Autistic Selves

Autistic Selves is a system of personas who live in one body. We are autistic and have Dissociative Identity Disorder.

[autisticselves]

[autisticselves]

Running grounds all of us and makes us feel more regulated and less stressed.

[autisticselves]

[autisticselves]

Pet therapy is really helpful for us. We have two Birman cats and they help us stay emotionally regulated. We love the feel of their soft fur, the warmth of them when they cuddle into us, the sound of their purr. Our cats stop us feeling lonely and are non draining company for all of us. #pettherapy #cattherapy #birmancat #birman #autisticselves #autisticDID #actuallyautistic #actuallyDID #actuallydissociative #actuallydissociativeidentitydisorder #autistic #autism #dissociativeidentitydisorder #emotionalregulation #calmingcats #acceptance #feelingsafe https://www.instagram.com/p/CPLrezPsRlx/?utm_medium=tumblr

[autisticselves]

Although some of us can sometimes communicate verbally, not all of us can. Even within the same persona, our methods of communication can vary. For example, Sophie can sometimes communicate using spoken language and is able to use eye contact but after a while she can no longer maintain eye contact. On some days she can’t talk at all. All of us prefer communicating using writing; our thoughts flow more easily that way and it is less exhausting. We wish for a world where all ways of communication are seen as equal and valid. #actuallyautistic #actuallydid #actuallydissociative #autisticselves #autisticDID #nonverbalcommunication #eyecontact #nonverbal #communication #inclusiveworld #varyingabilities #understandingautism https://www.instagram.com/p/CPIynMwMPqo/?utm_medium=tumblr

[autisticselves]

Sometimes all of us feel sad and there is no one that can take over. On those days, we just have to sleep until we feel better. #actuallyautistic #actuallydid #actuallydissociative #autisticselves #autisticDID #dissociativeidentitydisorder #mentalhealthawareness #sadness #oktofeelsad #selfacceptance https://www.instagram.com/p/CPGHFFdss11/?utm_medium=tumblr

[autisticselves]

Thank you to all my followers - we really appreciate all of you and can’t believe there are now 2000 people following us! #actuallyautistic #actuallydissociative #actuallydissociativeidentitydisorder #2000followers #thankyoufollowers #autisticselves #autisticdid https://www.instagram.com/p/CPDhWPeMDAl/?utm_medium=tumblr

[autisticselves]

It’s important to accept each other. For us this also means accepting each of my personas. #actuallydissociative #selfacceptance #selflove #selfcare #selfappreciation #autisticselves #autisticDID https://www.instagram.com/p/CPBpIPmsk7M/?utm_medium=tumblr

[autisticselves]

Just published our latest video on our YouTube channel - discussing Parenting, Autism and DID. https://youtu.be/vHHtBLbV244 #actuallyautistic #actuallyDID #autisticselves #autisticDID #parenting #autism #autismawareness #autismacceptance #dissociativeidentitydisorder #dissociation #childprotection #childprotectiveservices #socialworker #socialwork #socialworkersofinstagram #safeguardingchildren #safeguarding #safeguard #parentingskills #parentingsupport #familysupport #family #parentingandDID #autisticparenting #autisticparent #autisticparenting #autisticparentsrock . #autisticparentadventures #lookedafterchildren #lookedafterwell #autisticmum https://www.instagram.com/p/CO-YsntsyV6/?igshid=1633b24dop8eq

[autisticselves]

We are so fulfilled having a family of our own but now we are older we can see that there are so many ways to live a life. When we were growing up the only option for successful adulthood presented to us was the traditional model of a woman marrying a man and afterwards having children. Now we are older we are aware that there are so many valid and different ways to live. People can have children and never marry, they can choose to marry and never have children. People can choose how they express their gender and sexuality. The important thing is the courage to make an authentic choice. As an autistic person growing up I needed to be explicitly told this and I needed permission to explore and express myself. As this didn’t happen I ‘chose’ to live a traditional life. I love having children and I love my husband but I think it is important for young autistic people to be aware of all the life options that are open to them. #autisticselves #autisticDID #actuallyautistic #actuallyDID #actuallydissociative #actuallydissociativeidentitydisorder #parenting #differentfamilies #differentfamiliessamelove #differentnotless #genderawarness #genderfluid #sexuality https://www.instagram.com/p/CO7xpotsebu/?igshid=ao630yqn11sy

[autisticselves]

Becoming a mother has always been really important to all of us. Being autistic, we tried to map our future adult life out from a very young age. This made us feel safe but also created anxiety because we could only ever see one way of living our life and we worried we would not manage to get married and would not manage to have children. The thought of not getting married and not having children was intolerable for us. Our only option was to get married and have children and we had no awareness that there are different ways to live, that people can choose to not get married and to not have children. We only ever saw one way to be. #autisticselves #autisticDID #actuallyautistic #actuallyDID #actuallydissociative #actuallyDID #motherhood #beingamum #dissociativeidentitydisorder #autism #autistic #womenonthespectrum #adultautism #havingchildren #marriage https://www.instagram.com/p/CO5-AtQMzzK/?igshid=1jxlxcefhkf22

[autisticselves]

Sometimes we become so overwhelmed we dissociate. We feel that we have left our body and cannot do anything until the feeling passes off. This can take several hours or several days. It is different to how we feel when get autistic overload because the cause isn’t sensory but due to feeling we are, or have been, placed into a situation in which we cannot cope. We literally leave the situation by leaving our body. As with autistic overload, we need to rest and take time to recover. #actuallyautistic #actuallydissociative #autisticselves #autisticDID #dissociativeidentitydisorder #dissociation #overwhelmed #recovery #rest #toomuch #multiplepersonalities #autisticadults #mentalillness https://www.instagram.com/p/CO3WEmOsDKA/?igshid=nv0g8xhttl4x

[autisticselves]

Most of my personas have a specific role. Fiona’s role is to look after our children. She takes her job very seriously. As she is autistic, she is able to focus solely on our children and will advocate for their needs relentlessly. The rest of us help out when she grows tired but she is the one with main responsibility. #actuallyautistic #actuallydid #actuallydissociative #actuallydissociativeidentitydisorder #autisticselves #autisticDID #motherhood #motherhoodjourney #responsibility #reliableparenting #kindness #autismacceptance #autismawareness #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealth https://www.instagram.com/p/CO0sVYsMKFZ/?igshid=1jlaugsaiwyhb

[autisticselves]

Looking after a newborn baby requires many skills. I had to work really hard to learn them - meeting the needs of a tiny, dependent human being is all-consuming and, being autistic, I needed the space to concentrate solely on looking after my new baby. Now my children are older, parenting is not as intense and it is possible to meet their needs as well as the needs of myself and my alters. When they were tiny babies I think having alters actively fronting would have made parenting complicated. That said, I think it is perfectly possible for people with autism and/or DID to parent children whatever the child’s age. The important thing is the ability to put the child first and to meet their needs. For us, it worked to integrate all our alters until our parenting skills and relationship with our children was fully established. Now that my children are older, having alters actually enhances and strengthens our family. #actuallyautistic #actuallydid #actuallydissociative #actuallydissociativeidentitydisorder #autisticselves #autisticdid #parenting #newparents #newbornbaby #family #children #parentingskills #parentingsupport #mum #mumsofinstagram #mummyblogger #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthweek2021 https://www.instagram.com/p/COyLm6kM5if/?igshid=7jh5y2yy7sjs

[autisticselves]

Sometimes we experience autistic inertia; none of us are able to come forward and do what needs to be done. We just all lack the motivation - even though we have the desire, we lack access to the energy we need. The energy is inside us somewhere, we just can’t reach it. Autistic inertia is frustrating. We aren’t being lazy; we just can’t move. #actuallyautistic #actuallydid #autisticinertia #autisticselves #autisticDID #motivation #energy #dissasociativeidentitydisorder #autismawareness #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthweek2021 https://www.instagram.com/p/COvGq6rsZ88/?igshid=vf01ecajekk5

[autisticselves]

Autistic Selves, your blog (with links to your YouTube and LinkedIn accounts) will soon be added to our Actually Autistic Blogs List (anautismobserver DOT wordpress DOT com). Please click on the "How do you want your blog listed?" link at the top of that site to customize your blog’s description on the list (or to decline).Thank you. from Judy (An Autism Observer)

Thanks so much will fill it out later today

[autisticselves]

In many ways it was helpful to fully integrate all my alters prior to becoming a mother - it enabled me to focus purely on my baby and enabled me to meet my baby’s needs. However, it also meant I literally lost my self (or selves) and I was literally only a mother. It also wasn’t necessary as I am able to parent now with alters so my belief that full integration was necessary to parent effectively was wrong. #actuallyautistic #actuallydid #actuallydissociative #actuallydissociativeidentitydisorder #parenting #parentingonthespectrum #autismandmotherhood #motherhood #motherhoodjourney #autisticselves #autisticDID #autismacceptance #autismawareness #autism #pluralparenting https://www.instagram.com/p/COsP2r0sBc6/?igshid=4j1hzde7g804