She was lost for 45 years!
A Lost Girl’s journey to self-identity and finding her neurological truth
On Tuesday 16th August, Jane McNeice, will publish her debut book, a memoir about living for 45 years as undiagnosed Autistic.
From a survey of 750,000 people, Cambridge University established that 87,000 people met the cut off criteria for Autism, illustrating societal numbers of 11.6% Autistic, much higher than the 1.57 actually diagnosed. There are more lost Autistics than found.
Many undiagnosed Autistics are suffering, and their presentation is within mental health services, substance misuse services, and the criminal justice system.
Females are often known to socially mask and hide in plain sight presenting as neurotypical. “I have socially masked so much, and for so long, I even socially mask in my dreams.”
Estimates suggest between 4-23% of people with eating disorder are Autistic. Why are we not screening those with eating disorders for Autism?
Autism is illustrated to be highly genetic, why are we not screening the parents of Autistic children? Two of my diagnosed Autistic children share different fathers, I am the common denominator that illustrates a genetic link.
Myself and my daughter self-identified, then identified Autistic traits in our children. We are now diagnosed, one child is diagnosed, the others are waiting for assessment. Over the years 90+ health care and educational professionals have observed my daughter and me, NONE identified we were Autistic. Knowledge is shockingly poor!
I can pattern spot 78% faster than my neurotypical counterparts, and I can spot other Autistic people, with my very reliable (but not empirical) post-diagnosis neuroscopic ability which I refer to as my Neuroscope!
Why do we need to found? To ease our pain and suffering! To find our identity. You cannot build self-esteem without knowing who you are. Self-identification is a psychological intervention that transforms lives!
The Umbrella Picker tells the true story of a woman who felt lost for 45 years. After a long and relentless journey of searching for answers, the hand of
fate finally revealed to her what she had waited a lifetime for.
The answer was life changing. She is no longer lost, and having found her own, unique way, Jane has written the (brutally honest!) book she wished was available to her years earlier.
If you are feeling lost to yourself, this heartfelt and compelling book may answer your unanswered questions and help you to finally find yourself.
“The fact that you have been so open and honest about your life journey is so inspirational to Autistic women.”
Helen Pass, another ‘Lost Girl’ found
“Jane does not shy away from addressing her own mental health experiences, her fears and feelings of isolation. The reader is left feeling Jane has truly peeled away masking layers to portray her true self through her writing.”
Manar Matusiak from Living Autism, who trained me to be an Autism Champion
The Umbrella Picker will be available on Amazon paperback and Amazon Kindle from 16th August, with an introductory launch day price of £9.99 paperback and £2.99 Kindle. Full price £12.99 paperback, £5.99 Kindle