autism acceptance

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    Ableism within the autism community

    Don't take out your frustrations on your child's disability. I wouldn't get rid of my autism if I had the chance to #Ableism #Autism #ParentsOfChildrenWithSpecialNeeds #Parents #InternalizedAbleism #AutismAcceptance #actuallyautistic

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    Being Autistic didn’t stop me from illustrating 22 books

    I’ve illustrated 22 books to date 🙏🏽 🦋 Never make fun of someone's passion, it could just be the thing that saves them from the world 🦋 or even themselves Art is LIFE art saved my life, if I didn't have a friend I have art, if I have nowhere else to turn I have art, if I can't speak it I can draw it, art was my first form of communication I drew before I spoke! I never thought others would trust me with their visions I never knew something I did to help me continue living would be loved by others! Limitless, that's how art makes me feel, if you have a child with any type of disorder & you see their passion for it or even just a developing interest! FEED it, feed that passion because the limits the world puts on us, can't fly if we don't accept them #Autism #AutisticAdults #actuallyautistic #AutismAcceptance #AutisticNotWeird #autisticandblack #autizzy

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    I'm turning 65 next month, and just yesterday they added ASD (Autism) to my permanent medical record.

    I've written before about how I was misdiagnosed as bipolar for a few decades, and the therapies and various prescription medicines never helped me. In fact, they nearly killed me.

    In my last year on the meds, I got lithium toxicity, and was rushed to a trauma center a hundred miles from home, and spent a week in ICU. That was the autumn of 2021, and I am still recovering now in February 2023.

    Yesterday I saw my third psychiatrist in a row who told me I had never been bipoloar, but I am Autistic. This time he put it all on paper, and entered it into my medical records. I guess that means it's official. Or maybe 'I' am official? Nah. I'm still just me.

    I never had an inkling that I might be Autistic before sometime last summer, when I read a story in The Mighty by someone who found out accidentally that she was Autistic while she was having one of her children tested and assessed. When she described her life and her challenges, she sounded to me like she was describing my own life.

    From that point onward, I started reading everything that I could get my hands on about the Autism Spectrum.

    Then there were the internet tests, the books with tests, and finally talking to doctors and to Autistics.

    Eventually, I was convinced beyond any reason of a doubt that I myself was, and am Autistic. Thereafter, I brought it up with my psychiatrist, and it took off from there.

    That brings me back to yesterday, and the third psychiatrist to agree, and who added it into my medical record.

    Now if I can get my General Practitioner to remove the bipolar label from my record there, I will feel like I can finally relax a little.

    I don't have a problem with bipolar in itself. I just have a major problem with being misdiagnosed for decades and spending the bulk of my money on therapy and prescriptions that kept me physically exhausted and in a heavy mental fog for decades, and didn't help me in any way. I feel like the majority of my life was wasted.

    So to have the label removed from my records is removing a constant painful reminder of all the life that I missed in my youth and middle age.

    I am going to spend the rest of my years as a happy, grateful Autistic old dude. Peace be with you all.
    ♾️♾️♾️
    🖖

    #Autistic #actuallyautistic #audhd #ADHD #Autism #ComplexPosttraumaticStressDisorder #GeneralizedAnxietyDisorder #AutismAcceptance #Stimming #Dysgraphia #dyscalcula #pathologicaldemandavoidance #PDA #AutisticInertia #AutisticBurnout
    #EFD #ExecutiveFunctionDisorder #executivedysfunction #RejectionSensitiveDysphoria #RSD
    #ReactiveAttachmentDisorder #rad #MajorDepressiveDisorder #MDD #Dysthymia #Specialinterest
    #Hyperfocus #hypervigilant #SensoryOverstimulation #SensoryIssues #SensoryPain

    #

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    Autism and sza (schizoaffective) and finding work

    #SchizoaffectiveDisorder #sza #Schizophrenia #Autism #ASD #Autistic #AutisticAdults #AutismAcceptance #Aspergers #neurodiverse #Neurodiversity #TheNeurodiverseCrowd #MentalHealth #SchizophreniaQuestions #Depression #Disability #Hope #Christianity

    Hello Mighty members!

    I want to keep this to a reasonable length. I was diagnosed with autism disorder and schizoaffective disorder fairly recently in my life (5 years ago, as I was finishing up a Master’s degree in Psychology). In hindsight, I think autism helps to explain a lot of things that I have struggled. Though my parents, particularly my father don’t completely understand, I think it is wonderful that I was able to qualify and obtain a Community Living Waiver that my state and county offers. It is helping to obtain transportation which is helping me get to work. I am hoping that with work I will be able to afford housing and so that I can move and be more independent. (As I currently live with my parents.) I also applied and was able to get EBT/SNAP. In the past I was a bit fearful as my father has strong views and would see it as a crutch, so it took me a while until I was sure that he was OK with my getting it.

     

    For schizoaffective disorder, it had come up fairly recently in my life as I was completing my Master’s. I talk more about it if you are interested in my other posts. I am taking Abilify and Invega and Zoloft which I find to be helpful with ameliorating my symptoms. I also believe that talk therapy is helping me to better myself and if I have any issues that come up that I find helpful talking about.

     

    I am wondering if anyone might have some insight or feedback regarding my situation. I am currently a Dishwasher at a retirement community. It took me a while to find and get this job. (As I am trying to avoid jobs that would involve a lot of social interaction.) I think due to past mental health, I am looking at part-time work currently. Though I’m also interested in full-time. What options do you think are obtainable or reasonable for someone in my situation?

    When I was doing well, I was a good student (getting mostly A’s and B’s in my courses). I was interested in the research side and helped several professors with individual research projects. (One for Analytical chemistry, one for Biochemistry which ended up being my undergraduate Honors thesis. And then for Quantitative Psychology which I did for my Master’s degree.) I want to get into research again or at some point in my career. I have different stressors at my current job as a Dishwasher. But for getting into research, I find that I’ve struggled due to lack of practical experience and connections. (Being on the autism spectrum, I find that I struggle with communication, advocating for myself, and with talking to people.) I had talked with a crisis line and they said that it might be harder with my conditions, but it is definitely doable.

     

    Thank you for your interest and responses!

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    Autism and sza (schizoaffective) and finding work

    #SchizoaffectiveDisorder #sza #Schizophrenia #Autism #ASD #Autistic #AutisticAdults #AutismAcceptance #Aspergers #neurodiverse #Neurodiversity #TheNeurodiverseCrowd #MentalHealth #SchizophreniaQuestions #Depression #Disability #Hope #Christianity

    Hello Mighty members!

    I want to keep this to a reasonable length. I was diagnosed with autism disorder and schizoaffective disorder fairly recently in my life (5 years ago, as I was finishing up a Master’s degree in Psychology). In hindsight, I think autism helps to explain a lot of things that I have struggled. Though my parents, particularly my father don’t completely understand, I think it is wonderful that I was able to qualify and obtain a Community Living Waiver that my state and county offers. It is helping to obtain transportation which is helping me get to work. I am hoping that with work I will be able to afford housing and so that I can move and be more independent. (As I currently live with my parents.) I also applied and was able to get EBT/SNAP. In the past I was a bit fearful as my father has strong views and would see it as a crutch, so it took me a while until I was sure that he was OK with my getting it.

     

    For schizoaffective disorder, it had come up fairly recently in my life as I was completing my Master’s. I talk more about it if you are interested in my other posts. I am taking Abilify and Invega and Zoloft which I find to be helpful with ameliorating my symptoms. I also believe that talk therapy is helping me to better myself and if I have any issues that come up that I find helpful talking about.

     

    I am wondering if anyone might have some insight or feedback regarding my situation. I am currently a Dishwasher at a retirement community. It took me a while to find and get this job. (As I am trying to avoid jobs that would involve a lot of social interaction.) I think due to past mental health, I am looking at part-time work currently. Though I’m also interested in full-time. What options do you think are obtainable or reasonable for someone in my situation?

    When I was doing well, I was a good student (getting mostly A’s and B’s in my courses). I was interested in the research side and helped several professors with individual research projects. (One for Analytical chemistry, one for Biochemistry which ended up being my undergraduate Honors thesis. And then for Quantitative Psychology which I did for my Master’s degree.) I want to get into research again or at some point in my career. I have different stressors at my current job as a Dishwasher. But for getting into research, I find that I’ve struggled due to lack of practical experience and connections. (Being on the autism spectrum, I find that I struggle with communication, advocating for myself, and with talking to people.) I had talked with a crisis line and they said that it might be harder with my conditions, but it is definitely doable.

     

    Thank you for your interest and responses!

    8 reactions 4 comments
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    Autism and sza (schizoaffective) and finding work

    #SchizoaffectiveDisorder #sza #Schizophrenia #Autism #ASD #Autistic #AutisticAdults #AutismAcceptance #Aspergers #neurodiverse #Neurodiversity #TheNeurodiverseCrowd #MentalHealth #SchizophreniaQuestions #Depression #Disability #Hope #Christianity

    Hello Mighty members!

    I want to keep this to a reasonable length. I was diagnosed with autism disorder and schizoaffective disorder fairly recently in my life (5 years ago, as I was finishing up a Master’s degree in Psychology). In hindsight, I think autism helps to explain a lot of things that I have struggled. Though my parents, particularly my father don’t completely understand, I think it is wonderful that I was able to qualify and obtain a Community Living Waiver that my state and county offers. It is helping to obtain transportation which is helping me get to work. I am hoping that with work I will be able to afford housing and so that I can move and be more independent. (As I currently live with my parents.) I also applied and was able to get EBT/SNAP. In the past I was a bit fearful as my father has strong views and would see it as a crutch, so it took me a while until I was sure that he was OK with my getting it.

     

    For schizoaffective disorder, it had come up fairly recently in my life as I was completing my Master’s. I talk more about it if you are interested in my other posts. I am taking Abilify and Invega and Zoloft which I find to be helpful with ameliorating my symptoms. I also believe that talk therapy is helping me to better myself and if I have any issues that come up that I find helpful talking about.

     

    I am wondering if anyone might have some insight or feedback regarding my situation. I am currently a Dishwasher at a retirement community. It took me a while to find and get this job. (As I am trying to avoid jobs that would involve a lot of social interaction.) I think due to past mental health, I am looking at part-time work currently. Though I’m also interested in full-time. What options do you think are obtainable or reasonable for someone in my situation?

    When I was doing well, I was a good student (getting mostly A’s and B’s in my courses). I was interested in the research side and helped several professors with individual research projects. (One for Analytical chemistry, one for Biochemistry which ended up being my undergraduate Honors thesis. And then for Quantitative Psychology which I did for my Master’s degree.) I want to get into research again or at some point in my career. I have different stressors at my current job as a Dishwasher. But for getting into research, I find that I’ve struggled due to lack of practical experience and connections. (Being on the autism spectrum, I find that I struggle with communication, advocating for myself, and with talking to people.) I had talked with a crisis line and they said that it might be harder with my conditions, but it is definitely doable.

     

    Thank you for your interest and responses!

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    What is one thing that you wish people understood about #Autism that you’ve had to explain multiple times?

    My support needs fluctuate drastically.

    Whilst I do have a full-time job, have friends, and manage some eye contact from time to time, I also experience shutdowns, struggle with change, can’t cook meals, get sensory overload, and truthfully, it’s not tenable for me to live a thriving life independently.

    I can exist as someone with higher and lower support needs, and neither the higher or lower support version of myself invalidates the other.

    This is the true experience of my ‘Spectrum’, where I have spiky skill sets and traits.

    #AutismAcceptance #Neurodiversity #ASD

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    How to cope with me, your #Autistic colleage

    As someone with autism, I know that I bring unique strengths and challenges to my job. I may approach tasks and social interactions differently than my coworkers, but that doesn't make me any less valuable as a team member.

    Here are a few things that my colleagues could do that would make it easier for me to succeed at work:

    They communicate clearly and directly. Autistic individuals like me may have difficulty interpreting nonverbal cues or picking up on subtlety, so it really helps when my coworkers are explicit in their instructions and expectations. They respect my boundaries. Autistic individuals may need more personal space or may not always want to engage in small talk. They're patient. Autistic individuals may need more time to process information or may have a slower response time. They offer support. If I'm struggling with a task or social interaction, my colleagues could## offer assistance or guidance in a supportive manner.

    By following these practices, my colleagues could help create a positive and inclusive work environment where I feel valued and supported. It takes a little extra effort, but it's worth it to have a workplace where everyone can thrive.

    #AutismAwareness #AutismAcceptance #autisminclusion #Neurodiversity #Autisticandproud #inclusionmatters #diversability #workingwithautism #autisticcolleague #neurodiverseteam

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    Introducing myself.

    Hi, everyone. I’m new here. I’m exclusively going by my username @aspie4ev3r for the sake of anonymity. And while it’ll take some time for me to get to the point where I’m comfortable opening up, I’m glad to have (hopefully) found a supportive community where I can be appreciated and accepted. #actuallyautistic #Aspergers #AspergersSyndromeAwareness #AutismAcceptance #Neurodiversity

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