A topic that comes up a lot in different conversations on the forum is that of self advocacy - standing up for ourselves and our rights, only this can get complicated in real life depending on the situation, where you live, who your friends are (or aren't), and your own skills, whether it's in your personal life or public and political.
Has this topic made the rounds yet? I'm interested in discuss this, ie specific strategies, in more depth.
A topic that comes up a lot in different conversations on the forum is that of self advocacy - standing up for ourselves and our rights
That's what Aspies For Freedom is all about! That's the point of why we are here! :smile:
Stella
Yes, that's the point over here.
Seen a psychiatrist today and that's what he told me... I should accept what/how I am and don't feel the need to to things I'm uncomfortable with.
Well, I would not have that much problems (as many of us), if other ppl let me just be what I am and not expect me to be like they are.
What I try to do about it, is to tell people what kind of problems I have with the so-called "normal" behavior (chitchat, being in crowds, socializing a lot, having little time on my own) and that it is not, because I don't like them.
I try to find people I can tell about and who might try to understand (a lot ppl just don't care) so the knowledge about Aspergers will spread - like NT chitchat "I tell you what: I know a woman who has Aspergers and I have talked to her and what she told me, just made sense. She said, it's like ..." :wink:
Of course it's always kind of a small road to whom one should talk about it and to whom not!
But I found more understanding people (even my mother now seems to understand :shock: but it wasn't until I found out that it might have been a feeling of guilt she did not notice I was unhappy as a child, that made her act strange) than I thought there would be. But on the other side, there are still a lot who don't care because they are only in their own lifes and don't see other ppls problems. Well, I try to understand their view anyway.
Sibylle
There's a saying over here: Don't ask for an easy load, ask for a strong back.
That's what Aspies For Freedom is all about! That's the point of why we are here! :smile: Stella
Yeah - I get it, that's why I'm here too!!
My point was to see if ppl were interested in having a specific discussion about self-advocacy - even though I realize that there are examples throughout the whole forum. How to go about it can vary so much depending on the situation, so I had thought it would be useful to gather it the info in one thread - individual strategies like Sibylle mentioned, and organized efforts. And also which worked well, and those that didn't.
Like, the 10 best strategies for self-advocacy ....
Does that make sense?
This probably isn't the best idea of self-advocacy, but when normies complain to me about the things I tell them regarding my feelings or whatever, I ask them to consider that perhaps they are just reaping what they have sewn.
One last ditch attempt at this - whether this is read or not, getting this off my chest will feel good.
I have a lot of trouble with service situation - like with the vet (my cat was just dx diabetic and I've had 4 vets in the past year - none of whom I trust), or getting something fixed, etc. I'm easy to rip off because I don't understand what's being said to me in the moment, or generally don't 'get' when someone is taking me for a ride.
So tips on how to manage how to avoid this is what I was after - this may come as a shock:lol:, but I sometimes don't say what I really mean.
Research, research, research. Find the schedule of fees, learn how to recognise symptoms in your cat, whatever. More research.
Talking about research :lol: : I would love to have a chat with whoever is interested in the self-advocacy, in the chat-room here. I will be using your ideas in my research (about self-advocacy, that's it) and I will have a chance to talk to a group of very committed people, I don't find many of you around in these days, I wish there were more...
Let me know, I check the forum every day. Tonight (say, in a couple of hours) I'll pop in to see if anybody wants to have a chat about it.
I'll bring my tea and cakes in front of the computer :lol: :wink:
Martina