A World Without Boxes
Is this the best of all possible worlds?
No, it isn’t. I could imagine a million ways in which our world could be better and it’s something I ended up discussing at length over drink with fellow overthinkers at a recent philosophy night. Without delving too far into the problem of evil and why suffering exists in regard to an omnipotent god, since being diagnosed as autistic I have been thinking a lot about how the world could be better for the neurodiverse population.
Neurodiversity includes a range of conditions such as ADD/ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia and Dyspraxia and it is estimated that around one in seven people (more than 15 per cent of people in the UK) are neurodivergent. That’s a lot of people. The National Autistic Society report at least 700,000 autistic adults in the UK of which only 15% are in employment. That’s a lot of people who are not being supported. With many stuck on waiting lists to be assessed for Autism and ADHD, I fear this number is set to increase.
I waited two years for an NHS assessment, despite the guide being 3 months. And after receiving a diagnosis I was offered no support. If anything, I was sent away with “look it up online”. Despite the overwhelming prospect of doing that, I am able to, but there are many autistic people that can’t. Slapping a label on someone’s chest, shoving them into a neurodivergent box and saying “Have a sticker and off you go”, is not enough. I don’t blame the NHS, this is not an attack on them. We know they are understaffed and underpaid and I don’t believe any doctor that has taken the Hippocratic Oath can be truly happy with the situation as it is, or the level of care that is being provided. We can’t rely on the National Health Service for support.
So, what then? We are depending on charities to fill the gap and the goodwill of others to donate and advocate for us. Given the number of people that are neurodivergent, is this fair? The gap in services has left the door wide open to being robbed too. On my travels online I have found many unscrupulous companies offering shockingly expensive Autism assessments and whatever the new must-have gizmo or gadget is for the desperate among us. Luckily, I was able to spot some of them before parting with any of my cash, but many can’t- some because they are not able to. A well-known trait of Autism is being naïve to the ill intentions of others, leaving us vulnerable to being taken advantage of. Even the National Autistic Society website, a go-to for information about Autism does not vet or endorse any organisations on its website. No one is taking accountability.
So how can we make it better? Well, after fighting to receive a neurodivergent label where I previously had one that read “quirky” or a “bit weird”, I would like my label to actually help me to access support instead of further excluding me from society, employment and relationships. Currently, the label only seems to benefit those packing the boxes, who then seem to leave said boxes stacked and abandoned in a warehouse. I would also like the support offered to be vetted so that the vulnerable are not at risk and eventually, I would like to not need a label at all.
Imagine it, a world where instead of every time I stim, misunderstand, or struggle because of my neurodiversity I don’t have to explain myself, I don’t hear the said or unsaid mumbles of “she’s autistic” in the background? I am human and deserve to belong. The best of all possible worlds would be one with more empathy and inclusivity, a world without boxes.
