Today we had the most wonderful Woodland Away Day as part of our SWAN: Under our Wing Peer Mentoring Programme. The mentor & the mentee groups enjoyed a day out to Queen Elizabeth Forest Park, Aberfoyle for a day celebrating nature & the amazing bonds we have forged as a group. A big thank you to Craig, of Operation Play Outdoors, our trainer, and to Scottish Forestry for ongoing support. rony@swan ...
Video
How many of you can relate to this? I posted this comment because a friend said I was ‘lucky to have been given a rest’.
I had, in fact, reached the point of overload.
My response:
...the torturous truth about Autism is that, when overwhelmed a person feels suicidal. People breathing and talking near you becomes physically painful to be around; nausea hits; your brain goes 900 miles an hour; everything feels disjointed and as if the ground is moving, then absolute panic takes over. That’s when the suicidal ideation starts.
To come down from that, a person needs darkness, stillness, one sound to concentrate the mind (so iPlayer is good). It takes every ounce of will to remind one’s self that this isn’t real, it’s the fight or flight mechanism at play and the mind has gone into overdrive. There’s no choice about this, it’s not as if the person can carry on making tea for everyone and having conversations or tidying up. It’s overload. It’s a case of finding a quiet place to come down or throwing one’s self off a building. That’s the reality of Autism.
There’s no rest involved. Those 18hrs were the opposite of rest...they were hell. Rest will take place over the next few days in order that overload can be avoided again.
I’m saying all this because I know you have a vested interest; I know you want to know xxx ...
Dean Beadle Speaker: Robyn Steward is having a book party for her new book 'the autism friendly guide to periods'. Pop along if you can and celebrate the publication of a new book that will be a huge help to many. ...
Photo
Call for contributions to what is looking like a really interesting 2 day symposium in July:
Inside Out: autistic identities, participatory research and gender
2 day symposium: Thursday July 4 & Friday July 5 at the University of Kent
Day 1: Perspectives on participatory research practices, ethics and themes
Day 2: Perspectives on gender and creativity
Cat@Swan ...
‘Inside Out’ Symposium – Call for Contributions
participatoryautismresearch.wordpress.com
Events Inside Out: autistic identities, participatory research and gender 2 day symposium: Thursday July 4 & Friday July 5 at the University of Kent Day 1: Perspectives on participatory researc… 
