It always hurts to read this sentiment. We still have so far to go to make sure that people with autism are understood, accommodated, and not mistreated. We have certainly come a long way from...
I work very hard to hide my autism.
It always hurts to read this sentiment. We still have so far to go to make sure that people with autism are understood, accommodated, and not mistreated. We have certainly come a long way from where we were, but relative progress is never (and should never) be enough for people who are suffering. She deserves a world where she doesn’t have to hide.
It's still a stigma in the US to have any sort of mental issue. I suffered from GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) in the '90s for quite a few years. An old girlfriend of mine found a card from a...
It's still a stigma in the US to have any sort of mental issue. I suffered from GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) in the '90s for quite a few years. An old girlfriend of mine found a card from a family member discussing some of it, and referred to my "mental illness." She became terrified that I was some sort of serial killer or something, and questioned me about it for weeks. When I tried to explain what had gone on, she still had definitely changed her attitude towards me, and we split soon after. It's a shame that people still don't want to look at it as changes in brain chemistry that you cannot control by just "bucking up" or "dealing with it."
Perhaps a different perspective here from another autistic person. I dislike them. It is kinda nice to not have to worry about my facial expressions as much, but all the masks Ive found are really...
Perhaps a different perspective here from another autistic person.
I dislike them. It is kinda nice to not have to worry about my facial expressions as much, but all the masks Ive found are really uncomfortable on my face (I have quite a few other sensory issues with clothing too, I dont like things too tight on certain areas, I like them tight on others, certain fabrics are no-goes, etc. a woolen turtleneck is a nightmare.)
As for the smells, I find that my masks, rather than block the smells, instead hold on to them long after I am exposed to that smell. (its like how cigarette smoke sticks to clothes.)
Dont get me wrong, I still wear them, but I take them off as soon as I am outside and out of the crowd, and I cant wait until they aren't needed anymore.
Fantastic, short little piece that helps to highlight how people are diverse and how a one-size-fits-all solution can never truly fit everyone. I try and push as hard as I can at work and in my...
Fantastic, short little piece that helps to highlight how people are diverse and how a one-size-fits-all solution can never truly fit everyone. I try and push as hard as I can at work and in my social life to be accommodating to all individuals, but sometimes people seem to be entirely incapable of imagining a world where people might not want to be on a video chat instead of audio only, or converse via chat. I try and make a habit of asking everyone how they would like to be interacted with, because I know there are people like this who are begging for a little bit of respite. Meanwhile, some individuals are on the absolute opposite spectrum and feel drained and upset that they don't get to see faces on a video screen and we need to accommodate them as well.
Thank you for this, I'll be spreading it around in the hopes that it'll change a mind or two on how to interact with others and build just a little compassion.
It always hurts to read this sentiment. We still have so far to go to make sure that people with autism are understood, accommodated, and not mistreated. We have certainly come a long way from where we were, but relative progress is never (and should never) be enough for people who are suffering. She deserves a world where she doesn’t have to hide.
It's still a stigma in the US to have any sort of mental issue. I suffered from GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) in the '90s for quite a few years. An old girlfriend of mine found a card from a family member discussing some of it, and referred to my "mental illness." She became terrified that I was some sort of serial killer or something, and questioned me about it for weeks. When I tried to explain what had gone on, she still had definitely changed her attitude towards me, and we split soon after. It's a shame that people still don't want to look at it as changes in brain chemistry that you cannot control by just "bucking up" or "dealing with it."
Perhaps a different perspective here from another autistic person.
I dislike them. It is kinda nice to not have to worry about my facial expressions as much, but all the masks Ive found are really uncomfortable on my face (I have quite a few other sensory issues with clothing too, I dont like things too tight on certain areas, I like them tight on others, certain fabrics are no-goes, etc. a woolen turtleneck is a nightmare.)
As for the smells, I find that my masks, rather than block the smells, instead hold on to them long after I am exposed to that smell. (its like how cigarette smoke sticks to clothes.)
Dont get me wrong, I still wear them, but I take them off as soon as I am outside and out of the crowd, and I cant wait until they aren't needed anymore.
Fantastic, short little piece that helps to highlight how people are diverse and how a one-size-fits-all solution can never truly fit everyone. I try and push as hard as I can at work and in my social life to be accommodating to all individuals, but sometimes people seem to be entirely incapable of imagining a world where people might not want to be on a video chat instead of audio only, or converse via chat. I try and make a habit of asking everyone how they would like to be interacted with, because I know there are people like this who are begging for a little bit of respite. Meanwhile, some individuals are on the absolute opposite spectrum and feel drained and upset that they don't get to see faces on a video screen and we need to accommodate them as well.
Thank you for this, I'll be spreading it around in the hopes that it'll change a mind or two on how to interact with others and build just a little compassion.