Read on Twitter
So, now that it's out that PHE have been cooking the books, I think i'd like to do a little thread on how an #autistic person rationally risk assesses, when they have anxiety problems.
Because i think this is at he heart of why half the UK is still too "scared" to come outside -
Because i think this is at he heart of why half the UK is still too "scared" to come outside -
So. I'm autistic. I'm also famous for high levels of anxiety, imagining doom scenarios in my head, overthinking things to the nth degree, and worrying about the very worst scenario.
After the burst pipes saga in May, i was convinced through June that the loft was going to --
After the burst pipes saga in May, i was convinced through June that the loft was going to --
collapse into the flat from the weight of the hot water tank, which has safely been up there for 20 years.
All that anxiety from being imprisoned by the government, all the stress of trying to find food, of trying to teach at home, of losing school and work, etc.
Not rational
All that anxiety from being imprisoned by the government, all the stress of trying to find food, of trying to teach at home, of losing school and work, etc.
Not rational
So what did i do?
In may i noticed my twitter feed was nothing for DOOM and DEATH and COVID. Literally. and Remainers / the left. I agreed w Piers Morgan, i followed a number of prominent medics and professors incl the ones who go on tv frequently --
In may i noticed my twitter feed was nothing for DOOM and DEATH and COVID. Literally. and Remainers / the left. I agreed w Piers Morgan, i followed a number of prominent medics and professors incl the ones who go on tv frequently --
And i noticed i was only hearing one thing. How utterly, irretrievably fucked we all were. We re surely going to DIE of this awful horrible killer.
I'm not sure which week it was when i decided to add a few non-left / non-remainy types to my feed, but i decided to deliberately
I'm not sure which week it was when i decided to add a few non-left / non-remainy types to my feed, but i decided to deliberately
look into why people were saying "dying with vs of" and other questions I had. Curiosity had me follow @allisonpearson after she wrote a story, et voila.
I discovered there was another point of view. One i wasn't being exposed to. One i didn't even know existed --
I discovered there was another point of view. One i wasn't being exposed to. One i didn't even know existed --
because my twitter feed only presented me one very narrow side of the particular issue at hand, why we were imprisoned in our homes and our freedom taken away.
I already followed numerous QCs, so i could keep up with Brexit law, now i wanted to keep up with covid law.
I already followed numerous QCs, so i could keep up with Brexit law, now i wanted to keep up with covid law.
So what has #autism got to do with it?
Once i reached a height of terror over my loft, i got a builder friend in - 35 years experience, many many social houses built, etc.
He assured me our joists are double thick, everything is well supported, roof not dipping in, chill tf out
Once i reached a height of terror over my loft, i got a builder friend in - 35 years experience, many many social houses built, etc.
He assured me our joists are double thick, everything is well supported, roof not dipping in, chill tf out
So then i realised i was being *irrational*, and the adrenaline subsided. And then i focussed on redirecting that adrenaline elsewhere, and distracting my mind from worrying about an outcome that will never happen.
Because this is how as an autistic person, i deal with terror.
Because this is how as an autistic person, i deal with terror.
I find someone else - used to be my husband - to reality-check me, explain to me why my worst-case-scenario wont happen, explain the things i'm overlooking, explain why there are other things that my fear is overriding, and bring me down from the heights of that arousal.
Once i get myself down from that peak of fear, i can start looking at rationality, and reason. Check the facts. Check the information.
Because my terror of the loft coincided with the peak of terror over covid, too.
And re covid, i started doing just that. I started
Because my terror of the loft coincided with the peak of terror over covid, too.
And re covid, i started doing just that. I started
reading other professors, not just the one who gets on tv on a mission to make us all cover our faces until kingdom come. Reading those medixrv preprints. Looking at other sources of data besides just the 5pm anxiety inducing briefing.
I came to discover that there were --
I came to discover that there were --
other ways of looking at the facts, dispassionately, that weren't terror inducing. Perspective. Dispassionate, cool, perspective.
Which is absolutely what people need to find source of. So they can get themselves out of this terror.
HMG are not a good source atm
Which is absolutely what people need to find source of. So they can get themselves out of this terror.
HMG are not a good source atm
HMG are contributing to hysteria with their incompetence, as are most mainstream news sources. BBC etc feed on 24 hour news. So, not paying attention / giving as much credence to what they say, and finding the source without the spin, is also critical to rational risk assessment.
Look at the scientific paper that the headline appears to refer to, and read the paper. Not the headline. Not the journo's spin on it because most of the time, these health reporters aren't able to break down nuance.
Find rational, non hysterical sources of info. --
Find rational, non hysterical sources of info. --
If you're getting your news from Piers morgan, you're going to whipped into a frothing frenzy of fury and terror every day. Not rational.
Francois Balloux is a perfect source of rationality and reason, science and facts.
Once you see this disease graphed vs 1918, 1957, etc
Francois Balloux is a perfect source of rationality and reason, science and facts.
Once you see this disease graphed vs 1918, 1957, etc
it put it in perspective without terror.
And then go out and find the data on the risk to your life of driving, walking on the pavement, jogging, climbing, riding a bicycle, etc, for your age group, and risk assess that vs the risk to your life of covid.
Rational risk assess.
And then go out and find the data on the risk to your life of driving, walking on the pavement, jogging, climbing, riding a bicycle, etc, for your age group, and risk assess that vs the risk to your life of covid.
Rational risk assess.
What's all this got to do with #autism? These are how anxious autistic people have to approach every single issue in life, because anxiety can be so high, it is nigh impossible to be rational, especially when you're afraid. Find someone to bring us down from the heights of terror
and find sources of data that are rational, not spinning for political reasons, not outright lying, and then put faith in those.
Sorry for the soapbox, but i reckon the rest of the UK pop could use some pointers from autistic people, in order to rationalise without fear.
Sorry for the soapbox, but i reckon the rest of the UK pop could use some pointers from autistic people, in order to rationalise without fear.
I'm sure not saying its easy, and i'm definitely no expert, just sharing what I know - but until the people of this country can get some perspective and rationally risk assess, they will be hiding in their homes in perpetuity.
/end
/end
PS, how do you know when they're spinning?
Independently fact check. If you can duplicate the info from another source, they're probably not.
If you can find 10 or 20 sources saying the same bit of data with evidence, it's probably right. Not always, but maybe.
Avoid memes.
Independently fact check. If you can duplicate the info from another source, they're probably not.
If you can find 10 or 20 sources saying the same bit of data with evidence, it's probably right. Not always, but maybe.
Avoid memes.
and PPS, avoid tv medics. Basically If they go on tv, they usually have an axe to grind, a political angle, or a narcissistic need to Be Seen.
I have a lot to say, personally, eg re masks, but i have no personal emotional need to get on tv like some of the ppl do. Dont trust.
I have a lot to say, personally, eg re masks, but i have no personal emotional need to get on tv like some of the ppl do. Dont trust.
PPPS, why is that relevant to #autism?
We autistic people can have trouble knowing when someone is lying to us. That's why it's very easy to radicalise an autistic young person to crime or racism. It's very noxious, all that self belief eg these covid evangelists have --
We autistic people can have trouble knowing when someone is lying to us. That's why it's very easy to radicalise an autistic young person to crime or racism. It's very noxious, all that self belief eg these covid evangelists have --
Knowing how to dig into what people are saying and find the truth is the best tool you can equip your autistic young person with these days. Because there is so much bullshit out there, so many lies with spin.
Autistic people have to specifically learn to be bullshit detectors -
Autistic people have to specifically learn to be bullshit detectors -
and it's a specific weakness of autism, to take things at face value and believe what you're told.
There's been a lot of psychology used on the British pop by SAGE / SPI-B. They know exactly what they're doing.
There's been a lot of psychology used on the British pop by SAGE / SPI-B. They know exactly what they're doing.
(processing time for #autistic people may be very slow, weeks rather than minutes, so these things may not happen in any kind of sequential order, btw)
@BallouxFrancois I namechecked you in this thread but forgot to link you. So very sorry xxx