Let's Talk Autism

Hi, I'm Batty, and this is a sideblog for autism/disability discourse.  I'll probably also do some venting here occasionally.  Genderqueer.  They/Them pronouns.  Self-diagnosed.

[autism-asks]

Resources

Hello lovely followers! This page is a collection of resources to help you with your questions. These are all resources that are frequently referenced on this blog. They are broken down into categories based on the subject matter. As always, if you have any questions, send us an ask!

General Autism Resources

What is Autism?

Another What is Autism?

What is Autism? (ASAN)

What is Autism? In Plain Language

Dictionary of Autism-related Concepts

Inclusive Autistic Traits

Myths About Autism

Autism FAQ

ASAN’s About Autism

Ask an Autistic (videos about autism by an autistic)

Don’t Mourn For Us

Autism Resources

Autism Masterpost

Autism 101

Self-Diagnosis Resources

DSM-V Criteria

ICD-10 Criteria

A Self-Diagnosis Masterpost

Autism Self-Diagnosis Masterpost

A Diagnosis Checklist Masterpost (contains checklists for many neurodivergencies not just autism)

Autism Does Not Reside in a Medical Report

My Stance On Self-Diagnosis

Positively Autistic: A List of (Positive) Autistic Traits

Adult Diagnosis

DSM Criteria for Autism Explained

Simplified Diagnostic Criteria

Autism Quizzes

Adult Diagnosis Series

ASD Paper Diagnosis vs. Self-Diagnosis

I Think I’m Autistic

Autism versus…

Autism vs. PTSD

Autism vs. BPD

Autism vs. ASPD

Autism vs. StPD

Autism vs. SzPD (follow-up)

Autism vs. Schizophrenia

Autism vs. Psychosis

Autism vs Social Anxiety

Shutdown/Meltdown vs. Sensory Overload vs. Panic Attack

Autism and ADHD

What is the differences between autism and ADD/ADHD?

Autism With a Side of ADHD

Differences between autism and ADHD

ADHD Self Diagnosis

Sensory Processing Topics

What Is Sensory Processing Disorder? (video)

SPD Checklist

SPD Resource Center

Understanding Sensory Processing Issues

Masterpost Sensory Differences

Sensory Sensitivities and Atypical Sensory Processing

How to Reduce Sensory Overload

Processing a Sensory Overload

Autism A-Z: I is for Interoception

Sensory Processing Disorder Resource List

Meltdowns and Shutdowns

What Does a Meltdown Feel Like?

“Shutdown” What It Is and What It Isn’t

Where I Go When I Shutdown

Anatomy of a Meltdown

Shutdown: A Specific Type of Meltdown

Autism A-Z: M is for Meltdowns

Autistic Burnout

Autistic Regression and Fluid Adaptation

“Help! I Seem to Be Getting More Autistic!”

Autistic Burnout

What is Autistic Burnout?

Autism A-Z: B is for Burnout

What is Autistic Burnout? Infograph

Echolalia

The Naked Mechanisms of Echolalia

Echolalia: That’s What She Said

Alexithymia

What is Alexithymia? (video)

Alexithymia Question

Emotional Dysfunction: Alexithymia and ASD

What Alexithymia Feels Like for This Autistic

Hyper-Empathy

Hyper-Empathy In Autistic Individuals

On Emotions, Hyperempathy, and Hypersensitivity

Hyperempathy Feels FAQ

The Intense World Syndrome- An Alternative Hypothesis for Autism

Executive Dysfunction

Executive Dysfunction

Executive Function Series

The “Joys” of Executive Dysfunction

So What Is Executive Dysfunction?

How to Live Better With Executive Dysfunction

Special Interests

What’s So Special About a Special Interest?

Special Interests

How Do I Know for Sure What My Special Interests Are?

Autism A-Z: S is for Special Interests

Stimming

Stimming 101, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Stim

What Is Stimming?

Types of Stimming

What is Stimming?

The Stimming Checklist

The High Cost of Self-Censoring (Or Why Stimming Is a Good Thing)

Where to Buy Stim Toys

Stimtastic

A Sense of Self

Office Playground

Fuzzwumpet

Weird Faeles

SpacerobotStudio

Ruthdoodle

Autistic Rabbit (weighted blankets)

Fidgetopia

The Fidget Shop

Fat Brain Toys

Neurodivergent Creators

The following are people from our community who create products that are helpful for autistic people such as stim toys, communication tools, and more! Check out their shops as a way to support neurodivergent creators!

PangeaMea by Francis Mark (autism, OCD, ADHD, anxiety, depression) sells stim toys, sensory friendly clothing, noise muffling beanies and headbands, padded arm protectors, and skin picking simulators.

StimForTheWin by Exo (autism and ADHD) sells tangles and fidget cubes with silicone spikes on them for maximum stimming, communication necklaces (also with silicone spikes), and marble mazes/ donuts.

StrangerDarkerBetter by Mod Sabrina (autism, ADHD, schizoaffective, PTSD, depression, anxiety) sells visual schedules and communication cards.

PieFanArt by Pie (autistic) sells mostly plush toys, art and jewelry but also weighted plushies and scented plushies!

WagglesStudio by Dailyspeal sells stim toys

Identity First Language

Identity First Language

I Am Disabled: On Identity-First Versus People-First Language

I is For Identity First Language

Why I Dislike “Person First” Language

Autism A-Z: P is for Person First

Autistic In the Workplace

Autistic in the Workplace Inforgraph

Autistic in the Workplace: Autism and Interviews

Autistic in the Workplace: Change

Autistic in the Workplace: Professional Dress

Autistic in the Workplace: Hallway Conversations

Neurodiversity and Autism Acceptance

Why Acceptance

Neurodiversity: Some Basic Terms and Definitions

Autistic Pride and What You Need to Know

Autistic Community

Welcome to the Autistic Community

Autistic Culture

A Love Letter to the Autistic Community

Defending and (Re)defining Self-Advocacy

The Social Model of Disability

Disabled Not Disordered: Autism and the Social Model

Social Model of Disability Animation (video)

Understanding Disability Models

A Social Model of Disability Analogy

What’s Wrong With Functioning Labels?

Functioning Labels Masterpost

Functioning Labels 101

Decoding the High Functioning Label

Functioning Labels Comic

On Functioning and “Functioning”

F*%$ Your Functioning Labels

More Problems With Functioning Labels

Fluctuating Functionality

Asperger’s and Autism

Why Autism $peaks is Bad

What’s Wrong With Autism Speaks

Why I am Against Autism Speaks (and you should be, too)

Updated Autism Speaks Masterpost

Boycott Autism Speaks

I Resign My Roles With Autism Speaks

A Few Selected Autism Speaks Quotes

How the “Autism Speaks” Charity Failed the Community It Set Out to Serve

What’s Wrong With ABA?

ABA Masterpost

Why I Oppose ABA as a Method of Instruction

ABA 101

Trauma and Autism

What ABA Is Like From the Point of View of a Former Therapist

Why I Left ABA

Anti-Anti-Vaccination

On Vaccines, Autism and Systemic Bigotry (masterpost)

Vaccines Don’t Cause Autism, but That’s Not the Point

Vaccines Don’t Cause Autism, but So What if They Did?

Everything Wrong With Vaxxed (video)

[so1987-deactivated20230102]

who’s gonna tell tumblr that executive dysfunction is more than Not Doing Things?

[so1987-deactivated20230102]

okay

these are the executive functions. impairment of these functions is executive dysfunction

[scaredgoddex-deactivated2019040]

can someone put these in baby words im an unabsorbing shithead

[autisticpride]

1. Breaking down tasks into doable pieces ; starting tasks

2. Paying attention to what you’re doing ; changing and completing tasks

3. Ability to direct your focus ; ability to process what you’re doing

4. Understanding & expressing emotions in healthy ways

5. y’know that thing where you put something down and it’s Gone Now? That’s an example of this. Things sticking in your short-term memory, you being able to remember them.

6. Awareness of what you’re doing, what you’re not doing, and what you should be or need to be doing, and changing what you’re doing accordingly.

[interstellarneighbourhood]

this is very important for people to remember! often you see posts that only address a small facet of executive dysfunction, and while that’s ok it can lead to people incorrectly interpreting it or believing they have it when they might not. I really want to stress that that is okay - no one will be mad if you realise you had it wrong - but please make sure you don’t leave people misinformed. 

As someone with severe executive dysfunction that affects all of the above catergories, i ask you to please share this and inform anyone who might not be aware of this. It can be very hurtful to see people dismissing exdcutive dysfunction because they believe that it is far less of a struggle than it really is.

[fakeboitherottengirl]

Is anybody else bitter that their disability went undiagnosed their entire youth and was treated like a behavioral/personality flaw because they got good grades?

[battyspeaks]

Quite.  I went through several years of absolute hell as young adult, during which I was depressed, self-injurious, and had suicidal ideations because I couldn’t cope with the demands of college.  My academic success had been such an important part of my life that when I was suddenly not successful, I felt like a total failure.  And I put all the blame on myself - that I was just too lazy to get to class or do the work.  I hated myself.

Only now, more than 10 years later do I finally understand the real reason for my struggles.  And it makes me so angry.  Even moreso because it wasn’t as if I had no struggles earlier on.  I struggled to learn very basic things as a child like how to tie my shoes and tell time and count money.  But I was great at other things, so no one ever worried about it.

And now, here I am, still struggling.  And I know a diagnosis wouldn’t have erased my struggles, but it would have been nice to at least have a reason for them.

[autisticadvocacy]

You Can’t “Culturally Appropriate” a Weighted Blanket From Autistic People

No, I’m not mad about your Christmas present.

“Nondisabled people using amenities originally designed for disabled people does nothing but improve our lives”

[hunterinabrowncoat]

I feel like it shouldn’t be a hard one to figure out, but apparently it is:

If an resource designed to cater to disability is limited, then don’t use it if you’re not disabled - like the limited number of disabled parking spaces or disabled toilets; if you use one, then someone who needs that resource won’t have access.

But if a resource is not limited, then more use will encourage more production. So use it! Buy it! Gluten free food became cheaper and more widely available after it became a fad diet, and now it’s easier for coeliacs to buy the food they need. Stim toys like fidget cubes became widely available and common use when they became a fad.

The less niche something is and the more commonly used something is, the easier it will become to obtain.

[battyspeaks]

I just bought a weighted blanket from a discount store for $50 instead of having to special order one for a couple hundred, so yeah, I am all for this.

[battyspeaks]

So my boss yelled at me the other day for not immediately doing something she did not tell me to do immediately AND just generally for not working the way she wanted me to AND she insulted my intelligence in the process. Had a total meltdown and had to hide in the bathroom for a while. I've worked so hard to devise a system that ensures that I get my work done on time and her telling me how dumb it was just fucked me up. Plus, this was the day after the assistant manager blew up and tried to keep from leaving to go to a doctor's appointment, which I had already cleared with the manager. That triggered a meltdown too. So it's been an especially awful week at work, and I am looking for a new job and also looking to get a formal diagnosis because being expected to fit into the neurotypical box and behave like a neurotypical person is just too difficult and too damaging.

[battyspeaks]

Meltdown yesterday.  Three more days of work.  Then back to the dentist for more extractions.  And my back is killing me.

[battyspeaks]

As a child I was considered “gifted.”  And I was always very proud of that.  I was always praised for being so smart and getting such good grades.  And while I was being praised, my deficits were ignored. I had so much trouble with basic things like learning to tie my shoes and skip and read a clock and count money and use scissors and hold a pencil, but I could read very well!  And I learned all those other things well enough.  Eventually.   The same went for social skills.  I was good enough at interacting with others and made enough friends that no one ever paid any attention to any trouble I had.  I was poised!  I was witty!  I was good at public speaking! 

I lived in this bubble of praise until I went off to college.  That’s when the bubble suddenly burst, and I came to realize that as “gifted” as I may have been academically, I was not at all equipped to deal with actual adult life.

I could write a killer essay, but what good was that when I couldn’t figure out how to get myself out of bed in the morning and get to class on time?  My life fell apart, and I didn’t know what to do, so I just stayed in bed all the time.  I didn’t even have any inkling that there was a reason for all the trouble I was having.  I just thought I was a failure.

I spent years feeling that way, even after I was diagnosed with depression.

Now, here I am, still struggling to cope with basic life tasks like working and cleaning and taking care of myself, reading about ASD and other people like me and looking back on all the signs that were always there... And I can’t help but wonder how different my life might be now if I’d been diagnosed early on, if my struggles had been acknowledged and dealt with, if I’d learned to cope with my problems instead of just hiding them. What if...?

[battyspeaks]

A Brief Intro

Hi, I’m Batty!  I’m old.  I’m genderqueer.  I prefer They/Them pronouns, but I’m not that fussy about it.   I’m autistic - self-diagnosed because this is the first time it 10+ years that I’ve actually had any kind of health insurance, and I have other health issues that are of higher priority than getting a diagnosis.  Plus the whole process just seems terribly stressful.

I work at a grocery store, in the bakery, and I find it extremely difficult, but I need the money, so I muddle through as best I can.  It devours most of my energy, so I am only around here sporadically.

My hobbies include reading, writing, attempting to art, roleplaying, making stuff, and collecting things.   If there’s anything else you’d like to know, feel free to ask!