Society
The narratives around autism and addiction are both peculiar. Things are the same while appearing different. On the one hand, autism is viewed by wider society as something that happens to a child, as if an unseen force has stolen their humanity. On the other hand, addiction is seen as
disability
Autism elicits a wide range of responses from people. In the Autistic community, we are relatively protected from harmful views on our existence if we wish to be. For many of us, however, there is the ever-present threat of our existence being used to enforce beliefs that are overtly harmful.
Neurodiversity
This article was written by an anonymous guest author This post references: UN Special Rapporteur on Torture UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities UK Mental Health Act (1983) We are at a pivotal crossroads on our path towards a fairer society, faced with a monumental issue that,
Healthcare
It's no secret that diagnosis in the UK (and, in fact, the world at large) is increasingly difficult to access. I have written at length about diagnosis, such as this article on why getting a diagnosis is so difficult, and this piece considering the issues with current diagnostic
Mental Health
"The first thing you need to understand about specialist mental health services in the UK is that they don't really use a prevention model for intervention. Instead, they use a crisis-driven intervention model that only begins work with you when you are deeply suffering. This was particularly proble
Autistic Rights
There are many things within this world that can cause controversy in minority communities. One less discussed in mainstream society, but of significant interest to the Autistic community is Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). Nothing sets Autistic Rights activists ready to march into battle quite like the normative violence of behaviourism.
Autistic Rights
TW: the content of this article may be upsetting to some. In this article, David looks at the statistics and law that surround the practice of detaining Autistic people under the Mental Health Act and why it paints such a worrying picture.
Society
When we think of mental health services, I'm sure a lot of images are called to mind. Some people might imagine the institutions of days gone by, where people in significant states of dysregulation under the watchful eye of orderlies, nurses, and doctors. Others might think of therapy
Trauma
"For as long as we've existed, psychological distress has been ignored in us. I often think of my own 14 year journey to get a schizophrenia diagnosis from psychiatrists who would tell me I was "just anxious" and that anxiety was "normal" in autism. Normal. Professionals have come to see our sufferi
Trauma
This article takes a deep dive into the statistics and laws around the use of restraint and the way it is harming children, and highlighting the hypocrisy of the UK government.
disability
Challenging behaviour. It's a term we have likely all heard. It projects images of violent children, unruly and disruptive to the children who behave in the way expected of them. However, this particular term has been used to frame Autistic experience as an abberation of human expression and
Addiction
I am really excited to tell you all that I ha e published a new book! Unusual Medicine: Essays on Autistic identity and drug addiction This book explores my personal experiences with being Autistic and addicted to drugs and alcohol. It considers my recovery and what was unique about my