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Main features of the presentation

1. My personal history and the history of my book:

A hole where your heart is. Loneliness in autistic people.*

2. The structure of the book

i The introductory part (4 chapters)

ii The main part in which some 20 autististic people tell about their experiences with feelings of loneliness (or the absence of such feelings)

iii Visits to institutions for professional care and interviews with professionals

iv Results and recommendations

3. Experiences of autistic people with feelings of loneliness (based on part ii of the book)

4. Some other results from the study among autistic people (based on parts ii and iv of the book)

i How they see the future

ii What gives them comfort or hope

iii What, according to the interviewees, autistic people and non-autistic people can do for each other in order to make living with each other easier

5. Final conclusions (based on parts ii, iii and iv of the book)

Main results as dealt with in the presentation:

1. Not all autistic people feel lonely.

2. Those who do feel lonely, have less contacts (friendships etc.) than they would like to have. This is due to:

i their lack of skills in starting and maintaining contacts

ii the fact that they cannot handle a large number of contacts

iii the fact that many of them seek depth, which you can only find in a small number of relationships

3. Many of them feel more lonely when in company than when alone.

4. For many of them, pleasant and useful pursuits are a better remedy against feelings of loneliness than human company.

5. Company in the background, however, is appreciated.

6. The loneliness of autistic people seems to be fundamental in character.

7. Most interviewees are pessimistic about the future. This regards their personal situation as well as developments in society.

8. Comfort and hope are found in faith, nature, music, or eating (sweets). Some interviewees still hope to find a job or a spouse.

9. Autistic people would like to receive understanding, recognition and support from non-autistic people. Some of the interviewees try very hard to adapt to the people around them. Almost all of them are willing to explain about ASD, either to a small circle of people they trust, or by writing or giving lectures about ASD.

10. Comparing the needs of autistic people with the professional help that is offered, the conclusion is that especially autistic people above a certain age (25-30) do not yet receive the help they need.

Taken from Autscape:- *** See other presenations at:-http://www.autscape.org/programme/presentations.html