Brave Andrew shares film about his autism to raise awareness

But rather than avoid social situations, the 24-year-old from Carlisle is seeking to raise awareness and help others to understand how an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects his daily life.

"I was diagnosed in March 2015," said Andrew. "My doctor put me forward for assessment after a bad patch. I was worrying and upset nearly every single minute.

"The diagnosis came as a bit of a shock but everything started to make sense. I was sort of relieved - I knew that there was something wrong with me but I didn't know what it was."

ASD covers a range of conditions, affecting each person differently.

Andrew added: "I find a lot of things difficult. Doing anything new, speaking on the telephone, or holding conversations with people - even the people I know."

This is not the first time he’s made a video about his condition, originally informing his friends and family of his diagnosis by sharing one on Facebook. "It made sense to just tell everyone all at once. I got a lot of positive responses," he explained.

Now he has made a new film with the help of Fixers - the campaign to give young people a voice. It shares five points about autism and how it affects Andrew personally.

"There are a lot of stereotypes of autism and it’s not always as severe as you see on TV," he said.

"Everyone is different. For me it’s a communication difficulty. I don’t have a learning difficulty. My brain is just wired a little differently."

As a result, Andrew said he suffered from bullying at secondary school - and that is the age group he now hopes to educate.

"My Fixers project is aimed at people aged eight to 18. I hope it helps them to understand autism, so they are less likely to bully others."

The film also highlights the positives autism can bring.

Andrew, who has a 21-year-old girlfriend, Becky, said: "I have a brilliant memory for facts and statistics.

"I have good hopes for the future. I hope to be happy with my life, and maybe find a job in mathematics."