Tag: mental-health
-
Why ‘I Swear’ is a vital film for neurodivergent acceptance

Spoilers and TW: Suicide ‘I Swear’ was different. Often, when it comes to media representation of neurodivergence, there’s a lot left to be desired. Usually, it is based on misinformed and outdated tropes that end up mocking people for their neurodivergence and is created for a neurotypical gaze. Media created for the neurotypical gaze seeks…
-
Why ABA will never be ‘neuroaffirming’

I didn’t think I’d need to write this post, as there have been extensive critiques of ABA from many autistic people before. However, I am concerned by the rise of people trying to rebrand ABA as ‘neuroaffirming’, which I don’t think is being talked enough about or called out. So here is why ABA will…
-
AuDHD and my experiences of monotropism

*Please not I am speaking entirely from personal experiences and not seeking to make universal claims about autism, ADHD, AuDHD and monotropism Monotropism is a theory that was created by Dinah Murray and Wenn Lawson to describe autistic people’s experiences when it comes to attention. Those who are monotropic seem to be able to hyperfocus…
-
The Impact of Labels: Why Autism and ADHD Matter

And what the Age of Diagnosis got wrong! There is a lot of fear mongering around people identifying with autism and ADHD as labels. It’s been going on in the media for a while now, but it’s been amplified with the recent publication of the book ‘Age of Diagnosis’. The author questions the rising diagnosis…
-
Why I See My Autism as a Disability, Not a Disorder

There’s a lot of talk when it comes to autism and language. It’s a conversation I engage a lot in too, sometimes by choice but other times by necessity. However, one thing people struggle to understand is that I consider my autism a disability, but not a disorder. It’s probably best to start with explaining…
-
New Sims 4 Autism Mod Review

*Please note some of the language used in this mod conflicts with my own views. I do not support disorder and deficit based narratives of autism. These terms will only be used when I am directly quoting from the mods description and content* So several years ago now I came across an autism mod and…
-
Spectrum 10K Has Been Stopped: So Why Am I Still Worried?

Since the second it was announced back in 2021 now, Spectrum 10K has been a controversial study to say the least, with many autistic people worried about the wider ramification if it went ahead. Many of us spoke out, started boycott campaigns and even protested over the study. When reading the initial launch of the…
-
Why Social Skills Training Fails Autistic People

For several decades now, many have sold the idea that autistic people need “social skills training” in order to “overcome” social “deficits”. While there is no denying that as autistic people, we have differences in social communication which often creates additional challenges in our daily lives, I don’t believe that social skills training is the…
-
Avoiding Ableism Towards Your Autistic Family Members This Christmas

Christmas is supposed to be a happy and joyful time for all at the end of each calendar years. However, when you’re autistic this can be more challenging as Christmas is often filled with social norms that are not accessible for us. Personally, I enjoy Christmas overall, but there are certainly parts of Christmas I…
-
Opinion: Is Elphaba in Wicked autistic?

CW: Spoilers Wicked seems to be dominating the conversation online. Rightly so, I saw the film yesterday and it’s truly a masterpiece (I don’t say that lightly either). One conversation I have seen in several places on the internet is if Elphaba is autistic? I had been aware of people asking this question for a…