Life is hard

Emmy said:

I wish there was proper support out there for autism

I have an open question for those contributing here:

What support do you think you want / need?

I agree there is a lack of support services for adults, especially those of us with relatively low support needs.

The solution is probably to use a forum (like this one) to build up some online services to help ourselves. We may even be able to apply for grant money (lottery etc) for this but we first need to work out what it should look like?

Any ideas to throw into the ring?

I was going to suggest setting up workshops via a zoom call for things like:

- how to manage anxiety

- ideas to get / keep a job

- ideas to make friends and understand the "social code"

Socially there may be space for resources for finding clubs in our special interest areas, book reviews about autism and related subjects (ADHD, alexithymia etc) and maybe classes from anyone with a special interest that would be up for sharing more high level info about their hobby.

This forum is still the best solution for specific questions in my opinion as it remains a searchable resource for others to reference.

Any other ideas?

I get the impression that a lot of people on the spectrum, especially with low support needs, are looking for some sort of in-person social group where they can feel accepted and understood and where they can support each other with issues, pretty much like this forum but in person. 

I agree Tamsyn.

I'm worried a lot of autistic people may be like me and have no friends and suffer from loneliness. Young autistic especially but i do know there may be older people included in this too. And i also worry a lot of them can't tell anyone that because in reality it's not socially acceptable to say you have no friends.

I just wish something could be done about it because it's heartbreaking to read parents post on this forum asking for help about their child's loneliness. 

IrishInManchesterUK said:

it can therefore only be concluded that the LGBT “community” are (deeply) hypocritical when it comes to people with autism 

I think this is also a generational issue - the older generations like us have had to deal with autism without support (and often without even knowing we were autistic) and have taken to masking / scripting to be like the rest in denouncing the newer, more readily supported generation as snowflakes / needy etc.

It may also be because we are detracting from the LGBT focus for recognition by "stealing their thunder" or "muddying the waters".

In spite of what social media seems to show, I think we are becoming a more accepting society but it takes the likes of you and I to stand up and call out those trying to diminish us, whether for our sexuality or the way our mind is wired.

As an older gay man with autism myself, it is absolutely criminal that those with autism have faced huge prejudice and discrimination from (within) the LGBT “community” - given that many LGBT’s are known to have autism and vice versa, from people who should know better, we face huge intolerance, prejudice, discrimination, lack of acceptance, discriminatory attitudes, all the very things that LGBT’s want and loudly demand from everyone else - it can therefore only be concluded that the LGBT “community” are (deeply) hypocritical when it comes to people with autism 

As an older gay man with autism myself, it is absolutely criminal that those with autism have faced huge prejudice and discrimination from (within) the LGBT “community” - given that many LGBT’s are known to have autism and vice versa, from people who should know better, we face huge intolerance, prejudice, discrimination, lack of acceptance, discriminatory attitudes, all the very things that LGBT’s want and loudly demand from everyone else - it can therefore only be concluded that the LGBT “community” are (deeply) hypocritical when it comes to people with autism 

IrishInManchesterUK said:

it can therefore only be concluded that the LGBT “community” are (deeply) hypocritical when it comes to people with autism 

I think this is also a generational issue - the older generations like us have had to deal with autism without support (and often without even knowing we were autistic) and have taken to masking / scripting to be like the rest in denouncing the newer, more readily supported generation as snowflakes / needy etc.

It may also be because we are detracting from the LGBT focus for recognition by "stealing their thunder" or "muddying the waters".

In spite of what social media seems to show, I think we are becoming a more accepting society but it takes the likes of you and I to stand up and call out those trying to diminish us, whether for our sexuality or the way our mind is wired.