HELPING THE AUTISTIC COMMUNITY IS MY LIFE GOAL
Daniel Jones, 37, from Anglesey, North Wales, was diagnosed with autism at the age of 26. He now runs The Aspie World channel on Youtube
As a child, I was extremely socially inept. I didn’t have any friends,” Daniel says. “I just stayed inside and played on the computer. I had lots of social and emotional issues as a kid, and I was just absolutely terrified to go to school.”
Daniel is now a successful Youtuber running The Aspie World – the largest channel dedicated to autism awareness – but, as a child he found the outside world overwhelming.
“One reason was the social interaction, I didn’t know the intentions of other people. The second thing is extremely heightened sensory processes – my sensitivity to things. It’s like a zoo of noise. It’s hard when you can’t ground yourself.”
Daniel, who is also the author of Autism for Adults: An Approachable Guide to Living Excellently on the Spectrum, is also very particular about food and at one point would only eat a Sunday roast for every meal.
But he says autism means he has laser-sharp focus.
Even as a young child, he could rewire electronics, he has taught himself to play many musical instruments and has an incredible memory. Being diagnosed as autistic made him feel like a weight had been lifted.
“It can be crippling when you feel like you’re weird, or you’re an outcast. It was so liberating because I was like,
‘Oh my goodness. I’m not a complete freak.’”
Due to the long waiting lists, Daniel has teamed up with psychologists and is building an affordable platform for people to get diagnosed quicker.
“I want to help the community as much as I possibly can,” he says. “It’s my life goal.