Georgia Harper
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mindtheflap.bsky.social
Georgia Harper
@mindtheflap.bsky.social
A strange blend of autism policy analysis and silly Doctor Who discourse. Probably not helping the stereotypes. Views my own. She/Her. https://linktr.ee/mindtheflap
Pinned
STOP comparing London railway termini

St Pancras is MAJESTIC
Waterloo is GIANT
King's Cross is ADVENTUROUS
London Bridge is SHINY
Liverpool Street has MANY CONNECTIONS
Victoria is CONVENIENT
Euston
Paddington is HISTORIC
Marylebone is COSY
Reposted by Georgia Harper
Latest from me: on overdiagnosis, a craze/bandwagon the govt is indulging by commissioning an official review, complete with the clunky blurring of mental illness & neurodivergence www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The right’s callous overdiagnosis bandwagon is rolling. Wes Streeting should not be on it | John Harris
Thankfully, we now know more about conditions such as autism and ADHD. The health secretary must not be part of this attempt to turn back the clock, says Guardian columnist John Harris
www.theguardian.com
December 7, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Now that the "overdiagnosis" framing seems to have been adopted wholesale by government (or at least large swathes of the media), I should probably plug The Video again youtu.be/JDxVGtarAME?...
Is Autism Overdiagnosed? I Read "The Age Of Diagnosis"
YouTube video by Georgia Harper
youtu.be
December 7, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Those who meet me soon realise that I am several anxiety disorders in a trenchcoat. I first sought help for this in 2015. I've done several rounds of NHS talking therapy, and have had medication since 2019.

I had no formal diagnosis until 2021. I only found out about *that* two years later.
December 6, 2025 at 10:10 AM
In fact, even if this *does* turn out to be perfectly benign (and I'm not saying it will), it's too late now. Launching with press briefings on "overdiagnosis"/welfare, especially before official info, obviously means the communities involved will distrust it. Really ending the culture wars there 🙃
Will post proper thoughts on the diagnosis review later on when my brain is less fried, but: oh ffs that press framing
December 5, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Reposted by Georgia Harper
Once again, PIP is not a diagnosis-based benefit. To get it you need to score enough points in a functional test. Diagnoses are a red herring.
Wes Streeting orders review of mental health diagnoses as benefit claims soar
Wes Streeting orders review of mental health diagnoses as benefit claims soar
Health secretary has asked experts to investigate whether normal feelings have become ‘over-pathologised’ The health secretary, Wes Streeting, has ordered a clinical review of the diagnosis of mental health conditions, according to reports. Streeting is understood to be concerned about a sharp rise in the number of people making sickness benefits claims because of diagnoses for mental illness, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the Times reported. He has asked leading experts to investigate whether normal feelings have become “over-pathologised”, the newspaper said, as he seeks to grapple with the 4.4 million working-age people now claiming sickness or incapacity benefit. The figure has risen by 1.2 million since 2019, while the number of 16 to 34-year-olds off work with long-term sickness because of a mental health condition is said to have grown rapidly in the same period. Streeting told the Times he knew from “personal experience how devastating it can be for people who face poor mental health, have ADHD or autism and can’t get a diagnosis or the right support”. He added: “I also know, from speaking to clinicians, how the diagnosis of these conditions is sharply rising. “We must look at this through a strictly clinical lens to get an evidence-based understanding of what we know, what we don’t know, and what these patterns tell us about our mental health system, autism and ADHD services. “That’s the only way we can ensure everyone gets timely access to accurate diagnosis and effective support.” The review, which is expected to be launched on Thursday, is set to be led by Prof Peter Fonagy, a clinical psychologist at University College London specialising in child mental health, with Sir Simon Wessely, a former president of the Royal College of Psychiatry, acting as vice-chair. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
December 4, 2025 at 12:52 AM
Reposted by Georgia Harper
So this doesn't come off as too doomy - the fact that there's now a prominent anti-neurodiversity backlash is, to me, a sign of how far we've come. Schools & society in general have advanced so far over my lifetime. We have much to do, but years ago there was almost no recognition.
December 5, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Reposted by Georgia Harper
ADHD & autism are five-to-ten times more prevalent in prisons vs the general population. Refusing to recognise, support & truly value neurodivergent people isn't just inhumane - it's fiscally ruinous. Kids struggle to focus, feel overwhelmed, we call them bad then lock them up. & it costs loads!
December 5, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Will post proper thoughts on the diagnosis review later on when my brain is less fried, but: oh ffs that press framing
December 4, 2025 at 9:17 PM
I don't know what I expected
December 3, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Just watched Delta and the Bannermen for the first time, fantastic A+ 10/10 no notes
December 2, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Reposted by Georgia Harper
December 1, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Whamageddon only really works if a big part of you *wants* to get caught, like a summer water fight
December 1, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Reposted by Georgia Harper
buying christmas presents for my girlfriend is so hard
November 29, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Reposted by Georgia Harper
Hi! I'm someone who has the audacity to be brown and autistic on the Internet, and I wrote this piece because I'm also too audacious to care about whether I make certain people uncomfortable. It's not about you! But if you THINK it's about you, then it most definitely is. Hope this helps!
November 28, 2025 at 11:05 AM
While it hasn't happened to me yet, "having my diagnosis questioned by a doctor I've never met who half-remembers reading some horrible headline somewhere" has sat firmly on the already long list of worries I have about medical appointments for a while. We're going backwards.
November 27, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Reposted by Georgia Harper
I wrote about systemic medical bias, chocolate medals and Eamonn Holmes
Diagnosed but not believed: Autistic women and the medical gaze
A GP I met for the first time three minutes ago is glancing over my electronic health record, trying to match it with the woman before him…
medium.com
November 27, 2025 at 10:26 AM
Reposted by Georgia Harper
If you are eligible for the mobility component of PIP, you can spend *your own money* topping that up to have a great accessible car. Critics should ask: Why are you against this? What it is about disabled people that makes you believe it’s wrong to have nice things they paid for themselves?
November 26, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Reposted by Georgia Harper
🚨 ♾ Our report out yesterday calls on HM Government to deliver an effective new autism strategy. Open this link committees.parliament.uk/committee/77... to view the following:
- Full report
- Easy Read report
- Report summary with conclusions and recommendations
- Shorthand
New autism strategy must deliver change for autistic people - Committees - UK Parliament
This is the key conclusion reached by the House of Lords special inquiry committee on the Autism Act 2009 in its report ‘Time to deliver: The Autism Act 2009 and the new autism strategy’.&...
committees.parliament.uk
November 24, 2025 at 9:49 AM
Reposted by Georgia Harper
Today, @hlautismactcom.parliament.uk published their report, 'Time to deliver: The Autism Act 2009 and the new autism strategy'.

Access the full report and recommendations (including easy read report, video from the Chair, and shorthand story) here: committees.parliament.uk/committee/77... [1/4]
New autism strategy must deliver change for autistic people - Committees - UK Parliament
This is the key conclusion reached by the House of Lords special inquiry committee on the Autism Act 2009 in its report ‘Time to deliver: The Autism Act 2009 and the new autism strategy’.&...
committees.parliament.uk
November 23, 2025 at 9:29 AM
I posted too close to the sun
What’s the lore behind choosing your career path ?
November 23, 2025 at 9:39 AM
I was not a good fit for the corporate law route they push on everyone with my degree, I re-evaluated what it means to be autistic as I learned more about the neurodiversity movement and disability politics, and I became incapable of ever shutting up about it
What’s the lore behind choosing your career path ?
November 23, 2025 at 9:37 AM
thinking about the "podcast" I was really excited to listen to weeks ago but still haven't yet because it's not really a podcast at all, it's just a YouTube video, there's no actual podcast RSS feed to queue in the podcasting app I use and so I keep forgetting about it
*banging a metal pot with a wooden spoon very loudly*

people want to LISTEN to podcasts!!!!!!!!!!!!

*hitting you on the forehead with the spoon*

STOP PIVOTING TO VIDEO

www.westwoodone.com/blog/2025/11...
November 22, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Reposted by Georgia Harper
It's the most wonderful time of the year: Scotland's gritter tracker is back! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿❄️🧊

www.traffic.gov.scot/gritter-trac...
November 21, 2025 at 11:31 AM
this is going to be my earworm for the next thousand years, apologies in advance

youtu.be/IPoRGwAIEyo?...
Bastille - SAVE MY SOUL (Official Lyric Video)
YouTube video by BASTILLEvideos
youtu.be
November 21, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Reposted by Georgia Harper
Earlier today, I was notified that someone was at my door.

This is who it was:
November 21, 2025 at 12:59 AM