Ellie @bruhgethebees - Tumblr Blog

fairy lights

finally read the last chapter of breathing out by @spacebeyonce which you should def read btw

Hello, i’m autistic and almost always verbal, but in some situations because of stress, sensory overload or no real reason, i go through periods where i’m unable to speak or have a very limited verbal capability. I usually call them nonverval/semiverbal episodes. I’ve heard from nonverbal autistic people that they don’t want us to use those terms like that, and since i need a term to communicate the situation to others, what should i use?

I'm a fan of "situationally verbal," in part because it is a phrase usable by many people with neurological or mental health issues, regardless if what that issue is. There is an inherent, "sometimes," to it without any assumptions of whether that means speaking, writing, or typing (by many metrics, being verbal includes writing because it involves words, as opposed to pictures or pictographs which represent ideas). In short, I think it is more accurate, more widely usable, and if happens to avoid misrepresenting what being actually non-verbal is like... Well, that's a win for everyone.

martinkhall

I’ve also heard “loosing my words” used for this situation. A situation I find myself in more and more often although I think I’ve pulled out of the burnout that was causing it to happen so much.

13faeinapenguinsuit

I do this too, especially when speaking more casually to friends or family that are already familiar with what I mean.

deanofwhumpuniversity

I call it "selective mutism" and I've learned that when I have a hard time verbally communicating I can usually still use sign language?

13faeinapenguinsuit

as a general rule, unless you are actually diagnosed with selective mutism, then maybe no?

Like, normally I am all about the avoiding gatekeeping. I do not want to discourage people from exploring the possibility that they may be selectively mute / have selective mutism. So let's be clear, if you think you are selectively mute as a diagnosis, that is all you and go you. This includes if you are autistic.

That said, we are talking very specifically about a type of verbal communication in autism that is distinctly not SM. So much so, that the DSM explicitly mentions SM in the autism diagnosis section, and works to dissuade dual diagnosis.

Selective mutism is very specifically and intentionally not autistic. It is very intentionally and specifically an anxiety diagnosis.

SM very much is about when and why you do not communicate. Autism is about HOW you communicate.

The point here being you can be autistic and have SM (Greta Thunburg, for example has publicly talked about having a dual diagbosis), but most episodes of language loss in autistics are not SM.

I highly, highly, highly, recommend learning more about SM from non-autistics people who are diagnosed and open about having an SM diagnosis because the differences between SM and apparent SM in autism can be very subtle. Especially because they will be able to provide significantly more information and nuance to life with SM than I, a non-sm autistic, ever could.

And like, I'm not saying you don't have SM. I can't tell you that. I'm not you, I'm not a professional. But SM means something very specific, with its own set of stigmas and life experiences that range from good to bad, and yes in a lot of ways it is similar to autistic communication blocks, but it IS different than the autism experience and that matters.

Also, so we are clear, this is not meant as a gotcha or anything. I'm not trying to make you feel bad or like you did something wrong. Not everyone has access to a physical copy of the DSM and the extended text contained within, and SM is not part of the popular consciousness like autism is. If you didn't know, you didn't know, that's ok, because now you do.

gayscifi

an activist in austin, tx was shot and killed last night(july, 25th) during a march in solidarity with portland. a man who was running people over and shooting from his car into the crowd shot him while he was defending his wife and others at the protest. his name was Garrett Foster.

Here is a link about what happened also with a link to support his wife, Whitney Mitchell(who is disabled). She lost her primary caregiver for over ten years and the love of her life.

illinicoise

“But if you forget to reblog Madame Zeroni, you and your family will be cursed for always and eternity.”

autismtypes

Autism Type #1845

pirates of the autism

autismtypes

Autism Type #1839

Velma is autistic

delmondo

western cat twitters are like “HoOman” and japanese cat twitters are like “Today I will consider the state of things.”

clownboybeebop

you forgot russian cat tumblr

sunshine-tattoo

Russian cats are right in the middle of the two

halfwit

vickytokio

They’re all the best

babyanimalgifs

elliehopaunt-deactivated2025073

worth watching for the end

uglyassbinch420

yo what tHE FUCK ¡

catgirl9696

Interesting fact these two are playing but they are using play behaviors of their own species so they dont really “match up”!

Dog - is “bowing” and using open mouth “bites” as forms of play

“Play fight with me!”

Cat - is giving the little paw bats they use when playing with kittens

“Cute kittens get booped!”

They are both trying to engage the other in a playful way but not understanding the others responce.

The dog is like “you smack so no play? but not hard smack and no bad noise so not angry?”

The cat is like “why you jump around? open mouth but no chomp? no hiss so is okay?”

And then they sort of settle with a kind of communal grooming gesture they both understand!

Dog: no play? okay i lay… we calm now friend!

Cat: sad? no play? is ok i luv u weird kitten!

neonperri

I like how the dog recognizes that the cat is getting a little upset when the dog gets a little too energetic (her ears are halfway back and her tail is lashing); he immediately settles down on the ground and waits for her to make the next move. Which she does, because she’s comfortable again. This is absolutely a classic example of competing body language in cats and dogs, but also a really good look at how they can learn to read each other.

vickytokio

Ok, but this is fucking adorable

mobpsycho100

cryptid-sighting

This is another meme I would love to show to someone from exactly one year ago and see what they think is going on in

whitepeopletwitter

theepoetspoet

Devos said “only 0.02% of children would die” if schools reopened.

It’s 14,000 kids. that she just said it’s ok if they die. These people are genocidal and inhumane. I hate it here.

gaymenaredivineincarnate

It’s not just about the deaths too.

There will be many more kids who will gain permanent life debilitating illnesses and disabilities because of this virus. There will be kids who will spread this disease to their other families and will have to deal with the trauma of a loved one that they live with dying.

It’s so unjustly cruel.

fix-ur-heart

unmute because the song's actually a bop

enigmaticpink

Lan nyugen on ig

sunflower-cane

You know I love how so many people are like “respect boundaries respect consent” until it’s time to respect people w OCD who can’t shake hands or be touched or when an autistic person tells their family member they can’t give hugs or when a chronically ill person tells you “no I can’t do this thing” and you think “maybe if I just make them do it anyway it’ll make them stronger” or when a mentally ill person or someone who has been abused is like “I don’t want to be around this person/thing it’s triggering” and you get people guilting them to “just get over it”

If you’re about consent and boundaries, good, you should be, but remember to keep that energy when moms of autistic kids are like “I still hug my child even tho it makes them have panic attacks” or when someone’s like “yeah they said they don’t want to be around this person cause it’s “triggering” but I’m their friend so they should do it for me” or when a disabled person says they can’t go up the stairs and you’re begging them to “try anyway”

Don’t lose that mindset, or that energy when it’s time to respect the boundaries or consent of mentally ill and disabled people.

jayessart

diary comics - DIY friend

instagram / twitter / my webtoon comics

uncannychikage

uh oh

yekkes

Why not both

prettysicksupply

[img description: black text on a white background, pulled from a larger list. Included text is transcribed below]

“…People with ADHD cope with this huge emotional elephant in two main ways, which are not mutually exclusive. 1. They become people pleasers. They scan every person they meet to figure out what that person admires and praises. Then, that’s the false self they present. Often this becomes such a dominating goal that they forget what they actually wanted from their own lives. They are too busy making sure other people aren’t displeased with them.

2. They stop trying. If there is the slightest possibility that a person might try something new and fail or fall short in front of anyone else, it’s just too painful and too risky to even consider. So, these people just don’t. these are the very bright, capable people who become the slackers of the world and do absolutely nothing with their lives because making any effort is so anxiety-provoking. They give up going on dates, applying for jobs, or speaking in meetings.”