Mental illness and suicide

Many autistic people have depression and anxiety. Please do not assume people are okay and dismiss it with platitudes.

Telling people with mental illness that they are strong it is dismissive. And when they tell them you they are not strong dismissing it with things like you’re stronger than you think is also invalidating that the person doesn't know themselves.

Some people compare other's to someone else they know who they feel is dealing with similar issues, so that then equals how another must be doing. Making assumptions of a one size fits all is a huge lack of awareness and understanding of the psychology of people. This kind of nonsense equals to the ‘you’ve got this’ platitude when many people clearly haven’t got this. Toxic positivity is damaging and doesn't demonstrates compassion but rather implies a positive mindset is belief and can make it all go away.

No two people who seem to have similar issues are experiencing or dealing with the same thing in the same way. Unless we are walking' in someone else’s shoes we do not know what they are experiencing. Surviving is not thriving and does not equal strength. It’s a poor sense of strength and wears down over time and why some choose to leave the planet.

The suicide rate for autistic people is much higher than in the general population, Its no surprise that many autistic people have co occurring mental illnesses. Autistic people are about 7 times more likely to die by suicide and suicide is the most leading cause of death in autistic people.

Quality of life means different things to different people. Some might accept being alive is as good as is going to get, while others need to feel a strong sense of purpose to stay here or what they view as a much better quality of life. We all have a purpose, but some are unable to see it or believe they have one. Mental illness is like a roller coaster as everyday is not the same. Sometimes it can feel like a ticking time bomb with no relief or end in sight.

Clinicians need to stop defaulting to neurotypical methods of treatment, as many of them just do not work for autistic people. They can end up being triggering instead. The reason I am still here is my sense of connection to the earth and humanity, but not in a tactile way. I am autistic and introverted. My deal with much of my mental illness by leading a reclusive life and keeping it to myself.