ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, and Stress.

  

All these conditions are not easy to write about even if you may have the conditions yourself.

I would say ADHD is a learning difficulty, disability and mental health condition rolled into one.

Anxiety is a feeling of anger and fear, where people get anxious and worry about things more so than other people. It is hard to understand people can feel anxious and worried with or without a reason. 

The same with Depression where it is a feeling of sadness whether there is a reason or not. 

 This can cause them a lot of anxiety, worry, and fear whether or not they will say and do things that others will think they are someone they are not really.

 Although they may not be aware of what they may do or say to defend people without meaning to they will be aware that they may do in something and it is likely causing them a lot of anxiety frustration if they are not understanding or awareness of what they have done or and said.

 They find it hard to cope with loneliness as well. Once they have gone through these things though, slowly they get used to it but then find it hard for a while if or and when change happens again.

People with most forms of Autism struggle to understand awareness of how things look and sound to other people without meaning to upset anyone, not that we do not have our crosses to bear as we are human-like everyone, there is good and bad in everyone, but without being aware or understanding we are likely to do and say things we do not mean.

That does not mean we expect to be treated as if nothing has happened, but we just need people to be aware that we may do or and say things unintentionally. 

Autism like other conditions is not a disease or illness and it cannot be cured but it is possible for us to maybe overcome some problems we faced during childhood in adulthood.

 Some of us face other problems as well which may need more support than others.

This could be learning difficulties, disabilities, mental other problems, one, some, or all of them. However, with the right support, it is possible for us to live an equal life as possible. 

I would say stress covers all the conditions I am writing about. Most of us with Autism can sensitive to the slightest things but not all same things, which is where sensory comes in which  may cause our Anxiety, stress, depression, which may show in meltdowns, which if always there may well change in life say from having a temper paddy in Marks and Spencer’s when you about five to well I find now more so when I am anxious etc I tend to cope with it quietly if I am alone or whoever I am with, if something worrying me one won’t hear the end of it till whatever it is, is sorted. Hard to explain really because sometimes I may be feeling down or anxious without a reason, which is silly, and not sure what happens, but it does.

Why are we feeling down or and Anxious etc? Strangely for something really do not know the answers to there could be a lot of answers, which could be not enough or too much of things for example sleep, food /diet, medication etc.

Each type of Autism is different, professionals say that people with Asperger Syndrome can pretty much look after themselves and it is just really social skills, they struggle with but if you face other problems as well you may need support. 

Autism Spectrum disorder is the most common form of Autism to be misunderstood, this can lose the person a lot if not all relationships in people. Everyone has their Crosses to bear, we are human, we all have negative and positive in us, including those of Autism.

 Autism is misunderstood anyway because we find it hard to express how we sound to people and do not really understand how we seem and sound to everyone.

Do not get me wrong when I say this, but this can vary person to person depending on how major or mild their condition is. In fact, for some people, they can over things compared to how they were when they were younger say. This can depend on what is done and said, there can be a lack of understanding of the person's half, your half, or both. For example, most people with major forms of Autism, may not understand how the phase break a leg may sound for example. 

 

Yet some people may think it but in fear whether not they should say it mainly if they are with people they do not know, with some things people may say, some may take it hard and others may not. Others may not have awareness or understanding of how it may sound to most people, therefore it becomes a huge shock to them if someone does get angry. 

Unless the person tells them how that sounds and even then, depending on the person's condition they may or may not understand but if they are aware, they will feel bad about and say sorry. In fact, you may find most of them getting angry and upset with themselves. That does not necessarily mean that that is okay, and they are likely to gain a lot of friendships, etc.

 They are human-like everyone and have their crosses to bear but they may slip the mark more often. That does necessarily mean you should treat them any different to anyone else but be mindful, that you may need to react slightly differently if they do not seem to be aware of how something they do or say, sounds, and or looks. 

I am guessing the chances are they become aware when you tell them something sounds or looks bad to you and your not they have done and said whatever, chances are they will say sorry but feeling cross with themselves they said or did whatever.

 

 

 They are likely to have Asperger Syndrome but if they do not become aware or seem to understand, they just may get upset, walk away wondering why all this happening but still not been aware or understand anyone whose trying to tell them, which some cases hard to know whether they face the condition or not, you will only know that if they are with someone they know, which it's likely will likely do their best to see that the person does not embassy themselves, compared to if you just see the person on their own.

 Even anything is done or and said and they are with someone they know; it is likely they will try to keep things at bay. 

With Autism you do get some forms that are hidden, and others are not. Although no one wishes anyone to face a shown physical condition etc, the hidden ones are hard to see. 

Most people who have hidden conditions tend to look as if there is not anything wrong with them only, when or and if they say do things it may show or if not can be misunderstood but that does not mean they are certain of attention either but if it does become aware you still need to be careful how you react with them, mainly if they are aware of how something looks or and sounds to you or and others. 

 They may have little or eye contact towards or may stare without realizing they are.

 They may find it hard to listen, look, and understand people.

  They may tend to be quiet if there's a big crowd of you, fearing they may do or say things that have nothing to do with what you are talking or those that do they are likely to Autism Spectrum may be unaware of what you are doing and what you are talking about and may try to bring something you don't want to the chat without meaning to, I know is a hard one to react to. A tip for that is you do not necessarily have to listen to their topic every time see them but allow it now and then, so the a person is not feeling left out of the company.

 If that is not working, then chances are they have a major form of Autism Spectrum. If they are not with anyone who supports them, rather than get angry with them say they for eg, you are in a pub, etc maybe speak to the manager or staff of the pub raise the concern to them.

 They also may have difficulty sharing things, feelings, etc.

 They may be slow at someone calling their name for example.

 May have difficulty coming backward and forwards in the chat, even not aware of and understand when you have changed the subject, etc 

 They may struggle with facial expressions, gestures, movement, etc.

 Some people have major forms of Autism, Autism spectrum, their speech may not sound clear, they may make screaming laughing or and even crying, baa noises whereas some such as Asperger may sound clearer and stutter. I myself have a stutter.

 They may struggle to understand people's point of view.

 They may repeat things, have odd behaviors, etc.

 They might find it hard to understand people's actions.  https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd/index.shtml

  https://www.autismdontpanic.co.uk/aspergers_symptons.html

On this handout, I want to try and focus on the positives of Autism.

It may not apply to everyone who faces the condition does not mean they face the same positives and same with negatives too.

This may be because in some people's cases that they face other conditions too. For example, according to my research, it says people with Autism have a good sense of direction, I have not but that does not mean the person does not necessarily mean the person is not Autism.

In my case I have Dyspraxia and with that condition, you have a poor sense of direction according to what the research says and in my case it is true.

·                     We tend to remember things from a long time ago rather than a short time ago.

·                     Direct communication, that can vary, some people may be the opposite due to possibly having other conditions as well, but it is not necessarily always the case.

·                     Maths, computers, music, or and art can be their strong areas but again that can vary from person, some may be good at one, some or all.

·                     For me poetry, story writing, drawing, painting, colouring, and pretty much some areas of IT.  I am not good at maths at all because I have Dyscalia that is linked to Dyspraxia.

·                     We tend to be visual thinkers but again that can vary.

 

 

I learned to read at a young age but struggle with certain words, reading and pronouncing but not comprehend what we are reading about, but we may learn to read sooner even that a child with no problems even.

Again, this can vary from person to person. Always except the unexcepted.

 The reason for me saying this is because as a child I loved reading, even though I struggled with certain words, which the teacher had to help me, and I used meltdown soon as the reading session was over.

Bearing in mind I was a child long before the internet etc, the layout and print of books, etc weren't easy for a person with problems for us to understand what the story is about, etc.

I was telling the time when I was three but the way I was saying it wasn’t the same form in the way people understand say 10 past 10 for example would 2 past 10 because read it as the numbers said on the clock.

 

 No one in my family could not understand why could not read all a book unless there were clearer print and even pictures.

 My Gran used to go to the library a lot and try and encourage me. All this can vary because this could be to do with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia as well as Autism.

 However,' this is a positive as well as a negative because it is possible to be a positive if the person is able to have the right support aids. At the same time a shame that the person faces those difficulties when they can read probably sooner than most people who do not face difficulties, they just struggle to comprehend what they are reading about but with accessible materials, etc it is possible for the person to overcome but expect this to vary from person to person as everyone's needs are difficult. 

 

 

·                     Good time management again do not except that in everyone.

·                     Honesty

·                     Bright but difficulties along with it.

·                     Independent thinking, that can vary mainly if they face other conditions as well as Autism, and also it may depend on the topic, skill, etc if and how much they may know. If something new to them they may need a lot of support so except anything off them really. 

·                     They are less concerned with what others think, again something can vary depending on their condition, other conditions they may have, experiences they have had with other teachers, people who support, family, etc and whether or not the skill, task, etc is new to them, how much they do and don't, etc. 

Loyal, no matter their positives and negatives they are likely to try things more so without knocking anyone than most people without problems but again except anything from anyone in how they do and do not cope 

·                     with things.

·                     This neither positive and negative, I cannot speak for others similar if not the same as me but I tend to work on the things I know rather than what I do not, it takes me quite a bit of confidence to try something new if I do but if I do if it comes familiar to me and if I do get to know the skill then I am okay. 

·                     They understand rules, yes mostly true but for most people, if the rules are accessible and not confusing. 

·                     They are nonjudgement, it is probably unlikely that is untrue because of the experience of their own problems, they are likely to treat others as equals.

Once they have a topic that they are good at and what they are interested in they are on the ball, but some may find it hard to focus on anything else. This may because take my case for example: as a child, did not learn anything in school from been on extraordinarily strong 

·                     tablet. The only skill I had back then was swimming. When I left school and learned stable management, it took me a long time to have the confidence to try something new which was a care course, English literature, and language, drawing painting, then IT.