Done With Mental Health

NAS39067 said:

I keep getting told it’s all in the head.

To which I respond; "Yes, quite correct; autism is a difference in brain neurology by definition, and the general consensus is that people's brains are usually kept inside their heads. Maybe you are a freak of nature who sits on yours instead?".

i stand corrected sorry robert

I looked at my council website.  But unfortunately it appears I do not qualify for a disability bus pass.

Their conditions are shown below.

thank you i will definitely look into that

This is quality of care is not acceptable. I think you have some options:

• Report concerns to the CQC (if you provider and concerns meet the criteria): 

https://www.cqc.org.uk/get-involved/share-your-experience/people%E2%80%99s-experience-care-what-we-want-know-why 

• If your local Austitic Trust cannot help, consider speaking to a local mental health initiative (such as Mind or advocacy service). I know you’ve already raised concerns but using a advocate can really be useful;

I have a feeling that if we want something sorted out about most of these things it's going to be mostly down to us the same as any other minority.  In a lot of respects we almost need a parallel society somewhere.  In 2000AD a lot of the Muties lived in Milton Keynes Ghetto.  So maybe we all need to start moving to Milton Keynes till we can get a critical mass and can kick all the norms out :-D.

no harm in trying

It depends on what the council accepts as a disability.

Physically I have two arms and two legs.

But unkind/uncouth individuals have described me as a mental case with bizarre behaviour.

yeah but its basically the same thing if you have pensioners passes you will have bus passes for people with disabilities ring your council they will know

My mistake.  Old age passes yes.

But I'm too young.

are you sure my mum has a now old age pass and she uses it all over uk when they go away in camper van

Catching buses and trains is something I'm good at.  Social interactions are a mystery to me.

No free bus passes where I live.

The mind centre refunds bus travel tickets to their sessions.  Even so less than half the people booked actually turn up.  And I suspect that the ones who don't turn up  need the help most.

I have half hourly sessions with my case worker.  These can be once a week, every fortnight or once a month.  Depending on demand and her caseload.  The meetings are never at home.  But in a neutral public place.  Such as a library,  café, social centre, wine bar, pub.

i got told i was faking it the other day on the basis i caught a bus and according to him if you're autistic you aren't capable of catching a bus there really are some ill informed ignoramuses out there in positions where they aught to know better

Robert im not sure about the area where you live re free bus pass but in my area its called a now card i do know you can go to your doctors to get one of these they cover phsyical disabilities and mental health and you don't have to be in receipt of benefits to get one just thought i would mention it you might be interested in getting one

I keep getting moved about my psychology person referred me to well being then they never got back in February I done it myself went to well being then they turned round and referred me back to my psychiatrist nobody want to help.Now I’ve tried to apply for PIP person who came to help me with form basically told me that I didn’t have anything wrong so I can’t get PIP then she kept on about Universal Credit .Even though I’ve had diagnosis nobody believes it Aspergers or autism.AS I keep getting told it’s all in the head.

im not really sure he hasn't given me much info to be honest kind of zone out when his lips start flapping ive managed to get a self referal assessment with a special counselling group called Maundy for next weds so see how that goes

What social activities do they want you to engage in?

I actually go to mental health workshops which involve groups of people and some of these people are worse than me.

Sometimes I openly discuss my suicide attempts and self harm.  And nobody thinks I'm weird.  I've met schizophrenics who talk about hearing voices.  Paranoid individuals who admit they're paranoid but working on it.

I get my bus fare reimbursed.  I buy an unlimited travel day ticket.

Free tea or coffee and biscuits.

And I get to see new places where these social activities take place.

A few years ago I was totally unable to  do any of this.

You've summed up my experience of the world of employment perfectly there!

The one that drives me most crazy is the assertion that "being in employment is good for your mental health and self-esteem". I don't give a monkey's whether psychologists can demonstrate this as a generalisation about the population at large; it has never been true for me, and I don't see why I should be insulted with the assertion that anyone else knows any better. Most of my mental health crashes, which are just the way you describe yours, have been brought about by the burn-out of being expected to perform like a non-autistic person at work, and it is how every job that wasn't just temporary has ended.

Of course, they then respond with; "but the disability laws protect you from unfair discrimination and assure you of reasonable accommodations." Then I just do my most cynical, maniacal laugh, and ignore whatever else they say. Much like the line from the Clash song Know Your Rights; "As long as you're not dumb enough to actually try it!".

Perdu said:

Unfortunately Healthwatch are controlled opposition

I agree; much like Patient Liaison groups for front-line healthcare services, it is largely an exercise in being seen to have been listened to, and with no power to do anything besides advise people in power who have no incentive to listen. The likes of Black Triangle, Disability Rights UK, PARC, etc. are certainly my first point of call for reporting about issues around autism and disability rights in general.