The Survival Realm and The Continuum of Human Existence

Many humans experience dysregulation and distress for long enough that they reach a point of shutdown... and then burnout.

And some humans, those who've reached the point of burnout, stay there for so long that their needs become increasingly urgent, and their brains and bodies then reach a point of complete and total incapacitation.

I see all of this as existing on a continuum. 

A survival continuum. 

And I see all the states I just mentioned as increasingly urgent states of survival.

Imagine that this continuum exists on a vertical line with arrows going up and down. 

At the top, dysregulation... and at the bottom, incapacitation. 

Dysregulation 

↓

Distress

↓

Shutdown

↓

Burnout

↓

Incapacitation

The moment a human need becomes unmet (and to be clear, all needs are critical because we're talking about NEEDS, not wants)...

The person enters this survival realm and is now on the continuum. 

At first, they're just dysregulated.

But the longer their needs go unmet, the farther down the continuum they go. 

All humans have the capacity to move through these states (up and down).

And all humans DO move through these states when their needs become and remain unmet. Consistently and continuously.

But disabled people go through these states much more frequently... much more intensely... for much longer... and are much more likely to reach the lowest state on the continuum... incapacitation.

And there's an important and fundamental reason why this is the case.

It's because they CAN'T MOVE UP the continuum without help.

Significant help, in many cases. 

To be clear, disability is not some sort of alien-like experience. It's a HUMAN experience. 

All "disabled" means is that a person needs more help to get their needs met than the average non-disabled person.

Autism, ADHD, OCD, GAD, any neurodivergence for that matter... are all brain wiring differences that cause a person to need more help than the average non-neurodivergent person when it comes to getting their needs met. 

Because their brain wiring creates a BARRIER to meeting their own needs.

And how much help a disabled person needs will depend on what specific barriers that individual has. 

Because all disabled people have their own set of barriers (including external ones related to race, class, gender, financial status, etc).

And some disabled people need more help than other disabled people. 

But one thing is universally true...

All disabled people need more help than non-disabled people when it comes to getting their needs met.

To be perfectly clear, no version of human existence is better than another. 

No version makes a person more valuable or valid than anyone else.

We are all equally deserving of respect and dignity.

But... disabled people do, in fact, need more help than non-disabled people.

This is not a statement of value. Just fact.

We need to stop comparing human conditions and instead focus on what each individual person needs in terms of support.

Focusing on needs means we can divvy up support so whoever needs it... gets it.

Which would make the world a much safer and more peaceful place for everyone.

That's my hope, anyway. 

My dream. 

My vision.

One I see clearly and one I fully believe is achievable. 

And I will fight with every ounce of my being to make it a reality. 

If you're reading this and have the same vision I do... have the same dream I have... I hope you will join me. ❤️