“Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me!?” – The Autistic Side of Awkward Social Encounters
Does the autistic person in your life behave in ways you believe are socially awkward and uncomfortable? Tell us using this formula.
Author: jaimeaheidel
Don’t Punish Autistic People With Our Own Behaviors and Expect That Will “Teach Us a Lesson”
If you mimic an autistic person’s behavior toward you, we won’t understand you’re trying to hint at something, we’ll just become fearful and distrustful. Here’s what to do instead.
What Makes a Task Easier for Non-Autistics May Make Them Harder for Us
Want to show an autistic person a shortcut to something they’re doing? Ask first! Most of us can get very confused and mixed up when trying to learn “your way” of doing things.
“Stop Yelling at Me!” – Why You May Hear This From Your Autistic Loved One When You Haven’t Raised Your Voice
“Stop yelling at me!” You don’t have to raise your voice even slightly to yell at an autistic person, here’s why. (Hint: It’s not sound sensitivity.)
Teasing: Bonding for Non-Autistic People, Torture for Most Autistics
“Teasing”, a bonding experience for neurotypicals that can be confusing and traumatizing for their autistic counterparts.
Why Even “Beginner” Classes Are Not Helpful for Many Autistic People
When an autistic person takes a “beginner” class designed for a neurotypical person, it may not be beginner enough.
“You’re Not Even Trying!” – Please Don’t Say This to Autistic People
“You’re not even trying!” If you say this to your autistic loved one, you couldn’t be more wrong, and it’s damaging to their mental health. Trying is all we do.
How Do Autistic People Make Friends?
How do autistic people make friends? Well, I do have a formula, but you might not want to use it because it involves purposefully masking.
Let’s Talk About Gift Disappointment for Autistic People
Why do autistic people have difficulty with gifts? It’s much harder for us to hide disappointment in gifts, and our feelings can get hurt because the gifts seem to reflect a lack of understanding of us as people.
Many Autistic People Have to Recover from Socializing
What does it really feel like for an autistic person to socialize? It feels a bit like this, and that’s why we have to recover from it.
