A while ago I was watching a video by Lifestyle Overland on Youtube (was it the Utah or Tennessee one?) which featured a Granaider? if I recall correctly that was modified and outfitted with a Hemi and plenty more things to cope with the owners son's condition/disability. It also became apparent that they had started an organization called Team Hunt:
teamhunt.org
They even mentioned Autism during the video and though technically ASD has nothing to do with mobility but individuals that have this condition may actually end up with certain side effects.
Before continuing I know of a case of a girl (mid 20s) who would never open her eyes... I mean she did but only when she was happy and performing some sort of task she really enjoyed. Sadly as she wasn't fully articulate it was difficult to understand if that was caused by trauma which the doctor suggested "it may have been" or if it was something of a mix between "sensory overland" and a chemical inbalance where coinciding with depression "feel good" and "reward" chemicals (dopamine and serotonin) where not being produced. ie. her brain may have been telling her that there was no reward or need to open her eyes and most of what she would see is pointless anyway (yes autistics do function like this in some cases as I know from myself quite well)
While I was involved with a specific group that was part of a specialist center for autistic individuals I really wanted to create something similar to Team Hunt but in a different context; mainly as there is no natural land left on this little island, I think the statistic is about 2% and most of that is in Scotland where I have just been. The rest of the land is sadly all owned by farmers, aristocracy, or other entities which really makes life in this country suck if you actually are looking for natural environment.
...don't even get me started about 4x4 adventures and going off-road haha.
So it would have been something along the lines of joining trusts and performing outdoor tasks around nature reserves, and traveling to places like Norway or Iceland and stargazing (working with them to grab milkyway shots or simple DSO (Deep Sky Objects) like the M42 - Andromeda Galaxy)
Personally for me having ASD, ADHD, UC, and who knows what else and being on a wad of medication right now.... I think the most was 18 pills a day when I was a teenager; I'm all for getting away from the masses and going places that actually have a calming and tranquil effect. Though the ADHD in me makes things tough because I get bored so quickly that I need to keep learning and developing and growing as a person or I become severely depressed.
I also think that organizations like the above are super helpful in increasing a persons confidence and providing them with a good skill set to manage challenging situations. It's amazing at how much motivation you can get when there is someone around that actually cares and cheers you on. Just to have a "well done" or "great job" being told to you is really priceless and something lacking from most scenarios.
One of my close friends (also with ADHD, ASD, and learning and developmental issues) sadly has been sheltered too much and continuously not joined in, in specific extra-curricular activities like school trips and other team-building/bonding style applications. This has caused them to become quite timid and highly lacking in confidence.
Back in my day I didn't have a choice... either I went or I would be in trouble. There was no such thing of, you have "special needs" therefor you don't need to join in. I understand that it isn't easy and kids as well as adults can be too cruel in this world, and that brings me exactly to the point of how important organizations and charities are that give individuals the correct and safe environment where they don't need to be bullied or ridiculed or treated as though they are not wanted and complete lepers and to just "go away".
Mobility issues due to physical constraints are difficult to manage and it is not easy having lost limbs or not having part of ones sensory organs function, but certain conditions and disabilities can make life a living hell if the person is left to their own and has no where to turn.
Speaking from my own past, every year we used to go to visit family in Turkey where I also had plenty of friends. I pretty much grew up there as life was out there for me - back in the 1980s and early 90s. Down south in Bodrum (Mugla province) at a very young age I was able to engage in so many activities such as canoeing, wind surfing, nearly scuba diving (I was a little too young and chickened out), white water rafting and much more. While locally I had nothing, just school and an inhospitable environment where I was always 'outcast' as the other kids could sense that I was different.
Sufficed to say I grew up happy... at least when I was in Turkey and I learned a lot too.
So hopefully there will be more places like this for families with children who have some form of issue to reach out to and actually adventure and feel like they are alive and not just stuck waiting for the inevitable to happen. Personally I would love to see more outdoors activities being offered and also getting involved with things like 4x4's and camping and using tools such as GPS devices, 2-way radios, even setting something like Starlink for remote internet access. Any type of task that makes these kids happy and feel like they're integrating and achieving....
People form communities all the time so why not include those who really need it rather being exclusive and leaving them high and dry (not that I'm implying anything specifically here, but in a generic context or metaphorically speaking if you like).
Maybe "Adventure Therapy" could become synonymous with "Wilderness Therapy" or "Offroad Therapy"? That would be something :-)
Team Hunt – Adventure is therapy.
teamhunt.org
They even mentioned Autism during the video and though technically ASD has nothing to do with mobility but individuals that have this condition may actually end up with certain side effects.
Before continuing I know of a case of a girl (mid 20s) who would never open her eyes... I mean she did but only when she was happy and performing some sort of task she really enjoyed. Sadly as she wasn't fully articulate it was difficult to understand if that was caused by trauma which the doctor suggested "it may have been" or if it was something of a mix between "sensory overland" and a chemical inbalance where coinciding with depression "feel good" and "reward" chemicals (dopamine and serotonin) where not being produced. ie. her brain may have been telling her that there was no reward or need to open her eyes and most of what she would see is pointless anyway (yes autistics do function like this in some cases as I know from myself quite well)
While I was involved with a specific group that was part of a specialist center for autistic individuals I really wanted to create something similar to Team Hunt but in a different context; mainly as there is no natural land left on this little island, I think the statistic is about 2% and most of that is in Scotland where I have just been. The rest of the land is sadly all owned by farmers, aristocracy, or other entities which really makes life in this country suck if you actually are looking for natural environment.
...don't even get me started about 4x4 adventures and going off-road haha.
So it would have been something along the lines of joining trusts and performing outdoor tasks around nature reserves, and traveling to places like Norway or Iceland and stargazing (working with them to grab milkyway shots or simple DSO (Deep Sky Objects) like the M42 - Andromeda Galaxy)
Personally for me having ASD, ADHD, UC, and who knows what else and being on a wad of medication right now.... I think the most was 18 pills a day when I was a teenager; I'm all for getting away from the masses and going places that actually have a calming and tranquil effect. Though the ADHD in me makes things tough because I get bored so quickly that I need to keep learning and developing and growing as a person or I become severely depressed.
I also think that organizations like the above are super helpful in increasing a persons confidence and providing them with a good skill set to manage challenging situations. It's amazing at how much motivation you can get when there is someone around that actually cares and cheers you on. Just to have a "well done" or "great job" being told to you is really priceless and something lacking from most scenarios.
One of my close friends (also with ADHD, ASD, and learning and developmental issues) sadly has been sheltered too much and continuously not joined in, in specific extra-curricular activities like school trips and other team-building/bonding style applications. This has caused them to become quite timid and highly lacking in confidence.
Back in my day I didn't have a choice... either I went or I would be in trouble. There was no such thing of, you have "special needs" therefor you don't need to join in. I understand that it isn't easy and kids as well as adults can be too cruel in this world, and that brings me exactly to the point of how important organizations and charities are that give individuals the correct and safe environment where they don't need to be bullied or ridiculed or treated as though they are not wanted and complete lepers and to just "go away".
Mobility issues due to physical constraints are difficult to manage and it is not easy having lost limbs or not having part of ones sensory organs function, but certain conditions and disabilities can make life a living hell if the person is left to their own and has no where to turn.
Speaking from my own past, every year we used to go to visit family in Turkey where I also had plenty of friends. I pretty much grew up there as life was out there for me - back in the 1980s and early 90s. Down south in Bodrum (Mugla province) at a very young age I was able to engage in so many activities such as canoeing, wind surfing, nearly scuba diving (I was a little too young and chickened out), white water rafting and much more. While locally I had nothing, just school and an inhospitable environment where I was always 'outcast' as the other kids could sense that I was different.
Sufficed to say I grew up happy... at least when I was in Turkey and I learned a lot too.
So hopefully there will be more places like this for families with children who have some form of issue to reach out to and actually adventure and feel like they are alive and not just stuck waiting for the inevitable to happen. Personally I would love to see more outdoors activities being offered and also getting involved with things like 4x4's and camping and using tools such as GPS devices, 2-way radios, even setting something like Starlink for remote internet access. Any type of task that makes these kids happy and feel like they're integrating and achieving....
People form communities all the time so why not include those who really need it rather being exclusive and leaving them high and dry (not that I'm implying anything specifically here, but in a generic context or metaphorically speaking if you like).
Maybe "Adventure Therapy" could become synonymous with "Wilderness Therapy" or "Offroad Therapy"? That would be something :-)
