Welcome to my Profile 

My name is Shannon and I am an artist from the UK. 

I have Aspergers Syndrome and ADHD, and have looked very deeply into the subject of Autism Spectrum Conditions and the broad range of difficulties people with ASD diagnosed or not diagnosed can often run into, including difficulties with the UK healthcare system and social isolation. 

I have had previous experience with Depression, and have been on many types of medication for it (I was misdiagnosed). Before then, there were things I did to make myself feel better that weren't healthy at all and I was in a very dark place. I had to quit my job as I just couldn't take the stress any more, and this was before I was diagnosed with anything. Since then, I have begun to get better with support and the right medication; but getting better is not a short journey. It can take many different doctors, psychiatrists, medications, waiting lists, and even misdiagnoses to get on the right track. These are difficulties that I have personally faced with the United Kingdom's health system, and the NHS' Mental Health services are overlooked quite often and not taken seriously enough.

Social isolation is not a great experience, and it happened to me while I was working. I am not saying work is bad, but being in the wrong workplaces with un-nurturing people and bosses can put a lot of stress on top of someone. I was struggling socially and I couldn't concentrate, and I didn't know why at the time. No one took me seriously and they picked me out and made me feel like I was being silly, lazy and rude. I have not created a great track record for myself, and it got to a point where I couldn't even get onto a training course because the references from previous employers and educational institutes didn't show me in a positive light and reflected my inability to cope. Now that I understand my symptoms better, I can put a label on it and tell people why I am the way I am. It helps me. 

A healthy mind is as important as a healthy body!