There are many autistic people, not all of them diagnosed. Daily we face many struggles living in a world not made for us. We miss out on opportunities of a better life because people will not give us a chance at being accepted or understood.
Acceptance And Understanding
For most things in life, you would say you need understanding for them to be accepted. Autism is different in that each person is an individual, therefore you need to accept them to be able to learn and understand their individual needs.
Hyper and Hypo sensitivities
Sensory sensitivities are one aspect of autism I find often gets overlooked, yet it can be quite debilitating for those who suffer. For hypersensitivities it can be difficult in the crowded, noisy world we live in. For hyposensitive people it could be just as hard as they are not always aware of the world around them. They are not always aware of dangers, the rest of us are.
Employment Opportunities
In the media you hear of an employment crisis where there are not enough people to fill the job roles. My question would be why are the large number of unemployed autistic people and people with learning disabilities still not being given a chance?
There are many who would love to work whether it be paid work or voluntary. It would have such a positive impact on their lives in so many ways both physically and mentally. It could combat loneliness, give them a sense of purpose, get them more active, and much more.
Environment
Being an autistic person with hypersensitivities I dislike being at home and I also dislike going out. There is no escape, nowhere I can feel comfortable or relaxed.
More focus and effort need to be made on not just adapting places for physical disabilities but for the unseen disabilities as well. If you are unsure what theses adaptations might be asking the people and find out.
When dealing with autistic people the best thing to remember is do not be afraid to ask them what they need. No matter how much training or learning you do it is difficult to know about each individual autistic person. Please give an autistic person a chance.
By Nicola Martin
