New Year's Eve always makes me feel that 'compulsory gratefulness' for being alive is toxic. For many mentally ill/chronically ill/neurodivergent/traumatised people, we either don't want to be alive or feel ambivalent about it. And that's okay - there's nothing shameful about it.

You are still a valid mentally ill person even if you:

• Have never been in hospital

• Have never been detained under the Mental Health Act

• Do not take medication

• Are not in receipt of disability benefits

• Are unable to access therapy

• Have no diagnosis

Insisting that neurodivergent people must only show their strengths and not their struggles is another form of ableism. Superpower narrative can be as damaging as excessive focus on deficits.

one of my least favorite things is when this gets pathologized into some sort of “procrastinating sleep to avoid the next day” when it’s usually that I need an equivalent amount of time to regulate as I spent being dysregulated 🤷🏻‍♀️

Assessments for identifying autism & ADHD can be complicated - I've had 4.

ADHD 1: 'your ADHD traits are actually DID, I think you're autistic'

Autism 1: 'you're autistic, I also think you're ADHD'

ADHD 2: 'you're ADHD'

ADHD 3: 'you're ADHD'

Diagnosis is not always simple.

As a neurodivergent person, after a particularly sociable day I often feel an uncontrollable need to stay up all night long.

During the night I value the quiet, the darkness, the lack of sensory input, the time alone, the absence of demands placed upon me, the ability to unmask.

On social media, I keep seeing typically autistic traits being attributed to ADHD.

I find it really confusing as to me - an autistic ADHDer - they are very different.

Can anyone explain this?

/genuine question

I've started pulling my hair out again after six months pull-free.

I have to remind myself that trichotillomania is not a moral failure, it's a sensorily gratifying & regulating stim (for me).

Whilst I'd love to have my own long, luscious hair... hair is *just* hair I guess.

Autistic people are often criticised for reading too much into things and catastrophising. People don't want to listen despite our predictions being pretty accurate thanks to our pattern recognition abilities. I think the real issue is we often highlight what others want hidden.

I want to try some Loop earplugs but can't decide between 'Engage' & 'Experience'.

Does anyone who has used them have any thoughts?

Same - please don’t. My autism isn’t a handbag

A relative who is an NHS doctor just did some autism & learning disability training that taught that autistic people prefer being called 'people with autism'.

This really highlights the need for genuinely autistic-led training.

Please never call me a 'person with autism'.

I'm spending this Christmas day with people - but usually I spend it alone.

Being autistic, I find spending Christmas day alone easier because there is no:

- Enforced fun
- Pressure to eat food I don't like
- Intense socialising
- Expectation to react in a certain way to gifts

All too often, certain 'experts by experience' are chosen for the role because they validate exactly what the organisation wants to hear.

Many organisations don't want to hear from those of us who are jaded due to iatrogenic harm & willing to call out bad practice & abuse.

Hot off the press! Published online this month
Courtesy of Richard J. Loewenstein, M.D.
drive.google.com/file/d/1B2JD73…

Criminalisation - including arrest, prosecution, and punishment (including prison) following attempted suicide is more common in the UK than most people think. Those working in suicide prevention and mental health who say the UK has ‘decriminalised suicide’ need to look again.

I’m going to start posting some of the ridiculous targets I see in #OT #SLT #EdPsychology reports.
These will be shared with permission only and will be anon’d
I hope this raises awareness of the #Trauma that #Autistic #SEN children are being faced with every day as ‘support’ 🧵

Hands up if you've ever continued to see a therapist you knew was abusive as you knew if you walked away, you'd be deemed:

• Difficult
• Non-compliant
• As not really wanting to improve your mental health
• Entitled

I know I have continued with such therapy for this reason.

NO ONE has the right to re-write our trauma in their own context without permission #CSA #CSE

You are still a valid autistic person even if you:

• Are not formally diagnosed

• Like trying new food

• Enjoy socialising

• Do not have noticeable stims

• Are an extrovert

• Feel deep empathy towards other people

• Use sarcasm often

• Understand idioms