BBC to air documentary on presenter Chris Packham's autism

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I know, that one is HUGE isn't it? A really, really important thing to say and to have heard.

There is a thread on here where someone posted this: "our "cure" resides in people around us, that is, in being accepted by others."

And by extension, just the simple accommodations that would just help us smooth our own way.

This was the thread, and it almost could have been posted after viewing the Packham film, yet it was posted before the show aired:
http://wrongplanet.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=355332

I have just finished watching it, the thing that really struck me was how far people can come with support from family.

I wish I could have watched it. Here's hoping it will become available outside the UK soon. I watched a couple of things on youtube with Chris Packham after reading about him on WP. There's one video where he is promoting his book at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, being a lot more obviously autistic than what you get from the more planned productions.

I quite like his Jimmy Fallon appearance. I'm starting to get a sense of why people don't always know when we're joking.

It's really great that people like Packham use their position and skills to speak up. And that they show ABA on tv. I don't think you don't have to be autistic to find the practice scary.

Yes, I think even though Chris had a rough time within himself, he did have supportive family and was lucky enough to have an obsession he could translate into a formal education and then into a very successful career (nature, zoology, naturalist presenter).

Underwater, will that BBC Player not play outside the UK?

That's a shame; I hate it when they block other countries from viewing things. I was going to send the link to my friend in the US but I guess she won't be able to view it also.

I wonder if other countries' channels will pick the film up and air it eventually?

No, it won't. Found the first half, though:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0mIFmRCaCs

Looks really, really nice. It's just really good telly, isn't it? It's not just a talking head, they are using the tv medium to better explain Packham's inner world. Managing to be personal without being cloyingly private, as well.

I like how he manages to stay neutral and engage people in conversations, for example about this electromagnetic treatment. Then we get the personal reaction later, but still staying professional.

I know that some people will criticize it for showing things from the point of view a someone who is very high functioning. It's good that he's open about the depression and the dark times, that it's not just a PR version of Asperger's. Maybe some people will watch it and realize that people who have much weaker communication skills than Packham may have rich inner worlds as well.

It's a very good documentary. Highly likely that it will be sold to other countries, I think.

Wow, How good was this, I totally related to this guy. It was like almost everything he said described most of my life from growing up to adulthood apart from he made something of himself and I am struggling more now I'm older. I did find it very inspirational and helpful though. I think it also gives NT people a very honest insight into aspergers and how we are treated or viewed as being different and weird. I highly recommend this to watch for everyone, 10 out of 10 for this program.

It is important that such a subject be discussed on mainstream television by someone who is in the public eye who is autistic. Brave man. I was able to see the differences in his behaviour between his onscreen presenting work and the personality he presented in the documentary. I would say that I recognised how I "act" in these different situations whilst watching him.

Other people NEED to have more understanding of differences in our society. The comments made by the microsoft manager are entirely correct.

It's a long road to societal change.

It really was "really good telly" wasn't it?! ! A really beautifully made film with a sensitive atmosphere -- it's almost a work of art as well as just informative.

Solioquist, thanks for posting that Youtube!

Hooj, my thoughts exactly! It's really so important that someone in mainstream broadcasting, and even someone who seems so functional and "normal" while on his TV shows, reveals to the public that he is autistic too.

I agree with you that this exact thing is needed in order for other people to start to have more understanding of differences and of how wide the autism spectrum is, and that even the so-called well functioning people still have coping issues relative to their level, that NTs don't have and kind of don't know or don't believe the HF person has.

I was thinking the same thing as you about the differences in his behaviour too! Having only ever seen him "at work" on the BBC nature shows, where he's being professional and "managing" his traits as he put it (in a sense another way of saying "masking") I thought that version of Chris Packham was Chris Packham.

It was a revelation to see him interviewed on this documentary, clearly letting his guard down, with very different body language, even avoiding "eye contact" with the camera and closing his eyes, fidgeting etc. It was so clear how he allowed the veils to fall away for the purposes of this film, and that's another thing that's incredibly important for the viewing public to see in understanding this end of the spectrum.

I too saw myself in this -- I have a masked or "managed" self I have to use for work or other vulnerable situations, and a real self that all hangs out when either comfortable and alone, or in fact distressed. I related to Chris in everything but the successful career also, lol!

I also buy clothes in multiples if I find something comfortable and acceptable, and keep my blinds closed -- I was watching this going "oh my god".

The one thing I did not relate to was his partner said he "just doesn't care about people" -- I do actually care about other people's welfare and feelings, although I must admit that was missing when I was a child, and kind of "grew" on me as I got older and older.

I've posted recently about a friend I have who has mocked and teased me because I revealed my trait of not being able to process a conversation while music is playing in the immediate environment, or indeed other high noise levels. I feel this friend does not take my ASD seriously because he doesn't really understand it, in regards to so-called "high functioning" people who otherwise seem "normal," similar to Chris Packham.

I told my friend about this documentary before it aired, and he said he would watch it. I haven't had a chance to catch up with him and see what he thought about it, but I'm encouraged to know he planned to see it, as I think it will change his perceptions and he may understand a bit more about me.

I managed to find the whole film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-UVid2NK50

Watched the rest of it this morning. I really loved it, and I think you put into words what was the best bit - him showing his 'real self'. That must have been hard. I find it difficult to show that side of me to anyone except my closest family. With anyone else, stress levels are too high to act natural. A sad fact.

I thought of this today. I saw my regular therapist the first time after diagnosis. She seems happy to keep working with me, and seems to have a better understanding of my issues, but she doesn't get at all how severe they are, and it's becoming clearer and clearer that she doesn't see my 'tells'. I see very well when Chris Packham is uncomfortable in the film, but I'm starting to understand that this is invisible to a lot of people.

It was a very good program and his experience is extremely relatable. This was very refreshing to see, especially after putting myself through a few episode of The Good Doctor.

That was certainly touching, and unfortunately it's hard to know how to make this more visible. I imagine to most people he looked disconnected or indifferent during some of the moments I'd say he was uncomfortable and probably feeling very strong emotions. Even with therapists, it is hard to relay the intensity of what we go through. I had one who suggested I listen to recordings of office noise to "desensitize" myself to the noises I hate, despite the fact that I'd worked in offices about 10 years and was not becoming less sensitive. His advice just made me more anxious and worn out. I don't mean to be hopeless, but I wonder if this is something most NTs will ever really get. I think they feel our needs are too selfish and demanding because it takes effort for them to adjust, and they don't realize how many adjust we have to make.

On a more positive note, I'll say I really envied his house in the woods.

Uhhh...okay, I'm starting to disagree with him about ONE thing now...

Today he issued a statement of thanks for the support, which included this, regarding being open about being on the spectrum:

"It’s not an option – it’s a duty, and to forfeit that duty, to keep life easy, to not rock the boat, to play safe, is simply unforgivable, immoral, untenable. Thus I really didn’t have a choice but to speak up about autism, for autistic people."

I'm sorry but I CANNOT agree that it's okay for EVERYONE to disclose or come out about having an ASD. Not everyone is in a supportive enough position in life or work for this to be even wise.

I LOST A CLIENT because I thought it was okay to disclose. I lost WORK. I lost income.

I HAVE TO "not rock the boat, play safe." Even in my living situation, which is already toxic and dysfunctional -- because I can't afford to live in a better place!

NOBODY in my world as it stands right now would understand or even make life better for me once they know. They would actually make my life worse for me.

I have a longer story than this but believe me, it would actually do harm to my daily existence for anyone to know I have an ASD.

Chris Packham has a roaringly successful career, money in the bank, his ideal living conditions, and his whole life is exactly the way he wants it to be.

He's one of the lucky ones -- and by that I don't mean to discount the notion of working hard for what you want -- but he was only able to work hard for what he wants by having the SUPPORT to do so, and by being lucky enough that his special interest also had an inherent career in it.

He can be open about autism and tell anyone who doesn't like it to f**k off. They can't make his life hell for him. The people in MY life can.

I wouldn't worry about it, Birdie. We all have our blind spots. I'm not entirely certain that Chris Packham understands quite how lucky he is. He obviously had a very supportive family, and has enjoyed a hugely successful career. It's a bit of black and white thinking.

I tried to take the good bits from his story. I related a lot.

I think there is a tradeoff where if you struggle a lot in life you tend to have more sympathy for other people, yet people who were more supported as children can be more successful but less empathetic.

I think there are lots of struggling people in Britain who will look at someone hugely successful like Packham and not understand what he's complaining about, because they have very severe issues of an entirely different kind, and not such successful lives.

I certainly don't feel any pressure to stand up and be counted. I have a family to take care of. Maybe in twenty years' time. I don't know what the future will bring.

I would love to be open about autism, particularly because I am very verbal, and I'm able to stand in front of an audience and present a topic. In that sense I relate a lot to Packham. I think I would be able to make sense of this to people. But I can't afford the cost to my life, certainly not now.

Don't worry about it, you are not responsible for absolutely everything.