Autistic Pride
Today, Sunday 18th June, is Autistic Pride Day 2023. This is a day which was started by, and is still led by, autistic people to celebrate autistic people.
This year’s theme is ‘Transforming the Narrative’. Whilst it is…
Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria
Rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) is an extreme emotional response to either real or perceived criticism or rejection.
It is commonly experienced by neurodivergent people. It has been argued to be an exclusive emotional condition to ADHD, but others disagree, arguing that it can also be present in autism…
Autistic Shutdowns
Autistic shutdowns are involuntary responses to being overwhelmed. Whereas meltdowns usually result in an external reaction (more of a 'fight' response), shutdowns can be more internal (more of a 'freeze' response) but one can lead to the other.
What Not To Say To Autistic People
1. “You don’t look autistic”
What exactly is an autistic person meant to look like? Do enlighten me. Because you can never tell if someone is autistic just by looking at them.
Autistic Meltdowns
Autistic meltdowns are very intense involuntary responses to being overwhelmed. Autistic people present differently during meltdowns. Reactions may be physical (e.g. kicking), emotional (e.g. crying) or verbal (e.g. shouting). Alternatively, they may shut down. It is important to know that…
How To Manage Sensory Overload at School or College
It might feel really difficult to manage your sensory needs at school or college. The (often overstimulating) environment isn't within your control, there might be lots of unfamiliar people around you and your brain might be processing too many pieces of sensory information at once...
Things That A Lot of Autistic People Are Fed Up of Hearing
1. You don’t look autistic. What exactly is an autistic person meant to look like? Do enlighten me. Because you can never tell if someone is autistic just by looking at them.
2. You’re not like my [nephew/son/cousin/friend etc] who has autism. And you’re not like…
What I Wish Schools Knew About Supporting Autistic and ADHD Children
I struggled a lot at school. This started with anxiety and panic attacks when I was 13. I was eventually diagnosed with autism at the age of 16. I ran away from school, struggled to go into lessons, was described as on the verge of a school refuser and then missed a lot of school when I was unwell.
So what do I wish that teachers (who didn’t already know) had known?
What IS Autism?
It is hard to sum up autism in a sentence when autistic people are all different. But, if I had to, I would say that autism is a neurodevelopmental condition which affects the way I see, interact, experience and respond to the world around me. Autism is not an illness, a disease, or something which…
Autistic Imposter Syndrome
Imposter syndrome was a term coined by Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes in 1978. It refers to an individual having persistent self-doubt about their achievements, place in the world or role, despite evidence which says otherwise. Basically, believing that…
Constantly Confused - Life as an Autistic Person
Being autistic in this world can result in feeling constantly confused. Let’s talk about what that can be like.
This confusion is present in many parts of my daily life. Mainly when interacting with other people, which is something which tends to be unavoidable, of course…
Autistic Masking
Masking is a survival strategy for many autistic people. Let’s talk about it.
Whenever the topic of masking comes up, there is usually the reply, "But doesn't everyone mask to some degree?". And yes, most people do put on a mask at work or when…
Why Autistic People Can Struggle With Instructions
Being given an instruction instantly doubles my anxiety level. It doesn’t matter what it is. It could be really simple. The simple act of my brain registering that an instruction has been given to me and then having to process this is a BIG deal. To begin with…
Growing Up With Undiagnosed Autism
I spent nearly 17 years of my life with no idea that I had a completely different neurotype to the majority of people around me. I thought my brain was ‘typical’. After all, I seemed to blend in with my peers.
Growing up undiagnosed meant that I had to hide the fact I found a lot of things difficult, because I thought it was my fault that…
Sensory Overload and Over-Stimulation
Although I KNOW that I experience sensory stimuli differently to a lot of people, I can’t comprehend how anyone else possibly experiences it differently.
Like, how does anybody focus on the task at hand when there is a beeping noise going on outside? How does anyone…
Things I Love About My Autism
1. Autistic joy. When I am captivated by joy and nothing else. It’s pure, it’s unfiltered and it’s wonderful.
2. My strong sense of justice. Other people often don’t seem to care when things are unfair. I do and I try to do what I can to change this.
How To Be Neurotypical: A Step By Step Guide
1. Ask questions that you do not want truthful answers to.
2. Ensure you wear uncomfortable clothing just because they look nice. You can even forget to take out the tag for bonus neurotypical points.
Autistic Vulnerability - Am I More Vulnerable Because of My Autism?
I fundamentally believe that as a result of being autistic, I am a lot more vulnerable than if I wasn’t autistic.
I have heard some autistic people voice that saying we are vulnerable is a bad thing. I understand why. I think that there is a valid danger of non-autistic people seeing…
‘Autistic People Don’t Have Empathy’: A Look at Autism and Empathy
It is often said that autistic people lack empathy. Some autistic people are told that they can’t be autistic because they are too empathetic. Let’s explore what this means and why.
To begin with, let’s define empathy. “Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.”
An Autistic Person’s Concerns About Spectrum 10k
Hello, my name is Emily. I’m 20 years old and I’m autistic. So far, the news coverage on Spectrum 10k has been dominated by non-autistic parents of autistic children and professionals, with little voice being given to autistic people themselves. Here is my round-up of what I think we know so far…