Hello, and welcome back to The Autistic Writer.
I’ve just come across news of the awful incident in which David Louden killed himself and his autistic child, Harrison. I offer my condolences to the Louden family and their friends. This is a shocking tragedy. Depression is a horrible illness, and far too many men are taking their lives rather than asking for help.
It is reported that Mr Louden left notes about his suicide in which he mentioned worries about his autistic son, Harrison, growing up. His worries indicate he really didn’t understand autism, and was frightened by the prospect of the life he foresaw for Harrison.
This is a real tragedy, hurting real people, and a serious factor in it is misinformation about autism. A family has been left broken and bereaved, in part because Mr Louden did not understand his child’s autism.
When I speak out against the lies and misinformation about autism that are repeated daily in our society, I don’t do it for fun. I do it because these tragedies happen regularly. Autistic children are being killed or abused right now because of irrational fear which is fed by misinformation.
Please, please, if you are reading this I beg of you: Don’t talk about autistic people as if we are deficient or sub-human. We are just people. We deserve to live and have a chance at some joy in our lives. If you have an autistic child, or you know someone who does, and you are frightened because of the horrible things you have heard, do not dwell in despair. Educate yourself. Talk to an autistic adult. Talk to me – you can contact me on Facebook or Twitter.
Please, please, do not hurt your autistic child. We all deserve love and life.
I will never put this blog behind a paywall. I want anyone, anywhere, to be able to access this content at any time. There are costs incurred running this website, however. So if you like what I’m trying to do here, please feel free to show your support with a small contribution via buymeacoffee.com.
That’s all for this week. Until next time, take care.
Darren
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Why Do I Write This Blog?
When I first found out I was autistic, I was a middle-aged adult and I knew nothing about autism. I quickly learned that there was a serious shortage of information and resources for adults in my situation. With this blog, I aim to inform about autism and autism-related issues as I learn, hopefully helping people who are on a similar journey of discovery. Like anyone who writes a blog, I want to reach as many readers as possible; if you like what I’m doing, please share it with your friends and followers. I will never hide this blog behind a paywall, but running the website does incur costs. If you would like to support, feel free to make a small contribution at BuyMeACoffee.Com.
You might also be interested in David Scothern’s blog, Mortgage Advisor on FIRE, which covers a range of topics including mental health issues and financial independence.
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