Published on 12, July, 2020
Have just read a post on twitter on @AutismForthVal saying using something called Alpha Stim Cranial Electrotherapy is useful for people with autism.
Very worried, this appears to be a legitimate site of government funded autism support.
Is this site and its facebook page legitimate? I looked up this Dr. Lorene Amet online, don't want to say too much on here, you can google for yourselves. Can this be legitimate?
What is this Alpha stim? I do not want to be forced to get some therapy. I do not want to be cured or have government agencies supporting these strange therapies for autism. Also worried as this site follows Autism Speaks (very controversial organisation in the autism community) and no autism rights organisations or autism rights campaigners.
Anyone know what is going on with this organisation. Is it real?
Am pretty worried. Please help.
My understanding is alpha STIM isn’t an autism cure (because as we all know there isn’t one, nor do we want one). It is not therapy, but rather a device. What it does claim to do is relax the brain into the alpha state - same as sleep, meditation, running, arts and crafts etc - it can help with reducing and managing anxiety. NICE have some info on it but they’d like a bit more research. They were considering its use for people on waiting lists to see IAPT practitioners, as an interim measure. Having looked into this (briefly), I don’t see it as something nefarious, and it is used for lots of things, not just for Autistics. Too this extent, I have ordered a device to try it for myself and will later blog about it. I’d like to create the brain benefit I get when I go running, more often, and it appears this device can offer that. I live with life-long relentless anxiety, my need I feel is great. This being the case I am open minded to most options that could better manage my anxiety. My anxiety is linked to my being autistic so won’t go away, but management is worth it for me.
www.nice.org.uk/.../mtg56