see myself as autistic.”

Whatever happens to the diagnostic criteria, some people are bound to

be unhappy about it.

Most people disagree with the changes.

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ASDat is a community based organisation that provides support, information and training about Autistic Spectrum Disorders and Attention Deficit Disorders. We provide direct support mainly in Suffolk, but can provide training across the whole of the Eastern Region. We work with all age groups, and link across all Statutory Agencies, Business, Families and Individuals.

In relation to AUTZINE, we have provided bespoke support for Asten through our partnership with Suffolk New College. We were so impressed with Asten’s first magazine, we approached the College to see whether we could all support the project, so it could be developed further. They were able to put together a funding package in partnership with Suffolk Mind which was brilliant. Everyone that has since been involved have been very enthusiastic and committed to it. Matt Ellis and myself are providing Asten with support in developing the magazine and helping her to understand the skills needed in business that someone on the Autistic Spectrum may find more challenging, such as meeting deadlines, talking to prospective clients, being part of a team and considering other people ideas. We will also support her to access our local business link team to provide her with training relating to business planning and finance.

ASDat is also looking to set up similar small business projects with other young people who may have great ideas for a business, but struggle with gaining main stream qualifications because of their ASD or ADHD. Please contact us through the link on the AUTZINE website or via ASDat’s Facebook Page.

We will be contributing to future issues of AUTZINE, giving suggestions of different strategies for dealing with day-to-day issues, so if there is something you find particularly challenging let us know.

Well done Asten and Good Luck!!!!!

Annie ClementsPractitioner Consultant, ASDat

ASDat….

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InterviewJamie is 17 and has Asperger’s Syndrome

How were you diagnosed with AS?I was originally diagnosed with ADHD. I wasn’t diagnosed with AS until my pre-teens because there was no violence, just lack of understanding.

How does AS affect your daily life?I need reasurence and more structure. It also affects my confidencealot.

Do you have any hobbies?I play water polo for Team Ipswich and I have a black belt in karate.

Are there any good things about AS?I feel it helps with my Art & Desgin course at college because it allows me to have a high amount of creativity.

Anything else you would like to add?I think that my

Asperger’s has faded a lot since high school and I believe I have better control over it now. I have managed this because of the support I have had at college. (ASDat.)

Check out the footage of Jamie’s interview on the AUTZINE website, www.autzine.suffolk.ac.uk.

It allows me to have a high amount of

creativity.

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Games ReviewDARKSIDERSJust another God of War rip off?

So a guy walks in with his horse... Oh, what you’ve heard this one?

Anyway, here’s the basic rundown:War goes to help the world assuming the Seven deadly seals are broken, he finds Abaddon, the Archangel, he realizes he’s been set-up and is stripped of his powers... Does this seem familiar to you? So, you take the role of the mythical horseman War (some guy in red voiced by Liam ‘O Brien) embarking on a quest for revenge against some unknown madman who you’ll see at the end of the game. Combat is very varied but can be top-heavy and sometimes wobbles when you lean on it. Gameplay-wise it’s very enjoyable with a vast array of weapons, powers, passive abilities most of which can be purchased from some reaper-like dude named Vulgrim. The Watcher is your boss... He’s

dark, seems to think he’s scary and a real pain in the neck at times when you don’t do as he says...So anyway, this game takes you across the world and even to the... beyond...Along the way you’ll find several chests containing shards of armour (which can be used near the end of the game and selected when you decide to replay it).So when you finally get this game beware that the tutorial is a bit clunky and on occasion the controls are a bit laggy, causing you to die many times and swear with every name under the sun.

Final Thought: Most critics would think this is another God of War rip off but it’s actually fun, addictive and totally and utterly brilliant if you can get past the rather strange control scheme.

If you liked this game you may like:God of War III (SCEE) OR Dante’s Inferno (Visceral)

Our games reviewer Matt Brader is 18 and has Asperger’s Syndrome. He will be writing a review each issue.

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Will the real Matt Ellis please stand up?

Just a little info about me!!!!!!!

I’m 19 years old and until recently was a media student at Suffolk New College. I’m now working for ASDat as a trainee Practitioner Consultant learning how to support people and families with ASD and ADHD. I’m also going to be working with Asten on the magazine and the website. I had a rough time at school because I have ADHD. When I was at High School I was excluded following a ‘misunderstanding’ between myself and a member of staff, but when I went to my new school things were better. At College, the staff understood my ADHD really well, and I also received extra support from ASDat which has really helped me both in and out of College. Its because of that I felt confident to stop taking

my medication and learn what my ADHD really felt like and how to manage it myself. I can still have days when I feel a bit jumpy but that doesn’t scare me anymore because I know what I need to do to stay in control and that it wont last very long. I love my

music which is why I am writing a regular article on it!!! I’m really looking forward to my future, and amazingly in the next few weeks, myself, Annie and

Hayley will be starting new Social Enterprise called AMH Support and Training, making me a director by the age of 20 !!!!!!! I’d really like to thank my family for all their support and help to get me where I am now, and to certain professionals – you know who you are – who were willing to see me as a person and not just see my ADHD. You made all the difference. :)

WordsearchFind these words in the grid below:Linkin ParkScriptChantelleTinie TempahElle GouldingBruno MarsRock

HiphopSoftCountryThree Doors DownFleetwood MackAlisha Keys

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This wordearch was made using www.armoredpenguin.com. Why not make one yourself?

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Questionaire

1. What was your overall impression of the magazine?

Very Good Good OK Poor Very Poor

2. What is your opinion of the range of articles?

Very Good Good OK Poor Very Poor

3. Would you like another quiz/fun page?

Yes No

4. Do you think we should have a problem page?

Yes No

5. Would you like to be able to send in articles of your own?

Yes No

6. Will you use the website?

Yes No

7. Will you continue to read the magazine?

Yes No

8. Any other comments?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

You can either complete this page and send it to the following address:Matt & AstenAUTZINESuffolk New CollegeIpswichSuffolk

Orfillitoutonlineatwww.autzine.suffolk.ac.uk.Thankyou!:)