Hello my fellow HP’ers ! I hope that you have been doing well and getting some rest over the weekend! Today, we are focusing on Autism Spectrum Disorder with Mental Health Monday! 
*I would like to note that I do not have this disorder, so I speak from a generalized perspective and not a personalized perspective*

From the CDC : ( https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/facts.html ) - Autism Spectrum Disorder is defined as  :

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability  that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. There is often nothing about how people with ASD look that sets them apart from other people, but people with ASD may communicate, interact, behave, and learn in ways that are different from most other people. The learning, thinking, and problem-solving abilities of people with ASD can range from gifted to severely challenged. Some people with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives; others need less.

A diagnosis of ASD now includes several conditions that used to be diagnosed separately: autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), and Asperger syndrome. These conditions are now all called autism spectrum disorder.

Autism is known as a spectrum disorder because there is a wide range of type and severity of symptoms that people experience.

Further information from the National Institute of Mental Health : https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd

There are also a lot of great social media accounts that I follow of people who have Autism. They may not be advocates or social media influencers, they may not broadcast their disorder. But, I enjoy their content and feel that they are great examples for how people with Autism are just normal people too!

I love!! Nicole Parish aka @soundoftheforest on Tiktok ! She is a talented artist and especially well educated on all types of bugs and moths! I hope to buy one of her paintings one day.

Paige Layle on Tiktok is a Canadian person with Autism who is a wonderful advocate and posts about beautiful crystals from time to time!

On Instagram, I really like @myloveneedsnowords . She’s an advocate and posts really great infographics along with inspirational photos!

If you’re wanting to follow an Indigenous artist, podcast host, and Author - @the.chronic.couple on Instagram is another wonderful account! Her posts are so colorful and aesthetically pleasing.


WingsofLove also was kind enough to share a blurb with me and allowed me to share it with y'all : 

"Treat us with respect and kindness like you would any other adult or person. We have feelings and are sensitive like anyone else.

Autistic ones may seem callous but we are really very hyper sensitive to variety of things. Some of us it is socially we are sensitive and we have social anxiety that seems paralyzing.  " 

It is always important to remember that people with disabilities or disorders are no different from us. We are all human; we all just want to have a good time on this spinning rock we call home! Remember to act with kindness, to not judge quickly because not all disorders are visible, and try to practice your people first language! (Check out my post on Disability Awareness Month for a better article about that)

I hope this helps! As always, my inbox is always open! This is a safe space. You are loved, you are valued, and you are important.

Need a place to vent or just let it all out without judgement? Test out my Google Form - an anonymous google space where you can tell your stories, share your thoughts, or just complain for as long as you need!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdzfQIXJufNmxEBRZes4l1nj4zWJPt22WsBhL8jPisAjg7qGA/viewform?usp=sf_link

I just wanted to thank Wings of Love again for sharing a quote with me for the Disability Awareness Month post that I have again shared in this post! 

I'm not an expert - just someone who is passionate about Mental Health Disabilities and Awareness - so I hope that these posts help and that they encourage some healthy discussion! 

Also - if you'd like to share any of your favorite social media accounts with advocates for Autism, I'd love to follow and support them! 

Hi Everyone! I wanted to share an update - I was made aware that Autism Speaks is not a reputable organization and that they actually have very problematic views towards the community. So, please forgive me for sharing a link to their website! I have edited this post to take them out. Instead, I am sharing some other links that may be helpful to organizations that aren't problematic. 

Autism Society :https://www.autism-society.org They post credible, reliable resources for knowledge and assistance to the Autistic community and their families. 

Autism Acceptance Society : https://www.autismacceptance.org . Their focus is more towards acceptance instead of just awareness. They believe that Inclusion begins with Acceptance. 

National Autism Association : https://nationalautismassociation.org/resources/autism-safety-facts/ . This page seems a bit more focused on facts, less about resources for the community. But still a good resource. 

I want to thank the player that pointed this out to me about Autism Speaks - you were brave and spoke out! This gave me an opportunity to learn and fix my mistake; so thank you for that! 

♥️♥️♥️