Identity first, or person first? Guidelines follow this pattern when writing about autism and mental health

Autism and mental health are complex topics. Here are some guidelines we use when choosing to write about them.

First person? First introduction? It depends.

When we write about a person’s experience with a mental health condition, we will likely use “Man’s first languageFor example, we would refer to someone as “living with schizophrenia” or “diagnosed with schizophrenia” instead of describing the person as “schizophrenic.”

The same goes for writing about a disability, which is a mental or physical condition makes a significant impact Ability to perform at least one life activity. An illness or disability is something someone has, not who they are.

When it comes to autism, most people with the neurodevelopmental condition prefer what is called “Introduction – First language“: describing someone as an “autistic person”, i.e., instead of “a person with autism”. Advocates of this language say that autism is an integral part of their identity, and is not something that can be separated from an individual either in real life or on the page.

Research found that the majority of autistic people In English-speaking countries Select the first identity language. Most of the time, that’s what you’ll read in these stories. There are also people in the autism community who prefer a person’s first language, so there will be times when this is the most appropriate choice. And of course, when we quote someone directly, we will use the exact words they said or wrote.

In general, when an individual makes it clear how they want to be described, we will respect that person’s preferences.

Many autistic people live with mental health conditions. Autism is not one of them.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects social communication and sensory processing. It is not a mental health disorder, and it is not something that can be treated.

Studies have found that Up to 80% of adults Diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder also has at least one additional mental health condition such as depression or anxiety. These conditions are separate from autism, and often respond to therapeutic interventions.

When reporting a suicide, there is some information that we intentionally leave out.

Many studies have found that certain details and explanations, especially those related to the specific methods by which a person died, may have a negative impact on people struggling with suicidal thoughts. For this reason, our stories do not describe the methods that people use to kill themselves, even when we learn this information during our reporting.

Language evolves and so will we.

Our stories are based on the best information we have available at the time of publication. When we learn new information that changes our understanding of a subject, the words we use will also change.