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Dear David, I agree it is important to have models regarding disability and impairment that take into account the embodied aspect of the experience. This is why I like Lucy Yardley's ideas on Material discourse, because this takes into account the embodied experience, the effect the physical environment has on ones experiences and also the constructed meaning ascribed to both. I guess the discrimination comes primarily from the latter but, I guess the meaning and attitude towards the first two aspects can surely make a difference to ones experiences too. That is, physical pain or discomfort exists however you name it, but how this is perceived and treated by the individual and any professionals or others will surely make a difference too? Regards, Sarah Supple. ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Quarter" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2003 6:47 AM Subject: Re: System failing Autism sufferers I feel the same way in terms of how I perceive my OCD label -- that is, that the suffering I expericene is mainly from all the crap I've been put through as a result of having been labeled "mentally ill" . AT THE SAME TIME, I've experienced severe muscle tightness and spasms in my neck, shoulder and arm in varying degrees of severity for the last ten years of my life (I'm 25 now) (the general medical label for this is dystonia, and my specific diagnosis is Spasmadic Tortocollis) And although the actual onset of thsi "disease" was very likely caused by taking pychiatric medications (there is also a possibility that it is genetic), I don't blame the problems asscociated with Dystonia primarily on society, and I certainly view Dystonia as causing me to suffer tremendously!!! I also don't feel that any amount of societal changes will alleviate the pain -- both physical and emotional -- associated with it. And in fact, I would like a cure more than anything. Of course, ammodation is good -- for example, the prof I have for a summer course I'm taking is allowing me to tape lectures since I'm finding it a tremendous strian on my n eck to take notes. There is also the issue of the increased cost incurred as a result of pHysio therapy (fortunately most of the medical costs related to "treating" the dystonia is covered by the Canadian health care system) , and the cost of transportation because any type of weight (e.g, light school books) can be a severe strain on my neck and therefore I am forced to rely increasingly on taxies to get around. But, the pain associated with the stiffness, t5he effect it has on my energy, and the fact that it is limiting the activities I do daily is having far more of an impact on my life than the actual barriers that I face in society.I guess I'm saying all this because I use to think of the difficulties I experienced from my obessions and compulsioins and to a lesser extent, my dystonia (although it hasn't really affected me for the last three years), as completely the fault of medicine. I was also quick to criticize anyone labeled with a psychiatric disorder that took medication, and who embraced the medical model. HOWever with the return of severe stiffness and spasms in my neck and shoulder (which makes obessions and compulsions seems like a picnic), it again becomes apparennt why *many* people experiencing a debatably medical-related difficulty (or disease) might perceive their selves as suffering primarily (or exclusively) from their impairment, as opposed to as being disabled by society. David Date sent: Tue, 13 May 2003 06:29:12 +0100 Send reply to: Larry Arnold <larry@LARRY- ARNOLD.COM> From: Larry Arnold <larry@LARRY- ARNOLD.COM> Subject: Re: System failing Autism sufferers To: [log in to unmask] > I don't "suffer" from autism, I have autism, I prefer to say I am autistic > as one might say I am artistic. > > What I do suffer from is some the failures outlined in this report. I don't > like to put the blame on autism but I am quite prepared to put it on the > government and local authorities. Perhaps it could be said that the local > authority "suffers" from me. > > Larry > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: The Disability-Research Discussion List > > [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of ColRevs > > Sent: 12 May 2003 22:29 > > To: [log in to unmask] > > Subject: System failing Autism sufferers > > Importance: High > > > > > > System failing Autism sufferers > > > > > > ________________End of message______________________ > > Archives and tools for the Disability-Research Discussion List > are now located at: > > www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html > > You can JOIN or LEAVE the list from this web page. ________________End of message______________________ Archives and tools for the Disability-Research Discussion List are now located at: www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html You can JOIN or LEAVE the list from this web page. ________________End of message______________________ Archives and tools for the Disability-Research Discussion List are now located at: www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html You can JOIN or LEAVE the list from this web page.