Stickman Communications

@stickmancomms.bsky.social

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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

A cross stitch where the guide is printed on the canvas, it is partially complete - with some leaves, a red flower, some white dog roses (I think) and a purple and a red dahlia (I think) nearly complete.
card with pale blue border and 2 confused stickmen. disabled person stickman saying "I can't do that". Non-disabled stickman thinking "But I saw you do it before!" Then text: “My condition is variable. I did it before but right now my symptom levels are different, and/or it caused an increase in symptoms which I cannot risk repeating right now. Please don’t try to encourage me – instead please respect my limits and, if I ask you to, help me find an suitable alternative.”
Hyperfocus card, with striped border, saying "I can become hyperfocused on one thing. It means I won't notice anything else: people talking to me, time passing, being hungry or thirsty etc. It may mean I'm able to complete an important task. But it can also mean I spend too long doing something. See the back of this card for when and how to help me if I'm hyperfocused. After being interrupted, it may take me a few minutes to adjust to what is going on around me. Please be patient."
exhausted woman with a slight smile, brown hair, and glasses, holding up a card that has a stickman hiding in a blanket, and 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.”
This cataplexy card says “I have cataplexy, a neurological condition that means I get sudden muscle weakness in response to strong emotions like laughter, excitement, fear, anger, or stress. Symptoms can range from slurred speech to collapse. During a cataplexy attack I am fully aware of everything that is happening but may be unable to respond. It may last up to 2 minutes. I need calm and rest until it passes – then I can get up and carry on with life.”
A printed cross stitch canvas, and the bottom corner has been started, with a red flower, part of a purple flower, and some leave partially complete.
This eating disorder card says "I am working to manage/recover from an eating disorder. When you are with me, it would really help if you would: • Avoid talking about, or giving me written information on nutritional content e.g. calories. • Not comment on whether, what, or how much I have eaten. • Avoid commenting on anyone’s weight or shape (including mine and yours). • Avoid moralising about food (e.g. good/bad/unhealthy/healthy/treat/special/diet etc)."
A lip reading card with rainbow border. It has 3 stickmen: 1 wild arms and shouty mouth and one turned away - both crossed out. 1 looking forward and chatting, with a tick. Text: My hearing is impaired, so I lip read. Relax. If you talk normally and face me we'll be fine.
walking aid card has 3 smiling stickmen - one in a wheelchair, one with a walking stick, one with a rollator - and one slightly sad stickman without any mobility aid. Text: I sometimes use a walking aid due to a variable condition. Often things are harder when I’m not using my walking aid. If you see me without it, I might be having a better day, or my symptoms or situation might mean using it isn’t practical.
Card with red border and an ambulance line drawing - it says "Please call an ambulance. I'm having a medical emergency. See the back of this card for more information."
card that says "I have T1 diabetes. I don't need a special diet. I adjust my insulin dose to match what I eat. I have already taken my insulin dose for this food. I need to eat it otherwise I will become ill."
red bordered flash card that says "I can't cope" with a stickman looking stressed out of it's head - hair on end, eyes popping, mouth all wiggly. copyright stickman communications 2023
a cross stitch kit, with the guide printed directly on the canvas - there is a robin perched on a pink foxglove.
An eating challenges card, with plain border, that says: Due to a medical condition, I can find mealtimes and eating very challenging. I may get upset or need things to be “just right.” I may ask a lot of questions, only eat specific things, bring my own food, or need extra support. Please don’t comment on what or how I eat. Please be patient and understand that this is something I find very difficult. See the back of this card for more information and things that help.
the knees of a person wearing a blue patterned skirt, lying on a yoga mat, in an office - with various boxes/office furniture in the background.
Card reading "I have a phobia about this situation. This means it can trigger extreme, uncontrollable feat and anxiety. Please be patient. See the back of this card for things which help."
Card with stickman with ball and chains to ankles and wrists, stuck on a sofa looking exhausted. test "My fatigue is currently severe. I must rest to manage my symptoms. Fatigue is affecting my ability to think, speak, eat, and control my muscles, I cannot concentrate, make decisions, or move about safely. Even sitting may worsen symptoms." Copyright Stickman Communications 2025.
Card with rainbow striped border and broadly smiling stickman. It says "Thank you"
Someone is lying in bed with their knees up. The photo shows their knees (in long shorts), and a hand holding a small cross stitch project, part of a car is completed. In the hems of the shorts, they've tucked the instructions, a pair of scissors, and the thread in use.
A brain fog card, with a plain border and a zombie stickman with cotton wool thought bubble. "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 myself understood. If it isn't an emergency please try later."
Printed cross stitch approx 30x45 cm, of an alpaca's head, with brightly coloured pom poms and woolen decorations. A very happy, peaceful picture.
Suggested new draft: "I have gastroparesis. My stomach struggles to digest food and move it along. Eating can cause pain, bloating, nausea and vomiting. I also may not absorb nutrients properly, causing weight loss. People with this may need small portions of particular foods, or only manage liquids, or need to be fed through a tube. My ability to eat may vary. If I say I can’t eat something now, please don’t try to make me eat it. It will make me ill. " Original (more crowded) "I have gastroparesis. My stomach can't digest food properly or empty normally. Eating causes pain, bloating, makes me feel (and be) sick and can stop me absorbing nutrients so I lose weight. Symptoms vary: some people may be able to eat small portions of soft foods and take medications to help the stomach to empty, others may only tolerate liquids or be fed through a tube into the stomach. Please don't try to make me eat things I can't digest. It will make me ill. There is no cure. It is my normal."
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 panicky, or lose consciousness - even in temperatures most people find comfortable. If needed, please help me to cool down. See the back of this card for things that will help. Normal service will resume once I cool down.
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."
The pocket book of pacing, open on page 70-71. Illustration: page divided into 2 - one side a stickman splatted on the floor, the other, a stickman going for a hike. Text: Myth: "Find a basic level of activity I can cope with and stick to it." Find a level for bad days and use it on bad days. Be aware of that limit, but also learn symptom progression. On better days it's find to do more - push gently while keeping an eye on symptom progression and making sure you don't slip into 'book and bust'. For symptoms that don't appear until a day or two later, try to learn what factors affects them. A diary of what you did and your symptoms over the following few days can help you spot patterns which will help you pace.
red status square that says "I'm struggling, please be patient' - with a super-stressed stickman face on it. It is in a square black holder on a badge reel. The badge reel is clipped to a jeans pocket.
A wordle of topics covered - with text in shades of blue, purple, and green: 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, dyspraxia, autonomic dysfunction, phobias, eating disorders, tourette's and more.
A5 notepad titled 'To Do list' with 5 sections. Green section "Easy stuff", orange section "okay stuff", red section "challenging stuff", purple "food and drink" and blue "movement" - each with a little stickman illustrating the category. Copyright stickman communications 2023.
Suggested new draft of Eating Challenges card. Please give feedback and suggestions for improvements by 20th June 2026. "I can find mealtimes and eating very challenging. I may get upset or need things to be “just right.” I may ask a lot of questions, only eat specific things, bring my own food, or need extra support. Please don’t comment on what or how I eat. Please be patient and understand that this is something I find very difficult. See the back of this card for more info / things that help." Original card: " I can find mealtimes and eating very challenging. I may get upset or need things to be “just right.” I may ask a lot of questions, only eat specific things, or need extra support. Please don’t question or comment on what or how I eat, or my shape or size. Please be patient and understand that this is something I find very difficult. See the back of this card for more information and things that help."
2 cards, one with a rainbow striped border, and the other plain beige border, but with identical content: "I cannot stand/walk for long due to a disability. Please help me find a seat, Thank you." - with a stickman dizzy and with pain zaps on the left - and a chair on the right.
"I'm having a panic attack. It isn't dangerous even though it feels awful. It will pass. Breathing slowly and steadily helps. See the back of this card for more helpful things."
Card with stickman chained to the sofa. Text: I have a condition which causes fatigue - debilitating exhaustion that can affect mobility, strength, memory, concentration, speech, digestion and more. Symptom levels vary a lot. Recovering from doing too much can take days or weeks. I may look fine even when I'm not. I may need to do things differently. Living with this is my normal.
Card with striped border and stickman with question marks above their head. Text "I need more information so I can process/understand what is going on. Please would you explain: what is happening, why. what to expect next. If there's anything I should be doing, please explain that to me too - one step at a time. Thank you.
[image description: a single storey barn/shed and above it is a grey sky with a corner of blue - and an amazingly clear rainbow quite low above the roof.]
Screenshot of met office's website, showing Didcot (oxfordshire) - 22 degrees, clear. Then 7 boxes for each day: Today: 31deg, Friday: 25 deg, Saturday: 26deg etc.
Heat intolerance v 'feeling a bit too warm' Stickman 1 crumpled on the floor, dizzy, crossed eyed, and exhausted. Speech bubble "I'm..too..hot". They are holding a sign that says "Ability to think, speak, coordinate, and generally function is missing. Try again when it's cooler.". Stickman 2 is sat in a chair, wearing a sunhat, drinking a cocktail and sweating a bit. speech bubble "I know exactly what you mean, I feel all hot and sweaty."
Screenshot of merlin app. Graph showing sound at the top. Then a list of birds recognised in this session, with a picture of each: Eurasian blackcap, common magpie, euraisian bluetit, common woodpigeon, great tit, common startling, european robin, rook.
Smiling woman holding up a card that says "I find unexpected changes challenging. Please give me time to process any changes. I may need to ask questions, and plan different symptom management or accessibility strategies."
card with pale green border and thinking stickman next to a timer, text "I need time to process information, make decisions, and respond. Please don't rush, interrupt, or pressure me. I'll let you know when I'm ready."
2 plant pots on the edge of a patio. one with small pink flowers, the other purple and yellow pansies. Then a stretch of short grass up to trees. In golden evening sunlight.
Suggested new draft: "I can find mealtimes and eating very challenging. I may get upset, or need things to be just right. I may ask a lot of questions, only eat specific things, or need extra support. Please be patient and understand that this is something I find very difficult. See the back of this card for more information and things that help." Please give feedback and suggestions for improvements by 26/05/2026. Original card: I can find mealtimes and eating very challenging. I may get upset or need things to be “just right.” I may ask a lot of questions, only eat specific things, or need extra support. Please don’t question or comment on what or how I eat, or my shape or size. Please be patient and understand that this is something I find very difficult. See the back of this card for more information and things that help. (Note: We have a separate card for eating disorders)
Checklist card with rainbow border. It says: Feeling ‘off’? Check if you are: • Hungry • Thirsty • Tired • In pain • Needing the toilet • Too hot or cold • Lonely • Bored. Or are you needing to cope with: • Noise • Light • Stress • Strong emotions • New information • Demands/expectations. Go through the list again, to double check!
close up of some laminated flooring, partially laid, so half the pic is the dusty grey latex layer - with some tools, and my booted feet on. The completed part of floor is a lovely warm golden wood. (Possibly oak? Not actually sure.)
Card with striped border. text "I can't speak at the moment. I can understand you. I may respond with a gesture instead of speaking. Please let me be involved without speaking. I will speak if / when I am able to.
Mental Health: Things that can help. Speech bubbles from 5 different stickmen, with ideas in: Go for a walk, do something helpful, split overwhelming tasks into small manageable sections, watch a film, speak to a dr, appreciate the little things, warm bath, talk to someone about how you feel, spend time in nature or with pets, movement, read, crafts, cook or bake for someone, give a hug, quite time alone, try something new, write a journal, listen to music, relaxation/meditation/mindfulness, meet with friends, do something creative, Crossword puzzles. At the bottom of the poster it says "These might help us get through a bad day or reduce symptom severity. Try to do a mix of challenging things and recharging things each day." copyright Stickman Communications 2023, PIF TICK quality mark.
A ‘Too much pain’ card with a red border and a very distressed stickman, that says "I'm in too much pain to talk or listen. Please leave me alone."