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stickmancomms.bsky.social
Stickman Communications
@stickmancomms.bsky.social
1.6K followers 410 following 1.1K posts
Stickmen helping to build understanding and acceptance of hidden disabilities and chronic illness, in a way that empowers us. (Run by Hannah Ensor - who has #hypermobility #PoTS and probably other stuff.) +talking about personal experience of #disability
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stickmancomms.bsky.social
I realised I'd to need a recharge afternoon following a longer-than-usual stint in the office. I filled a laminated 'recharging ladder' in for today to help me recharge more effectively.

The 'recharging ladder' is available here: www.stickmancommunications.co.uk/product-page...
Woman holding a printed 'recharging ladder' sheet' 6 LHS symptom level boxes, RHS ladder with 5 rungs and space for activities that will recharge at that symptom level. Start at the bottom with box 1. Full body flop, no concentration, feel sick if move. Ladder: Rest. Lying down. Watch clouds/nap. Box 2: floppy but not as awful. Ladder: audiobook (familiar). Box 3: More alive, but not ready to get up. Ladder: Audiobook + cross stitch or phone game. Box 4. Can cope again, just! Ladder: short practical tasks, wash on, tidy desk. Box 5: awake, coordinated but still a bit fragile. Ladder: Can use laptop. strict 20 minute limit. Box 6: Yay! feel like I got this! I'm alive!
November 27, 2025 at 5:09 PM
stickmancomms.bsky.social
Excellent news! We are now shipping to the USA again! - Shipping prices are slightly up as we have to pay an additional fee and there's a maximum order value of £60 due to the tariffs, but at least we can ship there again!
Stickman Communications trifold open on the inner pages - showing some keyring cards, some disability related badges, stickers, and status squares.
November 26, 2025 at 5:21 PM
stickmancomms.bsky.social
One hidden challenge of #AutonomicDysfunction is heat intolerance - the body can't cope with being too warm, and it causes all sorts of symptoms (for me: brain fog, coordination loss, speech and word finding difficulties, and reduced consciousness). It often catches me by surprise in winter. -
Heat intolerance card with plain border and a stickman keeled over in the sun, and another happy and upright with 3 snowflakes. "Severe heat intolerance. When too warm I may have difficulty speaking, become sleepy, confused, or lose consciousness - even in temperatures most people find comfortable. It is not life threatening, just inconvenient. If needed, please help me to somewhere cooler (e.g. outside, near an open windown, or fetch an ice bucket or handy snow-storm). Normal service will resume once I cool down.
November 25, 2025 at 5:09 PM
stickmancomms.bsky.social
Oh my. Just had an excellently productive zoom call....but it was nearly two hours and I forgot to move! OW! Totally didn't notice the pain during it. I don't when I'm concentrating. Now it's done...OW! I think in the future I might keep a copy of this on my laptop or desk as a reminder!
Fidget card with striped border, that 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.
November 24, 2025 at 5:09 PM
stickmancomms.bsky.social
I really do love spending time at events with a high proportion of autistic people! I always meet a few kindred spirits there. Sunday's Bicester Autism Craft Fair was, as usual, lovely. Exhausting, but lovely. I only took a few sample cards and the status squares, and a stack of leaflets though -
Leaflet in pale purple with a stickman saying "tools to help you communicate about your disabilities, symptoms and needs." Then a wordle that says "including: anxiety, pacing, fibromyalgia, hidden disability, incontinence, diabetes, narcolepsy, fatigue, MCAS, wheelchair use, deafness, dyscalculia, migraine, ME/CFS, speech difficulties, ADHD, lupus, overwhelm, multiple sclerosis, sensory processing, allergies, pain, hypermobility, autism, mental illness, brain injury, dyspraxia, tourette's, phobias, autonomic dysfunction, eating disorders, and more.... StickmanCommunications.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 11:14 AM
stickmancomms.bsky.social
At the Bicester autism craft fair - lovely stuff as usual. I have a massively paced down stall because it’s all I can manage at the mo - alongside my sister-in-law’s fab 3D creatures. Come visit at littlebury hotel, kings end, Bicester! 11-3pm.
Smiling Hannah next to a craft stall, with a few cards and Stickman leaflets - then a long table extending into the distance full of 3D printed creatures and keyrings
November 23, 2025 at 11:06 AM
stickmancomms.bsky.social
It's been a busy day - happy but busy. By midday I needed to rest- once relaxed I completely flolloped, couldn't face moving. Not quite asleep, not quite awake. 2 hours later I started to emerge, and by 4pm felt SO much better. Society mistakenly makes us think stepping back is a failure, but -
Tired woman with glasses and hair tied back holding up a card that says: "Sometimes I need to push myself so I can do more, and other times I need to recharge, Right now I need to recharge. Don't worry, I am looking after myself and will be ready to face the world again soon"
November 22, 2025 at 6:21 PM
stickmancomms.bsky.social
Christmas decorations are up! And the rain. All the grey winter rain. I’m so thankful for the cosiness that brightens it! - I even quite like the rain when I can watch it from warm, dry, cosiness.

Also loving being able to see it from bed and living room! #studioFlat #disability
4ft Christmas tree with lights sparkling and red and gold baubles everywhere, on a small table covered by a cross-stitched Father Christmas and snowman Christmas tree skirt. Next to a patio door through which you can see the a rain soaked patio and grass.
November 22, 2025 at 8:56 AM
stickmancomms.bsky.social
Pavement parking is a real issue across the UK. People don't want to block the road, and so they park on the pavement. Which makes sense - until you realise that this usually means making the path so narrow it becomes impossible for wheelchair users and pushchairs to get past!
Blue A6 flyer that says "please leave a gap so wheelchair users and pushchairs can get past. Thank you" - with a stickman in a wheelchair unable to pass a car parked on the pavement, up close to a wall.
November 20, 2025 at 6:45 PM
stickmancomms.bsky.social
My PA helped me give the floor in my room a proper clean for the first time since I moved in, and sort out a few more things into proper places. A tidy/clean space really does help me, especially when my fatigue Is high. So thankful.
A room with vinyl wood flooring? A bed with dark green bedding, a desk, armchair, some physio kit, and the corner of a sofa in the foreground.
November 19, 2025 at 4:25 PM
stickmancomms.bsky.social
Although in some ways I'm very good at self management - I find I easily forget strategies if I don't use them for a while. And if I'm really stressed. Cards like these can give a much needed - and comforting - reminder of how to help myself.
I love this particular exercise for overwhelm and pain.
Ocean wave breathing exercise: front of the card has stickman inhaling through nose, exhale through mouth, imagining a wave, inhale through nose, exhale through nose, imagining a wave. text: For slowing your breathing when overwhelmed by physical or mental discomfort.
November 18, 2025 at 11:22 AM
stickmancomms.bsky.social
One challenge of having a disability that means you sometimes struggle to speak, is that it also means you can't tell people when you can't speak!! I find these Status Squares so helpful in allowing me to let whoever I'm interacting with know - without needing to try and talk.
#Fatigue #Autism
Status square with a red side showing that says "I can't talk right now" - with a stickman illustration. Held in a status square unit with clip, and clipped on to a jumper of a smiling white woman with curly hair. Status square with a green side that says "I'm okay to talk" - with a stickman illustration. Held in a status square unit with clip, and clipped on to a jumper of a smiling white woman with curly hair.
November 17, 2025 at 7:45 PM
stickmancomms.bsky.social
Spending time with someone else who also experiences brain-fog can be quite special. There's no need to explain. A look and a nod can be all that is needed. It's can still be very inconvenient- but it's met with a shared acknowledgement that this is a limitation that is part of our lives -
Card with striped border and a stickman with fog for thoughts, standing like a zombie. Text: "Warning: Severe brain fog. Currently in 'Zombie with head full of cotton wool mode. I may struggle to remember or understand what I'm told, or to make my self understood. If it isn't an emergency please try later."
November 15, 2025 at 7:30 PM
stickmancomms.bsky.social
I can’t believe how mild it’s been! Went out for a wheel this afternoon, and it was beautiful.
Photo of a grassy area, with a few leaf-less trees, and a grey November sky
November 15, 2025 at 5:17 PM
stickmancomms.bsky.social
We have many cards relevant to autism, all of them created because autistic people asked for them - and had a say in the design. Below are a few of them. Many more can be found on our website - 'browse by condition' - 'autism' section. www.stickmancommunications.co.uk/autism
Care with plain purple border with "I am autistic. While getting on with my life I may become overwhelmed by: lights, noise, touch, or smells. Stressful or unfamiliar situations. Information or demands. Unexpected changes or problems. When overwhelmed I may find it difficult to communicate, need extra help, or need to remove myself from a situation until I'm ok." "A sensory processing difficulties card, with a rainbow striped border and a stickman backing off from incoming wavy lines. Text: Sensations most people find okay can be extremely painful, exhausting or overwhelming for me. I have difficulties with: □ sound □ sight □ touch □ taste □ smell □ other: How much I can deal with varies. I may need to do things differently. Please be patient. See the back of this card for more info." a give clear info card with plain border and 2 stickmen chatting. One has a speech bubble 'clear, direct'. Text: I'm finding it hard to understand you. Please: Be clear, direct, and say what you mean. Avoid figures of speech, hints, vague statements and open-ended or rhetorical questions. Only ask or tell me one thing at a time. difficulty speaking card with striped border and 2 stickmen having a chat, with text "I find speaking difficult. Please give me time to say what I want to say. I'll let you know if I need help with it."
November 14, 2025 at 6:45 PM
stickmancomms.bsky.social
This is such an important concept for many of us disabled people: Sometimes we can do something - and other times we can't. We aren't lying or being dramatic, we genuinely sometimes can't. And, ironically, often the reason we can't do something now is *because* we did it before. For example,
card with striped border. Disabled person saying "I can't do that". Non disabled person saying "But I saw you do it before!" Then further text "My condition is variable. I did it before, but right now my symptom levels are different, and/or it cause an increase in symptoms which I cannot risk repeating now. Please don't try to encourage me - instead please respect my limits, and, if I ask you to, help me find a suitable alternative."
November 13, 2025 at 7:58 PM
stickmancomms.bsky.social
My current top pain management tool: mini heated blanket. I can apply it to the most achy/stiff/crampy part of me without overheating all over. And I don't have to keep reheating it in the microwave. What are your current top tools for managing pain?
a 30cm electric blanket, with a white cover with blue outlines of flowers - on someone's lap. Their hand is resting on it.
November 12, 2025 at 8:15 PM
stickmancomms.bsky.social
knowing I'm hypermobile, and that hormones have a big effect on symptoms means I now adjust my expectations and activities around periods - and it's massively helped my fatigue management and reduced the number of injuries I get.

(image from The Pocket Book of Pacing - a practical guide to pacing -
The pocket book of pacing by Hannah Ensor, open on page 12/13. image of 5 stickmen, one sitting still, one talking, one with a cold, one rushing, one reading a page with intense concentration (and half moon glasses). Text: "List the things that make those symptoms worse. This will include things you can control (sitting, talking, concentrating, dehydration, rushing etc) and things you can't (illness, hormone levels, emergencies etc).
November 11, 2025 at 5:09 PM
stickmancomms.bsky.social
Drafting a blog with tips on house-moving with fatigue, and wrote "Wholeheartedly having a couple of days of cosy is a much nicer experience than spending that time doing nothing while guilt-tripping myself for not doing what I can't!"
Yep. That's how to deal with a post-overdoing hang-over
2 lit candles in brass candle sticks, on a mantle piece - next to three wooden hearts that say "winter wishes" "and" "Mistletoe kisses".
November 11, 2025 at 4:59 PM
stickmancomms.bsky.social
When #BrainFog hits and no matter how hard you concentrate you can't process what is being said, it can lead to all sorts of misunderstandings - ppl thinking we're lazy/selfish/not trying etc. Being able to explain what's going on is really helpful - for both sides of the conversation!
Card with beige border and puzzled stickman, with text: I’m sorry, I can’t think clearly right now, or process what you just said. Can we try again later?"
November 10, 2025 at 5:09 PM
stickmancomms.bsky.social
to get food first, or drink". But it was absolutely fabulous that each time, my friend was able to recognise my look and say something like "Ok, shall we try it this way?" - so I just had to nod - rather than trying to force me to reach a decision then verbalise it.
November 9, 2025 at 5:09 PM
stickmancomms.bsky.social
like on arrival, getting food and the like. It made SO much difference to me as a powerchair user - but also as someone who get's a lot of brain fog and difficulty finding words as my fatigue increases. By the middle of the evening I was struggling to answer simple questions like "do you want -
a group of people bundled up in coats, facing away from the camera, watching fireworks - bright stars and sparkles on a dark sky.
November 9, 2025 at 5:09 PM
stickmancomms.bsky.social
I had an absolutely lovely time at my church's bonfire night yesterday - I'm an autumn-outdoorsy person so the time of year when it's getting colder, and the colours are golden, and you can sit by a fire is a time I love.
This year, I asked a friend if they'd be my assistant at certain points
late afternoon in an autumn wooded area. The ground is covered in a thick carpet of leaves, with a wide path of grass swept clear. There are lights strung between trees, and in the distance is smoke from a bonfire
November 9, 2025 at 5:09 PM
stickmancomms.bsky.social
One of my key self-management tools is movement while 'sitting still'. Tensing and relaxing big muscles, and wiggling my feet helps get the circulation going and reduces my #PoTS symptoms, and gentle position changing using my core muscles reduces my back pain. It's easy for people to assume -
Fidget card with striped border, that 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.
November 8, 2025 at 2:31 PM
stickmancomms.bsky.social
It's easy to think 'my fatigue is less today, so I must now do *all the things*' - when in reality it's still having a big effect on my capacity. Pottering at low-brain tasks is something that I can do very nicely at particular fatigue levels - For me -
Card with blue border, and a stickman with a purple blanket worn like a hooded cape, that says “Fatigue has wrapped me in it’s blanket, making the world seem fluffy and unreal. I can’t concentrate enough for important decisions, but I can do small tasks which don’t need too much brain or energy.”
November 7, 2025 at 5:09 PM