This guest post has been written by Cheryl. She has Autism is worried how she will adapt to a post-lockdown world and if she can continue to have adventures with her daughter.
It’s
been more than two months since I left my house. Before the COVID-19 lockdown
the world I lived in was a predictable environment.
I’m
autistic. I struggle to cope with crowds and get overwhelmed by busy
environments, but I’ve always managed.
I
have a young daughter and together we’ve been on so many adventures. When she
was just three years old, we went to London. We tackled the busy London
Underground and major attractions like the London Eye, Sea Life Centre, and
Madame Tussaud’s. Day-to-day life is no different, and although I often
struggle, there are few attractions we haven’t been to.
Since
my daughter was born, a relaxing day at home has been a rarity. We’ve been to
UK theme parks and busy arcades. We’ve traveled from crowded shopping centres
to busy cities. Facing challenges has allowed me to show my daughter the world.
Not just for her, but for myself as well. I have loved every single adventure!
Adjusting to lockdown
In
late March we went into lockdown. It’s now June and I haven’t stepped beyond my
front garden in over two months. I’ve joked that I’m designed for lockdown, and
in many ways this has been a dream. Sure, I miss family and friends, but this
is a world that’s tailored to meet my needs.
The
lockdown world is a world where people work from home, life is quiet and everything
goes at a slower pace. I’ve not had to deal with overwhelming crowds, changes
to my plans or even challenging social situations.
Shops
became inaccessible and online deliveries didn’t account for the needs of
autistic people but, on balance, living in lockdown has been more positive than
negative.
Lockdown,
in a strange way, is comforting and safe.
What comes after lockdown?
This
week, the UK has started to come back to life. Like a machine that’s been
paused, it is now powering up once again.
The
problem is, this isn’t like before. We aren’t going back to what we had before
lockdown – the queues at a fast food drive thru show that. Instead, as people
celebrate their freedom, they’ll be out and about making the world more crowded
than it’s ever been before.
Things
that I could manage before lockdown, like the average everyday crowd, will now
be significantly heightened and beyond what I’m capable of coping with.
People
will take advantage of the attractions they’ve missed, the beaches, the open
spaces, the shops, the restaurants and anywhere else they can think of. If
these places were busy before the lockdown, that’s nothing compared to how
they’ll be as we start being released from our homes.
As
an autistic person, the post-lockdown world has the potential to isolate people
more so than before.
A post-lockdown world
During
lockdown, I’ve thought ahead with excitement and trepidation. I’ve been excited
to visit all the places I’ve missed, but I’m worried about the extra crowds.
Those worries were pushed to the back of my mind, helping me to stay
optimistic.
I
looked forward to a short break at the end of the summer, to visiting museums
and family attractions at the weekend. I was excited for visits to splash
parks, shopping trips and outdoor adventures. Yet, there was always a little
voice in the back of my mind. How will you cope?
Yesterday
a UK zoo, closed due to the pandemic, posted a heartfelt plea. Money was
running low, they needed funds and they were asking the public for help. One
option, for those that wanted to contribute, was to buy a ticket in advance.
The premise is simple, you pay up-front and then use the ticket in the future.
That’s when reality struck.
As
an autistic person, I have no idea what happens in a post-lockdown world. I’d
have thought nothing of visiting the zoo before lockdown, but it’s now very
likely that even bigger crowds will descend on attractions like these. So many
places, that were once just about accessible, will now become too overwhelming.
I
was close to buying tickets for the zoo. I told myself that by 2021 everything will
be back to normal. Yet, the truth is, I can’t begin to predict how long this
adjustment will take.
Places that I coped with are now going to
be overwhelmingly busy, and there's no way of knowing how long it'll be before
things settle back down.
Post-lockdown challenges for autistic people
Whilst
others enjoy the chance to return to freedom, there’s a risk that autistic
people are going to be pushed out completely. Things that are exciting for
others, can be worrying and nerve-wracking if you’re autistic.
With
everyone wanting to go, and demand for tickets higher than ever, when will I be
able to take my daughter to the zoo? When will we walk around a shopping
centre? When can I next go and spend a day at the beach?
For
many, the news of the world re-opening is incredibly exciting. Spare a thought
for autistic people who might need to watch this world through a window.
Have you thought about a post-lockdown world? How do you feel now
lockdown is easing? Let us know in the comments below!
