An Autistic Male’s Eating Disorder Recovery Story w/ Mike Napier

Growing up undiagnosed autistic, earliest memories painted by depression, and history of suicidal thoughts

The masking of autistic traits, depression, and mental illness from family

Development of anorexia by way of autistic special interest and as a coping mechanism for depression

Eating as a little known autistic stim. The realization that previous poor relationships with food stemmed heavily from a need to use food as a sensory override and finding self-soothing elsewhere

Using the all-sensory experience of taste, texture, and chewing, and how using chewelry as an adult is nothing to be ashamed of

The potential benefits of mindful eating as a way to aid improvement of eating-related stimming

The stigma and societal attitudes on men with eating disorders, particularly anorexia, and how it led to an incorrect diagnosis of binge eating disorder (BED), and a worsening of symptoms

How the lack of research on males with restrictive eating disorders caused medical complications

How small changes to neutral gender language and specifying when you're discussing gender differences can completely change recovery for men and those beyond the binary

Why mental illness does not discriminate and how language use has the potential to discount a whole sections of sufferers

His advice and personal philosophy to anyone struggling and needing a little hope or joy to grasp onto