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How To Support Neurodiverse Members
ASilentObserver August 25th, 2021
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Today I want to discuss neurodiversity and how to support them better in different spaces of our community. We are a diverse community and everyone has a unique personality, challenges, and needs. And, we are an inclusive community where everyone is welcomed.

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
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FairyPrinceSasha August 26th, 2021
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This is great, thank you so much for this, I'm excited to help fellow neurodiverse people

Starlasky August 26th, 2021
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@ASilentObserver This is very helpful and it's good to be aware of it so that we understand and support our fellow peers. Thank you so much obsie for posting this. 💙

@gracey@sunshinegiraffe123@Fristo thank you so much for this! 💙✨
sunshinegiraffe123 August 26th, 2021
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@Starlasky
Your welcome.

imlistening01 August 26th, 2021
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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 :)

sunshinegiraffe123 August 26th, 2021
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@imlistening01
You are so welcome S! Feel free to tag more people.

LittlePrincessSarah August 26th, 2021
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@imlistening01 we all are neurodivers! There is no normal and abnormal. All people are part of the varieties in life.

mytwistedsoul August 26th, 2021
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@ASilentObserver
@gracey @sunshinegiraffe123 @Fristo

Execellent post everyone! Thank you all for putting the time and effort to helping evertone understand

sunshinegiraffe123 August 26th, 2021
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@mytwistedsoul
Thank you for reading. Feel free to tag some oldies!

cuteOrange213 August 27th, 2021
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@ASilentObserver
Thank you for posting such a wonderful guide.
Tagging the resources credits too: @gracey @sunshinegiraffe123 @Fristo; thank you<3!
🧡

Parvi/Orange

kindLemonade September 3rd, 2021
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@ASilentObserver
Thank you so much, I really appreciate the post and provided information. @gracey @sunshinegiraffe123 @Fristo

resourcefulPond1641 September 3rd, 2021
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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.

IceCream4IceCream September 3rd, 2021
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@resourcefulPond1641

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. :)
sunshinegiraffe123 September 3rd, 2021
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IceCream4IceCream September 4th, 2021
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@sunshinegiraffe123

Thanks so much laugh

sunshinegiraffe123 September 4th, 2021
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@jovialButterfly6752

Your welcome. It was needed.

sunshinegiraffe123 September 6th, 2021
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@discreetThinker5846

Your welcome. I will continue to advocate :)

IceCream4IceCream September 7th, 2021
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@sunshinegiraffe123

Make that the two of us :)

sunshinegiraffe123 September 7th, 2021
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@jovialButterfly6752

Cheers! In honor of Gracey:)

IceCream4IceCream January 11th, 2022
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@ASilentObserver

Can we talk about other forms of neurodiversity too? The focus is mainly on Autism which of course I'm all for and support but there are other aspects to it too...

Jiminycricket91 January 31st, 2022
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Hopefully this can become an official training since autism spectrum is now an official 1 on 1 topic.

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