What do I need to do to make non-autistic people understand that we have different sensory experiences than them, and have had different sensory experiences since birth? They can be overwhelming, unpleasant, and painful. They can be beneficial in some circumstances, and honestly, debilitating in many neurotypical environments. They can be both. But one thing is certain: They exist, and are real.
Tag: autistic
Autistic Burnout, “Regression,” and Identity Crisis – #TaketheMaskOff Week 4
*Photo by Matheus Bertelli on Pexels.com Part 1: Autistic Burnout - Playing on the Social Field Autistic burnout = I literally can't pretend and devote 90% of my energy to being on your social playing field anymore. Metaphorically, I have to go lie down in the grass because I've played too many games on the … Continue reading Autistic Burnout, “Regression,” and Identity Crisis – #TaketheMaskOff Week 4
Accepting my Autistic Self – #TakeTheMaskOff
If I acknowledge that masking wasn't always necessary, it means that I equally have to acknowledge the mental turmoil I lived through as an autistic masker. And daring to even go down that rabbit hole within myself means acknowledging how truly emotionally broken I was. How emotionally cut off from life that I was.
Update: Doctors Visits and (lack of) Judgment
I started tearing up, looking at the ground, and didn't speak. They got out of their office chair and walked up to me slightly and quietly said "This is a safe space here. You're okay." I really, really appreciated this one gesture. It made me tear up more in relief, because literally no one has ever said that to me. They didn't ask me why I was crying, or why, or how I was feeling. They just said "You are safe here." I was suddenly less worried about expectations to speak verbally or act a certain way.
Doctor Visits and Judgment
This is a draft I wrote to potentially have a doctor understand me. I have no idea if it'll work and it could very well backfire on me. I already had a meltdown after calling the receptionist to schedule the appointment (as a new patient to a doctor) because they wouldn't answer a simple question … Continue reading Doctor Visits and Judgment
“Pay Attention!”
Pat your head and rub your belly while talking to me and tell me if it's hard to talk. Play the drums, snare drum, bass drum, and high hat at the same time while talking to me, and tell me if it's hard to talk. Read a textbook that is very jargon-y while talking to … Continue reading “Pay Attention!”
Alexithymia and Interoception
When I realized that wearing headphones had helped me with anxiety in multiple ways/multiple places, I tried to check in with my sensory environment at least every few hours every day. Setting a reminder might help. Here are some pragmatic things I check to determine my emotional state:
Autistic Toddlers and Parent Expectations
Parents are often given what sounds like a "devastating" diagnosis of autism for their child. Autism is not a death sentence, and doctors can't predict the future. Just because you hear that your 2 or 3-year-old is autistic, doesn't mean that they can't live a happy life. You can be autistic and happy. It's possible.
“Theory of Mind”
"The idea that autistic people do not have theory of mind simply because we do not access the neurotypical experience readily and are not invested in the social world is ludicrous. It is like telling a neurotypical they don't have theory of mind because they can't hear that buzzing sound next to me, move their facial muscles too much, talk too loud (why can't they tell my ears are hurting when I blink so much? a clear signal!), and don't use echolalia to communicate."
All About Auditory Sensitivity
I have never understood why wearing headphones (i.e. listening to music, assuming) is considered rude or disrespectful. I hear just as well with headphones as a non-autistic person hears without them.
Autistic Science Person 