speakup emma's story

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Emma’s Story Produced by Speakup Self Advocacy ©2014 Speakup Self Advocacy www.speakup.org.uk

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Page 1: Speakup Emma's Story

Emma’s Story

Produced by Speakup Self Advocacy

©2014 Speakup Self Advocacy www.speakup.org.uk

Page 2: Speakup Emma's Story

Emma’s Story ATU’s who proactively plan for

discharge

My name is Emma Marsh and I’m 27 years old. I volunteer at Speakup which is a self, group and peer advocacy group every week on Monday and Wednesdays. I have anger issues and this started when I was 3 or 4 years of age. I was admitted into an Assessment and Treatment Unit a few years ago as an out patient. I take medication for my anger issues and I have not been to Assessment and Treatment Unit since. The health workers at the ATU helped me to organise and plan with the people I trust to deal with my anger issues. We talked about it first at the Assessment and Treatment Unit and with my circle of people who support me, like my partner Phil and my friends at my advocacy group. The plan states that if I get angry over something, just stay out of my way and let me calm down. If I want to talk to anyone, I will talk to them in private. I live with my partner and I get angry with him sometimes but I then talk to him to

Page 3: Speakup Emma's Story

calm down. This treatment really works for me and I am going to keep using it for when I need to. The things I enjoy in life are listening to music, watching TV and looking after Sox the cat (my baby). I got diagnosed with Autism at the age of 21 and ever since then I have known a little more about it and myself. I enjoy coming to Speakup to be around my friends and have a laugh with them. I work in a group called “Speakup for Autism” who have meetings every fortnight. Before Speakup, I did nothing at all and I ended up bored and frustrated as I didn’t have anyone to talk to. I have been with Phil for 7 years now and we are now engaged. We are happy together and we help each other out for different things like in the bungalow or out and about. Knowing that I have a plan and a circle of support people to support me through my life is great. I hope I never go into an Assessment and Treatment Unit again and think that

Page 4: Speakup Emma's Story

my plan helps to prevent this happening, and will do in the future too. I‘ve also written a crisis plan with my friends at Speakup to support me if things happen that might be out of my control. I would say to everyone in my position to ask people to help you get a plan that works for you and support you to stick to it. That way you will stay out of the Assessment and Treatment Unit and be more independent.