All support in the UK is gatekept by dreaded phonecalls.

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DogOfJudah
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01 Aug 2022, 12:30 pm

Feeling i've 'had enough', thought i'd try talk to someone and just get "Phone this number" or "text this number, someone will call you".

Try to look for some autism help in my area to email and get the ball rolling... all of it's phone numbers. How much autism help could they possibly offer if they don't know the great levels of anxiety, making a phonecall creates !? I thought this would end after Covid but no. It's far more convenient for the NTs that's what counts.

To be fair however, it's somewhat taken my mind off 'kicking the bucket', decided I haven't been here for a while for a good whinge.

The ignorance of society is mind boggling.



And So It Goes
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08 Aug 2022, 5:49 am

I agree to some extent that it does feel like any point of contact is gatekept due to the mutually shared social and communication difficulties.

Are you seeking support in general, such as for finances, and day to day living?

If so, this seems to be a unnecessarily difficult endeavour, especially as an Autistic adult when the misconceptions such as "You grow out of Autism" continue to be perpetuated.

Because I am not non-verbal, I find "support" on the other end of the phone to be initially dismissive because "You communicate very well for someone who's autistic."

Nevermind the years of speech therapy and honing of social and communication skills, as well as the lost sleep and hours of preparing myself before dialling.

I'm glad such perseverance is taking your mind off negative thoughts. "A good whinge" is better than bottling it all up and succumbing to such darkness.

I just hope you manage to find the support that you need without having to tolerate anymore signposting and phone calls. I wholeheartedly know this rather bureaucratic process oh so well.


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klanka
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08 Aug 2022, 7:28 am

I wanted to get in contact with some volunteer charities a few years ago. I just emailed all of them. The emails were answered 2 - 3 months later because the charities don't get notifications and don't check them very often. It's a shame.

A simple mobile number to text would solve these problems.



Joe90
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09 Aug 2022, 4:57 pm

Today I got a text from my therapy team, at 5pm, telling me that if I wanted to have a telephone appointment instead of coming to the practice, I have to phone a number they provided in the text.
My therapy appointment is tomorrow morning so they didn't give me much time to consider making it a telephone appointment instead. I rang the number without hesitating, but a solemn sounding woman answered and told me that the therapy department is closed and that I'll had to phone again in the morning. I wish the text message allowed me to reply with a yes or a no instead of having to phone a number, and I wish they'd sent the text earlier on in the day before closing time.

I don't mind telephone appointments if I know that they're going to call me at a precise time.

Here are a few reasons why I dislike phoning places:-

1. When I can't understand the accent of the person on the other end

2. When the person on the other end is solemn or snappy

3. When I have to wait for ages for someone to pick up, because they're short-staffed with a high demand on customers (everywhere is short-staffed lately). The annoying music is also a big turn-off, and also when they don't tell what number you are in the queue

4. I hate saying my name because they never hear the first time, because of having such a difficult name

5. When I'm given options but my query/reason for calling does not fit any of the options

And there's probably more that I can't think of right now. An email or even text message is so much easier.


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