#autistic joy

[briarpiranian]

Whenever my partner introduces me to a new thing that I didn't know about because human trafficking limited my exposure to normal life it's like he's rolling a d20 to find out if that thing will suddenly become a new special interest overnight (the chaotic part of my autism).

[fivescocoa]

truly nothing is better than autistic special interest. i do not understand how people can live without this all consuming passion and joy. it is the safest place i can retreat to. engaging with my spin is so deeply fulfilling and causes me so much happiness and comfort. it is always there, humming in the background of every thought, every conversation, every breath. i love collecting facts and art and fics and headcanons and being able to share all that with a community. true autistic joy.

[bonesbugsandballads]

Sitting around in a sleeveless band shirt n black pants after engaging in my special interest and drinking iced coffee, spending my free time listening to a character playlist that consists of rock and Midwest emo, planning out fics, and scrolling tumblr.

I am SO queer right now oml. /positive

[feralfennecfox]

its my birthday today and some of my friends are coming over to play a dinosaur themed ttrpg and im so happy that i have friends who love me enough to come to my dinosaur themed party. if youre autistic, get friends who are also autistic, its awesome.

[milograceofpolkadotplace]

a few friends i’m yearning for

[milograceofpolkadotplace]

i just bought my first real “collection” of fidget toys plus a pouch for them to go in in really excited!! they’re all fidgets i’ve been dreaming about and they’re from a bunch of different places so i’ll update as they come in!!

[scream3wasntthatbad]

Wit piece is about to be the best thing since sliced bread, specifically sliced brown bread

[guardian-of-fun-times]

Today isn't about pretending to be "normal." It's about celebrating the way my brain experiences the world.

Being AuDHD means my mind is a galaxy of contradictions. I can hyperfocus on a project for twelve hours straight and then forget why I walked into a room. I notice details other people miss. I feel things deeply. I can get overwhelmed by noise, lights, and chaos, yet find comfort in a favorite song playing on repeat for the hundredth time.

It's the artist in me obsessing over every tiny detail because I can see the vision in my head before it exists. It's collecting special interests like treasures and wanting to share them with anyone willing to listen. It's finding comfort in familiar voices, favorite characters, cosplay, stories, music, and the little things that make the world feel safe. It's having a heart that feels everything at full volume.

For years, I thought I had to hide parts of myself to fit in. Smile when I was overwhelmed. Stay quiet when I was struggling. Mask until I was exhausted. Not anymore.

The traits I was taught to be ashamed of are also the things that make me creative, passionate, empathetic, resilient, and uniquely me. It's the reason I create art. It's the reason I tell stories. It's the reason I connect so deeply with people and fictional characters. It's the reason I can find magic in things others overlook.

So today I'm celebrating every autistic person who has ever been told they're "too much," "too sensitive," "too weird," or "too different."

Different does not mean less. We belong here. We deserve to take up space. And we deserve to be proud of who we are.

To my fellow neurodivergent folks: keep shining, keep creating, keep infodumping, keep loving your special interests, and keep being unapologetically yourself. The world is brighter because you're in it.