Puzzle pieces nail art for Autism Awareness

Includes press sample 

April 2nd is World Autism Day! I have Autism myself, or more specifically, I have Asperger's Syndrome and it comes with its own set of pros and cons. Today I'll be telling you mostly about the downsides but I'll be back later with a happy, 'upsides' post!

Asperger's isn't just the bad stuff, but it certainly isn't a walk in the park. I have problems that can't be seen on the outside, and can't easily be explained. People with autism are all very different, there's not a list of 'symptoms' you can check to see how to deal with autism. Click to read & see more!

I'm sensitive to sounds, I pick up a lot of sounds around me, even things other people might not hear or be aware of. Going somewhere, especially somewhere I've never been before, is very taxing on me. I'll come home after a few hours and be completely dead. The 'unknown' factor is a big thing in my life. I like things that I know, things that are familiar.

I don't make a very good first impression. When people take the time to get to know me, MOST of them like me, but that first contact is stressful to me and that's exactly why it gets screwed up. I get nervous and say dumb things, I switch prepositions around and I stumble over my words. I want people to like me but I don't know how to do that, because I don't really understand other people. All this makes it just the more hurtful when people don't understand me.

The outside world looks at me as if I'm different, but a pretty capable person. I often get called optimistic, intelligent, funny and driven and while all this is true, this is just one part of the person that I am. There's also the side of me that zones out when there's too much noise around me, or when I'm lost in thought. I'm really afraid of having to go to an unfamiliar place by myself, I always take someone with me.

I have trouble with contact over the phone because it's hard enough face-to-face, but even harder without seeing the other person's expression and body language. And yes, I know autistic people aren't supposed to pick up on those things but I have learned a lot by connecting words and expressions to specific situations and my memory allows me to use those connections at other times. It's really hard to explain :-p

I'll leave you with the video and tell you more about my Autism in another blog post, another time!

Music is "Fretless" by Kevin MacLeod

http://incompetech.com/

I received STYLondon Onyx & Diamond Coat as a press sample. Opinions expressed are 100% my own and not influenced in any way other than the quality of the product itself.