LIFE began to make sense for Olly Carmichael when he was diagnosed with autism at the age of 25. It was the key to understanding him and the beginning of his recovery. He speaks to health reporter Kate Liptrot.
BY the time Olly Carmichael reached the age of 25 he had started to despair he would ever feel better.
Having suffered from mental health problems for ten years and being diagnosed with a number of conditions - including an incorrect diagnosis of borderline personality disorder - he had found himself in residential treatment for an eating disorder.
But the English graduate wasn't making any progress and was considered disruptive by others at The Retreat in York.
He said: "For the first six months I made no progress at all, I could be really disruptive because I kept having meltdowns when I would take out my anger towards myself or objects. I spent a lot of time moving around, I had high anxiety.
"I had made no progress, it looked like I might have to leave the ward as I was too disruptive. "
For Olly, the feelings of isolation and frustration he was experiencing had been a recurring theme.
As a youngster he had struggled with school. "I can struggle to socialise and could get angry quickly and struggle with emotion regulation, Olly said, "It got to the point where I refused to go to school. I felt alienated."
But his life was completely turned around at The Retreat when a psychiatrist spotted one of the tell tale traits of autism.
The only thing that could halt one of Olly's meltdowns was a hug, and Dr Andrea Brown considered that for many people with autism, pressure can de-escalate emotional overload.
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Ollys long road to recovery