Increasing Autism Awareness?

The poor mental health links back often to the lack of understanding and luck of help 

I have heard people say things like why would autistic people need pip they don't need special equipment ect

First of all we sometimes need sensory items and secondly pip also helps people who are unable to work or may not keep work due to work related issues which applys to some autistic people 

I think a problem with Autism awareness is, as others have touched on, that it is a spectrum a very broad one, that manifests itself so differently in individuals. There are so many symptoms that ofen seem to contradict each other that a full awareness could be problematic. As with the rain man effect. I thought myself that I couldn't be on the spectrum because I was rubbish at maths and wouldn have a clue about how many toothpicks I dropped on the floor .

Then there is our soap attempt at awareness in the form of Roy Cropper. Both examples are not terrible depictions of autism but very specific types. AuDHD and Asperger's for example appear to me at least as completely different. 

I know I had to read extensively to understand a bit about autism and I had very good reasons and motivation to put in the hours. I think it might be difficult to keep the interest of someone who is not directly affected by autism long enough to give them any type of meaningful understanding.

Police culture is a problem in many areas, not just in terms of Autism. The DWP are there to ask awkward questions and to not believe what people tell them, the assumption is that everybodies lying and the questions they ask in benefit claims forms are designed to catch people out. I don't think this governments any better or worse than previous ones.

I think one of the main problems with something like Autism is that its a spectrum and many people don't understand how a spectrum is different to some thing like and illness where you have a set group of symptoms that show a clear sign of a particular illness. Also autism falls between the cracks of what it is, it's not really a mental health problem although autistic people aften suffer from poor mental health, nor is it a learning difficulty such as dyslexia.

Really the local government a police need to be fully on board, central government have not been, probably because of the potential cost. I’m involved ini discussing awareness in my council for my community. I attend autism events as someone who is late diagnosed.  There is a lot of resistance from organisations DWP and the police to fully commit their involvement-which is depressing. Whilst all good intentions of adult services professionals and autism charities can make a difference the big messages been sent are not been addressed correctly. The culture of the police force and the avoidance tactics of the labour government means. Really it’s a messaging problem which will take many generations to filter down, even with the media on board there will always be facists and people who mock and make life hard for autistic people.

We could stop hounding people like Professor Arday

I think we need wider awareness that autism comes in many thoughts we aren't all super good at jobs or we aren't all non verbal 

Some of us  can be super social as a learned making technique some of us can appear to be doing well at work but just being at work is drowning out brains with so much stimulation that when we get home we can't enjoy our selves 

For example people say I don't seem autistic but they don't see my executive dysfunction and I'd they did they'd probably say I don't prioritize my bodies functions or I am lazy or have poor hygiene where in reality just waking up can be a battle with my self or glibg the toilet can be a last minute thing and I need reminders like a child would 

On the front cover of today’s Sun Newspaper, it says that Robbie Williams has come out autistic, which is interesting as I didn’t suspect that.Im not a big fan but he has some good songs.xx

I think that it will be challenging as it’s not going to be easy.

A Spanish Footballer has just disclosed that his son is autistic as the footballer was being ridiculed for his hair.This is a very good thing for him to do.xx

It seems like the church association could do with some sort of training on NeuroDiversity and Autism but it’s a case how to go about getting it and who can deliver it.Let alone finding the time.
After all,churches are supposed to inclusive for everyone.xx

In my experience younger people are more knowledgable and understanding about autism. My kids were very accepting when I told them I’m autistic and they have spent time at school with autistic people. Older people are less educated, or have decided what autistic people look like and won’t accept other presentations. I’m not sure how we can increase autism awareness. 

Thanks for that. The diocese and the diocesan Bellringers Association have painted themselves into a corner by simple denial. The vendetta got under way after I finally got a diagnosis and showed the report to the Vicar. Now they want me to do safeguarding training (I am already highly qualified) and I am not allowed to ring with under 18s because of my safeguarding needs which I don't have. That's to say......oh, well anyway, someone is looking into it.

I share my experiences as an autistic person on Substack. I think for awareness can come from lots of different places :) 

I am sorry that you have had those experiences. I don't know if you go to church. Perhaps you could send the minister the guides below if you do or even if you don't  if a church is not inclusive. This is some information that is intended to make church's more welcoming for people who are autistic-

https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2018-10/gs1725-opening-the-doors-ministry-with-people-with-learning-disabilities-and-people-on-the-autistic-spectrum.pdf

https://www.chelmsford.anglican.org/uploads/files/Welcoming-those-with-autism.pdf

https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2018-07/A%20place%20to%20belong%20Guide.pdf

Maybe you could try wearing a wig and see what he says then? I've never really understood the etiquette around hat wearing, but would someone who had to wear one of those padded hats if they have epilepsy be welcome? What about someone with alopecia, would it be seen as accpetable to wear a wig in church?

I thought Christian churches were supposed to welcome everyone equally? Where is your Diocesan Presidents Christian Charity, does it only extend to the collection plate?

I really wish we could get the awareness out there, I only realisesd a coule of days ago after doing screening test that i'm probably autistic, im now trying to get refered for formal diagnosis. I work in a supermarket and the general public are so ignorant, over the last couple of years my mask is slipping more and more so when i say things mater of fact they accuse me of being rude or i treat queires/complaints as black or white following our policies I then have "poor customer service". No, I've been given a set fo rules to follow (the policy) so im going to follow it, why waste time inventing policies if we should never follow them! I've been wearing my sunflower lanyard for at least a year because i'm also dyslexic and they say "oh isn't that nice, you like sunflowers"

Alien0n3arth said:

Paul Michalleff in his channel "Autism from the inside".

Is this on YouTube and is it worth watching?xx

Billboard or Bell board? As a bellringer, I have tried to get to ring a quarter peal in autism acceptance week, when this has coincided with quarter peal weeks. The nearest I got was the simplest role possible ten days too late. The District President of our diocesan association (I am a member of 26 years and perfectly competent) explained autism- "sort yourself out/not man enough." My need to wear a hat owing to sensory issues is "the height of bad manners." As for my local church, words fail me.

We need a character on BBC Radio 4 "The Archers.".  I would suggest Brad Horribyn.  

I think it's worrying that future professional are believing and/or being taught that being autistic isn't a problem, you're example is a good one, how did she react to it? Did she give any reasoning of why she believes such a thing?

Thank You - I didn’t know about these two! Xx