actuallyautistic

@autistics #ActuallyAutistic

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okay so, i want to knit some wool socks for charity this month. i also want to make dragons.

so to keep my AuDHD attention spam, PDA and brain stimulated enough but not too hard i made a plan.

1. knit socks down to the heel.

2. finish a tiny dragon.

3. knit sock until narrowing for toes starts (or half way there, these are some big ass socks).

4. work on tiny dragon.

5. finish the socks.

6. dragon.

7. new socks.

etc. #audhd #actuallyAutistic #pajusCreations @autistics

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@autistics #ActuallyAutistic anyone else getting ready for their annual vacation in the next 7 days like me…

https://www.instagram.com/p/DPTxA3Xj4-L/

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So tomorrow is that "mixer" I've mentioned, organized by my local autism employment assistance organization, for Disability Employment Awareness Month. Naturally, I'm still nervous.

But I was thinking, that the employers that will be there are there specifically to meet autistic people as prospective employees. So they should be at least somewhat aware of what being autistic entails. And if that's the case, then masking is surely a big enough issue to know. Therefor one could surmise that they are prepared for meeting unmasked autistic people, because really, not to do so would be unfair.

So given that, I should go tomorrow wearing my favorite autism t-shirt (pictured). 😁

(And this part of the text should really go below the picture, but whatevs.)
Ok, I'm joking. I won't. I wish I could, but even my RSD won't let me. I'm just kidding around to help deal with the stress.

#ActuallyAutistic @autistics

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#ActuallyAutistic #Autism #Autistic #AuDHD #AI #GenerativeAI #ClimateChange #Environment #GlobalWarming

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Hey @autistics can you please chip in with reasons why CBT is bad for Autistics? I have a follow-on appointment today (edit: in a couple of hours!) to talk about alternatives to CBT, because I had an NHS "Talking Therapy" phone appointment yesterday about my ongoing #AutisticBurnout due to work stress. The lady was very nice, but told me that essentially what they offer is CBT, to which I said "no way", but I now feel I need a bit more information to be able to defend my decision. #ActuallyAutistic

UPDATE: Thanks for all the input. After discussing further, they have referred me to some Autistic-specific services, I think mainly because CBT is the only thing they can do. Going to follow up with their recommends and see where it leads.

Ello sweet and lovely Friendos

Another Toot that goes out especially to my #NeuroSpicy 🌶️ #ActuallyAutistic Friendos!

Yesterday I shared a bit of info on Autistic Burnout, as I realized that I am currently struggling with it... 😔 I got some very sweet replies, fankoos for that! and I noticed the Toot getting some likes and boosts.

For those who aren't familiar with #AutisticBurnout, I found some info that I'll share here, with the link to the original source.

> Recognizing the signs of autistic burnout is the first step towards recovery. Some common indicators include:

1. Increased difficulty with social interaction and communication
2. Heightened sensory sensitivities
3. Extreme fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest
4. Loss of executive functioning skills (e.g., planning, organizing, decision-making)
5. Increased meltdowns or shutdowns
6. Difficulty performing tasks that were previously manageable
7. Increased need for alone time or reduced tolerance for social situations
8. Feelings of overwhelm, hopelessness, or being “stuck”

🔗 https://neurolaunch.com/autistic-burnout-recovery/

There are many tips on this page on how to deal with the burnout in the "best way". There are many tips for different types of situations, and they could help you to find a way to recovery (or help you to find help for recovery).

Hope this helps a bit to those that, like me, feel like they're "not doing well" at the moment...

Much 💜 🫂 in your journey to recovery...

@autistics

@autistics

If you're autistic and struggle with making phone calls, what is the major challenge for you?

- Getting started (inertia)
- Delayed processing of audio input (need for clarification requests)
- Anxiety (fear of missing info, being rude, bothering sb, relying on notes taken...)
- Something else (please comment)

Or all of it?

Please comment if you don't struggle with this (anymore).

#actuallyautistic #autistic

@autistics #ActuallyAutistic never believed in the "Success is the best revenge” and this seems a bit more resonating…
https://mas.to/@skeletor/115333560878611054

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@autistics #ActuallyAutistic

I have never found the standard advice about autistic alexithymia very useful - for example those rainbow coloured emotion wheels. My problem isn't that I don't know what word to attach to the emotion I'm feeling. And I also don't think it's "people have always invalidated what I'm feeling so now I don't trust myself".

I just learned about "emotional marbling" and this makes a lot more sense to me. The idea is that I feel a lot of emotions at the same time, all mixed together in a way that seems contradictory. Using the emotional valence chart while keeping in mind that I'm feeling several things at the same time seems like a more useful approach in my case.

Article about how black and white thinking and emotional marbling can be confusing, and how to find your way through:
https://caitklein.com/blog/finding-the-middle-way

Video about emotional marbling by Sol Smith (who is amazing)
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-l8QpPCnpZo

The arousal/valence chart
https://neurodivergentinsights.com/arousal-valence-model/

@autistics #ActuallyAutistic my new fantasy “drop the mic” moment for work...

https://www.instagram.com/p/DO8oKdFjre3/

@autistics #actuallyautistic

They always say show your work.

My brain makes leaps, conjectures, multiple outcomes, feverish attention to detail, long chains of gibberish that suddenly result in just the right answer, everything explained.

Talking it through, even after the right conclusion is obvious, makes me seem crazy. Nobody exposes their thought processes.

Somehow I invariably choose a good path.

Better to just quietly give the correct answer and hope someone listens.

I always find it challenging to tap back into the flow of #Mastodon after even a short time away. I come back and I suddenly find it awkward again, like I don’t know what I want to say again.

It’s likely because there is very little I want to say to a mass of strangers in public, (I'm private, and it takes more translation effort than one-on-one for me), yet social networking is a thing that I need because of my IRL isolation.

Any other #ActuallyAutistic peers experience the same?

@autistics

Ello sweet and lovely Friendos

With a special wink towards my #NeuroSpicy 🌶️ friends, especially the #ActuallyAutistic ones...

I felt like I was struggling again with the dark monster (depression). But, after some DuckDuck scrolling, I came to a site where they had an article on "Autistic Burnout".

I read more and when I came to these bits, I felt like they had been writing about me!

I hope I used the right symbol to show that these texts are quoted, original link to the article is below the 3 quoted bits.

> Meltdowns and shutdowns, those intense reactions to overwhelming situations, might become more frequent. You could find yourself losing control over your emotions in situations you’d previously learned to manage. These episodes can be frightening and embarrassing, further fueling the desire to retreat from the world.

> Even your special interests, those passions that have always brought you joy and comfort, might lose their luster. The hyperfocus that once allowed you to dive deep into your favorite subjects now feels elusive, replaced by a fog of disinterest and fatigue. This loss can be particularly distressing, as these interests often form a core part of an autistic person’s identity and coping mechanisms.

> Self-care routines that once anchored your days might start to slip. Keeping up with personal hygiene, maintaining a tidy living space, or preparing healthy meals can feel like insurmountable tasks. The structure that once provided comfort now feels like a series of impossible demands.

🔗 https://neurolaunch.com/autistic-burnout-symptoms-adults/

I will definitely try to find more about this... But I wanted to share this, and if I find more info, I'll try to share!

Catch you all later folks!

💜 🍀 🐾

#PixysJourney

@autistics

"It's the fear, that if everybody stops drinking coffee the way I drink it than I will become the outcast. And that is scary to someone who suddenly is remembering how they have always treated outcasts."

This gives me strong "Everybody is autistic nowadays" vibes and expains the sociopsychological thinking pattern behind similar statements and behaviour, e.g. why so many people create the narrative of the "angry vegan" or are afraid of the visibility of marginalized people.

Such an insightful and interesting video.

#ActuallyAutistic #psychology #queer #vegan #sociology #nobot

Reading about task initiation strategies and as someone who uses them (to do lists, breaking down larger tasks into smaller ones, pomodoro/time limits) feels like there are no options for someone like me who is really struggling with task initiation and executive function due to autistic burnout.

Are there any other tips out there? And DO NOT tell me to rest/do nothing because I am a sole caretaker and in a precarious financial situation. Thank you.

@actuallyautistic #ActuallyAutistic #AuDHD

@autistics #ActuallyAutistic

i wish i had thought of expressing this experience like this -- happens all the time and i can never quite find the words https://neurodifferent.me/@theautisticcoach/115339225498682688

@autistics #ActuallyAutistic if i still had an office, i’d need a poster of this for it…

https://www.instagram.com/p/DP_aFP5iFbP/

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@actuallyadhd @autistics

Today is not going according to my wishes or vague plans. Trying not to stress out over it & I'm losing myself in thoughts over how to simplify & organise next year's bullet journal.
This spiralled into, how can I get back on the, dealing with housework & cleaning wagon, as at some point I completely fell off. So, major paralysis on how or where to start.

Toying with the idea of introducing a, do one small thing everyday either before or immediately after breakfast, so that it's done.
Just small things like, clean the bathroom sink or pick up some random crap that I never tidied up.

If I can persuade myself to write down that I did it & when & then do the same for the following times that things get done, I might eventually have a realistic roster of things. Just need to remember to keep it flexible. If the day the floor need vacuuming I'm not up to it, swap it for something else or just shunt everything along a day.
As long as I don't fall into the trap of shunting things along indefinitely, I might be okay.

#AuDHD #Autistic #ADHD #ActuallyADHD #ActuallyAutistic #Life #TidyUp #CleanUp #Burnout #Spoons #NoSpoons

#AskingAutistics

Do you think you've suffered any trauma simply due to being autistic?

(trauma being pain that stays with you)

If so, what are the experiences you've suffered most trauma from? Are they sensory ones? Social ones? Or something else?

More info truly welcome - comment below

I've put my own response in the first post below ⬇️

#Autism #ActuallyAutistic #Neurodivergent #Trauma #Bullying #Neurodiversity #SensoryIssues

There's this frustration I feel directed at me from people in my life thinking/expressing: 'hey, just do the thing'. But no, I'm not just going to do the thing.

The thing is hard for me and I'm going to give it the respect it deserves. It will take me longer. It might annoy people waiting on me.

But if I want to be able to do-the-thing sustainably in the long term, I need to do it in a way that goes 'with the grain' of my needs. My particularity cannot be set aside because my particularity is what drives all of my actions. If I ignore it, I burn out and give the thing up completely.

And then the people saying 'just to the thing' change to asking me 'why don't you do the thing anymore? I thought you liked it?'
#ActuallyAutistic