Heather Dimmitt
Bio
I am an autistic writer, advocate, and osteopathic physician specializing in general practice and osteopathic manipulative treatment.
Stories (2/0)
Are We Gaslighing Autistics Into Believing a Rational Fear Response Is a Co-Occuring Mental Illness?
You’d be hard pressed to find an autistic person who hasn’t been labeled with a mental illness in their lifetime. To clarify, autism is an identity and not a mental illness in and of itself. It’s a social disparity to the point of disability, but not an illness. I always see something along the lines of “Autism spectrum disorder is commonly associated with mental illness, such as anxiety, depression, C-PTSD, BPD, bipolar disorder, etc.” These labels make it sound like there’s something medically wrong with us, that we are mentally ill, in need of fixing. Even those who are well meaning autistics reflecting on their own experiences will note that it seems the challenges faced by autistics induce extreme stress, and therefore lead to anxiety and mood disorders. However, the fundamental reason we even treat anxiety and mood, are specifically only when they are “disorders.” Disorder implies functioning improperly. But what if autistics are just responding rationally to a harsh environment?
By Heather Dimmitt5 years ago in Longevity
