Today’s headlines .........

[NoraB]

There is the Psychosis in Autism diagnosis though. There was a boy at my daughter's school who was thought to have this..He was very intelligent but very frightening even at 13 when he left.

Psychosis is a mental illness that can happen to anybody and at any time in their life. (We're born autistic)

I see what you're saying though. The stats say that around three in every hundred autistics will develop psychosis, and this is higher than in the general population, but psychosis rarely means violence, right? In terms of schizophrenia, it's rarely the case that that people are violent. (And for those who are, substance abuse is often the cause)

I know an NT who developed psychosis. He wasn't remotely violent, but he genuinely believed that the 'FBI' were about to bust his front door down..

Actually, didn't Gary A suggest that I'd suffered an episode of psychosis when my dead gran visited me?

Most autistics are acutely in touch with reality. (Which is one of the biggest problems, I'd say)

[Lencoboy]

Knives have an incredibly long history as weapons. (And many a sharp kitchen knife has been used as one)



Which is why there's no problem in autistics owning air-rifles etc. (It should be down to the suitability of the individual - same as with NT's)

The problem with people is that they cherry pick parts of the news, such as the Sandy Hook shooting. What Adam Lanza did that day is inexcusable and abhorrent. (Also, understandable when you see the whole picture.)

And that's the problem, because all some people see is that he had Aspergers. (That's all they need to see to form their opinion)

'He did it because he's autistic'.

Bullshit!

Correlation does not imply causation. There is a much bigger picture. Lanza was thought to have had an undiagnosed personality disorder and he was severely anorexic to the point of malnourishment (which means cognitive issues). Throw in some other MH issues, a gun obsessed mother, and minimal support from children's mental health services, and this is why the kid became a mass murderer. The reality is that autistics are far more likely to self-harm than harm others. So, it really pisses me off when people presume that we're all murdering psychopaths, because the reality is the complete opposite.

Any human being can become a murderer or violent in certain circumstances. I've hit back at people, twice. Granted, it was after years of daily abuse, but in those moments, I was completely out of control, meaning I could easily have killed somebody. No knives or guns required. I was just using my fists. (And I head butted one of them). The loss of control didn't happen because I'm autistic, it happened because I'd been mentally and physically abused for years.

I have to own my own behaviour and take responsibility for it - and I do. My behaviour was inexcusable, but also understandable when you know the history.

But, what about the people who mentally and physically abused me every day? They are also responsible for their behaviour, but the reality is that bullies and abusers rarely take responsibility for their actions.
I was as safe with my air-rifle as I am with my driving, and everything else. (I can be trusted around sharp knives too)

It's those sweeping generalisations by the media and the way they can sometimes provoke intense moral panics that are the real culprits.

You're right in the sense that we occasionally resort to violence and aggression; not because we're malicious psychopathic @rseholes, but in most cases out of sheer desperation when and where we're often on the receiving end of all manners of chronic abuse and often not being listened to, and then treated like we're the bane of many people's lives. Hence the endless cycle of overly punitive and abusive treatments (e.g, physical restraints, threats of heavy-handed police intervention, etc) all masquerading as 'zero tolerance' policies/practices often by clueless blame-gaming jobsworths who aren't fit to be in the profession period!

How about attempting to penalise 'real' villains instead, rather than historically easy pickings like us Auties, just because we happen to act a bit odd on occasions, and usually innocently and without actually hurting or bothering anyone else?

[NoraB]

How about attempting to penalise 'real' villains instead, rather than historically easy pickings like us Auties, just because we happen to act a bit odd on occasions, and usually innocently and without actually hurting or bothering anyone else?

In my personal experience, it's often been the case that people have only to hear the word' autism' and they stop listening. They've already formed an opinion about autistic people based on ignorance and misinformation. That's what we're up against, Lenco.

[NoraB]

‘“The King is very aware of the struggles felt by modern Britons"

Who writes this shit? Dude didn't know what cling film was until recently!

I very much doubt that he and Shamilla will be forced to make the choice between a hot meal or having the boiler on this year (or any year)

How about he coffs for his coronation instead of the government having to find the money?

How about he delays it? (The Queen was coronated 16 months after her father's death)

How about he answers the people in the crowds who are asking him 'why we have to pay for his parade when people are unable to heat their homes'?

Here's an idea: We have the means these days to totally transform how somebody looks. I say we get the make-up team on him and send him out into the real world for a few weeks. Strip him of all those privileges he has. (And do it when it's freezing ya tits off)

[Lencoboy]

In my personal experience, it's often been the case that people have only to hear the word' autism' and they stop listening. They've already formed an opinion about autistic people based on ignorance and misinformation. That's what we're up against, Lenco.

We may just as well go the whole hog and act like social pariahs then.

Me: 'Oi plod, come an' put the boot into me you f***in' pig, 'cuz I'm a f***in' Autie sp@z'!

Plod: 'I'm arresting you for threatening and verbally abusing a police officer in the course of his duty. You do not have to say anything; anything you do wish to say will be taken down and used in evidence, blah, blah, blah', then brutally manhandles me into the back of a riot van!

I'm feeling a bit hormonal (and irrational) today BTW.

[pulisa]

This is a sweeping generalisation, Lenco. You are just reacting to one of your triggers. You are law abiding and unlikely ever to be bundled into a police van. You are more than a diagnosis.

[Lencoboy]

This is a sweeping generalisation, Lenco. You are just reacting to one of your triggers. You are law abiding and unlikely ever to be bundled into a police van. You are more than a diagnosis.

I was triggered by scenes from Moscow on the BBC or Sky News earlier today where people were protesting against Putin's latest talks of reserve conscription due to the Russian forces seemingly being outgunned in Ukraine the past couple of weeks, and seeing police officers there typically putting the boot in, plus the reports of a disturbance in Leicester between certain warring factions of Muslims and Hindus last weekend, but thankfully not quite August 2011 all over again though.

Anyway, I've calmed down a bit now and come to my senses.

[pulisa]

You will always be triggered by scenes of crowd violence and confrontation. You don't need to deliberately seek out these triggers by devouring the news and soaking up the consequences?

[NoraB]

I'm feeling a bit hormonal (and irrational) today BTW.

Same here, Lenco. (And we end up triggering one another, don't we?)

Apologies if I triggered you yesterday.

[Lencoboy]

Same here, Lenco. (And we end up triggering one another, don't we?)

Apologies if I triggered you yesterday.

No worries Nora.

I was already feeling a bit triggered by a couple of other things yesterday that I mentioned in my previous post.