@darrellpf@mas.to avatar

darrellpf

@[email protected]

Newly discovered #actuallyautistic at 63, which has been a prime factor in mitigating ME/CFS. Linux, java, flutter. Etymology, weird word facts. Wicked Jeopardy player (except in People, see above). Springer spaniels

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Autistrain , to ActuallyAutistic group
@Autistrain@neurodifferent.me avatar

People should let go. It's important to have joy.

For example, it was raining a lot today. I went for a walk in the forest under the rain. It was very peaceful with nearly nobody. You have small streams of water on the edge of the paths. With everything that the streams could carry, it went to small dams creating 'tiny lakes'.

What I like to do since I'm a kid is breaking the dams to see the water flowing, building some rudimental embankment to redirect the flow.

I was there in the forest walking. I stopped and broke some dams and built some embankments. I had a lot of fun and joy.

This is a good thing to remember to let go, do what we like and give us joy.

@actuallyautistic

darrellpf ,
@darrellpf@mas.to avatar

When I was a child I spent hours outside during spring thaw doing exactly the same. I'd wander around in rubber boots, breaking up small dams and chipping away ice to form better channels.

I'd also go out in raging snowstorms, particularly at night. Snow does such a good job of deadening sound.

@Autistrain @actuallyautistic

eonity , to ActuallyAutistic group
@eonity@mastodon.social avatar

Question for my fellow @actuallyautistic peeps: how many of you here have, or think you have executive dysfunction? For those that do, how do you overcome it?

This has been a huge problem in my life, and I would like to hear how you people manage it.

darrellpf ,
@darrellpf@mas.to avatar

I have learned to let the other autistic traits help me.

I have what I used to call guilt. There is a severe guilt for being seen.

I meet deadlines by amassing guilt. If I am afraid of failure, the guilt and fear awakens me to do a really good job, often at the last moment.

@eonity @actuallyautistic

darrellpf , to ActuallyAutistic group
@darrellpf@mas.to avatar

I think of my shutdowns as a masked meltdown. I don't want anyone to see me unmasked. I'm also afraid of the power or ferocity of a true meltdown. Better to go hide were I can't be seen.

@actuallyautistic

LehtoriTuomo , to ActuallyAutistic group
@LehtoriTuomo@mementomori.social avatar

One reason why it took me so long to self-diagnose autism is that I thought I don't stim. In fact, once I learned that I do stim, my self-diagnosis process kicked in. That was the first time I said to myself that I might actually be autistic.

The reason for this misunderstanding was that I thought stimming is stereotypical, very repetitive, compulsory movement. I guess this misunderstanding is quite common.

I've since learned that stimming, short for self-stimulatory behavior, is basically stimulating one's sensory system in certain ways. It may be a way to soothe oneself, help to focus in overwhelming situations by feeding one's brain predictable sensory input, a way to express joy, or simply something that feels nice. Movements are part of it but any sense can be used.

When googling the term, there are mentions that also neurotypicals stim but that when diagnosing autism, stimming is somehow different -- only socially unacceptable stims are "real" stims. Bah.

I've started paying attention to how and when I stim, and collect a list of stims I do. I've noticed all types of stimming behavior (soothing, focusing, joy, fun). I do it more than before -- or maybe I just notice it more often. I've noticed that I love moving my body parts, especially to music. I also love different textures.

@actuallyautistic

darrellpf ,
@darrellpf@mas.to avatar

When I first took quizzes at 63 I was convinced I didn't stim. I dislike the word because of it's negative connotations.

I realized that I've bitten my fingernails since I was a child. Nothing would stop it. I still do it, often the skin around the nails. I run my teeth under the few I keep.

As I've gotten older I've started picking my ear hairs with tweezers.

When I retired I didn't need to shave every day. I pull whiskers as soon as the hairs get long.

@LehtoriTuomo @actuallyautistic

Uair , to ActuallyAutistic group
@Uair@autistics.life avatar

@actuallyautistic

I was just navelgazing while doing my dishes and a thought arrived. Schrodinger must've really hated cats.

Fuck Schrodinger. Leave the cat alone. Cats are good people. Put a republican in the box.

darrellpf ,
@darrellpf@mas.to avatar

The French also have a thing for cats in their idioms.

"I have a scratchy throat" in French is "I have a cat in my throat"

"Lots of irons in the fire" is "I have many cars to whip"

@Uair @actuallyautistic

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