Fiction published in Psychological Perspectives

My short piece of fiction entitled “The School Bus” has just been published in the journal Psychological Perspectives. It is a conversation between a teenager and his psychiatrist that explores his thoughts about death and the macabre.

One of the main points I wanted to get across here is that death can become metaphoric in the life of a neurodivergent teenager, to soothe what can feel like a barrage of sensory assaults from everyday interactions. Solitude and the absence of sensory stimulation is crucial for the mental wellbeing of those with autism and/or ADHD, and associations that place themselves strongly with this relief are likely to be celebrated by the neurodivergent.

There is now some research showing why those with autism are drawn towards goth culture, as “goth metanarratives explore themes of loss, absence, and marginalization.”

Cultures, the world over, usually have a lot to say about death and dying, but I think it is important to understand what they mean in the life of those with depressive and anxious pathologies. When thoughts of death are contextualized within mental health, the conversation quickly moves to suicide and suicidal ideation, and given the inherent liability within these discussions, messaging can often be brief before it finishes with the number of a hotline.

I would advocate that anyone experiencing a drive to end their own life seek the help of close friends and family or a trained therapist, but I also think if we are to understand the pain of others we need to spend more time in these spaces.

Fiction is a great way to do that.