lookingforsomethin @fuckyduckycluck - Tumblr Blog

When I first started telling people I was autistic (and sometimes to this day), I’ve gotten the “everybody has those symptoms,” and, “My X has autism and you’re nothing like them.” Man, do those irk me.

aspergersissues

Part 1 (of 2)

aspergersissues

Part 2 (of 2)

aspergersissues

When the stress kicks in.

aspergersissues

This is why @a-spoon-is-born and I never get to hang out, despite finally living in the same area. We’re both prone to this.

aspergersissues

I’m always WAAAAY to open and honest for people who try to make small talk with me. I *WILL* tell you when I’m not having a good day if you ask “How are you?”

greekaspie-blog

To NTs that think changing who we are is a valid choice:

There are a number of things that cause meltdowns in aspies, but they vary in both type and degree from aspie to aspie.

I personally have a schedule. Not every minute of every day is scheduled, but certain things are. However, with enough notice, these can be altered and I can work out an alternative schedule to accommodate additional plans. This allows my brain to function optimally, believe it or not, with much less stress than having it open-ended.

But unexpected changes cause me to go haywire. At the very least, they cause tremendous anxiety, and at most they cause meltdowns.

Today I was told by a neurotypical that to avoid this anxiety, I can simply “be less rigid.”

My brain wants me to respond by saying, “That’s not how the Force works!”

But it’s true. That’s not how autism works. We can’t just change ourselves and expect no bad consequences. As I said before, I function BETTER on a routine. Not having one would cause me endless anxiety all day, every day (believe me, I’ve tried).

You might think you’re being helpful by offering solutions to us to overcome our aspie tendencies, but please realize you’re telling us to change a fundamental part of who we are. Autism doesn’t go away. It might become unobservable to YOU, the outsider, but it is never to us. And just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean we aren’t affected by it. So please, show your respect for us as human beings by accepting that we are different and function differently. Our needs are not your needs, and yours are not ours. And that’s okay.