Autism Spectrum Stories
Millions of people live with autism spectrum disorders all over the world, and this page is dedicated to sharing a wide range of personal autism spectrum stories. Autism spectrum disorders begin in childhood and are often characterized by persistent impairments in the realms of social communication and interaction with others.
Autism exists on a spectrum, hence the term “autism spectrum disorders.” Autism spectrum disorders impact people who live with them in myriad ways, from the incidental to the consequential.
While definitions and diagnostic criteria related to autism spectrum disorders change all the time, one thing that doesn’t change is the power of autism spectrum stories. Autism spectrum stories help educate, autism spectrum stories help diminish stigma, autism spectrum stories help us understand. Whether through film, podcast episodes, or personal essays, the autism spectrum stories you will find on Recovery Diaries are a moving window into the hearts and minds of individuals living with autism spectrum disorders. In fact, our organization was founded by an individual who lives with Asperger’s syndrome, now grouped in the DSM under a broader label of autism spectrum disorders. Telling autism spectrum stories is deeply embedded in our DNA here at Recovery Diaries, and our commitment to honoring this population through creative storytelling is as strong as ever.
Subscribe to Our YouTube Channel
We are confident that you will gain so much from learning about, for instance, Reed Smith, a young filmmaker and screenwriter who lives with autism. We made a film about Reed in 2017 and brought him back in 2025 for an interview on our podcast, “Recovery Diaries in Depth.” Pre-COVID, we traveled to New York City to review a production of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime.” One side of this dual review was written by our founder, Bud Clayman, who brings his unique insights, thoughts, and feelings to this production. There is always something new and exciting to explore related to autism recovery stories, and it’s all right here.
The Kid’s Alright, or Close Enough; My Asperger’s Diagnosis
Rachael grew up with a feeling that she was different from others. She experienced anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder symptoms and had regular meltdowns. Eventually these things turned into a problem with substance abuse. Her inability to adapt to change and childhood anxiety created a barrier, how Rachael’s diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome in adulthood helped her to understand her past and gain a newfound stability. Once, Rachael could understand what was going in her mind, she was able to take back control of her life. Read more about Rachael’s story!
Becoming Your Own Best Friend for Your Mental Health
When it comes to mental health, how we can become our own best friend in 2018? Here’s what we came up with. Happy New Year to you, friend.
Episode 10 – An Autism, Asperger’s Doctor with a Son on the Spectrum
Dr. Robert Naseef can’t alter the fact that he has a son on the spectrum, but he has evolved in the ways in which he copes with his son’s disability.
A Screenwriter’s Story – Living With Autism
Reed would love to see a dramatic feature that explores a wide range of experiences of characters who live with autism – not just supporting characters.
22 Mental Health Podcasts
In celebration of our new podcast, we’ve rounded up 22 mental health podcasts that are doing their part to #buststigma around mental illness.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
I live with Asperger’s Syndrome. Recently, I had the privilege to see The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, a play about that same subject.
Lessons From A Year Well-Lived
A recap of the 5 most popular posts on OC87 Recovery Diaries from 2014 plus the OC87 Recovery Diaries team shares what helped us along throughout the year.
Learning To Trust Again
As someone with Asperger’s Syndrome, it’s very difficult for me to take the perspective of other people. Recently, I made a breakthrough in this area.
“Happy” Documentary: A Conversation
OC87 co-directors Bud Clayman and Glenn Holsten review the Happy documentary by Roko Belic from mental health and filmmaker perspectives.
The Perfect Storm
Bud Clayman, from the documentary OC87, talks about his experience with Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) therapy while at the International OCD Conference
Sprout Film Festival
Anthony Di Salvo talks about Sprout Film Festival, vacations for people with developmental disabilities, and Sproutflix, a new movies on demand platform.
David & Lisa
While I haven’t been diagnosed with Haphephobia (a fear of having your personal space violated), I do have a tough time being hugged.
Ordinary People
At the time I saw Ordinary People, I was in the midst of major depression and going through a lot of turmoil in my life. I was only nineteen years old.
Stephanie Sikora & Equine Therapy For Mental Health
Stephanie has amazingly coped with her disorder through her love of equine therapy for mental health. Her trust in horses has allowed her to trust people.
The OC87 Movie
Behind the scenes of Bud Clayman’s documentary OC87: The Obsessive Compulsive, Major Depression, Bipolar, Asperger’s Movie.