My parents came to visit yesterday. It was good to see them, and we had some productive conversation about #AutisticBurnout, but it was a lot. I woke up today with no spoons, and still haven’t gotten out of bed. Today’s going to be a crash day.

#ActuallyAustistic

Is there a difference between “autistic” and “autist”?

#AskingAutistics
#ActuallyAustistic

@AutisticAdam @actuallyautistic There are contexts where non-autistics feel free to express their reluctance to change. For example, when technology they rely on changes, they’re don’t hesitate to complain to the companies that make the tech.

But of course, they’re not comfortable with the tech in the first place. Whereas we’re not comfortable with the world.

#ActuallyAustistic

I generally think of my #writing as very emotional and focussed on feelings… but today when I read a piece for my writing group someone pointed out that I don’t use ANY emotion words in my writing? 😅

It was complimentary though—they said they were blown away by my ability to convey and evoke strong emotions in my piece without actually naming or describing any feelings… pretty #ActuallyAustistic of me 😅

Eg:

“You hold a cat in your arms. The vet pushes a syringe. Then what you’re holding is no longer a cat.

You have two cats, and then you have one.

You have one cat, and then you have none.

But last night, she was here.”

(The piece can be found here on my website: https://lekendall.com/off-topic/last-night/)

@theautisticcoach @actuallyautistic a little less than a year ago, at age 45. I've known most of my life that something was up, and in recent years began to suspect that I might be autistic. Thanks to reading about the experiences of #ActuallyAustistic comrades and some resources shared with me by someone close, I now understand that I'm not just a messed-up jerk.

@Vincarsi I follow and learn from plenty of #ActuallyAustistic folks on Twitter and don't have this problem there, though.

#actuallyaustistic looking for friends or a girlfriend I like anime and computers and programming I like bash c and python

Heya my #actuallyAustistic crew (or any #eReader nerdsz really)!

I wanna double check, does anybody have this eReader and can confirm you can turn the screen light OFF entirely?

I am replacing my old school one that is just a basic e-ink screen. I hate illuminated screens for reading; if I buy this thing and it glows at my eyeballs I will throw it through a frickin window.

https://ca.kobobooks.com/products/kobo-clara-2e

This April, we have been asking ourselves the question: are we #actuallyaustistic, or do we just have trauma which seeded a strong sense of justice, a desire for clarity, and anxiety that leaves us prone to overstimulation and gives us difficulties in socialising with neurotypicals?

— Nellie + Rowena

But for now, what an astonishing moment of efflorescence we’re in. I just wanted to pause and express my gratitude, particularly, for #actuallyaustistic folks who have done so much to push this discourse forward. You’ve opened up (and held) a space that has allowed me and some I love dearly to understand the way our own minds work a little better, with less judgment, and a little more generosity for ourselves at the inevitable moments of friction and confusion and dismay. It’s a tremendous gift.

I'm #actuallyaustistic and 42. I'm good at masking, and I'm not going to unmask. If you think that makes me a coward then okay I guess, but the whole idea is being true to yourself and to me it's just better for me to keep that to myself

Hi everyone. Sorry for the radio silence. I’ve been busy trying to generate work and clients and building my blog on Substack.

You can read my latest on executive function and ASD. Currently it’s free to read. However, if you’re feeling generous, you can buy me a coffee at the link embedded in my blog or below 👇🏻 or on a link I’ll leave here too #actuallyaustistic

https://open.substack.com/pub/storystrategistsheher/p/executive-function-where-do-i-start?r=o2xi5&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post

I love my autistic self for trying to make sense of a world that does not make sense.

I love my autistic self for seeing patterns and pathways in unexpected places.

I love my autistic self for being authentic and empathetic to other people.

#ActuallyAustistic #ILoveMyAutisticSelf

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/coming-out-autistic/ I just read this. I’m 10 or more years older than the writer & Ive always happily identified as female, even as I have rebelled against conservative stereotypical notions of femininity. But the stuff about identity & roles? About needing to know the required dress codes so as to “fit in” & taking cues from those around me? That’s me, but I’ve only started to recognise it in the last year or so. I’m not aware of knowing any other autistic women my age. I feel like an actor, or an impostor who’s moved through various roles. #ActuallyAustistic

Where do my #actuallyaustistic friendos stand on regular old talk therapy? I've never gotten much out of it, I find it hard to connect with a therapist and almost impossible to place myself inside the sort of hypotheticals they commonly use. I kind of enjoyed just having someone I could rant to but that's not worth the money alone.

Here’s a #AutismAwareness pointer to, and a few personal reflections about the much-maligned and misunderstood #PathologicalDemandAvoidance profile of #Autism

Let me tell you: if this was better known, *I* wouldn’t have made it to my 40s in any doubt that I’m #ActuallyAustistic…

https://www.pdasociety.org.uk

It's #AutismAcceptanceMonth
I must confess I feel accepted. Mostly, I suspect, because I've surrounded myself with empathic understanding people. Thank you all. #ActuallyAustistic

@youronlyone @actuallyautistic @neurodivergence I'm self diagnosed. I love in a country where medical and psychological care are paywalled, so getting a "legitimate" diagnosis is a) cost prohibitive, and b) honestly pointless. I would get any extra help, benefit, or financial security for having a piece of paper, so I'd be spending money I need for food and utilities to get a meaningless document. I can't afford therapy, so it wouldn't help me at all. #actuallyaustistic

Heute kann ich nicht mal Milchreis essen. Ich liebe Milchreis, aber heute ist er sensorisch einfach nicht zu ertragen. #actuallyaustistic

cooking while #ActuallyAustistic