Able and Disabled

Hey Everyone! What I want to talk about today is a slightly different and complex issue; feeling confident when claiming multiple diagnoses or labels. There are hopefully lots of people who have no problem being confident when saying they have several diagnoses, but for others it may be a little more difficult. In a society that so often invalidates disability, especially when they are invisible or fluctuating, is it is understandable that some individuals may struggle to not feel like an imposter when declaring a handful of different diagnoses. In the UK we live in a society where people are frequently doubting disabled folks' rights to use accessible parking spaces and are often accusing disabled individuals of faking to receive benefits. This sense of insecurity can be heightened when someone is experiencing multiple diagnoses, resulting in increased self-doubt and comments like "can you really have all of those conditions?" or "that's a weird coincidence!...

Hey All! I can't even start to put the last couple of weeks into words. One thing in particular that has been taking up a lot of space in my brain has been the question of whether I should tell people I have been diagnosed as autistic, and if so who should I tell. This blog post is not an answer to these questions. I don't want anyone to feel as though this post is telling anyone what to do, as ultimately who you let into your diagnosis is a personal decision that only you are and should be allowed to make. This post is simply me collecting my own thoughts on this issue and talking about it from my own experience, partially for my own benefit and partially because it may be interesting to others, including those who may be able to empathise with my journey. Part of the package when being diagnosed as an adult is the fact that people will most likely have a preconceived idea of who you are already. Some people, especially those closest to you, may already have a pretty good ...

Hey Everyone! I have always been a restless person. As a child I found it especially difficult to stay still, and now I am able to recognise much of my fidgety behaviour as stimming. Particular methods of stimming or particular movements that I have been able to recognise seem to be heightened when I am especially under or over stimulated. When I am bored or there is little going on I have always tended to bite my nails, chew on my clothes or bounce my legs. When I am excited or anxious I jump, skip, flap my hands and also bounce my legs. I find such movements soothing and also balancing when the situation is either too much or too little. While such behaviour was not recognised as stimming when I was child I am now able to reflect and recognise it as such. Particular examples that spring to mind include chewing on my school uniform and hair, bouncing around and swinging my arms. Of course, as this description would suggest, stimming behaviour can be performed using only what a perso...

Hey All! Hope you are all well! I now this post is coming to you a little early, with my weekly posts normally going on Wednesdays, but I thought I would give a little extra reading this week! I'm not entirely sure whether that is in fact a positive way of wording it but oh well, I have something really exciting to talk about today! As regular readers will know in June I became involved in an awesome project called 'Scope For Change.' 'Scope For Change' is a six month programme aimed at training young adults to become disability campaigners and at helping them set up their initial campaigns. Following the Launch Event in June, this weekend was the Residential, a REALLY fun weekend of both activities and talks, both of which were designed to bring us even closer together as a group and help us further consider what we want our campaigns to be. I thought I would post today to tell you a little about my experience of the Residential and the kind of direction in whi...

Hey All! This week has been a bit of a weird one thus far, and you may have guessed why from the title. On Monday morning I had my long-waited assessment for Autism Spectrum Condition. What I had expected would be a two hour appointment followed by the promise of a diagnosis by post or follow-up appointment ended up being a short chat and a speedy diagnosis. My immediate feeling was one of relief and understanding but it still something I am processing. Paired with jumping straight back into a summer job which I find a lot more overstimulating than it might seem, it all makes for a overwhelming few days. I say a speedy diagnosis, but this isn't exactly a true description. Not only am I an adult who is only just receiving a diagnosis, but I have also been going to my doctor with fairly regular complaints of anxiety and other issues for a few years now, all of which I can now see could all be, in part, components of this diagnosis. In fact, it was around the time of my a-levels t...

Hey All! In the last week many may have heard about blue badges will now be accessible to those with 'Hidden Disabilities.' You probably won't be surprised to hear that I think this is awesome! Not only is this an amazing step towards shattering the myth that disabilities have to be visible to be valid, but it will also provide more support to those whose disabilities aren't often taken seriously because they aren't linked to mobility or intense 'physical' impairment. This essentially means that blue badges will now be accessible to those whose difficulties may be due to psychological distress or an autism spectrum disorder, a very necessary step in the right direction. However, what isn't as pleasant is some of the responses that I have witnessed to this news. It has been incredibly disappointing to see people raging about space availability and how those who will now be now be included in gaining support don't REALLY need the support. I even sa...