Lanyards

Wow that is a really long wait! I was on a waitlist for over 2years on the local autism diagnosis thingy but I went with right to choose and chose psych uk and I only had to wait about 3 months, plus with psych uk I got messages often confirming I am still on their list. I had my assessment over zoom so I didn’t even have to leave my flat! The local one was rubbish and next thing is I have a letter to say I’ve been kicked off their waitlist. I got very lucky that I had a lovely dr who was willing to get me with psych uk as most of the drs are a bunch of jobsworths who do their jobs from home or if they are in their room they literally put their feet on the desk or the chair that I was supposed to sit in! Do you mind me asking if you are from the uk? If so it might be worth going down the right to choose path. 

With my diagnosis I have been labelled level 1 autistic but the psychiatrist said that I had only just made it on the spectrum. But the autism seems to make my other conditions worse and harder to recover from. 

I understand why you wouldn’t want a lanyard for autism at the moment though, I felt guilty saying I have autism when I was only going by the scores on these online quizzes. Ironic thing is I only scored 4/10 on an aq10 but higher on the adhd test yet I had adhd ruled out. Say my local mental health hospital is rubbish and the staff are very rude and take advantage of issues

For me it's a case of being unsure myself if I do have autism or not. I'm still awaiting assessment. Sometimes lots of things add up and I think I'm about 90% sure, sometimes it's down at about 50%. Usually it sits somewhere in the middle. I don't want to say I have autism (even on a badge) and then find out I don't. It feels like I'd be taking advantage of others for supoort and adjustments; or misrepresenting people with autism. 

From what I hear about assessment though, you don't get a definitive no. It's more about working out if you do and if it's to the level that you need support/adjustments. So even after assessment I might still be unsure.

Think I've been on the list for about 15 months now. It was an 18 month wait when I went on the list, and is now up to 27 months. 

Ahh bipolar is meant to be very hard so I’m sorry you have to deal with that. I have EUPD which is sort of like bipolar but the thing with me is I don’t get this happy mania, but I suffer with awful irritation and depression but it’s not bad enough to be bipolar. I might get little pin badges saying I’m autistic who knows

Ahh I didn’t know they have stickers for cars as well! I’m too nervous to learn to drive still! I can understand why you wouldn’t get the autism one though. A lot of people have mentioned this imposter thing but can you explain to me what that even is? I’m trying to think if I’ve had it. 

I have a lanyard for Anxiety rather than Autism. I don't have an autism diagnosis so don't want to claim it as I think I'd feel like an imposter. I definitely have had issues with Anxiety though, and from what a counsellor told me, it is extremely rare to get a diagnosis for Anxiety. I didn't have to prove anything to get the lanyard.

I don't often wear it, but I keep it in my jacket pocket. I sometimes use it when I'm on my own. I'm also not sure how well known they are outside of airports, so doesn't seem much point elsewhere. If they are recognised, there are usually signs, sometimes rather subtle.

There is a free car sticker you can also get from the website which is recognised by highways england. I'm not sure what extra support they would give as I would think they would be doing anything to help anyway. I quite like that one though because to anyone who is unaware it just looks like you like sunflowers, rather than effectively having a label that says "I have Anxiety".

I have a diagnosis of Bi Polar disorder. i was tempted to get myself a T shirt saying….

"I don’t suffer from my manic depression…

…… You suffer from my manic depression"

I completely agree with you there! I remember seeing a bloke with an orange id card around him who wasn’t wearing a mask, but think his was properly sent for where you had to prove you were asthmatic, think my man went to apply for one but then she felt safer with the mask. I always wore a personalised soft fabric one so I could actually breathe ok with it on. 

They were very popular during the lockdown when people used them as "mask exemption lanyards". There probably was an increase in disabled people wearing them for that reason, but there were also non-disabled people using them. Of course there was no requirement in law to prove your exemption so the whole thing was completely silly.

I can see your point of view as well. I mean the thing is personally you should apply and have proof of the disabilities so only the genuine people can have these priorities or benefits etc. that’s the thing that concerns me is that there are probably people who just fake their “disabilities” for the benefits or that. I remember speaking to someone and his pre teen daughter had a lanyard with daisies but had her own personalised autism id but it wasn’t sunflower and she and her family all got fast track through the airport. But who knows they might have got lucky. 

I don't know what the situation is now but when the "Sunflower" thing was introduced it was intended to be free (as in shops bought them and handed them out for free to people who ask for one).

Personally I don't see the point of them.

Ahh ok fair enough! I suppose the personalised one will be more ideal with my many disabilities that are hidden but omg the photo! I am so camera shy ️ 

Guess it's up to you.  The lanyard comes with a card that you can write on.  And there's the chance to upgrade to a personalised card for which you'd need the photo.  Thinking about it I didn't upgrade as I wanted the lanyard for my pass at work and wear the wristband when I'm out, outside of work.  So yes you can mix and match

Ahh thank you I might do that as well for now! I haven’t been to Tesco for ages, I haven’t been in any shops due to my anxiety but I will try and go one day and maybe get a lanyard. Thank you 

All my pics are horrible! I might actually have to do my hair and foundation just for a pic for this   

You can get a free Sunflower lanyard from Tesco and you could print out one of these:

https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/resources/downloads/i-am-autistic

My photo is horrendous!

Guess I’d have to make myself look the best I can be if I have to have that photo haha! I do think the personalised ones might be ideal as I can use icons to show my needs I guess. 

Ahh ok thank you for the link. I will have a look at it! Yeah I have multiple hidden disabilities as well. I’ve seen the ready made sunflower cards on Amazon but I thought the personalised ones I could say what I specifically have and use icons for what I may need. But the thing is I don’t want to have a pic of myself lol! Would I have to have a pic of myself or could I have a random pic haha! Also would I have to have the sunflower print lanyard with the card itself or could I have another lanyard but still have the sunflower card attached if that made sense? 

Hi Elfilis , it took me from June when I was diagnosed to November when I started to tell people for me to discover A - Z Hidden Disabilities | Hidden Disabilities.  I was like you and didn't know much about them even though I have 4 hidden disabilities as well as autism.  I now wear a lanyard at work, have a sunflower badge on my bag and have a wristband. Bought all from Amazon as I need things ASAP.  The lanyard is recognised in airports, on public transport, in shops etc and just simply says to people "hey I may need more time / patience ".  

Also the website gives loads of useful tips and links to different apps that can help you in life - eg i've downloaded an app, that's like Trainline for booking train tickets but you can also say what you will need on the journey (like a chaperone).  There's a little box you can tick so I guess train staff will know you need help without having to make it obvious.   

You get to decide. Like you can decide if you are disabled on your own definition. If this is a self diagnosed disability or if you identify with being a disabled person or not. I think this (the photo) is part of the deal. I haven't thought of a real life situation where I might use it yet.