Today's blog

Thanks for the update!

Hi there Robert ,

so no noticeable difference , I have heard most shops choose their quite periods to have the autism hour, 

I suppose even if that is the case then the sign alone stating the times may be noticed by shoppers and possible make them wonder just what it’s all about!

Anything that proactively mentions autism can only be a positive.

 And can I say I do enjoy your photographs very much, sometimes you must look carefully to give the best possible setting and frame it wonderfully, but ,,,,and I am not being unkind,, if you just took the canal pictures kind of casually then you really captured the essence of the place.

 Also it is nice to hear your joining different schemes, 

take care and keep us updated, you are much appreciated in many ways.

Today I went to the supermarket which advertised an autism hour.

I arrived ten minutes before the autism hour started.

It was fairly quiet.  It's usually very quiet.  So no difference.

No piped music. On last visit we didn't have piped music so probably no difference.

I didn't notice any difference in the lighting.

The manned checkouts were NOT beeping as items were passed.  So this could be the difference.  I can't remember if they beeped previously.  The self service checkouts were however beeping normally.

So I'm unsure just what the autism hour was about.   This supermarket is never busy and a nice place to shop.

...Me again...Perhaps this is Interesting. (The MIND thing, I mean.) Myself, it must have been more than a year ago that a MIND centre opened up nearby, and all I did was step in and pick up leaflets. The Lady who "greeted" me seemed afraid of me, and I asked questions about MIND which she did not know the answers to, and about leaflets of which they were "currently out of stock"... 

I had not been back since... but I might do well to enquire after that "Meditation" Course - seriously...

...I would rather talk about the "Woods", though! When I walk through areas like this, I usually do not photograph them .. now I know that persons here like such pictures, I shall try to remember and to do so. Mr. Math-Photographer, you are one of the many great boosts to this Forum, to say the least, and Thanks always.

I signed up for the introduction to group work course. This course is essential and the first one.  After that I can choose from the following.

1. Assertiveness skills.
2. Building self - esteem
3. Horizons, from chaos to calm
4. Living with loss: for people who have been bereaved by suicide at any time
5. Managing my mental health
6. Mindfulness and meditation
7. Building confidence
8. Coping with Christmas
9. Managing anxiety
10. Managing my mood
11. Setting boundaries.
12. Exploring guilt
13. Building resilience
14. Coping with panic

I've decided to visit the store tomorrow ( wed 16:00 - 17:00). 

I will arrive before the autism hour and see how it changes during the said hour.

And report my experience here.

And NT-customers standing too close to you at the till? :-)

I agree to the social recluse thing. 

I actually like being a social recluse and have no intention to change it at present. Keeps things calm and quiet and it's a lot less stressful!

Lovely pictures! Now I'm really missing the woods :-)

Hats off to you for signingbup for another course!

I had to get out of the flat today because staying in is driving me crazy.

I went for a walk through some woods which I was advised to avoid by my sister.  She claimed ' a lot of strange people hang around these woods' my visit was uneventful.

Then I took a walk beside the canal.

Later while traveling by bus I stopped off near another mind centre and registered for their introducrion to group sessions programs.

If I get up early enough I may go for the Monday 9 to 10am.  But I expect it to be very quiet on most Mondays at that time.

At 11am I intend to visit the mind headquarters to join their client involvement group.   Don't know if I can do both.

This is nice. I know about the usual "Autism Hours", but cannot always get up early to use them. (Due to Bad Sleep.)

...In a way, "quiet times" are often between 11 - 12h and after 8PM. Sometimes 14h - 15h is quite quiet. Sunday Mornings are so well known for being "quiet" that this is the best time to go out Spotting for "Film Crews" anywhere...!

...For an NT-Day...I would also add perfunctory screaming babies, thieving schoolchildren, and making certain that the security guard harasses everyone with a disabillity... to that list.

...Maybe I am being mean: Just make it so that no-one is allowed to enter the store unless they are wearing very very strong perfume...?

Exactly. I’m wondering about promoting a neurotypical hour, where once a week stores have loud Muzak, bright lights and tannoy announcements. The rest of the week NTs have to cope!

Question: if we get an hour... who gets the other 23?

Came across this on today's travel.  In a supermarket in a small market town

Fortunately I can cope with normal supermarket noisy environments.

(Me again, I wonder why there are no new Posts to this Thread, there may be two newer Threads, but I prefer that my long-ish Post did not scare people off...?)

...To Mr.Robert, I do not think that being a "Social Recluse" is "Sad", and I should think that plenty others agree with this (even if they are not Posting?)! Being Lonely and Depressed is certainly bad, and so I understand that, of course. Just keep on, as I said (even if no-one else is Posting again yet?), and do whatever maintains your own beliefs and integrity... (This is why I do not chat much, if that is all I can say just now, eh?)
I am just an opposite, that is all, in that I never seem to be left alone, no matter what I do or where I go. But being alone is useful for Quietness, walks in the woods, Meditation, and so forth. But (I suppose) Company is useful such as being upon this Forum, being appreciated, and comparing experiences. I do honestly understand that. (I hope this Thread is not forgotten so fast, for example...?)

The sad thing about me is that for long periods of time, I am a social recluse.  

If I didn't attend these centres I would be even more lonely and depressed than I am now.

(The quote function is not working just now. But...)
Mr.Robert123 said:
"That's the kind of help and advice we get from some centres. To combat stress. Strategies were.

Breathing exercises.
Meditation.
Picture colouring.

Do you visit any mental health and advice centres? Do you take part in group activities? Or do you meet regularly with social workers/case workers?"

...Greetings again Sir. I respect this, totally, but it is certainly just myself and my own Quirks + Autism. To answer points one at a time, I may say of myself:
...I did used to (be forced to) attend "help" thingys, and they helped others and sometimes I tried to help them. They never helped me, and on some occasions, just like being back at school, others picked upon me. The kind of illnesses I have mean that I cannot 'keep to a schedule', and the methods suggested never addressed that.
...Breathing Exercises and Meditation: These are good, though I myself have no "safe or quiet" (or private) place to do them. I would try these, if I could, currently am, but it is not always working.
... Picture colouring: This is a unique thing to me (so far here), I would rather DRAW the pictures than colour them, and, um, believe it or not, can draw well past the standard of the picture you post, and so it would just stress me out. (I am honestly very sorry to say that in this context!!)
... 'Mental Health Centres, Groups, and Workers': No I do not...anymore...I could do all this, but when I used to speak to "Experts" like that, they were (and maybe still are) sort of "afraid" of me and my illnesses. Probably because their techniques do not help.

...This is your Thread, and I read this one, and I see some things which I recall as horrible experiences (Group stuff) but I see what is going on in the here-and-now. I apologise to all if this Post sounds awful or is misunderstood as awful... So I shall end upon saying... that of all that I totally agree about the taking of "Nature Walks"... Yes, Please! This would be great if I were allowed to do this! Instead of "Therapy" or "Drugs". Meditation and Breathing during that is a Three-Fold excellent thing to do. Honestly, Yes, please.

(Sorry this is a long reply, it could not be shorter, really. Stay well.)

You are unsure what to say about the colouring in picture.  Well.... That's the kind of help and advice we get from some centres.  To combat stress.  Strategies were.

1. Breathing exercises.
2. Meditation.
3. Picture colouring.

Do you visit any mental health and advice centres?  Do you take part in group activities?  Or do you meet regularly with social workers/case workers?

Last Friday, my regional headquarters of Mind held an open day.   Activities included the sleep workshop ( I attended), meditation classes, buffet lunch, a raffle, a quiz, painting with cotton buds and other advice such as getting involved in gardening.

I actually got to speak briefly with the chief executive.  About how disappointed we were with the attendance.  There were around ten members of staff and about twenty of us clients.  She told me that they support hundreds of clients with mental health issues.

After lunch I took part in another activity.  A nature walk through a local park/wood/abbey.  With a handout to help us identify trees, with pictures of tree, leaf, berry/flower/nut.   Five of us went on this walk.  Me!!!! With four members of staff!!!!