As an autistic person with motor problems and joint pain I often ask myself if professional packaging designers really exist and if so, why do they hate people?
actuallyautistic
We got construction going on just outside our window 😭😭 they start at 7:00 😭😭 and it's very loud. It's some sort of change down on the street and it's part of a bigger project estimated to take until April next year. Hopefully not the part outside our home, but who knows.. it's a nightmare #ActuallyAutistic
Today I had a moment of autistic joy in a social situation.
Where I live there are no parks close by, but three beautiful graveyards, where I go for a walk with Lumi daily.
This morning a woman asked me for specific details about the graveyards, because she wanted to attend a funeral and didn't know which of the three was the right one and I was able to provide these details for her, because recognising details and patterns is how my autistic mind works and experiences joy. It made me very happy that I was able to help her and that I had a social interaction without having to mask my autism, but it being useful for someone else instead.
This reminds me of the comment of a mutual on my post about infodumping concerning the autistic need of gaining knowledge and sharing it with others.
"As an autist, adquiring expertise on something and beeing helpfull with it feels central to socialisation." @maleza
So true.
@autistics #ActuallyAutistic as someone who used to have a lot of rage issues, this is on point...
https://mas.to/@skeletor/115486623484538969
Edited 9d ago
@autistics #ActuallyAutistic no truer words ever spoken
https://mastodon.social/@filmfreakmafia/115487540240826863
My brain is super tired today. It's taken most of the day to send 2 emails. That's 2 more emails than I'd usually be able to achieve but I have several hundred thousand things more important on my to-do list which I can't seem to even start, but I managed to do 2 emails which had absolutely no shelf life (due date).
My boiler is leaking. The pipe under my bathroom sink is leaking. But I sent 2 emails which could have waited but seemed like they were very important at the time.
Brain is very tired. Haven't eaten. Haven't consumed fluids. Can't do anything for self care.
I had a situation last week which dominated my thoughts and emotions. I had this event on Thursday and it's like an elastic band snapping back and my brain is exhausted. I can't do anything. I hate these things that happen which are outside my routine.
Still learning and understanding my autistic stuff. Still realising those things which I have always been difficult are actually my autism and there are things I can do for help and support.
In the past I've gone through these things and told I'm weak, lazy and stupid. I now recognise it's executive function, emotional deregulation, rejection sensitivity, etc. It's relatively early days for me in understanding my autism. Knowing I'm autistic intellectually is very different from knowing it emotionally. Accepting it.
I'm still learning and understanding the autistic vocabulary. People have a shorthand if they've been in the autistic community for an extended time. It's like living in another country to learn a language.
I need to sleep!
Edited 8d ago
@autistics #ActuallyAutistic from the Twist.com website (companion product to Todoist.com) that has renewed my faith in humanity after being forced to read non-stop IMs re a co-worker coming back from leave
Realising that you are #Asexual or #Aromantic can be quite difficult because, like autism, it is a spectrum. As much as the various aspects, like being full ace, or demi, or anything else are often described as fixed points on a scale. The reality is actually a lot more fluid and even changeable over time. Especially around sex and sexual attraction and how they work, or don't work. So it's difficult sometimes to identify with it, with any real confidence.
Add in being Audhd and it becomes even more difficult and perhaps even more fluid. Because, in my case, being more Demi-sexual, than anything. It is all about getting to really know and respect the person and without being able to do that, there is no real possibility of sexual, or romantic connection. And of course, the one thing we find difficult, is getting to know people. Or, perhaps, the right people. Because for the level of connection required, compatibility really is the key. And often, for us, feeling safe enough to be able to make that connection, isn't always the easiest thing to do and neither is finding the people who we even are compatible with.
This is but one of the many reasons why I think places like this are so important. We are a community within which it's possible to find and establish this. And I have been incredibly lucky enough to have been able to do so, where, I know, I never would have anywhere else.
I am in an open relationship with @KaCi a beautiful, incredible, polyamorous, woman who I love beyond measure and who loves me. And without this place, that would never have happened. It reminds me, that despite everything going on in the world, joy and beauty and wondrous intensity are still possible and in its own way, often made so by places like this. And I will always be grateful for it and for all of you who make it this way and of course, most especially for KaCi, for making this wonder possible.
I wonder if being frustrated at being misunderstood could be considered a form of rejection sensitivity? If so, I got to experience this twice by different parties today.
@autistics how do you deal with stimming in your young ones?
My kid (8) has many stims, most of which he can do whenever he wants to. His thing is not keeping his hands and feet still, they always need tactile feedback. We provide multiple stimming toys so he doesn't break any of our stuff when fussing around with it.
Now, one stim I'm *not* okay with is putting his fingers in his mouth all the time. We have frequent infections going around in this household already, I don't want him touching public guardrails and then licking his fingers. But how do I discourage that?
We were just building Lego and I told him to remove his fingers from his mouth for half an hour, in a frequency of about once or twice a minute. At some point he got annoyed and stormed off.
This week, while trying to catch up on schoolwork, I've been discovering all the things that put my body into nap mode, and wow, it’s a lot. Pillows, recliner angles, even kicking my feet up can flip the switch from "study" to "sleep."
It's been like running my own ergonomic lab this week, testing what keeps me awake vs. what puts me to sleep.
Turns out I focus way better with my feet supported, but that's tricky when you’re short and most setups aren't built for you. Fully kicking my feet up feels nice… until I wake up two hours later wondering what happened.
I can't tell you how many hours I've lost to nap mode when I was trying to study, but maybe now that won't happen anymore.
#disability #DisabilityLife #ChronicIllness #Fibromyalgia #RheumatoidArthritis #Neurodivergent #Fatigue #Accessibility #StudyStruggles #Ergonomics #ShortPeopleProblems #DisabledAndStudying #NapMode #ActuallyAutistic #Spoonie #CollegeStudent
@disability @autistics @spoonies @chronicillness @accessibility
Aujourd'hui en salle d'attente, les gens étaient répartis de sorte à ce que je ne puisse pas m'asseoir à côté de mon aidant-e donc j'ai décidé de m'asseoir par terre
Je vous dit pas la gueule des gens
Un aide-soignant vient après 15 minutes me demander pourquoi je fais ça puis me propose de m'amener une chaise. Un peu tard, donc je lui ai dit non merci. Et comme ça je donne une image dégueulasse à cette clinique privée de merde qui reçoit mal sa patientèle.
🇨🇦One giant leap for a neurodivergent,
One small step for neurodivergents.
I think that makes sense. 
So I had a big victory today. I have been applying for income assistance with my provincial government. I was hesitant because I had tried it once before many years ago and it was such a dehumanizing experience that I couldn't continue past the first orientation meeting. They were more concerned with catching people trying to defraud the government than they were helping anyone. But a friend of mine that has been helping me get my life together pushed me into it.
Yesterday I had an assessment over the phone that lasted an hour. Yes, I hate the phone too, so this was nerve-wracking. But due to my situation they said that since I didn't have a diagnosis for anything (I told them I was autistic, ADHD, and suffering from burnout), that unless I could get a doctor's note right away saying I can't work, that I'll be denied. I don't have a family doctor so the woman told me to just walk into a clinic and do it.
Now I thought that it was over because I didn't think I could convince a doctor that I couldn't work for these reasons in one visit any more than I could convince this woman. But I went in today, waited in the waiting room anxiously, and then told the doctor my situation. I barely had to explain anything, just that I was applying for income assistance, needed a note saying I couldn't work, and when he asked the reason, I told him that I was pursuing a diagnosis for ADHD, autism, and burnout. He said ok, I can give you three months.
😳
🤯
And that was it. I got the letter. Didn't even charge me for it. 🎉
Now this doesn't automatically mean that I'll get the income assistance, but my odds sure look a lot better. I've met all the terms this woman laid out for me. I guess we'll see... 🤞 In any case, while I'm still exhausted from this whole mess, my mood is sure a lot brighter now. 😊
My #ActuallyAutistic son has issues with time management. He takes ages to do things. I'm not sure if it's because he zones out or something else.
Can any autists out there suggest ways we can help him to manage time better?
📋 SURVEY FOR AUTISTIC PEOPLE
It is often said that autistic people have difficulty finding employment (I once read that 70-80% of autistic people are unemployed), but on the internet I mostly come across autistic people who do have jobs. So I would be interested to know how things are for you – whether you have a job or are unemployed. You can also describe your situation in the comments, e.g., why you have trouble finding a job.
The question in the survey is: Do you have a job?
Boost for better results. Thanks! 🙏🏻
#ActuallyAutistic #Neurodivergent #NeuroDiversity @autistics
Options: (choose one)
Heeeey @autistics #ActuallyAutistic #AuDHD I just got out of the shower and had something on my mind.
How long are your showers? If you have a reason for the duration (sensory overload, require assistance, etc) feel free to reply with it if you're comfortable. I'll share mine.
If you're baths-only feel free to move along. I only get 4 options.
Options: (choose one)
It's 8 o'clock on Monday evening in Wales🏴 ...
Everyone okay ? 
Everyone survived day 1 of 5 ?
Anyone need a week break to get over day 1 ?
Anyone else enjoying the fact it's dark by 5pm ?