Every April is World Autism Month! Where everyone comes together to raise awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), whilst also promoting acceptance and understanding of people with the condition. This is a great opportunity to educate the public all about the challenges that individuals with autism face, in different aspects of their life.
It is also a time for celebrating people with autism, who may have many challenges in different aspects of life, also can be extremely talented in others!
At Burton and District Mind our focus is on mental health, which can impact everyone in some shape or form. It is important to note that Autism is not a mental health condition. This may be something that people may often be confused about. However, in November of 2020, a survey was done by the National Autistic Society showing that 94% of adults with autism have experienced anxiety, with 83% having experienced general difficulties with their mental health.
The National Autistic Society also spoke to Abdullah Shahjan, an autistic therapist about his own experiences with mental health and autism. One big topic that came up during their interview was the barriers that autistic people can experience getting mental health talking therapies. He said the following “Often, clinicians do not know how to work with people who are neurodiverse or come from different cultures”. He puts the reason down to following a model of professional practise is very defined which may not work for autistic people who may have different needs.
This is something we recognise at Burton and District Mind, with our diverse team who are able to adapt to the needs of people who need support. We are here for you, and aim to provide the care that you need and deserve access to.
If you are autistic and experience difficulties with your mental health, please do contact with us and let us know your circumstances. Together, we can try and find something that works best for you.
Contact us: 01283 566696
Email : info@burtonmind.co.uk
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