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Question for you guys: What, to you, is the biggest advantage of having autism?

To me, it’s my intellect. I’m stupidly smart, I won’t deny it, and my memory is frankly just scary-good. I mean sure, I can barely do linear algebra outside of physics, but I can memorise pi to 1000 decimal places and I have accurate, fluid memories from when I was 9 months old onwards (though they’re somewhat sparse until I was 2 and a half).

— Abby


Classmate: ”You’re Autistic? Don’t take this the wrong way, but… You’re so extroverted!”
Me: ”I’m actually very introverted, just super friendly. Besides, Autism is a neurotype, not a personality.”
Classmate: ”Sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just that all of my Autistic friends are really quiet and don’t like talking to others.”
Me: *explains how different sensory processing issues lead to some of us being unable, or not wanting to, speak*
***
This is actually the “But you don’t SEEM Autistic” comment I receive the most.
In other news, I like her. She listened when I spoke, and made sure to correct her mistakes. She also asked a lot of really good questions, like which noises specifically impact me the most, and what she could do if I had a problem during class. Most importantly, she didn’t ask me if I’m good at math.
-Lindsay

[Caption - Will touch other people and their clothing compulsively / Hates being touched] Actually, I personally don’t mind touch in general. It’s only strangers touching me, or when it’s a sudden touch, that I actually mind. In general I actually require touch, since I’m hypotactile and need lots of textures to stop myself melting down. This often results in hugs. LOTS of hugs. All the time. It makes people uncomfortable. And I need hard pressure, so I have a lot of blankets on my bed, and I wear heavy clothing with semi-rough textures (not enough to chafe but not too little so that I can’t feel it). — Sam (Wow, I’m flip-flopping between Sam and Abby today like no-body’s business)
Zoom

[Caption - Will touch other people and their clothing compulsively / Hates being touched]

Actually, I personally don’t mind touch in general. It’s only strangers touching me, or when it’s a sudden touch, that I actually mind. In general I actually require touch, since I’m hypotactile and need lots of textures to stop myself melting down. This often results in hugs. LOTS of hugs. All the time. It makes people uncomfortable. And I need hard pressure, so I have a lot of blankets on my bed, and I wear heavy clothing with semi-rough textures (not enough to chafe but not too little so that I can’t feel it).

— Sam

(Wow, I’m flip-flopping between Sam and Abby today like no-body’s business)

[Caption - Spends three days coding / can’t spend three minutes paying attention in class] This is a real issue, because class is just plain dull. I learn something, then don’t need to keep hearing or practising it, because I know it now. I can’t cope with having to slow down to the same speed as everyone else. As a result, I generally have to flick through the book to learn something new, or just ignore the lesson completely and do other work once I’ve finished. Drives the other kids and the teachers mad. — Abby
Zoom

[Caption - Spends three days coding / can’t spend three minutes paying attention in class]

This is a real issue, because class is just plain dull. I learn something, then don’t need to keep hearing or practising it, because I know it now. I can’t cope with having to slow down to the same speed as everyone else. As a result, I generally have to flick through the book to learn something new, or just ignore the lesson completely and do other work once I’ve finished. Drives the other kids and the teachers mad.

— Abby

[Caption - TOP: My headphones are not a fashion statementBOTTOM: They are a necessity] This is in response to people who say that my wearing headphones in public rather than earbuds or earphones is just a phase or a fashion statement. Yeah, no. I need these to function. I’m not as easily overstimulated as most hyperauditory aspies, mostly because of extensive occupational therapy, but I need some form of dampening device to prevent my ears from exploding in pain and confusion. — Sam Note, I changed the caption template. Better/worse?
Zoom

[Caption - TOP: My headphones are not a fashion statement
BOTTOM: They are a necessity]

This is in response to people who say that my wearing headphones in public rather than earbuds or earphones is just a phase or a fashion statement.

Yeah, no. I need these to function. I’m not as easily overstimulated as most hyperauditory aspies, mostly because of extensive occupational therapy, but I need some form of dampening device to prevent my ears from exploding in pain and confusion.

— Sam

Note, I changed the caption template. Better/worse?

[Caption - needing personal space / does not necessarily make me antisocial] This is another targeted meme, specifically to people who don’t have a social phobia.  One thing that bugs me about not having social phobia is that whilst I can’t be around large groups of people, small groups of maybe 2 - 6 are fine, even encouraged some of the time. I have no issues integrating with a small group of people I like, but it’s when people crowd and crush me that I freak out. Just because I need personal space does not mean that I don’t want you around. I just don’t like hugs or hand shakes or things from people I don’t know too well. — Sam
Zoom

[Caption - needing personal space / does not necessarily make me antisocial]

This is another targeted meme, specifically to people who don’t have a social phobia. 

One thing that bugs me about not having social phobia is that whilst I can’t be around large groups of people, small groups of maybe 2 - 6 are fine, even encouraged some of the time. I have no issues integrating with a small group of people I like, but it’s when people crowd and crush me that I freak out.

Just because I need personal space does not mean that I don’t want you around. I just don’t like hugs or hand shakes or things from people I don’t know too well.

— Sam

[Caption - Just because my stims aren’t visible / Does not mean I do not stim] My stims don’t tend to be visible, physical stims. Most of my stims are actually verbal, or at least sonic. For example when angry, frustrated or hunting (not literally, just in the “hunter” mindset) I tend to growl under my breath, by vibrating my epiglottis behind bared teeth. When enraged or scared, I’ll openly and loudly hiss like a cat, and bare my open teeth. This doesn’t happen too often, since I’m not often that scared or angry. When I’m happy, I’ll making popping noises or whistle like a Singing Dog (look it up, you’ll be happy forever), plus I click my tongue loudly a lot, typically when I’m either happy or just because it feels like a good thing to do. When overexcited, I clap and growl/hiss, but in a less threatening way. — Sonic Sam
Zoom

[Caption - Just because my stims aren’t visible / Does not mean I do not stim]

My stims don’t tend to be visible, physical stims. Most of my stims are actually verbal, or at least sonic. For example when angry, frustrated or hunting (not literally, just in the “hunter” mindset) I tend to growl under my breath, by vibrating my epiglottis behind bared teeth.

When enraged or scared, I’ll openly and loudly hiss like a cat, and bare my open teeth. This doesn’t happen too often, since I’m not often that scared or angry.

When I’m happy, I’ll making popping noises or whistle like a Singing Dog (look it up, you’ll be happy forever), plus I click my tongue loudly a lot, typically when I’m either happy or just because it feels like a good thing to do.

When overexcited, I clap and growl/hiss, but in a less threatening way.

— Sonic Sam

[Caption - Wants to get a new computer / 12 months later - Still haven’t decided] This is because I spend those 12 months comparing virtually identical products going “oh crap, if I get the wrong one I’m stuck forever! AHHH!” So, I’ll often make a list of the top ten, and try and work down to a top three, then spend 3 months agonising over them, then finally get to a top two, then go for the cheaper one.  — Sam
Zoom

[Caption - Wants to get a new computer / 12 months later - Still haven’t decided]

This is because I spend those 12 months comparing virtually identical products going “oh crap, if I get the wrong one I’m stuck forever! AHHH!”

So, I’ll often make a list of the top ten, and try and work down to a top three, then spend 3 months agonising over them, then finally get to a top two, then go for the cheaper one. 

— Sam

For people who can't talk to a depression/self-harm/suicide hotline, IMAlive.org

I know this is an autism blog, but something that commonly comes with autism, either due to brain chemistry or the pain of having autism in a neurotypical society is depression. Personally, there have been times when I have either attempted or considered suicide for a number of reasons, and I know that when these times came around I couldn’t even think about calling a hotline because doing so would absolutely terrify me.

IMAlive.org is designed just for that. The people on the service provide it free of charge, all are specially trained, and all chat logs are deleted immediately after disconnection. It specialises in crisis support and suicide, and allows you to talk to people without the need for painful phone conversations.

I hope this helps someone!

— Sam

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