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No Two "Disableds" Are Exactly Alike

Not all of us will experience the world the same, but plenty of us are still managing.

By Monique StarPublished 5 years ago 3 min read
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You know how someone attempts to reach out to someone with a mental or neurological disability, and think they know exactly what to expect, because they know one person with said disability? Those people should realize sooner or later that knowing what helps one person won't help everyone. We're as diverse as our neurotypical counterparts and, looking back, that fact makes me glad that IEPs exist, instead of just generalized educational plans that are made based on the entire portion of the student body that has the same disability as a single person.

Why did this sort of thing come to mind? Well, I have Asperger's Syndrome myself, and, though I was aware, and internally eager to be able to understand what other aspies might be dealing with, I still knew that there were still people with experiences that I either never experienced, or don't remember experiencing.

I've looked around me in real life, and in different parts of the media, and doing so grows my awareness of the fact that I'm just like, and different from, others on the autism spectrum. I could go on forever about the different examples of relating and not relating to people, real or fictitious on the autism spectrum, but I feel like I wouldn't do everyone justice if I don't look for details to write down. That being said, I'll simplify it to one person as an example and then carry on from there.

Now, this fella who is an online content creator goes by the alias "That Creepy Reading" and I'll be shortening it to TCR for the sake of this piece. TCR has made content related to creepypasta, as well as disturbing and dark media (basically for the kind of audience whom the series "Channel Zero" is meant for), but also he includes bits of content that relate to his opinions on Youtube/certain Youtubers, and, to go back to the reason for including him, his experiences in dealing with mental health issues. TCR is also on the autism spectrum, but he also has other personal battles going on in his life that he has fought in the past, and continues to fight now. He's one of those examples of nature and nurture impacting how the future turns out for someone who is dealing with mental health issues. Although I don't know or remember what it's like to be as much of a kid repellent as he described himself to be growing up, nor do I know what it's like to be bullied to the point where not being allowed in the classroom is a more possible solution than suspending a classroom full of students, I do know what it's like to be picked on every now and then in youth, and what it's like to wonder if my efforts to manage in the world are enough by someone else's standards. Heck, to this day, I have my moments where I screw up, and I think to myself, "Where is this advanced intellect that I supposedly have?" and occasionally I'll remember that not a lot of people would remember movies and TV shows to the point of reciting them after not watching them for months at least.

Anyway, there's a lot that could factor into how someone dealing with a mental or neurological disability would turn out in the world, and they don't all have the same results. I may not be a spokesperson for everyone who is far from "normal," but as an aspie, a member of Best Buddies, a former Special Ed student, and someone who has rode the school bus with other students in middle school that are Special Ed students, I know for a fact that not all of us have the same experiences with the world around us, but we are managing with the resources, skills, and interests that we have with us.

humanity
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About the Creator

Monique Star

I'm not the most sophisticated adult out there. I'm also not the best at communicating all the time, but I do try my best to get my thoughts out there into the world verbally or nonverbally.

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