How To Support Neurodiverse Members
Let's start with understanding neurodiversity! Neurodiverse individuals are those with developmental disabilities like autism, ADHD, social anxiety. But, point to understand that when we say disabled, it means they are differently-abled. Just like our unique personality. We all have our own struggles but these struggles do not define who we are. It defines a phase of the challenge and struggles we facing. For some this challenging phase can be short-term while for others it may be a bit longer.
Now, let's focus on understanding some terminologies
1. Aspie: Someone who has Asperger’s syndrome, which is on the autism spectrum.
2. Autism: a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive behavior, difficulties communicating, and problems establishing and maintaining relationships.
3. Autism awareness: A movement about spreading awareness and acceptance of people on the autism spectrum.
4. Neurotypical: A person who doesn’t display atypical thought patterns or behaviors.
5. Stimming: Self-soothing, repetitive body movements which autistic people do in response to over-stimulation or emotional stress. Common ‘stims’ are rocking back-and-forth motions, hand flapping, and arm and leg rubbing.
How to Support
Here are some resources that you will find helpful to support neurodiverse members better. These resources are informative and share a lot of information that all of us (Fellow Members, Listeners, Room Supporters, Chatroom Moderators) can use. All the texts in blue are hyperlinked and clickable.1. A Guide to Autism
2. Ways to Build Relationships and Rapport
3. Supportive Phrases and Questions for Member Chatrooms!
Supporting a member with the neurodiverse challenge
I hope you may find the above resources helpful. Members with neuro-diverse challenges like autism, ADHD, social anxiety can add different perspectives and strengths into our community. Everyone has challenges. But as a community, we can show respect, patience, care, and compassion to them and each other. Compassion goes a long way. Let's be kind to our fellow neurodiverse members.
Please do share if you have more resources, tips to support them better in the comments of this post. We will continue to strive to offer support and learn how to support each other better and together.
Resources Credits: @gracey @sunshinegiraffe123 @Fristo
@ASilentObserver thanks for the acknowledgement and help spread awareness Obs 💜
Well done sunshine, you did it @sunshinegirrafe123 🤗 and for additional information about ADHD @jovialButterfly6752 🤗🧡
Very informative and helpful post💟
This is great, thank you so much for this, I'm excited to help fellow neurodiverse people
@gracey@sunshinegiraffe123@Fristo thank you so much for this! 💙✨
@Starlasky
Your welcome.
helloo < 3
wooo this post is incredibly informative and helpful! i hope that we can all do as much as we can to give neurodiverse members the support they deserve. thank you so much to @ASilentObserver, @gracey, @sunshinegiraffe123, and @Fristo for helping to put this post together - you are all so wonderful and appreciated.
looking forward to all the resources, support, and information about neurodiversity to come :)
@imlistening01
You are so welcome S! Feel free to tag more people.
@imlistening01 we all are neurodivers! There is no normal and abnormal. All people are part of the varieties in life.
@ASilentObserver
@gracey @sunshinegiraffe123 @Fristo
Execellent post everyone! Thank you all for putting the time and effort to helping evertone understand
@mytwistedsoul
Thank you for reading. Feel free to tag some oldies!
@ASilentObserver
Thank you for posting such a wonderful guide.
Tagging the resources credits too: @gracey @sunshinegiraffe123 @Fristo; thank you<3!
🧡
Parvi/Orange
@ASilentObserver
Thank you so much, I really appreciate the post and provided information. @gracey @sunshinegiraffe123 @Fristo
I just want to point out to anyone not aware here, that the DSM-5 is used to diagnose people in the USA, but not used in the UK.
Clinicians in the UK predominantly use the ICD-10 system to diagnose mental disorders, while the DSM classification system is mostly used for research purposes; so while changes to the DSM do often end up influences the future changes to the ICD system, they changes to one don't automatically mean they will apple to those in UK.
The current term most common used in the UK is autism spectrum disorder, but anyone who was previously was diagnosed with asperger's syndrome is currently allowed to keep that as their diagnosis; because changing their label causes significant distress. I'd just like this to be acknowledged. I agree it's very good that things are changing; but it's also important to allow people to self identify with the term they prefer whenever possible, especially if they have had that diagnosis for a long time, because it is a part of a person's identity and part of the diagnosis means they struggle with change.
Agreed, which is why it's important to ask and respect personal preferences.
And yes, ICD is basically used everywhere except the USA as far as I understand. Thank you for sharing. :)
Adding this - something I wrote on overstimulation
https://www.7cups.com/forum/SupportPlus_205/AutismSpectrumSupport_150/Overstimulation_258208/
@sunshinegiraffe123
Thanks so much 
@jovialButterfly6752
Your welcome. It was needed.
