Time out card, reading "Please leave me in peace. I will join in again when I am able to do so." With an exhausted stickman holding up a sign that says "I'm having a time out."

Sometimes my time outs are a few minutes while I process something (like a new layout - supermarkets!), other times they are longer (most of today - 'cos y'day was busy & tonight I need to finish painting doors - once paint arrives!) In between: an unrepentant, guilt free, essential time out.

Symptomatic hypermobility is a much broader term than HSD - literally meaning ‘hypermobility causing symptoms’ rather than being a specific disorder. So it can be used for ppl with HSD, hEDS, Marfan, ppl who don’t meet the Brighton criteria cos their hypermobility is in other joints etc etc.

Hypermobility | Stickman Comms Home

a 'symptomatic hypermobility' card which covers everything the HSD card covered, but it's symptom based so it won't become unusable whatever shape the new criteria take.
You can find them here: www.stickmancommunications.co.uk/hypermobility

Symptomatic hypermobility card with lilac border. text "I have symptomatic hypermobility. My joints bend too far, injure easily, and may move out of place. This causes pain and fatigue, and can make everyday tasks challenging. It can affect other systems too, causing issues with digestion, bladder, heart rate, skin and more. Symptoms vary. Sometimes I look fine, other times I may need joint supports or a mobility aid. I may need to rest or to move, or to do things differently. Living with this is my normal."

As some of you will know, the diagnostic criteria and diagnoses around hypermobility are under review - with changes to be announced at the end of the year. Because of this uncertainty, I've discontinued our hypermobility spectrum disorder (HSD) card for now. We still have an hEDS card, and -

white woman with glasses wearing a black turban style hair covering - with a splotch of white paint on it. next to a bannister with some masking tape on it. and an uncarpeted stairs.

Beautiful white flowers. Almost like lots of daisies joined together. with slightly shiny, rich green leaves. (No idea what they are called, sorry)

Really pleased with how much I've been able to do this weekend. The bannisters are finished and looking good, I didn't get any more paint in my hair thanks to what is now my 'DIY turban', and I found a really beautiful flower in the garden when on a break. I'm so thankful for how nice it's been.

Did you know that among our many products about hidden disabilities, we have these bumper stickers? - You can check out our range of hidden-disability products here: www.stickmancommunications.co.uk/hidden-disab...

Autism Acceptance Month: A Q&A with Autistic Advocate Jade McWilliams | Vaya Health We were pleased to have an in-depth conversation with autistic advocate Jade McWilliams about Autism Acceptance Month and how people can better realize values of genuine autism acceptance.

"An autistic child who grows up in a culture of acceptance, including in their family, has an easier time developing positive self-understanding, making friends, and developing resilience. As that child becomes an adult, they are better equipped to self-advocate."

www.vayahealth.com/news-and-sto...

I’d get a wheelchair accessible camper van.

I think so, although might it be a salt loss thing - your body trying to eat all the things until it finds the nutrient that got depleted by the bug? (not a dr, just thought this might be possible)

TMJD (Temporomandibular joint disorder) can be excruciatingly painful - you don't realise how much you use your face during the day until eating, talking, and even changing your expression HURTS! This card can help explain without having to talk.
www.stickmancommunications.co.uk/product-page... )

Front cover of book

@stickmancomms.bsky.social thank you for my book The Pocket Book of Pacing that arrived today. I'm hoping to share it with family and friends so they can understand things a bit better 😁

I am indeed!!

Sometimes I just can't word.
My coherence is missing.
I can't even process what someone has said.
And it confuses people - Am I upset with them? Why won't I chat like usual? - This card can do the explaining for me: www.stickmancommunications.co.uk/product-page...
#PoTS #Fatigue #Neurodivergence

I managed an hour and a half in the evening - which was really good. Both in achieving a room of skirting second coat, and in being sensible with my energy.

I did my essential office time this morning, and have just finished lunch - now for a nap. Later I’m hoping to do a bit of painting at my new house.

"Echolalia is a natural part of autistic communication. It means 'echo speech,' and it can be either immediate or delayed. For many autistic people with limited speech, delayed echolalia is a primary way to communicate." Video from @assistiveware.bsky.social:

www.assistiveware.com/blog/what-is...

Card with blue border that says: Mobility problems aren't always obvious. There are mny symptoms that can make walking difficult, and most of them aren't easy to see. Image: Walking tickman labelled 'looks like' - then 4 labelled 'feels like' - One is a dizzy fatigue zombie, one has pain zaps, one has an artificial leg, and one is carrying a boulder.

It's so easy to forget how many symptoms can be severely disabling but not easy to see. Fatigue and pain can be utterly debilitating and make walking unsafe for me - the only thing visible might be that I look tense, disinterested or zoned out.
From www.stickmancommunications.co.uk/product-page...

Here’s to a weekend that includes restfulness for all of us!

Also, under accessibility -motion, I’ve turned off all autoplays and turned on ‘reduced motion’ (top option) and there’s a ‘prefer cross fade transitions’ option too. i found them helpful. Not sure if they’ll be enough for you as we are all different.

I have mine set to ‘tinted’ instead of ‘clear’ Liquid Glass (under display and brightness settings) it’s the closest I’ve found to turning it off. I’m mild-moderate visually sensitive - cannot use websites with autoplaying movement. the clear version almost made me panic. Tinted is better.

11cm square book with lilac cover, "The pocket book of pacing" By Hannah Ensor. With 3 stickman portraits: 1: super stressed/not coping, hair on end, eyes popping out. 2: mouth in a straight line. Calmer, but still a bit stressed. 3: smiling broadly and relaxed.

pg 6-7 of the pocket book of pacing. "Boom and Bust is.... . ...when instinct says “Quick, do everything and make the most of your energy” then we push until we splat (or crash) under a mountain of symptoms. Each splat needs recovery time. We loose strength and stamina while we recover. On our next ‘okay day’ we ‘Boom’ again, but are less healthy than before, so we manage less and splat sooner. When this spiral is followed for long periods, we get worse. Some of us try to keep pushing through the ‘Bust’. The ‘Boom’ may appear to last longer, but the ‘Bust’ is even more severe. This is equally unhelpful, and can cause a similar overall worsening. The good news is that we don’t have to stay in this spiral! Pacing can get us out - so carry on reading for some top pacing tips."

The pocket book of pacing, pg 90,91. "Most of us have times we pace well, and times we don’t. Pacing is easier to prioritise when symptoms are severe and it’s the only way to get things done. When things are going well and we can cope with more, it can stop being top priority and symptoms can slowly start to get worse. Pacing also often goes a bit wrong when our condition or lifestyle* changes. This is normal and we’ve all been there! Revisit the pacing basics, starting at getting to know your body, and the skills you learnt before will soon help you get back on track. *e.g. New job, new family member, new house, new school etc."

The pocket book of pacing, pg 34-35: "Could you use a different position? - Sit instead of stand. - Lie instead of sit. - Switch position part way through. Patient support groups with a pacing/self management focus are great places to find techniques that might work for you.

If you want a practical, brain-fog-friendly way to understand pacing: check out my Pocket Book of Pacing! In simple bite sized chunks, it explains what pacing is, how to do it in practice, and addresses misunderstandings about it. All for only £6!
www.stickmancommunications.co.uk/product-page...

It took me nearly two days to realise!

Today's been an exhausted day - sudden warm weather always does this to me. Solidarity with anyone else experiencing the same. Loving the brightness of outside. Loving the blossom against the sky. But my word, I'm flolloped!

Thank you for sharing this! I do that too and it feels silly to be like ‘I had to do it before I was ready, so now ready is delayed by hours’ but it’s actually how my body/brain are when I have to push too far.

isnt it! So much analysis of past experience, combined with knowledge of our conditions are behjnd every no - and every bit of caution.

thats a really good phrase - and that’s exactly what we do!

Activity decision chart pacing poster | Stickman Comms This “Activity Decision Chart” pacing poster is a full colour A4 simple guide to the process of deciding whether an activity is doable or not. It is a light hearted and effective tool for anyone with…

of the decision making process (like talking through the process on this poster) can really help them gain a better understanding of what you deal with and what you need.

#Hypermobility #EDS #Fibro #ME #Lupus #Pacing #Arthritis

www.stickmancommunications.co.uk/product-page...

A4 poster Title: “To do or not to do?” pacing and activity decision chart [blue header and footer.] (Note: This is a simplified version. This process varies between individuals.) This chart has boxes with questions in – each box having a yes or no answer – which sends you down different paths to help you reach a conclusion about whether to do an activity or not (or to help explain your decision to someone else). Box 1: Given current symptoms, will I be able to complete the task? Box 2: Will it cause a significant increase in pain/fatigue/other symptoms? Box 3: Can I make it more manageable by: splitting the task into smaller sections? using an adaptation or aid to make it easier? asking for help with challenging parts of the activity? having an exit strategy if it turns out to be too much? Box 4: Do I have enough recharge time between now and when I next need to function? Outcome: Let’s do this! or Best not.

When you have a hidden disability, saying no can be seen as 'giving up', 'letting disability define you', 'anxious' 'over-reacting', 'selfish' etc - but in reality
we've actually done some pretty hefty risk assessment, cost-benefit analysis, and strategic planning!
Externalising some -

Fidget card | Stickman Comms This fidget card says "I fidget or move to manage a condition/disability. Don't expect me to sit or stand still. Moving or fidgeting helps me to function." - with a smiling, fidgeting stickman. These…

to what to expect from me so they don't stress - and I can be more comfortable doing things differently, I also use it as a reminder to myself that this is something I need to do.)

#PoTS #Autism #ADHD #Pain
This card is from www.stickmancommunications.co.uk/product-page...

For people who also have communications challenges (including where eg fatigue steals the energy needed to put coherent sentences together) being able to explain with a card can be really helpful.
(I have this card in my personal pack, and while I often show it to people when I give them an intro -