*Talk: Opinions Wanted*

Post Reply New Topic

A while ago I did a talk for the National Autistic Society's befriender scheme training in London, which I am also volunteering for. You might remember I made a post about it. It was quite a surreal standing in front of ordinary members of the public talking about the Autistic Spectrum, but it really great and worthwhile experience.

At the time I was still waiting for a match, it takes a long time with police checks, references and so forth. Now I do, but it is still quite early days.

Last time I talked mainly about my life from childhood to diagnosis in adulthood. Then afterwards I talked about diversity and multi-dimensional aspect of the spectrum, albeit in my very detailed and technical way. It may have been a bit too technical at times, at one point I was asked to explain what a radar chart was after referring to one for a good ten minutes: D. I also wanted to challenge a few of the stereotypes, so I was not afraid to be a bit provocative. I would hope that my talk at least challenged them to find out about things, and think for themselves before coming to conclusions.

This time I have been asked to do a talk for the Reading training on the 18th October, as the person that runs that had heard that my talk went down well. I also know her a bit because I did my training in Reading despite residing in London. She also arranged my match because the London team have a massive backlog, and was the first person I contacted to join the scheme.

If I do it I thought I might skip the life story (Zzzz… ) and talk a bit about my experience of befriending and more on nuerodiversity, but perhaps in an easer to understand way. Bare in mind that these are ordinary members of the public, some have very little idea of what Autism or any PDD is before doing the two day course, and I’m talking on the first day like before. From experience I will have around 10 minutes each for the two parts. So I thought it would be good if it not just my point of view, but from the horses mouth, so to speak What would you like me to talk about? What issues do you want to be addressed?

Last edited by 0_equals_true on 17 Sep 2008, 9:05 am, edited 2 times in total.

I am so glad for your speaking success!

Idea: Adult AS are 'hidden' in society, and just because we have learned to live in the NT world does not mean we are 'better' now.

Merle

Thanks Merle

Absolutely. There are adult candidate for the befriending scheme but the majority are still under 18. One reason is that some adults don’t think they would be taken seriously, and also awareness of the scheme.

I'm a bit younger than you, but I still grew up when there wasn't a diagnosis to be had. So I didn't end up being diagnosed until recently, even if they knew something was there from age 2. What is remarkable is that some specialist categorically refuse to work with adults and on only ever work with children. The amount of adult services available is poor and you have to fight tooth and nail for them.

having seen 'both sides' I realize that we can be such a help to the AS community, by being able to describe what it is like in side to those outside.

I have a good idea why psychologists and psychiatrists only work with children. My psychiatrist has had to tell me twice now that he is the expert, however he intellectually knows that although he is no slouch, I can run circles around him. I try to tell him that he doesn't have the theory of mind to understand that I don't see the world in the same way he does, and when I read to him my poem "Masquerade" he was actually hurt that I would think NTs are boring and . .. well that meant he was boring. I sorta didn't say anything, but I don't have to have a wrecking ball land on my head to know he was considering the only 'therapy' he had for me was to teach me getting along in the NT world better and I was wanting someone with the intellectual curiosity to want me to be more like ME, not more like him.

and that is really how I see it. I won't be nasty about it, but I want to be like me, not learn to be more like them. Children don't know any better, and can be molded because they are dependent on the adults for their existance, but an adult AS that had to do for theirselves, well that is another story!


Merle

Yes that is a good point theory of mind works both ways (or not). That is why the notion is just a construct. Nobody really can put their self in somebody else’s shoes, but you can have the suspension of disbelief that made you think you can. Of course it helps if you are able to relate to them some way for this delusion to be effective, and that works both ways.

I guess at this rate I'm going to have to write the book on nuerodiversity (…oh goodie). So unless you lot want to fulfil my narcissistic tendencies you might want to follow Merle's example an pitch in

Yeah! I can't believe I am the only poster answering back!

but wooo hoo and gooodie! I am going to overly influence a major work !

go 0_equals_true!

Merle

Ah apathy is most excellent

perhaps you can repost this with a title that can interest folks to respond?

hopefully helpful,

Merle

Now I'm a Megalomaniac

The People have spoken. Long Live the People!

This thread may now be locked for good.


P.S. if you have any questions please send then with a self addressed envelope to yourself.

well. .
I suppose I am too small of an audience for you, sorry. I thought you had a good idea, sorry I wasn't more than just me

I guess I am dismissed now

Merle

I think it would be good to point out that we generally want human contact, we just suck at it : ) And maybe talk about some of our sensory stuff?

Oh no! You are very welcome to stay. Help yourself to some refreshments. It is not the size that matters, it's the people that make up the audience

Good ideas thank you!

I'd put this as a forewarning/disclaimer: I'd let it known that the vocal minority with an ASD only make up a very small portion of those who actually have one, so that the voice of those in the minority are nowhere near objective, nor do they apply to the whole.

Sure. Although this not just problem for ASD but pretty much anything. Non-Verbal people can make their views known if they wish.