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Autistic Traveler Interviews: A Special Interest in Arranging
Welcome to this interview series with fellow autistic adults. Some will be guest posts, and others will be interviews on the highs and lows of autistic travel and everything in between.
Lisa Guard is a married mother of two who lives in Wales and was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome and ADHD in her early thirties.
1. Tell us about your background.
I’m an only child, and growing up, I knew I was different from the rest of my peers early on. I was bullied for most of my school life, left school earlier than I should have, and did poorly in my final exams. I flitted in and out of jobs after leaving college ended up in some bad relationships, struggled with addiction, and became a single parent at 21.
I’ve never been able to hold down a job long-term apart from when I was able to work from home for seven years. Once COVID hit, my mental health took yet another nosedive. I had my third breakdown and finally got diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome because my father paid for the assessment. I’ve been unemployed for the last three years due to my mental health and continue to try and improve my quality of life after struggling with being undiagnosed for so long.
