The ASD thread (Autism Spectrum Disorder)

[Dougella]

"Dinosaur review - autism sitcom thrills with jokes about loyalty cards and thrush."

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-r...rds-and-thrush

A new comedy about two sisters who are autistic (the writer is autistic). On BBC iPlayer.

[Bluebear]

Originally Posted by Sunrise

What help is actually available once you get a diagnosis?

I've actually head stories about people losing access to mental health services after an autism diagnosis.

Is seeking a diagnosis more about finally putting a name to what is wrong with you? I'm not sure I'd find that helpful. I'm still going to have these difficulties no matter what name you call it. I wouldn't see it as some sort of massive revelation and it wouldn't change how I feel about myself.

I was thinking exactly this. Discharging immediately after giving the label is not exactly helpful, for everyone.

[Bluebear]

Originally Posted by horseblanket

Sounds like emotional unstable personality disorder, the whole discharge you as soon as they give you the label ..... Sigh

As you will find if you search online, DBT is the gold standard treatment for ''emotionally unstable personality disorder'' aka borderline personality disorder.

Due to the inadequacy of the ''services'' they discharge people having slapped a label on them, people who have a ''treatable'' disorder.

[Sunrise]

Any of the symptoms I could be treated for wouldn't really be symptoms of autism. They would probably be loosely linked to it, but the things I struggle with are all mental health related.

The thought that an autism diagnosis would result in me being less likely to be offered mental health support is worrying. I don't understand why people are losing access to mental health services when given a diagnosis. Why? Does it make you more treatment resistant to the usual CBT approach? I wouldn't be asking them to "cure" autism, it's the additional mental health issues that I would seeking treatment for.

I have already been diagnosed with BPD (as they used to call it). Apart from DBT based group therapy which wasn't that helpful. The BPD is what causes me the most distress. I don't really want to lose that diagnosis and be told that it's just who I am and I'm just "different".

Don't get me started on "workplace adjustments". A diagnosis would just mean HR departments now have to be more creative when ****ing you over. If a company want's rid they'll still find a way. Whether it's discrimination or not normally depends on how good a solicitor you can afford. "Workplace adjustments" tend to mean subtlety making your life a living hell until you finally quit.

[Dougella]

^ I'm not sure either.

[horseblanket]

Originally Posted by Bluebear

As you will find if you search online, DBT is the gold standard treatment for ''emotionally unstable personality disorder'' aka borderline personality disorder.

Due to the inadequacy of the ''services'' they discharge people having slapped a label on them, people who have a ''treatable'' disorder.

its cause i have learning difficulties as well, they decided to "discharge" me to learning disability services then learning disability services decided they can't help and sent me back to mental health services, who sent me back to learning disability services - keep repeating until you give up .........

[biscuits]

^ have you tired contacting PALS to let them know?

[horseblanket]

Originally Posted by biscuits

^ have you tired contacting PALS to let them know?

I think we told them back in 2012 but I don't remember for sure, I gave up cause the excuse both would give is "oh you got emotional unstable personality disorder/learning disabilities (delete as appropriate) we can't help with that one" they seem unable to work together

[biscuits]

So sorry that you e experienced all this. It's pretty shocking.

[billy_brown]

Does anyone have any helpful book recommendations that offer any useful insight into autism? I've got The Autistic Brain by Temple Grandin which seems authoritative but more of an academic minded breakdown of things. It's a bit dry and my reading glands have dried up at the minute. I think I'm looking for something more about lived experience.

[Dougella]

^ Chris Packham has an autobiography which is very good.

[billy_brown]

^ Completely forgot about Chris, that sounds like just what I'm looking for, thankyou.

[Bluebear]

Unmasked by Ellie Middleton

She states why self diagnosis is completely valid

Plenty of lived experience in this book

[biscuits]

^ I second this recommendation.

It's on Spotify - if you have that. She narrates the book.

[billy_brown]

I was having a look at that (well the cover blurb anyway) in a bookshop yesterday, i shall heed your double recommendation, ta.

[Dougella]

Fern Brady

"Autistic in a non-autistic world."
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-DLkVQj8N34&t=637s

(Bit of a trigger warning at about the 1 hour mark as she talks about her suicide attempts.)

[Sunrise]

An interesting video, and it's made me think about how autism is represented in popular culture and I think it's pretty awful really. You just tend to think of ridiculous caricatures like Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory who to me wouldn't be a typical representation of an autistic person because I don't think there really is such a thing. It can affect people with a much wider range of personality types than tends to be represented, and certain symptoms will affect some people more than others which is something that isn't really shown. And the social awkward genius stereotype does my head in, I think it's actually really damaging and is the sort of thing that can stop people seeking a diagnosis or support because they're not a geeky caricature.

I'd class an autistic person as an ordinary person who sees the world a bit differently. I can watch a video of someone like her and I can really relate to her experiences, and that's how I see her and that's how it should be.

Simon Baron Cohen has a lot to answer for and I'm glad that we seem to be moving away from some of his theories. I don't think there is such a thing as a typical representation of autism and there was far too much emphasis on the idea that there was in the past. I think it set back the way autism is understood years, and a lot of people missed out on support they should have been given as a result.

[Dougella]

^ Glad you enjoyed it. She's so easy to listen to and interesting as well as funny I think

He certainly does, I don't know how he ever got away with his previous "theories" on autism!

[billy_brown]

^^^ That was a good listen, I like Fern. I listened to the podcast version of it. My wife's got her book, that sounds like an enlightening read.

[Dougella]

^ I still want to read her book, I haven't got round to it yet

[BFG_]

That youtube video is far better than her latest netflix stand up routine.

[billy_brown]

^^ She did a podcast called 'wheel of misfortune' a while ago, that was great. I think she packed it in to write the book.

[Dougella]

Originally Posted by BFG_

That youtube video is far better than her latest netflix stand up routine.

I liked it but I would say it was just good. I did identify a lot with her thoughts about marriage and weddings though

[Dougella]

Originally Posted by billy_brown

^^ She did a podcast called 'wheel of misfortune' a while ago, that was great. I think she packed it in to write the book.

Oh really, I'll have to look that up too.

[Bluebear]

Originally Posted by Dougella

Fern Brady

"Autistic in a non-autistic world."
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-DLkVQj8N34&t=637s

Thanks for sharing this!

[BFG_]

Originally Posted by Dougella

I liked it but I would say it was just good. I did identify a lot with her thoughts about marriage and weddings though

Only got 15 mins in maybe I'll try watching a bit more

[Dougella]

^^ You're welcome

[BFG_]

Is it common for autistic people to be frustrated with their career progression?

I see jobs listed on my companies job page and just think nope **** that wouldn't be able to do the interaction part of the role but the rest would be fine.

Stuck in a role that doesn't stimulate my mind at all end up bored senseless but can't progress due to interaction communication issues.

[Merry]

Gosh yes. I am not even working. I went to three different universities in my youth, I struggled so much with the interaction side of things and kept failing.The jobs I have done have always been low paid, where often I would be bullied. I kind of gave up on work quite a few years ago, after I got physically ill too. I’m doing an MA now and got an ‘outstanding distinction’ in my first piece of academic work, but I know that the MA won’t lead to any real, paid opportunities as, like with everything else, the industry it’s based in is about people and networking.

I think the statistics around autistic people not working are pretty shocking, I think it’s something like 80% of autistic people (of working age) are not in employment at all.

[Amara 94]

Originally Posted by Sunrise

An interesting video, and it's made me think about how autism is represented in popular culture and I think it's pretty awful really. You just tend to think of ridiculous caricatures like Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory who to me wouldn't be a typical representation of an autistic person because I don't think there really is such a thing. It can affect people with a much wider range of personality types than tends to be represented, and certain symptoms will affect some people more than others which is something that isn't really shown. And the social awkward genius stereotype does my head in, I think it's actually really damaging and is the sort of thing that can stop people seeking a diagnosis or support because they're not a geeky caricature.

I'd class an autistic person as an ordinary person who sees the world a bit differently. I can watch a video of someone like her and I can really relate to her experiences, and that's how I see her and that's how it should be.

Simon Baron Cohen has a lot to answer for and I'm glad that we seem to be moving away from some of his theories. I don't think there is such a thing as a typical representation of autism and there was far too much emphasis on the idea that there was in the past. I think it set back the way autism is understood years, and a lot of people missed out on support they should have been given as a result.

I think it goes the same way for many disorders as there can be less severe disorders. I’ve been looking at a few videos on sociopaths recently and the ones that can function well in society are almost normal in the way that they present theirselves that it’s suspected that they wouldn’t know and are not diagnosed and it’s likely that we have come across them without knowing.