Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity by Devon Price

12 reviews

arialovegreen's review

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

I really don't know what to say. This book is life-changing. 

At the prologue of alienation, I related so much to Dr. Price's description of his own life up to the point of discovering he is autistic that it brought me to tears. I laughed at the quotes from the interviewees, delighted by their view of the world and how similar it is to my own. I re-thought my previous behaviors and patterns of thinking through entirely new lenses. And I cried again at ending as it tied everything back full circle with the opposite of alienation: integration. But this time out of joy. 

It's safe to say I smiled, cried, processed, and re-considered a *lot* while taking in this book. 

Unmasking Autism is an essential read for everyone, in my opinion. Especially, of course, for autistic people and the people that love them. This book has utterly shifted my perspective on myself and my career. It has shifted my view on the world, the social systems and backgrounds of disability. 

Dr. Devon Price is an excellent writer in structure and voice. He synthesizes research with lived experiences to paint a beautiful and expansive portrait of neurodiversity and what the world could be if we lived its values and ideas. He openly engages in critical thinking and self-reflection as he helps guide the reader through each informational point. His candor shines as he speaks on his own experiences and opinions regarding the information he reviews. 

Okay. Maybe I *did* know what to say. But honestly, this review feels like small chops compared to how impactful the experience of this book was to me. My life is better for reading this book. 

Dr. Price, if you're reading this by some strange chance: thank you. Thank you for writing this. I doubt you hardly need such confirmation, but this book has made my life infinitely better for having read it. Even if only for the sheer fact that it made me feel immensely seen and heard. It is a stark reminder that I am not alone in my experiences. And hopefully it will reach even further as I incorporate it into my interactions with others, both personally and professionally. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Racism, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, and Police brutality

feminerdity's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Alcoholism, Drug use, Police brutality, Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Toxic friendship, Pandemic/Epidemic, Medical trauma, Addiction, Classism, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Homophobia, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Genocide, Grief, Racism, Transphobia, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Drug abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Toxic relationship

bi_n_large's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism and Medical trauma

Moderate: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Homophobia, Transphobia, Racism, Drug abuse, Addiction, and Sexism

Minor: Sexual violence and Police brutality

eldritch_ace's review

emotional informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Eating disorder, Racism, Misogyny, and Ableism

Minor: Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Dysphoria, Police brutality, Forced institutionalization, Transphobia, Fatphobia, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Chronic illness, and Toxic relationship

maddelpop's review

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Minor: Dysphoria, Drug abuse, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Self harm, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Transphobia, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Medical trauma, Homophobia, Drug use, Chronic illness, Classism, Addiction, and Ableism

ryyyaaan's review

challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

This book is wonderful. To any autistic person or anyone with friends, family members, or loved ones who are autistic, you should read this. I feel so seen. I feel like I understand myself and my disability better. I feel more okay with myself.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Alcoholism, Hate crime, Sexism, Classism, Mental illness, and Ableism

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Toxic friendship, Transphobia, Bullying, Body shaming, Child abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Cursing, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Hate crime, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Racism

kjoli's review

challenging informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Fatphobia, Addiction, Ableism, Dysphoria, Mental illness, Drug use, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Racism, Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Police brutality, Bullying, Drug abuse, and Gaslighting

katharina90's review against another edition

hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

A really wonderful resource that I imagine is super validating and affirming for folks on the spectrum. Lots of great exercises. 

I really appreciated the suggestions on how to make public spaces more sensory-friendly and how to make our world more accessible in general.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Racism, Bullying, Drug abuse, Ableism, Chronic illness, and Transphobia

zombiezami's review against another edition

hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Bullying, Ableism, and Eating disorder

Moderate: Chronic illness, Confinement, Medical content, Sexism, Torture, Transphobia, Colonisation, Mental illness, Biphobia, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Medical trauma, Racism, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Classism, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Colonisation, Sexual harassment, Pandemic/Epidemic, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Vomit, Cursing, Domestic abuse, and Police brutality

jenny_librarian's review

challenging informative inspiring medium-paced

4.5

A very interesting book about being autistic and learning to unmask and accept yourself.

Seeking an autism diagnosis as an adult is extremely difficult. Most people who don’t realize they are autistic before adulthood have low support needs, and have been masking all their life. It makes it incredibly hard then to figure out which parts of you are the mask and which are your true self. Despite the numerous green sticky notes I used when relating to autistic traits mentioned, I gaslighted myself throughout the whole thing, figuring that since I didn’t have it “that bad”, I must be appropriating an identity that wasn’t mine.

This book was illuminating on some points, but should definitely be used as part of a larger research if you think you are on the spectrum. It did include BIPOC and queer perspectives as well as those from people with other disabilities, something that not enough books and research do.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Child abuse, Ableism, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, Eating disorder, Medical content, Gaslighting, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Genocide, Homophobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Chronic illness, Dysphoria, Transphobia, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Classism, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Racism, Emotional abuse, Police brutality, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Infertility, Suicide, and Slavery