AutTreats

AutTreats is a subscription box specifically designed for us Autistics to treat ourself in stimmy ways, explore who we are and to celebrate it #ActuallyAutistic

[Neurodivergent Dr @autisticdoc]

Education assistant told my disabled kid no help to carry their backpack on a school excursion. “Because you don’t have a physical disability”

Firstly, they do have physical disabilities (hypermobility, joint instability, pain, autonomic dysfunction).

Secondly…

[Emily♡ @ItsEmilyKaty]

Stop forcing neurodivergent kids to make eye contact.

Stop forcing neurodivergent kids to sit still.

Stop forcing neurodivergent kids to sit ‘normally’.

Stop forcing neurodivergent kids to endure situations which harm them.

[AutTreats @AutTreats]

How is this still happening? If it’s this abysmal for a campaigner/celeb like Tanni- what hope is there?!

[Tanni Grey-Thompson @Tanni_GT]

At 22.17 (train got in at 22.02) I decided to crawl off. Had to move all my stuff onto the platform. Member of cleaning staff offered to help. They’re not insured.

[AutTreats @AutTreats]

@Tanni_GT I thought pass assist was only appalling for those of us with hidden disabilities (nearly missed a train due to them) each time I use them at St Pancras they’re more stress than going without ‘support’. I cannot begin to imagine ur https://t.co/CwDL4iEYnm is this still happening?

[AutTreats @AutTreats]

Absolutely awful new system from @altontowers. Booked an overnight stay as a treat. Already have an access card and RAP card. Totally unable to book as the month is fully booked. So what are we meant to do - other than cancel the whole trip? What’s the point in having the card?

[AutTreats @AutTreats]

Really good thread

[Emily♡ @ItsEmilyKaty]

The misdiagnosis of autistic distress in the mental health system. A thread. 🧵

When I am asked why I wrote Girl Unmasked, I say that I was angry. Which is true...

[AutTreats @AutTreats]

@5_News @mrdanwalker @PrifWeinidog He ought to ‘lose control’ more often - saying what we all think! Well done for having some passion and clarity instead of usual political soundbites!

[AutTreats @AutTreats]

@ValueRaider @LvtLoshi @stuzi_pants @Jax59320579 Please don’t use autism as a reason for these horrendous views. As the autistic community is more likely to be part of the LGBQT1A+ community we are more likely to disagree with this bigot. They are just an ignorant troll. Severely ignorant. Severely bigoted. Severely w@nky. Yes.

[AutTreats @AutTreats]

This is something else!!

[Elissa Noves @ElissaNoves]

Thank you everyone who has shared, commented and complained about the conduct of the Cllrs at the @Warwickshire_CC scrutiny meeting. I've been made aware that Cllr Golby has claimed that the sharing of her comments and the offensive and hurt this has caused is "harassment". She blocked me after I shared my thread so I haven't seen her statement. I have seen no harassment, only shock and hurt. Elected Officials should be held to a high standard. When they fail in their duties, break their code of conduct and cause harm to the people they represent, they should be held to account. This would be the case in any position but it is especially important in politics. It may have been a shock to Cllr Golby to be held to account over her actions. A knee jerk defensive response has followed. She should now reflect on her actions and whether she is the right person to represent her constituents. I hope an apology will follow.

[AutTreats @AutTreats]

@ElissaNoves @Warwickshire_CC I cannot adequately express my disgust and absolute shock over these comments.

[Naomi Fisher @naomicfisher]

Should we listen to distressed children? One of the comments levelled at me over the last few days is that the views of the children I see don’t count, because they have mental health problems and therefore by definition their emotional reactions are excessive. My job, goes the argument, is to help them see that they are engaging in thinking errors and therefore to reduce their anxiety so they can return to school and everything can carry on as before.

This is exactly the reason why I am speaking up. I’m concerned that by defining the distress of young people as a mental health problem, we make the assumption that they are irrational. We locate the problem in them. We assume that they are wrong to feel the way they do. No matter how developmentally inappropriate the requirements of a school might be. No matter how controlling a school environment is. No matter how many more tests are introduced. The child’s reactions have been effectively neutralised, turned into something which must be treated. That’s what I have been asked to do as a psychologist. Fix the child, so they return to school without complaining and stop waking up at night worrying or being disruptive.

It doesn’t work like that. Mental health doesn’t exist in a vacuum. If you’re in an environment which causes you serious ongoing stress and you have no power to change that or ability to leave, then you are going to feel anxious or depressed. Many adults experience this in unhealthy work environments. Psychology can’t and shouldn’t try to make natural emotional responses go away. Our emotions are important. Distress doesn’t always mean there’s something wrong with a person. It can mean that the environment isn’t working for them, and something needs to change.

We treat children’s distress as the problem, and I’m saying what if in fact they are pointing out a problem - and the rest of us aren’t listening?

(Illustration by @_MissingTheMark)

[Dr Carrie Grant MBE (hc) 💙 @CarrieGrant1]

School attendance difficulties: 92.1% neurodivergent 83.4% autistic - @educationgovuk this pic is exactly what masking looks like. @AFNCCF surely you know this. #tonedeaf It’s us parents who mop up the trauma school causes. Our children deserve better. #SEND #Autism 1/2

[Emily♡ @ItsEmilyKaty]

Not sure why it’s said that school years are the best years of your life when there are so many of us much, much happier now we aren’t forced into such an anxiety-inducing environment every day. #NotASchoolSkiver

[AutTreats @AutTreats]

Ah congratulations. Your child has learned their anxiety should be ignored. Their feelings should be ignored. They should just get on with it to not let school of parent down. .. They’ve now become an expert at masking!!

[AutTreats @AutTreats]

Think you just did. 🙄

[AutTreats @AutTreats]

@Mollys_ADHD I agree!
I think what is meant by comfort zones is them meaning - you need to do X without us making accommodations for you to be able to do it with the least negative impact on you…

[Autistic Lauren 🏳️‍⚧️ 🏳️‍🌈 @Autistic_Lauren]

Supermarkets be like "We've introduced Autism Hours to make shopping more accessible for autistic people, but only at the most inaccessible hours"

[AutTreats @AutTreats]

@traceynewbold11 @RachelCurtis82 Unfortunately right wing rhetoric focuses on everything being someone’s fault (anyone other than the govt), first immigrants, next disabled/those on benefits. Lots of people feeling hard done to will swallow it.

[ADHD Designer 🟣👩🏻‍💻 @ADHDdesigner]

Me: I have ADHD and getting things done is hard

Also me: Aiming to finish all 100 items on my to-do list today is a totally reasonable goal

[Autistic Girls Network @AutisticGirls_]

We suspect many of our followers have had to fight for an EHCP, whether going all the way to tribunal or going to mediation or insisting on appropriate (and not meaningless) wording.
Here's your chance to tell @BBCWomansHour about it.