.Being.Us

Many holidays are coming up, and that means holiday gatherings. Holiday gatherings can be nice in that they allow us to see the people we love, but they can also bring crowds, unwanted physical contact, sensory overload, changes in routine, unscripted conversation, and other challenges that are especially irksome for autistic and mentally ill people (like me). This blog will cover some ways to address these issues and lessen their impact. Note: The dyslexic font add-ons aren't working right now, so this new font is accessible to me.  Don't pack in too many gatherings: Trying to do too much is a good way to get overwhelmed. Allow down-time to recharge between gatherings.  Know what to expect : Knowing what will happen and when can help reduce anxiety. It can help to know the schedule, familiarize yourself with the places you'll be going (drive-bys or photos help me), and know who you'll be seeing at the events.  Prepare scripts : Whether you'll be going for a ...

People with vision disorders often have a sort of sixth sense that enables them to tell when something is in front of them. This sense can be developed intentionally over time in sighted people, as well. The sensation is something like feeling the object in front of your face as a force. Scientists say that we are actually using echos and sounds to locate things when we perceive distance that way. Although I am by no means blind, I have some vision disorders, as well as headaches that come with extreme light sensitivity, and I have developed this sense over time. That's actually really cool, but it does create some different needs for me regarding personal space when coupled with autism, PTSD, and anxiety. For me, autism means experiencing things around me more intensely than neurotypical people do. Specifically, I'm more aware/hyperaware of things near me because my brain does not “tune out” or “filter” sensory input to select what’s important very well. Also, my feeling of ...