Hi, I'm laura I'm 17 and was diagnosed with (High Functioning) autism last year. All through school I have been bullied and outcasted , I changed 7 different secondary schools and was only in college for a week, due to bullying (and me hanging out in the toilets as my anxiety got so bad) and in 2014 my anxiety got worse than ever, I started attempting suicide... and was referred by my GP to CAMHS (child and adolescent mental health services) I was admitted to 7 different psychiatric hospitals and had 24 suicide attempts since then, with the bullying continuing, I have only stopped seeing my psychiatrist/going to camhs about a month ago (because I keep refusing and ignoring the calls) and I will ask my GP when I next see him to refer me to an Autism specialist who can also help me with my mental health difficulties. This week I started volunteering at a scope charity shop (as before that I wasn't doing anything, just sitting at home because my anxiety, and depression in the past, was so bad) but I decided to volunteer there because autism is an "invisible" disability and scope supports disabilities, but I have been extremely happy and calm there (for once) and have been welcomed and accepted! I love it, it's like my second home! So yeah! That sums me up, I can't wait to meet the rest of you! 

Laura