My name is Xanthe Wyse.
I went for a walk & am still working on tidying up my room. Didn't really need to go to work today anyway.
Decided to make a video about some of the things I thought of when I was walking. About some of what I have lost and can no longer do. Some things that I used to do well. Some things with difficulty.
Clinicians say I have a mental injury and my impairment is mostly from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) & bipolar disorder (type 1). I've had PTSD since childhood but it didn't become very obvious until later. Clinicians just kept calling it 'treatment-resistant depression' and other labels for decades.
My autism spectrum features are considered to be mild (yet ironically more prominent than some who claim to be diagnosed autism spectrum disorder ASD).
It's very hard for me to speak and I had mutism as a child. Video actually shows some aspects of my impairments, although I usually spent most of my time, avoiding people altogether (as just don't have the energy).
I do meaningful creative projects for a sense of meaning and purpose. It takes me a very long time to do things and I can't work fulltime.
My therapeutic hobbies (painting and writing) were actually used against me by a psychiatrist chosen by Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC). He didn't even see me in person or by video. Two other doctors assessed well in my favour, doing the best I can.
It's a challenge but one thing I have learned over the years is how to speak up and advocate for myself (and others). Advocacy is exhausting though, so it comes after my creative projects and also trying to maintain a moderate level of moderate fitness (mainly with walking).
Plus trying to keep my part-time job (up to 8 hours per week).
My self-published books (inspired by my experiences, focus on relationships with disabilities):
www.soarpurpose.com/books.html
My art (original paintings & fine art prints):
www.soarpurpose.nz/
1 июл 2024
