Alex is seventeen, an autistic teenager who really likes fantasy video games and creative writing. Alex struggles with anything new and unfamiliar and doesn’t like busy places.
However, this summer, Alex visited Gympanzees Pop Up and was happy to give it a go at their own pace!
“We first heard about Gympanzees through Ellie, who used to teach me English. Ellie also works at Gympanzees during Easter and Summer. As an autistic person, I struggle with anything new and unfamiliar, I don’t like busy places and since Covid-19 my anxiety around germs has gotten much worse. I still like to wear a mask whenever I go out. Luckily, Ellie kindly arranged for us to call in at the end of one of the sessions so I felt more comfortable. Â
I got to see all the different rooms without worrying about other people. I was particularly excited about the hangout space with a pool table and video games. I also really liked the gym as it had lots of equipment to try. After seeing the space on our own, I felt comfortable enough to give an actual session a go a few days later. Â
Before the session, I felt less anxious than usual because I knew the people there would be like me. Although I was initially nervous, we usually only went to buildings I knew very well, where we could park outside and avoid busy streets. Once we got there, though, it was easy to park, and we were right next to the entrance. We went to a session for older teenagers, and there weren’t too many people around. I felt like I could space out and use all the equipment. Â
I would like to stay physically active. I used to play tennis and badminton with my family, but now I find leisure centres too busy. I don’t play any sport that involves physical contact.Â
At Gympanzees, it was nice to be around others who are like me and exercise while still feeling comfortable and in my own space. We live near Bath, and there is nothing like this. When Gympanzees is open year-round, we will come at least once a month.”
If Gympanzees had been around when I was younger, I think it would have helped me from a social aspect, I wouldn’t have felt so isolated.
One in four young people are struggling with their mental health. Navigating through these struggles can be even more challenging if you have a disability, whether that’s visible or invisible.
In the past few years, young people have been through a lot — from the pandemic and climate change to political tensions and the rising cost of living. Today, four out of ten young people say they’re dealing with mental health challenges, with most feeling anxious (71%) or down (67%).
On top of that, nearly half of young people have often felt lonely, isolated, or left out over the past year, with many feeling this way most or all of the time.
stem4, the UK’s leading digital mental health charity for children and young people.
Their free offerings help thousands of young people manage anxiety, self-harm, depression and eating disorders across the UK every single day whilst also learning to build resilience and become safe online.
Download their free resources below!
