Autistic State of Mind: The chaotic symphony of a late-diagnosed woman's mind

by Kayla Francis

Are you, or someone you love, autistic? Have you ever wondered what it feels like to be inside an autistic mind? Look no further than "Autistic State of Mind."

In this book, the author offers a raw and unfiltered glimpse into her own experience with autism, sharing her thoughts and emotions in real time. With pain, agitation, humor, and solution as her guiding principles, she bares her soul and takes readers on a journey through the often-turbulent waters of neurodivergence.

But this book is more than just a personal account of one woman's struggles. It's a lifeline for those who feel alone in their own chaotic thoughts and emotions. It's a source of comfort and validation for those who have been told their entire lives that they're "weird" or "different." And it's a beacon of hope for those who are just starting to navigate the world of autism.

By reading "Autistic State of Mind," you

Gain a deeper understanding of what it's like to live with autism—both the good and the badLearn how to recognize and cope with the pain and agitation that can come with neurodivergenceCome away with a renewed sense of empathy and compassion for those who experience the world in a different way
Whether you're an autistic individual or the caregiver of someone with autism, this book will help you feel less alone and more empowered.

So don't wait any longer. Buy "Autistic State of Mind" today and start your journey towards a deeper understanding of yourself and those around you. Let the author's chaotic symphony be your guide to a more empathetic and compassionate world.

Genres: Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Nonfiction, Mental Health, Self Help, Psychology

77 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 25, 2023

Reviews

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Relatable, and I liked it, but be aware this is VERY short. It took like half an hour to read.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s so short! A great chapbook read, but it ends abruptly, I wish it was three times as long.

[Angelica · Rating 5 out of 5]

it’s always nice coming across a book that puts what I think/feel into words. this was one of those books

[lowry · Rating 5 out of 5]

consuming literature about autism from actual autistic people (specifically women) is so comforting

[Nomie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A super short read that offers an insight into how many adults with Autism experience things. Highly recommend it, my ADHD brain managed to read it in one sitting 😁

[Denise Nolson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Resonated but.....

As a very late diagnosis autistic woman I found parts of this very useful as they really resonated with me and helped me understand my own autistic traits a little better. So in that way it's a useful read.

But. This is not a book. It's a collection of sentences presented as chapters, at best it's a short essay. An interesting essay that took me about five minutes to read. Really glad I read via kindle unlimited and did not pay actual money for this.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick book that is easy for family members or friends to read to gain a beginning understanding of autism. Raw and real.

[Eliza Elowen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The content in this book was very relatable as a late-diagnosed autistic also with ADHD. I knew it was a short read, but I was hoping for more detail. The format of this book best resembled a chapbook where it had a title and a short description of what that title brought to mind. I had high hopes for this book and would have preferred a more detailed account of what the Autistic State of Mind looked like and more information about what the author's personal experience with Autism looked like from beginning to diagnosis.

[Anna Antus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like this entire book is about me

Somebody who is recently diagnosed at 43 years old everything that you said in this book Is me. Like everything! I feel so seen, heard, understood, cuddly, and seen inside after reading this.

For so long I have heard that I was different, weird, quirky, over analyze things too much, too obsessive, dude, disrespectful, etc. Reading this made me feel like everything people said was "them issue" because I didn't understand how to say it any other way.

[Genny Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

perspective

This book is incredible. As a neurotypical person this gives so much clarity of what life is like for an autistic person. Surprisingly there are a lot of similarities that I find within myself. As a partner of an autistic person I hope that I can provide some form of comfort that allows them to unmask and be their authentic self. Thank you, Kayla, for having the courage to share your experiences.

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting quick read

While I'm undiagnosed, I'm really starting to suspect I'm a highly functional and well masking autistic person... And I related heavily with many sections of this book.

I don't think I struggle as much with ADHD so didn't relate to those areas as much. I wish this book was longer or more educational as I'm wanting to dive deeper and learn more. But if you're are in the wondering stages, it's a quick easy read and will help lean you in that direction.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. It's a short book that gives an example and brief description of how she navigates life as an autistic woman. It's brief and straight to the point. This is actually a great point of reference for anyone that needs validation before diagnosis or needs their symptoms/behaviors listed out to tell a professional or friends/family what they do and why. I will be using this for my therapist and future psychiatry appointment. Everything was me to the T.

[Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting perspective

The most accurate thing the author conveys is that no two persons, whether on the spectrum or not, are exactly the same, even if they are identical twins. Which begs the question Why do people expect uniformity just because you've applied a label trying to name an attribute of human behavior? While I can relate to some of the situations the author describes, other chapters are not relatable to me. But that is precisely what makes us human.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very eye opening

The book is short but it’s the most helpful book I’ve ever read on Adult Female autism. Anyone who has an autistic loved one will greatly benefit from the very personal explanations and experiences of the author. Every page left me thinking, this explains so much. I hope she keeps writing more books on the subject.

[Molly Raskin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t really know how to rate this. I wouldn’t consider it a book or an article. It’s a quick read, less than an hour. At times I wanted her to dive deeper, but the simplicity made some aspects more resonant. It was comforting, like being in good company. 4 stars, I think? But don’t go into this expecting a book. It’s like a 30ish minute read.

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quick read... too quick of a read. Probably 20 minutes. It's basically one autistic woman's random personal thoughts and experiences. Some of them I super related to, others not so much. That's all well and good, but I could have easily gotten these same thoughts off of perusing autistic spaces on Reddit and not paid for a book.

[Layne · Rating 5 out of 5]

great for validation if you were diagnosed late in life

I am very appreciative of this concise book. It is easy to read. Each chapter or topic is usually one page or less (great for my AuDHD). Author has great voice and really goes into habits and quirks of neurodivergent people. Love it.

[victoria carrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you autistic?

Short and clear peeks into the autistic mind. Want to know if you are autistic? Read this book. If you understand and relate to many of these traits, you are autistic.

[Emily Atelier · Rating 3 out of 5]

some funny moments

Very relatable, with some funny thoughts, however I assumed it would be longer with some more deeper passages, but it is literally just sort of feels like diary entries from my own mind, and that’s about it, wish it had more information.

[Anna Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was awesome to read the thoughts of another woman who has similar experiences to mine! It was a nice short read on Kindle. I’m buying a physical copy to keep in my library! 5/5, I’d read again! 💓

[Kris Sims · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it!

As a late diagnosed AuDHDer this book was the best info dump… picture a ton of internal sticky notes of how it feels to process autism and adhd together. Unbelievably validating.

[Lindsay Dutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

So validating

I was diagnosed AuDHD at 39 and this is so incredibly relatable and also bittersweet. I was cracking up while also feeling and processing the continued grief that comes with a late life diagnosis.

[JayleePlanz · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are one in the same

I’m really glad I came across this book because it really pointed out a lot of my own feelings and thoughts on things. Even been 35 years old and noticing things and understanding makes me really feel seen. Thank you for this seriously.

[MRS A L BENNETT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Relateable

A short read but good to find out about another's similar experience. I'm going to ask my husband to read it!

[Richard Dacalos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly relatable

Snippets of thoughts that capture the experience of high masking late diagnosed autistics. A very quick read with quotes to remember.

[Kristina Marchiori · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book isn’t very long and it’s not a story but as someone who not only works with autistic individuals but is also curious about her own neurodiversity, it was a great interesting journey

[Jesanne N. Rall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short but accurate

Explains a lot about reactions and not understanding. Actually shows the confusion by Neuro typical responses. Thanks for the validation

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, felt.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was AMAZING! Perfectly set up for people with ADHD and autism. Not too overwhelming of a book and short but relatable.

[Livia]

thank you kayla for sharing your experiences! i highlighted a lot that i really relate to and seeing other put words on things that i feel but dont always know how to express is really nice