Author Archives: Ausome Charlie

It’s not OK to not be OK

Video (6 minutes with captions) about the many societal and systemic failures to protect, or frankly even give a shit about, the mental health of neurodivergent people, especially autistic teenagers. TW suicide, child death, bullying #Autism #ActuallyAutistic #ADHD #AuDHD #Neurodiversity #Neurodivergent #MentalHealth #CAMHS #CAMHSCrisis #ItsNotOKToNotBeOK #ItsNotOkayToNotBeOkay #DifferentIsOK #Antibullying #SuicidePrevention #ThisIsNotOK

Dear Santa… from Rudolph

Dear Santa, I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. I am writing to you with a heavy heart, and after much consideration, I have come to the difficult decision to resign from my position on your team as the lead reindeer. Over the years, I have had the privilege ofContinue reading “Dear Santa… from Rudolph”

AuDHD inclusion tips

As an AuDHDer myself (autistic and ADHD), and a professional speaker and HR Consultant specialising in Inclusion and Belonging, here are the tips that I want to share for working with Autistic and/or ADHD colleagues and helping us thrive in the workplace: Create and demonstrate a culture of psychological safety. Protect and defend us fromContinue reading “AuDHD inclusion tips”

An unusually chill Christmas, chez Ausome

I usually struggle a lot with December and Christmas, for many reasons that I will not go into today; I am just taking a moment to count my blessings. At the end of June 2023, I finally left my HR Analyst job, and I have never looked back. I had been working for Together forContinue reading “An unusually chill Christmas, chez Ausome”

The Bright Side of ADHD from Twitter

Answers to my question about the positives of ADHD, compiled from replies on Twitter (other social media to follow). My question: ‘ADHDers: What are the positives for you, about your ADHD? No, not the textbook answers, the neurodiversity industry spin, or Chat GPT. I want to know some positive things you think and feel aboutContinue reading “The Bright Side of ADHD from Twitter”

IDPD, or Disabled People Day as I like to call it

I had planned to write a blog post for International Persons with Disabilities Day, but: 1) I’m too burned out from taking my daughters and their friends to MCM Comic Con yesterday then driving home in the freezing mist and dark. 2) I’m not a ‘Person with Disabilities’; I’m ‘disabled’. I should not have toContinue reading “IDPD, or Disabled People Day as I like to call it”

Believe us!

Sometimes it’s so weird being Autistic and ADHD. I’ve just done a public speaking event at Vodafone HQ, where I felt so welcome, comfortable and well looked after… then had a severe sensory meltdown on the way home. I felt OK when we left Vodafone, calm even. But then we started getting ‘hangry’ and IContinue reading “Believe us!”

Addictive Personality

Tell me you’re ADHD without telling me you’re ADHD. I’ll go first: All my adult life I’ve been saying: “I need to be careful with _____* because I have an addictive personality” * Insert alcohol/ caffeine/ drugs/ meds/ prescription painkillers/ dieting/ sunbeds/ exercise/ MyFitnessPal/ Twitter/ Candy Crush (or similar game) etc… #ADHD #AuDHD #Addiction #Neurodiversity

Alice, What’s the Matter?

Yes, writing is well under way for my semi-autobiographical comedy novel about my early adulthood as an oblivious undiagnosed autistic young woman, blundering through life. Originally titled ‘Alice in Blunderland’, but that title has been used before and also I am a huge fan of the Bradford-based band Terrorvision, whose song ‘Alice, What’s the Matter’Continue reading “Alice, What’s the Matter?”