Does anybody else feel that over the last ten years or so, neurodiversity has become 'big business' and has lost its focus?
Does anybody else feel that over the last ten years or so, neurodiversity has become 'big business' and has lost its focus?
Lots of people do have both, but it does often feel like if you don't then you're lacking somehow and not quite autistic enough. It was the same when childhood sexual abuse was found to be so prevalent, those who'd been physically abused or beaten as I still prefer to call it, often ended feeling that their suffering wasn't enough.
Why people feel the need to lump all these things together I don't know, but is can feel like you're being othered for not being other enough.
Aaaaaahhhhh, now we getting somewhere. "Lumped together" If these conditions were not moved from pillar to post periodically then what would justify the millions being pumped into to research?
what would justify the millions being pumped into to research?
Can you give some links for this spending you refer to please?
I assume it is a sudden surge as opposed to ongoing research categories that have been on the go for decades so a bit of background could help educate us.
what would justify the millions being pumped into to research?
Can you give some links for this spending you refer to please?
I assume it is a sudden surge as opposed to ongoing research categories that have been on the go for decades so a bit of background could help educate us.
I do know that incredible amounts of money have been allocated to the Autism/Neurodiversity cause. Yet, minimal ends up being invested into much-needed resources.
I suspect the vast majority ends up in either academic research or the pockets of the companies doing the research - the graph does after all talk about the research funding rather than support funding.
Finding the support level funding would be a different task as it falls under a bunch of areas such as:
Whatever health provider you use (in the USA there are many, most of which you have to pay for).
Charities (often hard to see the true numbers)
Local support organisations (groups setup by local entities to help those in their region)
Potentially other care providers such as veteran support, child support, workplace insurance etc.
Certainly in the USA this is going to be nearly impossible to find to give you meaningful info to work from about support.
In the UK there is the NHS, charities, local groups and private support (psychotherapy, counselling etc) that may be easier to find out about.
B&I, I agree with you, as an older woman I feel forgotten, it seems that when you reach 60 adult services want to push you towards services for the elderly, I'm not that old I'm not even old enough for my pension yet! Services for the elderly don't know about ASC or how prevalent it is or what to do with us. It feel sas though theres as big a gap to fall through between adult and older adult needs as there is at the other end of the scale between children/young people and adult services.
From what I see all the resources are digital, which is no good if you're not techy, can't afford it and don't actually know about it because it's all on a tech platform to begin with.
All I see is a lot of talk and no action.
A lot of the things that are presented to ASC people as somehow revolutionary like the idea of spoons of energy are things I was reading about 30 or 40 years ago in womens magazines, not specialist ones, just normal ones, before they became vehichles for celebrity diets and "it happened to me" stuff. It's the same with places like pain clinics, they treat this stuff like it's all singing and all dancing, its not, nor is it new, where have they been for the last 40 years?
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1237464/autism-research-funding-united-states-by-nih/
It seems that the Americans invest far more in their research than we do in the U.K.
God, no, it is not a jibe. Maybe I haven't explained myself sufficiently. It's my opinion that a large part of the Autistic Community feels under-supported and forgotten in the current circumstances. No, I do not have any peer-reviewed evidence to substantiate my claim, and maybe, again, I misspoken. However, I do know that incredible amounts of money have been allocated to the Autism/Neurodiversity cause. Yet, minimal ends up being invested into much-needed resources. Hence, my original question about the commercialisation of neurodiversity. However, it isn't all about revenue and funding; it's also the introduction of commercial-style documents, policies and procedures finding their way as well.
I am sure if you asked if Desmond, about Autism in the 90's and now he would paint a completely different picture. It wasn't so long ago that Autism was the most funded medical research in the world.
Autism was only added to the DSM in the 1980s so by the 1990s it was very much in its infancy and diagnosis rates would be very low due to a lack of knowledge in the medical community about it and the referral process.
It wasn't so long ago that Autism was the most funded medical research in the world.
More so than cancer? I would be surprised if that was the case - do you have any links to back up this claim please?
How is that working out for you?
I'm confused as to what this means in this context? Is it a jibe?
Hi Iain,
As Number has alluded to below (which I will answer next). The ongoing research is the 'surge'. Over the last 15 or so years, we have had the Autism Act, the Equality Act, Identity Politics, MeToo, and an explosion in diversity, inclusion, and equality. Essentially the rise of the celebration of difference. Which is in my opinion is great, but I am sure if you asked if Desmond, about Autism in the 90's and now he would paint a completely different picture. It wasn't so long ago that Autism was the most funded medical research in the world.
How is that working out for you?