Autism Acceptance Month
APRIL is AUTISM ACCEPTANCE MONTH here in Aotearoa New Zealand…
There are different ways you can be involved in the month and I have attached a link to the Autism NZ site, in case you’d like to be part of it in some way.
https://autismnz.org.nz/autism-acceptance-month/...
Our Hannah raised my awareness of the planned QUIET HOUR for Wednesday 2nd April at 10am, We’re limited in how we can be part of it at the shop because we’re unable to dim or reduce our lighting as there is only one switch which makes it all light or all dark.
However, we will be turning off the music, and being as quiet as possible, for that hour. We will also have a DONATION TIN at the counter, where you can make a donation to Autism NZ throughout the month of April.
Our Hannah lives with Autism, and I asked her if she would write something about her experience of Autism, that I could share here. Here’s what she had to say, which has given me a much better understanding of what it can be like to live with…
"Autism isn't all delay and inability to understand things "correctly". It is heightened pattern recognition, to the degree it's seen and understood as spiritual power (I have no doubt it is) because it's so attuned.
Autism is hearing 10 different sounds at once and having to sift through the sounds to work out which one you're meant to be listening to, while attempting to ignore the very loud sound of electricity running through an electrical cord nearby.
Autism is having 20 open tabs in your brain at every given moment while you're assessing all and every detail to understand what's going on.
Autism is heightened sensitivity to absolutely every sense (feel, smell, sound etc).
Autism (as a female) is about being aware of societies rules and norms so it's overthinking and doing your best to be what each person responds to, then banking that information until the next interaction.
Autism is exhaustion, as the world still isn't geared to be sensory friendly because they still don't quite understand what that means.
This QUIET HOUR allows the Neuro diverse (also people with mental illness) to be able to be in a less overwhelming environment which works for them.
The first time I shopped at Woolworths with a quiet hour I cried. I didn't realize until after I walked out that the reason I wasn't in fight or flight mode, and struggling, was because it was a quiet hour where lights (artificial lights... bright ones are particularly hard on the ND) were dimmed or turned off in areas and music was lowered to a minimal level.
I also want to note that overstimulation isn't equivalent to an anxiety attack. With autism and ADHD the brain is wired differently so the normal ways of processing are often reversed. Overstimulation is painful and varies with each individual. For me, overstimulation presents in many ways, from fainting, to extreme body aches, nausea, mood reactions, feeling like I'm being electrocuted and the list goes on...
Turning down some lights and the music isn't wasted on my nervous system. I appreciate it greatly. Autism isn't one size fits all and we're all different flavours, but we all are just high tech frequency trying to acclimate into a society that isn't quite built for it.
The Māori word for autism, developed as a term in Te Reo Māori, is "takiwātanga," which translates to "in his/her own time and space”."
Namaste
Hannah & Michelle
