A new wave of inclusivity is sweeping through the realm of public recreation, focusing prominently on the needs of neurodiverse individuals. This shift is crucial for the evolution of parks and recreation departments in their approach towards accessibility and inclusion, as highlighted by Lane Gram, the Recreation Manager at Gilbert Parks and Recreation, and Meredith Tekin, President of IBCCES during a recent podcast interview on Let’s Talk Parks with Berry Dunn.
By Alex Stratikis, Autistic Self-Advocate, World Traveler & Founder of Autism Adventures Aboard
Instagram: @autismadventuresabroad
By Alex Stratikis, Autistic Traveler & Founder of Autism Adventures Aboard
Instagram: @autismadventuresabroad
By Alex Stratikis, Autistic Self-Advocate, World Traveler & Founder of Autism Adventures Aboard
Instagram: @autismadventuresabroad
Ah, the holidays. They bring joy and love, but they also bring stress, especially for those living with mental health issues. That’s one out of every five Americans, by the way – more than 51.5 million of us. Among those with mental health issues, about two-thirds report worsening mental conditions during the holiday season.
From mentalhealthhotline.org (article republished with permission)
PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder, is often mentioned in movies and television shows, but it’s more than just a plot device. It’s an incredibly challenging illness linked to uncontrollable anxiety, horrid nightmares, and destructive thoughts.
Some of the unfortunate souls who have this disorder also experience short-term memory loss and deal with additional psychological issues.
It’s estimated that seven to eight of 100 adults in America deal with PTSD. That’s a hard-hitting number. You can be a helpful voice for those suffering from PTSD if you know what to do.
From mentalhealthhotline.org (article republished with permission)
A good support system is utterly essential in helping someone cope with depression. While the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) reports that 17.3 million American adults (a little over 7% of the population) struggle with a major depressive disorder each year, those struggles can be greatly mitigated by the care and attention of friends, family, counselors, medical professionals, and clergy. For the 2.2 million youth (amounting to 9.2% in 2020) who also struggle with depression, these support systems can work wonders in preventing substance use, suicidal episodes, and other comorbid mental and physical health issues.
By Alex Stratikis, Autistic Traveler & Founder of Autism Adventures Aboard
Instagram: @autismadventuresabroad
From mentalhealthhotline.org (article republished with permission)
Everybody has bad days. Sometimes we go through periods of time when we feel awful and like the world is against us. Depression is far worse. It doesn’t just last for a period of time. It’s a mental disorder that affects everyday life every single day. Depression affects everything, from your thoughts to your actions, from work to school to sleep. There are also multiple forms of depression. If you feel the need to talk to someone about depression, call us at 1-866-903-3787. Specialists are standing by.
