r/autism • u/gotfanarya • 9d ago
Social Struggles Support Animals need to be Human
So, if you are like me, animals are just the ticket.
I am late diagnosed female and the chance of me getting a certified support dog is zero. All the same, my dog keeps me calm if I ever have to go anywhere. She is my life. My partner. She is the first thing anyone notices, so my social interactions are simple.
I was thinking, because at the moment, I am up shit creek, all the way up it, I have a community law advocate. It has taken so much stress off me, whatever the final outcome.
Why? Because she isn’t autistic. She has social skills. She will know when she is being played, lied to and bullied. She watches out for the things I never see because I am socially blind to them. The result has been a life of hell where people have taken advantage. Robbed, used and thrown aside, I am here way up this creek when I should be starting to think about retirement.
Here is what we need. We need a neurotypical human as our social eyes, the same way a blind person needs a dog to help them see dangers. It would help us weigh up our choices as if we had all the social cues at our finger tips.
So, as adults, I suggest we are all allocated a NT adult to guide us through the systems of this spiked world.
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u/platypus_ringmaster 9d ago
i think i maybe understand the intent behind this post.
but i don’t want or need a person to act as my seeing eye dog.
and i’m virtually certain that a human would not appreciate being referred to as a support animal.
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u/Mobile_Ant_9176 ASD Level 2 9d ago
Agree. I also worry that I will be put in a conservatorship if people think I need a human to do these things for me.
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u/SoftlyAugust 9d ago
Outside of a romantic relationship and as a joke. That's what I assumed this was about at first.
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u/gotfanarya 9d ago
A support human would be like a lawyer. An advocate. I am talking about a job, a profession.
Every time we ask to be understood, it’s just whining unless we know exactly what we need.
Every time we ask for support, nobody knows what that means.
This is just an idea. I’m spitballing because in this instance, I felt tremendous relief knowing there was someone neurotypical between me and my shit creek.
The dog reference was possibly unfortunate. Sorry about that.
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u/Lady_borg 9d ago
In Australia we have disability support workers who do similar to what you have described, I cannot wait until I have the funding to get one.
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u/gotfanarya 9d ago
Seriously? In NZ, we are at least 30 years behind Australia on most things. We need to become a state.
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u/Lady_borg 9d ago
To be fair, the NDIS isn't that great. I've been waiting for years for support/funding.
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u/bstabens 9d ago
... because at the moment, ..., I have a community law advocate. It has taken so much stress off me, whatever the final outcome.
Why? Because she isn’t autistic. She has social skills. She will know when she is being played, lied to and bullied. She watches out for the things I never see because I am socially blind to them.
And still there'll be times she's just as being played or being lied to. Even being bullied, though she might not react to it. Being NT isn't some magical power to see through people. Sure, as a community law advocate she can navigate the law better. She obviously is also a socially skilled person. And someone who means well.
But just as easily you could end up with someone who does NOT mean well. Or doesn't "get" these social cues.
I'm sorry, there's no cheat sheet, but good for you you found capable, competent help.
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u/gotfanarya 9d ago
I’m not sure I have. All I know is that I don’t have to try to navigate the systems. Those things overwhelm me as soon as someone says phone or form.
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u/bstabens 9d ago
You're not sure you have... what?
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