NeuroDivergent People aren't in control of our own narrative & the diagnostic manuals are one way the NeuroTypicals control the narratives around NeuroDivergent People.
I want to say this now, before it's too late, as there are people working to stop me from saying this.
If they have their way, NeuroDivergent people will not be able to speak out against these oppressive systems.
They claim speaking out against the medical model is to "speak out against science & modern medicine" - not understanding that SCIENCE is something that SHOULD BE always evolving.
They want to silence the #ActuallyAutistic voices, sharing their stories and lived experience.
People who have been abused sometimes have to cut ties with anyone who keeps a relationship with their abuser. This is because the abuser will often manipulate people they know are in the circle of the person being abused to get information or further manipulate/harm that person.
Please know that they may have to cut you off, & may not feel safe telling you why, for fear it may get back to their abuser, who will use their flying monkeys to pry & seek information.
You could be a flying monkey & not even know it, if the abuser is a master manipulator.
Master manipulators are the most dangerous type of manipulator, because they know how to keep one face for the world & one for abuse.
They know how to provoke & antagonize you, until you break, then blame you, calling you “crazy” when they finally break you & you lash out.
I sometimes see critique of Autistic People online, who don’t share enough about their struggles.
First, nobody owes you their struggles in pain to read like some kind of soap opera.
Second a lot of people only show the highlights of their life on social media.
Also, if I’m honest, these days I don’t struggle as much as I did before I learned I was Autistic & had no accommodations in place to help me with work, school, or life.
I struggled a lot more before learning I was Autistic.
When I didn’t know I was Autistic I struggled a lot.
I struggled to maintain relationships with other people. I still do, but understand why and that makes it easier now.
I struggled with the sensory environment. Now I avoid my triggers.
Why would nonAutistic parents of Autistic Kids be upset (even filled with rage) seeing Autistic Adults thriving and supporting themselves (when this should fill them with hope)?
Unfortunately some parents want Autistic People to be completely dependent on their parents to feed their own sense of self importance.
Those of us who aren’t dependent on our parents shatter these people’s false and inflated sense of self importance. They need to be needed.
These kinds of parents will train their children (Autistic or not) to be completely dependent on them for the rest of their lives, and may not even try to teach skills for independence, because they like being a source for all of their child’s needs.