To understand that Autism is NOT a mental illness?

[Oxfordblue]

Just that really, someone posted that autism is a mental illness.
I understand autism to be a different way of thinking/perceiving etc. Not an illness that one may or may not recover from

(My daughter is waiting for an assessment for autism & I would hate her to feel that she 'has a mental illness' & actually find that statement so disempowering. The world needs people to think differently, to challenge ideas that maybe set in stone & blur the idea that one size fits all.)

Me and my kids mask too, home is our safe place.

I have Asperger's so technically that's a syndrome... I also, however, struggle with my mental health. For me the two are completely intertwined. If I didn't have autism then I don't know if my mental health would had suffered the way it has. For the most part my autism manifests itself as mental illness, sensory processing disorder and communication difficulties.

I think it's up to the individual and how their autism affects them as to how they feel they should be classified. Whatever they choose it is a disability and should be recognised as such.

I am an expert masker. To the point where my mother still doesn't believe that I have autism (diagnosed at 25). I masked at home and at school until I had a complete breakdown at 17 and have been under mental health teams ever since.

@zzzzz it works both ways, you’re making several and serious accusations without foundation and wondering why you’re not getting the response you want?

Your language is emotive and perjorative, you make it clear that you have contempt for anyone who is articulate and autistic and you still play the victim?

Bravo

@thistleamore I think all those on the spectrum should have a voice. Whether that be someone on the spectrum representing themselves or a parent /carer representing someone who cannot share their own experiences. Neither should dismiss the other as both experiences are just as important in my view as they fully represent the autism spectrum as a whole.

Only when we accept that we all have something to give to the debate, will we truly represent what autism really is to the wider public. It is still so misunderstood, all sides of the spectrum must be represented if anything is to change.

I fully understand why these fights happen as we are all so used to having to fight for everything (services, acceptance, the list goes on). All I'm saying is if we fought together instead of against each other maybe we could make a difference to the lives of everyone on the spectrum.

zzzz nobody can realistically hope to establish the complex views that non-communicators might have about political matters, can they?

What matters for those who can’t speak or communicate is advocacy and safeguarding and the best possible provision of services.

Personally, I think combatting the stigma matters.

All I'm saying is if we fought together instead of against each other maybe we could make a difference to the lives of everyone on the spectrum.

I’m not going to make common cause with anyone who insists on talking down to me and calling me disordered.

Sorry. Must be a shocker.

zzz how is standing up saying “don’t call us mentally ill, don’t call us defective, don’t call us disordered. Because we’re not.” Going to do anything but lift everyone’s boats?

That shit, as well as being inaccurate, is what all the stigma and bullying and dismissal is based on.

We’re different (and very different from each other) but we’re valid.

I didn't call you disordered Battleax

No I didn’t mean you personally. I meant as policy.

See, I have absolutely zero issue with you saying “My child has ASC and as a result is non verbal and substantially disabled (or experiences substantial difficulties or whatever phraseology)”.

What I do have an issue with is when I, as an autistic person myself, I say “I have ASC. I find ‘disorder’ rude, ‘condition’ is a more neutral term.” and you then shout me down and tell me that you as an advocate get to have this political conversation on behalf of your child and you know better than me.

I don’t want to be labelled dosordered because some people consider their children disordered. They’re not speaking as people with autism. They’re speaking as carers.

If other people with autism consider themselves disordered I’m happy to discuss that with them, autist to autist and agree disagree.

I prefer disorder to condition, but both can be avoided by just saying autism.

I prefer autistic to with autism, but people have different reasons for their choices. The learning disabled community have been strong advocates for people first language and I'm not going to trample on their self-advocacy.

Can you really not see that using “disorder” as the umbrella term for a large group of people, some of whom reject it, is far more offensive than using “condition” as the umbrella term for a large group of people, some of whom reject it?

I think there are more important things to focus on. Deaths in ATUs, school exclusions, early deaths and so on.

The language used to really bother me, and some terms do still jar, then I pull myself together and remind myself what really matters.

I don’t think you can separate it out like that.

Maybe services would be better if the clients weren’t referred to as “disordered” every other sentence.

I’m sure similar debates were held about “negro”, “sodomites” etc.

So, zzzzz, your advocacy for your child involves shouting down adults with autism who reject perjorative terminology?

Good work 🙄

My DS2 has Aspergers and it impacts greatly on his mental health. Had a to separate as they are closely connected

@zzzzz I really hope that wasn't a reaction to my post and the response from other pps as it's pretty poor otherwise. My DD has found a good support worker she's now communicating with.

She also has severe communication difficulties, she won't speak in public spaces, has shutdowns and meltdowns on a regular basis, has no independence skills at nearly 14 compared to her 11 year old sister. She has been awarded DLA awarded from the age of 11 until she has to transfer to PIP after 16, an EHCP and she attends (not at the moment due to anxiety) an SEN secondary school for children with autism. She's not high functioning by any stretch.