I Decided To Create Something That I Wish I Had When I First Got Diagnosed With Autism - So Here’s

Checked again. Ah. I must've missed it. Happens. Feels bad.

I don't want to reblog off that one, since it makes me feel more awkward than this, but I'm not clear on how the 'John Wayne' thing relates to what you were saying? Like, at a glance it misgenders a good deal of folk, and usage of a name as a shorthand, especially a non-mythological one, feels like a bad idea, and frankly it feels like it shouldn't of been attached to that post, but having of seen your response to it, I wind up wanting clarification.

What

PSA: Please don’t ask participants to do grounding/mindful/somatic/etc practices at your events

Grounding exercises should not be an activity in large group settings, especially unsolicited and without warning, especially if you’re not aware of every single person in the space’s mental health conditions, physical health conditions, and personal relationship to their body.

Practices such as mindfulness, grounding, somatic exercises, breathing techniques, body scans, etc. are very helpful therapeutic tools to help manage stress. They can (and do!) help plenty of people– when taught safely and used effectively!

HOWEVER for people with conditions that cause psychosis and/or dissociative conditions such as depersonalization/derealization, these techniques are contraindicated and can make their symptoms significantly worse. They should only be used with guidance from their mental health team and adapted to their needs. For people with conditions like anxiety and PTSD, being aware of breathing can trigger a trauma response or anxiety attacks.

And for people with conditions that cause chronic pain or other uncomfortable bodily sensations, becoming re-centered with their bodies can cause more awareness of the pain they are in, which a level of (ideally functional) dissociation is actually helpful. For people in wheelchairs and powerchairs, touching the ground beneath their feet isn’t always an option. For people with cardiac and pulmonary conditions, deep breathing can be impossible or can trigger asthma attacks. For disabled people in general, doing body scans can be impossible due to paralysis or limb differences. They can bring awareness to things the person wasn’t aware were wrong to begin with (which is helpful in certain spaces, but not a great ice breaker at a retreat!)

And for trans people, binders and other garments can restrict breathing, and taking repeated deep breaths while binding can cause rib damage (which is why you shouldn't bind at night, while coughing from sickness, while exercising, etc). Becoming centered in a body that makes you dysphoric can be deeply distressing, again, a level of functional dissociation helps.

This also goes for plenty of other people in marginalized bodies, such as people of color, people who use substances, queer people, and more. Becoming grounded in your own marginalized body can be a heavy weight to carry, and needs appropriate and individualized care to be a beneficial experience.

As an alternative, I suggest doing a round of gratitudes instead, it allows for people to choose their level of vulnerability in spaces, while not being generally contraindicated for many people. Doing fun (and appropriate to the setting) icebreakers are great. Ask what brings someone to the space. Check-ins about basic needs such as if people need to use the restroom, eat, drink water, are rested, etc. can be more appropriate body check-ins for folks to do.

I don’t recommend doing these exercises even with a warning beforehand. If I'm in the room while someone is leading a breathing exercise, even if I try to ignore it, I (and most people) would automatically become aware of my breathing. The same goes for any other techniques. These techniques can cause real, life-threatening levels of harm for some people, and can even just be deeply uncomfortable or distressing for others. Dissociation is not inherently evil or bad or harmful. It is the way the body and mind naturally respond to adverse experiences (note: it can also cause distress and at higher levels, can be disordered) it is best to allow people to exist as they are in communal spaces. Let people show up as they are.

Most spaces are not equipped or appropriate to respond to emergencies, difficult feelings, and all the varied responses that can come from folks doing mindfulness in group settings.

I personally do some things before large gatherings and events to feel centered on the activity I’ll be doing, and afterward, I decompress. Encourage participants to lean on their natural supports and offer suggestions for it! Be creative in your caring!

This also doesn’t mean to discourage these practices! If you see someone doing deep breathing, check in with them, offer a space for them to decompress, care for them! Worksheets or posters on techniques like square breathing and 5 senses check-ins are great for a quiet room or spaces where participants can decide if they want/are able to engage with those tools. It should be a fully consensual opt-in, rather than being forced to opt-out. Having to leave a room when a group leader says “We’re going to start a mindful breathing meditation, please feel free to leave if you have psychosis, chronic pain, or are trans” is obviously othering and outs people.

Sincerely, someone who has psychotic symptoms, dissociation, chronic pain, is trans and whose body is marginalized in many ways and is really tired from trying to explain this at every event I go to

"I can be myself when I'm with you" is a top tier compliment

Out of touch?

No you’re out of POWER

Mob Psycho 100 II OP 

If you are a physically disabled peep who thinks pd folk are above mentally disabled folk in the struggle? Go fuck yourself and dont talk to me.

If you are a mentally disabled peep who thinks md folk are above physically disabled folk in the struggle? Go fuck yourself and dont talk to me.

Disability is disability. Diff shit, sure. But same stink and equally as valid. And yes I get peeps have fucked each other up before in the struggle for rights and humanity before. Which is exactly what Im talking about rn. Because its that punching down bullshit again. Walking over each other and then pointing out how "well were better than them atleast?" Shove it up your ass if you got one. Or any other hole. Im not picky.

Were in this shit. If we like it or not. And we gotta figure it out together. But youre scum if you think demonizing others makes you a punk. Or a real activist or whatever.

And yeah. That included self diagnosed folk too. Diagnoses are a privilege. Hard to come by. And sometimes very dangerous. And if youre a real one you know that.

So shut the fuck up and quit being assholes. Fuck the system up. Not each other.

Image Description: A pale woman in a striped pink and white tank top with darker pink tone pants stands besides a man in a wheel chair. She has a ponytail, is looking at him to her right with both hands raised in anger and with frown. Man sits beside her with tan skin, an uncomfortable frown, full body cast and neck brace. There is a text bubble leading from the woman asking "Why don't you just try harder?" (The words "try harder" is underlined for emphasis.) Text at the top reads [#mentalillnessfeelslike]. There is a logo at the bottom left for Mental Health America. And the artists watermark on the bottom right that reads [Gemma Correll]

Image description: There is a plain white background with pink and black text. The pink is in a more elegant font. The top line is in pink and larger than the rest. It reads, "I AM SICK". The next line is in the smaller simple, black font. It reads, "I'm not stupid or mentally disabled. I'm not crazy. It's not stress, it's not in my head. I'm not causing this to myself. I'm not making it up. I'm learning about myself everyday. How well I deal with this sickness. I can still do things for myself. I like my independence, but sometimes may need your help." Then the font changes to an equally small pink, elegant font and reads, "Don't take that as weakness, or that I'm giving up. I'm trying the best I can." Finally, in the black font again it reads, "We all need a little boost from time to time, lend a hand. You never know how much it could mean."

what effect is this supposed to have on me

Question: how did you get the link to agree with the claim? This is a one question quiz. Naturally, that means it is probably based on some obscure lore, so I trust you, but how?

hello homestuck kinnies that live in my computer

i finally went ahead and made a classpect quiz based on my personal conception of how things work. that means it's probably one of the more accurate classpect quizzes out there. consists of two parts. 20 questions total. go take it, share it, argue about it, whatever. have fun.

Question: what are you doing with your eyes, there, even.

Also, like, previous person, do check, mixing up those skin tones could be a sign of colour blindness.

TIMMMM are you sure you and Cass aren't twins ????