@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix

@[email protected]

Author of "The New Normal" and "A Treatise on Chaos", Owner of "Emergent Divergence" and DGH Neurodivergent Consultancy. Co-Host of "Especially Interesting" podcast from Aucademy. Host of "David's Divergent Discussions" podcast.

Pronouns (He/They)

#Autistic and #ADHD recovering from #addiction and also #Schizophrenic.

#Blogger.
#Activist.
#Advocate.

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DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to actuallyautistic
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

I remember getting this 5 star review from Dr. Nick Walker. Nick has been one of the leading minds of the neurodiversity movement for over two decades. Her conceptualisation of neuroqueer theory has been groundbreaking.

My book is available in most territories, but do let me know if you have difficulty finding it 😊

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @neurodiversity @bookstadon

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to actuallyautistic
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

Autistic people in the media

#ActuallyAutistic #autism #Autistic #neurodiversity #neurodivergent #media #television #film #movies

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

A video of David speaking. The video has subtitles.

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to actuallyautistic
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

When minority groups are facing a decline in their well-being due to real problems that affect their group, no amount of positive thinking will make that go away.

It is completely unreasonable to ask people to think positively about their lack of privilege in a situation.

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix,
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

@infmin @actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd it wasn't all that accidental tbh.

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to actuallyautistic
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

When services fail to make themselves accessible or helpful to minority groups, they have failed completely.

I think about mental health services in particular, both CAMHS and adult services, that constantly fail to support neurodivergent people.

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd @neurodiversity

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to actuallyautistic
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

Stop trying to "normalise" Autistic people. Changing our outward behaviour will not make us any less Autistic.

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd @neurodiversity

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to actuallyautistic
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

A brief video on what neurodiversity is and isn't. If you find it helpful, pass it along!

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd @neurodiversity

A video of David discussing what neurodiversity is and isn't. The video has closed captions.

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to autisticadvocacy
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

The state of autism diagnosis in the UK.

All content on slides can be found at this link along with the option to listen as audio-

https://emergentdivergence.com/2023/11/12/the-shocking-state-of-autism-diagnosis-in-the-uk/

#ActuallyAutistic #autism #Autistic #AutismDiagnosis #neurodiversity #neurodivergence

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

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DivergentDumpsterPhoenix,
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

The state of autism diagnosis in the UK.

All content on slides can be found at this link along with the option to listen as audio-

https://emergentdivergence.com/2023/11/12/the-shocking-state-of-autism-diagnosis-in-the-uk/

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

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DivergentDumpsterPhoenix,
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

@johnhobbs @actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd I suspect that as well

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix,
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

@transponderings @actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd thank you, I appreciate you doing this. I have been ill in hospital having emergency surgery and have not been keeping up with putting alt text on everything. I am very grateful that you did this for me in my own absence. You are good people.

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix,
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

@transponderings @actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd thank you 😊

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to autisticadvocacy
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

It's a good thing when more people get their diagnosis. It validates their struggle and increases the chance of them finding Autistic spaces.

While we should work towards a world where diagnosis is not required, we need to recognise that people without a diagnosis struggle a lot.

https://emergentdivergence.com/2023/11/23/is-there-an-autism-epidemic/

https://emergentdivergence.com/2023/11/12/the-shocking-state-of-autism-diagnosis-in-the-uk/

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to actuallyautistic
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

Here are the top ten articles of 2023 collated and made into an anthology eBook. With contributions from Tanya Adkin ND Social Care & Family Services and Katie Munday Autistic and living the dream! The best part is it's free! Let Everyone know!

On another note, if anyone knows how I can distribute an EPUB version for free, please let me know!
https://emergentdivergence.com/product/2023-year-in-review-pdf-david-gray-hammond-tanya-adkin-and-katie-munday/

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to actuallyautistic
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

Resharing a previous post on alexithymia

https://emergentdivergence.com/2023/06/28/autism-and-alexithymia-the-fallout-for-our-mental-health/

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to actuallyautistic
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

Autistic burnout is one of the greatest crises that an Autistic person can face.

People often think of it as similar to depression, but it can take many diverse forms.

what does burnout look like for you?

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix,
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

@f1337 @actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd there certainly are some overlaps between FND and some people's experiences of burnout

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix,
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

@manon @actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd for me, I swing between a manic need to do everything but not be able to do it properly, complete disdain for anyone asking anything of me, and when it gets bad it triggers my schizophrenia.

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to bookstodon
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

The 99p offer for "The New Normal" has now finished, but if you missed out, don't worry!

"Unusual Medcine" is now available for the same price on the UK Kindle store!

Unusual Medicine: Essays on Autistic identity and drug addiction https://amzn.eu/d/6Qvlji1

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd @bookstodon

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to bookstodon
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

Make sure you grab my book on kindle for £0.99 if you're in the UK!

The New Normal: Autistic musings on the threat of a broken society https://amzn.eu/d/7BExRso

@autisticadvocacy @actuallyautistic @audhd @bookstodon

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to audhd
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

Stability in recovery requires more than abstinence. It requires support in all domains of life.

Autistic people, in particular, are more likely to struggle with social deprivation, and for us to achieve recovery and/or sobriety, we need support that takes account of the unique challenges that we face.

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to actuallyautistic
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

During the holidays, we often end up spending a lot of time with family.

It'd okay to say no to family.

It's okay to stay away from family.

It's okay to engage with family on your own terms.

No one should expect you to fit into their worldview of what family should be.

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to audhd
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

"Next time someone calls you weird

Turn it up a notch

Weird is the paint in societies pallette"

Be a beacon for your fellow weirdo's, and celebrate the fact that we don't have to live by our cultures standards of normal. Be free.

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to audhd
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

If a professional tells you to grieve your Autistic loved one's diagnosis, stop seeing that professional.

No matter their struggle, no matter the perceived value of their individual existence. They have value, they have life.

Do not grieve the living. Grieve the society that views disabled people as something less than alive.

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to audhd
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

Me and my auditory processing differences #ActuallyAutistic #neurodivergent

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

video/mp4

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to autisticadvocacy
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

"Neurodivergent people deserve good quality support for their mental health"

Too often, the support we are given leaves much to be desired.

What have your experiences of mental health support been?

https://emergentdivergence.com/2023/10/21/how-camhs-put-my-life-at-risk-and-then-discharged-me/

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to autisticadvocacy
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

It's a tough truth to face up to, but not every Autstic/neurodivergent person is a good person. Many of us find out the hard way that there are members of our own community who will do harm to us collectively and individually.

It's important that we acknowledge the truth that we can always do better as a community. We don't have to be perfect. We just have to do a little better each day.

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to actuallyautistic
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

Right now you can purchase the pre-recorded short presentation "What is neuronormativity?" for £1 to watch whenever you wish to. Don't miss out!

https://emergentdivergence.com/product/what-is-neuronormativity-presentation-recording/

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to autisticadvocacy
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

Some of the things that can cause monotropic split:

Firstly, as always, huge thanks to Tanya Adkin for conceptualising this. Read more about it here:

https://emergentdivergence.com/2022/07/14/guest-post-what-is-monotropic-split/

Below is a handful of things that can lead to.monotropic split. While far from an exhaustive list, they represent some of the things that can cause us to try and force ourselves beyond our cognitive resources.

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix,
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

@marytzu @actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd sorry I made a spelling mistake. Can't get it right every time.

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix,
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

@marytzu @actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd the irony is that I actually corrected the mistake on my FB platform but completely forgot to correct it pretty much every where else.

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to autisticadvocacy
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

No matter who we are, there is always a reason not to listen to us.

Trust Autistic people on Autistic matters.

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to actuallyautistic
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

Institutionalised parent carer blame is rife within services that are supposed to support neurodivergent children. A lot of this is because there is too much focus on safeguarding, and little to no understanding of the nuances of disability, how to assess need, or resources to meet those needs.

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to actuallyautistic
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

Autism + Environment = Outcome

We have to stop holding Autistic children 100% responsible for a world that bombardment them with hostility, and professionals that not only don't know how to support them, but don't care that they don't know.

Autistic children deserve better.

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to autisticadvocacy
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

On tonight's podcast episode with Autistic and living the dream, one of the things we talked about was the feeling of shame around having mental health issues, and the fact we are forced into silence.

This is a particular issue for neurodivergent people who may be facing harmful rhetoric on multiple intersections.

I will not be ashamed of my struggle. I will talk about it and share my vulnerability in the hopes that my story helps another.

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to autisticadvocacy
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

@followers I need your help! Please could you sign this open letter to the UK health secretary regarding CAMHS?

There is also a sign up below the letter signature thar allows you to separately sign up for the mailing list that will help keep you up to date with the CAMHS campaign.

Please also share this post if you can, we need as many people as possible to get involved with changing CAMHS.

https://emergentdivergence.com/camhs-crisis/3/#openletter

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to audhd
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

When we internalise the world's ableism, we often allow it to define our value. We do not have to be confined to the world's view of who they think we are.

We must dismantle the ableism that scaffolds our sense of Self, and liberate ourselves from the scrutiny of identity politics.

You are valuable just as you are.

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to actuallyautistic
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

Many Autistic people report that therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) are very limited in their effectiveness.

This is for a number of reasons. Some therapists view neurodivergent thinking as "faulty" and target it to be corrected. Some therapists refuse to believe us when we tell them how we think.

This cones down to the double empathy problem, and a significant lack of high quality training around neurodivergence.

https://emergentdivergence.com/2023/03/23/autistic-people-should-not-have-to-educate-their-therapist/

@actuallyautistic

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to autisticadvocacy
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

When you say "go to the doctor" to an Autistic person, you won't necessarily realise what a difficult position they are placed in.

So often we are told that if our problems were "that bad" we would see a doctor.

The truth is that healthcare is inaccessible to many Autistic people for a vast array of reasons. From ableism through to doctors who think studies on the general population should inform the treatment of minority bodies.

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to autisticadvocacy
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

One of the nuances that "responsible drinking" campaigns often miss is the reason why Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent people drink.

Autistic people don't necessarily drink with the goal of inebriation. Often, we drink to cope with the social environment. It acts as a social lubricant that makes it easier to talk and cope with the sensory bombardment that often happens in spaces where drinking is happening.

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix,
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

@ihazrabies @actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd I'm 7 years sober and work supporting ND addicts and also do academic research in the field of substance use amongst Autistic people. I'm starting to think that NT addicts are about as common as a unicorn.

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix,
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

@roknrol @ihazrabies @actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd I am 7 years sober from addiction, and for me, the habitual behaviour is harder to kick than the dependency itself. For me, it becomes like a stim.

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix,
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

@FrightenedRat @actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd no, some people drink just to get drunk. I don't understand it either, but NT people don't need help coping with the social environment.

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix,
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

@marytzu @FrightenedRat @actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd I think for some Autistic people, substance use is like an interoceptive stim. We are seeking the sensory input of an altered bodymind.

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to autisticadvocacy
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

For Autistic people, interoceptive differences are common.

This can range from not knowing we need the toilet through to being unable to identify or articulate our emotions.

This means that we will often stim in a way that triggers our interoceptive sense. Our sensory seeking will try and trigger those feelings that interoception senses.

What are some of the interoceptive stims you use?

@autisticadvocacy @actuallyautistic @audhd

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to autisticadvocacy
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

Please sign and share this open letter to the UK health secretary regarding CAMHS failures to support Autistic children and young people with their mental health.

https://emergentdivergence.com/camhs-crisis/3/#openletter

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to autisticadvocacy
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

"Please stop calling my neurodivergence a superpower"

And no, it's not because I think it's a bad thing. I'm not saying it's good either.

I'm Autistic, ADHD, and Schizophrenic. It's just a fact of my life.

Calling it a superpower is tantamount to erasing my struggles. Focusing on my struggles erases my strengths.

I am a person with a dynamic and spiky profile. Some days are better than others. Some days I struggle, and some days I don't.

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to actuallyadhd
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

Everyone masks in one way or another. It isn't solely an Autistic or neurodivergent thing. However, Autistic and neurodivergent people do mask a lot more.

The thing is, masking doesn't necessarily mean we are behaving more neurotypically. Sometimes we mask by leaning into our Autistic behaviours.

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd @actuallyadhd

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix,
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

@transponderings @actuallyautistic I think of masks as the identities that we project within an environment. So we have innumerable masks depending on environmental context.

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