Autistic traits .

Strawberry1

Please please please could anyone on the forum tell my if they feel they don't fit in with others and also please could anyone tell me if they ever get so overwhelmed with things they just have to sleep . Please I would be very grateful if anyone could help me with my questions.  I know I've been asked to look at stuff online but my head is all over the place . Thanks. 

Bettahm

Strawberry1 said:

Please please please could anyone on the forum tell my if they feel they don't fit in with others and also please could anyone tell me if they ever get so overwhelmed with things they just have to sleep . Please I would be very grateful if anyone could help me with my questions.  I know I've been asked to look at stuff online but my head is all over the place . Thanks. 

I answer yes to both of these.
Not fitting in with people. Yes, it's like living on an alien planet.
And getting totally overwhelmed. It's called meltdown.
I dont have the answers, I can just identify with your issues as could probably all autistic people.
I've discovered theres very little if any support for autistic adults out there (at least in this area) and little understanding and tolerance in 'life' in general.
But there is those great videos on YouTube. 
Start at Ted Talks Autism 
I will look it up and post the name and comment below.......

Bettahm

@Strawberry1
It's called Why Everything You Know About Autism Is Wrong. 
If you Google Ted Talks Autism YouTube it will come up .

My own personal take on it all is so called 'high functioning' autistic people are the walking wounded on the spectrum. Due to masking we can appear 'normal' . Whatever that is.
But it takes its toll. 
From experience. From all our experiences. 

There are more vids in that Ted Talks Autism series. They should come up also with that first one. 

THE_DUDE

Yep since childhood.  I'm not autistic though. Or maybe I am, I never checked.

Strawberry1

Thank you @THE_DUDE and @Bettahm .

Albus_Scope

My mum sent this meme to me the other week and I think it really will resonate with any late diagnosis autistics. 

@Strawberry1I totally get it, I really do.  Sleep has always been my way of retreating from things and to process stuff too.  And yes, I often feel like a square peg in a world of round holes. But by learning more about the hows and whys of autism, I'm learning to better stop any possible meltdowns and learning to be gentler with myself.  So learning is key!  

I can highly recommend a few books/audiobooks about autism;
Untypical by Peter Wharmby. 
 This is REALLY good for people who live with autistic individuals too.  It explains how the world we live in is not at all friendly to the neurodiverse and how people can change their attitudes to help us.

Autism for Adults by Daniel M Jones. 
Daniel runs a great youtube channel on autism and this is his first book.  So far I'm finding it really helpful. 


I have trouble focusing on books these days, so I tend to get audiobooks. Much easier.  

OverlyAnxious

I've never fitted in anywhere.

I can't sleep during the day.  Never have been able to.  But I do get very easily overwhelmed and have to get away from as many sensory inputs as possible in that case - noise, light, motion, heat, smell, etc.  Almost impossible in my current property, and one of the main reasons I need to move elsewhere, to have a 'calm room' for managing the aftermath of any situation.

Bettahm

Yes!
Personally I dont want someone to 'change' my mind (the way I think) or teach me coping strategies. This is what I got with talking therapies. I want acceptance as who I am. Acceptance and understanding for nuerodiversity.
Anyway you cant 'cure' autism. 

Albus_Scope

Personally I found finding out I was ASD did change the way I thought. But for the better. Now I know why I react like I do to certain things, so it's not as scary and seemingly coming out of nowhere.  

I'd love for the world to be more ND friendly, people are listening to us more now at least. So that's progress. 

Strawberry1

Thank you so much @Albus_Scope , @OverlyAnxious and @Bettahm I really appreciate your help and support and time . Thank you so much. 

Strawberry1

@Albus_Scope , @OverlyAnxious , @Bettahm and @THE_DUDE , your help is appreciated more than you will ever know. 

Strawberry1

I think I'm right in believing that autistic people do not cope with change very well . A change has occurred and I'm really really struggling to cope with it . I'm very upset , very uncomfortable, stressed etc . I do have a call to look forward to on Tuesday.  I will mask like some of us do it's the only way I'm going to cope .

Hannah_Alumni

@Strawberry1 I'm so sorry the change has led you to struggle to cope. I do hope the call on Tuesday does help!  

Strawberry1

Thank you @Hannah_Scope , I hope so too . Thank you again.