How the Purpose of Non-Autistic Small Talk Can Backfire Terribly for People on the Spectrum
Neurotypical small talk can backfire terribly for people on the spectrum and actually CAUSE HARM. Here’s why.
Category: Autistic Characteristics
Being Woken up Suddenly Can Wreck Me for Days
Does your autistic loved one struggle with waking up? They’re not the only one!
Things Don’t Exist to Me Unless I Need Them (An Autistic Perspective)
Things don’t exist to me unless I need them. This is my autistic perspective on why many of us can’t “see” what’s right in front of us.
Autistic People Don’t “Get Used to” Sensory Triggers We Are Forced to Endure, We Disassociate From Them
Does “training” an autistic person to endure sensory triggers make them easier to endure? No. It forces the autistic person to do the only thing they can to survive: Disassociate their entire lives.
Why Your Autistic Loved One May Prefer to Do Housework Alone
Does your autistic loved one appear to be more comfortable doing housework when they are alone? Here’s why.
“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.
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.
“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.)
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.