Is This An Autistic Trait?

ASK BOX IS OPEN Ask and you shall receive. -Note: we're not experts, we'll probably make a few mistakes. But we do try our bests to only give out accurate information. We rely on our own experiences, what we've read from other autistics and on here. mods

[isthisanautistictrait]

Mod „Robin“ here! I‘ve been extremely inactive although I‘m the original owner of the blog jdkdk sorry lmao. I still gotta edit the mods page but my name is actually Jack now! Just wanted everybody to know. My main blog is @owjm btw! i‘m (obviously) a ton more active there.

[isthisanautistictrait]

itaat to really hate hot tubs? they're sensory hell for me, and i've never enjoyed them.

I’d say if they’re sensory hell then it’s probably an autistic thing! I have the exact same problem. 

-Mod Apollo

[isthisanautistictrait]

Sorry if I can't really explain this properly, but is it an autistic trait to not be entirely aware of your tone of voice? I frequently find that I get in trouble for talking to people with "attitude", and I end up getting really confused as to why the person gets angry at me!

This could totally be an autistic trait!

I get this all the time and it’s so terrible D:

-Mod Apollo

[isthisanautistictrait]

So I'm about 80% sure I'm on the autism spectrum, but lately my autistic traits are more visible and have become worse, so to speak. Such as my ability to recognise sarcasm, accidentally saying things that offend others. Is this because I've recently discovered I'm autistic, and am letting myself act more myself or am I going through autistic burnout? Or is it just I am noticing more of my autistic traits in everyday life since discovering I'm autistic?

Any one of these things is possible!

You could be experiencing autistic burnout which makes traits more prominent.

You could be noticing traits more because you’re more aware of them.

You could be allowing yourself to show your traits more.

And there’s always the possibility that you’ve finally reached the limit on what you can handle social wise as compared to those around you.

-Mod Apollo

[isthisanautistictrait]

hey ive pretty recently come to the conclusion that im autistic ((self dx bc my therapist shut me down both times i brought up wanting to be tested for it)) and i was wondering if routine rigidness is a necessity?? i cant rly think of any examples i have with this it and its causing my brain to bring out the Doubt Stick™ and berate me with it and idk hell maybe i do and i just dont realize it idk?? also the double punctuation marks arent frantic theyre just,, a thing ig idk

Routine rigidness, though common, is not necessary to be autistic. Many autistic individuals do not feel the need to adhere to a routine or have a very relaxed routine and it doesn’t make them any less autistic.

-Mod Apollo

[isthisanautistictrait]

hey is it ok to reblog stuff from here?? sorry if this is annoying i just feel like i need to ask for permission!! also idrc if u answer this privately or publicly im a--ok with either of them. thx!!

Of course! You’re more than welcome to reblog things from this blog.

This blog was created as a resource so anyone who wishes to is free to use it as such.

-Mod Apollo

[isthisanautistictrait]

Hi so I've always considered i may not be autistic because I don't need to stim or have really bad sensory issues but just today I realized that every day (and I mean EVERY day) I have to listen o music for at least an hour (or 2 or 6...) while walking in my roomaround to be able to calm down and function and I was wondering if that counts as stimming/autistic trait?? Thanks :)

That totally counts as stimming and can be an autistic trait!

-Mod Apollo

[isthisanautistictrait]

Yay, you're back! I sent a long ask a wee while ago - do you have a pile to work through? (they don't always send so I thought I'd check; no pressure)

Well, I'm back on a semi temporary basis. I have a summer job I'm going to in just over a month so posts from me will be infrequent when that job starts. And boy do we have a pile of asks to answer. The ask box is in the range of about 350 asks at the moment to be answered. I'm going to try and do a bunch over the next few weeks and get them set up in the queue.-Mod Apollo

[isthisanautistictrait]

I'm sorry this probably isn't the right blog for this but I had a meltdown at work today and my boss pulled me aside after and told me off for 'taking breaks whenever something doesn't go your way' and said that I'd had complaints and would probably be fired soon and I'm just so upset that I can't deal with it and that she can't realise I'm genuinely struggling...

I'm sorry friend! I wish there was something I could do to help, but in my opinion a job that makes you that overwhelmed is a job that's maybe not worth having.I am sorry though :(-Mod Apollo

[isthisanautistictrait]

to the anon with trich: im prof dx'd and i have derm so yeah it can def be an autistic traif

^^^

[isthisanautistictrait]

I cant tell who you are if you cut your hair and I can't recognize voices

This sounds like some form of face-blindness, which is pretty common in autistic individuals.

-Mod Apollo

[isthisanautistictrait]

I have trichotillomania. could a BFRB be considered an autistic trait, like a stim?

Sure! Many autistic people have a BFRB, such as trichotilllomania or dermotillomania, as a stim, myself included! I even went to a therapist for my trich and she suggested that it might be due to a lack of sensory input, and I’m not prof dx’ed as autistic!

-Mod Apollo

[isthisanautistictrait]

idk if this is the wrong place to ask this but I already know I'm autistic but sometimes I doubt myself bc sometimes I can kind of hold off meltdowns/big stimming if I really have to? it's hard but I can still do that sometimes and I kinda feel fake :/

This is a surprisingly common sentiment among many autistic individuals, which really shows just what society thinks about autistic people in general. 

What I’ll say about this idea is this:

Being able to “pass” as allistic doesn’t undermine your identity as an autistic person, just like being able to act straight doesn’t mean you’re not gay. If you’re autistic then you’re autistic, regardless of if people think you are or if you can hide your traits for the sake of ease.

-Mod Apollo

[cloudyautistic]

How to know if you have a Special Interest!

So, there’s this thing that you love, but you aren’t sure if it qualifies as a special interest. If you’re not sure, see if any of the following aspects of a special interest apply to you!

That thing might be your special interest if…

Engaging in this interest makes you feel so excited that you feel as if you’re going to burst.

Engaging in this interest causes you to stim to release the aforementioned excitement. (Screeching, flapping, etc)

This interest is very often on your mind, and seems to be the “default” subject of your daydreams or idle thoughts.

You feel a strong urge to collect things that have to do with this interest.

You feel a strong urge to tell everyone you know about this interest.

You often find yourself unable to talk about anything else besides this interest.

You may engage in this interest all day, for days/weeks/months/years on end and never become bored of it.*

If you are autistic and you are familiar with any of these experiences, you may have a special interest!

*note: Some special interests last longer than others and the intensity of the special interest may fluctuate over time.

[butterflyinthewell]

If it’s a fandom, it may dominate your fanfiction writing or fanart or whatever other meta you do for that fandom, too. :D

[isthisanautistictrait]

Posting this here as a resource! I would also add that special interests generally, but not always, “recharge” your “emotional batteries” so to speak. Help you calm down and regain control of yourself.

-Mod Apollo

[mrs-vimes]

Wouldn’t this look rly different for a depressed/burned out autistic person? Not contesting the original post at all just wondering how different it’d look for, well… someone like me hah

[isthisanautistictrait]

Yes, it would look pretty different, though I haven’t personally experienced depression or burnout extreme enough to affect my SIs.

Many depressed autistics lose interest in their special interests, or don’t have enough energy to engage in their special interests. Some depressed autistics focus even more on their special interests to attempt to cover or counteract their depression. Some find their special interests shift toward darker topics than before.

-Mod Apollo

[isthisanautistictrait]

Hi. Is it ok if I follow you? My son is three and autistic and I read through some of your asks and this seems like really helpful information. I'm just trying to learn as much as possible to best help him and make his life easier to handle with his sensory sensitivities. And is it possible to be hyper AND hypo sensitive to noises or other stimuli? Like sometimes he gets excited and jumps and flaps in sunlight and other times he has a meltdown as soon as we step outside. Your blogs great btw!

Of course, you’re welcome to follow us if you’re here to learn!

And yes, it is entirely possible to be both hyper and hypo sensitive to stimuli depending on the situation. Sometimes, especially if you’re understimulated, certain stimuli can be nice and stimmy, even calming. But if you’re already overwhelmed, were overwhelmed earlier, or on your way to being overwhelmed, that same stimulus can make things worse. 

Also, sensitivity to some things can change on a day to day basis due to many other factors. If he likes the light then maybe that’s not the problem. Maybe it’s the temperature or the noise or something other than the light itself.

I hope this helps!

-Mod Apollo

[isthisanautistictrait]

Is it an autism thing to just get like....words or phrases stuck in your head? Like it repeats over and over in your mind?

Yes, definitely! It’s called echolalia when you’re repeating another person’s words, and paralalia if you’re repeating your own words.

- Mod Robin

Edit: It's called palilalia!-Mod Apollo

[isthisanautistictrait]

Mod Robin here! Sorry for not having been very active lately, I haven’t been feeling too splendidly. But I’m gonna get tested for autism next week and wanted to ask if anyone had any advice? It’s my first time at a therapist and I’m not really sure what to expect, I don’t wanna go into it blindly tho. You can shoot me a message or an ask on my main @crow-png if you want to, thanks in advance and sorry again for disappearing for so long :0

[isthisanautistictrait]

reblogging for the night crowd!