Being Human: A Journey of Functional Neurological Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder
- ISBN-10
- 0645237523
- ISBN-13
- 9780645237528
- Series
- Being Human
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2021-12-31
- Author
- Claire Hoskins
Description
A new voice in Australian nonfiction, Being Human is a thought-provoking memoir interwoven with neuroscience and clinical experience. It will change the way you think about functional neurological disorder (FND) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) forever. Claire spent her first three decades thinking she was a paradoxical failure at life. She was a straight-A student at school, so why couldn't she hold down a job? She cared deeply about others, so why was she fighting, everyone, including herself. Finally it was crunch time, she was a solo Mum with a kid to raise. If she didn't "get life" now, when would she? Taking advice from a friend, she was assessed, and diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. And thus, came self-discovery and acceptance. But this book isn't about autism, it's about what can come next. Because of her clinical background as a Speech Pathologist, and particular interest in parkinsonian conditions, Claire knew something that is not often spoken about. A clinical diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder is a major risk factor for the development of Parkinson's disease and spectrum. She didn't give it too much thought, until one day her tongue snaked out of her mouth and it wouldn't stop moving of its own accord. When she saw a neurologist, she was told that she had functional neurological disorder (FND). Claire found that the resulting stigma and patient-blaming was a figurative slap in the face. In the context of a worldwide pandemic of Covid-19, where Long Covid is increasingly being compared to the symptoms of myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) otherwise known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and functional neurological disorder, never has this topic been more salient. In Being Human, Claire Hoskins advocates for an urgent review into what it means to have functional neurological disorder, one of the most psychologically isolating diagnoses ever to be contrived.
