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Thinking Of Going To A Craft Group But Unsure!

Berlusconi

I feel so alone every day. I like autism because it means I'm unique, I have a near photographic memory and I can mimic nearly every voice I hear, taste/smelll colours but I am alone. I'm not from Britain and we moved from my birthplace nearly ten years ago, I had no friends I never have anywhere but I miss the familiarity and homely feeling. I constantly feel I am trying to process moving even now but my brain can't process it. Processing is something I'm still trying to get my head round. I struggle with focusing on one thing at a time so I think everything quickly becomes too much to handle.

I like to do creative things

  • bracelet making (my fave)
  • card making
  • drawing
  • painting
  • writing

There's a craft group on Tuesday evenings that I've been thinking of doing. It's basically where people go to talk abut their interested crafts whether it's making braclets or drawing or whatever, you can take in some things you've made already if you want to.

I emailed the woman who runs it and she sent back a really nice reply.

Part of me wants to go.but my anxiety is giving me hell over it. My thoughts are all What If, you know the annoying I'm going to ruin this for you thoughts.

Has anyone here been to a craft group before? Did you enjoy it? Positive experience? I haven't been to a group before but I am interested in giving it a try. A room full of people sounds terrifying but the woman I emailed said normally there's less than twenty people who attend the group. That still sounds like a lot of people to me but I'm so sad and lonely that at this point I feel I want to at least try, otherwise I'm always on my own idling in my room and that's not the best thing for me 24 hours a day.

Parents

  • Hi and welcome to the community!

    I don't have any experience of craft groups, but this group sounds like it could be a great match to your interests.

    There's some advice in the following articles that you might find helpful. It includes, for example:

    "Is this the right group for me?

    To make sure the activity is right for you, you may try going along as an observer at first. 

    If you feel you may need additional support to take part in the activity, ask if a family member, friend or carer can come along or if the group could provide some extra support. Add the activity or group meeting to your calendar.

    Don’t feel pressured to attend for the whole of the activity or meeting, or to go on your own - especially at first. Over time you can increase the length of time you stay, eventually aiming to attend the whole session without additional support.

    If you have any issues at the group, discuss these with the group leader so that they can be resolved as soon as possible."

    NAS - Making friends - a guide for autistic adults

    NAS - Loneliness - this includes examples of other autistic people's experiences and how they cope

    Whether or not you decide to go the craft group, you might also find it helpful to contact your GP surgery and ask to be referred to a social prescriber / social prescribing link worker.

    Their role is to work with you, potentially over several sessions, in order to develop a personalised care and support plan that meets your "practical, social and emotional needs that affect their [your] health and wellbeing". This model operates throughout the UK. For example: 

    NHS England - Social prescribing

    You could also contact your local NAS branch to learn about any groups or activities that they might offer. There are also some online branches based on specific interests:

    NAS - Branches

    I hope you'll also consider staying here, on this forum, and joining in with any conversations that interest you (although you can also just lurk quietly for as long as you like, if you prefer).

Reply

  • Hi and welcome to the community!

    I don't have any experience of craft groups, but this group sounds like it could be a great match to your interests.

    There's some advice in the following articles that you might find helpful. It includes, for example:

    "Is this the right group for me?

    To make sure the activity is right for you, you may try going along as an observer at first. 

    If you feel you may need additional support to take part in the activity, ask if a family member, friend or carer can come along or if the group could provide some extra support. Add the activity or group meeting to your calendar.

    Don’t feel pressured to attend for the whole of the activity or meeting, or to go on your own - especially at first. Over time you can increase the length of time you stay, eventually aiming to attend the whole session without additional support.

    If you have any issues at the group, discuss these with the group leader so that they can be resolved as soon as possible."

    NAS - Making friends - a guide for autistic adults

    NAS - Loneliness - this includes examples of other autistic people's experiences and how they cope

    Whether or not you decide to go the craft group, you might also find it helpful to contact your GP surgery and ask to be referred to a social prescriber / social prescribing link worker.

    Their role is to work with you, potentially over several sessions, in order to develop a personalised care and support plan that meets your "practical, social and emotional needs that affect their [your] health and wellbeing". This model operates throughout the UK. For example: 

    NHS England - Social prescribing

    You could also contact your local NAS branch to learn about any groups or activities that they might offer. There are also some online branches based on specific interests:

    NAS - Branches

    I hope you'll also consider staying here, on this forum, and joining in with any conversations that interest you (although you can also just lurk quietly for as long as you like, if you prefer).

Children
  • in reply to Bunny

    Hi Bunny,

    thanks for the links. Very helpful and appreciated, thank you. I really wish I had somebody to go with me but my dad just never would and my mum has COPD and can no longer do such things which is a shame as I believe she'd have really enjoyed being in a craft group.

    Sad times. But I will see if my brother is up for it, probably not but you never know!

    I'm especially intrigued about getting a social prescriber. I haven't heard of someone like this before but I think it could be good for me, if I'm applicable for such a worker. It'd be good if I am so I will definitely head down that route. I think it could be helpful for me and make such a difference to my life.