Autistic Eagle • Posts Tagged ‘autistic’

[ IS IT STILL ECHOLALIA / IF I’M ECHOING MYSELF? ]

Not according to the Wikipedia article, but I still echo myself if I just said a fun-to-say word. With modifications to the phrasing. (Balls! Balls balls balls, balls made of balls, balls made of balls on a mountain of balllls…) (Hugs made of hugs!)

[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 - Connects more with characters in TV shows / Than real people]

ABED. That is all.

— Abby

[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

Top text: Change hair once. Friends make a huge fuss complimenting it, meaning well.

Bottom text: Never change your hair again

Yeah, I don’t understand why so many people (usually neurotypical girls) get so excited when you go and change your hairstyle. You’d think you’d just won the world cup the way some people overreact!

(I made some editing errors, so whoever submitted this, please tell us!)

[Caption - TOP: Do not touch
BOTTOM: my special mug]

Seriously. Just don’t. No-one but me may touch my special mug, and even I’m only allowed to touch it for special reasons, like if I’m having hot chocolate. Drink from my special mug without permission, and you will lose teeth.

— Sam

[Caption - TOP: Using your autism as an excuse
BOTTOM: Is not excusable]

I doubt this would apply to anyone here, but still, it’s an important issue.

There is a massive difference between a valid excuse and an “I can use this to get out of trouble” excuse.

I won’t give examples because all examples are context dependent, however it’s usually fairly obvious even to us when someone’s just “playing the autism card” as it were, versus a requirement that they actually need.

— Sam

[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 - Waits for the end of each season of favourite TV show / So that they can marathon their special interest]

This might just apply to me, but I definitely do this, especially if I’m halfway through the series/season when I join it or notice a new season has started.

— Sam

MY PSYCHOLOGIST FINALLY SENT IN THE LETTER FOR ME TO QUALIFY FOR A FREE SERVICE DOG!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!

I happy stimmed so hard I fell over and hurt my wrist.

This is my favorite part of it:

“Lindsay’s particular preoccupied area of interest is with dogs. When I first met Lindsay, she was sitting on the floor in my waiting room, having found a giant book about dogs in the stack of materials available for clients to peruse. Lindsay quickly shared with me everything she knew about every type of dog, and quickly described to me the manners in which dogs are not only an interest of hers, but also quite soothing to her.”

Oh Doc, trust me; that wasn’t NEARLY everything I knew about every type of dog. I only infodumped about Great Pyrenees, which, incidentally, is the breed I want to get for my service dog. :{D

Let’s just hope I get approved.

-Lindsay

[Top text reads: Touch meltdown-inducing texture with one hand.] [Bottom text reads: Have to touch it with the other hand so it’s even.]

Afterward, my best friend found me a nice texture to calm me down.

-Lindsay

[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 - The word percent / feels good in my mouth]

This is certainly related to autism, because I could just sit down and say words that feel good in my mouth for hours and not be bored.

And I have.

On multiple occasions.

DOORKNOB.

— Sam

[Caption - Doctor tries to shake my hand / “Excuse me, can I have a new doctor?”]

I really hate it when people try to shake my hand. I just do. I’m not averse to touch or anything like most aspies are when portrayed in popular media, but hand-shaking disturbs me because it seems too familiar. Skin contact is just a little odd so early in an relationship.

— Sam