Month: September 2022
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Outnumbered Outsider
According to recent data, 1 in 44 children in the United States have been diagnosed with ASD. (CDC Autism Data). This is up from 1 in 150 in 2000, and when I was a child, I don’t recall ever hearing the word autism. Why this increase? I think it has nothing to do with environmental…
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On “Labelling*” (An Autistic Perspective)
In general, “labelling” a person with a mental health condition tends to be met with disdain. Therapists especially tend to encourage not focusing on labels but on behaviors and symptoms. However, I have tended to argue that I believe it’s not that simple, that behaviors and symptoms are surface problems that don’t allow for a…
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How do I know if someone actually likes me?
Well . . . it’s hard to know for sure if someone actually likes you or considers you to be the “F” word . . . “friend,” but here are some thoughts, from an autistic perspective: Keep in mind – as hard as this may be if you have an autistic brain (like mine) –…
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Autism Translation Chart: Understanding NTs
Disclaimer: these are based on my personal experiences involving many people for many years and should not be interpreted as relating to any specific individuals but to non-autistic people in general. NT stands for Neurotypical, i.e. not ASD (or ADHD). NT Says: NT Means: Yes Yes, No, Maybe No No, Yes, Maybe maybe maybe, I…
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People don’t really want you to be helpful.
I’m waiting in a car, trying to explain to my wife that I’m not comfortable with a group of strangers having her phone number in some group texting she was telling me about. She doesn’t see the potential problem. I offered to check the settings in the app (a very popular messaging app), but she…
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You can’t use a person as a security blanket.
Earlier today, I spoke with someone whose son has ASD, and I told him about a very anxious situation I was trying to work through. This was, as so many problems are for those on the spectrum, interpersonal. Every relationship has some anxiety; however, as I feel and have felt so misunderstood my entire life,…
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Bad days don’t last either.
It gets better. Then, it will get worse. We yearn for stability in a chaotic universe. Change is constant – so is fear. Don’t fear that a bad day will last forever while fearing that good days won’t. We don’t get it both ways! I’ve had a wild past 36 hours, and I’ll write more…
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Rejection hurts badly.
Please note: as this could be upsetting to some people who have had similar experiences, remember this is one account from one person at one moment in time. Don’t apply it indiscriminately to your own life when you could have different outcomes. If it is too triggering, stop reading immediately! But, my story is not…
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Too much advice, too little time
“Patience is a virtue.” “The early bird catches the worm.” “Good things come to those who wait.” “Carpe Diem.” Because I want to incorporate every little bit of information into the puzzle of human interaction, I hear advice and think it must be important. Or, it could be important, like the piece of scrap wood…
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Two steps behind.
After many years of research, testing, counseling, journaling, notes, and a final battery of testing over several days, I was formally diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Level 1. Hooray, a diagnosis! Well, not so fast. Somehow, in a mean twist of fate (or just meanness), in spite of my best efforts and commitment of money…
My Autistic Journal 