Latest Blog Posts

Speaker, writer, educator, consultant, mentor. Below is the latest of my writing and co-writing. It is based on my experiences as a professional, Autistic community member.

My Latest Posts

• Autistic people, substance use, and vulnerability to exploitation and county lines26th Jan 2022
  This article was co-authored by David Gray-Hammond and Katie Munday Trigger warnings: This article discusses gaslighting, trauma, criminal exploitation (on various topics including sexual exploitation), substance use, mental health, cuckooing, county lines. Due to the extensive trauma that we experience as Autistics in our formative years, many of us find ourselves seeking connections with otherContinue reading “Autistic people, substance use, and vulnerability to exploitation and county lines”
• Creating Autistic Suffering: Fabricated or Induced Illness, state sanctioned bullying25th Jan 2022
  This article was co-authored by David Gray-Hammond and Tanya Adkin Trigger Warning: This article contains strong language and discussions of fabricated or induced illness, ableism, discrimination, bigotry, child abuse, medical abuse, systemic abuse, institutionalised bullying. Fabricated or Induced Illness (FII) is defined by a set of “alerting signs”, written in guidance produced by the RoyalContinue reading “Creating Autistic Suffering: Fabricated or Induced Illness, state sanctioned bullying”
• On the harsh reality of addiction recovery22nd Jan 2022
  My years of active addiction account for a lot of the suffering that myself, my friends, and my family experienced. The very fact that I am alive right now is some sort of miracle, yet to be explained by science. I remember trying to picture what recovery would look like, it was difficult to imagine.Continue reading “On the harsh reality of addiction recovery”
• Is Autopia possible? Realities of an Autistic homeland19th Jan 2022
  At Aucademy we often talk of a perfect Autistic homeland, affectionately dubbed Autopia. Conceptualised as a place in which all Autistics can lead peaceful and comfortable lives, it sounds like a dream come true; but what are the realities of such a place? Is such a place even possible? This evening I was discussing suchContinue reading “Is Autopia possible? Realities of an Autistic homeland”
• Autistic community, identity, and the sense of self14th Jan 2022
  During my years of active addiction, I had no concept of who I was beyond being a drug and alcohol user. For this reason, I felt trapped into my substance use, unable to escape the horror that I was habitually inflicting upon myself. I finally found sobriety, but was clinging on desperately. That’s when itContinue reading “Autistic community, identity, and the sense of self”