Category Archives: Neuro-Diveristy

Christmas

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Hello all,



It is coming up to Christmas time. Which means everything will be getting busier and there will be more going on around us. Which can be great but for those of us who are Visually Impaired or Blind it can be a bit more difficult.

There are lights going up and Christmas trees being decorated, shops are filling up with more of their Christmas stock. This can all feel quite festive. I do enjoy Christmas and giving presents to people. It is nice to get together with family and friends and to have a catch up.

What can be difficult is the Visual Clutter. At home we have everything where we normally put it so it’s not something new in a new spot.

I don’t really enjoy shopping as it’s busy, so we go when it’s not a weekend day. This makes it easier as there are less crowds. Shops will often have a move around of their stock at Christmas to utilise space. But when you go in and nothing is where it was before it’s quite disorientating.

This is another reason to go when it is not busy as you can take your time and not feel rushed. Top tip for the Visually impaired and Autistic shopper, go when it’s not busy so you are not feeling rushed.

Christmas can be great from a sensory perspective, that’s why it’s important to get it right for yourself as a Visually Impaired or Autistic Person. Take the time to not feel overwhelmed and to do it at your own pace.

Once all our decorations are up I’ll try make a post with you showing what it can look like if you have Nystagmus.

I find when shops have a lot out it can be very overwhelming. I find there’s too much stuff. I get it, it’s commercialisation, but sometimes there’s just too much going on.

Enjoy your Christmas season and all the merriment it can bring. If Christmas is hard for you, then make time for yourself and do what you need to get through. It can be hard this time of year.

Thank you for reading.


I’m on Threads @VisuallyImapiredPip

Autism Arrgh!!!

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Hello all,

How are you?

Today I thought I’d write about a terrifying topic. One which will make you slam your laptop closed or through your tablet to the group, or your phone out the window. Yes….we’ve all heard of it…we’ve all heard stories….or perhaps you have experienced it yourself…. Or you know someone who’s experienced it…. I’m talking about Autism!!! Argh!!!

I don’t mean to alarm you… but it could well be that you have been near an Autistic person and did not know it. They may not have known it. They could well have sat next to you at work. Spoken to you to ask for directions…. Ordered a coffee in front of you at the coffee shop…. Maybe they’re in your home right now and you, or they don’t even know it!

Has anyone seen that Simpsons episode where Homer crashes into Bart’s room in the middle of the night and wakes him up saying ‘Bart I don’t mean to alarm you- but there maybe a buggy man or buggymen in the house!’.

How funny was that moment? And how ridiculous.

I am not likening Autistic people to the boogymen before you start to get even more scared.

Autistic people are everywhere. We show up in many different ways. We are not all the same and we all have different needs and support levels. We have the right to exist just like everyone else.

Some people are afraid that if their child is Autistic then how will they cope? Well that’s a fare enough question. The world is not built for us, Autistic people we are trying to fit into a world which is not designed for us, because we are not the majority. Some of us go for years without knowing we are Autistic. Then we find out and it can be quite overwhelming.

There is a lot of talk at the moment about trying to find the cause of Autism….and apparently they’ve found it…. Hmmmm….

I just want you to really consider that you shouldn’t be afraid of something just because you don’t understand it. You should try to understand Autistic peoples needs and wants and help us to fit in. Rather than trying to find the ‘reason’ we exist. Please don’t stop taking paracetamol. If you’re in pain please do something about it. Paracetamol is a way to manage pain.

My post today is just to point out Autistic people exist and yes we do have struggles. It is a spectrum. Please don’t think that Autism is all bad. It is a spectrum.

I am not one of those Autistics who thinks it is a super power… to me it really isn’t a super power at all. It’s just me.

Please don’t try and act as though Autistic people are a thing which needs to be gotten rid of. We have a right to exist. We just need to have the world be more supportive of us and our needs.

Thank you for reading.
Philippa. 

Autism Acceptance / Awareness Month

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Hello,

Well, Autism Acceptance/Awareness Month has been interesting.

People who are Autistic are not diseased. We are not broken. We are not a puzzle to be solved.

There are a lot of hurtful comments in the news at the moment which I am sure we have all seen. If you haven’t just spend some time googling it. You’ll find it.

I am aware that Autistic people have different levels of support needs and that is all because Autism is a spectrum. No we are not all a little Autistic.

There has been talk of there being a register made for Autistic people. This alongside the news that there will soon be a reason found for what causes Autism is very concerning. If you can have a register of Autistic people then once you know what causes Autism you can have readily accessible information for where those Autistic people are. I wonder why you would need that information?

Autistic people want understanding and acceptance. I  saw a small video somewhere which said ‘if you’re struggling to understand an Autistic person then they’re probably struggling to understand you too’. This is so important because it points out that Autistic people are trying to communicate in a way that they know how. Just like you as the non Autistic person is trying to communicate in a way that you know how. If we put the emphasis on how hard it is for the non Autistic person and try to get the Autistic person to communicate in a way the non Autistic person wants, then we are not being fare or understanding to the Autistic persons needs.

A lot of the conversation around Autism, from what I have seen is ‘how can we change this Autistic person?’ When it should be about understanding and accepting the Autistic person.

If you are Autistic and are reading or watching the news or seeing articles about the things I have referred to above then know that there are also people out there who are wanting to be accepting who are wanting to understand. There are allies who are there to help.

We need these allies to help us as Autistic people to create space and enact the change we need to be able to live in a world where we can thrive. Whatever our level of support need. 

Thank you for reading.

Negative Narratives

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Hello allo, 

The government has really ramped up it’s messages about Disabled people hasn’t it? 

There has been a lot of negative narratives and harmful stereotyping surrounding our community. But where to begin…? 

I think I’ll start with the blatant lack of understanding. The government does not seem to not understand the benefits system… They do not seem to understand that Personal Independence Payment or PIP, can claimed whether the person is in work or out of work. 

Furthermore it appears as though people do not fully understand the word ‘independence’. The payment exists to support Disabled people with extra costs of living with a Disability. 

You also do not automatically get the benefit because you are diagnosed with ADHD, or a Visual Impairment etc. 

It is a horrible process which a Disabled Person needs to go through. They ave to fill out a really long form where they tell the DWP how their Disability affects them. Once they have filled in this form, and provided medical evidence they then have to go to an assessment centre or have someone come to their home and ask them really invasive questions about their daily routine, washing habits, eating habits, whether or not they have job or friends… then the Disabled person is given a score and this score then adds up to how many points they get. This scoring system then decides if they are allowed any benefits which could help them to cover the extra costs which come with being disabled. 

More often than not the person will fail this assessment and will then have the option to appeal the decision. Again the decision could come back as a ‘no sorry your visually impaired and can’t see very well, you don’t ever leave the house alone on new or unfamiliar journeys, but you don’t qualify’. 

Then the Disabled Person has the option to essentially take the government to court. This is called a tribunal. You have to go and sit in front of a Judge and Doctors and make the case that you are Disabled and just want some help with the extra cost of living and keeping yourself alive. 

The tribunal process is separate to the DWP and it is independent. It does not have any government backed companies behind it, like ATOS trying to save the government money. 

A majority of the time Disabled People win these tribunals because the people at them are medical professionals and people who practice law. Therefore they understand the person in front of them and their needs and what they are entitled too. 

Do you honestly believe it is an easy process putting yourself through all of that? So many Disabled do not have the energy or support to go trough it. Quite often Disabled people might end up taking their own lives because they have run out of energy and money to support themselves because whilst they are fighting all of this they have no benefits because they have been stopped. 

Whilst I am writing this I am very much aware of the level of pain my right side is in due to my Scoliosis. 

Do not judge Disabled People. We have just as much as right to exist as anyone else. Our lives have meaning. 

If you are reading this and were not aware of how these new policies will impact Disabled People please contact your MP and express to them your concerns. Help Disabled People to be able to just have the right live. 

Thank you, 

Philippa B.

Bus Travel

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Hello all,

Lets talk accessible travel 

In the past I have written about floating bus stops and how they are not accessible to Disable people. If you want to read why then please follow this link. 

I wanted to write about the changes to bus travel in Bradford and how that is impacting me as a Visually Impaired Person. 

The bus station closed in January due to a collapse in an underground car park. The bus stops have since been relocated…well I don’t know where exactly as they are all dotted around the city centre. Some stops are outside the Broadway shopping centre, some are outside the town hall. I have no idea where my bus goes from or stops at. 

In this past week BBC has posted about this issue and the impact it is having on Disabled people.

The issue from my perspective as a Visually Impaired Neurodivergent person is that I cannot see where the bus stops are. If someone shows me this does not always eliminate the issue because what if the bus does not stop in the same place every time if it is busy? 

The other issue I will have is with it being busy when I set off work at rush hour what will happen if I can’t see where to join the queue to the bus? 

The other issue which I am concerned about is all the road works in Bradford at the moment. I am unsure of where I can cross the road safely. The main road in and out of town is due to close. Creating a pedestrianised area. With this road being closed I am unsure where I will get my taxi from outside the train station? I have asked the taxi drivers but they have not been informed of when the work will start on the new taxi terminus. 

There are a few issues which I have brought up here; 

The bus station is closed and has been relocated to multiple points across the city centre. 

I have no idea where my bus now runs from. 

There are road works across the city centre meaning I am not always sure where it is safe to cross. 

I have no idea when the taxi rank will move or what that relocation will look like. 

The council have not considered this impact on Disabled people. Whether we are just going into town or if we are using public transport to get to work. Our daily lives have been made even more inaccessible. This is before you even start on other issues which make travel inaccessible to us, like the floating bus stops. 

People need to consider the impact these unexpected changes have. If non Disabled people are finding it difficult to travel at the moment how are Disabled people meant to be coping? 

I will keep you updated with this ongoing issue. 

Happy Autism Acceptance Month. 

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Autism Acceptance month is here- although we should be accepting of Autism all year round. 

There will be a lot of things going out this month from various places that you will come across showing support for Autistic people. 

Be mindful of what you are consuming, either for yourself or for your business. Who has written the piece you are writing? Is this person Autistic? 

You cannot advocate for Autistic people unless you are willing to listen to Autistic people. This includes every Autistic person at every stage of life. 

I do not normally write about Autism on here, being Neurodivergent, yes, I write about that. But it can be difficult to write about being Autistic. I think this is because I went so long without realising I am Autistic. It is quite a journey you go on when you find out you’re Autistic. You have to learn to understand this part of yourself which has always been there. But now…you know it is there. 

Like you’ve found a whole new room in your house and you’re thinking ‘wow look at this space! What can I do with it? What is even in here?…’ 

It is a lot to unpack, literally unpack… How do I now navigate the world through this new lens?

Everyone is different, just like Autism itself, we are truly unique. No one Autistic persons profile is the same as another persons.

This is why at the beginning of this page I said to make sure what you are reading has been created with an Autistic persons input. Because, verbal or non verbal we all have something to share and say. 

During Autism Acceptance month remember that every one of us is different and unique in our abilities. We do not all view Autism as a super power. Some of us absolutely hate this phrase. Some of us love it and see their Autism as a gift. 

Be mindful of every Autistic persons perspective on Autism and if it doesn’t fit your narrative, that is OK. 

I’ll try write some more later this month. But for now that is all. 

Thank you, 

Philippa B. 

Finding socks that fit your sensory needs

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Hello all,

A few weeks ago I decided I needed to get some new socks. This is something I was not particularly looking forward to as I cannot stand wearing socks. Being Autistic means ensuring you are not walking into a sensory nightmare when wearing anything.

An oblong box with the lid closed. Crew logo on the top. Colours white and blue.

Socks to me are too restrictive and the sensation on my feet is offensive. It is very much a sensory nightmare.

Looking online I decided I wanted some bamboo ones as the pair I had already were, surprisingly acceptable. I found that Crew were having a sale which extended to socks. They also had bamboo socks which was brilliant. The colour options I went for were blues and greens, with another pack of vibrant autumnal colours. 

When they arrived I was happy to see they were in little boxes, which we have kept so we can reuse them for other things. We’re not sure what yet, but we’ll find something.

An open oblong box with socks rolled up neatly inside.

After wearing a few pairs this last week I am very happy with the quality of them. They are not too overwhelming, they are keeping my feet warm (but I am wearing these and a pair of other socks- I have circulation issues). The bamboo is soft to touch and I love the colours.


I should point out I am not being endorsed to write this, its just I really struggle with finding socks which make my feet happy. I also believe bamboo is meant to be better for the environment. Please correct me of I am wrong.

Please be mindful that a lot of Autistic people will struggle with sensory issues and this makes choosing clothing, like socks to be a very difficult one indeed. So this has been a big win for me and my sensory needs. I can say I am happy with my sock choice. Thank you Crew!

Thank you for mooching over to my blog and reading my random musings. 

Until next time,
Philippa B. 

First blog of the year

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Hello all,

First blog post of 2023. I have taken a bit of time away from writing blogs as things were very busy over the past few months.

I wanted to write today about what I would like to do over the next year, not so much goals as I am not a fan of goal setting. But more building on what I enjoyed last year.

Last year my blog did better than the year before in that I got a lot more interaction with it which was lovely to see. It is nice to know what I am writing is helping others. I appreciate you taking the time to leave comments.

I would also like this year to continue with my audiobooks. I really enjoy listening to them, when I am just about the house or before bed. I don’t listen to them when I am out and about. That’s more music.

Last year I listened to a lot of audiobooks on Autism, I also listened to some biographies. Then I started listening to books on self compassion. So I am branching out on my reading.

The self compassion ones are nice as they can pair with the books around Autism. I will continue with these this year.

Do you have any thoughts on your year ahead?

Thank you for reading and Happy Musings. 

My Visit to Red Wings

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A while ago I really wanted a nice new pair of sturdy shoes. Th reason being I have had a pair of really good shoes for nearly ten years. These shoes have started to wear, but they are still useable. I just decided I should save up and look around for a replacement.

I know a few people who have Red Wings, they have told me they are ridiculously comfortable and have never had any problems. They work with all their outfits and they look amazing.
So acting on personal advice I looked online for their shoes. The prices, while expensive seemed like a good investment- if they last you the time people have assured me they will. Hear’s to ten years of RedWings.

The pair I saw online were a petrol shade of blue. The design is 6-INCH MOC TOE WOMEN’S BOOTS 3353. I sat and thought about it for a while and struggled to find places where they had them in stock for me to try on. When I am spending that much money on shoes I need it to be right.

When I went to London to visit my brother we went to the Red Wings shop.It was nice inside. All the shoes neatly on display with storage boxes stacked at the end of the room waiting for peoples new shoes to be taken home.

A PAIR OF pETROL blue shoes with white soles on a wooden floor.

I wandered around and I saw the shoes I was looking at online. The lady asked if we were ok and needed anything. I mentioned looking at this particular pair online and that I was considering buying them, but that I wanted to try them on.


She brought me over the size I would need and asked if I had owned Red Wings before. After explaining I hadn’t and that my brother and some friends owned them she told me how sturdy they are and long lasting. She also mentioned the women’s shoes are made from the leather of a cow because the female leather is a lot softer. Then she explained the insoles had a soft cushion.

I laced them up which was easy, my Dyspraxic fingers were ok with the laces. They felt really comfortable as I wandered around the shop. My toes didn’t touch the ends I felt really comfy. Taking them off I decided to buy them. They were the last pair in the shop and Red Wings were not making anymore of them. That was the universe telling me to buy them.

The shoes are placed in individual bags and then placed into their big box. The lady had to get more bags sent from the mens shop. Someone came round and we placed them in the bag. My brother carried the box as we wandered off to get some tea.

The shoes were amazing and I really enjoyed the customer service. She was not pushy, she chatted to us about the brand and made it feel like a great experience. This is what I want when I go shopping. Especially when I am spending that much on shoes.

I am also in no way being endorsed by Red Wings for this blog.

Moose Coffee

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Hello world,

How are we all?

At the moment I am rather tired. So having to work only one day this week is great.

Something which I have been trying to do lately to try and reduce my tiredness is going out and seeing friends a bit more.

Often I really am too tired to be able to do this. Due to sensory overload and the general overwhelmingness of life doing things can be very exhausting for me. So I am trying to go out and do more of the things I enjoy. Like seeing friends.

Last week I went to Moose Coffee and we had a lovely time. Normally I struggle trying new places, but I thought it might be nice to give it a go.

The menu looked interesting and I had seen a delicious stack of pancakes on there so that was a win. While waiting for my friend I checked she would like to go there and she said yes so I booked a table. 

When we got there it was quite quiet, this was perfect for me. Trying new places can be too intense, so the fact it was quiet was a plus.

The space was open and airy and the lighting wasn’t t too bright. We got a window seat so we didn’t have to worry about people passing us on both sides.

The menu was quite small so my friend read it aloud to me. We chose drinks and ordered some water too. When it came to ordering food I chose the pancakes with Nutella and bananas with some syrup. The pancakes  were huge! There were three of them! My friend laughed as I put the Nutella on and asked if I had enough.

They were very soft and fluffy. There was plenty of Nutella, so I caked the pancakes in that. Once I had arranged my bananas I was happy to drizzle the syrup all over the top, lifting some of the pancakes to ensure the syrup went on the ones below.

A stack if pancakes, covered in Nutella, bananas and syrup.
Soft and Fluffy


The service at Moose Cafe was very nice, they brought it all in a timely manner and I did not feel rushed. If you have never been I would highly recommend it. We are absolutely going back.

When choosing somewhere new I tend to like places which will be quiet, or we go at times when we expect it to be quiet.

Being Visually Impaired I tend to rely on others to read my menu. Or I will look at the menu before we go so I know what I want. I did that with Moose Coffee, I saw the pancakes and knew that’s what I wanted.

It was nice to catch up with my friend and spend some time with them. I need to try do this more because it makes me happy. Doing more of the things you love gives you energy. I enjoyed my day. It was great to catch up and we did some shopping as well.

If I have not said already, you should go.

This week I am just relaxing and I am off to London on Friday to visit my brother. I am really looking forward to it.

Anyway, I am off now because I am tired thinking about those pancakes.

See you soon.
Philippa B.