Step by step protocol for mental health and medical professionals to better support unidentified Autistic and masking adults, who research links to increased suicide
I feel like this information could be useful to prescribing doctors.
One of their routine med-check questions tends to be “any thoughts of suicide?”. I always feel “put on the spot” and like the hard answer is supposed to be a resounding “NO!”
“Any thoughts of suicide (possibly related to this medicine) MORE THAN USUAL for you?” might be a better question in my case.
( TBH the realest answer would maybe be more comedic: )
“YES. OBVIOUSLY. ALL THE TIME, BRUH! I’m only visiting this planet and HAVE YOU SEEN OUTSIDE?? I’m scared for the world, my kids, myself, I hate capitalism and violence and injustice and inequality…but I believe MORE in love, hope, charity, kindness, and that our common struggles bind us, challenge us, provide us with insight, and move us forward as a collective to something more inclusive. “
*stunned look from doctor.*
I add: “It’s no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society, Doc.”
*dr half my age: So is that a…?”
Me: I’m just gonna say NO, Doc. *eyeroll*
p.s. I’m not on meds at the moment or suicidal if anyone’s concerned. Just trying to brighten your day with dark humour. Or “regular”’humour in my instance. :)
dam this stuff is deadly depressing. I’m in tbe spectrum as well as sons. 2 undiagnosed all gifted high functioning oldest son and I had burnout. Finding out has med to deep deep depressions- i don’t see any people with autusm happy. It feels like a death sentence for me and sons. No one can listen to me because i sound negative i don’t see any hope offered. I’ve read to try to learn to help my kids. But i think i should stop. Right now they feel alright. I feel like I gave them a terrible life threatening life.
how can i help them and me are we just destined to live sad lives? I can’t tell the younger two they are in the spectrum - because I’d know it would lead to depression. I can’t fund a therapist here where I live that specializes and all read us this stuff- maybe I should stop reading. It’s literally making me suicidal. I’m
not playing. I was reading for hope or ways to alleviate future pain . My son said he’d take a course. I can’t read anymore. I read the life map all my boys will butnout and fuizxke soon/ i’m reading gosh this sucks. they do have big dreams- doni take them
This would be such a valid tool for a broad spectrum of professions to utilize in daily practice. GPs could stand to use this as a better basis of understanding their patients, because an otherwise apparently healthy patient who has learned to mask, may not present their stress/anxiety/health issues in quite the same way as a NT patient. For example, I have low blood pressure on a normal day but present as "blood pressure seems normal" when in fact highly stressed, anxious and suicidal. The lockdowns had me wondering why am I even here?/I don't understand this world. For that matter, I has to explain to my GP what is Autism, Anorexia, etc. Standardized medicine falls short when it comes to Neurodivergent individuals and symptoms. Many mental hhealth professionals focus almost exclusively on one symptom/ depression/ anxiety/ Anorexia, or suicidal ideation, etc., rather that the individual as a whole. I have spent a lifetime feeling as though I don't fit, feeling un-real, an imposter with continuous thoughts of suicide and self-harm. A lifetime of Anorexia, food being one of the only means of controlling my environment. Being told that I had to eat, told that I wasn't allowed or shouldn't think of suicide as there is always someone else much worse off. Negating my thoughts and feelings, and further contributing to masking efforts. Put a brave face on and pretend to be ok, answering those questions as cheerily as possible and hiding how desperately I needed someone to understand me. This is an amazing tool to help start those difficult conversations.
Thank you for this contribution. Diagnosis is suicide prevention!
I feel like this information could be useful to prescribing doctors.
One of their routine med-check questions tends to be “any thoughts of suicide?”. I always feel “put on the spot” and like the hard answer is supposed to be a resounding “NO!”
“Any thoughts of suicide (possibly related to this medicine) MORE THAN USUAL for you?” might be a better question in my case.
( TBH the realest answer would maybe be more comedic: )
“YES. OBVIOUSLY. ALL THE TIME, BRUH! I’m only visiting this planet and HAVE YOU SEEN OUTSIDE?? I’m scared for the world, my kids, myself, I hate capitalism and violence and injustice and inequality…but I believe MORE in love, hope, charity, kindness, and that our common struggles bind us, challenge us, provide us with insight, and move us forward as a collective to something more inclusive. “
*stunned look from doctor.*
I add: “It’s no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society, Doc.”
*dr half my age: So is that a…?”
Me: I’m just gonna say NO, Doc. *eyeroll*
p.s. I’m not on meds at the moment or suicidal if anyone’s concerned. Just trying to brighten your day with dark humour. Or “regular”’humour in my instance. :)
Thank you for this. Really useful to have a simple process to follow ! 👏👏👏
Dam i feel
worse than ever now. i feel like maybe the boys shouldn’t pass down our genes- for no quality of life.
dam this stuff is deadly depressing. I’m in tbe spectrum as well as sons. 2 undiagnosed all gifted high functioning oldest son and I had burnout. Finding out has med to deep deep depressions- i don’t see any people with autusm happy. It feels like a death sentence for me and sons. No one can listen to me because i sound negative i don’t see any hope offered. I’ve read to try to learn to help my kids. But i think i should stop. Right now they feel alright. I feel like I gave them a terrible life threatening life.
how can i help them and me are we just destined to live sad lives? I can’t tell the younger two they are in the spectrum - because I’d know it would lead to depression. I can’t fund a therapist here where I live that specializes and all read us this stuff- maybe I should stop reading. It’s literally making me suicidal. I’m
not playing. I was reading for hope or ways to alleviate future pain . My son said he’d take a course. I can’t read anymore. I read the life map all my boys will butnout and fuizxke soon/ i’m reading gosh this sucks. they do have big dreams- doni take them
away
Learn how to reverse vaccine-induced autism in my podcast here:
https://soberchristiangentlemanpodcast.substack.com/p/s2-ep-5-autism-vaccine-injury-my-81d
Thank you for plotting what my brain couldn't articulate!
This would be such a valid tool for a broad spectrum of professions to utilize in daily practice. GPs could stand to use this as a better basis of understanding their patients, because an otherwise apparently healthy patient who has learned to mask, may not present their stress/anxiety/health issues in quite the same way as a NT patient. For example, I have low blood pressure on a normal day but present as "blood pressure seems normal" when in fact highly stressed, anxious and suicidal. The lockdowns had me wondering why am I even here?/I don't understand this world. For that matter, I has to explain to my GP what is Autism, Anorexia, etc. Standardized medicine falls short when it comes to Neurodivergent individuals and symptoms. Many mental hhealth professionals focus almost exclusively on one symptom/ depression/ anxiety/ Anorexia, or suicidal ideation, etc., rather that the individual as a whole. I have spent a lifetime feeling as though I don't fit, feeling un-real, an imposter with continuous thoughts of suicide and self-harm. A lifetime of Anorexia, food being one of the only means of controlling my environment. Being told that I had to eat, told that I wasn't allowed or shouldn't think of suicide as there is always someone else much worse off. Negating my thoughts and feelings, and further contributing to masking efforts. Put a brave face on and pretend to be ok, answering those questions as cheerily as possible and hiding how desperately I needed someone to understand me. This is an amazing tool to help start those difficult conversations.
Thank you Lindsey for creating it!