NeurobeautifulWhat does self-care look like for an autistic person? It might include bubble baths and pedicures, but it’s also anything that rejuvenates us.
Stimming is one example that’s well-known and well-loved – at least by autistics! We automatically do it in reaction to stress or excitement, but scheduling time just to stim is a kind …
I wonder how many times people told Greta Thunberg that she’d have more opportunities in life if she improved her social skills, or tamed her flyaway hair, or otherwise put more effort into fitting in and doing what was expected of her.
Anyway, she didn’t – and this week, she was nominated for the Nobel …
Four approaches to stimming…
BAD: “I shouldn’t let myself stim.”
GOOD: “I should let myself stim when I feel like it.”
BETTER: “I should remember, when I’m anxious or overwhelmed, that stimming is a strategy I can intentionally use to calm myself.”
BEST: “I should remember, when I’m about to enter a stressful situation, that …
I’m noticing a pattern. Among the autistic writers I follow, I’m finding out that more and more of them only discovered their autism in the past two or three years.
Maybe this is just part of a targeted algorithm to feed me relatable content. Or maybe, among those of us actively writing, there truly are …
It seems to me that very few people are willing to write publicly about how autism can affect romantic touch. I want to say a couple things about that, because if you feel the same way, I want you to know that you’re not alone.
First, “sensory sensitivity” might make some kinds of touch uncomfortable. …
What does it mean to “fit in”?
It means your appearance and behaviors match the mold of a given social circle.
Why would anyone want that?
Because sameness leads to acceptance, which leads to connection, which leads to belonging.
Why aren’t differences accepted too?
They are, just not by everyone. If you’re brave enough to …
I believe in the virtue of bravely and intentionally facing sensory discomfort – once in a while. Most of the time I try to minimize it, because for autistics, even little discomforts can add up to a lot of stress over time.
Today, while cringing at the thought of putting my cold groceries away in …